Effectiveness of Brainball program on physical fitness of primary school pupils in Vietnam. A longitudinal study.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Brainballs on the physical fitness of 2nd-grade students at a primary school in Vietnam during and eight months after the experiment. Methods: The study included 55 pupils (23 boys and 32 girls) aged seven years. The study design was a pedagogical experiment with a parallel-group technique, including experimental and control groups. The examination was carried out in 2019/2020 in three terms pre- (September 2019), post- (January 2020), and follow-up (September 2020). Physical fitness was tested with the use of the International Physical Fitness Test. The Brainball program, conducted twice a week for 35 minutes, combined physical education (PE) with subject-related content, utilizing 100 balls with painted letters, numbers, and signs. Results: Results show that the fitness level was not increased significantly after 20 weeks of the intervention program, neither in experimental nor control groups. However, it significantly improved eight months later at the follow-up examination. The analysis of covariance indicated that pupils from the experimental group improved significantly on most physical fitness as compared to the control group, specifically on the following tests: 50-meter running (p = 0.0044), toe touch (p = 0.0137), standing long jump (p = 0.0076), 4 × 10 m sprint (p = 0.0333), hand strength (p = 0.0233). Conclusions: These results have shown long-term positive effects of the use of "Brainball" educational balls in physical education classes on the physical fitness development of students, especially in the qualities of speed, strength, and flexibility.

BRAINballs Program Improves the Gross Motor Skills of Primary School Pupils in Vietnam.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the BRAINballs program on second graders' gross motor skills in a primary school in Vietnam. A total of 55 students (23 boys and 32 girls) aged seven years participated in the study. The research used the method of a pedagogical experiment and parallel group technique (experimental and control group) with pre- and post-testing. The study was conducted in the school year 2019/2020. The gross motor skills performance was assessed by the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition. The BRAINballs program was conducted twice a week and combined physical activity with subject-related contents by means of a set of 100 balls with painted letters, numbers, and signs. The results showed that the experimental and control groups improved their motor skills after one school year (p < 0.001). However, the analysis of covariance demonstrated that students from the experimental group, compared to students from the control group, showed significantly better scores in both subtests: locomotor (p = 0.0000) and object control skills (p = 0.0000). The findings of this study show that the BRAINballs program had a positive effect on children's motor performances and may help to better understand the development of basic motor skills of seven-year-old students in Vietnam.

Sexual risk and bridging behaviors among young people in Hai Phong, Vietnam.

The risk of the HIV epidemic spreading from high-risk groups to the general population in Vietnam depends on sexual risk and bridging behaviors between high- and low-risk individuals. A cross-sectional study was used to describe sexual activities of youth aged 18-29 years. Nearly half (41.4%) were sexually active. Premarital sex was reported by 43.3% of them; 78.3% of sexually active males and 13.5% of sexually active females. Multiple sex partners were reported by 31.0%; 56.7% of males and 9.2% of females. Almost 27% of males and 5% of females engaged in sexual bridging behaviors. Being unmarried was significantly associated with having sex with non-regular partners. Being unmarried and early age at first intercourse were associated with having sex with a sex worker. Consistent condom use was high with commercial sex workers but low with regular partners. Education to delay early sexual debut, increased employment, and strategies to inform young sexually active people to adopt safer behaviors are urgently needed.

The real situation of the commune health stations in Do Son town and the solutions proposed to improve their activity in 2004

In 2004, this study was carried out at 5 commune health stations at Van Son, Ngoc Hai, Ngoc Xuyen, Van Huong wards and Bang La commune. The results revealed that only the health station of Bang La commune met the national standard for commune health with 90.5 points. Most communes had not achieved standard III (on disease diagnosis and medical treatment and rehabilitation activities), standard IV (on facilities and medical equipment) and standard VI (on traditional medicine). Factors causing drawbacks at these commune health stations include shortage of human resource, material facilities and equipments.

The community reality awareness and attitude towards the handicapped people in Cat Dai and Lach Tray urban communes in Hai Phong, 2003

In 2003, medical examinations of all 19,884 people living in to the Cat Dai and Lach Tray communes in Hai Phong detected 198 handicapped people (1.0% of the general population). There were 45% of males and 55% of females. The handicapped rates were 0.8% in children and 1.2% in adults. The rate of handicapped people difficult in moving was highest (33.3%), then people with strange behaviors (23.2%), and people having difficulty in studying (15.7%). The rates of people had difficulty in hearing and speaking, seeing, and others were small. Up to 91% of handicapped people needed rehabilitation but 100% of the handicapped people were not provided with rehabilitation through interviews, over 50% of people in the community did not identify the handicapped, and were not ready to accept them as equal members.

Investigation morbidity of people in Binh Dan and Lien Hoa communes Kim Thanh District - Hai Duong Province

With a cross- sectional study was conducted on morbidity of people in Binh Dan and Lien Hoa communes, Kim Thanh district Hai Duong province in 2003. The rate of morbidity was 31.26%; in those, the rate of people infected with one disease was 24.64%, two diseases were 5.48%, three diseases was 1.11%, four diseases was 0.02%. Frequency of morbidity is 40.64%. Classification of morbidity: rate of ophthalmic diseases group was highest: 12.15%, the diseases of respiratory system: 8.93%, the diseases dento-oral: 6.71%, the diseases cardiovascular system: 6.23%, the other diseases group was low. The ophthalmic diseases: the rate of trachoma disease is the highest: 5.45%. The diseases of respiratory system: chronic sore throat: 1.38%; acute sore throat: 1.96%; acute tonsillitis is 1.84%; chronic tonsillitis is 0.86%, the rate of lowed respiratory is low. The dento-oral diseases: dental caries represented highest: 17%, gingivitis: 1.49%. The cardiovascular: hypertension: 5.96%. The digestive system: gastric and duodenal ulcer: 0.65%; gastritis and duodenitis: 0.65%, chronic colitis: 0.39%, acute diarrhea: 0.17%

Research into the capacity to manage the primary health care work in Vinh Bao and Tien Lang District - Hai Phong 2002

Forty-six heads of health stations in Vinh Bao and Tien Lang – Hai Phong City were interviewed to evaluate knowledge, skill and practice in managing the primary health care work based on already designed questionnaire by using the cross – sectional study. There were only 8.7% of heads of health stations who knew to combine 3 factors: norms from higher level, needs from community and health stations’ capacity to finish plans. There were only 17.4% of them knowing how supervision and evaluation are. Health service information management was still weak both on quality and quantity. Reasons resulting to weak primary health care management: - Heads to health stations need to be trained adequately about management. - Administrative subsidies based on norms directed from the higher level were an obstacle to make plans. - Retraining of cadres about knowledge, practice and skill on the primary health care was not frequent