Symbolic recognition: Ceremony in a treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

This brief report describes the utilization of a welcome home ceremony in the treatment of Vietnam War and other war veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Designed primarily to address the issues of sanctuary trauma and social isolation and alienation, the ceremony drew upon knowledge gained from the study of Native American ritual. Carefully avoiding mimicking such ritual, the principles of affirmation of the worth of the warrior, societal participation and reintegration, and spiritual and existential support were translated into a mainstream cultural format. The significance of a woman leading the ceremony and veteran reactions are discussed.     

Lee Robins' studies of heroin use among US Vietnam veterans

The work of Robins and her colleagues on heroin addiction among Vietnam veterans sets out in microcosm many of the key factors that play out in the development and maintenance of substance addiction beyond the pharmacology of the drug: price, availability, the process of delivery of the addictive substance, availability of other substances, social norms, education and life circumstances. Robins' studies found high rates of heroin use (34%) and symptoms of heroin dependence (20%) among US soldiers while serving in Vietnam. In the first year after returning to the United States only 1% became re‐addicted to heroin, although 10% tried the drug after their return. Like other seminal studies, this work needs to be read in the original, because relying upon secondary interpretations risks being given a selectively edited version of their findings in service of varied policy and theoretical agendas.     

Factors Associated with Drug Use Among Male Motorbike Taxi Drivers in Urban Vietnam

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 291 male motorbike taxi drivers (MMTDs) recruited through social mapping technique in Hanoi, Vietnam, for face-to-face interviews to examine factors associated with drug use among MMTDs using Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills (IMB) model. Among 291 MMTDs, 17.18% reported drug use sometime in their lives, 96% of whom were drug injectors. Being depressed, being originally borne in urban cities, currently residing in rural areas, having a longer time living apart from their wives/lovers, using alcohol, following Buddhism, and reporting lower motivation of HIV prevention predict significantly higher odds of uptaking drugs.     

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with HIV Infection Among Men Having Sex with Men in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

To learn more about risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam and their prevalence of HIV, we conducted a study among MSM in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to determine HIV-1 prevalence and behaviors associated with infection. This consisted of formative (35 MSM) and cross-sectional (600 MSM) studies at 72 sites, including 75 transvestites, 55 bisexuals, 10 sex workers, and 460 other MSM. Only 5.3% cohabited with a wife/girlfriend, but 30% reported ever having sex with a female. Prevalence of HIV was 8%, ranging from 33% in sex workers to 7% among transvestites and other MSM. Injecting drugs, selling sex, being 20–40 years old, having less than 6 years of education, and having more than five male anal sex partners in the past month were associated with being HIV-infected. MSM are an HIV bridge group, and should be included in sentinel surveillance. Targeted interventions should be implemented.     

Establishing smoke-free hospitals in Vietnam: A pilot project

In Vietnam, a pilot ‘smoke-free hospital’ model was implemented in nine hospitals in 2009–2010 to supply lessons learned that would facilitate a replication of this model elsewhere. This study aimed to assess smoking patterns among health professionals and to detect levels of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure within hospital premises before and after the ‘smoke-free hospital’ model implementation. A pre- and post-intervention cross-sectional study was conducted in nine purposively selected hospitals. Air nicotine levels were measured using passive nicotine monitors; smoking evidence was collected through on-site observations; and smoking patterns were assessed through interviews with health workers. Despite the ‘smoke-free hospital’ intervention, smoking continued among health-care workers who were former smokers. Specifically, self-reported smoking prevalence significantly decreased post-intervention, but the number of daily cigarettes smoked at workplaces among male health workers remained unchanged. Post-intervention, smoking was more likely to take place outside buildings and cafeterias. However, air nicotine levels in the doctors' lounges and in emergency departments did not change post-intervention. Air nicotine levels at other sites decreased minimally. Tailored tobacco cessation programmes, targeting current smokers and mechanisms to enforce non-smoking, should be established to meet requirements of Vietnam's comprehensive National Tobacco Control Law effective in May 2013.