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The INDDEX24 Dietary Assessment Platform (INDDEX24) was developed to facilitate the collection of 24-h dietary recall (24HR) data. Alongside validation studies in Viet Nam and Burkina Faso in 2019–2020, we conducted activity-based costing studies to estimate the cost of conducting a 24HR among women of reproductive age using INDDEX24 compared with the pen-and-paper interview (PAPI) approach. We also modelled alternative scenarios in which: (1) 25–75 % of dietary reference data were borrowed from the INDDEX24 Global Food Matters Database (FMDB); (2) all study personnel were locally based and (3) national-scale surveys. In the primary analysis, in Viet Nam, the 24HR cost US $111 004 ($755/respondent, n 147) using INDDEX24 and $120 483 ($820/respondent, n 147) using PAPI. In Burkina Faso, the 24HR cost $78 105 ($539/respondent, n 145) using INDDEX24 and $79 465 ($544/respondent, n 146) using PAPI. In modelled scenarios, borrowing dietary reference data from the FMDB decreased the cost of INDDEX24 by 17–34 % (Viet Nam) and 5–15 % (Burkina Faso). With all locally based personnel, INDDEX24 cost more than PAPI ($498 v. $448 per respondent in Viet Nam and $456 v. $410 in Burkina Faso). However, at national scales (n 4376, Viet Nam; n 6500, Burkina Faso) using all locally based personnel, INDDEX24 was more cost-efficient ($109 v. $137 per respondent in Viet Nam and $123 v. $148 in Burkina Faso). In two countries and under most circumstances, INDDEX24 was less expensive than PAPI. Higher INDDEX24 survey preparation costs (including purchasing equipment) were more than offset by higher PAPI data entry, cleaning and processing costs. INDDEX24 may facilitate cost-efficient dietary data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately 15% of women in low-and middle-income countries experience common perinatal mental disorders. Yet, many women, even if diagnosed with mental health conditions, are untreated due to poor quality care, limited accessibility, limited knowledge, and stigma. This paper describes how mental health-related stigma influences pregnant women's decisions not to disclose their conditions and to seek treatment in Vietnam, all of which exacerbate inequitable access to maternal mental healthcare. Methods: A mixed-method realist study was conducted, comprising 22 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions (total participants n = 44), and a self-administered questionnaire completed by 639 pregnant women. A parallel convergent model for mixed methods analysis was employed. Data were analyzed using the realist logic of analysis, an iterative process aimed at refining identified theories. Survey data underwent analysis using SPSS 22 and descriptive analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using configurations of context, mechanisms, and outcomes to elucidate causal links and provide explanations for complexity. Results: Nearly half of pregnant women (43.5%) would try to hide their mental health issues and 38.3% avoid having help from a mental health professional, highlighting the substantial extent of stigma affecting health-seeking and accessing care. Four key areas highlight the role of stigma in maternal mental health: fear and stigmatizing language contribute to the concealment of mental illness, rendering it unnoticed; unconsciousness, normalization, and low literacy of maternal mental health; shame, household structure and gender roles during pregnancy; and the interplay of regulations, referral pathways, and access to mental health support services further compounds the challenges. Conclusion: Addressing mental health-related stigma could influence the decision of disclosure and health-seeking behaviors, which could in turn improve responsiveness of the local health system to the needs of pregnant women with mental health needs, by offering prompt attention, a wide range of choices, and improved communication. Potential interventions to decrease stigma and improve access to mental healthcare for pregnant women in Vietnam should target structural and organizational levels and may include improvements in screening and referrals for perinatal mental care screening, thus preventing complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a multi-site case study of work-integrated learning (WIL) in language teacher education. Using learning trajectories as a lens for understanding the connection between the workplace and campus-based learning, this study explores what preservice teachers learn from real-world work experience. The data used for this study comprised semi-structured interviews. The interviews engaged preservice teachers, and workplace supervisors involved in WIL programs for preservice teachers teaching English in Vietnam, and Chinese in Australia. The findings of the study show that preservice teachers make progress in learning transformation, engage in reciprocal learning with peers, and contribute to learners' authentic learning experiences. The results highlight the features of preservice teachers' learning trajectories including work readiness, critical thinking skills, and insights into working with learners of diverse backgrounds. The study has implications for research in initial teacher education programs, employability, internationalization of higher education, and equity/inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper examined the impact of perceived service quality (PSQ) and patient complaint (PC) on patient satisfaction (PS). The study was carried out at the highest-level hospital, Vietnam. The self-administered questionnaire was distributed to inpatients who were used in health service in April 2018. The SPSS (version 25.0) statistical software was used for the data analysis. The confirmatory factor analysis was performed for the structural equation modeling, using the Amos 25.0 program. Findings suggest PSQ direct influence on PC and PS; PC influences PS. Complaints handling should consider when improving service quality to increase satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the extent to which collaborative peer observation of teaching (POT) as a process for teacher professional development could enhance collegiality and collaboration among academics. A single case study was conducted to investigate academics' perceptions of their POT experience in the Vietnamese context. Purposive sampling was applied to select eleven academics at a university. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with individual participants and inductively thematically analysed. The findings show that reciprocal POT and collaborative discourse were perceived to nurture collegiality and collaboration between peers and facilitate their reflection and learning about teaching. Eight participants reported that POT made their peer relationships develop to a collegial relationship due to mutual trust and respect. However, there existed concerns in the peer relationship perceived by three other academics who did not develop collegiality. These findings suggest that to promote academics' willingness and quality engagement in POT, it is necessary to allow academics to decide on the peer dynamics that work for them. It is also crucial to develop a supportive, constructive, and collegial culture whereby academics value POT as a scholarship of teaching. Further research may need to examine the impacts of potential contextual factors in the implementation of POT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community health workers (CHW) can play an active role in providing integrated HIV and harm reduction services. We used social media to create a virtual network among Vietnamese CHW. This paper reports CHW's social media engagement and the relationships with other work-related indicators. Sixty CHW participated in an intervention for integrated HIV/drug use service delivery. Following two in-person sessions, Facebook groups were established for CHW to share information, seek consultation, and refer patients. CHW's levels of online engagements were tracked for six months and linked to their service provision confidence, interaction with patients and other providers, and job satisfaction. The CHW made 181 posts, which received 557 comments and 1,607 reactions during the six months. Among the 60 CHW, 22 (36.6%) had three or more posts, 19 (31.7%) had one or two posts, and 19 (31.7%) had no post. Comparing the baseline and 6-month follow-up data, we observed that those who posted three or more times showed better service provision confidence (p = 0.0081), more interaction with providers in other settings (p = 0.0071), and higher job satisfaction (p = 0.0268). Our study suggests using social media to engage CHW in virtual communications to improve service provision in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers must be prepared to work with all members of society given their commitment to social justice. This article reports the findings of a study examining the preparedness of Vietnamese social work practitioners to practise with sexual minorities. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, comprising a paper-based survey (N = 292) and semi-structured interviews (N = 12). The findings indicate that most practitioners felt ill-equipped to work with clients who identified as lesbian or gay. The discussion highlights the lack of formal and in-service training in this practice area. Implications for social work education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnam is a country that has a quite diverse climate with many different seasons. At the end of the year, flu epidemic becomes quite popular, people that are attacked by bacteria can be children or adults. In order for prevention rather than healing, in addition to relying on medical intervention, some small tips and simple methods have an extremely effective, great value. During February of 2019, the paper was completed on the basis of 25 respondents living in Ho Chi Minh City thanks to the method of investigation method of Hancock (1998). The paper is also based on some journals and shows that preventing flu is what a teacher need to do. Huynh Tan Hoi [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of cyber-victimization (CV) and the moderating effect of academic stress (AS) in the link between smartphone addiction (SPA) and psychological distress (PD) among a sample of Vietnamese college students. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 423 college students participated in this study. Measures of SPA, CV, AS and PD were used for data collection. Using PROCESS macro software (Model 4 and Model 1) and the bootstrapping method, the author performed a mediation analysis and a moderation analysis. Findings: Results indicated a significant mediating effect of CV in the link between SPA and PD. Moreover, this relationship was moderated by AS. Originality/value: The findings could serve as a guide for future research and mental health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug use type and frequency may affect Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) uptake for HIV-infected people who inject drugs (PWID). This paper assesses the association between self-reported baseline drug use and ART among HIV-infected PWID in Indonesia, Ukraine and Vietnam. Data on self-reported baseline drug use and ART among HIV-infected PWID at the 26- and 52-week follow-ups were extracted from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 074, a randomized, controlled vanguard study to facilitate HIV treatment for PWID in Indonesia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit by study site and the whole HPTN 074 sample, using a 0.5 type I error rate. The response rate were 83.3% and 77.0% at 26th and 52th weeks. At 26-week, baseline use of over one non-opiate/non-stimulant drug was associated with lower odds of ART use among Indonesian participants (OR = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.05–0.82); and baseline injecting drugs for over 20 days in the previous month was associated with lower odds of ART use among all HPTN 074 sample (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.36–0.97). The association of a specific drug use pattern with later ART uptake implies the importance of medication-assisted treatment to enhance ART uptake and adherence among participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women in low‐ and middle‐income countries where the prevalence and mortality of breast cancer are growing rapidly are more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages, which negatively affects their treatment outcomes and chance of survival. The current literature in those settings tends to focus largely on explaining patient delay in seeking medical attention for breast symptoms. Meanwhile, little is known as to what prompts women to attend screening and diagnostic services after discovering symptomatic breasts. Drawn upon the data from in‐depth interviews with 33 breast cancer patients in Central Vietnam conducted in 2019, this paper examines the context of women's decisions about breast screening and how the practice of seeking cancer diagnosis occurred. Our findings reveal an absence of a national screening program and that seeking medical advice was conducted on an ad hoc basis after self‐detection of breast symptoms. Women's interpretations of symptomatic breasts as suspicious signs of cancer, the co‐occurrence of important life events, or encouragement by people in their social network motivated women to seek medical attention at different public and private health facilities. Their encounters with the health sector often involved multiple visits across time and space in which they experienced various forms of diagnosis delay produced by the health system. Our study carries implications for interventions to encourage women's awareness of early cancer symptoms and prompt medical presentation after self‐discovery of symptomatic breasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic cigarette use among adolescents has increased in the past decade. Little is known about the perception and use of e-cigarettes in Vietnam, especially among young people. This study examines the perceptions and use of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Vietnam. The study uses data from a survey of adult tobacco consumption among adults at the provincial level in 2020, which was funded and managed by the Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund—Ministry of Health. Data were collected from 34 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam and managed using REDCap software. The survey engaged 80,166 participants, of which 9478 were young adults aged 15–24 were selected and reported in this paper. The results show that, at the time of the survey, 2.4% of young Vietnamese adults were smoking e-cigarettes. Many survey participants cited more than one reason for smoking e-cigarettes. These reasons included preferring the taste of e-cigarettes (64.0%), disliking the odour of other cigarettes (46.2%), following the example of family members (44.9%), and believing e-cigarettes threatened fewer health risks (39.1%). Almost half of the e-cigarette users wanted to quit (48%). E-cigarette use was associated with males living in urban areas who are aware of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The findings of this study provide evidential data that support public health policies aimed at reducing and ceasing e-cigarette use among young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge negative impacts it is causing, researching on COVID-19-related issues is very important for designing proactive and comprehensive public health interventions to fight against the pandemic. We describe the characteristics of COVID-19 patients detected in the two phases of the epidemic in Vietnam. Data used in this paper were mainly obtained from the official database of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam. Descriptive statistics were carried out using Stata 16 software. As of 18 May 2020, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases detected in Vietnam was 324, 16 cases from 4 cities and provinces in the first phase (during 20 days, 0.8 cases detected per day) and 308 cases from 35 cities, provinces in the second phase (during 76 days, 4.1 cases detected per day). Vietnam has mobilized its entire political system to fight the COVID-19 and achieved some initial successes. We found both similarities and differences between the two phases of the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam. We demonstrated that the situation of the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam is getting more complicated and unpredictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a study that examined Vietnamese social work practitioners' conceptions of practice with people who identified as lesbian or gay. The findings presented in this article, drawn from semi-structured interviews with 12 social work practitioners in Hanoi, Vietnam, form part of the findings of a bigger study that looked into the attitudes of Vietnamese social work practitioners toward sexual minorities and how they conceptualise practice in relation to this segment of the population. A notable proportion of the interview participants, all of whom presented as having moderate to positive attitudes toward sexual minorities, were found to hold a heterosexist assumption with regards to the sexual identity of their clients. And while there was consensus in the need for a social work response, there were differences in the practitioners' conceptions of what form this should take. The participants were open to direct practice with individuals and a limited degree of community engagement but were apprehensive with the prospect of undertaking policy advocacy. It is argued that these conceptions of practice are informed by limitations imposed by their political environment as well as dominant ideological and philosophical influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the experiences of refugees who became registered nurses after arriving to Australia. Design: Qualitative description using a naturalistic inquiry framework. Methods: Between February 2018 and September 2019, the lead author conducted semi‐structured interviews with employed registered nurses (RNs) that are former refugees and English‐speaking. Interviews were 45–90 min' duration and digitally recorded. Participants provided voluntary informed consent and were sent questions beforehand. Data were collected and coded into themes. Rigor was achieved with multiple transcript readings by the research team to confirm common themes. Results: Twelve participants discussed their story. Three major themes were identified: (1) Milestone of being a refugee; (2) Milestone of resettling in Australia; (3) Milestone of becoming a RN. Conclusion: Each participant's story started at a place of disadvantage. They progressed successfully through the three milestones; despite living with traumatic experiences, they learned new skills, developed English literacy, became a RN and juggled the demands of life. This paper highlights the poorly understood pockets of the current Australian RN workforce. Impact statement: The nuanced stories of RNs with refugee backgrounds in this study move beyond trauma and struggle and demonstrate the important journey this particular group of health professionals undertake. Increasing the contextual knowledge of the complex lives of former refugees turned nursing professionals will raise public awareness of the diversity of life experiences of RNs working in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the gradual popularization of artificial intelligence (AI) application technology such as Voice Assistants is making our daily life more convenient and time-saving. However, why do people choose to use Voice assistants to help them with daily tasks? Not many studies have focused on such an exciting issue. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the factors influencing users' intentions to use Voice Assistant. Specifically, this study explored the impact of smartphone voice assistants with anthropomorphic design on the use intention among users. This study collected a sample of 645 smartphone users and attempted to examine the relationships among the constructs. We used path analysis to test all the hypotheses. Besides, an independent sample t-test was used to determine whether or not there were significant differences among the groups (types of Voice Assistants, Frequent and infrequent use, and gender) of the users. The results showed that both voice cues and message interactivity positively influence the social presence and perceived expertise, which affect the use intention of voice assistants. This study confirmed that highly anthropomorphic voice assistants increase voice assistant use intention among users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing participation in family decision making is an integral part of adolescent development. This paper uses longitudinal data from four low and middle income countries—Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam—to assess the relationship between young people's involvement in schooling decision making and schooling outcomes. In the pooled sample, compared to young adults who indicate to have no say in educational choices at age 19, adolescents who make these decisions unilaterally or jointly with parents are on average 17%–23% more likely to drop out by age 22. The effects are, however, heterogenous across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding traditional medicine (TM) coverage in health care is a priority in Vietnam. Continuous medical education (CME) plays an important role in ensuring the quality of TM. However, evidence about TM CME in TM practitioners in Vietnam is insufficient. This paper aimed to evaluate the awareness, practice, and demands on TM CME among TM providers in district hospitals of Vietnam. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed at the district level at TM hospitals and TM departments of general hospitals in Thanh Hoa Province. Demographic characteristics, awareness, practice, and demand for TM CME were collected via face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to examine the factors associated with awareness, practice, and demand for TM CME. The majority of the respondents had ever heard of TM CME (87.5%). Only 60% received TM training in the last five years. Most respondents had a demand for CME (86.8%). The non-Kinh ethnic group (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8) and people who had a temporary contract (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.7) were less likely to be ever heard about TM CME. Higher levels of education (college, OR = 14.1, 95% CI = 1.0–195.9; undergraduate, OR = 9.1, 95% CI = 1.9–44.6) are more likely to be ever heard of TM CME than the vocational training group. Those who regularly update their knowledge are more likely to have heard about TM CME (OR = 7.7, 95% CI = 2.8–21.7) and are more likely to have demands on TM CME (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.2–11.5). Those who had heard about TM CME were more likely to take these courses in the last five years (OR = 6.9, 95% CI = 2.5–18.8). However, this result was the opposite for people with more years of experience (OR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.8–0.9). There were limited awareness and participation in TM CME but was a high need for CME among TM providers at district hospitals in Vietnam. Promoting lifelong learning and providing promptly supports would be potential to increase the TM CME demands and participation among TM providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares four learning environments: face‐to‐face learning (F2F), fully e‐learning (EL), blended learning (BL), and flipped classroom (FC) with respect to students' learning performance. Moreover, this present research studies changes in perceived flexibility, intrinsic motivation, self‐efficacy beliefs of students, and the interaction effects in these student variables on learning performance. Two learning environment design elements: (1) lectures (2) group discussions building on guiding questions, were manipulated to create the four learning environments. Third‐year undergraduate students (n = 106), enrolled in the "Animal and Human Physiology" course at CanTho University (Vietnam), were randomly assigned to one of the four learning environments. The results suggest a significant positive differential effect on learning performance when studying in a FC and BL setting. No significant interaction effects could be observed regarding changes in perceived flexibility, intrinsic motivation and self‐efficacy. However, significant differences between learning conditions were observed in perceived flexibility. Analysis of focus group data corroborate the finding that students experience more flexibility in time and place when studying in FC, BL and EL environments. In addition, students in a FC environment reflect significantly larger positive changes in their self‐efficacy. But, the qualitative data show how positive perceptions about flexibility, motivation and self‐efficacy are often cancelled out by negative perceptions. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Research shows that blended learning – mixing online and face‐to‐face instruction – results in higher achievement, higher student satisfaction, stronger student persistence and larger flexibility in teaching and learning. But comparing research about alternative designs is marred by the weak controlled instructional design. What this paper adds: We compared four learning environments and controlled specific instructional design elements to be able to track specific differences: lectures, guiding questions, collaboration, and feedback.Theoretical assumptions are being put forward to underpin the alternative design of these instructional elements.We set up a qualitative study to triangulate the quantitative study.The specific impact of studying in a flipped classroom setting could be identified as being superior to the other alternative designs.The qualitative analysis explains why the expected interaction effect of motivation, flexibility and self‐efficacy is not found at this stage. Implications for practice and/or policy: Designing a successful flipped classroom requires a theory‐grounded blend of instructional design elements.Implementation of alternative instructional designs should consider the broader context to guarantee student familiarity with the new design elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of Operations Management (OM) practices on firm performance in Vietnam's mechanical enterprises, since OM practices, such as Just-in-time (JIT), quality management (QM) and infrastructures practices are seen as procedures or solutions to improve the efficiency of manufacturing firms. All questions were answered using a 5-point Likert scale. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS 20.0. The statistical methods used are descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and regression analysis for hypothesis testing. The findings present, firstly, the extent of operations management practices implemented in Vietnam's mechanical enterprises is fairly high; secondly, the impact of these practices on firm performance was positive. Equipment layout and supplier quality management are positively and significantly related to financial performance; whereas equipment layout, JIT delivery by supplier, Kanban, cleanliness and organization, and information and feedback are positively and significantly related to non-financial performance. This result suggests to mechanical enterprises in Vietnam that they should employ these practices to maintain and improve performance as well as to gain competitive advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Preterm infants have higher mortality than full-term infants. While breastfeeding dramatically reduces preterm death, it is limited by biological and practice barriers, particularly for babies born before 34 weeks gestational age. Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children developed a quality improvement approach to improve breastfeeding of preterm infants by strengthening feeding support, non-separation, and kangaroo mother care (KMC). Methods To determine breastfeeding outcomes following discharge and explore factors associated with improved feeding, mothers of infants under 34 weeks gestational age born October 2021 to March 2022 and discharged alive were interviewed at six months and their medical records were reviewed. Results Out of 104 preterm infants included, all were exclusively breastfed at discharge and one month, 86.5% at three months, and 63.5% at six months; 47.1% received immediate skin-to-skin contact, 31.7% immediate and continuous KMC, and the remaining 68.3% continuous KMC beginning at a median of three days. Exclusive breastfeeding at six months was associated with the mother antenatally seeking breastfeeding information (odds ratio (OR) = 14.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-173.6), avoiding bottle-feeding at home (OR = 7.7; 95% CI = 1.7-33.7) and reduced with each day delay between birth and full breastfeeding (OR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.6-0.9). Conclusions Hospital environments that limit mother-baby separations and feeding delays, including rooming-in of mothers and infants, KMC, and breastfeeding support from birth, enabled 100% of preterm infants born before 34 weeks gestational age to breastfeed exclusively with continued rates higher than previously reported. Addressing antenatal and post-natal factors limiting practice can further improve longer-term breastfeeding outcomes. The approach can be adapted to achieve high exclusive breastfeeding rates, regardless of gestational age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The rising incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) has generated growing concern globally; yet there are no studies examining whether this incidence was followed by a rise in related mortality. We aimed to comprehensively quantify current trends and future projections of TC incidence and mortality, and to explore the association between the TC burden and socioeconomic inequality in different income strata. Methods We obtained incidence and mortality data on TC and population from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study and the United Nations' World Population Prospects 2022. We applied an age-period-cohort (APC) model to estimate the overall annual percentage change (net drift) and age, period, and cohort effects from 1990 to 2019, and also constructed a Bayesian APC model to predict the TC burden through 2030. Results Over a third of global TC cases belonged to the high-income group. From 1990 to 2019, net drifts of TC incidence were >0 in all income groups, while a modest reduction (net drift <0) in mortality was observed in most income groups, except for the lower-middle-income group. Unfavourable age, period, and cohort effects were most notable in Vietnam, China, and Korea. The age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) is predicted to increase whereas the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) is expected to decrease globally between 2020 and 2030, with geographic heterogeneity being detected across income groups. We observed a positive correlation between ASIR and universal health coverage index and health worker density, but a negative one between ASMR and the two indicators, primarily in upper-middle-income and high-income countries. Conclusions Opposite patterns in incidence and mortality of TC raise concerns about overdiagnosis, particularly in upper-middle-income and high-income countries. Discrepancies in the distribution of health service accessibility, including diagnostic techniques and therapeutic care, should be addressed by narrowing health inequalities in the TC burden across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, Vietnam established social work as a profession. As part of their strategic plan, the government aims to incorporate social work into existing hospitals and health care facilities in the country, including psychiatric hospitals and mental health care centers. This paper, based upon survey and focus group data from 194 people working in three major mental health facilities in Hanoi, explores direct care staffs' perceptions of this historic incorporation of social work, with a particular eye to the benefits and challenges of the transition. Results show most staff members thought social workers would provide great support to the many unmet needs of their largely underserved and impoverished patients. They also viewed social workers as a potential resource to the treatment team by reducing work overload. Existing staff, however, were less attuned to the clinical functions of social workers in mental health settings, often equating social work with community development and social movements. Some were concerned about social workers taking on their tasks; others about new social workers being hindered by the professional hierarchy in which doctors were placed at the top. Successful integration of social workers will hinge on strong support from policy-makers and leaders of mental health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of the supply chain management (SCM) in industry has achieved much success, especially in the manufacturing sector. In the current market, the Vietnamese construction companies must compete not only with domestic companies but also with foreign ones, the application of SCM is essential to improve efficiency and increase their competitive advantage. In this paper, a survey was carried out to identify factors that cause limitation in applying SCM to the Vietnamese construction industry. A qualitative approach was based on prime contractor's perspective at the construction phase of the project. The survey questionnaire was designed by synthesizing and inheriting the previous studies and consultation with experts. The survey participants are those who have had working experience with main contractors and joined in the construction projects. The face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data. Descriptive statistics analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were used to analyze data. The results indicated seven leading causes which limited the application of SCM in the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the knowledge of sexual and reproductive health among people with physical disabilities in Vietnam. A qualitative research design was adopted. Indepth interviewing and photo elicitation methods were used to collect stories from 20 participants. The findings suggest that without formal education about sexual and reproductive health people with physical disabilities in Vietnam gain knowledge through their experiences and from informal sources of information. Participants perceived safe sex to include contraceptive methods, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, having orgasm together and finding balance between health and sexual needs. Participants related reproductive health to fertility, restriction of family size, sexually transmitted diseases, and self-care in pregnancy. Reasons for insufficient knowledge included limited education due to: disability and poor family background; limited education on sexual and reproductive health issues; absence of family and community discourse about sexual and reproductive health; and lack of information resources. Participants acknowledged that their knowledge was inadequate. They wanted to know more about sexual and reproductive health but lacked access to the relevant information. Health care providers, researchers, and policymakers in Vietnam should address the gaps in sexual and reproductive health care knowledge among people with disabilities in Vietnam and those that provide care to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the patterns and predictors of corruption across space and time? Existing studies have approached this question either through descriptive statistics or spatiotemporal autocorrelation analysis. Moreover, they have primarily relied on ad hoc predictor sets. This paper, however, implements emerging hot spot analysis and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) to examine corruption heterogeneity across Vietnam. In so doing, it draws on ecological complexity theory and informal payments data over the 2006–2020 period. Subsequently, emerging hot spot analysis indicates corruption is declining in every Vietnamese region. At the same time, GTWR elaborates on corruption's spatiotemporal heterogeneity: (a) only two predictors (i.e., net migration and proactivity) have consistent positive or negative associations with corruption; and (b) the variance of most predictors' corruption impact is high. Furthermore, whereas labor has the strongest corruption impact in North Vietnam, provincial leaders' proactivity takes precedence in Central and South Vietnam. These findings, then, underscore the significance of incorporating ecological complexity theory into the study of corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breastfeeding is the biological norm for feeding infants and young children. When mothers' breastmilk is unavailable, donor human milk (DHM) from a human milk bank (HMB) becomes the next option for small vulnerable newborns. A comprehensive cost analysis is essential for understanding the investments needed to establish, operate, and scale up HMBs. This study aims to estimate and analyze such costs at the first facility established in Vietnam. Methods: An activity-based costing ingredients (ABC-I) approach was employed, with the cost perspective from service provision agencies (specifically, the project conducted at Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children and Development Partners). Estimated financial costs, based on actual expenditures, were measured in 2023 local currency and then converted to 2023 US dollars (USD). We examined three scenarios: 1) direct start-up costs + indirect start-up costs + implementation costs, 2) direct start-up costs + implementation costs, and 3) capital costs + implementation costs over the 6.5 years of operation. Results: The total start-up cost was USD 616,263, with total expenditure on direct activities at USD 228,131 and indirect activities at USD 388,132. Investment in equipment accounted for the largest proportion (USD 84,213). The monthly costs of Da Nang HMB were USD 25,217, 14,565, and 9,326, corresponding to scenarios 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Over HMB's 6.5 years of operation, on average, the unit costs were USD 166, USD 96, and USD 62 for DHM received and USD 201, USD 116, and USD 74 for pasteurized DHM meeting specified criteria in the corresponding scenarios. Unit costs were highest in the initial six months, decreased, and reached their lowest levels after a year. Then, the unit costs experienced an increase in late 2020 and early 2021. Conclusion: Although the unit cost of DHM in Da Nang HMB is comparable to that in certain neighboring countries, intentional measures to reduce disposal rates, improve HMB efficiency, motivate more community-based donors, and establish an HMB service network should be implemented to lower costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the situations and socio-economic and health-related factors associated with employment of older men and women in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the nationally representative data in 2019 with a sample size of 3,049 older persons (those aged 60 and over). This study applied logistic regression analyses. Findings: This study found that there were significant differences in employment rates between various groups of older men and women in terms of age group, residential place, marital status and educational level. Controlling for age, education, marital status, place of residence and (in) sufficient income for daily living, the results from logistic models indicated that health issues were strongly associated with lower probability to be employed for both genders. In all tests and regression models, that age and health condition were consistently related with lower employment probability of older persons implied an important consideration in raising normal retirement ages for both men and women. Research limitations/implications: Due to limitation of the cross-sectional data, this research could not explore how health influences older people's employment overtime. Practical implications: Findings of this research provide important and adaptive policy insights for Vietnam to take advantage of older workers for economic growth under an aging population. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this has been among the first studies exploring the role of health, which was presented by different indicators, determining employment of older men and women in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. This study was conducted with aim to determine the causes of infertility in couples referred to Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study included 512 reproductive-age couples diagnosed with infertility and treated at Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children from August 2018 to August 2020. Inclusion criteria were couples who were not able to get pregnant despite having frequent unprotected sexual intercourse for at least one year. If the women aged over 35 years, this period is considered six months. Exclusion criteria were the men's refusal to participate in the study or cannot collect semen for analysis. Results: The mean age of the men and women was 31.0±4.4 years and 33.5±5.0 years, respectively. Primary infertility accounted for 70.9%, whereas secondary infertility was only 29.1%. The mean duration of infertility was 3.0±2.5 years. Male factor infertility accounted for the highest rate (39.6%), followed by female infertility (30.5%). Infertility due to both male and female factors was 18.0%. Among the causes of male infertility, abnormal semen analysis accounted for the highest rate (57.6%), followed by varicocele (19.3%). Among the abnormalities of semen parameters, oligo-asthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) represented the highest rate (37.5%). There were 46 cases (9.0%) of azoospermia. Among causes of female factor infertility, endometriosis accounted for the highest rate (17.6%), followed by PCOS (15.6%). There were 51 cases (9.9%) of diminished ovarian reserve. Conclusion: Male factor infertility accounted for the highest rate in this study. Among the causes of male infertility, abnormal semen analysis had the highest rate. Endometriosis and PCOS were common causes of female infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited evidence exists on the long‐term effects of early feeding practices on child growth and development. We examined the relationships between infant feeding practices and child height and development at ages 2 and 6–7 years. We studied 885 mother–child dyads from a randomized controlled trial of preconception supplementation in Vietnam. Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), breastfeeding (BF) duration and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) were assessed using World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Child development was assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐III at 2 years and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children® – IV at 6–7 years. Child height‐for‐age z‐score (HAZ) was calculated from child height and age. Multivariable regression and structural equation models were used in analyses that controlled for confounding. EIBF and EBF at 6 months occurred in 52% and 62% of children, respectively. Mean breastfeeding duration was 18 months and 83% achieved MDD at 1 year. EIBF was associated with motor (β = 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.00, 0.28) and cognitive development at 2 years (β = 0.12, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.26), which in turn were positively associated with cognitive development at 6–7 years. EBF was directly associated with development at 6–7 years (β = 0.21, 95% CI:0.08, 0.34) whereas motor and cognitive development at 2 years explained 41%–75% of the relationship between EIBF and development at 6–7 years. HAZ at 2 years also mediated 70% of the association between MDD at 1 year and HAZ at 6–7 years. BF duration was not associated with child development and HAZ. Early infant feeding practices, especially EIBF and EBF, have important long‐term implications for optimizing child linear growth and cognition as they begin school. Key messages: Optimal breastfeeding practices during the first few months of life were positively associated with cognitive development in early childhood and school‐aged children.While exclusive breastfeeding was directly associated with child cognition at 6–7 years, cognitive development at 2 years mediated the association of early initiation of breastfeeding on cognition at 6–7 years. More research is needed to replicate these findings, explore mechanisms and evaluate the causal relationship.Child linear growth in early childhood mediated the association of minimum dietary diversity at 1 year on child height‐for‐age z‐score at 6–7 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) frequently do not receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). In this study we sought to determine the prevalence of OHCA patients in Vietnam who received bystander CPR and its effects on survival outcomes. Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective observational study of patients (≥18 years) presenting with OHCA at three major hospitals in an LMIC from February 2014-December 2018. We collected data on the hospital and patient characteristics, the cardiac arrest events, the emergency medical services (EMS) system, the therapy methods, and the outcomes and compared these data, before and after pairwise 1:1 propensity score matching, between patients who received bystander CPR and those who did not. Upon admission, we assessed factors associated with good neurological survival at hospital discharge in univariable and multivariable logistic models. Results: Of 521 patients, 388 (74.5%) were men, and the mean age was 56.7 years (SD 17.3). Although most cardiac arrests (68.7%, 358/521) occurred at home and 78.8% (410/520) were witnessed, a low proportion (22.1%, 115/521) of these patients received bystander CPR. Only half of the patients were brought by EMS (8.1%, 42/521) or private ambulance (42.8%, 223/521), 50.8% (133/262) of whom had resuscitation attempts. Before matching, there was a significant difference in good neurological survival between patients who received bystander CPR (12.2%, 14/115) and patients who did not (4.7%, 19/406; P < .001). After matching, good neurological survival was absent in all OHCA patients who did not receive CPR from a bystander. The multivariable analysis showed that bystander CPR (adjusted odds ratio: 3.624; 95% confidence interval 1.629-8.063) was an independent predictor of good neurological survival. Conclusion: In our study, only 22.1% of total OHCA patients received bystander CPR, which contributed significantly to a low rate of good neurological survival in Vietnam. To improve the chances of survival with good neurological functions of OHCA patients, more people should be trained to perform bystander CPR and teach others as well. A standard program for emergency first-aid training is necessary for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between hyperactivity, prosocial behavior, and peer problems among adolescents is less well known, especially in the Vietnamese context. Using the structural equation, this study aims to investigate the mediating effect of prosocial behavior on the hyperactivity-friendship problem relationship among Vietnamese adolescents. 822 adolescents from grades 6 to 9 in secondary schools in the three provinces of Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, and Kom Tum became participants in this study. The statistical analysis and hypothesis testing were done using SPSS 20 and Amos 20 software. The results revealed that hyperactivity was positively associated with friend problems and that this relationship was mediated in part by prosocial behavior. The development of interventions to shield adolescents against mental disorders may be affected by these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overarching purpose of this study is to examine the current status of academic public engagement in Vietnam. Data were obtained from a survey with 245 university lecturers, and descriptive statistics were used jointly with Bayesian statistics as tools for analysis. This study reveals that a significant proportion of university lecturers are not involved in public engagement, neither through the public press (66.5%) nor social media (49%). Those who have been active in public engagement use the public press and social networks to communicate science, with the latter being more used than the former. In addition, this study also pointed out that experienced scientists tend to engage with the public press, while early-career researchers often choose social networks. The findings of this study provide implications for higher education policymakers and administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While there is accumulated evidence showing the rapid rise of the burden caused by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Vietnam, information on the extent to which households in the country suffer financial catastrophe or impoverishment caused by the diseases is still largely lacking. This paper aims to examine the self-reported prevalence of major chronic diseases among a population in rural Vietnam and to analyse the household financial burden associated with these diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 800 randomly selected households was carried out in Vo Nhai District, Thai Nguyen Province, in 2010. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with key informants of selected households on diagnosed chronic NCDs, health care utilization and health expenditure of all household members. The World Health Organization's definitions of catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment were used. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were applied. Results: The prevalence of chronic NCDs in households and individuals was 29.3 and 33.4%, respectively. The catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment rates among the households who have at least one member with a chronic disease were 14.6 and 7.6%, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than the corresponding figures among the households whose members were free from the diseases (4.2 and 2.3%, respectively). The odds of experiencing catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment among the household with NCD patients were 3.2 and 2.3 times greater than that of other households. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that the epidemiological and household financial burdens caused by chronic diseases in Vietnam are now substantial and need immediate mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While there is accumulated evidence showing the rapid rise of the burden caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Vietnam, information on the extent to which households in the country suffer financial catastrophe or impoverishment caused by the diseases is still largely lacking. This paper aims to examine the self-reported prevalence of major chronic diseases among a population in rural Vietnam and to analyse the household financial burden associated with these diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 800 randomly selected households was carried out in Vo Nhai District, Thai Nguyen Province, in 2010. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with key informants of selected households on diagnosed chronic NCDs, health care utilization and health expenditure of all household members. The World Health Organization's definitions of catastrophic expenditure and impoverishment were used. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were applied. Results: The prevalence of chronic NCDs in households and individuals was 29.3 and 33.4%, respectively. The catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment rates among the households who have at least one member with a chronic disease were 14.6 and 7.6%, respectively. These rates were significantly higher than the corresponding figures among the households whose members were free from the diseases (4.2 and 2.3%, respectively). The odds of experiencing catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment among the household with NCD patients were 3.2 and 2.3 times greater than that of other households. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that the epidemiological and household financial burdens caused by chronic diseases in Vietnam are now substantial and need immediate mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective.Prenatal care coverage in Vietnam has been improving, but ethnic minority women still lag behind in receiving adequate level and type of care. This paper examines ethnic disparities in prenatal care utilization by comparing two groups of ethnic minority and majority women. Design.We examine the roots of ethnic disparity in prenatal care utilization, focusing on how education and media exposure change health behaviours and lessen disparities. We rely on the 2002 Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey to draw our sample, predictors and the three dimensions of prenatal care, including timing of onset, frequency of visits, and type of provider. Results.Results from multinomial-, and binary-logistic regression provide evidence that ethnic minority women are less likely to obtain frequent prenatal care and seek care from professional providers than their majority counterparts. However, we find that ethnic minority women are more likely to obtain early care compared to ethnic majority women. Results for predicted probabilities suggest that education and media exposure positively influenced prenatal care behaviours with higher level of education and media exposure associating with accelerated probability of meeting prenatal care requirements. Conclusion.Our results imply the needs for expansion of media access and schools as well as positive health messages being broadcasted in culturally competent ways. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Goals: This study aims to identify sociodemographic predictors of breastfeeding and evaluate the effect of nursing interventions on nutritional strategies in premature infants (0-6 months). Methods: A prospective monocentric longitudinal study focused on the nutritional management of 201 preterm infants. Monitoring was performed for two years at specific time intervals. Results: The mother's nationality influences the child's nutrition in the first weeks but this influence decreases with the child's age. The mother's education has a significant effect on nutritional choices. Higher education correlates with using different nutritional combinations. Strong predictors of breastfeeding include the first latch, skin-to-skin contact, and orofacial stimulation. Conclusion: The study identified vital factors influencing the nutrition of preterm infants. These findings enable better targeting of measures and support better health and development of such children. The results provide a scientific basis for the development of nutritional strategies and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, cashew trees are mainly cultivated to collect cashew nuts, leading to the large amounts of cashew apples (known as the by-product of the cashew industry) being eliminated due to astringent taste caused by tannin. This is the reason why although cashew apples contain many nutritious compounds as vitamin C, polyphenols, sugars, antioxidants are still underutilized in manufacturing beverages. Hence, aiming to evaluate the potential of cashew in terms of effect of pretreatment methods on extraction yield and nutritional values of extracted cashew apple juice, the organic cashew apples collected in Binh Phuoc, Vietnam were examined. The impact of 11 pretreatment methods including blanching cashew apple in different media and incubating in pectinase on extraction yield, tannin and other nutritional values were evaluated. Using enzyme Pectinex Ultra SP-L 0.01% in 2 hours gave extraction yield of 83.89±0.4% which was highest compared to other examined pretreatment methods in the study. Enzymatic pretreatment resulted in 36.5% reduction in tannin content and other nutritious values changed slightly. The obtained results emphasis the potential of cashew apples as a raw material for nutritional beverage production in hope of reducing the quantity of discarded cashew apples. Consequently, this study developed methods in order to add economic value to cashew apple and decrease the negative impacts of the cashew industry to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about insulin pen storage significantly and directly affects treatment efficacy and quality for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Accurate and complete understanding and practice are vital for properly managing this chronic condition. However, studies on insulin pen use and storage have not been well-researched in Vietnam. This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge of people with type 2 diabetes regarding insulin pen use and storage. Data were collected through convenience sampling from 132 people with diabetes at a provincial hospital in Vietnam from September 2022 to May 2023. We developed the Vietnamese Insulin Pen Storage Knowledge Questionnaire (VIPSKQ) based on guidelines, Addendum 1: Forum for Injection Technique and Therapy Expert Recommendations, India 2021. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. Results indicated that only 35.6% of participants had good knowledge of insulin pen storage, whereas 64.4% did not. Four factors that affected the participants' understanding of insulin-pen storage were age, education level, duration of diagnosis, and years of treatment for diabetes mellitus. Nurses need to educate people with diabetes to increase their knowledge and skills of insulin pen use and proper storage using various strategies, such as using videos, phone applications, and monitoring their practice regularly. Nurses must also keep abreast of the latest information on insulin treatment modalities and pen storage guidelines. Our questionnaire shows promise for use in practice but needs further testing in different settings with larger groups of individuals with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' academic performance is substantially influenced by their learning approaches, which reflect their intentions when confronted with a learning situation and the corresponding strategies they employ to fulfil these intentions. Since there was no validated questionnaire that aimed to assess students' learning approaches in the context of Vietnam, the purpose of this study is to validate a Vietnamese short version of the approaches and study skills inventory for students (ASSIST). A cross-sectional study involved translation and validation with a group of Vietnamese undergraduate nursing students. This questionnaire was translated by two independent bilingual experts and reviewed by a team of two other experts. To test the internal reliability, Cronbach's alpha was used with 102 nursing students in a nursing school. Regarding construct validity, the study checked whether the original three subscales fit the data by using confirmatory factor analysis in a group of 1340 nursing students from ten nursing schools across Vietnam. The result indicated that the internal consistency of the Vietnamese ASSIST short version was good; Cronbach's alpha of the total scale was 0.89. Cronbach's alphas for deep, strategic, and surface approaches were 0.82, 0.89, and 0.70, respectively. By using confirmatory factor analysis, the model of three subscales showed a moderate fit (X2/df = 7.097, p < 0.01 , CFI = 0.927, TLI = 0.886, and RMSEA = 0.067). As such, this finding supported the proposed three-factor structure of the short version of ASSIST in the context of Vietnam, which will be a useful tool for educators and educational institutions to assess students' learning approaches initially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article identifies students' difficulties in making interview questions, their solutions and reflection on a good interview question. This firstly aims at enhancing our knowledge of doing interviews for research purposes, and secondly evaluates the effectiveness of a learning-by-doing based intervention on students' critical thinking and knowledge formation. The study applied a survey to collect data. Then qualitative content analysis with the use of Atlas.ti (v.9 for Windows) was employed to analyze data. In terms of the students' difficulties, a majority of students found it hard to convey exactly their ideas and make relevant questions to the topic. They also found it challenging to make questions with appropriate difficulty levels for the public audience. To solve the problems, the students mostly did self-investigation and asked for opinions and guidance from peers and teachers, which helped them create their zone of proximal development. Regarding the characteristics of a good question, most students concluded that its content with appropriate difficulty level and its coherence make it accessible for interviewees, while some students also required the language to be concise, polite and not academic. Students' reflection shows that the intervention helps them form their knowledge of interview questions and hone their critical thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding factors associated with domestic violence-supportive attitudes among Vietnamese women is important for designing effective policies to prevent this behavior. Previous studies have largely overlooked risk factors associated with domestic violence-supportive attitudes by women in Vietnam. Objective: This paper explores and identifies socioeconomic factors that contribute to domestic violence--supportive attitudes amongVietnamesewomenusing data fromthe Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). Design: Secondary data from two cross-sectional studies (MICS 3, 2006, and MICS 4, 2011) with representative samples (9,471 and 11,663 women, respectively) in Vietnam were analyzed. The prevalence of supportive attitudes toward domestic violence and associations with age, residence region, area, education level, household wealth index, ethnicity, and marital status were estimated using descriptive statistics and multivariate Poisson models, giving estimates of relative risk. Results: Overall, the prevalence of acceptance of domestic violence declined between 2006 and 2011 in Vietnam (65.1% vs. 36.1%). Socioeconomic factors associated with women's condoning of domestic violence were age, wealth, education level, and living area. In particular, younger age and low educational attainment were key factors associated with violence-supportive attitudes, and these associations have become stronger over time. Conclusion: Higher educational attainment in women is an important predictor of women's attitudes toward domestic violence. To date, Doi Moi and the Vietnamese government's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals may have positively contributed to lowering the acceptance of domestic violence. Tailored interventions that focus on education will be important in further changing attitudes toward domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite progress made by the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number 7.C, Vietnam still faces challenges with regard to the provision of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Objective: This paper describes household trends in access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities separately, and analyses factors associated with access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities in combination. Design: Secondary data from the Vietnam Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in 2000, 2006, and 2011 were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and tests of significance describe trends over time in access to water and sanitation by location, demographic and socio-economic factors. Binary logistic regressions (2000, 2006, and 2011) describe associations between access to water and sanitation, and geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Results: There have been some outstanding developments in access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities from 2000 to 2011. In 2011, the proportion of households with access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities reached 90% and 77%, respectively, meeting the 2015 MDG targets for safe drinking water and basic sanitation set at 88% and 75%, respectively. However, despite these achievements, in 2011, only 74% of households overall had access to combined improved drinking water and sanitation facilities. There were also stark differences between regions. In 2011, only 47% of households had access to both improved water and sanitation facilities in the Mekong River Delta compared with 94% in the Red River Delta. In 2011, households in urban compared to rural areas were more than twice as likely (odds ratio [OR]: 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-2.5) to have access to improved water and sanitation facilities in combination, and households in the highest compared with the lowest wealth quintile were over 40 times more likely (OR: 42.3; 95% CI: 29.8-60.0). Conclusions: More efforts are required to increase household access to both improved water and sanitation facilities in the Mekong River Delta, South East and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam. There is also a need to address socio-economic factors associated with inadequate access to improved sanitation facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding factors associated with domestic violence-supportive attitudes among Vietnamese women is important for designing effective policies to prevent this behavior. Previous studies have largely overlooked risk factors associated with domestic violence-supportive attitudes by women in Vietnam. Objective: This paper explores and identifies socioeconomic factors that contribute to domestic violence-supportive attitudes among Vietnamese women using data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). Design: Secondary data from two cross-sectional studies (MICS 3, 2006, and MICS 4, 2011) with representative samples (9,471 and 11,663 women, respectively) in Vietnam were analyzed. The prevalence of supportive attitudes toward domestic violence and associations with age, residence region, area, education level, household wealth index, ethnicity, and marital status were estimated using descriptive statistics and multivariate Poisson models, giving estimates of relative risk. Results: Overall, the prevalence of acceptance of domestic violence declined between 2006 and 2011 in Vietnam (65.1% vs. 36.1%). Socioeconomic factors associated with women's condoning of domestic violence were age, wealth, education level, and living area. In particular, younger age and low educational attainment were key factors associated with violence-supportive attitudes, and these associations have become stronger over time. Conclusion: Higher educational attainment in women is an important predictor of women's attitudes toward domestic violence. To date, Doi Moi and the Vietnamese government's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals may have positively contributed to lowering the acceptance of domestic violence. Tailored interventions that focus on education will be important in further changing attitudes toward domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little information is available about how to build a monitoring system to measure the output of preventive nutrition interventions, such as counselling on infant and young child feeding. This paper describes the Alive & Thrive Vietnam (A&T) project experience in nesting a large-scale project monitoring system into the existing public health information system (e.g. using the system and resources), and in using monitoring data to strengthen service delivery in 15 provinces with A&T franchises. From January 2012 to April 2014, the 780 A&T franchises provided 1,700,000 counselling contacts (~3/4 by commune franchises). In commune franchises in April 2014, 80% of mothers who were pregnant or with children under two years old had been to the counselling service at least one time, and 87% of clients had been to the service earlier. Monitoring data are used to track the progress of the project, make decisions, provide background for a costing study and advocate for the integration of nutrition counselling indicators into the health information system nationwide. With careful attention to the needs of stakeholders at multiple levels, clear data quality assurance measures and strategic feedback mechanisms, it is feasible to monitor the scale-up of nutrition programmes through the existing routine health information system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A large proportion of children (16.7 %) dropped out during school closure. • Disadvantaged children were less inclined to engage in learning activities during school closure. • Drop-out children during school closure were less likely to return to school upon re-opening. • Disadvantaged children faced limited access to online or digital learning during school closure. School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic shifted education from traditional face-to-face classrooms to online learning settings. This abrupt change interrupted learning, worsening the existing inequality in education. This paper aims to provide empirical evidence on educational inequality in a low- and middle-income country by using nationally representative data of 4,920 children in Vietnam. In particular, we examine whether there were educational inequalities between disadvantaged and advantaged children (i.e., rural and urban, poor and non-poor, or having many and few young dependents in a family) during the pandemic. Our results reveal that during school closure, disadvantaged children were less likely to engage in learning activities, indicating their higher likelihood of dropping out relative to advantaged children. These disadvantaged children also had fewer learning days and fewer chances to access online learning. Additionally, drop-out children during school closure were less likely to return to school upon re-opening. Accordingly, we discuss some implications to tackle or mitigate educational inequality during and after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent growing interest in improving fruit and vegetable intake for better health and limited research resources in many settings, simple-to-administer and low-priced indicators are essential tools for monitoring fruit and vegetable intake at the population level. A potential candidate indicator is the fruit and vegetable component of the Global Dietary Recommendation score (FV-GDR) based on data collected using the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ). We investigated the relative validity of FV-GDR collected with the DQQ to measure fruit and vegetable intake by comparison with a 24-h recall (24hR) as a reference collected from 620 Vietnamese and 630 Nigerian adults in 2021. We found proportional differences in the prevalence of intake of vitamin A-rich vegetables, other vegetables and other fruits in Vietnam and all vegetable food groups in Nigeria. In both countries, we found a small difference in the total FV-GDR from DQQ compared with the 24hR, and the percentage of agreement between the two methods was quite high for the majority of the food groups. The FV-GDR calculated from the DQQ correlated with the actual intake, although less strongly than the FV-GDR from 24hR. The DQQ is a promising low-burden, low-cost and simple tool to calculate FV-GDR and to monitor fruit and vegetable consumption at the population level. This provides the possibility of evaluating an important aspect of diet quality in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Southeast Asia, the increasing availability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF), including dry or instant cereals (CPCF cereals), has been noted, however, concerns exist around their nutrient profile and labelling practices. This 2021 study assessed the nutrient composition, labelling practices, and micronutrient content of CPCF cereals sold in the capital cities of seven Southeast Asian countries: Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Lao PDR), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The study adapted a nutrient profiling model from the WHO Regional Office for Europe to determine the proportion of products suitable for promotion for older infants and young children. Micronutrient content of fortified CPCF cereals was assessed against fortification levels specified in the Codex Alimentarius guideline for formulated complementary foods. Of the 484 products assessed, 184 (38.0%) met all nutrient composition requirements. Around one‐third of CPCF cereals contained added sugars and/or sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). None of the CPCF cereals met all labelling requirements, primarily due to the presence of inappropriate claims on the labels. Most fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of critical micronutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, rates of fortification varied across the seven countries, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. To support the appropriate promotion of CPCF in the region, Southeast Asian countries need to strengthen and enforce national binding legal measures, including national standards for the composition, labelling, and fortification of CPCF cereals. Key messages: Despite most commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) cereals available in Southeast Asia met the majority of nutrient composition requirements, a considerable number of products contained added sugars/sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). Regulations that prohibit the use of added sugars/sweeteners and establish an upper limit for sodium in CPCF cereals are a policy priority in the region.None of the 484 CPCF cereals studied met all labelling requirements. Inappropriate claims were the most common. Three‐quarters of the products failed to meet labelling requirements on the protection and promotion of breastfeeding. National regulations on labelling must be strengthened and enforced to protect against inappropriate marketing of CPCF.Approximately two‐thirds or more of fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of micronutrients critical for older infants and young children (IYC), such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D. Nonetheless, the fortification of CPCF cereals varied greatly by country, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. This is a missed opportunity to provide essential micronutrients to older IYC in contexts where nutrient‐poor diets are common. Future policies that stipulate mandatory minimum micronutrient levels for CPCF cereals are recommended for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complementary feeding period is a critical stage of child development when micronutrient needs are high and challenging to meet. Understanding if specific micronutrient gaps exist during this period is critical for effective programming. A Comprehensive Nutrient Gap Assessment (CONGA) was conducted in seven countries in Southeast Asia to estimate gaps in micronutrients commonly lacking in the diets of children aged 6–23 months and to establish the certainty of available evidence for each identified gap. Sixty‐eight evidence sources were identified during this analysis, and 310 micronutrient‐specific data points were identified across all seven countries. Data points varied in recency, representativeness and evidence type. The CONGA methodology enabled the estimation of a gap burden rating for each micronutrient in each country, as well as a rating of their evidence certainty. Micronutrient gaps were identified in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap was identified in calcium during the complementary feeding period in the region. Evidence relevant to intake and deficiency of folate, vitamin B12, thiamine, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin B6 was limited across the region. Proven strategies to address these gaps include increasing the availability and consumption of nutrient‐dense foods, micronutrient supplementation, large‐scale fortification of staple foods and condiments and point‐of‐use fortification through multiple micronutrient powders and fortified speciality foods. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. Key messages: Older infants and young children aged 6–23 months experience micronutrient gaps during the complementary feeding period in Southeast Asia. Synthesis of evidence compiled across seven countries in the region identified gaps in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap in calcium during this critical period.National nutrition policies and programmes should consider multiple strategies to address these micronutrient gaps.Over half of the data points relevant to nutrient deficiency and intake compiled from the seven countries are over a decade old. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]