Dat Van Duong

Breast-feeding initiation and exclusive breast-feeding in rural Vietnam

OBJECTIVE To investigate the initiation of breast-feeding and exclusive breast-feeding within the first week after delivery for women in rural Vietnam. DESIGN An interviewer-administered survey was conducted on a sample of rural women who gave birth during August-October 2002. SETTING Quang Xuong District, Thanh Hoa Province of Vietnam. SUBJECTS Four hundred and sixty-three women participated in the study, of whom 181 delivered at the district hospital (39.1%), 229 at a commune health centre (49.5%) and 53 at home attended by a traditional birth attendant (11.4%). RESULTS Although the initiation and exclusive breast-feeding rates were relatively high at 98.3% and 83.6% respectively, the premature introduction of complementary food was a great concern. Logistic regression analysis showed that, together with socio-cultural determinants such as feeding preferences of the husband and maternal grandmother, feeding practices of friends, factors relating to delivery methods, delivery locations and health problems could influence the initiation rate and breast-feeding patterns. CONCLUSIONS To promote breast-feeding practices of rural mothers, health education on breast-feeding should take into account local socio-cultural features in addition to improving the counselling skills of health workers.

Availability of antibiotics as over-the-counter drugs in pharmacies: a threat to public health in Vietnam

A survey on the use of antibiotics purchased through retail pharmacies was conducted in the Badinh district of Hanoi, Vietnam. The survey found that purchasers visit a pharmacy when they or those who felt they needed antibiotics had minor symptoms such as cough (34.1%), sore throat (32.5%), stomach upsets (10.0%) and diarrhoea (8.8%). The most often purchased antibiotics were ampicillin (31.1%), amoxyllin (16.7%), cotrimoxazol (11.6%), tetracycline (5.2%) and cephalexin (4.8%). The median of the purchased quantity was to tablets, the mean 11.34 tablets (95% CI 9.65–12.97). About 30% of the purchasers intended to take antibiotics for three days or less. The mean cost of a antibiotic purchase was US

Determinants of breast-feeding within the first 6 months post-partum in rural Vietnam

1.27 (95%CI 1.06–1.39). The main reason for not taking a full course of antibiotics was not economic constraint, but the purchasers poor knowledge about antibiotics. Logistic regression analysis indicates that age of purchasers, length of symptoms and kinds of treatment used before visiting a pharmacy could be used as predictive variables for the decision to buy antibiotics in preference to alternative drugs. Antibiotics are used when illness lasts longer than one week and antibiotics have not yet been taken. Antibiotics are‐also purchased by young rather than old people. The study documents the need for better health education about the rational use of antibiotics in the general public.

Prevalence and factors associated with road traffic crash among taxi drivers in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Objective:  This study explored the determinants of breast‐feeding practices within the first 6 months post‐partum among women residing in rural Vietnam.

Introduction of complementary food to infants within the first six months postpartum in rural Vietnam

Injury due to road traffic crash is a major cause of ill health and premature deaths in developing countries. Taxis provide a main mode of public transport in Vietnam but there has been little research on the risk of crash for taxi drivers. This retrospective study collected information on taxi crashes for the period 2006-2009 by interviewing drivers from five taxi companies in Hanoi, Vietnam, using a structured questionnaire. Of the total 1214 participants recruited, 276 drivers reported at least one crash, giving an overall crash prevalence of 22.7%. Among the crashed group, 50 drivers (18.1%) were involved in two to four crashes. Logistic regression analysis further identified age of driver, type of driving licence, employment status, perceived sufficiency of income, seat-belt usage, and traffic infringement history to be significantly associated with the crash risk. Further prospective and qualitative studies are recommended to provide detailed crash characteristics as well as behaviour and perception of taxi drivers, so that an effective intervention can be developed to improve road safety and to prevent injury of these commercial drivers.

Diarrhoea management by pharmacy staff in retail pharmacies in Hanoi, Vietnam

Aim: To document the introduction of complementary food and factors influencing the decision to feed infants with solid food within 6 mo postpartum in rural Vietnam. Methods: A longitudinal study of 463 women who gave birth during August–October 2002 was conducted. Results: An early introduction of complementary food was found, which increased from 16.4% at week 1 to 56.5% at week 16 and nearly 100% at week 24. Home‐cooked solid food was introduced by 4.8%, 40.9% and 74.3% of women at weeks 1, 16 and 24, respectively. Logistic regression analysis found that at week 24 postpartum, it was less likely for the infant to be fed with solid food if the mother was a farmer (OR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.18–0.95) and passed secondary school (OR 0.28, 95% CI: 0.10–0.54), whose husband was satisfied with the infants sex (OR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.17–0.53), her mother‐in‐law preferred exclusive breastfeeding (OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.04–0.75), or her friends practised exclusive breastfeeding (OR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.16–1.10). However, infants were likely to be fed with solid food when their parents had higher income and lived independently (OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.01–3.06).

The impact of cataract surgery on vision-related quality of life for bilateral cataract patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: a prospective study

A survey was conducted in a sample of 29 pharmacies in the Badinh district of Hanoi, Vietnam, to determine the knowledge and behaviour of pharmacy staff in dealing with cases of acute diarrhoea in children. The survey found that antibiotics and antidiarrhoeal drugs were suggested in the majority of cases (45 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively) while oral rehydration salts (ORS) were suggested in only one case. In about 80 per cent of the observed cases in which antibiotics were supplied, one to four tablets were given, enough for only one to two days. The advice given by pharmacy staff to purchasers was poor. Only about half the pharmacy staff asked for information about the stool, age of the child and frequency of diarrhoea, while questions about medicines that had already been taken, feeding and health status were rarely asked. In about 10 per cent of the cases, no questions at all were asked. The mean cost of the treatment was

Contraception within six-month postpartum in rural Vietnam: Implications on family planning and maternity services

0.53 (95 per cent CI = 0.37–0.68). Constraints of knowledge, time and finance could be the reasons for this inappropriate management of childhood diarrhoea.

Prevalence and Visual Risk Factors for Falls in Bilateral Cataract Patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

BackgroundTo determine the impact of cataract surgery on vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) and examine the association between objective visual measures and change in VRQOL after surgery among bilateral cataract patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.MethodsA cohort of older patients with bilateral cataract was assessed one week before and one to three months after first eye or both eye cataract surgery. Visual measures including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis were obtained. Vision-related quality of life was assessed using the NEI VFQ-25. Descriptive analyses and a generalized linear estimating equation (GEE) analysis were undertaken to measure change in VRQOL after surgery.ResultsFour hundred and thirteen patients were assessed before cataract surgery and 247 completed the follow-up assessment one to three months after first or both eye cataract surgery. Overall, VRQOL significantly improved after cataract surgery (p < 0.001) particularly after both eye surgeries. Binocular contrast sensitivity (p < 0.001) and stereopsis (p < 0.001) were also associated with change in VRQOL after cataract surgery. Visual acuity was not associated with VRQOL.ConclusionsCataract surgery significantly improved VRQOL among bilateral cataract patients in Vietnam. Contrast sensitivity as well as stereopsis, rather than visual acuity significantly affected VRQOL after cataract surgery.

A longitudinal cohort study of the impact of first- and both-eye cataract surgery on falls and other injuries in Vietnam

Objectives This longitudinal study documents contraception practice and factors influencing contraception decision within the first six months postpartum, amongst women residing in the rural Northern Central region of Vietnam. Methods A sample of 463 rural women who gave birth during August-October 2002 were recruited and interviewed at one, 16 and 24 weeks postpartum. Results The proportion of contraceptive users at weeks 16 and 24 were 17% and 43% respectively. At week 24, of contraceptive users, 57% used IUD, 25% used condom, and 14% used traditional methods. Logistic regression analysis found age, sufficient knowledge on contraceptives and husband/partner opinion can significantly affect the contraception decision. Conclusions In order to improve the situation, health authorities should be encouraged to provide counselling on postpartum contraceptive methods during ante- and postnatal care visits. Health education on family planning and breastfeeding should also involve the husband/partner group taking into account local socio-cultural features.