Background: In Vietnam, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is quickly spreading, almost totally in young people and among injecting drug users.The transition phase from smoking to injecting is very important for the life of injecting drug users because it is a risk factor of disease transmission. Objectives: (1) To analyze the transition phase from smoking/sniffing to injecting of the young male heroin users in Ha Noi. (2) To describe some factors related to the transition phase in these people. Subjects and method: A cross-sectional study carried out from September 2004 to September 2005 at 9 districts in Ha Noi city. The subjects were 1115 young men aged 16 to 29 years, who has been living in Ha Noi for over 6 months and smoked/sniffed heroin within the last 30 days. Results and conclusions: The average time of drug user in the 1115 subjects was 4.7 years. The majority started using drug at the age of 18.4 +/- 3.1 years. In which, 71 % consume the drugs by injection. The average time from smoking to injecting is 2.49 +/- 2.2 years. The main reasons for injecting drugs were for being faster \u2018on the height\u2019 (42%) and cheaper (40%). Some factors related to the transition phase included: age of the first heroin use, year of the first heroin use, situation for migrating into Ha Noi, knowledge level, the kind of drug used for the first time. Young people began using heroin in the year 2000 had a quicker transition phase than those using heroin before 1997 (p< 0.01).
injecting drug user ; drug user ; heroin

Background: Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province is one of the areas contaminated with Agent Orange in Wartime and now up to it still continues to affect the environmental life and health of people living there. Objectives: Investigate the factual status of mortality rate from 2002 to 2006 in Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province and determine the burden of mortality based on the number of Years of Lost Life (YLLs). Subject and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on all deaths from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006 in Phu Cat population. Burden of mortality was analyzed using the WHO standard method. The dead cases were causal diagnosed by Verbal Autopsy tools and update information for mortality rate. Results: Mortality rates were 3.1%o (2002), 3.3%o (2003), 4.08%o (2004) and 2.67% (2005). YLLs from 2002 to 2006 in order are: 55.87%, 57.98%, 73.82%, 48.74% and 49.01%, respectively. The number of mortality in men was higher than women and had a tendency to increase from 2002 to 2004, to decrease during 2005 and 2006. YLLs in group of ages 0-4 was highest in 2004 (150.76%o), followed by 2002 (126.28%o) and was lowest in 2005 (39.72%o). YLLs in groups of ages >60 was high, especially in non-communicable disease. Conclusions: Mortality model from 2002 to 2006 in Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh province was appropriate for the national mortality model. According to YLLs, the burden of mortality was determined as the general burden of mortality from 2002 to 2006 and burden of mortality followed disease groups: communicable disease, nutrition disease and pregnancy; non-communicable disease; poisoned and accident related diseases.
burden of mortality ; mortality

Background: Hue city is a cultural and tourism center of The middle and the whole country. Beside developing tourism services, food processing establishments, traditional specialities, eating and drinking services especially street food services more and more develop plentifully and multiform, satisfy daily demand of consumers. Objectives: Assessment on improvement level on some targets of street food safety and hygiene after 2 years intervention. Subjects and method: All street food processing establishments in 3 wards: V\u0129nh Ninh, Ph\xfa H\u1ed9i, V\ufffd?D\ufffd?of Hue city. Method: Cross-sectional study with comparison before and after intervention. Results: Kitchen utensils samples have met hygiene requirements and the proportion of food samples without borax both increase. The infection rate of bacteria in cook\ufffd?hands, kitchen utensils, cooked food were improved after 2 years carried out targeted model. Clean water for processing street food have not enough although 100% households use running water. The proportion of people were trained about food safety and hygiene knowledges and health examination increase. The situation of using food colourings and poisonous additives decrease remarkably. Salesclerks have more consciousness of preserving and covering food. 86,4% of food processing establishments have recycle bins obtain requirement to reduce polluted food. Conclusion: Street food is an important stage of food supplying network in 3 wards above. Somewhere having interest of Government and local authorities, Steering committee have efficient activities street food model develop conveniently.
Food Safety/ methods