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Intercultural sensitivity, which is seen as an affective component of intercultural competence, is crucial to cultivating one's favorable emotions about cultural differences experienced in intercultural communication. This qualitative study was conducted to find out how undergraduate English as a foreign language (EFL) students in Vietnam perceived intercultural sensitivity. The results showed that although the majority of students had not previously heard the phrase "intercultural sensitivity" before taking part in the survey, their intuitive understanding of the term was rather close to that of the literature. The participants were well aware of the evaluation of their intercultural sensitivity level. EFL students had different strategies for improvement of intercultural sensitivity depending on their study level and intercultural awareness. All participants, especially those who were learning a second language, believed that intercultural awareness is crucial. The study findings point to the recommendation that educators strive to further integrate intercultural sensitivity instruction and learning to improve EFL students' capacity for intercultural communication.

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has aroused interest of researchers as well as practitioners in education worldwide since the 1980s. In Vietnam, TBLT has recently been promoted in EFL/ESL education at all levels to develop learners' communicative competence; as a result, EFL teachers need to take major shifts in learning objectives, learning activities, teaching techniques, materials, assessment methods, etc. into consideration. This study aimed to explore the secondary school EFL teachers' challenges they have faced during the task-based teaching process. Ninety-six teachers working as full-time teachers of English at sixteen secondary schools in Vung Tau City, Vietnam answered a closed-ended questionnaire and participated in semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that the participants faced two types of challenges, namely objective and subjective when TBLT was implemented in their language classrooms. The objective challenges, in particular, consisted of class size, incompatibility between the curriculum and the focus of TBLT, preparation time, uncertainty about teacher's role, and deteriorating English grammatical competence, whereas lack of assessment skills for task-based learning performance was considered the most problematic subjective cause to them. Noticeably, the participants showed the willingness to apply TBLT because of their adequate knowledge of TBLT and sufficient English proficiency.

Teaching and learning according to competency development focus on differentiated instruction and organizing activities for students to discover new information, practice skills and then apply knowledge to reality. Using active teaching method, in which enhancing experiences in learning is the significant trend of modern education. The article mentioned to the use of learning station method in elementary education in Vietnam. Based on the literature reviews of learning station method and competencies of elementary students, evaluation of the reality, and results of experiments, the author stated some proposals so that teachers and administrators can use learning station method in elementary schools in Vietnam effectively.

Background: We evaluated the satisfaction and improvement in learning outcomes of students taking a distance course in Public Health facilitated by the Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the Hanoi Medical University and the State University of New York at Albany. Methods: A total of 36 students participated in pre- and post-course surveys online. We developed the Vietnamese E-Learning Student Outcomes Profile (VESOP) to evaluate the impact of distance learning methods on students' learning outcomes. Factor analysis was applied to construct the measure items into five domains: Academic Skills, Intellectual Abilities, Interactions, Responsibility and Educational Engagement. Multivariate regression models, selected using stepwise approach, determined factors associated with changes in students' learning outcomes. Student satisfaction with the course was assessed by determining their willingness to participate in and pay for future distance learning courses. Results: The students showed moderate improvement in "Interactions" and large improvements in the other four domains. Factors associated with improvements included previous academic performance, English proficiency, ease of access to the internet and computers, and time spent studying. All students passed the course, all would be willing to take another distance learning course, and 26 students would be willing to pay for such as course with certification. Conclusions: Findings of this study highlight the potential of distance learning as a complementary educational method that could greatly benefit Public Health students. It encourages and supports the development of such training programs for Public Health students in Vietnam.

In Vietnam and the Philippines, viral hepatitis is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. This study aims to understand the barriers and enablers of people receiving care for hepatitis B and C to support both countries' efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Retrospective, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a purposive, quota‐based sample of 63 people living with hepatitis B or C in one province of Vietnam and one region of the Philippines. A rapid deductive approach to thematic analysis produced key findings among the three phases of care: (1) pre‐awareness and testing, (2) linkage and treatment initiation and (3) ongoing treatment and recovery. The research found that participants followed five typical journeys, from a variety of entry points. Barriers during the pre‐awareness and testing phase included limited awareness about hepatitis and its management, stigma and psychological impacts. Enablers included being familiar with the health system and/or patients benefiting from social connections within the health systems. During the linkage and treatment initiation phase, barriers included difficult physical access, complex navigation and inadequate counselling. In this phase, family support emerged as a critical enabler. During the ongoing treatment and recovery phase, the cost of care and socially and culturally informed perceptions of the disease and medication use were both barriers and enablers. Exploring peoples' journeys with hepatitis B and C in Vietnam and the Philippines revealed many similarities despite the different cultural and health system contexts. Insights from this study may help generate a contextualized, people‐centred evidence base to inform the design and improvement of primary care services for hepatitis in both research sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open-access (OA) publishing model can help improve researchers’ outreach, thanks to its accessibility and visibility to the public. Therefore, the presentation of female researchers can benefit from the OA publishing model. Despite that, little is known about how gender affects OA practices. Thus, the current study explores the effects of female involvement and risk aversion on OA publishing patterns among Vietnamese social sciences and humanities.

The first confirmed case of African swine fever (ASF) in Vietnam was officially reported in February 2019. To date, the ASF virus (ASFV) has been detected in all 63 cities/provinces in Vietnam. In order to get a better understanding of the potential role of the EP402R gene in a grouping of ASFV serotypes, thirty ASFV sequences of EP402R genes (accession numbers: MN711757-86) from North Central Coast of Vietnam and 68 well-known references of serotype groups from previous studies were further analyzed. Interestingly, we found that a short fragment of 90 nucleotides was very typical for 8 serological groups of ASFVs. A primer set was designed to amplicon the short fragment of 90 nucleotides using the Primer3 program to establish a simplified method for the serotyping of ASFV. Our results indicated that phylogenetic analysis of the short fragment (90 nucleotides) of the EP402R gene is a very specific and useful method for ASFV serotyping when compared to the previous method using a long fragment (816 nucleotides) of this gene and well-known serotype references based on haemadsorption inhibition (HAI) assay.

While investigating a giraffe's death in a Vietnamese zoo, we successfully identified and isolated Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) from skin nodule biopsies and ruptured nodule wound swab samples. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate obtained in this study was closely related to the previous Vietnamese and Chinese LSDV strains from cattle. This is the first report on the genome detection and isolation of LSDV in a diseased giraffe in Vietnam. Further study is needed to better understand the epidemiology of this disease in wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a snapshot of the development of nursing education and practice in Vietnam and the impact of historical and socioeconomic factors of the last few decades. The Vietnamese government has played an instrumental role in shaping the professionalization of nursing while also presenting challenges to the evolving profession with its sometimes‐conflicting policies/strategies. To tackle these challenges, the increased involvement of nursing experts who have in‐depth understanding of contemporary nursing practice is warranted. Creative Controversy: This section of Nursing Forum is set aside to allow for authors to propose "wild ideas" for our consideration. The purpose of a Creative Controversy is to break with traditional thinking and pose a new way of considering an issue. Sometimes these ideas are a small stretch of the imagination; other times they are radical departures from the norm. Both are designed to stimulate conversation about a topic that concerns the profession. We are pleased to bring readers this Creative Controversy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The open-access (OA) publishing model can help improve researchers' outreach, thanks to its accessibility and visibility to the public. Therefore, the presentation of female researchers can benefit from the OA publishing model. Despite that, little is known about how gender affects OA practices. Thus, the current study explores the effects of female involvement and risk aversion on OA publishing patterns among Vietnamese social sciences and humanities. The study employed Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) on a dataset of 3,122 Vietnamese social sciences and humanities (SS&H) publications during 2008–2019. The Mindsponge mechanism was specifically used to construct theoretical models, while Bayesian inference was utilized for fitting models. The result showed a positive association between female participation and OA publishing probability. However, the positive effect of female involvement on OA publishing probability was negated by the high ratio of female researchers in a publication. OA status was negatively associated with the JIF of the journal in which the publication was published, but the relationship was moderated by the involvement of a female researcher(s). The findings suggested that Vietnamese female researchers might be more likely to publish under the OA model in journals with high JIF for avoiding the risk of public criticism. The study could only provide evidence on the association between female involvement and OA publishing probability. However, whether to publish under OA terms is often determined by the first or corresponding authors, but not necessarily gender-based. Systematically coordinated actions are suggested to better support women and promote the OA movement in Vietnam. The findings show the OA publishing patterns of female researchers in Vietnamese SS&H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is commonly seen in women after birth and can lead to adverse effects on both the health of mothers and child(ren) development. In Vietnam, there have been a number of studies examining the rate and risk factors of PPD, but none has provided a systematic review. Aim: This current literature review aims to summarize and synthesize the current state of knowledge of studies conducted in Vietnam to provide a comprehensive understanding of the PPD phenomena during the last 10 years. Data Sources: A literature search was conducted relying on the most common online databases—MEDLINE/PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, which included articles if they (i) examined prevalence or risk factors of PPD; (ii) were conducted among Vietnamese participants using either quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method, and (iii) were published from 2010 to 2020. After the filtering process, 18 articles were eligible to be reviewed. Results: Research studies in Vietnam on PPD are conducted among women at and after 1-month delivery. The rate of PPD reported in Vietnam among mothers at postnatal time points from 1 to 12 months ranged from 8.2 to 48.1%. Risk factors can be clustered into three groups: personal factors, family factors, and environmental factors. Recommendation: Further research studies should focus on examining PPD at an earlier stage within the first month after birth. The investigation of risk factors in a comprehensive manner for Vietnamese mothers would also be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participation of women in Vietnam's social sciences and humanities research has increased during the last several decades. However, they still face various challenges, such as the 'glass ceiling', social stereotypes, low recognition, and underrepresentation. The open‐access (OA) movement, being advocated for connecting science and community and improving scientists' visibility, offers a viable platform to increase participation of female researchers. This research investigated participation of Vietnamese women in 3,122 Social Sciences & Humanities publications during 2008–2019. Results show a rapid increase in female authors during the period, rising from 47.27% to 71.43% of articles having one or more Vietnamese female author. However, the number of women as first authors remained lower than men, with only 397 publications having a female first author. Bayesian analysis showed that although the number of coauthors was positively associated with the likelihood to publish in an OA journal, there was a negative association between Vietnamese female author participation and the likelihood to publish OA, a finding that matched the effect of female contribution from other countries. These findings hint at the gender inequality induced by cultural and socio‐economic factors, and we postulate that the influence of financial and other inequalities may limit the ability of women to take full advantage of OA publication to further their careers. Key points: Participation of female researchers in Vietnam has grown considerably in the past decade, with 71% of OA articles having one or more female authors.Vietnamese men still dominate the first author position in all OA articles, with the exception of articles in hybrid journals where women are on a par with men.Over 60% of OA articles by both male and female authors are published by just 10 publishers.There is a positive association between the number of authors and the likelihood of OA publication—but a negative association with the ratio of female authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a transboundary, systemic, viral disease of cattle. The first outbreaks of LSD were reported in Lang Son Province of Vietnam (bordered to China), and an official document has been submitted to OIE on 1 November 2020. Here, we described first the genetic profiles of this pathogen based on four well‐known marker regions. The LSD virus isolated in these first outbreaks was 100% identical to viruses isolated in China (2019) based on the p32 and RP030 genes. Additionally, it is very close to the virus isolated in Russia (2017) based on the p32, RP030, thymidine kinase and ORF103 genes (100%, 99.01%, 99.08% and 99.47% identities). This finding is new, and a success in LSD virus isolation using MDBK cells from first outbreaks is important for vaccine development to control and eradicate LSD in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite new developments and a growing commitment to internationalization of higher education at the government and institutional levels, Vietnam remains largely on the periphery of existing scholarship on international higher education. Even though students are both key actors and beneficiaries of internationalization at home, insufficient attention is paid by policy makers and training institutions in Vietnam to student experiences and engagement in international programs. The study reported in this paper responds to this critical gap and explores student agency in navigating intercultural adaptability (IA). It draws on 80 interviews with different stakeholders in eight international programs across five Vietnamese universities. Using agency theory, student IA has been unpacked in specific ecological circumstances in terms of (i) how student agency for IA has enacted; and (ii) what supportive interventions have been created for student agency enactment in international programs. The study provides original insights into how individual aspirations for international programs, agentic life and professional history have influenced students' agentic engagement in IA. It sheds light on the ways in which access to and capacity to influence supportive spaces in terms of language support, culturally responsive pedagogy, career orientation and intercultural exchange programs, have enabled students to reinforce their agency in IA. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs of all ages. African swine fever virus (ASFV) has spread rapidly through Eastern and Southeastern Asia first appearing in Vietnam in 2019. Objectives: Molecular typing of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in Vietnam has identified two principal variants circulating based on the sequencing of the intergenic region (IRG) between the I73R and I329L genes. Identification of additional genetic markers would enable higher resolution tracing of outbreaks within the country. Methods: Sequence analysis suggested the IRG between the A179L and A137R genes may also exhibit variability, PCR primers were designed and samples from Vietnam were subject to Sanger sequencing. Results: We developed a novel method for sub‐grouping of ASFV based on the IRG between the A179L and A137R genes of ASFV. Our results demonstrated that the finding of the insertion or deletion of an 11‐ nucleotide sequence (GATACAATTGT) between the A179L‐A137R genes. Conclusions: The sub‐grouping method may provide useful insights into the evolution of genotype II ASFV as well as providing evidence of a relationship between geographically separated outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since African swine fever virus (ASFV) introduction into Vietnam in 2019, most ASFV strains detected in this country belong to the p72 genotype II and intergenic region (IGR) II variant. Further investigation of the intergenic region of ASFVs isolated in the Capital Hanoi region showed two different variants, IGR I and IGR II, which were located between the I73R and I329L genes of the p72 genotype II ASFV strains. This finding suggests co‐circulation of two ASFV variants in the domestic pig population in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first outbreak of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in China in 2018, the disease has spread to Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor‐Leste, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. ASFV was officially reported in Vietnam on 19 February 2019. The continued spread of ASFV has occurred in the whole country within 7 months. The phylogenetic analysis showed that ASFVs isolated in the North Central region of Vietnam belong to genotype II and serotype 8. Additionally, tandem repeat sequence (TRS) studies indicated that these ASFVs are very close to ASFV strains detected in China and Belgium, 2018, and differ from ASFV isolated in Georgia in 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surveillance and outbreak reporting systems in Vietnam required improvements to function effectively as early warning and response systems. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam, in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, launched a pilot project in 2016 focusing on community and hospital event-based surveillance. The pilot was implemented in 4 of Vietnam's 63 provinces. The pilot demonstrated that event-based surveillance resulted in early detection and reporting of outbreaks, improved collaboration between the healthcare facilities and preventive sectors of the ministry, and increased community participation in surveillance and reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]