Pubertal characteristics in adolescents and knowledge on sexuality and contraception: baseline survey on adolescent health in Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province

Background: Adolescent is a special period in life with the transition from childhood to adulthood. At this age period, adolescent experience physical and psychological changes with typical characteristics of puberty is the first ejaculation in male and first menstrual cycle in female. Objective: To explore the onset of puberty and knowledge on pubertal changes, sexuality and contraception in adolescent and various related factors. Subject and methods: A longitudinal study of adolescent health is conducted on 12.447 subjects (including 6.108 males, 6.339 females), living in Chi Linh district, Hai Duong province. Data used in this article is from the baseline survey of the adolescent health research project \u2013 a field site of the Hanoi School of Public Health. Results and Conclusion: The pubertal age is 15.6 years for male and 14.6 years for female. The onset of puberty in girls is earlier than that in their boy counterpart and is earlier in younger age groups, that suggest the trend of earlier onset of puberty in adolescent. The pubertal age is earlier in urban adolescent compared to the rural ones and is earlier among those having better economical conditions compared to poorer ones. The difference is statistically significant (p<0.05). Adolescent lack of knowledge on puberty, sexuality and contraception. 57.8% of adolescent knows at least one of the pubertal characteristics and only 6.5% of males and 17.6% of females knows the time most fertile in the female menstrual cycle. 49.6% of adolescents have heard about contraception, in which 56% of them (53% males and 58% females) heard about condoms. In general, the knowledge on puberty, sexuality and contraception is higher in female, urban adolescent, higher education and older adolescent. The difference is statistically significant (p<0.05 or <0.001).

Alcohol use and related factors among adolescents and youth in Chilinh district, Haiduong province, 2006

Background: Use rationally alcohol has many benefits for health. Whereas, the abuse of alcohol can cause danger for both users and the community.\r\n', u'Objectives: To describe alcohol use among young people and the related factors. \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study was conducted from March to September 2007 in 7 communes and towns under the demographic surveillance system at Chilinh district Haiduong province (CHILILAB). Quantitative survey data was collected in combination with qualitative data. \r\n', u'Results: The key findings showed that 43.8% of the young people age 10-24 have drunk alcohol (the rate for the specific age group 15-24 was 55.6%, of which 57.4% were male and 30.7% were female). Of this alcohol usage sample, 46.3% reported that they have been drunk. Also, 49.19 % of the respondents admitted have been drunk in the last 12 months. Respondents reported that 40.7% of them had family members who drank alcohol frequently. Older age group, higher educational level, better economic status was found to be associated with alcohol use. Also, those who had close friend who drink and those whose father drink frequently are statistically more likely to use alcohol. \r\n', u'Conclusions: Some preliminary recommendations were discussed, focusing on comprehensive intervention at family and community level, with strong focus on the role of the father and peers. \r\n', u'

Assessment of applicability and practicability of public health competencies: the view of MPH graduates

Background: Although Hanoi School of Public Health was established in the year 2001, 187 Masters of Public Health (MPH) graduated up to 2006. In order to improve the quality of training and find out the applicability of public health of these people, this study was carried out. Objectives: To assess the applicability as well as the frequency of the public health competencies that the alumni performed at current work. Subjects and method: 187 graduates were invited to complete a self - administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 alumni as well as a focus group discussion with 14 alumni, using group nominal technique. Results: In total, 79.1% (148) of the MPH graduates completed and returned the questionnaire. The most commonly selected of the 34 pre - identified public health competencies were: applying computer skills (66.4%), planning and managing health programs (47.9%), communicating with the community and/or mobilizing the community to participate in health care (43.2%). Although giving good comments for training program, ex-graduates still had problems when analyzing data and making decision in public health. Conclusions: These findings suggested that the training program should be reviewed and revised to meet the needs of its graduates who enter diverse situations and positions.

HIV status and related factors among drug-abused prisoners of Quang Ninh detension center

Background: HIV/AIDS has appeared in the early 1980s. Today this disease has become a threat to human. As of 17/3/2006, Vietnam had detected 105,611 cases of HIV infection. Prevalence of abused prisoner in detention centers is quite high. \r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate the HIV infected status and related factors and to investigate about knowledge, practice of drug-abused prisoners of Quang Ninh detention center on HIV/AIDS prevention.\r\n', u'Subjects and method: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 346 drug-abused prisoners (338 men, 8 women) of Quang Ninh detention center from June 01 to July 14, 2006.\r\n', u'Results: Prevalence of HIV was 56.07% (CI 95%: 50.9-61.3).Shared syringes increase HIV risk to 5.76 times. Reused syringes increase HIV risk to 7.5 times. Daily drug using increase the risk to 2.46 times. The risk in drug users with more than 5 years increases 12 times. HIV infected rate in cities is 1.92 times more than in rural areas. Good knowledge about non-transmitted behavior was 83%; about 3 ways of transmitions was 50.3%. Knowing about how to detect themselves from HIV only 32.7% have properly answers. Conclusion: HIV prevalence of drug-abused prisoners of Quang Ninh detention center is very high.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'

Evaluation of burden of disease by analysis of some mortality data in Chi Linh district, Hai D­uong province during 1997-1998

Based on limited sources of mortality data, the majority of the deaths occurred in working age groups with highest productivity, 30-49 and 50-64, and the under 5 age group. Using the YPLL65 as indicator, the 0-4 group has the largest burden of disease, followed by the 30-49 group, and the 5-29 group. Within the 0-4 group, females have a larger burden of disease than males, in contrast to all other age group. In general, injury became the leading cause of death (accounted for nearly 40% of YPLL65), followed by perinatal causes. Injury in males is consistently higher or equal to that of females. Drowning is the leading cause of injury among females while overall accidents and transportation-related injuries are the most important contributors to the burden of injury in males. The construction of cause-eliminated life tables affirms the important role of the heaviest contributors of burden of disease in Chi Linh (e.g. cardiovascular disease, injury and cancer) while infectious diseases are in the decline. Of note, elimination of the cardiovascular diseases would contribute best to increasing life expectancy.