Hiep N. Le

Background: Traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM) is a promising and increasingly popular approach in managing chronic neck and shoulder pain. Despite recognized benefits for pain relief and well-being, how TCAM facilitates self-care practices is poorly understood. This scoping review maps the existing evidence on TCAM-based self-care strategies for adults with chronic neck and shoulder pain to identify which domains of self-care are addressed and which are overlooked. Methods: We searched five academic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cinahl Complete (EBSCOhost), and Public Health Database (ProQuest). Articles published over a 20-year period that examined the use of TCAM for adults with chronic neck and shoulder pain were included. An analytical framework based on Riegel’s three core components of self-care (maintenance, monitoring, and management) was used to structure and synthesize the findings from included studies. Results: Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Most research focused on just one or two self-care components, primarily self-care maintenance (e.g., physical activities and treatment adherence) and self-care management (e.g., pain control). However, critical dimensions, such as psychological well-being, social support, work–life balance, and cultural context, were frequently overlooked. Conclusions: To enhance the quality of life for adults with chronic neck and shoulder pain, future TCAM research must adopt a more holistic self-care approach that extends beyond physical symptoms. Our findings highlight the need for integrated research, policy, and clinical services that address the full spectrum of self-care in chronic pain management.

Background/Objectives: Limited data exist on the nutritional status of Vietnamese children aged 5 years and older. This study aimed to (1) determine the nutritional status and (2) assess the associations between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors among children and adolescents aged 5–19 years old in selected provinces in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3055 children aged 5–19 years old. Children’s weight and height were collected to calculate BMI for Age Z-score and Height for Age Z-score to determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity, stunting, thinness/underweight, stunted-overweight, stunted-underweight, at least one type of undernutrition, and at least one type of malnutrition. Results: The prevalence of stunting and thinness/underweight was around 10%, overweight and obesity was 14.5%, while the prevalence of malnutrition was 36.5%, with 19.7% of children experiencing at least one form of undernutrition. Significant associations were found between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, and the number of household possessions. Stunting was more prevalent among older children and those from lower-income households, whereas overweight and obesity were more common in wealthier families. Conclusions: These novel findings highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing both undernutrition and obesity in Vietnam’s diverse demographic groups.

Background/Objectives: Males exhibit higher health-related risk behaviours compared to females. This study aimed to determine the anthropometric status of adult males and associations of the anthropometric indicators with demographic and socioeconomic factors, with the goal of guiding healthy anthropometric status and nutrition interventions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 453 Vietnamese males aged ≥18 years. Weight, height and waist circumference measurements were collected and BMI, A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Body Roundness Index (BRI) and Waist to Height Ratio (WtHR) were calculated. Demographic and socioeconomic data included age, ethnicity, marital status, education level, employment status, monthly household income, monthly personal income, monthly household food expenditure, and the total number of household possessions. Results: Education level showed a significant association with BMI (negative association), while age (positive association) and monthly household income (negative association) were significantly associated with WtHR. Employment was significantly associated with ABSI. Education level was significantly associated with BRI. Conclusions: The findings highlight the complex relationship between anthropometric measurements reflecting nutritional status and demographic and socioeconomic factors, underscoring the importance of considering these variables in public health strategies aimed at reducing poor health and improving nutritional status in males in Vietnam.

Background/Objectives: Vietnam has limited information on the nutritional status of children aged ≥5 years. This study aimed to 1) determine the nutritional status, and 2) assess the associations between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors among children and adolescents aged 5-19 years in selected provinces in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 3,055 children aged 5-19 years. Children’s weight and height were collected to calculate BMI for Age Z-score and Height for Age Z-score to determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity, stunting, thinness/underweight, stunted-overweight, stunted-underweight, at least one type of undernutrition, and at least one type of malnutrition. Results: The prevalence of stunting and thinness/underweight was around 10%, overweight and obesity was 14.5%, at least one type of undernutrition was 19.7%, and at least one type of malnutrition was 36.5%. Significant associations were found between malnutrition and socio-demographic factors such as age, ethnicity, and the number of household possessions. Older children and those from less affluent households were more prone to stunting, while children from wealthier families were at a higher risk of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: This study can guide strategies to address the dual burden of malnutrition among Vietnamese children requiring interventions that consider diverse demographic needs.

Poor household dietary diversity has been linked to malnutrition in individuals, households, and cumulatively in populations. High rates of malnutrition among Khmer ethnic children aged five years and younger have been reported in Tri Ton district, Vietnam. This paper aims to further investigate household dietary diversity and associated factors among Khmer ethnic minority populations in Vietnam. A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to April 2019 in Tri Ton District, An Giang Province. By employing a multistage sampling technique, a total of 402 (99.8% response rate) participants were interviewed to measure household dietary diversity using a structured and validated questionnaire developed by FAO. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with household dietary diversity. The results showed that the prevalence of low, medium and high dietary diversity scores were 21.4%, 70.4% and 8.2%, respectively. Male-headed households, literacy level, household income, exposure to mass media on nutrition and health information, and frequency of eating were positively associated with household dietary diversity (p < 0.05). However, owning a vegetable and rice farm was not statistically related to households’ dietary diversification. The paper concludes that the magnitude of household diversified dietary intakes was essentially low to medium in participants’ households. These findings have provided evidence to inform the development of the National Nutrition Strategy—2021–2030 in Vietnam, to be revised in 2045. This national strategy proposes appropriate interventions, programs and policies to improve socioeconomic status in ethnic groups and in mountainous areas to enhance populations’ health and well-being including controlling childhood malnutrition. In order to improve population health and wellbeing in Tri Ton District, further actions to address effective dietary practices including strengthening nutrition and health communication about the need to improve household dietary diversity to high levels are recommended.