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Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common disease in men over 65 years of age, and should be detected early, while reducing unnecessary biopsies. This study aims to construct a classification and regression tree (CART) model (i.e., risk stratification algorithm) using multivariable approach to select Vietnamese men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) for PCa biopsy.Methods: We conducted a case-control study on 260 men aged ≥ 50 years who visited MEDIC Medical Center, Vietnam in 2017-2018 with self-reported LUTS. The case group included patients with a positive biopsy and the control group included patients with a negative biopsy diagnosis of PCa. Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) was used for selecting the most parsimonious prediction model. Then the CART with 5-fold cross-validation was constructed for selecting men who can benefit from PCa biopsy in steps by steps and intuitive way.Results: BMA suggested five potential prediction models, in which the most parsimonious model including PSA, I-PSS, and age. CART advised the following cut-off points in the marked screening sequence: 18 < PSA < 33.5 ng/mL, I-PSS ≥ 19, and age ≥ 71. Patients with PSA ≥ 33.5 ng/mL have a PCa risk was 91.2%; patients with PSA < 18 ng/mL and I-PSS < 19 have a PCa risk was 7.1%. Patient with 18 ≤ PSA < 33.5ng/mL and I-PSS < 19 have a PCa risk is 70% if age ≥ 71; and is 16% if age < 71. In overall, CART reached high predictive value with AUC = 0.915. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CART at the 20% diagnosis probability threshold were 91.5%, 86.2%, 86.9%, 91.2%, and 88.9% respectively; at 80% diagnosis probability threshold were 79.2%, 92.3%, 91.2%, 81.6%, and 85.8% respectively.Conclusion: CART combining PSA, I-PSS, and age has practical use in hospital-based PCa screening in Vietnamese men with lower urinary tract symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Malnutrition and obesity are a double burden on children in developing countries and could induce higher risks of noncommunicable diseases in the long term. In the big cities of Vietnam, both issues are present and share the issue of nutrition problems; the prevalence of malnutrition in children is gradually decreasing while the prevalence of obesity is increasing rapidly. The paper aims to identify the prevalence of stunting and overweight/obesity in apparently healthy young children in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study recruited 12-24-month-old children receiving national vaccination in community health centers in HCMC from February 2016 to July 2017. Sixteen healthcare centers were randomly selected among 8 districts of HCMC. Stunting and overweight were defined by height-for-age z-score <-2 SD and BMI z-score ≥+2 SD. Results. A total of 768 children had mean age of 16.8±4.2 months old, 51.7% boys. The prevalence of stunting and overweight/obesity was 8.2% and 10.7%, respectively. Stunting was associated with older age, boys, and low birth weight of children and occupation of mothers (P <0.05). No associated risk factor was observed for overweight/ obesity status. Conclusion. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher than the prevalence of stunting in 12-24-month-old children in HCMC. Overweight/obesity would be a public health problem for children in big cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Corruption in Vietnam is a national concern that could derail health sector goals for equity, access and quality. Yet, there is little research on vulnerabilities to corruption or associated factors at the sectoral level. This article examines current patterns and risks of corruption in Vietnam's health sector and reviews strategies for addressing corruption in the future. The article builds on the findings and discussion at the sixth Anti-Corruption Dialogue between the Vietnamese government and the international donor community. Development partners, government agencies, Vietnamese and international non-governmental organisations, media representatives and other stakeholders explored what is known about important problems such as informal payments, procurement corruption and health insurance fraud. The participants proposed corruption-reduction interventions in the areas of administrative oversight, transparency initiatives and civil society participation and health reforms to change incentives. The analysis assesses the prospects for success of these interventions, given the Vietnamese institutional context, and draws conclusions relevant to addressing health sector corruption in other countries. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children have a high risk of exposure to rabies in countries where the disease is endemic. This prospective, 5-year study followed two groups of children who had received diphtheria, tetanus, whole-cell pertussis and inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (DTP-IPV) at 2, 3, 4 months and 1 year (Group B) or concomitant with three doses of purified Vero cell rabies vaccine (PVRV), given at 2, 4 months and 1 year (Group A). Antibody determinations were made annually for 5 years. Data were available from a total of 72 subjects; 30 in Group A and 32 in Group B. In Group A, the percentage of patients immunized against rabies (anti-rabies ≥ 0.5 IU/ml) decreased from 100% after the third vaccination to 63%, 5 years later. After 5 years, 93.8% in Group A and 96.7% in Group B had seroprotective diphtheria antibody titers ≥ 0.01 IU/ml, and all subjects had anti-polio (type 1, 2 and 3) seroprotective titers ≥ 5 1:dil. We conclude that co-administration of PVRV with DTP-IPV elicited protective antibody concentrations to all antigens that persist for at least 5 years, with continued protection against rabies in over 60% of subjects. These results are consistent with integration of pre-exposure rabies vaccination into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in countries where rabies is endemic. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: Vietnamese children received purified Vero cell rabies vaccine 1 year after a primary series (Y0) and again 5 years later (Y5), either as intramuscular or 1/5th dose intradermal injections concomitant with diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and oral poliomyelitis vaccines. Antibody levels were assayed annually for 5 years. All subjects in both groups had anti-rabies antibody titres considered protective after the Y0 booster. Rabies seroprotection rates and geometric mean titres gradually decreased similarly in both groups. Seroprotection after the Y5 booster was 100% in both groups. Satisfactory immunogenicity, long-term antibody persistence and an anamnestic response were conferred by both routes, greatly simplifying any future post-exposure prophylaxis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents information on children's government welfare programs in Vietnam. By the end of 1975, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) will have allocated $44,000,000 to finance programs for the welfare of mothers and children in the Indo-Chinese peninsula. This is one of the biggest projects UNICEF has launched. In collaboration with the authorities concerned, these programs are being implemented in all parts of the peninsula. During the war, the protection and education of children went on almost normally due to the devotion of hundreds of thousands of people. Despite considerable material difficulties and a high growth rate of population, child welfare in North Vietnam has been established on sound grounds. Steps taken in child welfare were preceded by two large scale popular movements which led to the establishment of state education covering the whole country and a public health system reaching all villages. Great efforts remain to be made however in the construction of buildings and the manufacture of teaching material.

Background: Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) problems are unlikely to be solved in the short term, making it imperative to educate children on protective measures to mitigate the negative impact on their health. Children and their caregivers may hold differing views on wearing a face mask as a safeguard against air pollution. While many studies have focused on predicting children's health-protective behaviours against air pollution, few have explored the differences in perceptions between children and their caregivers., Objectives: To examine this, we conducted a study that compared the health beliefs of two generations and evaluated the factors that influence the use of masks by children to reduce air pollution exposure., Methods: The study was conducted in 24 secondary schools and involved 8420 children aged 13-14 and their caregivers. We used a Health Belief Model (HBM)-based instrument containing 17-item self-administered health beliefs questionnaires to gather data. The results were analysed using hierarchical logistic regression to determine the probability of children frequently wearing masks to protect against TRAP., Results: Our study showed both children and caregivers recognised that several factors could influence mask-wearing among children: discomfort or difficulty breathing while wearing a mask and forgetting to bring a mask when going outside; perceived threats of the poor quality of air and children's respiratory health problems; and cues to mask use (i.e., seeing most of their friends wearing facemasks and ease of finding masks in local stores). However, only children were significantly concerned with public perception of their appearance while wearing a mask. Females were more likely to wear masks, and caregivers with higher levels of education were more likely to encourage their children to wear masks. Children who commuted to schools by walking, biking, or motorbiking were also more accepting of mask-wearing than those who travelled by car or bus., Conclusions: Children and their caregivers hold different perceptions of wearing masks to protect against air pollution. Children are more susceptible to social judgements regarding their appearance when wearing a mask., (© 2023 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)