The objectives of the study were to explore the experiences of school health officers in identifying and managing mental health problems of secondary school students and to gather recommendations from the school officers for improving the effectiveness of mental health care in secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. We conducted a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews using a semi-structured guideline with 15 school health officers at 15 secondary schools in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Data were analyzed using content-driven analysis to identify recurring themes. The school health officers reported that stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and sexual orientation issues were the most commonly encountered mental health problems among their students. The officers worked with a limited range of interventions for helping these students, such as giving non-narcotic analgesics or advising students to take a short break at school or to go home. Most of them felt that their training was insufficient to deal with mental health problems in an optimal way. They recommended further training to improve their knowledge and skills in recognizing and managing mental health problems in students. They also considered a university-sponsored mental health website a good source of information on mental health care for students. School health officers reported that they did not feel well equipped to manage mental health problems because of insufficient training, lack confidence, and absence of an appropriate network for advice and referral. Updated policies and programs are needed for initial training and refresher courses, which will strengthen the role of school health officers as first line support for secondary school students with mental health problems.

Introduction: Hypertension, a major health concern, is associated with significant mortality and disease burden worldwide, including Vietnam. Comprehensive interventions targeting medication, lifestyle modifications, dyslipidemia (DLP), and microalbuminuria (MAU) are vital for effective hypertension management and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease complications (CDV). While medication interventions have proven efficacy, the evidence regarding the effectiveness of community-based health education interventions in managing DLP and MAU is limited. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of community health education interventions in reducing hypertension risk factors and achieving hypertension management objectives, as well as managing DLP and MAU among hypertension patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 330 hypertensive patients with dyslipidemia (DLP) and/or microalbuminuria (MAU) who were divided into a control group (n = 164) and an intervention group (n = 166). The control group received standard national hypertension management, while the intervention group received additional intensive health education provided by trained volunteers. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by comparing outcomes such as lifestyle factors, BMI control, treatment adherence, hypertension control, and DLP and MAU status between the two groups before and after a two-year intervention period. Results: The health education intervention resulted in significant reductions in dietary risk factors, specifically in fruit and vegetable consumption (p < 0.001). There was a lower prevalence of high salt intake in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.002), while no significant differences were observed in other dietary factors. Smoking habits and low physical activity significantly decreased in the intervention group, with a notable disparity in physical activity proportions (p < 0.001). Both groups showed significant improvements in achieving hypertension management targets, with the intervention group demonstrating superior outcomes. The intervention was effective in reducing the prevalence of risk factors, particularly treatment non-adherence, blood pressure control, and low physical activity. Additionally, the intervention group had a higher likelihood of achieving DLP and MAU control compared to the control group. Conclusions: This study underscored the additional positive impact of incorporating health education by non-professional educators in achieving favorable outcomes, including better control of BMI, blood pressure, medication adherence, and management of dyslipidemia (DLP) and microalbuminuria (MAU). Further research is warranted to fully explore the potential of health education in primary healthcare settings and maximize its effectiveness.

Mục tiêu: Xác định tỷ lệ kiến thức, thái độ và thực hành đúng điều trị dự phòng trước phơi nhiễm HIV (PrEP) và một số yếu tố liên quan ở nhóm nam quan hệ tình dục đồng giới (MSM) tại thành phố Cần Thơ năm 2024. Đối tượng và phương pháp nghiên cứu: Nghiên cứu mô tả cắt ngang có phân tích với 300 đối tượng MSM từ 16 tuổi trở lên từ các tụ điểm MSM tại thành phố Cần Thơ năm 2024. Kết quả: Tỷ lệ kiến thức, thái độ, và thực hành đúng về điều trị dự phòng trước phơi nhiễm (PrEP) ở nhóm MSM tại thành phố Cần Thơ năm 2024 lần lượt là 40,7%; 64%; và 40,7%. Các yếu tố liên quan đến thực hành đúng bao gồm nhóm tuổi ≥ 25 tuổi (OR=3,8; p=0,001), số bạn tình quan hệ tình dục “thường xuyên” ≥ 2 người (OR=3,0; p=0,012), số lần xét nghiệm HIV ≥ 2 lần (OR=7,0; p<0,001), kiến thức đúng (OR=2,8; p=0,002) và thái độ đúng (OR=3,5; p<0,001). Kết luận: Tỷ lệ nam quan hệ tình dục đồng giới tại thành phố Cần Thơ có kiến thức và thực hành đúng điều trị dự phòng trước phơi nhiễm thấp, có mối liên quan giữa kiến thức, thái độ và thực hành đúng. Cần có các biện pháp can thiệp phù hợp với nhóm MSM trong điều trị dự phòng trước phơi nhiễm HIV (PrEP).