Services In Vietnam Research Articles

Development of Vietnamese Medical Staff in the Period of Accelerated Industrialization and Modernization of the Country and International Integration

Medical staff holds a pivotal role in the Vietnamese health system, and is crucial to the efficiency and quality of health care services in Vietnam. It is their professional and dedicated work that is a permanent basis to guarantee protection of and care for people’s health in the provision of health care services to people in all regions, including remote areas, borders and islands. The continuous growth in the quantity and quality of health workers in Vietnam has affirmed the right leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam in building this health workforce over the years.

Inclusion in Vietnam: More than a Quarter Century of Implementation

This article traces the evolution of special education policies and services in Vietnam from their introduction to the current expansion of inclusive education for children and youth with disabilities. Impacts reported include increased educational opportunity for and inclusion of children with disabilities, the development of national policy and provincial and local infrastructures for inclusive education, and capacity building for teachers through preservice, in-service, and master’s and doctoral programs expressly designed to prepare personnel to forward inclusive education throughout the country.

The patient voice: a survey of worries and anxieties during health system transition in HIV services in Vietnam

BackgroundVietnam is shifting toward integrating HIV services into the public health system using social health insurance (SHI), and the HIV service delivery system is becoming decentralized. The study aim was to investigate current SHI coverage and patients’ perspectives on this transition.MethodsA survey of 1348 HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy (aged ≥18 years) was conducted at an HIV outpatient clinic at a central-level hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, in October and November 2018. Insurance coverage, reasons for not having a SHI card, perceived concerns about receiving HIV services in SHI-registered local health facilities, and willingness to continue regularly visiting the current hospital were self-reported. Logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze factors associated with not having a SHI card and having concerns about receiving HIV services in SHI-registered hospitals/clinics.ResultsSHI coverage was 78.0%. The most frequently reported reason for not having a SHI card was that obtaining one was burdensome, followed by lack of information on how to obtain a card, and financial problems. Most patients (86.6%) had concerns about receiving HIV services at SHI-registered local health facilities, and disclosure of HIV status to neighbors and low quality of HIV services were the main concerns reported. Participants aged < 40 years old and unmarried were more likely to report lack of SHI cards, and women and those aged ≥40 years were more likely to have concerns. However, 91.4% of patients showed willingness to continue regular visits to the current hospital.ConclusionsAlthough SHI coverage has been rapidly improving among HIV patients, most participants had concerns about the current system transition in Vietnam. In response to their voiced concerns, strengthening the link between higher-level and lower-level facilities may help to ensure good quality HIV services at all levels while mitigating patients’ worries and anxieties.

Economic Valuation of Agricultural producers’ WTP for the weather information service – A Case Study in Central Vietnam

Most meteorological information services in Vietnam in general and in Central Vietnam to be specific are currently provided by the Vietnam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change (IMHEN). This agency is responsible for researching and collecting meteorological information in all regions of the country, public and transfer the information via Vietnam Television, Weather Forecast News. As agricultural production activities are sensitive to weather and climate conditions, meteorological information services are more important for agricultural decision-makers than those in other sectors. This study uses the contingent valuation method to estimate the economic value of meteorological information services in Central Vietnam for agricultural producers. We assess the agricultural producers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the meteorological information services, conducting a national face-to-face survey of 450 agricultural households in 16 communes in 4 Provinces in Central Vietnam. The results show the adjusted WTP for every agricultural household each year with a 95% confidence interval which ranges from 56.06 US dollars to 90.92 US dollars. The inferred annual economic value of meteorological information services for agricultural producers in the study site is between 28.06 million US dollars and 45.51 million US dollars. Moreover, the agricultural producers’ subjective assessment of weather forecast accuracy, farm size, and first bid price significantly affect the amount agricultural producers are willing to pay for meteorological information services.

Investigating determinants of competitiveness of the retail banking service in Vietnam: a customer approach

This study is conducted to clarify the impact of the factors on the competitiveness of retail banking services inVietnam’s commercial banks from the customer’s approach. The hypothesis in this paper is proposed that the competitiveness of retail banking services is related to the following factors: service quality, fees, distribution channels, promotion activities, and brand. The data is used from the survey conducted by 438 individual customers who have been using retail banking services in Vietnam’s big cities. This paper shows that the specific factors which are positively impact the competitiveness of retail banking services in Vietnam can be seen as prices (service fees), promotion activities, brand and distribution channels and service quality. The findings in this research could be an academic basis towards the improvement of the policies for retail banking services in Vietnam.

Patient satisfaction with HIV services in Vietnam: Status, service models and association with treatment outcome.

This study assessed the satisfaction of patients receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Vietnam and its multilevel predictors. Cross-sectional data were collected from January to September 2013 in eight outpatient clinics in Hanoi and Nam Dinh provinces. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using the Satisfaction with HIV/AIDS Treatment Interview Scale. Multivariable Tobit regression was utilized to measure the associations between these factors and satisfaction with treatment services. Generalized Mixed-effect Regression model was used to estimate the effect of satisfaction with the quality of service on the change between the initial and the latest CD4 cell count. Among 1133 patients, most of them were completely satisfied with the 10 domains measured (65.5% to 82.5%). “Service quality and convenience” domain which was attributed by the waiting time and administrative procedure had the lowest score of complete satisfaction. Compared to central clinics, provincial clinics were negatively associated with the overall satisfaction (Coef = -0.58; 95%CI = -0.95; -0.21). Patients rating higher score in “Consultation, explanation, and guidance of health care workers”, “Responsiveness of health care workers to patients’ questions and requests” and “Perceived overall satisfaction with the quality of service” were related to improvement in immunological treatment outcomes. Our results revealed the high level of satisfaction among ART patients towards HIV care and treatment services, and this had a high correlation to treatment outcomes. Interventions should focus on reducing administrative procedures, providing sufficient guidance and comprehensive services which integrate physical with psychological care for improving the health outcome of the ART program.

Is Health Insurance Associated with Health Service Utilization and Economic Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases on Households in Vietnam?

ABSTRACT The rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in developing countries has caused high out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending leading to many households suffering Catastrophic Health Expenditure (CHE). This study examined the association between health insurance (HI) on health-care utilization and the burden of OOP expenditure among people with reported NCDs and on their households in Vietnam. The study draws on a cross-sectional household survey of accessibility and utilization of health services in Vietnam. Data were obtained from three provinces to represent urban, rural and mountainous areas of the country. The study used a sample of 2,038 individuals with reported NCD aged over 18 years from 1,642 households having at least one person with reported NCD. The results show that people with reported NCD who had HI were twice as likely to use outpatient care compared with those without HI. Having more than one member with reported NCD resulted in double the odds of a household suffering CHE. Households in the three lowest wealth quintiles were more likely to encounter CHE and financial distress than economically better-off households. HI did not provide a protective effect to households, as there was no significant association between the HI status of household members with reported NCD and CHE or financial distress. Seeking care at higher-level facilities was significantly associated with CHE. This study highlights the need for evidence to design future HI-based interventions targeting susceptible populations to narrow the gaps in health service utilization among the population and mitigate financial catastrophe associated with NCDs. Abbreviations: NCD: Noncommunicable diseases; UHC: Universal Health Coverage; HI: Health insurance; CHE: Catastrophic health expenditure; OOP: Out of Pocket

Intervention Design Elements Are Associated with Frontline Health Workers’ Performance to Deliver Infant and Young Child Nutrition Services in Bangladesh and Vietnam

ABSTRACTBackgroundFrontline health workers (FLWs) are needed for delivering interventions at scale to reduce maternal and child undernutrition, but low- and middle-income countries often face inadequate FLW performance.ObjectivesWe examined whether and how intervention design elements such as training, supervision, and mass media improved FLW performance in delivering nutrition services.MethodsSurvey data were collected in 2010 and 2014 as part of impact evaluations of Alive & Thrive (A&T) interventions to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Bangladesh and Vietnam. FLWs in A&T intensive (A&T-I) areas received specialized IYCF training, job aids, and regular supportive supervision. Those in non-intensive (A&T-NI) areas received standard government training and supervision. There was mass media exposure in both areas. Multiple regression was used to test differences in exposure to intervention design elements and performance outcomes between the 2 program areas. Path analyses were conducted to examine the paths from exposure to performance outcomes measured at FLW and end-user levels.ResultsCompared to FLWs in A&T-NI areas, those in A&T-I areas had higher scores in training (by 1.3–3.6 of 10 points), supportive supervision (0.3–3.5 points), and mass media exposure (0.3–3.5 points). These intervention design elements were significantly associated with FLW knowledge and motivation, which in turn improved service delivery. FLW-level performance outcomes contributed to improving end-user-level outcomes such as higher service received (β = 0.12–1.04 in Bangladesh and 0.11–0.96 in Vietnam) and maternal knowledge (β = 0.12–0.17 in Bangladesh and 0.04–0.21 in Vietnam).ConclusionsTraining, supervision, and mass media exposure can be implemented at large scale and contribute to improved FLW service delivery by enhancing knowledge and motivation, which in turn positively influence mother's service utilization and IYCF knowledge. Training, supervision, and mass media to enhance service provision should be considered when designing interventions. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01678716 (Bangladesh) and NCT01676623 (Vietnam).

Community-led HIV testing services including HIV self-testing and assisted partner notification services in Vietnam: lessons from a pilot study in a concentrated epidemic setting.

IntroductionThe HIV epidemic in Vietnam is concentrated in key populations and their partners – people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, sex workers and partners of people living with HIV. These groups have poor access to and uptake of conventional HIV testing services (HTS). To address this gap, lay provider‐ and self‐testing and assisted partner notification (aPN) were introduced and delivered by the community. We explored the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing aPN as part of community testing services for key populations.MethodsLay provider testing and self‐testing was started in January 2017, and targeted key populations and their partners. Since July 2017, aPN was introduced. HTS was offered at drop‐in houses or coffee shops in Thai Nguyen and Can Tho provinces. All self‐testing was assisted and observed by peer educators. Both in‐person and social network methods were used to mobilize key populations to test for HIV and offer HTS to partners of people living with HIV. Client‐level data, including demographic information and self‐reported risk behaviour, were collected on site by peer educators.ResultsBetween January 2017 and May 2018, 3978 persons from key populations were tested through community‐led HTS; 66.7% were first‐time testers. Of the 3978 clients, 3086 received HTS from a lay provider and 892 self‐tested in the presence of a lay provider. Overall, 245 (6.2% of tested clients) had reactive results, 231 (94.3%) were confirmed to be HIV positive; 215/231 (93.1%) initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART). Of 231 adult HIV‐positive clients, 186 (80.5%) were provided voluntary aPN, and 105 of their partners were contacted and received HTS. The ratio of partners who tested for HIV per index client was 0.56. Forty‐four (41.9%) partners of index clients receiving HTS were diagnosed with HIV, 97.7% initiated ART during the study period. No social harm was identified or reported.ConclusionsIncluding aPN as part of community‐led HTS for key populations and their partners is feasible and effective, particularly for reaching first‐time testers and undiagnosed HIV clients. Scale‐up of aPN within community‐led HTS for key populations is essential for achieving the United Nations 90‐90‐90 targets in Vietnam.

Gender differences in the association of living and working conditions and the mental health of trafficking survivors.

To assess the association of living and working conditions experienced during trafficking with mental health of female and male survivors. We analyzed a cross-sectional study of 1015 survivors who received post-trafficking services in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Modified Poisson regression models were conducted bygender to estimate prevalence ratios. For females, the elevatedprevalence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was associated with adverseliving conditions, while for males the prevalence of anxiety (PR = 2.21; 95% CI 1.24-3.96) and depression (PR = 2.63; 95% CI 1.62-4.26) more than doubled and almost tripled for PTSD (PR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.65-5.19) after adjustment. For males in particular, excessive and extreme working hours per day were associated with more than a four- and threefold greater prevalence of PTSD. Being in a detention center or jail was associated with all three mental health outcomes in males. Providers and stakeholders need to consider the complex mental health trauma of the differential effects of living and working conditions for female and male survivors during trafficking to support treatment and recovery.

Developing Environmental Services in Vietnam

Abstract: In the current trend, human activities of production and activities have discharged a large amount of waste. This makes the pressure to handle environmental pollution increasing. Therefore, environmental services have become an important economic sub-sector of many countries including Vietnam. In Vietnam, as of 2017, have 3,769 enterprises operate in the field of environmental services. Of which, more than 80% are non-state enterprises, about 1% are FDI enterprises and the rest are state-owned enterprises. Enterprises mainly focus on services with high demand resulting from the requirements of the 2005 Law on Environmental Protection, such as designing, manufacturing, and building waste treatment systems; environmental monitoring and analysis; consulting, training, providing environmental information. This paper provides a general analysis of businesses operating in the environmental services industry, the situation of attracting FDI into the industry, pointing out the causes and shortcomings in the development of the industry and giving some discussions and recommendations for developing environmental services in Vietnam&#x0D; Keywords: Environmental services, FDI, Vietnam.

Trends in Socioeconomic Inequalities in the Use of Antenatal Care Services by Women Aged 15 to 49 Years in Vietnam

Despite considerable variations in the use of antenatal care (ANC) services in Vietnam, limited information is available on socioeconomic inequalities concerning the use of ANC services. This study aimed to assess the trends and changes in socioeconomic inequalities in the use of ANC services by women aged 15 to 49 years in Vietnam from 2006 to 2014. We used data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2006, 2011, and 2014. The percentage of women who received ANC services increased significantly from 26.5% in 2006 to 42.7% in 2011 and reached 56.6% in 2014. We found a decreasing trend in the concentration indices of the use of ANC services from 0.36 in 2006 to 0.19 in 2014. The common factors significantly associated with the higher percentage of the use of ANC services in 2006, 2011, and 2014 were women belonging to the Kinh and Hoa ethnic groups and belonging to wealthier groups. Our study showed a reduction in socioeconomic inequality in the use of ANC services between 2004 and 2014. However, significant inequalities still exist in the use of ANC services based on women's education, ethnicity, and economic status.

Exploring the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxis in Vietnam

Motorcycle taxis play an important role in many developing countries, particularly in servicing areas where conventional public transport is not available. This form of transport has become more popular in recent years since online ride-hailing companies launched motorcycle taxi services. However, little is known about traffic crash risks among app-based motorcycle taxi riders. This study therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with road traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi riders. A field survey and online survey were undertaken to obtain information about riders’ socio-demographics, work patterns, travel behaviour and crash involvement. A total of 602 valid survey responses from riders were obtained across three cities in Vietnam, including 571 males and 31 females. The overall reported prevalence of road traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi riders over a one-year period was 30%. Binary logistic regression modelling showed that traffic crashes were associated with non-students, low education levels, high daily travel distances, regular smoking, and using a mobile phone while driving. Despite regulation of online ride-hailing motorcycle taxi services in Vietnam, the reported prevalence of crashes among riders is considered to be relatively high. Targeted interventions to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash should be considered, such as increasing road safety education for non-student riders and imposing a daily travel distance limit for riders.

Patterns of violence and coercion with mental health among female and male trafficking survivors: a latent class analysis with mixture models.

Human trafficking is a crime and a human rights violation that involves various and simultaneous traumatic events (sexual and physical violence, coercion). Yet, it is unknown how the patterning of violence and coercion affects the mental health of female and male trafficking survivors. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a sample of 1015 female and male survivors of trafficking who received post-trafficking assistance services in Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam. We assessed symptoms of anxiety and depression with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Violence was measured with questions from the World Health Organization International Study on Women's Health. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify distinct patterns of violence and coercion in females and males. Novel multi-step mixture modelling techniques were employed to assess the association of the emergent classes with anxiety, depression and PTSD in females and males. LCA identified two distinct classes of violence and coercion experiences in females (class I: severe sexual and physical violence and coercion (20%); class II: sexual violence and coercion (80%)) and males (class I: severe physical violence and coercion (41%); class II: personal coercion (59%)). Females in class I had a two-fold increase in the odds of anxiety (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.57-2.81) and PTSD (OR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.03-4.17) compared with females in class II, but differences in the prevalence of anxiety, depression and PTSD were not significant when comparing males in class I to class II. Specific patterns of violence and coercion provide a more in-depth understanding of the role of gender in the experience of violence and coercion and its association with mental health in survivors of trafficking. This information could be useful to target comprehensive mental health services for female and male trafficking survivors.

Willingness to use and pay for smoking cessation service via text-messaging among Vietnamese adult smokers, 2017

ObjectivesTo examine willingness to use (WTU) and willingness to pay (WTP) for smoking cessation service via text-messaging among adult smokers in Vietnam in 2017; and to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with the WTU and WTP. MethodsA cross-sectional study of 602 adult smokers who had intention to quit in the next 12 months was conducted in Vietnam in 2017. Participants were provided with the information about a mobile health (mHealth) smoking cessation service via text-messaging and asked about their willingness to use and pay for it. The contigent valuation method was used to estimate the WTP for the service, using single bound question format. Discrete choice model was applied to estimate the average WTP and its associated factors. ResultsSeventy-two percent of smokers expressed willingness to use smoking cessation service via text-messaging if it were available. The average willingness to pay among those interested in using the mHealth cessation service was 82,000 VND (US$3.5). Smoking status and quit attempts in the last twelve months were associated with WTU, whereas age of the smokers and monthly income were significant predictors of WTP. ConclusionA high proportion of Vietnamese smokers with intention to quit were interested in using smoking cessation services via text-messaging. The high level of smokers' willingness to use and pay for the text messaging cessation program indicates the mHealth methods could be a potential option for developing and delivering smoking cessation services in Vietnam.

An examination of the Vietnamese emerging market economy: understanding how and why auditors have responded to the audit law reforms

AbstractUsing New Institutional Sociology (NIS), we seek to explain the variation between what was intended with the Vietnamese reforms to audit in 2011 and the actual practice, and why there is variation. This paper reports findings from interviews with 70 individuals representing identified groups of stakeholders in the market for audit and assurance services in Vietnam. Overall, the findings indicate that there still exist business risks for foreign companies that pursue trade and commerce in communist Vietnam, particularly where non‐Big 4 audit firms are involved in the external audit function, as in some cases auditor independence is most likely compromised.

Characteristics of Agencies Providing Support Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Vietnam.

As in virtually all countries, in Vietnam there has been a general trend towards apparent increased rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To address the needs of families and children with ASD, many agencies providing support services have been opened throughout Vietnam over the last two decades. Although agencies in general appear to strive to provide good quality service, the actual quality of operations is unknown. The present article collected and analyzed secondary data from 68 agencies across Vietnam from different information sources, using the nine criteria published by Tran, Weiss, and Pham (in press) [1] and Nguyen, Hoang, Nguyen, Pham, and Tran (2017) [2] to evaluate agency quality. Results of this review suggest that a significant number of centers do not have appropriate legal status, are not following basic ethical standards, are using non-evidence based intervention methods, and are unclear in regards to the intervention procedures or intervention plans they use. Although the current study has a number of limitations, it provides important initial information regarding the current status of ASD services in Vietnam.

Applying Q-methodology to study customer satisfaction with quality of community pharmacy services in Vietnam

Purpose: To determine the pattern of customers’ viewpoints regarding their satisfaction with the quality of services of community pharmacies in Vietnam.Methods: Q-methodology was applied to identify distinct patterns of subjective perception on community pharmacy services. A Q-sample of 40 statements was developed following a review of the literature. The study recruited 144 customers from 40 pharmacies in four Vietnamese cities. They were required to sort 40 statements into a quasi-normal distribution grid according to their degree of satisfaction with the quality of community pharmacy services. Data collected were analyzed using PQ Method software version 2.35.Results: This study identified three factors indicating three patterns of perspectives concerning customer satisfaction on the quality of community pharmacy services: Factor 1: accessibility of the community pharmacy; Factor 2: availability of medication consultations; Factor 3: accessibility of medicines.Conclusion: There are three main patterns of viewpoints concerning customer satisfaction with community pharmacy services in Vietnam. The findings should contribute to improving the understanding of pharmaceutical policymakers and pharmacy staff regarding customer satisfaction with current pharmaceutical services.Keywords: Community pharmacy, Customer satisfaction, Q-methodology, Pharmaceutical policymakers, Pharmacy staff

Обучение за рубежом и зарубежные стажировки студентов и специалистов как эффективный стимул повышения уровня развития человеческого капитала в лесной отрасли Вьетнама

The article examines a number of current phenomena characteristic of the processes of human capital development in the framework of international education and internships. In particular, an analysis was made of the distribution of the number of people leaving for study in host countries for students from such Asian-Pacific countries as Vietnam and China; motives and incentives are grouped into two large groups that influence the decision of a particular student’s parents to send them to foreign studies; analyzed the modern form of combining higher education with internships in well-known and attractive for students from abroad companies of the “host” country, which is an effective functional and image reception in the arsenal of marketing tools of universities that are highly competitive in the global higher education market for solvent customers. The key elements of improving the quality of “human capital” during the training of Vietnamese students in universities of St. Petersburg are identified. The study concluded that Russian universities, in particular those connected with the training of specialists for the forestry complex, should more actively promote their educational services in Vietnam, pointing to the presence of modern technological and educational base, actual use of knowledge and technologies that are used in leading companies in the forest industry of Canada, Scandinavia, USA, Russia.

Strengthening breast cancer services in Vietnam: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundIncidence of breast cancer has increased in Vietnam over the past two decades, but little data exists to inform policy and planning. This study examined the organisation and delivery of breast cancer services in Vietnam in order to address the lack of data on detection, diagnosis and treatment.MethodsWe gathered quantitative and qualitative data using an adapted survey-based Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool and semi-structured interviews from healthcare providers in 69 healthcare facilities about the experience and challenges of delivering breast cancer services. We conducted our study across four levels of the health system in three provinces in Vietnam.ResultsThe analysis of our data show that a number of areas require strengthening particularly in relation to service availability and service readiness. Firstly, healthcare providers across all levels of the health system reported that service provision was constrained by a lack of resources both in relation to health infrastructure and training for healthcare providers. Secondly, access to timely diagnosis and treatment is limited due to services only being available at the top two levels of the health system. Women living outside the immediate vicinity of such facilities tend to find access more costly and time-consuming, and there is a need to investigate the social, economic, geographic and cultural barriers that may prevent women from accessing services.ConclusionsOur study suggests that there is a need to strengthen lower levels of the Vietnamese health system in relation to the detection of breast cancer. Provision of some services such as clinical breast examination, advice on self-examination, and conducting ultrasound tests (supported with appropriate training and capacity-building of healthcare providers) at commune and district levels of the health system may reduce the overcrowding and service-delivery burden experienced in provincial and national-level hospitals. Empowering lower levels of the health system to conduct breast cancer screening, which is currently undertaken on an ad hoc basis through higher-level facilities, is likely to improve access to services for women.