The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic causes fear, as its immediate consequences for the public have produced unprecedented challenges for the education and healthcare systems. We aimed to ...validate the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S) and examine the association of its scores with health literacy and health-related behaviors among medical students. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 7 to 29 April 2020 on 5423 students at eight universities across Vietnam, including five universities in the North, one university in the Center, two universities in the South. An online survey questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' characteristics, health literacy, fear of COVID-19 using the FCoV-19S, and health-related behaviors. The results showed that seven items of the FCoV-19S strongly loaded on one component, explained 62.15% of the variance, with good item-scale convergent validity and high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90). Higher health literacy was associated with lower FCoV-19S scores (coefficient, B, -0.06; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI, -0.08, -0.04;
< 0.001). Older age or last academic years, being men, and being able to pay for medication were associated with lower FCoV-19S scores. Students with higher FCoV-19S scores more likely kept smoking (odds ratio, OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08, 1.14;
< 0.001) or drinking alcohol (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02, 1.06;
< 0.001) at an unchanged or higher level during the pandemic, as compared to students with lower FCoV-19S scores. In conclusion, the FCoV-19S is valid and reliable in screening for fear of COVID-19. Health literacy was found to protect medical students from fear. Smoking and drinking appeared to have a negative impact on fear of COVID-19. Strategic public health approaches are required to reduce fear and promote healthy lifestyles during the pandemic.
Assessing healthy diet literacy and eating behaviors is critical for identifying appropriate public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the psychometric properties of digital ...healthy diet literacy (DDL) and its association with eating behavior changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among nursing and medical students. We conducted a cross-sectional study from 7 April to 31 May 2020 at 10 public universities in Vietnam, in which 7616 undergraduate students aged 19-27 completed an online survey to assess socio-demographics, clinical parameters, health literacy (HL), DDL, and health-related behaviors. Four items of the DDL scale loaded on one component explained 71.32%, 67.12%, and 72.47% of the scale variances for the overall sample, nursing, and medical students, respectively. The DDL scale was found to have satisfactory item-scale convergent validity and criterion validity, high internal consistency reliability, and no floor or ceiling effect. Of all, 42.8% of students reported healthier eating behavior during the pandemic. A 10-index score increment of DDL was associated with 18%, 23%, and 17% increased likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic for the overall sample (OR, 1.18; 95%CI, 1.13, 1.24;
< 0.001), nursing students (OR, 1.23; 95%CI, 1.10, 1.35;
< 0.001), and medical students (OR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.11, 1.24;
< 0.001), respectively. The DDL scale is a valid and reliable tool for the quick assessment of digital healthy diet literacy. Students with higher DDL scores had a higher likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic.
Background: The infodemic has been co-existing with the COVID-19 pandemic with an influx of misinformation and conspiracy theories. These affect people’s psychological health and adherence to ...preventive measures. eHealth literacy (eHEALS) may help with alleviating the negative effects of the infodemic. As nursing students are future healthcare professionals, having adequate eHEALS skills is critically important in their clinical practice, safety, and health. This study aimed to (1) explore the eHEALS level and its associated factors, and (2) examine the associations of eHEALS with preventive behaviors, fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S), anxiety, and depression among nursing students. Methods: We surveyed 1851 nursing students from 7 April to 31 May 2020 from eight universities across Vietnam. Data were collected, including demographic characteristics, eHEALS, adherence to preventive behaviors (handwashing, mask-wearing, physical distancing), FCV-19S, anxiety, and depression. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed appropriately to examine associations. Results: The mean score of eHEALS was 31.4 ± 4.4. The eHEALS score was significantly higher in males (unstandardized regression coefficient, B, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 0.15 to 1.73; p = 0.019), and students with a better ability to pay for medication (B, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.39 to 1.19; p < 0.001), as compared to their counterparts. Nursing students with a higher eHEALS score had a higher likelihood of adhering to hand-washing (odds ratio, OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.22; p < 0.001), mask-wearing (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.19; p < 0.001), keeping a safe physical distance (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.25; p < 0.001), and had a lower anxiety likelihood (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92 to 0.99; p = 0.011). Conclusions: Nursing students who were men and with better ability to pay for medication had higher eHEALS scores. Those with higher eHEALS scores had better adherence to preventive measures, and better psychological health. The development of strategies to improve eHEALS of nursing students may contribute to COVID-19 containment and improve their psychological health.
Background
Medical students' health and wellbeing are highly concerned during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the impacts of fear of COVID-19 (FCoV-19S), healthy eating behavior, and ...health-related behavior changes on anxiety and depression.
Methods
We conducted an online survey at 8 medical universities in Vietnam from 7th April to 31st May 2020. Data of 5,765 medical students were collected regarding demographic characteristics, FCoV-19S, health-related behaviors, healthy eating score (HES), anxiety, and depression. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore associations.
Results
A lower likelihood of anxiety and depression were found in students with a higher HES score (OR = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.96, 0.99;
p
= 0.042; OR = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.96, 0.99;
p
= 0.021), and in those unchanged or more physical activities during the pandemic (OR = 0.54; 95%CI = 0.44, 0.66;
p
< 0.001; OR = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.37, 0.52;
p
< 0.001) as compared to those with none/less physical activity, respectively. A higher likelihood of anxiety and depression were reported in students with a higher FCoV-19S score (OR = 1.09; 95%CI = 1.07, 1.12;
p
< 0.001; OR = 1.06; 95%CI = 1.04, 1.08;
p
< 0.001), and those smoked unchanged/more during the pandemic (OR = 6.67; 95%CI = 4.71, 9.43;
p
< 0.001; OR = 6.77; 95%CI = 4.89, 9.38;
p
< 0.001) as compared to those stopped/less smoke, respectively. In addition, male students had a lower likelihood of anxiety (OR = 0.79; 95%CI = 0.65, 0.98;
p
= 0.029) compared to female ones.
Conclusions
During the pandemic, FCoV-19S and cigarette smoking had adverse impacts on medical students' psychological health. Conversely, staying physically active and having healthy eating behaviors could potentially prevent medical students from anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Introduction and Aims.
This study examined prevalence and predictors of alcohol consumption and alcohol problems in a sample of medical students in Vietnam. Design and Methods. A cross‐sectional ...survey using a multi‐stage cluster sampling approach was conducted in 2007 in two universities in Vietnam. The students (n = 619, 100% response rate) completed questionnaires based on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. A score of ≥8 defined presence of alcohol problems. Data analyses adjusted for the cluster sampling approach. Results. Overall 65.5% of students had drunk alcohol during the previous year while alcohol problems were detected in 12.5%. Male students, students who reported that their family members drank and students who reported that their flat mates were drinking were more likely to be current drinkers. Male students were 14.3 times more likely to have an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score of ≥8 compared with female students (P = 0.005). Discussion and Conclusions. Intervention programs focusing on male students and their social environment are warranted. As Vietnamese society rapidly modernises prevention programs for female students may also be needed. Pham DB, Clough AR, Nguyen HV, Kim GB, Buettner PG. Alcohol consumption and alcohol‐related problems among Vietnamese medical students. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009
An EQ-5D-5L Value Set for Vietnam Mai, Vu Quynh; Sun, Sun; Minh, Hoang Van ...
Quality of life research,
07/2020, Letnik:
29, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Purpose
The objective of this study was to develop an EQ-5D-5L value set based on the health preferences of the general adult population of Vietnam.
Methods
The EQ-VT protocol version 2.1 was ...applied. Multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was employed to recruit a nationally representative sample. Both composite time trade-off (C-TTO) and discrete choice experiment (DCE) methods were used. Several modelling approaches were considered including hybrid; tobit; panel and heteroscedastic models. First, models using C-TTO or DCE data were tested separately. Then possibility of combining the C-TTO and DCE data was examined. Hybrid models were tested if it was sensible to combine both types of data. The best-performing model was selected based on both the consistency of the results produced and the degree to which models used all the available data.
Results
Data from 1200 respondents representing the general Vietnamese adult population were included in the analyses. Only the DCE Logit model and the regular Hybrid model that uses all available data produced consistent results. As the priority was to use all available data if possible, the hybrid model was selected to generate the Vietnamese value set. Mobility had the largest effect on health state values, followed by pain/discomfort, usual activities, anxiety/depression and self-care. The Vietnam values ranged from − 0.5115 to 1.
Conclusion
This is the first value set for EQ-5D-5L based on social preferences obtained from a nationally representative sample in Vietnam. The value set will likely play a key role in economic evaluations and health technology assessments in Vietnam.
About 530,000 women develop cervical cancer worldwide and 275,000 die from the disease each year. Eighty percent of these deaths occur in developing countries. In Vietnam, cervical cancer has ...recently emerged as the most common type of cancer in women, and there are no national screening programs for cervical cancer. Since 2009, two different human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been licensed for use in Vietnam, but access to these vaccines is generally limited to people who live in urban areas. Studies have shown that HPV vaccination may be cost-effective in cervical cancer prevention in Vietnam, depending on vaccination costs. Given that current HPV vaccines are expensive and public health funding for supporting a rapid introduction of the vaccine is limited, expanding and sustaining access to the HPV vaccine may require alternative financing mechanisms, such as fees-based immunization services.
A conjoint analysis study was conducted with mothers of girls 9–17 years of age in Vinh Long Province in Vietnam to estimate the mothers’ demand for HPV vaccines for their daughters and to measure the tradeoffs between vaccine fees and vaccine uptake. The results suggest that the demand for HPV vaccines was high, increased with vaccine effectiveness and duration of effectiveness, and decreased with vaccine cost. Vaccine effectiveness was the most important vaccine attribute to these mothers, followed by duration of effectiveness. The predicted probability of respondents buying an HPV vaccine that was 70% effective for 10 years varied by the price, ranging from 30% when the vaccine price was $353 per course, to 68% when the vaccine cost $6 per course. As expected, demand and predicted purchase probability were higher among groups with higher socioeconomic status.
► First conjoint analysis study of mothers’ preferences for HPV vaccines in Vietnam. ► Vaccine effectiveness is more important to mothers than duration of effectiveness. ► About 70% of mothers would vaccinate their daughter at US$6 per 3 dose course. ► Predicted uptake may inform cost-effectiveness analyses of HPV vaccines.
Purpose
This study aims to provide EQ-5D-5L population norms among the general population in Vietnam and to test EQ-5D-5L’ construction validity among people living with hypertension there.
Methods
...Descriptive statistics of the five dimensions and five levels, EQ-VAS and EQ-5D-5L indexes were categorised into gender and age groups for the EQ-5D-5L population norms. Known-groups testing was set for lower EQ-5D-5L outcomes among people who were aware of their hypertensive status, females, people with more comorbidities, less education, older ages, and higher body mass indexes. Level of confident interval was 95%.
Results
The mean EQ-VAS and EQ-5D-5L indexes were 81.10 (SD: 13.35) and 0.94 (SD: 0.09) among the general population. The EQ-5D-5L outcomes were better among younger people, males, people with more education, employees, and single people. Respondents reported fewer problems with self-care and usual activities and tend to have problems at higher levels across older ages. The known-group testing showed statistically significant results. The mean EQ-VAS and EQ-5D-5L indexes of people in the diagnosed hypertensive group (71.48 and 0.94, respectively) were statistically significantly smaller than they were in the non-hypertensive and undiagnosed hypertensive group (76.65 and 0.97; 76.95 and 0.96 accordingly). Statistically significant associations of lower EQ-5D-5L indexes and EQ-VAS were found among people diagnosed for hypertension, people suffering from an incremental comorbidity, and obese people.
Conclusion
This study has provided EQ-5D-5L population norms for the general population and evidence for known-groups validity of the EQ-5D-5L instrument among hypertensive people in Vietnam.
The catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment indices offer guidance for developing appropriate health policies and intervention programs to decrease financial inequity. This study assesses ...socioeconomic inequalities in catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment in relation to self-reported non-communicable diseases (NCD) in urban Hanoi, Vietnam.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to March 2013 in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. We estimated catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment using information from 492 slum household and 528 non-slum households. We calculated concentration indexes to assess socioeconomic inequalities in catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment. Factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment were modelled using logistic regression analysis.
The poor households in both slum and non-slum areas were at higher risk of experiencing catastrophic health expenditure, while only the poor households in slum areas were at higher risk of impoverishment because of healthcare spending. Households with at least one member reporting an NCD were significantly more likely to face catastrophic health expenditure (odds ratio OR = 2.4; 95 % confidence interval CI, 1.8-4.0) and impoverishment (OR = 2.3; 95 % CI, 1.1-6.3) compared to households without NCDs. In addition, households in slum areas, with people age 60 years and above, and belonging to the poorest socioeconomic group were significantly associated with increased catastrophic health expenditure, while only households that lived in slum areas, and belonging to the poor or poorest socioeconomic groups were significantly associated with increased impoverishment because of healthcare spending.
Financial interventions to prevent catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment should target poor households, especially those with family members suffering from NCDs, with older members and those located in slum areas in Hanoi Vietnam. Potential interventions derived from this study include targeting and monitoring of health insurance enrolment, and developing a specialized NCD service package for Vietnam's social health insurance program.
Aims: The fact that chronic diseases are leading causes of mortality and morbidity in hospitals in Vietnam was certified by yearly statistical information. However, population-based knowledge of ...chronic diseases is still largely lacking. This article examines the prevalence of major chronic diseases and their relationships with sociodemographic status and selected lifestyle risk factors among the adult population in a rural community in the north of Vietnam. Methods: A representative sample comprising 2500 adults aged 25-74 years was surveyed in 2005 using a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were applied. Results: Thirty-nine per cent of the respondents had at least one of the studied chronic diseases. The prevalence of current smoking was 59% among men and 0.7% among women. The prevalence of at-risk alcohol drinking was 67% among men and 3% among women. Increasing age, low education and doing other jobs (small traders, temporary workers, housekeepers, handicraft makers and jobless), as well as tobacco use and at-risk alcohol drinking, were found to be associated with a higher probability of having at least one chronic disease of interest. Economic status was found to be inversely correlated with the probability of having at least one chronic disease among women only. Conclusions: The findings from this study indicated that chronic conditions and lifestyle risk factors were very common among the adult population in rural Vietnam. There is an association between chronic diseases and lower socioeconomic status and unhealthy lifestyle risk factors.
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