Objectives: The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased, particularly among individuals who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Health literacy is considered a “social vaccine” that helps people respond effectively to the pandemic. We aimed to investigate the association between long COVID-19 and PTSD, and to examine the modifying role of health literacy in this association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals and health centers in Vietnamfrom December 2021 to October 2022. We recruited 4,463 individuals who had recovered from COVID-19 infection for at least 4 weeks. Participants provided information about their sociodemographics, clinical parameters, health-related behaviors, health literacy (usingthe 12-item short-form health literacy scale), long COVID-19 symptoms and PTSD (Impact Event Scale-Revised score of 33 or higher). Logistic regression models were used to examine associations and interactions. Results: Out of the study sample, 55.9% had long COVID-19 symptoms, and 49.6% had PTSD.Individuals with long COVID-19 symptoms had a higher likelihood of PTSD (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63–2.12; p < 0.001). Higher health literacy was associated with a lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97–0.99; p = 0.001). Compared to those without long COVID-19 symptoms and the lowest health literacy score, those with long COVID-19 symptoms and a 1-point health literacy increment had a 3% lower likelihood of PTSD (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.96–0.99; p = 0.001). Conclusion Health literacy was found to be a protective factor against PTSD and modified the negative impact of long COVID-19 symptoms on PTSD.

Objectives: The study was conducted to comprehensively assess the status cervical cancer screening registry based on the experience of several countries and the domestic context, to propose related recommendations for Vietnam. Method: The study collected and evaluated the models and induced lessons in implementing and managing cervical cancer recording systems, from four countries/territory namely: Australia, Taiwan-China, Korea, and Thailand. Additionally, a literature review on policies documents and programs related to cervical cancer screening that have been implemented in Vietnam was also conducted. Results and Conclusion: All four selected countries/territory have prioritized to develop their cervical screening data management system with different models, all systems aimed at personalized management and used the data to evaluate the effectiveness of the screening program. Currently, there is no system to record and manage data on cervical screening in Vietnam. However, the country has many strengths and opportunities for the implementation of this program at the national level. The recommendations focus on the preparation and establishment of an integrated system for cervical cancer screening registry data, is suggested as a component of the information system of maternal and child health/ reproductive health, into the existing medical data management system, according to the short-term and long-term roadmap.

Objective: The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of viral load (VL) suppression and emergence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) among individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 36 months or longer in Viet Nam using a nationally representative sampling method. Methods: The survey was conducted between May and August 2014 using a two-stage cluster design. Sixteen ART clinics were selected using probability proportional to proxy size sampling, and patients receiving ART for at least 36 months were consecutively enrolled. Epidemiological information and blood specimens were collected for HIV-1 VL and HIVDR testing; HIVDR was defined by the Stanford University HIVDR algorithm. Results: Overall, 365 eligible individuals were recruited with a mean age of 38.2 years; 68.4% were men. The mean time on ART was 75.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 69.0–81.9 months), and 93.7% of the patients were receiving non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimens. Of the 365 individuals, 345 (94.7%, 95% CI: 64.1–99.4%) had VL below 1000 copies/mL and 19 (4.6%, 95% CI: 2.8-–7.5) had HIVDR mutations. Discussion Our nationally representative survey found a high level of VL suppression and a low prevalence of HIVDR among individuals who received ART for at least 36 months in Viet Nam. Continued surveillance for HIVDR is important for evaluating and improving HIV programs.

Background: Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA), a helpful tumor maker in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, may rise due to many causes such as Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), Acute Urinary Retention (AUR), ect. Objective: To evaluate on the influences of some factors on the serum PSA level in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Subjects and method: This study included 122 men who were diagnosed BPH with a mean age of 71.18 +/- 7.19 years (ranged 54-92). The patients were divided into 3 groups: DRE group included 60 patients, their blood samples were obtained before and after 24 hours; catheterization group included 35 patients who presented with AUR, their PSA values were determined before 48 hours and 2 weeks after elevation; the inflammation group consisted of 27 patients with symptoms of acute urinary tract infections, the PSA levels were evaluated before 48 hours and 4 weeks after anti-inflammatory therapy. Results: The PSA levels increased significantly in patients with larger prostate sizes (p<0.01, r = 0.492). PSA level tended to increase with age (p<0.05, r = 0.29). The PSA values changed 14.72 +/- 10.85% after DRE (p<0.05). After relief of urethral catheterization, PSA levels decreased 50.77 +/- 20.42% (p<0.05). After anti-inflammatory therapy, 51.59 +/- 21.87% (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggested that it may be the best way to perform DRE after obtaining serum PSA for analysis. Serum PSA concentration should not be determined when AUR and acute urinary tract infection.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia ; PSA

Background: Recently, microplate almar blue assay has been used commonly in detecting gen related to tuberculosis drug resistance, which provides results after 5-7 days with lower cost compared to traditional methods. Objective: To evaluate the application of microplate almar blue assay for rapid detection of drug resistance of M. tuberculosis strains. Subject and Method: A microplate-based assay which uses Alamar blue reagent - an oxidation reduction dye (MABA), was used for the determination of the anti-tuberculosis drug (isoniazid-INH, rifampicine-RIF, streptomycine-STR and ethabuton=EMB) resistance of 96 M. tuberculosis strains isolated from Vietnamese patients in comparison to those obtained by conversional method. Result: MABA showed to have high sensitivity and specificity in testing the sensitivity to individual anti-tuberculosis drugs (from 82.4% for STR to 93.3% for - INH and from 82.5% for EMB to 98.4% for STR; respectively), as well as for the multi-drug resistant M.tuberculosis (86.4% of sensitivity), highly correlated with the result determined by proportion method. Conclusion: MABA reveals the advantage in shortening test time, in simple performance and lower cost compared with the conversional culture based methods.
Microplate almar blue assay ; M. tuberculosis ; drug resistance

A study was conducted to test the sterility of 416 final lots of OPV produced by POLIOVAC, Vietnam from 1994 to 2003 in thioglycolate and soybean casein digest media under the standard operating procedure. The study results showed that all the tested lots (461/461 = 100%) had met the requirements for sterility
Infertility ; Poliomyelitis ; Antigens, Bacterial

Background: In the period 2006-2010, a investigation on medical arthropod has been conducted\r\n', u'Objective: 1) To determine species composition and distribution of medical arthropod. 2) To find species transmitted disease \r\n', u'Subject and method: The cross sectional, descriptive and analytic investigation was conducted in 3 communes along the Ho Chi Minh road in Cao Bang province. \r\n', u'Results and conclusion: : A total of 3.437 of samples of medical arthropod belonging to 96 species have been collected including: three species of flea (Siphonaptera), two species of tick (Ixodoidea), four species of chigges (Trombiculidae), ten species of mites (Gamasoidea), twenty four species of flies (Muscoidea), and fifty-three species of mosquito (Culicidae). They belong to 39 genuses, 17 families, 3 orders: (Siphonaptera, Acarina and Diptera); two classes (Insecta and Arachnida). \r\n', u'Some species having epidemiological role such as Aedes albopictus, Culex tritaeniorhyncus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. vishnui ... were predominant at all study sites. Anopheles minimus, the main malaria vector, was mainly collected in cattle- sheds in Truong Ha and Bach Dang communes. \r\n', u'
Medical arthropod ; investigation

Study on 400 babies under 5 years old and their mothers at Thua Thien Hue province, Huong Thuy district, Thuy Phu commune. Results: rate of malnutrition was 39,75%, in which malnutrition of moderate and serious degree was 97.5% and 2,5% ……… Rate of stunted malnutrition was 38,25%, scraggy malnutrition rate was 19,75%. Children in poor families had higher risk of malnutrition than in prosperpous families (50% vs 37,22%). Malnutrition in under 2500 gr low weight newborns was 49,40%, in having more 2 children family was 46,56%, in children who didn’t feeded by mother’s milk was 75%, In stop suck under 12 months children was 64%. In addition still have pathology factors as diarrhoea malnutrition 49.05%, pneumonia malnutrition 47,97%
Malnutrition ; Child ; Child Nutrition Disorders

A study on the establishment of the effective standard for the national standard samples of vaccine of single vaccine type 1, 2 and 3 and triple vaccine (Sabin) produced in Vietnam was carried out. The sesults have shown that the National standard sample had a high unified and stable properties that meet the requirement of the world health organization (WHO). The National standard sample were used to evaluate the quality of sabin vaccine produced in Vietnam which showed that 450 batches (100%) sabin vaccine produced in the scientific center for the vaccine production during 1995-1999 obtained the standard of WHO.
Poliomyelitis ; Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral

In 1999, 49 vaccine samples had been collected from the field in routine immunization days. The potency of the samples had been verified in National Centre of Control of Medio-Biological Products, Ha Noi. The results showed that the potency of all the vaccine samples is at the acceptable limit, type 2 is the most stable and type 3 is the least stable one
Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral ; Drug Monitoring