Hanoi Region Research Articles

Developing The Tourism Destination Image Through Social Media: The Case Of Vietnam

This research aims to identify the positive factors of social media communication that influence tourists' perceptions of destination image. Subsequently, the research has proffered several propositions for the enhancement of destination image through social media platforms. To realize these objectives, the investigation employed a questionnaire-based survey methodology. Data collection encompassed the distribution of 300 questionnaires among university students across the Hanoi region, with analysis conducted employing SPSS 20 software. This study identified Attitude, Advertising Appeal, Content Similarity, Usefulness, Information Accuracy, and Honesty as factors exerting a positive influence on tourists' perceptions of destination image.

Vietnamese health professionals' views on the status of the fetus and maternal and fetal health interests: A regional, cross-sectional study from the Hanoi area.

Obstetric ultrasound is an important tool in managing pregnancies and its use is increasing globally. However, the status of the pregnant woman and the fetus may vary in terms of clinical management, views in the community and legislation. To investigate the views and experiences of Vietnamese health professionals on maternal and fetal health interests, priority setting and potential conflicts, we conducted a cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire. Obstetricians/gynecologists, midwives and sonographers who manage pregnant women in maternity wards were invited to participate. We purposively chose public health facilities in the Hanoi region of Vietnam to obtain a representative sample. The final sample included 882 health professionals, of which 32.7% (n = 289) were obstetricians/gynecologists, 60.7% (n = 535) midwives and 6.6% (n = 58) sonographers. The majority of participants (60.3%) agreed that "The fetus is a person from the time of conception" and that maternal health interests should always be prioritised over fetal health interests in care provided (54.4%). 19.7% agreed that the fetus is never a patient, only the pregnant woman can be the patient, while 60.5% disagreed. Participants who performed ultrasounds were more likely to agree that fetal health interests are being given more weight in decision-making the further the gestation advances compared to those who did not perform ultrasounds (cOR 2.47, CI 1.27-4.79: n = 811). A significant proportion of health professionals in Vietnam assign the fetus the status of being a person, where personhood gradually evolves during pregnancy. While the fetus is often considered a patient with its own health interests, a majority of participants did give priority to maternal health interests. Health professionals appear to favour increased legal protection of the fetus. Strengthening the legal status of the fetus might have adverse implications for maternal autonomy. Measures to restrict maternal autonomy might require close observation to ensure that maternal reproductive rights are protected.

Training Collaboration in the Field of National Defense and Security Education at Vietnam National University, Hanoi

Before the new demands and tasks of safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation, the education and cultivation of national defense and security knowledge is the right and responsibility of every citizen. Accordingly, students from colleges, universities nationwide in general, and the Hanoi region in particular, need to be educated to enhance their awareness of the Party's direction and the work of national defense and security, as well as the necessary and appropriate military knowledge and skills, to be ready to participate in fulfilling military duties when necessary. VNU National Defense and SecurityTraining Center, with its assigned functions and tasks, carries out the regular and important mission of organizing the linkage of national defense and security education with affiliated units according to the categorization of the Ministry of National Defense. Since its establishment until now, VNU National Defense and SecurityTraining Center has consistently organized the effective coordination of training in the field of national defense and security education for students from educational institutions in various categories, with tens of thousands of courses to meet training objectives and requirements, successfully completing the mission. Alongside the achieved results, the implementation process has encountered limitations and shortcomings that have had a certain impact on overall activities. This places a demand on VNU National Defense and SecurityTraining Center to continue researching content and methods for better implementation of training linkage with affiliated units, contributing to the enhancement of training quality.

Vietnamese midwives' experiences of working in maternity care – A qualitative study in the Hanoi region

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore Vietnamese midwives’ experiences of working in maternity care. MethodsA descriptive qualitative study was undertaken, which involved four focus group discussions with midwives (n = 25) working at three different hospitals in urban, semi-urban and rural parts of Hanoi region, Vietnam. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. ResultsThe overall theme, “Practising midwifery requires commitment” showed that Vietnamese midwives’ dedication to their work and to women’s reproductive health helped them to cope with stress, pressure and negative aspects of their work environment. In the first category “Being the central link in the web of care”, midwives described themselves as having a key role in maternity care although collaborations with other health professions were important. In the second category “Rewarding role but also vulnerable position”, positive aspects of midwifery were expressed although the great pressure of the work midwives do was prominent. High workload, patients’ demands, and being negatively exposed and vulnerable, when adverse events occurred, were reported. In the third category “Morally challenging tasks”, ultrasound examinations to reveal fetal sex and working with abortion services were described as emotionally stressful. ConclusionsAlthough participating Vietnamese midwives experienced midwifery as essentially positive, they felt exposed to significant workload pressure, ethically highly demanding work and being blamed when adverse obstetric events occurred. Public health interventions to inform Vietnamese citizens about reproductive issues, as well as specific antenatal education measures may increase the understanding of evidence-based maternity care and complications that can occur during pregnancy and birth.

Dynamics of the Red River Bed in the Hanoi Region

Dynamics of the Red River Bed in the Hanoi Region

Circulation of two different variants of intergenic region (IGR) located between the I73R and I329L genes of African swine fever virus strains in Vietnam.

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.

BIOMONITORING OF CHEMICAL ELEMENT AIR POLLUTION IN HANOI USING Barbula indica MOSS

Atmospheric deposition of chemical elements in the Hanoi region has been investigated in this study based on moss biomonitoring. Twenty-seven Barbula indica moss samples were collected from the end of 2016 to the beginning of 2017, and the concentrations of 33 chemical elements in the samples were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results show that Hanoi s air is highly polluted with Zn, Ba and Ta, and slightly polluted with Al, Cl, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, As, Cd, Sb, La, Ce, Sm, Gd, Tb, Yb, Hf, Th and U. A determination of the possible pollution sources has been made for the analyzed elements; namely: coal and oil combustion are the main sources of V, Ni, Co and As; vehicle exhaust and non-exhaust sources, as well as industrial emissions, are the main sources of Mn, Co, Cd and Ba; construction dust is the source of Ca, Mg and Sb; various industries are the sources of Cr and Ni; the dust from cement kilns and ash from biomass burning is responsible for K and Cl; two-stroke motor vehicles, galvanizing factories and tire wear are the sources of Zn; and Br may be emitted from burning wastes.

Changes in the channel of the section of the Red River flowing through the Hanoi region

The article substantiates the need to study the fluctuations of the area of the Red riverbed in the area of the city of Hanoi in certain historical periods. A methodology for studying the river, including methods of remote sensing of the Earth (remote sensing) and Geographic Information System (GIS), is proposed. It is established that during each historical period, the riverbed changes in the direction of a gradual balance of bends, erosion of the banks and growth between the two banks. The influence of climate change on spatial changes in the riverbed was analyzed using a superimposed map and ceilings. Explosive fluctuations in the area of the riverbed were detected during periods of peak floods and greatest droughts. The results of the research that formed the basis for building a spatial security corridor and planning operational and environmental solutions on both banks of the river are presented.

Seroprevalence of Tissue and Luminal Helminths among Patients in Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam, 2018.

A serological survey was performed using ELISA to estimate the prevalence of tissue and luminal helminthic infections among hospital patients in Hanoi region, Vietnam. An overall seroprevalence of tissue and luminal helminthiases was 64.0% (95% CI 61.2–66.8) among 1,120 patients who visited Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam in 2018. The highest seroprevalence was observed against Toxocara spp. (59.0%), followed by Strongyloides stercoralis (46.3%), Gnathostoma spp. (25.5%), cysticercus (12.8%), Angiostrongylus cantonensis (10.5%), Fasciola spp. (11.1%), and Clonorchis sinensis (8.7%). Mono-infection by one species (11.1%) was lower than multiple infections (53.0%) (P<0.05). The seroprevalence in males (59.3%) was lower than in females (66.2%) but not statistically significant (P>0.05). Children (<15 years) revealed lower seroprevalence (34.0%) than adults (68.4%), and the age group 51–70 years revealed the highest seroprevalence (76.0%). Among the seropositive patients, eosinophilia (≥8.0%) was noted in 80.2%. The present results suggested active transmission of various tissue and luminal helminths among people in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Active moss biomonitoring technique for atmospheric elemental contamination in Hanoi using proton induced X-ray emission

For the first time, the active moss biomonitoring technique has been used in Vietnam for investigation of atmospheric elemental contamination in the air of Hanoi region. The Sphagnum girgensohnii moss harvested in the clean area were used to produce the moss-bags. After 2 months of expose in 45 different sites in Hanoi area, the moss samples were prepared and the concentration of 27 heavy metal elements were determined by proton induced X-ray emission at Cyclotron Research Center of Iwate Medical University (Japan). The comparison of the obtained results with those in several cities in Europe shows that Hanoi’s air pollution of heavy metal is much more serious. Based on the values of contamination coefficient, it is shown that Hanoi’s air is extremely polluted by Co; seriously polluted by V and Se; moderately polluted by Cl, Cr, As, Br, Zr, Nb, Mo and Hg; slightly polluted by Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ba, W and Pb Statistical analysis has been applied to the original concentration data of the detected elements to find the possible pollution sources.

A Site-Specific Response Analysis: A Case Study in Hanoi, Vietnam

A series of one-dimensional (1-D) site response analyses were performed using the nonlinear (NL) and equivalent linear (EQL) approaches to assess the applicability of the Vietnamese earthquake-resistance design code TCVN 9386: 2012. Six soil profiles were selected from three districts in Hanoi (Vietnam). A number of ground motions compatible with the rock design spectrum were used as input for carrying out analyses. The results highlight that the calculated response is higher than the design spectrum for site class C and lower for site class D. The normalized response spectra of the EQL approach results are higher than those of the NL approach. Moreover, the peak ground accelerations at the surface from EQL analyses are greater than those of the NL method because the latter generates a higher amount of nonlinearity. The results from the NL approach also illustrate that the deamplification phenomenon occurs in the soft soils of the Hanoi region (e.g., soil profile P3 and P5 of site class D). Additionally, the shear strains calculated from the NL method are closely matched with those from the EQL method, the difference between them increasing with a decrease in soil stiffness.

Health professionals’ experiences and views on obstetric ultrasound in Vietnam: a regional, cross-sectional study

ObjectivesObstetric ultrasound is an important part of antenatal care in Vietnam, although there are great differences in access to antenatal care and ultrasound services across the country. The aim of...

Assessment of earthquake-induced liquefaction hazard in urban areas of Hanoi city using LPI-based method

Assessment of earthquake-induced liquefaction hazard in urban areas of Hanoi city using LPI-based method

USING THE ANALYTIC SIGNAL METHOD OF GRAVITY GRADIENT TENSOR (GGT) TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION AND DEPTH OF THE FAULTS IN THE PRE-CENOZOIC BASEMENT ROCKS OF THE RED RIVER TROUGH

USING THE ANALYTIC SIGNAL METHOD OF GRAVITY GRADIENT TENSOR (GGT) TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION AND DEPTH OF THE FAULTS IN THE PRE-CENOZOIC BASEMENT ROCKS OF THE RED RIVER TROUGH

Estimating the incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Vietnam: a pilot descriptive cancer registration study.

Global asbestos consumption has shifted toward lower income countries, particularly in the Asian region including Vietnam where asbestos and asbestos-containing products have been imported since the late 1960s. This pilot descriptive epidemiological study aimed to provide contemporary estimates of malignant mesothelioma incidence (histological subtype M9050/3; ICD-O-3) by gender and age group as recorded across nine cancer registries in Vietnam. We identified 148 incident cases of malignant mesothelioma during 1987-2013. The majority of cases were recorded in the Hanoi region (n=93) and were aged 55years or older (n=96). By carefully reviewing existing cancer registry records in Vietnam, we identified a larger number of malignant mesothelioma cases than previously estimated. We recommend the use of cancer registry data in tracking future asbestos-related disease in Vietnam.

Risks of Coastal Storm Surge and the Effect of Sea Level Rise in the Red River Delta, Vietnam

This paper considers the impact of sea level rise and storm surge on the Red River delta region of Vietnam. Permanently inundated lands and temporary flood zones are analyzed by combining sea level rise scenarios for 2050 with simulated storm surge levels for the 100-year event. Our analysis finds that sea level rise through 2050 could increase the effective frequency of the current 100-year storm surge, which is associated with a storm surge of roughly five meters, to once every 49 years. Approximately 10% of the Hanoi region’s GDP is vulnerable to permanent inundation due to sea level rise, and more than 40% is vulnerable to periodic storm surge damage consistent with the current 100-year storm. We conclude that coastal adaptation measures, such as a planned retreat from the sea, and construction of a more substantial seawall and dike system, are needed to respond to these threats.

Vietnamese patients' choice of healthcare provider: in search of quality information

This paper communicates results from a statistical investigation into questions of relationships between sources of healthcare information, data sufficiency and final outcomes of Vietnamese patients' choice of healthcare provider. The study employs a dataset of 1,459 observations collected from a survey in the Hanoi region in the fourth quarter of 2015. Significant relationships among these factors are identified following categorical data modelling employing the baseline-category logit (BCL) method. Among the significant results reported, sources of information, cost, and amount of time for seeking information are found to have significant influences on data sufficiency. The quality of information and health professionals' credibility are critical factors in helping patients choose a healthcare provider In addition, empirical probabilities for different conditions patients face are provided together with insights and policy implications. Final suggestions emphasise an upgrade of the knowledge base and an increase in public access to information with internet-based innovations such as smartphone apps and data storage with the participation of healthcare providers and the Ministry of Health's ICT units. The underutilised 115 Emergency Service could also be transformed to function as a call centre that helps coordinate and channel requests for information across a broad network of healthcare professionals for better public use.

Recent land subsidence caused by the rapid urban development in the Hanoi region (Vietnam) using ALOS InSAR data

Abstract. Since the 1990s the land subsidence due to the rapid urbanization has been considered a severely destructive hazard in the center of Hanoi City. Although previous studies and measurements have quantified the subsiding deformation in Hanoi center, no data exist for the newly established districts in the south and the west, where construction development has been most significant and where groundwater pumping has been very intensive over the last decade. With a multi-temporal InSAR approach, we quantify the spatial distribution of the land subsidence in the entire Hanoi urban region using ALOS images over the 2007–2011 period. The map of the mean subsidence velocity reveals that the northern bank of the Red River appears stable, whereas some areas in southern bank are subsiding with a mean vertical rate up to 68.0 mm yr−1, especially within the three new urban districts of Hoang Mai, Ha Dong – Thanh Xuan and Hoai Duc – Tu Liem. We interpret the spatial distribution of the surface deformation as the combination of the nature of the unsaturated layer, the lowering of groundwater in the aquifers due to pumping withdrawal capacity, the increase of built-up surfaces and the type of building foundation. The piezometric level in Qp aquifer lowers particularly after 2008, whereas the groundwater level in Qh aquifer remains steady, even if it loses its seasonal fluctuation in urban areas and drawdowns in neighboring water production plants. The time evolution deduced from the InSAR time series is consistent with previous leveling data and shows that the lowering rate of the surface slightly decreases till 2008. The analysis of groundwater levels in instrumented wells shows a correlation between the behavior of groundwater with the urban development and the acceleration of groundwater withdrawal. Also, the time variations suggest that the deformation became non-stationary, with upward and downward transient displacements related to the charge and discharge of the aquifers.

Antibiotic sales in rural and urban pharmacies in northern Vietnam: an observational study

BackgroundThe irrational overuse of antibiotics should be minimized as it drives the development of antibiotic resistance, but changing these practices is challenging. A better understanding is needed of practices and economic incentives for antibiotic dispensing in order to design effective interventions to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use. Here we report on both quantitative and qualitative aspects of antibiotic sales in private pharmacies in northern Vietnam.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted in which all drug sales were observed and recorded for three consecutive days at thirty private pharmacies, 15 urban and 15 rural, in the Hanoi region in 2010. The proportion of antibiotics to total drug sales was assessed and the revenue was calculated for rural and urban settings. Pharmacists and drug sellers were interviewed by a semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews to understand the incentive structure of antibiotic dispensing.ResultsIn total 2953 drug sale transactions (2083 urban and 870 rural) were observed. Antibiotics contributed 24% and 18% to the total revenue of pharmacies in urban and rural, respectively. Most antibiotics were sold without a prescription: 88% in urban and 91% in rural pharmacies. The most frequent reported reason for buying antibiotics was cough in the urban setting (32%) and fever in the rural area (22%). Consumers commonly requested antibiotics without having a prescription: 50% in urban and 28% in rural area. The qualitative data revealed that drug sellers and customer’s knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance were low, particularly in rural area.ConclusionOver the counter sales of antibiotic without a prescription remains a major problem in Vietnam. Suggested areas of improvement are enforcement of regulations and pricing policies and educational programs to increase the knowledge of drug sellers as well as to increase community awareness to reduce demand-side pressure for drug sellers to dispense antibiotics inappropriately.

PCR Detection and Genetic Diversity of Bovine Hemoprotozoan Parasites in Vietnam

ABSTRACTHemoprotozoan infections often cause serious production losses in livestock. In the present study, we conducted a PCR-based survey of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, Trypanosoma evansi and Trypanosoma theileri, using 423 DNA samples extracted from blood samples of cattle (n=202), water buffaloes (n=43), sheep (n=51) and goats (n=127) bred in the Hue and Hanoi provinces of Vietnam. With the exception of T. annulata and T. evansi, all other parasite species (B. bovis, B. bigemina, T. orientalis and T. theileri) were detected in the cattle populations with B. bovis being the most common among them. Additionally, four water buffaloes and a single goat were infected with B. bovis and B. bigemina, respectively. The Hue province had more hemoprotozoan-positive animals than those from the Hanoi region. In the phylogenetic analyses, B. bovis-MSA-2b, B. bigemina-AMA-1 and T. theileri-CATL gene sequences were dispersed across four, one and three different clades in the respective phylograms. This is the first study in which the presence of Babesia, Theileria and Trypanosoma parasites was simultaneously investigated by PCR in Vietnam. The findings suggest that hemoprotozoan parasites, some of which are genetically diverse, continue to be a threat to the livestock industry in this country.