Organisational Baseline Study: Overview report for Tra Hat CSV, Vietnam (VN03)

This report covers the Organisational Baseline Study (OBS) for the CCAFS Climate-Smart Village Tra Hat in the South Viet Nam. During October 2014 interviews were conducted with local stakeholders at ten organisations who are working or collaborating with farmers and/or the community in Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province. The Tra Hat CSV is located near the coastal area, at tail end of a primary canal of Quan Lo Phung Hiep system (QLPH), the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, it usually causes lack of fresh water in from QLPH in dry season. There are two distinct dry season (December to April) and rainy season (May to November) which typhoon happens seldom in rainy season. Protected by dyke and sluice system of QLPH in Bac Lieu province, Tra Hat has not been affected by saline intrusion for last 15 years. The main farming systems in the village comprise two or three rice crops per year, small livestock as pig, chicken and ducks. Besides, mixed fruit garden and cash crop are often blended in residential area. Ground water and water in ponds is popular in household to provide domestic water, raising fish or garden irrigation and livestock, especially in dry season. The objectives of the OBS study are to: Provide indicators to monitor changes in behaviours and practices of locally relevant organisations that have climate change related activities in Bac Lieu over time Understand the provision of information/services at the local level that informs farmers’ decision making about their livelihood strategies in response to climate change This OBS report also supplements to the quantitative Household Baseline Survey (HBS) and the qualitative Village Baseline Studies (VBS) in Tra Hat CSV and surrounding villages

Village Baseline Study: Site Analysis Report for Tra Hat Village, Vinh Loi, Bac Lieu, Viet Nam (VNM 03)

This report presents data collected from the Village Baseline Study conducted on 2-4 October 2014 at the Tra Hat village, Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu, Vietnam. Data were collected through focus group discussions and participatory resource mapping with community members in the village. The Village Baseline Study is part of the baseline activities conducted under the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) in South East Asia. The purpose is to collect data for indicators that will allow site comparability and monitoring to assess changes in terms of food security and natural resource management across time. Results show that the men and women in Tra Hat village consider farmland, rivers and canals as important natural resources. The quality, however, of land, water and wildlife habitats has declined in the last decade along with the improvement of farming techniques and intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Infrastructures such as roads, internal canals, hospitals, schools, water supply station and electricity transformer station have improved. The future is envisioned to have improved internal canals in farmlands and a developed irrigation system, dykes and sluices to support high agriculture production. Home garden diversification was also believed to enhance food security and improve livelihood resilience. To turn the vision into reality, the community expects support from the different organizations working in the area considering current impacts of salinity intrusion and sea level rise, the need interventions of CCAFS and its partners. Strengthening the irrigation system, improving local rice variety, and introducing modern farming techniques taking into account negative impacts of climate change are major recommendation for future intervention

Summary of Baseline Household Survey Results: Vinh Loi district Bac Lieu province Viet Nam

The household baseline survey conducted in December 2014 to January 2015 collected data from 140 households in seven villages, including Tra Hat village, in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam. This is part of the baseline data collection activities in Tra Hat Climate Smart Village of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. The objective is to collect household baseline data where data in five or 10 years in the same households will be compared to capture changes that may occur over time. Results showed that the households were highly dependent on farming, particularly rice, for food and income. Farming, however, was characterized by low crop and commercialization index. They diversified income sources by engaging in off-farm work within the area or migrating to other places to find work. The market influenced more farmers’ decisions related to crops, but climate-related factors were becoming significant. Adaptation and mitigation measures need to be enhanced. Providing the farmers with correct information can help them make better decisions about the future. Access to land, increased production, few natural disasters in the area, and improved irrigation were likely the reasons for enough food supply among most of the households

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Vietnamese version of the evidence-based practice competency questionnaire for registered nurses (EBP-COQ Prof©)

Background & Aim: Establishing strategies to enhance evidence-based practice (EBP) requires a reliable instrument for assessing EBP competency. This study focused on translating and validating the Evidence-Based Practice Competency Questionnaire for Registered Nurses (EBP-COQ Prof©) in the Vietnamese context. Methods & Materials: Through a methodological approach, this study performed cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation. The study involved 372 nurses selected through convenience sampling. Content validity was established using the Content Validity Index for Items (I-CVI) and the Content Validity Index for Scales (S-CVI). Construct validity was assessed via exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Criterion validity was examined by comparing EBP-COQ Prof© competency between nurses with and without prior EBP education. Results: The Vietnamese version of EBP-COQ Prof© maintained consistency with the original version following cross-cultural adaptation. Content validity was confirmed with I-CVI> 0.78 and S-CVI/AVE= 0.97. EFA and CFA revealed consistent components with the original version: attitude (8 items), knowledge (11 items), skills (6 items), and utilization (10 items). Cronbach's alpha values were high: attitudes (0.965), knowledge (0.962), skills (0.909), and utilization (0.926). ICC values were also significant: attitudes (0.754), knowledge (0.895), skills (0.823), and utilization (0.966). Nurses with prior EBP education demonstrated higher EBP-COQ Prof© competency. Conclusion: The translated and validated EBP-COQ Prof© provides a robust tool for assessing EBP competency among Vietnamese nurses. Its reliability, validity, and sensitivity to educational effects underscore its potential for promoting EBP in nursing

Spatiotemporal evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants during large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Impact of saltwater intrusion on relation to fruit growing households in Ben Tre, Vietnam

Purpose. Saltwater intrusion affected seriously the livelihood of mangosteen growers in Ben Tre, a coastal province in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta in 2016. This study assesses how saltwater intrusion influenced the livelihood vulnerability of the mangosteen households and communities. Methodology / approach. This study used the United Nations’ Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) and a similar index from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (LVI-IPCC) using data from 196 interviewed mangosteen growers in Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province in 2016 and 2018. A total of twenty-five (25) indicators are applied to calculate the two indices, using data as exposure to saltwater intrusion and natural hazards (5), socio-demographic factors (11), and sensitivity of health, finance, and source of water for domestic use (9). Results. The analysis results show that mangosteen-growing households had a medium vulnerability in 2016 and 2018 based on both indices. However, they were extremely vulnerable due to saltwater intrusion in 2016, and a high household percentage had a moderate value in the vulnerability index. They did not experience how to respond to saltwater intrusion and received a late warning on saltwater intrusion from the local authorities and media. However, mangosteen-growing households had a quick adaptive behavior to shift to new crops to improve their income in 2018. Originality / scientific novelty. The study provides a set of indicators to assess the vulnerability of this low-vulnerable area based on past studies as well as the actual situation of the study area in 2016 and 2018 to determine what factors influenced the main components, LVI and LVI – IPCC. These indicators represented the characteristics of the rural households in Vietnam and other Asian countries. This research also indicated how LVI and LVI – IPCC results differently and when they should be used. The analysis identified the factors influencing the LVI and LVI – IPCC by levels of saltwater intrusion in different years of 2016 and 2018, two different severe and less severe sites, adaptive and non-adaptive households, and their interaction. Practical value / implications. LVI and LVI-IPCC are good indicators for local and regional assessments on how saltwater intrusion and natural hazards affect households’ and communities’ livelihood and thereby how to guide them to respond promptly in such cases

Environmental Consequences of and Pollution Control Options for "Tra" Fish Production in Thotnot District, Cantho City, Vietnam

This study from Vietnam looks at the pollution problem caused by fish farming in the Mekong Delta (MD) and assesses a number of treatment options that could bring this pollution down to acceptable levels. The study is the work of a research team led by Ms Vo Thi Lang, from Cantho University in Vietnam. It finds that a trickling-filter system would be the most cost-effective response to this challenge. However such a system would cost farmers more than they currently pay to discharge their polluting wastewater. The study therefore suggests a number of policy options that would encourage fish farmers to reduce the amount of pollution they discharge and help them to meet the necessary clean up costs.fish production, pollution, Vietnam

Fish Farm Pollution - A Study of Clean-up Options in Vietnam

Aquaculture is a thriving industry in the Mekong Delta (MD) of Vietnam. Tra fish are the most popular catfish species bred in the region and they have become an important export item. As such they are an economically valuable product for many MD farmers. However, catfish farming is causing problems for the environment. Waste, especially wastewater, from fish farms is often not treated properly and is dumped into canals, creeks or rivers. This has a negative impact on local communities that rely on river water as their main water source. It also jeopardizes the health of fish and the sustainability of the industry itself. This study looks at this problem and assesses a number of treatment options that could bring pollution down to acceptable levels. The study finds that a trickling-filter systems would be the most cost-effective response to this challenge. However such a system would cost farmers more that they currently pay to discharge their polluting wastewater. The study therefore suggests a anumber of policy options that would encourage fish farmers to reduce the amount of pollution they discharge and help them to meet the necessary clean up costs.fish farm, pollution, Vietnam

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practices of hand hygiene among nursing students in the south of Vietnam

Health care-associated infection (HCAI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality associated with clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures in healthcare organizations. Enhancement of hand hygiene practices among healthcare workers is recognized as a measure to decrease healthcare-associated infections. However, previous studies indicated that healthcare institutions' adherence to hand hygiene procedures was fragile. This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study aimed to examine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of hand hygiene following the five moments for hand hygiene and hand hygiene procedures of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and their associations among 104 bachelor’s nursing students. Knowledge and attitude were examined using a self-structured questionnaire, while practice was evaluated by observation based on the hand hygiene checklist. The study findings showed that 44.2% and 66.3% of participants had good knowledge and a positive attitude regarding hand hygiene. An unsatisfied adherence of 5 moments of hand hygiene (57.5%) and 6 steps of hand hygiene procedure (42.8%) was revealed. Nursing students had significant associations between knowledge, attitude, and hand hygiene practices. In conclusion, unsatisfied levels of knowledge, attitude, and practices among nursing students were reported.&nbsp;&nbsp