Rural Vietnamese Research Articles

The role of social capital in shaping livelihood for rural Vietnamese households.

This study explores the role of social capital in the livelihoods of rural households in Vietnam, examining both direct and indirect impacts. The author uses a revised sustainable livelihood framework to analyze social capital, focusing on bonding-bridging and linking forms. The study applies quantitative methods to a secondary dataset from a rural household survey, including entropy-weighted indicators, cluster analysis, and SEM models. The findings suggest that social capital has complex and significant impacts on household livelihood strategies. Bridging and linking social capital promotes non-agricultural and wage-based strategies, while bonding social capital drives transfer-based strategies. The study highlights the importance of social capital as a complementary resource to other livelihood capitals, such as financial, human, and physical capital. These results have important implications for policy implementation aimed at supporting rural households and their livelihoods, especially regarding social capital's interaction with other livelihood capitals. By understanding the complex relationship between social capital, other livelihood capitals and livelihood strategies, policymakers can design more effective policies that harness the potential of social connections to support rural households.

Distress and its Correlation with Potential Factors among Patients with Cancer in Vietnam

A cancer diagnosis and treatment are stressful for patients. Evidence has shown that the prevalence of mental health problems among cancer patients is very high globally. To our knowledge, there are no studies related to cancer diagnosis and treatment in Vietnam, where the rate of death caused by cancer is at the 50th in the world. This study investigates the prevalence of distress and its correlations with potential factors among Vietnamese cancer patients. This is a cross-sectional study using a self-report questionnaire for cancer patients focused on examining socio-demographic characteristics, satisfaction with current marital status, current job, life in general, cancer-related distress, diagnosis, cancer stage, acceptance of illness, treatment methods, and perceived social support. The prevalence of distress among cancer patients was very high (91.7%). There were significantly higher distress scores in patients living in rural areas and not receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Patients with higher satisfaction with their current employment status or satisfaction with life were less likely to have psychological distress. The patients’ belief in treatment methods and cancer also reduced the risk of experiencing distress. Rural Vietnamese cancer patients impacted by social determinants of health along with cancer-related factors might be experiencing higher psychological distress.

Malnutrition, Frailty, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Rural Older Adults in Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Rural older adults are more likely to be malnourished than urban older adults, particularly those living in lower-middle-income countries like Vietnam. Therefore, this study aimed to address the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with frailty and health-related quality of life in older rural Vietnamese adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥ 60 years) living in a rural province in Vietnam. Nutritional status was determined using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), and frailty was evaluated using the FRAIL scale. The 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate health-related quality of life. Among the 627 participants, 46 (7.3%) were malnourished (MNA-SF score <8), and 315 (50.2%) were at risk of malnutrition (MNA-SF score: 8-11). Individuals with malnutrition had significantly higher rates of impairments in instrumental activities of daily living and activities of daily living than those without malnutrition (47.8% vs 27.4% and 26.1% vs 8.7%, respectively). The prevalence of frailty was 13.5%. Risk of malnutrition and malnutrition were associated with high risks of frailty, with odds ratios of 2.14 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-3.93) and 4.78 (1.86-12.32), respectively. Furthermore, the MNA-SF score was positively correlated with eight domains of the health-related quality of life among rural older adults. The prevalence rates of malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, and frailty were high among older adults in Vietnam. A strong association was observed between nutritional status and frailty. Therefore, this study reinforces the importance of screening for malnutrition and risk of malnutrition among older rural individuals. Further studies should explore whether early nutritional intervention reduces the risk of frailty among older adults and increase their health-related quality of life in the Vietnamese population.

Urban-rural disparities in acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccination among women in Can Tho, Vietnam.

In Vietnam, cervical cancer is a significant public health concern for women. Unfortunately, despite the availability of the HPV vaccine, low vaccination rates persist. This study investigates the discrepancy between urban and rural areas in the willingness to receive HPV vaccination with or without fees. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 648 women aged between 15 and 49, living in two urban and two rural Vietnamese districts of Can Tho, between May and December 2021. The overall vaccination rate was 4%, with urban women having a higher rate of 4.9% compared to rural women at 3.1%. Among unvaccinated women, those from rural areas expressed a significantly higher desire to receive the free vaccine (91.4%) than urban women (84.4%). However, the intention to vaccinate declined when rural women and urban women were advised to pay the cost (63.4% and 57.1%, respectively). A strong correlation was found between a positive attitude and intention for vaccination, irrespective of its price or free availability. Education and access to information about the HPV vaccine were also identified as the most significant factors influencing the intention to vaccination among urban and rural women. The low HPV vaccination rates among women aged 15-49 living in both urban and rural regions of Vietnam are a notable public health concern. These outcomes emphasize the critical need for effective programs of vaccine laterization, as an introduction to the offer of affordable and accessible HPV vaccines for women in Can Tho, Vietnam.

Moderate and transient impact of antibiotic use on the gut microbiota in a rural Vietnamese cohort

The human gut microbiota has been shown to be significantly perturbed by antibiotic use, while recovering to the pre-treatment state several weeks after short antibiotic exposure. The effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiota have however been mainly documented in high-income settings with lower levels of antibiotic resistance as compared to lower and middle income countries (LMIC). This study aimed to examine the long-term consequences of repeated exposure to commonly use antibiotics on the fecal microbiota of residents living in a low income setting with high prevalence of antibiotic resistance. Fecal samples from household individuals (n = 63) participating in a rural cohort in northern Vietnam were collected monthly for a period of 6 months. Using 16S V4 rRNA gene region amplicon sequencing and linear mixed-effects models analysis, we observed only a minor and transient effect of antibiotics on the microbial richness (ß = − 31.3, 95%CI = − 55.3, − 7.3, p = 0.011), while the microbial diversity was even less affected (ß = − 0.298, 95%CI − 0.686, 0.090, p = 0.132). Principal Component Analyses (PCA) did not reveal separation of samples into distinct microbiota-based clusters by antibiotics use, suggesting the microbiota composition was not affected by the antibiotics commonly used in this population. Additionally, the fecal microbial diversity of the subjects in our study cohort was lower when compared to that of healthy Dutch adults (median 3.95 (IQR 3.72–4.13) vs median 3.69 (IQR3.31–4.11), p = 0.028, despite the higher dietary fiber content in the Vietnamese as compared to western diet. Our findings support the hypothesis that frequent antibiotic exposure may push the microbiota to a different steady state that is less diverse but more resilient to disruption by subsequent antibiotic use.

Weather-induced shocks, coping strategies and farmer food consumption in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta: a case in Long An province

PurposeThe paper aims to assess the impact of weather-induced shocks on household food consumption in the rural Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) through the case of Long An province and evaluate the effectiveness of widely used coping strategies in mitigating weather-related shock impacts.Design/methodology/approachThe system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation method is applied to explore information on shock incidence, recovery, and time occurrences. The paper uses a sample of 272 repeated farming households from 5-wave survey data from 2008 to 2016, resulting in 1,360 observations.FindingsThe paper confirms the robust negative effect of a natural shock on food consumption. Additionally, using savings proves to be the most potent measure to smooth food consumption. Other favorable coping strategies are “getting assistance from relatives, friends” or “getting assistance from the Government, and non-government organizations (NGOs).” The mitigating effects are also traced in the current analysis.Research limitations/implicationsUsing caution when generalizing the results from Long An to the whole VMD is reasonable. The rather limited observations of coping strategies do not allow the authors to analyze any specific strategy.Originality/valueThe proposed approach employs the GMM technique and controls for endogenous coping strategies and thus provides accurate estimates of the effects of weather-related shocks and the mitigation effectiveness in the rural VMD.

Information and communication technology use for seeking health information in Vietnamese living in rural areas

ABSTRACT The fast expansion of information and communication technology (ICT) use has provided easier access to online health information. However, studies focusing on rural Vietnam, where many health issues exist, are still sparse. This current study aimed to investigate the ICT use among rural Vietnamese and examine factors associated with online health information-seeking behaviors. In this cross-sectional study, 226 Vietnamese aged 25 to 70 were recruited from a rural town in Quang Tri Province in 2017. Predictors were selected based on Andersen’s Behavioral Model. Binary logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with online health information-seeking behavior. Results showed that less than half of participants used the Internet, had a smartphone, had a computer or tablet, and used mobile apps. Binary logistic regression results showed that females (OR = .22, CI = .05-.97) and being married (OR = .09, CI = .01-.59) were associated with lower likelihoods to seek health information online. People with annual checkups (OR = 2.89, CI = 1.13–7.41) and more ICT use (OR = 2.58, CI = 1.87–3.57) were more likely to seek health information online. These findings suggested that ICT use and annual checkups were the most important factors in predicting online health information-seeking behavior among rural Vietnamese. Future health and government initiatives should focus on advancing access to healthcare and digital applications among this population.

Cancer Screening Literacy among Vietnamese Population: Does Annual Checkup Improve Cancer Screening Literacy?

Background:Colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers disproportionately impact the Vietnamese population. However, research on cancer prevention among this population was very limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the cancer screening literacy levels for these three types of cancers among rural Vietnamese and investigate correlates of cancer screening literacy. Methods:A sample of 226 Vietnamese men and women aged 25-70 years old was recruited from rural Vietnam and finished a self-administered questionnaire. Andersen’s Behavioral Model was used to guide this cross-sectional study to identify modifiable variables. Bivariate analysis was used to explore the relationship between demographic factors and cancer screening literacy levels. Multiple linear regressions were also used to identify significant factors for cancer literacy levels. Results:Cancer screening literacy levels of Vietnamese men and women were low regarding all three types of cancers, especially HPV symptom questions. Only about 24% of women answered correctly on “most people with genital HPV have no visible signs/symptoms” and less than 18% answered correctly on “I can transmit HPV to my partner(s) even if I have no HPV symptoms.” Findings suggested that having an annual checkup was associated with higher colorectal (β=.15, p<.05), breast (β=.25, p<.001), and cervical (β=.18, p<.01) cancer screening literacy. Conclusions:Public health efforts should focus on encouraging annual checkups in the Vietnamese population. During the annual checkup, health care professionals should educate patients about importance of cancer screening and provide recommendations for regular cancer screenings to reduce cancer health disparities.

Translocal Households and Family Visions in Contemporary Vietnam

Abstract In relation to the international academic debate on global neoliberal ideology and its influence on individual subjectivities, this paper examines family visions among the older and younger members of translocal households in contemporary rural Vietnam. Data from a longitudinal study of seven rural Vietnamese communities from 2000 to 2016 suggest that people in rural Vietnam consider the care of the young and the old, including its financial aspects, primarily an individual and family responsibility. They define a good life in terms not only of material and modern comfort, but also of family relations and responsibilities. While neoliberalism constitutes one ideological strand in contemporary Vietnamese policy circles, this paper suggests that it is ahistorical and simplistic to attribute people’s emphasis on individual and family responsibilities in caring for the young and the old to neoliberalism.

Reaching for texts: Evidence and ambiguity in narratives of lineage history in a northern Vietnamese village

ABSTRACT We examine how lineage elders in a rural northern Vietnamese village weave textual evidence into oral lineage histories. Through amateur historical detective work and performative rituals of belonging, lineage elders creatively manoeuvre around historical ambiguity to establish connections with prestigious historical figures and lineage branches elsewhere to claim local and national prestige.

Effect of a Nutrient-Rich, Food-Based Supplement Given to Rural Vietnamese Mothers Prior to or during Pregnancy on the Trajectories of Nutrient Biomarkers.

Nutrient interventions initiated after conception tend to have modest effects on maternal nutritional status and pregnancy outcomes. Thus, we compared the association between micronutrient intakes and the trajectories of their biomarkers before and during pregnancy. Data from a randomized trial of the effect of a nutrient-rich, food-based supplement given to 317 Vietnamese women prior to or during pregnancy on birth outcomes were used to assess nutrient intakes with biomarker trajectories of zinc, iron, folate, cobalamin, and vitamin A using linear mixed regression models. The circulating plasma or serum trajectories of all five micronutrients were associated to their baseline levels (p < 0.0001). Plasma zinc trajectories were also related to farm work (p = 0.024). Cobalamin and vitamin A trajectories were associated with gestational weight gain (p = 0.003 and p = −0.037, respectively). In this population of rural Vietnamese women, nutrient intakes during pregnancy did not affect biomarker trajectories. The primary determinant of each nutrient biomarker trajectory was its respective baseline level prior to conception.

Low-cost interventions to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in open wood fires in rural communities

In this study, we use water boiling tests (WBTs), controlled cooking tests (CCTs) and in-home kitchen performance tests (KPTs) to analyze changes in fuel consumption and emissions resulting from low-cost modifications to traditional open fires. The modifications consist of adding rock-beds, ceramic grates or metal grates to open fires. In both traditional and modified stoves, cooking pots are supported over the fire using iron bars, which is a common practice in rural Vietnamese households. The modifications increase airflow through the combustion zone and improve combustion efficiency. The rocks and grate also decrease the distance between the fire and cooking pot, improving heat transfer. These low-cost modifications improve stove performance in many categories: 38–58% reduction in wood consumption and 51–84% reduction in emissions measured in WBTs; 34–37% reduction in wood consumption during simulated cooking with CCTs; and 31–45% reductions in per capita wood consumption measured during KPTs. Grates performed better than rock-beds in nearly all tests. Surveys implemented in parallel with KPTs indicated favorable user perceptions of all low-cost options. The modifications result in lower fuelwood consumption and emissions, resulting in social and environmental benefits, but they are unlikely reduce health impacts, which many policies and programs now prioritize. Nevertheless, there are numerous situations in which these options may be appropriate. In remote, rural or otherwise marginalized communities, clean cooking options may be inaccessible for the foreseeable future. Low-cost modifications like rock beds and grates, which require minimal training and changes in cooking habits, could reduce the impacts of open fires. Similarly, in places where clean cooking options are accessible, but stove “stacking” with open fires persists, these options could present a cost-effective way to achieve a “cleaner stack”.

An exploration of the gut and environmental resistome in a community in northern Vietnam in relation to antibiotic use

BackgroundAntibiotic resistance is a major global public health threat. Antibiotic use can directly impact the antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) profile of the human intestinal microbiome and consequently the environment through shedding.MethodsWe determined the resistome of human feces, animal stools, human food and environmental (rain, well, and irrigative water) samples (n = 304) in 40 households within a community cohort and related the data to antibiotic consumption. Metagenomic DNA was isolated and qPCR was used to determine presence of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes, genes encoding extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), carbapenemases and quinolone resistance genes.ResultsNearly 40 % (39.5%, 120/304) of samples contained ESBL genes (most frequent were CTX-M-9 (23.7% [72/304]), CTX-M-1 (18.8% [57/304]). Quinolone resistance genes (qnrS) were detected in all human and 91% (41/45) of animal stool samples. Mcr-1 and mcr-3 were predominantly detected in human feces at 88% (82/93) and 55% (51/93) and animal feces at 93% (42/45) and 51% (23/45), respectively. Mcr-2, mrc-4 and mcr-5 were not detected in human feces, and only sporadically (< 6%) in other samples. Carbapenemase-encoding genes were most common in water (15% [14/91]) and cooked food (13% [10/75]) samples, while their prevalence in human and animal stools was lower at 4% in both human (4/93) and animal (2/45) samples. We did not find an association between recent antibiotic consumption and ARGs in human stools. Principal component analysis showed that the resistome differs between ecosystems with a strong separation of ARGs profiles of human and animal stools on the one hand versus cooked food and water samples on the other.ConclusionsOur study indicated that ARGs were abundant in human and animal stools in a rural Vietnamese community, including ARGs targeting last resort antibiotics. The resistomes of animal and human stools were similar as opposed to the resistomes from water and food sources. No association between antibiotic use and ARG profiles was found in a setting of high background rates of AMR.

\u201cI can make more from selling medicine when breaking the rules\u201d \u2013 understanding the antibiotic supply network in a rural community in Viet Nam

BackgroundAs in many other low and middle income countries (LIMCs), Vietnam has experienced a major growth in the pharmaceutical industry, with large numbers of pharmacies and drug stores, and increasing drug expenditure per capita over the past decade. Despite regulatory frameworks that have been introduced to control the dispensing and use of prescription-only drugs, including antibiotics, compliance has been reported to be strikingly low particularly in rural parts of Vietnam. This qualitative study aimed to understand antibiotic access and use practices in the community from both supplier and consumer perspectives in order to support the identification and development of future interventions.MethodsThis qualitative study was part of a project on community antibiotic access and use (ABACUS) in six LMICs. The focus was Ba Vi district of Hanoi capital city, where we conducted 16 indepth interviews (IDIs) with drug suppliers, and 16 IDIs and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members. Drug suppliers were sampled based on mapping of all informal and formal antibiotic purchase or dispensing points in the study area. Community members were identified through local networks and relationships with the field collaborators. All IDIs and FGDs were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using content analysis.ResultsWe identified a large number of antibiotic suppliers in the locality with widespread infringements of regulatory requirements. Established reciprocal relationships between suppliers and consumers in drug transactions were noted, as was the consumers’ trust in the knowledge and services provided by the suppliers. In addition, antibiotic use has become a habitual choice in most illness conditions, driven by both suppliers and consumers.ConclusionsThis study presents an analysis of the practices of antibiotic access and use in a rural Vietnamese setting. It highlights the interactions between antibiotic suppliers and consumers in the community and identifies possible targets for interventions.

Developing Korean nursing students' global health competencies: A mixed methods approach to service learning in rural Vietnam

BackgroundOwing to globalization, there is a need for enhanced global health competencies among nursing students. In this context, global service learning programs are important opportunities for nursing students. ObjectivesTo explore the effect of a short-term service learning program in a developing country on the global health competencies of students attending a South Korean nursing college. DesignA mixed methods design. SettingThe Global Nursing Internship is a two-week pre-experience, eight-day on-site, and one-week post-experience program. ParticipantsThe on-site activities involved 15 nursing students participating in global health activities in a rural Vietnamese community. MethodsA self-reported questionnaire was used to assess changes in global health competencies in six domains, measured on a four-point Likert scale. Student satisfaction with each activity was measured on a five-point Likert scale. After completing the program, the participants wrote a self-reflection essay. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze global health competencies, and content analysis was used to analyze participants' self-reflections. ResultsRegarding global health competencies, the overall mean score showed a significant increase at the post-program evaluation (Z = −3.41, p = .001). A pre-post-program comparison showed that the domain of “health care in low-resource settings” displayed the greatest increase in scores. The mean overall satisfaction with the program was high (mean = 4.31, standard deviation = 0.17). In the students' view, as expressed in their essays, their global health knowledge and attitude had improved. ConclusionsThe program was useful in promoting global health competencies, empathy, and confidence and should be embedded among the essential requirements of nursing curricula. Suggestions are provided to develop an enhanced pre-experience program that could help students prepare better for on-site activities. As cultural competency is crucial for nurses, nursing educators should consider integrating similar global service learning programs into their existing nursing curricula.

Learning as an everyday adaptation practice in the rural Vietnamese Mekong Delta

ABSTRACT The everyday adaptation practices in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta are characterized by the well-defined nuance of human–nature interactions under the compounding impacts of climate change, localized dyke development policies, and upstream hydropower dynamics. This gives rise to a so-called ‘learn-to-adapt’ approach that has been widely practised by the rural societies. This viewpoint argues that learning constitutes a key form of adaptation that enables rural farmers to bring together pools of adaptive knowledge in resolving shared problems. It particularly illustrates the significance of communicative and reflective learning practices that enable farmers to communicate and exchange experimental and experiential knowledge. These everyday practices enable farmers to make informed decisions in mobilizing necessary resources and capacity to accommodate changing conditions and secure their livelihoods at stake. The viewpoint particularly highlights how the everyday adaptation practices allow farmers to develop a variety of innovative production models which contribute to not only enhancing farmers’ adaptive capacity but also advancing rural development policies.

Cultural beliefs about breast cancer in Vietnamese women

BackgroundThis study examined factors influencing cultural beliefs associated with later-stage detection of breast cancer and determined what factors influence those cultural beliefs in Vietnamese women residing in a rural Vietnamese community.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 289 women aged 20–64 years from 12 villages using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Cultural beliefs were measured with a 13-item cultural beliefs scale consisting of four domains—characteristics of breast lumps, self-help techniques, faith-based beliefs, and futility of treatment. Data were collected in February 2017 and analyzed using chi-square tests, nonparametric tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and multiple linear regression analyses with SPSS/WIN 24.0 statistical software.ResultsAlthough the total score was relatively low (3.4 out of 13), cultural beliefs that could contribute to later-stage breast cancer were identified. Younger women (β = .15, p = .016) and women with a lower income (β = .21, p < .001) held more erroneous cultural beliefs as compared to their counterparts. Most women believed they would not get breast cancer if they took care of themselves. More than one-third held cultural beliefs about breast lumps, thinking they would need to be painful and/or actively growing to be breast cancer.ConclusionsThe results support the urgent need for education concerning breast cancer health promotion, including breast cancer assessment as well as guidance on evidence-based and up-to-date detection measures to change rural Vietnamese women’s cultural beliefs.

Women and Water Management: A Policy Assessment—A Case Study in An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Women in developing countries are domestic water managers and therefore can be regarded as the primary beneficiaries of water supply project, particularly domestic water supply services (DWSSs). Globally, women are active in water supply policymaking, planning and implementation. However, women are often excluded from water management activities; this can result in the failure of water projects. Research to date shows that women’s exclusion from water management processes stems from top-down approaches and traditional norms and gender differences. The work described in this research involved an examination of the effectiveness of DWSS policies implemented in rural Vietnamese communities, and was designed to produce an understanding of women’s roles and responsibilities in water management, specifically within the Vinh Phuoc community of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The research found that women participation in Vinh Phuoc was greatly restricted in the water management and in the public sphere in general. Also, it sought to reveal whether women are involved in water management activities and the roles they play in achieving final outcomes.

Does electricity reliability matter? Evidence from rural Viet Nam

Using a three-round panel dataset of more than 3,000 households, the paper estimates the impacts of electricity reliability improvement on the welfare and economic decisions of rural Vietnamese households. The number of days without power outages in communes per annum is used to proxy for electricity reliability. We employ a fixed effect regression with an instrumental variable to deal with the endogeneity issue, led by the simultaneous causal relationship between the reliability of electricity and household outcomes along with the unobservable variables. We use the similar electricity quality variable but measured in other communes within the same province as an instrumental variable. Results from this model show that an improvement in electricity reliability plays an important role in enhancing incomes, durable consumption, access to credit and land investment decisions of rural households.

Using the Stage-Based Approaches to Predict Breast Self-Examination Among Rural Vietnamese Women.

A stages-of-change approach would be helpful to understand cancer screening behaviors. This study aimed to identify the compliance and determinants of breast self-examination (BSE) based on transtheoretical model (TTM) and health belief model (HBM). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 296 rural Vietnamese women using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of Champion's HBM scales, breast cancer knowledge (BCK), integrated connection to neighborhood storytelling networks (ICSN), and TTM stages of BSE. A generalized ordered logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with TTM stages of BSE. About 61% of women did not currently perform BSE. Perceived benefit was significant in all stages changes. When changing to the action stage, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and BCK were significant. When changing to the maintenance stage, perceived susceptibility, benefits, self-efficacy, and ICSN were significant. Determinants influencing BSE behavior were different in each TTM stage, indicating that educational programs should be introduced with stage-matched strategies to increase BSE.