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Abstract Background This study evaluated the impact of the tax increase in January 2019 on changes in intention to quit and the effect of cigarette prices on quit attempts and successful quitting among male cigarette smokers in Vietnam. Methods Data were derived from the ITC project in Vietnam, which included 1585 adult smokers at baseline (Wave 1, Aug-Oct 2018) followed up to waves 2 (Sep-Nov 2019) and 3 (Sep-Dec 2020). Generalized estimating equations regression was performed to estimate changes in the intention to quit. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the cigarette price of a cigarette pack in relation to quit attempts and successful quitting. Results The increase in cigarette tax in 2019 did not significantly increase the likelihood of the intention to quit. After the tax increase, 63.6% of participants who smoked made a quit attempt, and 27.6% successfully quit smoking in the follow-up waves. However, the price of a cigarette pack was not significantly associated with quit attempts and successful quitting. The study did not observe a significant impact of cigarette prices on quit attempts and successful quitting in all subgroups of household income. Factors associated with quit attempts included the number of cigarettes smoked and the intention to quit, while those associated with successful quitting included age, dual use of cigarettes and other tobacco products, and the intention to quit. Conclusion Current cigarette prices were not associated with cessation behaviors even within the lowest household income group. Therefore, a sharp rise in cigarette tax is required to incentivize smokers to quit smoking.

Global warming have been serious problems worldwide. They have resulted in the saline intrusion reaching farther into the inland water system region, which negatively influences the aquatic environment and ecosystems. Our study assessed the tolerant capacity of a freshwater micro-alga, Scenedesmus protuberans, isolated from Vietnam to the salinity of 2 ‰, 4 ‰, and 8 ‰. We also evaluated the nitrate and phosphate uptake by the alga in different salinity of 0 ‰, 2 ‰, and 4 ‰. To address these two research questions, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment spanned 12 days and aimed to assess the salinity tolerance capacity of S. protuberans. The second experiment lasting for 20 days focused on investigating the nutrient (nitrate and phosphate) uptake by the alga under three different salinity levels. In the first experiment, we found that the S. protuberans could adapt and grow at the salinity up to 4 ‰ of incubation. In the second one, the micro-alga in the salinity of 0 ‰, 2 ‰, and 4 ‰ could uptake 88 %, 75 %, and 54 % of phosphate and remove 39 %, 56 %, and 36 % of nitrate from the water environment, respectively. Our results reveal a high potential for developing and validating the nutrient removal capacity of S. protuberans when applied to treat nutrients in polluted water, both in freshwater and brackish water systems, aligning with the net zero emission approach.

Plastic pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues worldwide. The emission of plastics to the environment is highly related to the single-use plastics and packaging. Plastics themselves contain a wide range of potent toxic additives which could be released into aquatic environment consequently ecosystem health problems. In this study we tested the chronic effects of leachates from two common single-use plastics, also known as the packaging in Vietnam, food wrapper and foam box, on Daphnia magna across two generations in the laboratory conditions. The organisms were incubated in the medium containing plastic leachates at four concentrations, 0 mg plastics/L (control), 10 mg plastics/L (denoted as L10), 100 mg plastics/L (L100), and 1000 mg plastics/L (L1000) for 21 days in the first generation and 14 days in the second generation. The results showed that leachates from two common single-use plastics in Vietnam at the concentration up to 1000 mg/L did not impact on survival of D. magna. However, the leachates stimulated the organism reproduction which evidences for compounds interfering the reproductive function of D. magna. This revealed high potential toxic compounds from the used plastics. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the influences of leachates from the two common single-use plastics in Vietnam on D. magna, across two generations. Further investigations on the impacts of plastic leachates on zooplankton (e.g. population alteration) in situ are recommended because of high amount of plastic emission in water bodies of Vietnam.

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified mental health problems and highlighted inequitable gaps in care worldwide. In response there has been an explosion of digital interventions such as smartphone applications ("apps") to extend care. The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a digital depression intervention (VMood), delivered via a smartphone app. VMood is adapted from an in-person intervention that was delivered by non-specialist providers and shown to be effective in the Vietnamese context in our previous trial (2016-2019). A stepped-wedge, randomized controlled trial will be conducted across eight provinces in Vietnam. Adults aged 18 years and over will be recruited through community-based primary care centres and screened for depression using the embedded Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (primary outcome measure). Participants scoring 10-19, indicating depression caseness, will be randomly allocated to the intervention or control group until the target of 336 is reached. Secondary outcome measures will examine the effect of the intervention on commonly co-occuring anxiety, quality of life and work productivity, along with use of alcohol and tobacco products. Assessments will be administered through an online survey platform (REDCap) at baseline, and at every 3 months until 3 months post-intervention. Intervention-group participants will receive VMood for a 3-month period, with online support provided by social workers. Control-group participants will receive a limited version of the app until they cross into the intervention group. Generalized Linear Mixed-effect Models for clustered measures will be used for all outcomes data. We will conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside the trial to capture VMood's costs and benefits. This trial will provide evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a digital mental health intervention adapted from an in-person intervention. This trial will also contribute important information to the growing and promising field of digital mental health. Trail regulation. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT05783531].

BackgroundTaxation on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been adopted in more than 40 countries but remained under discussion in Vietnam. This study aimed to estimate the health impacts of different SSBs tax plans currently under discussion to provide an evidence base to inform decision-making about a SSBs tax policy in Vietnam.Method & findingsFive tax scenarios were modelled, representing three levels of price increase: 5%, 11% and 19-20%. Scenarios of the highest price increase were assessed across three different tax designs: ad valorem, volume-based specific tax & sugar-based specific tax. We modelled SSBs consumption in each tax scenario; how this reduction in consumption translates to a reduction in total energy intake and how this relationship in turn translates to an average change in body weight and obesity status among adults by applying the calorie-to weight conversion factor. Changes in type 2 diabetes burden were then calculated based on the change in average BMI of the modelled cohort. A Monte Carlo simulation approach was applied on the conversion factor of weight change and diabetes risk reduction for the sensitivity analysis. We found that the taxation that involved a 5% price increase gave relatively small impacts while increasing SSBs' price up to 20% appeared to impact substantially on overweight and obesity rates (reduction of 12.7% and 12.4% respectively) saving 27 million USD for direct medical cost. The greatest reduction was observed for overweight and obesity class I. The decline in overweight and obesity rates was slightly higher for women than men.ConclusionThis study supports the SSB tax policy in pursuit of public health benefits, especially where the tax increase involves around a 20% price increase. The health benefit and revenue gains were evident across all three tax designs with the specific tax based on sugar density achieving greatest effects.