Investigating Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Nursing Students During Remote Learning: An Experience from Dong A University, Vietnam.

Introduction: There was a radically changed in nursing education during the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreaks. The transition to remote learning stressed nursing students in many countries, particularly in Vietnam. However, there is still lacking a novel study to describe the mental characteristics of nursing students in detail. Objectives: To assess the mental health of nursing students, including stress, anxiety, and depression, and to identify the related factors to their mental health during the online study period because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 540 nursing students at Dong A university using a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and tests, including Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman's correlation to identify the related factors. Results: In total 540 participants, nursing students reported stress (N = 120, 22.2%), anxiety (n = 195, 36.1%), and depression symptoms (n = 135, 23.1%). There was a significant relationship between age, work status, married status, number of children, stress, anxiety, and depression (P < 0.01). In addition, our study showed a negative correlation between frequency of physical activity, perceived health and stress (r = -0.117; p < 0.01, r = -0.127, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = -0.133; p < 0.01, r = -0.112, p < 0.01), depression (r = -0.134; p < 0.01, r = -0.135, p < 0.01). A significant relationship was observed between e-learning space and Internet status with mental health (p < 0.05). Especially, there was no association between average online learning time, academic workload, stress, anxiety, and depression (p > 0.05). However, the authors found a positive association between perceived level of stress related to evaluative activities and stress, anxiety, depression (r = 0.120, p < 0.01; r = 0.089, p < 0.05; r = 0.088, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Nursing students suffered stress, anxiety, and depression during online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the presence of some related factors. Therefore, this study may increase more attention of universities, families, and governments to reduce the stress of nursing students during distance education.

Surveillance of swine influenza viruses in sentinel familial farms in Hung Yen province in Northern Vietnam in 2013-2014.

From May 2013 to April 2014, 15 swine family-run farms (17 pig litters) in two districts in Hung Yen province, near Hanoi, were virologically and epizootiologically monitored for swine influenza viruses (SIV) monthly. No SIV was isolated from nasal swabs. Maternal antibodies were detected in 10 litters, and seroconversion against SIV was detected in six litters. There was a marked difference in patterns of SIV transmission in the two districts. Van Lam district which has low density of swine with mainly smallholder farms had low intensity of SIV, with much of the infection caused by H1N1 2009 pandemic-like viruses A(H1N1)pdm09, likely originated from humans. In contrast, Van Giang district, which has high swine density and larger farms, had high levels of typical SIV (triple reassortants H3N2 and H3N2 Binh Duong lineage viruses) circulating within swine. With one exception, the SIV lineages detected were those we concurrently isolated from studies in a large central abattoir in Hanoi. Influenza-like illness symptoms reported by farmers were poorly correlated with serological evidence of SIV infection.

Swine influenza viruses in Northern Vietnam in 2013-2014.

Swine are an important intermediate host for emergence of pandemic influenza. Vietnam is the largest swine producer in South East Asia. Systematic virological and serological surveillance of swine influenza viruses was carried out in Northern Vietnam from May 2013 to June 2014 with monthly sampling of pigs in local and large collective slaughterhouses and in a live pig market. Influenza A seroprevalence in the local slaughterhouses and in the large collective slaughterhouse was 48.7% and 29.1%, respectively. Seventy-seven influenza A viruses were isolated, all from the large collective slaughterhouse. Genetic analysis revealed six virus genotypes including H1N1 2009 pandemic (H1N1pdm09) viruses, H1N2 with H1 of human origin, H3N2 and H1N1pdm09 reassortants, and triple-reassortant H3N2 viruses. Phylogenetic analysis of swine and human H1N1pdm09 viruses showed evidence of repeated spill-over from humans to swine rather than the establishment of H1N1pdm09 as long-term distinct lineage in swine. Surveillance at the large collective slaughterhouse proved to be the most efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable method of surveillance for swine influenza viruses in Vietnam.