Do personalised letters in Vietnamese increase cervical cancer screening among Vietnamese women?

In Australia, Vietnamese women are at greater risk of cervical cancer than other Australian women. To increase their participation in cervical screening, the Vietnamese community was exposed to a media campaign about the advantages of cervical smear screening which was delivered in Vietnamese through Vietnamese newspapers and radio. In addition, 689 Vietnamese (18-67 years) were selected from the electoral roll. They were randomly assigned to either receive a personal letter written in Vietnamese promoting cervical screening, or not. We report on the effect of the letter on smear rates. Being randomised to be sent such a letter was not associated with any increase in screening (relative rate of appropriate screening in the intervention versus the control group was 0.85, 95% CI 0.55-1.3). It is important to carefully evaluate untested health promotion interventions.     

Acute septicaemic pasteurellosis in Vietnamese pigs

Sixteen isolates of Pasteurella multocida were cultured from cases diagnosed as acute septicaemic pasteurellosis in Vietnamese pigs. The HSB-PCR assay provided rapid presumptive determination of 10 isolates of P. multocida identified as haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) causing type B cultures (B:2, B:5, B:2,5). Serological designation using the Carter and Heddleston typing systems confirmed these findings, and identified the six HSB-PCR negative cultures as either A:1, A:3 or D:3,4. Biochemical fermentation and REP-PCR revealed phenotypic and genotypic identity between P. multocida type A:1 isolated from Vietnamese pigs and poultry. Marked homogeneity was also demonstrated among HSB-PCR positive swine isolates, which were shown to possess genotypic identity with P. multocida type B:2 from buffaloes diagnosed with HS.     

Cross-Cultural Equivalence and Validity of the Vietnamese MMPI-2: Assessing Psychological Adjustment of Vietnamese Refugees.

The cross-cultural equivalence and validity of the Vietnamese translation of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) were examined in a sample of 1st-generation Vietnamese refugees in the United States (N = 143). Respondents completed the Vietnamese MMPI-2, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, a measure of acculturation, and a demographic questionnaire. An inspection of MMPI-2 mean profiles and items showing extreme endorsement rates suggested that certain symptom tendencies and cultural values may be reflected in responses to some MMPI-2 items. Older age, lower acculturation, greater experienced premigration-postmigration traumas, and military veteran status were all associated with elevated MMPI-2 profiles, suggesting that the MMPI-2 functions in a reasonably equivalent and valid way in this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parent-child relationships in Vietnamese immigrant families.

This study assessed 49 Vietnamese-born and 124 American-born university students' views of their parental relationships and personal characteristics. Questionnaire packets were also returned by 221 of their parents. Vietnamese-born students reported a lower quality of parental relationships and less social integration than did American-born students. Mothers, but not fathers, of Vietnamese-born students perceived less available social support than did their American-born counterparts. More positive parent–student relationships were predicted by membership in the American-born group, even after personal characteristics of both students and parents were taken into account. Vietnamese-born male students were at particular risk for poor paternal relationships. The study showed the need to consider implications of immigrant experience as well as personal characteristics in understanding parent–child relationships in immigrant groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nursing across cultures: the Vietnamese client

Asian Americans are the most rapidly growing immigrant group in the United States today. Home care nurses will be caring for increasing numbers of patients originating from the Southeast Asian peninsula in the countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. A Vietnamese case study explores some of the beliefs, values, and practices held by this group of Asian Americans. The case study highlights the problems that can occur when a nurse is unaware of the impact that culture has on a client from a different ethnic and cultural background. Six steps to provide culturally competent care are outlined.     

Bone healing

Secondary fracture healing with callus fomation involves the immediate reaction of this special kind of connective tissue (as well as others) with rapid increase in the reduplication of periosteal, paraosseal, and, to a lesser extent, endosteal cells. There is increased metabolism of glycosaminoglycan collagen synthesis, and transformation of fibrous and cartilaginous callus, combined with mineralization of the latter and intensified vascular invasion into bone. The glycosaminoglycan content decreases with progressing ossification, while the collagen content increases. In the beginning stages of whole bone fracture healing, vascularization is the first step responsible in part for the several maxima of synthesis and total contents of the specific cell products. Extension of ossification and remodeling in the final phases of bone fracture healing depend on other local and general factors, as well as biophysical and biological factors.     

Insulin resistance and essential hypertension in Vietnamese subjects

Several epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that essential arterial hypertension is associated with hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance in obese subjects and also in subjects with normal body weight. Undernutrition remains frequent in adult Vietnamese people and mean body mass index is around 18.5 kg/m2 in Vietnam. The aim of this study was to look for insulin resistance in hypertensive Vietnamese subjects, despite a markedly lower BMI in Vietnam than in occidental countries. One hundred and eight hypertensive patients (51 men and 57 women) over 40 years (mean = 65.4 years) were compared with 36 healthy subjects (23 men and 13 women) over 40 years (mean = 63.8 years). Hypertensive patients had significantly higher BMI (20.5 +/- 0.3 (SEM) kg/m2 vs 18.4 +/- 0.4 kg/m2; p < 0.01), thicker triceps skinfold (1.26 +/- 0.07 cm vs 0.71 +/- 0.07 cm; p < 0.001) and not significantly different waist/hip ratio (0.88 +/- 0.01 vs 0.85 +/- 0.01). Blood glucose at fasting and 2 hours after 75 g glucose taken orally were similar in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Plasma insulin at fasting and 2 hours after glucose were significantly higher in hypertensive patients (44.4 +/- 5.1 pmol/L vs 21.6 +/- 3.2 pmol/L; p < 0.05 and 271.1 +/- 21.6 pmol/L vs 139.1 +/- 15.2 pmol/L; p < 0.001). Thus, despite under-nutrition, hypertensive Vietnamese patients have a moderate but significant increase in BMI and fat mass without predominant abdominal localization, and a state of insulin-resistance, compared with normotensive healthy subjects.     

Health promotion for Vietnamese women and their families

Women's health is an important factor in caring for older people and children at home. This article describes similarities and differences in the way Vietnamese and Australian women manage their own health, and how these affect their family's health, and suggests ways of developing health promotion programmes which take account of these.     

Health needs of Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees in Porirua

AIMS: To determine the health needs of refugees in the Porirua region. To develop options for health promotion for refugees in the Porirua region. METHODS: Twelve families were interviewed (eight Cambodian and four Vietnamese) representing 68 individuals. Questions were asked of health and other needs, health service utilisation and barriers to health care, particularly language. Additionally, eight key informant interviews were conducted. RESULTS: Families reported 26 out of 68 individuals (38%) as suffering from poor health; asthma, hepatitis B and treated tuberculosis being the three most common conditions. Open questions elicited many vague somatic complaints that may overlay psychiatric morbidity or stress. Health service utilisation was as high, or higher, than a comparable needs assessment in the Porirua region of a population based random household sample in 1993/4. Only six of the 27 refugees (22%) aged 16 or over, by their judgement, considered themselves competent enough in English to communicate independently with a general practitioner or other service provider. This is despite a mean length of residence in New Zealand of four years. Key informant interviews suggested undiagnosed psychiatric morbidity and problems accessing interpreting services, particularly in primary care. CONCLUSIONS: The major unmet health need for this group of refugees is interpreting services. Mental health needs are strongly suspected. The health promotion priority is provision of adequate interpreting services. The new Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights legally enforces the right to a competent interpreter.     

Wound healing microbiology

The relationship between wound healing and cutaneous microbiology is a complex one mediated by the type of wound, its treatment, and the defense mounted by the injured individual. Acute wounds harbor microflora similar to that of noninjured skin. "Dirty" traumatic wounds or chronic wounds with devitalized tissue offer more opportunity for microflora colonization, with the potential for bacterial adherence to the host cells and ultimate invasion into viable tissue or infection. The alterations of these wound environments can be brought on by topical treatments. Occlusive dressings with various moisture vapor transmission rates can provide a wound environment suitable for microflora proliferation. In spite of this increase in numbers of organisms, most wounds do not become infected, as shown by a survey of published trials. Infection requires the proper pathogenic microorganism, its attachment, and subsequent multiplication. To cause an infection, an organism must invade viable tissue and evade the host defense response. The many occlusive dressing types available offer an opportunity to select a wound therapy tailored for the microenvironment most suitable for healing. Wounds can be protected from exogenous microfloral contamination with dressings. Some dressing types, such as hydrocolloid dressings with no moisture vapor transmission, should not be used on chronic wounds suspected of harboring anaerobic organisms. Other typical treatments, such as antiseptics, can injure tissue and make infection more probable, providing devitalized tissue for bacterial adhesion. Povidone-iodine solution has been shown not be efficacious, whereas povidone-iodine cream effectively limits bacteria and infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A comparison of traditional folk healing concepts with contemporary healing concepts

Health professional interest in folk healing concepts as a means of complementing contemporary health care has flourished within recent years. Yet, despite this seemingly new area of study, many basic tenets of folk healing are consistent with principles ascribed to by modern health professionals. In this article, I elucidate several concepts shared by traditional folk healing systems and the contemporary health care system. These concepts include origin of illness, harmony and balance, motion, colors, symbols, and family and community involvement. The analysis of these concepts should enable nurses to have an advanced understanding of transcultural healing practices, as well as a heightened perspective on the shared dimensions of folk and contemporary health care systems.     

Human T-lymphotropic virus type II infection in Vietnamese thalassemic patients

Anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I/II (HTLV-I/II) antibodies were screened by particle agglutination test in a total of 66 patients with thalassemia major who received multiple transfusion from paid donors at the Blood Transfusion Hematology Center of Ho Chi Minh City in South Vietnam. HTLV-II infection was confirmed in 6 patients (9.1%) by Western blot analysis and/or polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that long terminal repeat sequences of HTLV-II proviruses from 5 thalassemic patients in Vietnam belonged to the same phylogenetic subgroup of HTLV-IIb as those from intravenous drug abusers in North America and Europe. These data shed light on the route of introducing HTLV-II into Vietnam.     

在河南省金属学会第五次会员代表大会闭幕式上的讲话

各位代表、各位来宾、同志们: 河南省金属学会第五次会员代表大会,经过全体代表的共同努力,顺利完成了预定的各项议程,就要闭幕了.这次大会是我省冶金科技工作者的一次盛会,会议期间,全省冶金战线老、中、青科技工作者济济一堂,以满腔热情和高度负责的精神,认真履行代表职责,民主求实,会议开得非常圆满.     

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage of Vietnamese children in south-western Sydney

Vaccination coverage since the selective hepatitis B vaccination of neonates of high-risk group program introduced in 1987, was measured in 658 children from 301 Vietnamese families living in the south-western Sydney. The vaccination rate of children born after the introduction of the program was twice that of children born before its implementation (OR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.65-2.42). The shorter the mother's duration of residency in Australia, the more likely her children were to be fully vaccinated (OR = 2.49, 95% CI 2.43-2.62). A catch-up vaccination program of older siblings is required to assist the public health strategy to reduce the morbidity and mortality from hepatitis B viral infection.