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In popular thinking, debt evokes notions of vulnerability and bondage, while irregular migration for sex work conjures up the hazards of human trafficking and modern slavery 1 . These perceptions inform ‘safe migration’ policies aimed at ordering and regulating migration and combating informality to increase migrants’ safety and well-being; the assumption being that illegality puts migrants at risk of abuse. This article challenges these assumptions with an ethnographic study of brokerage practices in the quasi-family networks that facilitate the irregular and circular migration of Vietnamese sex workers to Singapore. In these networks, brokers sell a migration package on credit to their clients, the migrant sex workers, who repay it through sexual labour. This package includes all the services necessary for the women to migrate temporarily and work safely in Singapore. Most crucially, it serves as an entree into the broker’s business and social network, as a way of forming an enduring relationship. Without denying the power of debt to create inequality, obligation and exploitation, this article shows that debt can also be a profitable, non-coercive and reciprocal device for brokers and sex workers alike, a vector of ‘safety’ which limits some of the risks they encounter in a repressive and uncertain host environment. This finding stems from a novel framework in economic anthropology, the ‘socio-economy of debt’ (Guerin, 2018), which complicates moral views of debt through an empirical examination of the materiality, power dynamics and social and moral meanings of debt arrangements and relationships.

To examine the associations of excessive internet use with depression, anxiety, and sleep quality among high school students in northern Vietnam, a country experiencing rapid economic growth.A cross-sectional study was conducted in a high school in northern Vietnam from July to September 2019. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were respectively assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and the Vietnamese Anxiety Scale. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Internet use and demographic characteristics were obtained using structured questionnaires. A multiple logistic regression was performed.In total, 678 participants with an average age of 16.1 (standard deviation 0.9) years were included. Nearly one-third of the adolescents (30.7%) exhibited excessive internet use (4 h/day), 19.6% experienced depressive symptoms, 14.5% presented anxiety symptoms, and 58.8% reported poor sleep quality. Compared to non-excessive internet users, excessive internet users (4 h/day) experienced significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms (p = .001), anxiety (p = .008), and poorer sleep quality (p.001). Students who were female and with fair/poor self-rated health experienced higher depression, anxiety, and poor sleep quality (p.05). After adjusting for demographic and health-related factors, students with excessive internet use were 58% more likely to experience poor sleep quality (odds ratio, 1.58, 95% confidence interval [1.06, 2.35]).Excessive internet use in Vietnamese high school students was significantly associated with poor sleep quality, but not with depression or anxiety.

Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) stigma contributes to diagnostic delay, disease concealment, and reduced wellbeing for affected individuals. Despite the availability of several TB stigma scales, most high-TB burden countries do not have a culturally validated version available. This study evaluated the Van Rie TB stigma scale (VTSS) among people with TB in Vietnam. Methods: This study consisted of two phases. In phase 1, the VTSS was culturally and linguistically adapted to the Vietnamese context. In phase 2, people with TB were invited to complete a survey containing the VTSS, a depression scale, and a quality of life scale. The data analysis included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), construct validity, and floor or ceiling effects. Results: In phase 1, items were reworded from the third person to the first person. The TB/HIV co-infection items (items 7 and 11) were the least relevant for people with TB (62% and 73% relevance, respectively). In phase 2, the CFA demonstrated adequate goodness-of-fit indices (GFI = 0.88, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.058); however several of the item factor loadings were low. The EFA demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.85) and revealed one dominant factor. Construct validity was low. Conclusions: The VTSS demonstrated good psychometric properties in Vietnam. Depending on the purpose of the scale, the HIV co-infection items and item 10 could be considered for removal.

Using panel data, this study is the first to offer an empirical analysis of the effect that absolute income and three specifications of comparison income have on individual happiness in a transitional country. We use unique data from the Viet Nam Access to Resources Household Survey (VARHS) in three cycles (2012, 2014, and 2016), including a representative sample of 6,575 respondents from 12 provinces in rural areas in Vietnam. Taking advantage of panel data, we use a fixed-effects regression approach to control for individual unobservable heterogeneity. The approach taken in this paper divides subgroups according to relative income instead of absolute income. This analysis allows the elimination of opposing relations to see the same direction effect of social comparison income on individuals’ happiness The results reveal that individuals compare themselves to more than one reference group, and compare themselves both with those better off and those worse off. Nevertheless statistically significant results only attain when one outweighs the other or when they both look downward or upward in their comparison. Interestingly, the outcome turns from asymmetry to near symmetry when the reference group’s interaction effects change from opposed to the same.

One of the strategic objectives of the Vietnamese government in achieving universal health coverage (UHC) is to develop a sustainable, equitable, and effective health financing system. This study aimed to examine the incidence and intensity of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment in Vietnam at different thresholds of expenditure. The data were obtained from six national representative Household Living Standards Surveys from 2008 to 2018. We found that the incidence and intensity of CHE declined significantly over study years. Additionally, we found a substantial reduction in the incidence and intensity of medical impoverishment in Vietnam. The increase in the poverty gap in 2012 and 2014 was because non-poor households became poor after out-of-pocket (OOP) health payments. However, the rise in poverty gaps in 2008, 2010, 2016 and 2018 was attributable to the worsening state of existing poor households after healthcare payments. In addition, we found that the CHE rate and impoverishment were more concentrated in the poor quintile groups. Furthermore, we found that the Red River Delta had the highest CHE rate, whereas the Northern Midland region experienced the strongest poverty impact of OOP payments. Generally, in Vietnam, the health financing system has had no considerable success in reducing inequality across quintiles and regions. Finally, our findings revealed that health insurance showed positive impacts on households’ financial protection against CHE and impoverishment, after enacting both the first Health Insurance Law in 2009 and the Revised Health Insurance Law in 2015. The results suggest that the health insurance scheme should be reviewed to continue reducing CHE and impoverishment, promoting equity and enhancing the performance of the health financing system in Vietnam.

Summary: Background & aims: Disease-associated undernutrition is common among hospitalized adults around the world, but risk is expected to be even greater in regions of food insecurity, as in Southeast Asia. Our study, which was based in a large Vietnamese hospital, aimed to determine the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated health and economic burdens. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records for a cohort of 1600 adult patients who were admitted to the University Medical Center (UMC) hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam over a 2.5-year interval. Undernutrition or its risk was identified as [1] a diagnosis of malnutrition by a physician, and/or [2] a body mass index (BMI) < 18.5, and/or [3] a score ≥ 3 on the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS)-2002, and/or [4] in-hospital use of oral nutritional supplements, as recorded in the patient's medical chart. Our study also tracked comorbidities and their severity and compiled data on hospital length of stay and infectious complications during the hospital stay or within 30-days post-hospitalization. We determined costs for the full study population, and we also stratified results by admission source. Results: We found that 2 of every 3 hospital study patients were undernourished or at risk for malnutrition, based primarily on BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 or NRS-2002 score ≥ 3. The highest prevalence of malnutrition risk occurred in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery (84.8%), and the lowest among cardiology patients (48.9%). On average, patients were 80.2 years of age, predominantly female (58%), of Kinh ethnicity (95%), with 2.1 comorbid conditions, and public health insurance (84%). Infectious complications occurred in 4% of patients, and hospital length of stay was 8.4 (±4.6) days. Of patients contacted in post-discharge follow-up (N=987), 20.6% had been readmitted to the hospital within 30-days post-discharge. The average total episode cost was 31.6x106 (±28.1x106) VND. Conclusions: Among hospitalized patients in Vietnam, we found that disease-related undernutrition is highly prevalent, which can worsen patient outcomes, increase healthcare resource use, and elevate healthcare costs. To address these problems, we propose use of a nutrition-focused action plan that aims to enhance awareness of nutrition gaps and improve professional training for identification of undernutrition and for delivery of needed nutrition care.

Highlights • HPV infection in men having sex with men (MSM) was studied in two cities of Vietnam • Prevalence of any HPV and HPV16/18 among MSM was 32.3% and 11.0%, respectively • High-risk HPV infections in MSM were associated with risky sexual behaviours • A targeted HPV vaccination strategy would be beneficial for MSM in Vietnam, Objectives Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers, while published data are scarce. This study determined HPV prevalence and risk factors in MSM in Vietnam to inform HPV prevention strategies in this key population. Methods A cross-sectional study of 799 MSM aged 16-50 years was conducted in Vietnam in 2017-2018. Information was collected on risk behaviours, and knowledge of HPV and anal cancer; rectal swabs were taken to detect anal HPV infection. An in-house polymerase chain reaction and Genoflow HPV array test kit were used for HPV detection and genotyping. Results The median age of the study participants was 25 years (range 18-52). Overall prevalence of any HPV and HPV16/18 infection was 32.3% and 11.0%, respectively. A higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection to all 14 types tested was found in Ho Chi Minh City (30.9%) than in Hanoi (18.4%). High-risk HPV infection was associated with inconsistent condom use and history of engaging in sex under the influence of drugs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 2.27; 95% CI, 1.48-10.67), as well as having multiple sexual partners (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.02). Conclusions High-risk anal HPV infections in Vietnamese MSM were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviours. A targeted HPV vaccination strategy would have substantial benefit for MSM in Vietnam.

With globalization of supply chains, adopting social sustainability practices (SSP) has become critical to improving sustainable development of organizations in emerging economies producing and exporting goods to developed countries. Yet, comprehensive research on SSP adoption by these companies, such as the handicraft organizations in Vietnam, is scarce. To supplement the inadequacy, this study takes an integrated supply chain perspective to examine holistically the critical factors affecting SSP adoption by Vietnamese handicraft organizations. Data were collected from a countrywide survey of 310 handicraft organizations with SSP adoption in Vietnam. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that organizational behavior and readiness impact directly on SSP adoption, whereas stakeholder pressures show some indirect impacts. The results also validate the mediating roles of organizational behavior and readiness in the adoption of SSP. By combining the technology-organization-environment framework with the institutional theory, this study successfully explains the diverse SSP adoption behaviors in Vietnamese handicraft organizations. It is the first attempt to explore the critical role of internationalization readiness in SSP adoption in the Vietnamese context. The research outcomes provide insights and references for sustainability practitioners and policymakers to promote SSP adoption that extends across the entire supply chain.

Background COVID-19 vaccines have been speedily developed and deployed. The more vaccine doses are delivered to users, the more common adverse events following immunization (AEFI) are reported. This study aimed to identify factors affecting AEFI in Vietnamese people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. Methods In July 2021, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Vietnamese who have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines. The questionnaire collected demographic characteristics, medical history, types of injected vaccines, common AEFI, and post-vaccination activities from respondents. The effects of host-related factors on AEFI including 24 specific symptoms were also explored. Results After screening, 1028 participants who were Vietnamese, over 18 years old and received at least one dose of AZD1222, were included in the study. Only 40/1028 (3.9%) participants reported not having any AEFI, whereas 25/1028 (2.4%) reported to have severe symptoms. The most common AEFI were moderate fever (69.4%), muscle aches (68.6%), followed by fatigue/ sleepiness (62.5%), body aches (59.4%), headache (58.5%), pain at injection site (58.3%) and chills (45.7%). Data analysis showed that females complained about AEFI particularly gastrointestinal symptoms more frequently than males. Age of participants and number of doses were also important factors affecting AEFI as the increase of age or number of vaccine doses was associated with the decrease of self-reported AEFI frequency. Conclusions This study provides a detailed assessment of risk factors associated with AEFI in Vietnamese people vaccinated with AZD1222. It seems that gender, age and vaccine doses are important factors affecting AEFI.

This study examines Vietnamese students’ experiences of language choice practices in intercultural interactions with their local Taiwanese peers. Data were gathered from semi-structured interviews with students from five different Taiwanese universities where both English and Mandarin Chinese are used as mediums of instruction and communication. Findings suggest that the students frequently used English as a language of neutrality to communicate with local students, which either connected them with or disconnected them from their peers. They, whereas, considered Mandarin as a language of convergence, which helped them to get closer to their Taiwanese friends. They also occasionally made use of Vietnamese—a language of divergence—to a small extent to connect with their local peers. As international students seem to be the ones who often put more effort into addressing the linguistic and cultural gaps and improving the communication effectiveness compared with their local counterparts, it is recommended that local students should play a more proactive role in using proper accommodation strategies to connect with international students. Internationalised universities should also contribute to building a healthy and inclusive intercultural environment for international and local students and facilitating respectful and effective intercultural interactions among them.

Background Evidence regarding the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in low-and-middle incomes countries remains limited. Objectives To report the outcomes post PCI at discharge, 30 days and 12 months in Vietnam and identify the key factors associated with adverse outcomes at 12 months. Methods We used data from a single centre prospective cohort in Vietnam. Data regarding demographics, clinical presentation, procedural information, and outcomes of patients were collected and analysed. Primary outcomes were mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Results In total, 926 patients were included. Poor outcomes were relatively low in those undergoing PCI. Predictors of mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at 12 months post-PCI included being older than 75, being male, having acute myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%, prior cerebral vascular disease and having an unsuccessful PCI. Conclusions Adverse outcomes of patients undergoing PCI in Vietnam are relatively low in comparison with those reported in other countries across the Asia Pacific region. Identification of factors associated with poor outcomes is beneficial for improving the quality of cardiac care and developing the prediction model of outcomes post-PCI in Vietnam.

Although employee engagement is essential to hotel performance, few studies have identified context-specific manifestations of employee engagement in the boutique hotel business. Drawing on the service-dominant logic and dual processing theory, this study investigated the experiential and rational factors driving employee engagement in hotel brand value co-creation. Data collected from 570 employees working in boutique hotels in Vietnam showed that under the influence of organizational tenure, internal brand communication and external social media brand communication facilitate the employee perceived service climate, which, in turn, triggers employee engagement in brand value co-creation. The study provides beneficial implications for employee management in boutique hotels.

The species of Taumacera viridis species–group from Vietnam are revised. Four species are recognized. Taumacera indica ( Jacoby, 1889 ), T. occipitalis ( Laboissiere, 1933 ) and T. variceps ( Laboissiere, 1933 ), are redescribed. Taumacera phuquoca sp. nov. from Phu Quoc National Park (southern Vietnam) is described. An identification key is provided for all Vietnamese species. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:396862F9-8A47-4101-A27C-CD0625E68FA1 .

Summary Background Vietnam has emerged as one of the world's leading success stories in responding to COVID-19. After a prolonged period of little to no transmission, there was an outbreak of unknown source in July, 2020, in the Da Nang region, but the outbreak was quickly suppressed. We aimed to use epidemiological, behavioural, demographic, and policy data from the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang to calibrate an agent-based model of COVID-19 transmission for Vietnam, and to estimate the risk of future outbreaks associated with reopening of international borders in the country. Methods For this modelling study, we used comprehensive data from June 15 to Oct 15, 2020, on testing, COVID-19 cases, and quarantine breaches within an agent-based model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission to model a COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang in July, 2020. We applied this model to quantify the risk of future outbreaks in Vietnam in the 3 months after the reopening of international borders, under different behavioural scenarios, policy responses (ie, closure of workplaces and schools), and ongoing testing. Findings We estimated that the outbreak in Da Nang between July and August, 2020, resulted in substantial community transmission, and that higher levels of symptomatic testing could have mitigated this transmission. We estimated that the outbreak peaked on Aug 2, 2020, with an estimated 1060 active infections (95% projection interval 890–1280). If the population of Vietnam remains highly compliant with mask-wearing policies, our projections indicate that the epidemic would remain under control even if a small but steady flow of imported infections escaped quarantine into the community. However, if complacency increases and testing rates are relatively low (10% of symptomatic individuals are tested), the epidemic could rebound again, resulting in an estimated 2100 infections (95% projected interval 1050–3610) in 3 months. These outcomes could be mitigated if the behaviour of the general population responds dynamically to increases in locally acquired cases that exceed specific thresholds, but only if testing of symptomatic individuals is also increased. Interpretation The successful response to COVID-19 in Vietnam could be improved even further with higher levels of symptomatic testing. If the previous approaches are used in response to new COVID-19 outbreaks, epidemic control is possible even in the presence of low levels of imported cases. Funding Ministry of Science and Technology (Vietnam). Translation For the Vietnamese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Background and aims ROTAVIN-M1® (licensed, frozen vaccine) and ROTAVIN (second-generation, liquid candidate vaccine) are two rotavirus vaccine formulations developed from a live attenuated G1P8 (KH0118) strain by Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC), Vietnam. This study compared the safety and immunogenicity of these two formulations. Methods A Phase 3, randomized, partially double-blinded, active-controlled study was conducted in healthy infants aged 60–91 days in Vietnam. Infants received two doses of ROTAVIN or ROTAVIN-M1 in a ratio of 2:1 with an interval of 8 weeks. Solicited reactions were collected for 7 days after each vaccination. Blood samples were collected pre-vaccination and 4 weeks after the second vaccination in a subset of infants. Non-inferiority criteria required that the lower bound of 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the post-vaccination anti-rotavirus IgA GMC (Geometric Mean Concentration) ratio of ROTAVIN/ROTAVIN-M1 should be >0.5. A co-primary objective was to compare the safety of the two vaccines in terms of solicited reactions. Results A total of 825 infants were enrolled. The post-vaccination GMC was 48.25 (95% CI: 40.59, 57.37) in the ROTAVIN group and 35.04 (95% CI: 27.34, 44.91) in the ROTAVIN-M1 group with an IgA GMC ratio of 1.38 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.86) thus meeting the pre-set criteria for non-inferiority. A total of 605 solicited reactions were reported in 297 (36.0%) participants with 35.4% in the ROTAVIN group and 37.2% in the ROTAVIN-M1 group. There were no cases of intussusception or death reported in the study. Conclusions Based on the data generated, it can be concluded that ROTAVIN is immunologically non-inferior and has similar safety profile to ROTAVIN-M1 when administered to infants in a two-dose schedule. Therefore, it can be considered as a more suitable option for programmatic use to prevent rotavirus diarrhoea in Vietnam and the Mekong region. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03703336, October 11, 2018.

Purpose We examined the associations between major and everyday discrimination and self-rated health among a national sample of ten Asian ethnic subgroups, including Vietnamese, Chinese, Hmong, Cambodians, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, Japanese, Filipinos, and Koreans. Methods We used data from the 2016 National Asian American Survey (n = 4427). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations between major and everyday discrimination and self-rated health among ten Asian ethnic subgroups, controlling for relevant sociodemographic factors. Results Findings showed that major discrimination was associated with higher odds of poorer self-rated health among Asians as a group. Subgroup analyses revealed that encounters with major discrimination were associated with poorer self-rated health among Vietnamese, Filipinos, Cambodians, and Hmong. Everyday discrimination was associated with poorer self-rated health only among Hmong. Conclusion Overall, the negative health consequences of everyday and major discrimination vary by Asian ethnic subgroup. Targeting certain forms of discrimination facing specific Asian ethnic groups is needed to reduce their risk of adverse health outcomes.

Scombrotoxin fish poisoning (SFP) is caused by the ingestion of certain fish species with elevated concentrations of histamine due to decomposition. In fall 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was notified of 51 SFP cases including two hospitalizations from 11 states through the FDA consumer complaint system or directly from state partners. A case patient was defined as an individual who experienced a histamine-type reaction after consumption of tuna imported from Vietnam and an illness onset between 14 August and 24 November 2019. A traceback investigation was initiated at 19 points of service to identify a common tuna source. The FDA and state partners collected 34 product samples throughout the distribution chain, including from a case patient's home, points of service, distributors, and the port of entry. Samples were analyzed for histamine by sensory evaluation and/or chemical testing. Case patients reported exposure to tuna imported from Vietnam. The traceback investigation identified two Vietnamese manufacturers as the sources of the tuna. Twenty-nine samples were confirmed as decomposed by sensory evaluation and/or were positive for elevated histamine concentrations by chemical testing. Both Vietnamese companies were placed on an import alert. Seven U.S. companies and one Vietnamese company initiated voluntary recalls. The FDA released public communication naming the U.S. importers to help suppliers and distributors identify the product and effectuate the foreign company's recall. This SFP outbreak investigation highlights the complexities of the federal outbreak response, specifically related to imported food. Cultural considerations regarding imported foods should be addressed during outbreak responses when timing is critical. Collaboration with countries where confidentiality agreements are not in place can limit information sharing and the speed of public health responses. HIGHLIGHTS

While female participation in the labor market is crucial for women’s empowerment, studies focusing on gender bias in enterprise employment are limited. The present study investigates the determinants of female participation in Vietnamese enterprises from 2011 to 2015. The Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) method was used to analyze data from a survey of Vietnamese micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises. The study also conducted the Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition to assess the degree of discriminatory treatment existing in firms in the male-intensive sector compared with that in the female-intensive sector. The results indicate that export activity, human capital investment, industry characteristics, length of operation, firm size, gender, and business owners’ social capital have positive effects on female participation in enterprises. Contrarily, labor remuneration and the level of capital per worker show a negative correlation. Gender discrimination explains 26.11% of the number of female employees and 87.78% of the difference in female workers’ proportion.

This review covers 46 research studies from 2007 to 2019, which examine the inflow of asylum seekers and refugees in Hong Kong after the Vietnamese refugee influx in the early 2000s. By analysing existing research studies, the authors summarise three themes, namely refugee law, asylum policies, 1 and lived experiences of refugees and asylum seekers, on refugee and asylum studies in contemporary Hong Kong. While further research is needed, scholars can examine the potential possibilities of the legal reform of statutory insufficiencies, the development trajectory of asylum policy instruments with a more appropriate framework, and the protection mechanism of refugees’ and asylum seekers’ children.

IntroductionAsian immigrants to the U.S. smoke at higher rates than U.S.-born Asians. However, few programs exist to help these immigrants quit and little is known about their real-world effectiveness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the Asian Smokers' Quitline to serve Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese immigrants nationwide. This study examines service utilization and outcomes from the first 7 years of the program.MethodsFrom August 2012 to July 2019, the Asian Smokers' Quitline enrolled 14,073 Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-speaking smokers. Service utilization rates and cessation outcomes were compared with those of an earlier trial (conducted 2004-2008) that demonstrated the efficacy of an Asian-language telephone counseling protocol. Data were analyzed in 2019.ResultsAsian Smokers' Quitline participants came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The main referral sources were Asian-language newspapers (37.2%), family and friends (16.4%), healthcare providers (11.9%), and radio (11.9%). Overall, 37.6% were uninsured, 38.8% had chronic health conditions, and 15.4% had mental health conditions. Compared with participants in the earlier trial, Quitline participants received 1 fewer counseling session (3.8 vs 4.9, p14,000 Asian-language-speaking smokers across the U.S. in its first 7 years. This quitline could serve as a model for delivering other behavioral services to geographically dispersed linguistic minority populations.

The purpose of this study is to analyze by immigrants’ characteristics their participation in and social integration performance on the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP), which the Korean government provides for education in Korean language and basic knowledge about Korea to support the social integration of immigrants; on that basis, it suggests policy implications. For this purpose, I surveyed 1,014 immigrants, including 800 participants and 214 non-participants of the KIIP; among these individuals, 46.1 % had experienced discrimination. There were several reasons they felt they had been discriminated against; general prejudice against immigrants in South Korea and lack of Korean language ability were the most common. The immigrants who participated in KIIP included several groups: visiting relatives, those who had moved to be with their families, immigrants living in Seoul, Vietnamese people, non-Korean spouses, longer-term non-Korean residents, and non-Han Chinese individuals. Those immigrants who participated in KIIP showed a high degree of adaptability to Korean culture. Korean language proficiency, a key output of KIIP, was the most important factor in improving immigrants’ cultural adaptation, sense of societal belonging, and economic conditions.

Quality of working life has been recently observed as a degree of employee satisfaction and job satisfaction. Hence, many organizational policies have been formulated to effortfully upgrade job performance which leads to not only job satisfaction but also employee satisfaction. However, the question is that whether there is other factors impact on quality of working life that the organizations have neglected. The study was conducted to identify the factors of quality of working life in the case of front-line staff in the Vietnamese aviation sector. The study focused on 212 aviation employees who came from many various airports in Vietnam. The Cronbach’s alpha of each construct was found to be greater than 0.81. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to examine the internal reliability of measurements and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the goodness of the proposed model. The findings of the study supported eight hypotheses which indicated that perceived organization supports (POS), emotion exhaustion (EE), extra-role services (ES), and servicescape (SE) affected on quality of working life (QWL) of aviation employees. Moreover, this research discovered that intrinsic motivation (IM) played as a mediating factor that affected negatively on EE and positively on ES. The implication of the study suggested that the more POS employees recognized with the caring, approvals policies, the closer level the employees and managers incorporated, and POS was a key factor to enhance the employee performances which was referred by extra-role services, emotional exhaustion, and quality of working life. As a fast-growing industry in our contemporary society, the Vietnamese aviation sector priorly needed to tackle the issue of aviation working service environment which implied as servicescape in this study to upgrade the quality of employee working life and toward the quality of Vietnamese aviation service.

A 6-month-old, neutered male, Vietnamese potbellied pig presented for evaluation of exercise intolerance and intermittent episodes of exertional cyanosis. Initial diagnostic evaluation revealed arterial hypoxemia. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed double-outlet right ventricle (DORV) and a subaortic ventricular septal defect. Agitated saline contrast study confirmed the entry of saline contrast from the right ventricle into both pulmonary artery and aorta. Due to deterioration of clinical status, the patient was euthanized 3 months later. Gross necropsy examination was performed confirming the congenital cardiac defects noted on the echocardiogram. To the authors knowledge, this is the first case report of DORV in a Vietnamese potbellied pig.

Transnational labour migration in Asia is largely organised by sophisticated networks of commercial brokers who thrive on highly restrictive migration regimes and disparities in the distribution of labour and employment across the region. The commercialisation of migration brokerage has important implications for migrants’ mobility and wellbeing, not least because of the inflated cost of migration and the increased financial pressure on migrant families as a result. While there is growing attention to debt in the migration scholarship, broader debates on the migration and development nexus continue to underestimate the significance of the issue. Drawing on qualitative research on Vietnamese migrant workers in Taiwan and their families in Vietnam, this paper provides nuanced insights into how debt shapes the ways migrants navigate the transnational migration industry and reproduces inequalities in labour-sending countries. Debt might enable or constrain people’s agency and mobility, a relationship that is not static but fluid and context-specific. The study shows that debt is vital for our understanding of transnational contract labour migration in Asia and emphasises temporality and subjectivity in migrants’ experience of and response to debt.

The paper empirically examines the impact of foreign direct investment spillovers on the performance of Vietnamese manufacturing firms from 2007 to 2015, and the role exerted by absorptive capacity on this relationship. Importantly, it is expected that the thresholds of absorptive capacity of the domestic firms exist, and the benefits which local firms enjoy can vary subject to the thresholds. This paper applies a threshold fixed effect model with panel data in Vietnam to show several findings. Firstly, the domestic firms can benefit from spillovers via the horizontal channel and backward linkage. Secondly, absorptive capacity is a vital factor in linking horizontal spillovers to local firms. Finally, the paper finds that there are thresholds of absorptive capacity in the case of Vietnam.

This study explores the relationships between attitudes towards traffic safety, risk perceptions and pedestrian behaviours in Vietnam. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of 835 Vietnamese road users. The results from regression analyses and a structural equation model showed that safer attitudes towards traffic safety and higher levels of traffic risk perception are associated with safer pedestrian behaviours. In addition, traffic safety attitudes were found to partially mediate the association between traffic risk perception and pedestrian behaviour. Furthermore, traffic risk perception was significantly predicted by non-traffic risk perception, and people who had higher level of risk perceptions of both kinds were also prone to report safer attitudes towards traffic safety. The practical implications for traffic safety interventions in Vietnam are also discussed.

This paper studies how corruption affects two fundamental dimensions of a firm’s tax compliance: the likelihood of tax registration (possession of a tax ID) and the tax compliance ratio (the ratio between the firm’s tax payment and revenue). We explore a census covering all Vietnamese household businesses and leverage the differential exposure to corruption, depending upon which province similarly situated businesses are located within. Comparing household businesses in contiguous commune pairs that straddle provincial borders, we discover two seemingly contradictory results. We find that a household business that operates in a more corrupt province is more likely to possess a tax ID, even though it does not necessarily pay more in taxes. In fact, among firms that possess tax IDs, an increase in corruption is associated with a decrease in the tax compliance ratio. We suggest a plausible explanation for this pattern is that corrupt bureaucrats encourage tax-ID possession, because the registration form provides them with better business information to extract bribes. This mechanism implies that an increase in corruption should be associated with a smaller increase in tax-ID possession among more “visible” businesses. We test and find supporting empirical evidence for this prediction.

In the literature, several studies have shown that the perpetrator’s ethnic origin and acculturation strategy are particularly influential extrajudicial factors, but authors have focused on highly stigmatized groups. The aim of this study was to examine how the participants’ judgments were influenced by the acculturation strategy of a Vietnamese aggressor (member of a valued minority group in France), the consequences of the act for the victim, and their level of SDO. It was expected that assimilation, which reflects a strong similarity with the majority group, or separation, reflecting strong dissimilarity, would lead to negative judgments of the assault and its perpetrator and a harsher punishment. After reading a scenario describing a physical assault committed by a Vietnamese man, in which the perpetrator’s acculturation strategy and the consequences of the act were manipulated, 196 French students completed a questionnaire. The results confirm our hypothesis. Moreover, they show that when there were serious consequences for the victim, the act was considered to be more serious if the offender had not adopted French culture. However, when the consequences were minor, the act was considered to be more serious and a harsher punishment was recommended if the offender had adopted French culture. We explain how acculturation strategy is an important factor when judging transgressions, and how being too similar or too different to the majority group can increase the perceived threat. The status of SDO is discussed.

Tuition fee exemptions and educational subsidies are significant tools for improving children’s educational attainment in developing countries. In 2010 the Vietnamese government changed public policy in an attempt to increase school enrolment rates and reduce the financial burden of education on poor households. Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences (DID) approach, with propensity score matching (PSM), this paper examines the effects of the 2010 policy reform on school enrolment rates at primary, secondary and high school levels. The three levels of education in Vietnam were separately assessed by this study. It was found that the policy improved enrolment rates at both primary and secondary levels (compulsory in Vietnam), while high school enrolment rates remained unaffected. One of the largest differences was identified within the ethnic minority groups and regional border areas. Minority groups preferred to enrol more than their ethnic majority counterparts at secondary and high school levels, but there was a significant gap between groups, where children from rural areas remained less likely to enrol overall, than children from urban areas. The cause for this may be that the tuition fees and subsidies only cover a small part of the total cost of education expenditure, or it may be part of a larger unseen opportunity cost equation that older children face when they come from poor backgrounds and have the chance to join the labour force.

Conventional state policies for intensive agricultural production in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) prescribe the expansion of large-scale water engineering infrastructure. In the upper part of the VMD, compounding environmental challenges presented by climate change, hydropower development upstream, and localised development policies have added greater pressures to rural societies, demanding various governance approaches to deal with change. So far, considerable attention has been devoted to policy narratives of how the bureaucratic approach shapes flood management delta-wide, but little is known about the relevant shift towards adaptive governance at the local level. The analysis presented here is based on qualitative data gathered from fieldworks and desk reviews and argues that the North Vam Nao scheme is an exemplary case for policy transformation in the VMD. A hybrid governance paradigm that is characterised by the participatory and hierarchical approaches allows for the shared learning and interactions of knowledge vertically and horizontally among stakeholders. The study presents nuanced implications of the approach in incorporating both ‘integrative’ and ‘adaptive’ components into a long-term water governance strategy, which would serve as a two-pronged contribution to effectively manage environmental uncertainties facing the VMD. It also advocates for the legitimacy of the approach to be institutionalised and widely adopted across the Mekong floodplains and beyond.

The growing importance of Airbnb calls for better understanding of the determinants of its purchase intentions. This becomes particularly relevant in the context of emerging markets, where Airbnb is rapidly evolving. This paper contributed to knowledge by exploring the (de)motivation factors in choosing Airbnb in Vietnam, a growing economy in South-East Asia. An online quantitative survey of current and prospective Airbnb users revealed perceived value and functional aspects of rented properties as the prime motivators, while safety considerations were identified as a key demotivator. Contrasting findings of previous research conducted in the ‘western’ contexts, user experience and social benefits did not exert significant effect on purchase intentions of Vietnamese consumers. In addition to reinforcing theoretical understanding of the core (de)motivating factors in purchase intentions of Airbnb services, this study demonstrated the need for Airbnb industry practitioners to comprehend the variations in consumer preferences that exist across the different consumption markets.

This study endeavours to shed some light on the Contagion risk in the Vietnamese banking system. In so doing, we analyse the contagion risk through stock returns on listed commercial banks by employing non-parametric and Copula approaches. A rich set of empirical approaches are employed, including non-parametric (Chi-plots, Kendall-plots) and parametric Copula estimations to define the dependence structure of pairs of daily returns, balanced by a total of 36 copulas with 17,456 observations over the period from July 2006 to September 2017. Our results show that the risk of each individual bank may transmit to other banks through stock returns, which are reflected in their price information. The results also suggest existence of contagion risk and strong dependency in the structure of stock returns of banks under analysis. As a consequence, to avoid negative returns for the portfolio, careful diversification is required while investing in the Vietnamese banking sector, when showing a Clayton relationship (left-tail dependency). Our findings have profound implications for investors, policymakers and authorities responsible for financial stability.

Case Presentation A 24-year-old man was admitted for a new episode of hemoptysis. He reported 3 episodes of hemoptysis in the past 2 years. He had no other medical history and was a nonsmoker. As a Vietnamese person born and living in Vietnam, he was at risk for TB, but had not had contact with those having TB in his family or workplace, was never imprisoned nor homeless, and never traveled abroad. He never experienced pneumonia. He coughed up a small amount of fresh with air red blood (around 5 mL each time) several time for 3 days. He had no dyspnea, no chest pain, no fever, no asthenia, and no anorexia.

Vietnam is known as the world´s sixth largest producer of rice and the second largest rice exporter. Half of Vietnamese rice is derived from the Mekong Delta, and 90% of Vietnam´s rice export comes from this area. The dependency on the freight transport system has always been a key issue in the rice production industry in the Mekong Delta. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate and assess the influences of freight transport management on rice logistics in Vietnam. The focus of freight transport management in this context refers to public decision-making addressing freight transport issues like the development of new logistics locations or improvement of transport infrastructure. Based on the investigation, effective measures will be recommended for improving transport system thereby improving rice logistics in Vietnam.

Background We have followed a birth cohort from 2008 to 2009 near a dioxin-contaminated area of Da Nang, Vietnam, and investigated the effects of perinatal dioxin exposure on neurodevelopment from infancy to pre-school age. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of perinatal dioxin exposure on the learning abilities of the elementary-school children from the Da Nang birth cohort. Methods From 241 mother–infant pairs recruited at baseline (134 boys and 107 girls), 185 (76.8%) participated in a follow-up when the children were 8 years of age (108 boys and 77 girls). The children's perinatal dioxin exposure was estimated using the dioxin levels in their mothers' breast milk. The Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (CLDQ) was used to evaluate the children's learning difficulties. Math- and language-achievement scores were obtained using paper-based tests. Reading fluency was examined by having the children read passages in Vietnamese. Results In boys exposed to high levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (2,3,7,8-TetraCDD), CLDQ reading scores were significantly higher (worse), and language achievement scores were significantly lower. Boys exposed to high levels of 2,3,7,8-TetraCDD as well as high levels of the toxic equivalent (TEQ) of polychlorodibenzodioxins and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDDs/Fs) had higher numbers of reading errors. Reading errors were higher and math achievement scores were lower with increasing concentrations of 1,2,3,4,7,8-HexaCDD and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HeptaCDD. In girls, no significant differences of any learning ability markers were found between high and low exposure groups to TEQ-PCDDs/Fs and these 3 congeners. Conclusions Perinatal dioxin exposure may have adverse effects on the learning abilities of school children, especially boys.

Machine-learning methods have recently been successfully used in different areas, but there are also many fields where such studies have not been carried out. One of them is advanced issue regarding liquidity prediction and forecasting of financial time series. It is a very challenging task because this sphere is highly volatile and dynamic, especially if we consider emerging stock markets like the Vietnamese one. The authors proposed deep learning as the most modern technique to forecast the future directions of an emerging stock market and developed a predictive model to forecast liquidity for such a market. A fully-connected neural network based on Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Mixed Deep Learning (MDL), and Linear Regression (LR) was tested. The following metrics were used: mean absolute error (MAE) and mean square error (MSE), and the best values of MSE in the MDL model were achieved. Based on the proposed model, which is the main contribution of the paper, better investment decisions can be achieved. The authors’ solution is dedicated to and empirically verified on the Vietnamese stock market, so future works should extend the model to other ones, emerging and developed alike.

Modern rice varieties are considered the best solution to manage the dilemma of increasingly scarce resources and rising food demands in the developing world. Although rice is widely cultivated in Vietnam, little is known about the factors affecting the farm households’ decision to adopt modern rice varieties and its economic effects across land-size groups. Using the propensity score matching combined with the difference-in-difference (PSM–DID) method, this study examines the effects of the adoption of modern rice varieties in Vietnam. The estimates reveal that the effects are distinguishable among outcomes of interest and farm sizes. In particular, only large landholders significantly improve their productivity by adopting modern varieties, while the effect of adoption on value-added is negligible regarding farm size. The findings suggest that the Vietnamese government should enact relevant policies, especially on land consolidation and land market, to enhance the effectiveness of rice production.

Reverse supply chains (RSCs) have gained much attention from governments, companies and scholars due to increasing levels of environmental concern, resource depletion and regulation. In Europe and other developed countries, RSCs have been imposed by regulation so that manufacturers take greater responsibility for their end-of-life products. In developing countries like Vietnam, this situation is much more complicated since there are many destinations for end-of-life products other than the take-back systems of their manufacturers. Consequently, product flow quantities to RSC facilities in Vietnam, as well as other parameters, are vague and uncertain. To help electronics companies set up more effective RSCs, this study employs a fuzzy approach to account for such uncertain parameters. Furthermore, risk factors are integrated into the proposed model to make it more comprehensive. The solution approach gives much greater flexibility for decision-makers to obtain a satisfactory solution. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

With the identification of river deltas as especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, efforts are underway to mainstream climate change adaptation into development planning in many delta countries. Yet understanding how these processes unfold demands attention to how knowledge is translated from one context to another and across levels of governance to influence action. This paper examines the “Mekong Delta Plan” (MDP), produced in partnership between the Vietnamese and Dutch governments in 2013, as a vehicle for the translation of knowledge to shape climate change adaptation in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Drawing on ethnographic research at sites in Vietnam and the Netherlands, the findings illustrate how the MDP has come to play a key role in the governance of climate change adaptation in the Delta, driven first by Dutch advisors and then by the Vietnamese government. This study suggests that attention to the politics of translation in climate change adaptation governance can shed light on important factors shaping the socio-material evolution of both the Mekong Delta in particular and deltas more broadly.

Workers with irregular or on-call work schedules constitute up to 17% of the workforce in the US. We identify the causal impact of schedule regularity on productivity by leveraging data from a Vietnamese university where freshmen were randomly assigned into highly-varying course schedules. Some schedules had consistent start times across the week, while others had extreme shifts in daily start times. Though we find a robust relationship between schedules and self-reported sleep, we precisely estimate no discernible differences in achievement across students with differing start time variability. Like prior studies, we find gains in achievement to delayed start times.

Purpose To examine associations of health belief and health literacy with Pap smear practice among Asian immigrant women in South Korea. Methods This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional study design. A survey was conducted among 196 migrant women who were married to South Korean men, using a questionnaire translated into English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. Trained research assistants read the questionnaire and the participants gave their answers. Results The most common birthplace of the immigrant women was Vietnam (43.0%), followed by China (12.2%) and the Philippines (5.6%). Of the participants, 76.5% answered that they had never had a Pap smear test. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age and functional health literacy were associated with Pap smear practice among Asian immigrant women. With a one-year increase in participants’ age, Pap smear practice increased 1.15 times (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.23). Furthermore, with a one point increase in functional health literacy, Pap smear practice increased 1.18 times (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.37). Conclusions Results suggest that more information about Pap smear tests should be provided to young immigrant women. Health providers should be made aware that Pap smear practice among young immigrant women might be infrequent and should actively recommend that they receive the tests. To improve Pap smear practice among immigrant women, it is also crucial for educational strategies to include functional health literacy. Nurses could play an important role in explaining and recommending the Pap smear test through communication with immigrant women.

Two new species Ishigakia curvicaudicula Pham & Long sp. nov., and Yezoceryx comaensis Pham sp. nov. are described and illustrated. An updated key to 15 known species of Ishigakia of the world fauna is also provided. The new species Yezoceryx comaensis Pham sp. nov. is inserted in a key to the Vietnamese species provided by Pham et al. (2017). In addition, Siphimedia nigriscuta Sheng and Sun, 2010 is recorded for the first time from Vietnam. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8C18E41E-DB85-4FEC-9361-FD0D520056AF

Objectives To examine willingness to use (WTU) and willingness to pay (WTP) for smoking cessation service via text-messaging among adult smokers in Vietnam in 2017; and to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with the WTU and WTP. Methods A cross-sectional study of 602 adult smokers who had intention to quit in the next 12 months was conducted in Vietnam in 2017. Participants were provided with the information about a mobile health (mHealth) smoking cessation service via text-messaging and asked about their willingness to use and pay for it. The contigent valuation method was used to estimate the WTP for the service, using single bound question format. Discrete choice model was applied to estimate the average WTP and its associated factors. Results Seventy-two percent of smokers expressed willingness to use smoking cessation service via text-messaging if it were available. The average willingness to pay among those interested in using the mHealth cessation service was 82,000 VND (US$3.5). Smoking status and quit attempts in the last twelve months were associated with WTU, whereas age of the smokers and monthly income were significant predictors of WTP. Conclusion A high proportion of Vietnamese smokers with intention to quit were interested in using smoking cessation services via text-messaging. The high level of smokers' willingness to use and pay for the text messaging cessation program indicates the mHealth methods could be a potential option for developing and delivering smoking cessation services in Vietnam.

This article reports on a quantitative study investigating Vietnamese college students' self-efficacy beliefs as related to their English language proficiency and prior learning experience. A sample of 767 Vietnamese first-year college students responded to the Questionnaire of Self-Efficacy Beliefs. Results of this study support Bandura’s (1997) social cognitive theory and previous research (e.g., Chen, 2007) in that mastery experience is a significant source of self-efficacy beliefs. Results also showed a positive relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and English language proficiency when student background information and their learning experience were controlled. Students from the south region reported higher levels of self-efficacy beliefs than their classmates from the north and central regions in Vietnam. However, no significant differences were found between male and female students. Implications of the findings to research and the instruction of English as a foreign language in the Vietnamese context were discussed.

The domestic sector is responsible for approximately a third of total energy consumption in Vietnam. However, research on the details of energy consumption in this sector is relatively poor and there is a lack of data on actual energy use in households. This study attempts to fill the gap by providing an analysis of appliance penetration, usage behavior, and actual energy consumption of Vietnamese homes. Data were collected from a survey of 60 households in Tuy Hoa City on the South-Central Coast of Vietnam in 2017. The result shows that the average energy consumption was 4492 kWh per household per year, in which electricity and liquefied petroleum gas accounted for 74.4% and 25.6% respectively. The breakdown of current energy consumption revealed that cooling was the primary consuming end-use with 31.9% of the total, followed by cooking gas with 25.6% and kitchen appliances with 18.5%. Energy consumption for typical households with various ownership levels of air conditioner were also predicted. The results of this study are therefore a valuable reference for policy makers, energy planners and Vietnamese households themselves to understand the existing energy consumption characteristics and identify potential ways to improve energy efficiency in dwellings.

Bien Hoa airbase is the most contaminated area of dioxin contamination from Agent Orange in Vietnam, but little is known about the neurodevelopmental effects of perinatal dioxin exposure on children living nearby. We recruited 210 mother-newborn resident pairs in 2012 and 78 pairs in 2015 and followed them for 2 years to assess the children's neurodevelopment. As a control group, we used 120 mother-child pairs recruited in 2014 in the Ha Dong district of Ha Noi City, an unexposed area. Perinatal dioxin exposure levels were indicated by levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and toxic equivalency values of polychlorodibenzodioxins, polychlorodibenzofurans, and nonortho-polychlorinated biphenyls (TEQ-PCDD/Fs/noPCBs) in maternal breast milk. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) were used to assess neurodevelopment, and scores in each domain were compared between children with different exposure levels using general linear regression models and stratification by sex. Decreased expressive and composite language scores in boys and gross motor scores in girls were found in children exposed to TCDD ≥ 5.5 (pg/g lipid) compared with children with TCDD 1.8. However, in matched pair analysis between children with TCDD ≥ 5.5 and1.8 (pg/g lipid), lower expressive and composite language scores in boys exposed to TCDD ≥ 5.5 were significant, but lower gross motor scores in girls did not reach statistical significance. In addition, significant association was found between levels of PCDD congeners other than TCDD and gross motor scores in boys. These findings suggest that perinatal exposure of TCDD and other PCDD congeners affects development of language and gross motor skills, respectively, in boys at 2 years of age exposed to dioxins originating from Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Background Identifying students' experiences of the university and clinical learning environments informs quality improvement of courses. Objectives To investigate undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of their education environment and the facilitators and barriers to learning, during university and clinical experiences. Design Multi-site cross-sectional survey. Setting Four universities in Vietnam. Participants Undergraduate nursing students (n = 891). Methods Between May and August 2016, Vietnamese versions of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (Nursing) and the modified Clinical Learning Environment Inventory measured students' perceptions of university and clinical environments respectively. Two additional open-ended questions elicited perceptions of facilitators and/or barriers to clinical learning. Results The university environment was rated as needing improvement and significant differences between universities and year of study detected. University environment mean scores were significantly higher in second year students compared with those in the third or fourth years of study. Active teaching and interpersonal relationships at university were rated positively. Overall, clinical environment scores were mid-range and second year students' mean scores were significantly higher than third or fourth years. Clinical placements greater than four weeks duration had significantly higher mean score than two week placements. Conclusions Evaluation of university and clinical experiences assists with identifying potential areas of interruption to nursing students' transfer of learning. In both learning environments, Vietnamese students' experiences were similar to those experienced in Western countries in that interpersonal relationships with teachers and ward staff were key factors perceived to influence learning. A notable difference in this study was the hospital environment in Vietnam had features unique to this country that interrupted students' transfer of learning. Globally it is a priority for nurse educators to facilitate both on and off campus environments that promote students' learning. Assessing these environments is a useful strategy for quality improvement of courses.

Background Across major races in the United States (U.S.), ovarian cancer incidence is low among Asian American women. However, this observation aggregates Asian Americans as a single group despite their heterogeneity. Disaggregating the ethnic Asian population will produce more useful information to better understand ovarian cancer incidence among Asian women in the U.S. Methods Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 1990 to 2014 were used to compare age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs, per 100,000 women) for ovarian cancer for the six largest U.S. Asian ethnicities (Asian Indian/Pakistani, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). The race/ethnicity-specific AAIRs were calculated by time period and histotype. We examined the magnitude and direction of AAIR trends using average annual percent change (AAPC) statistics. Results All Asian ethnicities had significantly lower ovarian cancer incidence rates than NHWs. However, among Asian ethnicities, Asian Indians/Pakistanis had the highest rate of ovarian cancer (AAIR = 10.51, 95% CI: 9.65–11.42) while Koreans had the lowest (AAIR = 7.23, 95% CI: 6.62–7.88). Clear cell ovarian cancer had significantly higher incidence rates among Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese women than NHW women (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.29–1.72, IRR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.12–1.51, IRR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.36–1.97, respectively). Incidence trends also differed by Asian ethnicity with significant decreases only observed for Chinese (AAPC = −1.49, 95% CI: −2.22 to −0.74) and Japanese (AAPC = −1.75, 95% CI: −2.57 to −0.92). Conclusions Examining Asian Americans as a single group results in missed ethnic-specific disparities in ovarian cancer, hence disaggregating this heterogeneous population in future research is warranted.

Although microcredit is considered a crucial tool for economic development, its contribution to improving the welfare of poor households is not well established. This study investigates this issue. We start with a theoretical model in which microcredit is used to finance the family business of a representative household. The household maximises its lifetime utility, which yields a dynamic optimal consumption path as a function of microcredit borrowing. Guided by the theoretical model, we then empirically estimate the impact of microcredit using a panel dataset of rural Vietnamese households for the period 2008–2016. We find that microcredit programs in rural Vietnam were effective in raising household food consumption in both the short and long terms. Nevertheless, the burden of loan repayment may have diminished food consumption with a lag.

Information sharing among partners in a supply chain is commonly considered as a key factor to enhance supply chain performance. Most studies on logistics information sharing focused on mature markets, whereas developing countries such as Vietnam are lacking in the understanding of sharing practices. As the Vietnamese logistics sector plays a significant role in the national economy, given its market size and cost factor, this study examined what information logistics firms shared with their supply chain partners, sharing methods and influencing factors of the sharing practice. The findings indicate that most of the interviewed logistics firms mainly shared operational information (e.g. ordering information) through traditional communication channels such as emails and telephones and were lacking strategic information sharing or an integrated communication system with supply chain partners. The main factors influencing sharing practices include technical capability, security risks, organization rules and policies, and mutual trust, to name a few. Keywords: Information sharing, Logistics sector, Vietnam logistics, Logistics services