Rational and Background: Oral disease is an important problem affecting people’s health in Lao PDR, but can be prevented. Pregnant women are more at risk of having oral disease than other groups of people. Oral disease during pregnancy not only affects mothers’ health but also that of babies. Many factors are associated with oral disease during pregnancy, but very few studies were conducted especially in rural areas. Methodology: An analytical, cross-sectional study was carried out from July to September 2012 using close and open questionnaire forms and oral health check up in order to describe oral health status, risk behavior, oral hygiene practice, and factors associated with oral health for pregnant women in three districts of Attapeu Province. Data were analyzed using STATA 10.0 and logistic regression was applied to determine factors associated with oral disease. Results: Five hundred fifty-six pregnant women were studied with a median (range) age of 24 (16-42) years. Most of participants were housewives or famers (78.8%), 62.4% of them with low education level, and 52.0% were Lao-loum (out of 13 ethnic groups). The percentage of the pregnant women who had at least one oral disease was 66.4 %, and the most common oral problems found were dental plaques and carries (53.2% and 10.8%, respectively). Occupation (AOR=2.1 95%CI= 1.4-3.2, P<0.001), ethnic (AOR =2.2, 95%CI=1.5-3.2, P<0.001) and religion (AOR=2.1, 95%CI= 1.4-3.1, P<0.001) were significantly associated with oral diseases during pregnancy. Pregnant women with past and current smoking were 2 times more likely to have oral diseases compared to those who never smoked (AOR=2.1, 95%CI =1.4-3.1, P<0.001). Higher family income (AOR= 0.6, 95%CI= 0.2-0.4, P<0.001) and ANC visits at least once during pregnancy (AOR=0.7, 95%CI=0.5-0.9, P= 0.005) were significant apparent protective factors against oral disease. Conclusion More than half of the pregnant women in rural Laos (Attapeu Province) had at least one oral health problem (mostly dental plaques and carries). Oral diseases were more common in the second than in the first and the third trimester of the pregnancy. Many pregnant women had risk factors associated with oral disease, particularly smoking. ANC visit at least one during pregnancy was associated with less oral disease during pregnancy.

Background and Rational: In Lao PDR, relapse of metamphetamine use following discharge from rehabilitation center is unacceptably high (~50%). Good preparedness and IEC provision to the rehabilitated addicts before discharge from the rehabilitation center is likely to be vital to prevent relapse. Effective IEC would probably help to reduce the rate of relapse. Methodology: This was an open cluster-randomized-controlled trial to assess the newly developed IEC package among metamphetamine users. The intervention group received new IEC package (education message + brochure + telephone contact number + follow-up) while the conventional advice was given to control group. The study participants were followed up for 6 months by telephone (at 1, 3, 6 months). The primary endpoint was the relapse rate. Result: One hundred and eighty-one addicts were enrolled in the trial (93 in intervention and 88 in control groups). Ninety-six subjects were male. The overall mean (SD) age of the participants was 26.5 (6.1) years and the overall median (range) duration of drug use was 5 (0.5 – 26) years and these figures were not significantly different between the groups (P=0.50 and P=0.97), respectively). The proportion of the participants who were lost to follow-up was 8%. Sixty percents of the study subjects completed 6-months follow up and this was not statistically different between the groups (P=0.93). The overall percentage of relapse was 39% (65/166) [36% (31/85) in intervention and 42% (34/81) in control groups, P=0.38). The median (range) duration of relapse was 30 (1 – 160) days and this was not significantly different between the groups (P=0.38). In a multiple logistic regression model, contact with drug users following discharge from the rehabilitation center was significantly associated with relapse [AOR = 73, 95%CI = 39 – 405, P<0.001] while having a permanent job following discharge was a protective factor for relapse [AOR = 0.03 (0.004 – 0.27), P=0.002]. Conclusion The relapse rate of metamphetamine use was lower in the group with new IEC package than in control group but this was not statistically significant. Further study with a larger scale is strongly recommended

Dengue is a public health issue in tropical south-eastern Asia responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Information on dengue epidemiology is necessary for developing strategies to control infections effectively. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Champasak and Savannakhet provinces account for around 30% of the national dengue burden. In this study, the dengue epidemiological profile in these two southern provinces of Lao PDR was described by analysing seasonal and spatial dengue notification data from 2003–2020 using the long-term mean (LTM) method. Savannakhet had a higher LTM (132.0 cases/month, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 92.2–171.7) than Champasak (113.3 cases/month, 95% CI: 86.0–140.5), with peaks in dengue notifications following the rainy season in both provinces. The highest notification rates were observed in July to September; these months were also when the LTM was most frequently exceeded. Previously, dengue notifications were largely confined to the western districts of Savannakhet and the northern districts of Champasak, but more recently, notifications have increased in the eastern districts of Savannakhet and southern districts of Champasak. While the notification rate remained high in children and young adults (5–30 years), especially among students and farmers, a shift in the age structure of dengue cases was observed, with a greater proportion of notifications now occurring in those aged over 30 years. Community-based vector control and prevention programmes are needed to restrict the spread of dengue into new geographical areas in the southern provinces of Lao PDR.