Background: The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. Objective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. Methods: We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. Results: A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). Conclusions: The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts.

Background: The evolution of the health care landscape necessitates expanding the roles of pharmacists in patient-centered care to encompass direct patient management, collaborative practice, and preventive service. These responsibilities can be fulfilled by pharmacists through ongoing professional development, in which continuing education (CE) is instrumental to career advancement and improved patient care. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Vietnamese pharmacists’ attitudes, perceptions, and preferences regarding CE. Methods: Participants were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling, after which a validated 42-item questionnaire was administered to them through online and offline channels from December 2024 to February 2025. The data were examined via descriptive statistical analysis using SPSS (version 26.0; IBM Corp). The associations between participant characteristics and attitudinal or perception scores ( P <.05) were assessed using 1-way ANOVA with 1000 bootstrap samples. Results: This study involved 508 pharmacists, most of whom were aged 25 to 30 years (n=197, 38.8%), and the majority held university degrees (n=360, 70.9%). Their mean attitudinal score was 44.4 (SD 5.5), reflecting generally positive attitudes toward CE. However, significant differences in mean attitudinal scores were found across groups categorized by education level, job position, and frequency of overtime ( P <.05). More than half of the participants derived good scores on their perceptions of CE, with their preferred CE formats including computer- and internet-based learning, as well as the use of medical search engines. Finally, the pharmacists expressed a strong preference for CE topics focusing on skill development. Conclusions: The Vietnamese pharmacists exhibited positive attitudes toward CE, favoring flexible learning formats and practical topics. These insights can inform the efforts of policymakers and educators to enhance CE accessibility, improve pharmacists’ competencies, and, ultimately, advance patient care.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/24776.].

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) imposes a substantial economic burden due to prolonged hospitalization and severe complications. This study evaluated the direct medical costs of inpatient PUD treatment from the healthcare provider perspective in Vietnam. A retrospective study was conducted using the electronic medical records of 1,985 inpatients diagnosed with PUD at a military hospital between 2017 and 2022. Direct medical costs during hospitalization were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and SPSS version 26.0. The total inpatient treatment cost for PUD during the study period was USD 4,142,121, with a mean cost of USD 2,086.7 per patient. Medication costs amounted to USD 88,640, of which proton pump inhibitors represented the largest proportion (USD 80,350). Medical supplies and prolonged hospitalization were the major contributors to overall expenditures. PUD creates a considerable financial burden on both patients and the healthcare system in Vietnam. Strategies aimed at reducing hospitalization duration and optimizing resource utilization may help decrease treatment costs and improve healthcare efficiency.

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