Background: : According to the World Health Organisation, Lao PDR was among the top 10 countries with the highest reduction in maternal mortality between 2000 and 2020. However, maternal mortality rates remain high compared to most countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region, with an estimated 126 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. The major non-obstetric causes of maternal mortality were HIV and tuberculosis (TB) infections. Objectives: : To determine the proportion of HIV/TB testing and assess knowledge of HIV and TB among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at the Central hospitals, Vientiane provincial hospitals, and peri-urban district hospitals in Vientiane Capital. Methodology: : This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2022 to December 2022. Four central hospitals and four district hospitals in Vientiane City and Vientiane Provincial Hospital were selected as study sites. Participants were interviewed face-to-face using a standardized questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, ANC attendance, HIV/TB testing history, and knowledge of and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and TB. Data were analyzed using STATA version 17. Univariate analysis, including frequencies and percentages, was used to describe variables and identify patterns. Factors associated with adequate knowledge of, and attitudes towards HIV and TB were assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: : Among 1,964 pregnant women attending ANC at the selected sites, the proportion of HIV-positive cases detected via rapid testing was 0.6%. None of the participants had been tested for TB. Misconceptions about HIV and TB were prevalent. For example, 35.7% of participants believed that HIV could be transmitted by sharing food with an infected person, and only 13.7% correctly identified TB as being caused by bacteria. Overall, 45.0% and 42.8% of participants had good knowledge of HIV and TB, respectively. Additionally, 25.9% pregnant women had a positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS, while 45.1% had a positive attitude towards TB. Factors significantly associated with knowledge of HIV/AIDS and TB included obstetric and ANC history, positive attitudes towards TB, and awareness of TB testing locations. Conclusion: The study highlighted a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS among pregnant women attending ANC at central and district hospitals in Vientiane Capital. However, knowledge of HIV/TB was limited, and attitudes towards HIV/TB were generally negative. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions, educational initiatives, and awareness campaigns to improve knowledge, correct misconceptions, and foster positive attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and TB among pregnant women. The insights from this study can inform the development of policies, programs, and preventive strategies aimed at reducing HIV/AIDS and TB infections.

Rationale and Background: : The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant global public health challenge, affecting health care access and provision across all age groups. With limited literature available on its impact in Lao PDR. Objectives: : to investigate individuals’ confidence of in accessing health care services before, during, and after the pandemic. Methodology: : A cross-sectional study was conducted in three provinces (Vientiane, Luangprabang and Champasak) using a multi-stage household sampling approach. A total 2,300 participants were recruited, including youth (15-24 years old), adults (25–59 years old) and elderly people (60–75 years old). Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews, covering health care access before, during and after the pandemic, together with characteristics of individual, household, community and policy-related factors. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with confidence to access health services among individuals. Results: : The study recruited 545 youths, 1,370 adults and 385 elderly people (female 51.7%, 54.2% and 55.1% respectively). Nearly half of participants had poor COVID literacy (48.4%). Nearly three-quarters (71.3%) had a high level of depression-anxiety-stress scale (DASS) related to COVID. More than one-third of participants (36.7%) had a reduction of confidence to access health care (youth: 36.3%, adult: 36.4% and elders: 38.2%). Factors associated with reduced confidence varied across age groups and levels. Key influencing factors included high COVID-related DASS scores, difficulties in seeking care, insufficient information, lack of a supportive person or community, and having a family member with a chronic-illness. Conclusion: To maintain confidence in healthcare access, adequate information dissemination must be prioritized, particularly in communities with limited accessibility and households with ill members. Future research should focus on health system preparedness and community engagement in response to future public health emergencies.

Introduction: : Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) remains a major public health concern. Effective parent-child sexual and reproductive health communication (PCSC) has been shown to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and to delay the onset of adolescent marriage and pregnancy Objectives: : This study aimed to explore the perceptions, attitudes and practices related to PCSC among parents and adolescents in Bolikhaxay province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Methodology: : A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted involving 496 participants, comprising adolescents aged 15–19 years and their parents, from two randomly selected urban and peri-urban communities in Bolikhamxay province, Lao PDR. Socioeconomic data were collected, and structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to assess engagement in, understanding of, and attitudes towards PCSC. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with engagement in PCSC. Results: : Only 32.9% of parents reported engaging in PCSC in two or more SRH topics at least twice within the six-month study period. Factors significantly associated with increased PCSC included higher monthly household income (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33- 0.76), a positive parental attitude toward SRH communication (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI: 1.80- 4.18), and greater parental self-efficacy regarding SRH communication (AOR = 5.06; 95% CI: 3.31,-7.74). Conclusion: Engagement in PCSC was suboptimal among families in Bolikhamxay province. Parental self-efficacy and positive attitudes toward SRH communication were positively associated with increased engagement, while lower household income was inversely associated. Targeted interventions to enhance parental SRH knowledge and communication confidence are warranted. Community based campaigns and digital platforms may serve as effective tools to promote open and informed SRH discussions among parents, teachers, local authorities, health professionals, and adolescents.

Rationale and Background:: To develop more effective intervention strategies against dengue, it is essential to estimate the impact of higher temperatures on dengue prevalence, and risk factors associated with infection. Objectives: : To assess the prevalence of dengue fever in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR and gain insights into environmental and sociodemographic factors associated with infection. Methodology: : An observational quantitative research design was used, comprising 1) a cross-sectional household survey conducted in selected districts in Vientiane Capital (Xaysetha, Sikhottabong, Hadxaifong, Xaythany) using structure interview questionnaires that covered socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about dengue fever and information relating to the household environment and 2) a review of data regarding the temperature and temperature in Vientiane Regency from 2007–2022. Data analysis was conducted using STATA. Results: : A total of 954 participants (94% of expected samples) were included in the study. Gender and age were not significantly associated with dengue fever infection rates (p=0.781 and p=0.607, respectively). However, occupation, ethnicity, and limited living space were significantly associated with higher odds of having dengue fever (OR=0.60, p=0.003), (OR=6.28, p=0.035; and OR=0.43, p=0.001, respectively). Economic factors such as income and perceived economic status showed no significant correlation with dengue fever infection. Additionally, minimum and average temperature fluctuations increased annually, with significant associations with dengue prevalence (p<0.001 and p=0.024). Conclusion: Dengue fever prevalence remains high and fluctuates annually, with a peak during the rainy season. Warmer temperatures appear to contribute to increased dengue infections. Dengue prevention efforts continue to face challenges, emphasizing the need for enhanced preventative measures, particularly during the rainy season. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of continued research on temperature-dengue relationships, particularly in the context of global climate change, to support adaptive disease surveillance and control strategies.

Rationale and Background: : The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has increased worldwide and has reached alarming proportions. Currently, sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugar in the diet of children and adolescents. Objectives: : This study aimed to examine the association of the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and added sugars, with total and abdominal obesity among secondary school. Methodology: : Data was collected with a self-administered questionnaire. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages including carbonated drinks and synthetic fruit juices were measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour food consumption recall. The association between body mass indexes, waist circumference, and body adiposity index in each quartile category of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption was determined using multiple logistic regression models. Results: : Our findings showed that among the subjects, 35.3% were underweight, 6.2% were overweight, and 14.3% were obese. 67.2% of school adolescents have high knowledge of intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and abdominal obesity. Sweetened beverages and crispy flour snacks are the two most commonly consumed foods by adolescent students. Of the sugary beverages, 35.3% of teenagers drank soft drinks four to six times a month, followed by iced green tea/coffee (26.6%) and bubble milk tea (19.3%). Flavored milk (16.9%) was the most popular type of milk and milk-based product consumed, followed by fresh/plain (16.2%) and soy milk (11.2%). Crunchy seasoning ranked first among crispy flour snacks (21.7%), then Mama noodles (18.3%), and cream-filled cookies (8.6%). Conclusion: According to this study, overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among Laotian school-age adolescents. Daily soft drink consumption was widespread, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Our results align with evidence from prospective cohort studies and randomized trials, which indicate that reducing soft drink consumption should be a key strategy in the fight against the pandemic of overweight and obesity among teenagers.

Rationale and Background: : Breastfeeding (BF) is considered an effective way to provide balanced nutrition, better growth, and development of the infant, prevent stunting as well as protect from infectious and chronic diseases. WHO and UNICEF recommended exclusive BF (EBF) for the first six months of age and giving no other food or drink to the infant during this period. The government of Lao PDR has launched several strategies and policies in an effort to improve exclusive breastfeeding since 2006. The EBF Campaign was strongly promoted during 2009-2010 to improve child survival rates and enhance the development of children by increasing the number of mothers who EBF their newborn for six months. Methodology: : This study was conducted in two provinces in Lao PDR. A cross-sectional analytical study design was applied in this study to examine the prevalence of EBF duration and identify the factors associated with EBF duration. The sample size estimation was 710 mothers. Probability random sampling using a multi-stage sample technique was used. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview in the household. The median duration and 95% CI of BF was derived using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards (PH) models were performed. Results: : Out of 710 mothers, the age of study participants was between 15 and 45 years; the mean age and SD were 27.3 ± 5.8 years, and almost all of them (97.2%) were married. 75.4% members were Lao Ethno-linguistic group, 50.8% were educated at high school, and 43.1% of participants were housewives. 53.3% of her husbands stayed at high school, and 49.4% of them took on the occupation of farmer or agriculturalist. 57.9% were classified as exclusive breastfeeding; the median duration of breastfeeding was 12 months; 40.1% were breastfeeding for 7–12 months. Factors significantly associated with breastfeeding duration included the number of prior pregnancies, age at first pregnancy, whether a postnatal check was conducted after hospital discharge or home birth, child’s weight, and child’s height. Conclusion: Breastfeeding duration is influenced by a variety of factors, including the number of previous pregnancies, age at first pregnancy, postnatal health check-ups, the child's weight, and maternal knowledge about breastfeeding. Understanding and addressing these factors is crucial in promoting successful and sustained breastfeeding among mothers, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes for both mothers and children.

Rational and Background: Pregnant women are more likely to be at risk of oral disease compared to those who are not pregnant. Oral disease during pregnancy affects not only maternal but also child health. Very little is known about the oral health problems among Lao pregnant women. Methodology: In this descriptive, cross-¬sectional study we described the oral health problems and identified factors related to the oral diseases among Lao women with > 12 weeks of pregnancy who visited the two central hospitals (Mother and Child Health and Mahosot) in Vientiane, Laos between January and February 2010. Oral health was checked by a dentist and an interview was conducted with pregnant women using pre¬designed questionnaires. Data were analyzed using STATA 8.0 and logistic regression was applied to determine factors associated with oral diseases. Results: Five hundred pregnant women aged between 15 and 42 years [Mean (SD) = 26.7 (5.0)] were studied. The proportion of oral disease was 64.6% [dental carries (43%), gingivitis (8.4%), and both carries + gingivitis (13.2%)]. Half of the pregnant women (52.8%) had poor oral health care (brush teeth < 2 times per day). Factors associated with oral disease were monthly income > 2,000,000 LAK/month [OR = 1.8, 95%CI = 1.0 ¬3.0, P = 0.04], teeth brushing < 2 times per day [OR = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.1 ¬3.7, P = 0.03], > 2 pregnancies in their lives [OR = 2.6, 95%CI = 6.0 ¬10.0, P < 0.001], those with > 2 deliveries in their lives [OR = 5.4, 95%CI = 1.2 ¬2.1, P < 0.001], and those with history of oral disease before pregnancy [OR = 2.5, 95%CI = 1.7 ¬3.8, P < 0.001]. Conclusion: This study showed that more than half of Lao pregnant women had oral disease and their oral health self¬-care behavior was low. Poor oral health self-¬care behavior, multiple pregnancies and deliveries, and history of oral disease before pregnancy were factors significantly related with oral disease during pregnancy. Health education on oral health self¬-care and oral health check during ante¬natal clinic visits by the pregnant women should be provided and urgently implemented.