Tobacco and Alcohol Use Among Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam.

This study investigates the prevalence of tobacco and alcohol uses and associated factors among 12 ethnic minorities in Vietnam in 2019. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 5172 people aged ≥15 years. The prevalence of smoking and drinking was 19.7% and 29.9%, respectively, and significantly higher among men than women. These numbers were heterogeneous across ethnic minorities. Smoking prevalence was high among Ba Na (25.9%), Cham An Giang (22.3%), Khmer (23.5%), La Hu (26.3%), Ta Oi (30.7%), and Bru Van Kieu (29.6%) ethnicities whereas that of Gie Trieng and Mnong ethnicities was low (3.7% and 9.5%, respectively). Drinking prevalence ranged from 1.4% in Cham An Giang ethnicity to 68.6% in Ba Na ethnicity. A wide ethnic disparity on tobacco and alcohol use could be explained by the ethnic variation of lifestyles, social norms, and cultural features. Our findings suggest the need to develop ethnic-specific interventions to mitigate the smoking and drinking prevalence.

Study Design for the 2016 Baseline Survey of a Health System Strengthening Project in Quoc Oai District, Hanoi, Vietnam

BACKGROUND: In order to provide essential scientific evidence on the population's health status and social health determinants as well as the current capacity of the health care system in Vietnam to health policy makers and managers, Vietnam Ministry of Health, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, and Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine and Pharmacy collaborated with Seoul National University (Korea) and conducted a health system survey in the Quoc Oai district (of Hanoi capital) that represented northern rural Vietnam. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional study. The survey covered different topics (more than 200 questions) and was administered in three separate questionnaires: 1) Basic information of all household members; 2) Household characteristics; and 3) Individual characteristics. Socio-demographic characteristics among the households and individuals were collected from 2,400 households sampled by multi-stage cluster sampling method: more than 200 questions. RESULTS: The household size of Quoc Oai was larger than the national average and there was no significant difference in gender composition. In addition, the proportions of pre-elderly, age 55–64, and elderly group (65 years old and over) were higher than the national population statistics. In this context, demographic transition has begun in Quoc Oai. CONCLUSION: This study design description provides the basic information about a baseline survey of a future prospective cohort (as a part of a collaborative project on strengthening the health system in Vietnam) to the prospective data user of this survey.

Health Service Utilization Among People With Noncommunicable Diseases in Rural Vietnam.

CONTEXT: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have been shown to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in hospitals for the whole country. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the situation of health service utilization among people with NCDs in a rural area and identify association between the situation of health service utilization among people with chronic diseases and their socioeconomic status. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: A rural district located in the North of Vietnam. PARTICIPANTS: People 15 years of age and older. Health service utilization was analyzed only among people who reported having NCD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected through a personal household interview conducted by 12 trained field workers. The dependent variable is health care service utilization among people with chronic NCDs. The explanatory variables include both household attributes such as household economic conditions, and so forth, and individual characteristics. RESULTS: Eighteen percent of the adults and 51% of the elderly respondents reported having at least 1 of the NCDs. The proportions of people with NCDs who used at least 1 outpatient service and used at least 1 inpatient health service during the last 12 months were 68.1% and 10.7%, respectively (the nonutilization rates of 31.9% and 89.3%, respectively). The statistically significant correlates of health care service utilization among people with NCDs were ethnicity (ethnic minority was significantly associated with a lower odds of health care service utilization) and health insurance (no health insurance was significantly associated with lower odds of health care service utilization). CONCLUSION: Given the evidence from this study, actions to improve access to health care services among people with NCDs are clearly needed. The capacity of primary health care system for the prevention and control of NCDs should be ranked a top priority.