Some new academic papers on development issues in Vietnam - 2014 June 1 issue

[nv...@worldbank.org]

Some new academic papers on development issues in Vietnam - 2014 June 1 issue

**Financial sector

Informal Credit in Vietnam: A Necessity Rather Than an Evil.
Informal Credit in Vietnam: A Necessity Rather Than an Evil.
Nicolas Lainez. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE) 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 147-154.

Abstract: The state of knowledge about finance and credit in Vietnam remains fragmentary despite the interest that economists have shown in the topic over the past fifteen years. This paper explores why informal finance continues to enjoy great popularity among rural households despite its high price and risks in Southern Vietnam. This research note examines in detail three modes of credit, and shows that borrowers’ perception of informal credit does not always correspond to that of government financial and international institutions. The social dimension of informal finance is crucial to understanding its prevalence, adaptability and continuity in Vietnam. From the point of view of the borrowers, informal credit is not perceived as an evil but rather an economic necessity.

Informal Credit, Usury, or Support? A Case Study for Vietnam.
Informal Credit, Usury, or Support? A Case Study for Vietnam.
Cuong Viet Nguyen and Marrit van den Berg. The Developing Economies, 2014, volume 52, number 2, pp. 154-178.

Abstract: The informal credit market remains an important source of finance for the poor in Vietnam. Yet, little if anything is known about the impact of informal loans on poverty and inequality, and the Vietnamese government has no policies towards the informal credit market. In the present study paper, we found that the effect of credit from friends and relatives on per capita expenditure is positive but not statistically significant. Meanwhile, the effect of credit from private moneylenders on per capita expenditure is positive and statistically significant. Borrowing from private moneylenders increases per capita expenditure of households by around 15%. Further, it reduced the poverty incidence of borrowers by around 8.5 percentage points in 2006 and significantly decreases the poverty gap index and the poverty-severity index. Borrowing from private moneylenders also reduces expenditure inequality, albeit at a very small magnitude. [wiley].


**Economic development

Capital constraints and the performance of entrepreneurial firms in Vietnam.
Capital constraints and the performance of entrepreneurial firms in Vietnam.
Hien Thu Tran and Enrico Santarelli. Industrial and Corporate Change, 2014, volume 23, number 3, pp. 827-864.

Abstract: Entrepreneurship has been among the key driving forces of the emergence of a dynamic private sector during the recent decades in Vietnam. This article addresses for Vietnam the questions “how capital constraints affect the performance of family firms” and “how entrepreneurs’ human and social capital interact with capital constraints to leverage entrepreneurial income.” A panel of 1721 firms in 4 years is used. Results are consistent with the resource dependency approach, indicating an adverse effect of capital constraints on firm performance: firms suffering capital constraints perform substantially better, suggesting that they need more capital simply to finance newly recognized profit opportunities. Human capital plays a vital role in relaxing capital constraints and improves the entrepreneurial performance, whereas the effect of social capital stemming from strong ties and weak ties is limited: strong ties bring emotional support and weak ties give nonfinancial benefits from regular and useful business contacts. Advanced econometric analysis tools to take into account the endogeneity of capital constraints are used to establish relationships among relevant variables.

Economic impact of direct marketing and contracts: The case of safe vegetable chains in northern Vietnam.
Economic impact of direct marketing and contracts: The case of safe vegetable chains in northern Vietnam.
Huaiyu Wang, Paule Moustier and Nguyen Thi Tan Loc. Food Policy, 2014, volume 47, pp. 13-23.

Abstract: The paper investigates the respective impacts on incomes of contractual arrangements, direct sales and spot marketing for “safe vegetable” farmers in northern Vietnam. It is based on a survey of 137 peri-urban vegetable farmers that was analyzed using different econometric methods to correct selection biases. Direct sales and contractual arrangements have a significant positive impact on income compared to spot marketing. Contracts have less impact on income compared to direct sales. It is recommended that policies be formulated to stimulate direct dealings between farmers and consumers, which enhance consumer confidence in terms of quality and translate into higher farmer income than anonymous exchanges or contracts.

Vietnam’s political economy: a discussion on the 1986-2016 period.
Vietnam’s political economy: a discussion on the 1986-2016 period.
Quan Hoang Vuong. Université Libre de Bruxelles - Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management - Centre Emile Bernheim (CEB) - Working Paper N° 14/010, 2014.

Abstract: Being a member of the thriving ASEAN and successfully implementing economic renovation (Doi Moi) have drawn the world's attention on Vietnam around the turn of the millennium. Some even expected a much faster pace of transformation, and renewed economic, AND political, reforms in Vietnam, or Doi Moi II. However, in the recent transition turmoil the Vietnamese economy has experienced some significant setback, and the solution for getting the country out of the downward spiral of low productivity, waning purchasing power and increasing costs of doing business cannot be worked out without addressing those political economy issues that have shaped the modus operandi of the nation's economic system. This article discusses the post-Doi Moi political economy in Vietnam, from 1986 to 2016 – when the 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam takes place – and prospects of reviving reform momentum in subsequent years. Free full text https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/163371/1/wp14010.pdf.

The Political Economy of Development in China and Vietnam.
The Political Economy of Development in China and Vietnam.
Edmund J. Malesky and Jonathan D. London. Annual Review of Political Science, 2014, volume 17, pp. 395-419.

Abstract: Two theories predominate in discussions of why China and Vietnam have, over the past three decades, achieved such rapid economic growth. The first argues that their startling performance can be explained by economic factors associated with late industrialization. The second proposes that China and Vietnam represent novel models of political economic organization that need to be better studied and understood. In this essay we review the voluminous literature on the political economy of China and Vietnam, evaluating the critical debates over the economic benefits of decentralization, experimentation, and state-led development. Although the debate remains unsettled, analysis suggests that growth in the two countries was most robust during periods of state withdrawal from the economy and that current economic difficulties in both countries are now arising from the scale and character of the state's role in both economies.

Relationship Between Innovations, Capital Expenditures and Post-M&A Performance: Evidence from Vietnam, 2005-2012.
Relationship Between Innovations, Capital Expenditures and Post-M&A Performance: Evidence from Vietnam, 2005-2012.
Quan Hoang Vuong, Nancy K Napier and Donaldine E Samson. IUP Journal of Business Strategy, 2014.

Abstract: The paper attempts to explore the plausibility and validity of theoretical relationship between determination of controlling an acquired firm’s capital, assets and brand values versus its capability of innovation, and ex post performance of Vietnam’s M&A industry amid the resurgence of the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) wave from 2005 to 2012. The study mainly employs logistic regressions performed on a categorical data sample, consisting of 212 M&A cases. The results reported from this analysis suggest significant and plausible relationship between pre-M&A pursuit of innovation (versus capital/physical assets) of the acquired and post-M&A performance. In addition, pre-M&A expenditures tend to cause poor post-M&A performance. As a plausible reasoning, the paper concludes that creative performance can be a factor to pursue in M&As, which suggests the need to emphasize capable and willing human capital. However, in a wave of M&A where pursuits of capital resources, assets and brand value are overemphasized, the influence of innovation factor to the ex post success becomes negligible. [Quan-etal-2014.pdf]. Free full text http://www.vietbuzz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Relationship-between-Innovations-capital-expenditures-and-post-MA-performance.pdf.

Using Signals to Initiate Importer-Exporter Relationships: Evidence from Vietnamese Importers.
Using Signals to Initiate Importer-Exporter Relationships: Evidence from Vietnamese Importers.
Mai T. T. Nguyen, Nigel J. Barrett and Tho D. Nguyen. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 2014, volume 21, number 2, pp. 111-122.

Abstract: Purpose: Realizing the existence of information asymmetry in export markets and the use of signals to distinguish high-qualified sellers from low-qualified sellers, this study investigates the effects of signal consistency and signal clarity on exporter credibility, and subsequently, importer relationship intention.Methodology: Using a survey data set collected from a systematic sample of 418 Vietnamese importers, the authors tested a model hypothesizing the impact of signal consistency and signal clarity on exporter credibility, and subsequently, on importer relationship intention.Findings: The authors found that signal consistency and clarity have a positive impact on exporter credibility. Signal consistency also enhances the level of signal clarity. They also found that exporter credibility underlies importer relationship intension.Research Implications: Under the condition of information asymmetry, importers face difficulties in identifying and evaluating the best supplier among available suppliers in order to make the most appropriate selection decision. The findings confirm that signal clarity and consistency can help exporters to overcome such problems. Exporters should ensure that all signals sent to importers are clear and consistent over time to encourage importers to build long-term business relationships with them.Contributions: The findings of this study add to the literature on signaling in exporter?importer relationships and can serve as an initiation for further research in the area in transitioning economies.

Aid darling and the European Union’s aid allocation policy: the case of Vietnam.
Aid darling and the European Union’s aid allocation policy: the case of Vietnam.
Ha Hai Hoang. Asia Europe Journal, 2014, pp. 1-24.

Abstract: This paper analyses the motivation determining the European Union’s (EU) aid allocation to Vietnam. Existing literature and EU official documents are used to build upon four models with respect to new aid allocation: donor interest, recipient interest, recipient capacity and potential donor influence. The paper concludes that the EU’s aid policy in Vietnam has a long-term objective in conformity with Vietnam’s development strategy—poverty alleviation. Moreover, the EU’s political and economic interests, a successful economic reform and development strategy, a high level of ownership (good governance) and potential donor influence are identified as contributions to make Vietnam an ‘aid darling’. [springer].

Exploring the Nexus Between ICT, Remittances and Economic Growth: A Study of Vietnam.
Exploring the Nexus Between ICT, Remittances and Economic Growth: A Study of Vietnam.
Ronald Ravinesh Kumar and Hang Thi Thu Vu. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE) 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 104-120.

Abstract: In this article, we explore the nexus between information and communications technology (ICT), remittances and output per worker in Vietnam from 1980 to 2012. Within the augmented Solow framework, we deploy the autoregressive distributed lag bounds procedure and Granger causality tests to examine the short-run and long-run effects and the direction of causality, respectively. The results show that ICT has a momentous short-run (0.002 per cent) and long-run (0.006 per cent) effect on per worker output. However, in the long run, the elasticity coefficient of remittances is positive but not significant within the 1–10 per cent level of significance, and the short-run results show mixed effects. The causality result indicates bidirectional causation between remittances and output per worker, duly emphasizing their mutually reinforcing effect and a unidirectional causation from capital per worker and ICT to remittances, respectively.

Remaking markets in the mountains: integration, trader agency and resistance in upland northern Vietnam.
Remaking markets in the mountains: integration, trader agency and resistance in upland northern Vietnam.
Christine Bonnin and Sarah Turner. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 2014, pp. 1-22.

Abstract: As part of an ongoing agenda by Vietnamese lawmakers and local state officials to accelerate market integration in the northern mountains, rural marketplaces are being physically and managerially restructured according to standard state-approved models. Moreover, these market directives are coherent with the 'distance demolishing technologies' that James Scott (2009) suggests the state has implemented to bring these uplands more directly under its panoptic gaze. This integration strategy seldom meshes well with upland livelihood needs. In this paper we examine a number of power contestations currently unfolding as upland market traders - both Vietnamese and ethnic minorities - negotiate or resist these developments while striving to maintain meaningful livelihoods. [t-f].


**Education and training

Reconstruction of National Education Policy for Improving Human Resource Competency: A Preparation Toward the 2015 ASEAN Com...
Reconstruction of National Education Policy for Improving Human Resource Competency: A Preparation Toward the 2015 ASEAN Community.
Teddy Hikmat Fauzi. Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 2014, volume 3, number 2.

Abstract: Human resources development must be perceived as a common consideration toward changes in nation’s attitude and philosophy as a human interactive consequence as individuals in their relationship with other national, regional and international people’s community. From strategic view, developmental vision and mission of demanded Indonesian Human Resources Characteristic is a measured capability with an organized entrepreneurship capacity that would make Indonesian Human Resources as an entrepreneurship model and agent of change. The educational policy analysis is a mean for educating experts or others whom pay their attention on education, human resources development planning issues and entrepreneurs in making appropriate decisions in policies to use consistently potential Human Resources for entrepreneur’s philosophical developmental patterns with method as basic understanding to develop committed human characters with think globally act locally principle as continuous and sustainable national images toward improvement in nation quality within national policy environment. Free full text http://www.ajssh.leena-luna.co.jp/AJSSHPDFs/Vol.3(2)/AJSSH2014(3.2-12).pdf.

ASEAN Educational Administration Reform Toward ASEAN Education Community Viewpoint Under the Currents and Tendencies of Educ...
ASEAN Educational Administration Reform Toward ASEAN Education Community Viewpoint Under the Currents and Tendencies of Educational Reform Worldwide.
Hoang Anh Tuan. Innovations and Good Practices in Education: Global Perspectives Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Educational Reform (ICER 2014), 2014.

Abstract: Coming to 21st century, globalization tendency and the technology revolution has been rapidly changing the human life. In order to establish an joint ASEAN socio-cultural community in which the education is an key factor, the educational administration is the urgent issue needed to be reformed based on the fundamental of the global common trend and the ASEAN background. The proposed solutions include broadening and increasing the joint awareness, integrating theories and practices in educational administration at different levels of schooling across national borders into the joint ASEAN community levels, rigorous collaboration of the leading ASEAN and worldwide educational administrators and educational researcher, promoting collective leadership competency and 21st century leadership skill, increasing the social and community commitment and responsibility of top management, constructing the ASEAN qualification framework for educational administration, human resource development and understanding of the available resource transfer within ASEAN. -- ASEAN basic and comprehensive reform on educational administration will be hence the foundation for ten countries in ASEAN community can synchronize the current and intended educational administration development strategies on the progress of transforming to the transnational education of a ASEAN community in order to early become the advanced and modern education toward an education with “lifelong learning in the knowledge society”. Free full text http://www.icer.msu.ac.th/index/paper/fullpaper/16.Hoang%20Anh%20Tuan.pdf.


**Environment

Farmers in NE Viet Nam rank values of ecosystems from seven land uses.
Farmers in NE Viet Nam rank values of ecosystems from seven land uses.
Elisabeth Simelton and Bac Viet Dam. Ecosystem Services, 2014.

Abstract: Despite being promoted as an integral part of natural resource management and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) community participation is often considered restricted by ‘lack of (local) knowledge’. Contrasting evidence suggest that farmers’ more holistic understanding of ecosystems may challenge scientific studies and payment schemes typically focussing on a fraction of ecosystem services, e.g. Viet Nam׳s PES-policy which covers forest carbon, water and landscape beauty. Against this backdrop we explored how farmer groups in two villages (one with PES and one without) in northeast Viet Nam rated and justified fifteen ecosystem services from seven land-uses, including non-PES functions and non-forest land uses. The villagers gave overall analogous ranking and reasoning. For overall ecosystem services natural forests and forest plantations rated highest and paddy rice lowest, however for economic values natural forests rated lowest and rice-fish cultivation highest. With regards to the PES-policy, farmers failed to see the logic of excluding agricultural land and agrochemical pollution from water services. We recommend that research and capacity building aiming to prepare for PES-schemes embrace a wider range of local knowledge and understandings of ecosystem functions than those immediately considered for payment schemes. We present a participatory matrix ranking tool to support such purposes. [sci-dir].

Premilinary estimation results of impact of climate change on marine fisheries in Vietnam by using production function.
Premilinary estimation results of impact of climate change on marine fisheries in Vietnam by using production function.
Nguyễn Ngọc Thanh, Nguyễn Viết Thành and others. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 2014, volume 14, number 1.

Abstract: This paper presents an premilinary estimation of climate change impacts on marine fishery in Vietnam. An augmented production function is used in the present study to model the effects of climate change on fishery outputs, in order to determine the impact of climate change on marine fisheries in Vietnam. The data by time series of catch, fishing effort, labour, average temperature and annual number of typhoons from 1976 to 2010 have been collected and analyzed. The preliminary results show that the annual average rainfall in coastal areas has negatively effected to Vietnam’s catching production. However, the impacts of increasing rainfall on catching production are relatively smaller than those of other examined factors  such as fleet capacity and labour. Free full text http://ans.ac.vn/index.php/jmst/article/view/4025.

Understanding farmers’ adaptation intention to climate change: A structural equation modelling study in the Mekong Delta, V...
Understanding farmers’ adaptation intention to climate change: A structural equation modelling study in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Hoa Le Dang, Elton Li and others. Environmental Science & Policy, 2014, volume 41, pp. 11-22.

Abstract: Socio-economic factors and resource availability are commonly shown to influence the adaptation intention and behaviour of farmers in response to climate change. This study additionally incorporates psychological factors building on protection motivation theory to investigate the adaptation intention of farmers. Data was obtained from structured interviews with 598 rice farmers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Structural equation modelling was used for investigating the relationships between constructs. The findings indicate that farmers are more likely to have an adaptation intention when they perceive higher risks of climate change and greater effectiveness of adaptive measures. In contrast, they are less likely to intend to adapt when they are subject to wishful thinking, denials of climate change risk, and fatalism. Adaptation intention increases when farmers perceive greater influences of the increases in electricity, water, and fuel prices; or when they are under pressure from other people to conduct adaptive measures. The study demonstrates that protection motivation theory is a useful framework to understand the adaptation intention and behaviour of farmers in response to climate change. However, further research is necessary to improve and generalise the measurement model. [sci-dir].

Arsenic in the Multi-aquifer System of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Analysis of Large-Scale Spatial Trends and Controlling Fac...
Arsenic in the Multi-aquifer System of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Analysis of Large-Scale Spatial Trends and Controlling Factors.
Laura E. Erban, Steven M. Gorelick and Scott Fendorf. Environmental Science & Technology, 2014.

Abstract: Groundwater exploitation is rising in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, potentially exacerbating arsenic contamination from natural sources. We investigate trends and controls on contamination patterns throughout the Delta's multi-aquifer system as observed in a spatially exhaustive data set of arsenic measured in >40,000 wells, 10.5% of which exceed the WHO drinking water standard for arsenic (10 ?g/L). We relate strong trends in the distribution of contamination among well samples to explanatory variables derived from 3D ancillary physicochemical data sets using logistic regression models. Parsimonious models describe much of the observed variability in arsenic occurrence, which differs considerably between subsets of wells tapping shallow versus deeper aquifer groups. In the shallowest Holocene-Pleistocene aquifers, arsenic occurrence is best described by distance to the Mekong river channels and delta front, depth, and location within fault-bounded zones of the region. The same model, however, fails to explain observations in the deeper group of Pliocene-Miocene aquifers. Among these deeper units, arsenic occurrence is rare except among older wells in near-river, heavily pumped areas. Our analysis is the first to examine both natural and anthropogenically mediated contributions to the distribution of arsenic throughout the Mekong Delta's multi-aquifer system, with implications for management of similarly affected basins throughout Southeast Asia.

Assessment of the pollutants of polychlorinated bephenyl (PCBs) in the coastal environment of Northeast area and Red River d...
Assessment of the pollutants of polychlorinated bephenyl (PCBs) in the coastal environment of Northeast area and Red River delta, Vietnam.
Dýõng Thanh Nghị and Trần Ðức Thạnh. Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 2014, volume 14, number 1.

Abstract: The persistence organic pollutants of PCB group (28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180) were determined in three coastal environment components including water, sediments and tissues of Clam (Meretrix lyrata) in the Northeast area and Red River delta. The samples were collected in March and August, 2012. The results showed that the PCBs were appearing in all water, sediments and tissues of Clam with the concentrations  719.46 - 792.11 ng/L; 9.83 - 14.97 ng/g; 39.79 - 40.30 ng/g  respectively, and  lower than environmental standards. The distribution of total PCBs in the three environmental components were varied by the seasons and space. They were an inversive relationship of  PCBs in the coastal water- sediment environment and tissues of Clam in Northeast area, meanwhile ambient  relationship in  Red River delta.  The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of the total PCBs  for Clam tissue was in the range from 7.46 to 56.42, higher in  Red River delta, and lower in Northeast area in both rainy and dry seasons. Free full text http://www.ans.ac.vn/index.php/jmst/article/view/4031.

Dioxin-related compounds in breast milk of women from Vietnamese e-waste recycling sites: Levels, toxic equivalents and rele...
Dioxin-related compounds in breast milk of women from Vietnamese e-waste recycling sites: Levels, toxic equivalents and relevance of non-dietary exposure.
Nguyen Minh Tue, Kana Katsura and others. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2014, volume 106, pp. 220-225.

Abstract: Although informal e-waste recycling sites (EWRSs) are hotspots of both polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs and PBDD/Fs), human exposure to the latter has not been studied in details. This study investigated the accumulation levels and profiles of dioxin-related compounds (DRCs) in breast milk samples from women living in two Vietnamese EWRSs and estimated the intake contribution from e-waste-related exposure. Screening results using Dioxin-Responsive Chemically Activated LUciferase gene eXpression assay (DR-CALUX) showed higher dioxin-like (DL) activities in samples from the EWRS Bui Dau than in those from the EWRS Trang Minh and a reference site (2.3–10 vs 1.7–4.8 and 0.60–5.7 pg CALUX-TEQ/g lipid, n=10, 6 and 9, respectively). Chemical analysis results of selected samples show that the WHO-TEQ levels of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs and PBDD/Fs in EWRS samples were not significantly higher than in those from the reference site (0.22–7.4 vs 1.1–3.0 pg/g lipid) and within the Vietnamese background range, but women involved in recycling accumulated higher concentrations of PCDFs (13–15 vs 2.3–8.8 pg/g lipid) and PBDFs (1.1–1.5 vs <1.1 pg/g lipid). By comparing the DRC profile in milk of these women with the reported profile in house dust from the same site, dust ingestion was estimated to contribute most of the intake for tetraBDF, 37 per cent to 55 per cent for penta–octaCDFs, but less than twenty per cent for PCDDs and DL-PCBs, and 26 per cent for total WHO-TEQs. The DL activities in some EWRS milk samples were not fully explained by chemical data, suggesting contribution from unidentified compounds. The estimated WHO-TEQ intake doses for breastfed infants (1.3–33 pg/kg/d) mostly exceeded the tolerable value, especially for those living in the EWRSs; and unidentified DRCs might increase further the dioxin-related health risk. [sci-dir].


**Health  

Designing a community engagement framework for a new dengue control method: a case study from central Vietnam.
Designing a community engagement framework for a new dengue control method: a case study from central Vietnam.
D. McNaughton and T. T. Duong. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2014, volume 8, number 5, p. e2794.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The Wolbachia strategy aims to manipulate mosquito populations to make them incapable of transmitting dengue viruses between people. To test its efficacy, this strategy requires field trials. Public consultation and engagement are recognized as critical to the future success of these programs, but questions remain regarding how to proceed. This paper reports on a case study where social research was used to design a community engagement framework for a new dengue control method, at a potential release site in central Vietnam.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The approach described here, draws on an anthropological methodology and uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to design an engagement framework tailored to the concerns, expectations, and socio-political setting of a potential trial release site for Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The process, research activities, key findings and how these were responded to are described. Safety of the method to humans and the environment was the most common and significant concern, followed by efficacy and impact on local lives. Residents expected to be fully informed and engaged about the science, the project, its safety, the release and who would be responsible should something go wrong. They desired a level of engagement that included regular updates and authorization from government and at least one member of every household at the release site.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Results demonstrate that social research can provide important and reliable insights into public concerns and expectations at a potential release site, as well as guidance on how these might be addressed. Findings support the argument that using research to develop more targeted, engagement frameworks can lead to more sensitive, thorough, culturally comprehensible and therefore ethical consultation processes. This approach has now been used successfully to seek public input and eventually support for releases Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, in two different international settings - Australia and Vietnam.

Determining the impacts of hospital cost-sharing on the uninsured near-poor households in Vietnam.
Determining the impacts of hospital cost-sharing on the uninsured near-poor households in Vietnam.
Duong Anh Vuong, Steffen Flessa and others. International Journal for Equity in Health, 2014, volume 13.

Abstract:

Objectives: The study objective was to identify the size of different hospital financing sources for different hospital services and their impact on the uninsured. –

Methods: A panel dataset of 84 public general hospitals (2005–2008) with cross-section data on hospital activity and hospital revenue was created and used to calculate unit costs of different hospital services by applying multiple regression models. The resulting risk of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) was estimated based on official income statistics. –

Results: Average user fees (UF) for outpatient visits and inpatient bed days were US$4.13 and US$20.27, while actual full costs (AFC) were US$8.41 and US$36.66, respectively. These unit costs were 2.5 times higher in hospitals at the central versus the provincial level. UF for surgical inpatient bed days were 3.6 times that of non-surgical treatments (US$47.50 vs. 12.87) and AFC 5.0 times (US$101.72 vs. 20.08). UF accounted for 44.6%-77.9% of the AFC, the rest (22.1%-55.4%) was provided by direct government support (DGS). One surgical inpatient treatment at either central or provincial hospital level and one non-surgical inpatient treatment at central hospital level, immediately pushed uninsured near-poor households at risk of CHE. –

Conclusions: Around 45% of hospital AFC was paid by DGS, the larger rest by UF. UF have become a great financial burden on the uninsured near-poor households, who have to pay for these out-of-pocket and therefore may not utilize even necessary services. If the rate of DGS were reduced, this would have the effect of increasing UF, but the savings to Government could be spent on subsidizing insurance to ensure that a larger part of the population can cover UF through insurance, especially the near-poor households. Free full text http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/13/1/40/abstract.

Equity in the allocation of public sector financial resources in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature r...
Equity in the allocation of public sector financial resources in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review.
Laura Anselmi, Mylene Lagarde and Kara Hanson. Health Policy and Planning, 2014.

Abstract: This review aims to identify, assess and analyse the evidence on equity in the distribution of public health sector expenditure in low- and middle-income countries. Four bibliographic databases and five websites were searched to identify quantitative studies examining equity in the distribution of public health funding in individual countries or groups of countries. Two different types of studies were identified: benefit incidence analysis (BIA) and resource allocation comparison (RAC) studies. Quality appraisal and data synthesis were tailored to each study type to reflect differences in the methods used and in the information provided.We identified 39 studies focusing on African, Asian and Latin American countries. Of these, 31 were BIA studies that described the distribution, typically across socio-economic status, of individual monetary benefit derived from service utilization. The remaining eight were RAC studies that compared the actual expenditure across geographic areas to an ideal need-based distribution. Overall, the quality of the evidence from both types of study was relatively weak. Looking across studies, the evidence confirms that resource allocation formulae can enhance equity in resource allocation across geographic areas and that the poor benefits proportionally more from primary health care than from hospital expenditure. The lack of information on the distribution of benefit from utilization in RAC studies and on the countries’ approaches to resource allocation in BIA studies prevents further policy analysis.Additional research that relates the type of resource allocation mechanism to service provision and to the benefit distribution is required for a better understanding of equity-enhancing resource allocation policies.

Establishing hospitals' core competencies with six sigma practices in the ASEAN economic community (AEC).
Establishing hospitals' core competencies with six sigma practices in the ASEAN economic community (AEC).
Pareeyawadee Ponanake. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 2014, volume 20, number 1, pp. 114-119.

Abstract: This research aimed to study 1) the core competencies of private Thai hospitals as medical care centers entering the ASEAN Economic Community and 2) conduct the structural equation modeling of the influences of Six Sigma practices for establishing hospitals' core competencies in the ASEAN economic community (AEC). The sample group for the research comprised 384 HA officers. The research was conducted from December 2012 to August 2013, and the research method used was purposive sampling through questionnaires. Statistical data analysis was performed using percentages, means, standard deviations, factor analysis and the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The research found that 1) the core competencies of private Thai hospitals as medical care centers entering the ASEAN Economic Community was at a high level of efficiency, and 2) that the Six Sigma practices directly influenced the core competencies of hospitals entering the AEC. Internal quality management directly influenced hospitals' core competencies in entering the AEC. The Six Sigma practices directly influenced internal quality management and indirectly influenced the core competencies of hospitals entering the AEC through quality management. [Ponanake-2014.pdf].

Models to Predict the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Rural Mountainous Region of Vietnam.
Models to Predict the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Rural Mountainous Region of Vietnam.
Thi Phuong Lan Nguyen, C. C. M. Schuiling-Veninga and others. Value in Health Regional Issues, 2014, volume 3, pp. 87-93.

Abstract:

Objective: To compare and identify the most appropriate model to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a rural area in Northern Vietnam, using data on hypertension from the communities. –

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted including all residents in selected communities, aged 34 to 65 years, during April to August 2012 in Thai Nguyen province. Data on age, sex, smoking status, blood pressure, and blood tests (glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) were collected to identify the prevalence of high blood pressure and to use as input variables for the models. We compared three models, Asian, Chinese Multiple-provincial Cohort Study (CMCS), and Framingham, to estimate cardiovascular risk in the coming years in this context and compare these models and outcomes. –

Results: The prevalence of high blood pressure in these communities was lower than reported nationally (12.3%). CVD risk differed greatly depending on the model applied: approximately 21% of the subjects according to the CMCS and Asian models, but 37% using the Framingham model, had more than 10% risk for CVD. In the group without current CVD, these numbers decreased to 9% using the CMCS and Asian models but increased to 28% according to the Framingham model. There were no significant differences between the Asian and CMCS models, but differences were highly significant when comparing Asian versus Framingham or CMCS versus Framingham model. –

Conclusions: The Asian and CMCS models provided similar results in predicting CVD risk in the Vietnamese population in Thai Nguyen. The Framingham model provided vastly different results. The suggestion may be that for the specific Vietnamese setting, the Asian and CMCS models provide most valid and reliable results; however, this has to be investigated in further analyses using real-life data for potential confirmation. [sci-dir].

National Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Hypertension and Prehypertension Among Vietnamese Adults.
National Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Hypertension and Prehypertension Among Vietnamese Adults.
Ha T.P. Do, Johanna M. Geleijnse and others. American Journal of Hypertension, 2014.

Abstract:

BACKGROUND Hypertension has recently been identified as the leading risk factor for global mortality. This study aims to present the national prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension and, their determinants in Vietnamese adults.

METHODS Nationally representative data were obtained from the National Adult Overweight Survey 2005. This one visit survey included 17,199 subjects aged 25–64 years, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 20.7kg/m2.

RESULTS The overall census-weighted JNC7 (the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure) defined prevalence of hypertension was 20.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 19.4–22.1); the prevalence of prehypertension was 41.8% (95% CI = 40.4–43.1). Hypertension and prehypertension were more prevalent in men. Higher age, overweight, alcohol use (among men), and living in rural areas (among women) were independently associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension, whereas higher physical activity and education level were inversely associated. Age, BMI, and living in rural areas were independently associated with an increased prevalence of prehypertension. Among the hypertensives, 25.9% were aware of their hypertension, 12.2% were being treated, and 2.8% had their blood pressure under control; among the treated hypertensives, 32.4% had their blood pressure controlled.

CONCLUSIONS Hypertension and prehypertension are prevalent in Vietnam, but awareness, treatment, and control are low. The findings suggest that lifestyle modifications, including the prevention of overweight, the promotion of physical activity particularly in urban areas, and the reduction of high alcohol consumption, may help to prevent hypertension in Vietnam. Furthermore, increased efforts regarding education, detection, and treatment could be important in management of hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk prevention.

National Survey of Risk Factors for Non-communicable Disease in Vietnam - Prevalence Estimates and an Assessment of Their Va...
National Survey of Risk Factors for Non-communicable Disease in Vietnam - Prevalence Estimates and an Assessment of Their Validity.
Tan Bui, Leigh Blizzard and others. Poster prepared for The 20th IEA World Congress of Epidemiology: Global epidemiology in a changing environment: The circumpolar perspective (17-21 August 2014 Anchorage Alaska), 2014.

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: A national survey of risk factors for non-communicable disease (NCD) has been completed in Vietnam. This report estimates the prevalence of risk factors at a provincial level and assesses whether the summary data allows reliable inferences to be drawn regarding regional differences in prevalence of, and associations between, risk factors.

METHODS: The survey involved 14,706 participants (53.5% females, participation proportion 64.1%) aged 25–64 years selected by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces each representing one of the eight geographical regions of Vietnam. Measurements were made using the standardised procedures of the WHO STEPS methodology. Data were analysed using complex survey methods to take account of the sampling design.

RESULTS: Differences by sex in mean years of schooling (males 8.54±0.22, females 7.36±0.20), proportions of current smokers (males 57.69%, females 1.74%), binge drinkers (males 25.11%, females 0.63%), and regional differences (e.g. higher fruit and vegetable intake in northern regions), reflected the geographical, socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of the country. Provinces with higher proportion of urban population had greater mean levels of schooling (r=0.38), household income (r=0.70) and BMI (r=0.81), and lesser mean physical activity (r=-0.88). The associations between the summary estimates were generally plausible (e.g. physical activity and BMI r=-0.77, BMI and blood glucose r=0.50) but with anomalous findings due to the characterisation of tobacco smoking and hypertension by STEPS protocols (e.g. among men, current smoking was negatively associated with hypertension).

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an extensive description of the sex-specific and regional distribution of NCD risk factors in Vietnam and a fascinating account of some health-related consequences of industrialisation in its early stages. The findings lend support to the case that the WHO STEPS protocols have utility for the intended purpose of providing aggregate data for valid between-population comparisons, but with two important caveats identified. [Tan Bui, MPH , Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy].

Reproductive Tract Infections in Rural Vietnam, Women's Knowledge and Health Seeking Behaviour: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Reproductive Tract Infections in Rural Vietnam, Women's Knowledge and Health Seeking Behaviour: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Anna Nielsen, Lan Pham Thi and others. Health Care for Women International, 2014.

Abstract: We interviewed 1805 women in a rural setting in Vietnam with the aim of investigating women's knowledge regarding reproductive tract infections and their health seeking behaviour. We found that women's overall knowledge was poor. Furthermore, only one third of the symptomatic women sought healthcare. Reproductive tract infections affect millions of women globally each year. Most vulnerable are women in low- and middle income countries where poverty and gender inequities affect their access to healthcare services. Findings from our study can be used in similar rural settings worldwide to understand and manage the widespread problem of reproductive tract infections.

Suc Khoe La Quan Trong Hon Sac Dep! Health is Better than Beauty! A Community-based Participatory Research Intervention to I...
Suc Khoe La Quan Trong Hon Sac Dep! Health is Better than Beauty! A Community-based Participatory Research Intervention to Improve Cancer Screening among Vietnamese Women.
Anh B. Nguyen and Faye Z. Belgrave. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 2014, volume 25, number 2, pp. 605-623.

Abstract: This paper examines community-based participatory research (CBPR) intervention approaches in promoting cancer-relevant outcomes for 102 Vietnamese women. Results indicated that the intervention was effective in promoting breast and cervical cancer knowledge, positive attitudes towards breast cancer screening, and breast cancer screening. Collectivism moderated the effect of the intervention on attitudes towards breast cancer screening. The intervention led to more favorable attitudes towards breast cancer screening for women with high levels of collectivism but not for women with low levels. Ethnic identity moderated the effect of the intervention on breast cancer screening: the intervention program led to higher probability of getting a clinical breast exam; however, this effect was more pronounced for women with low ethnic identity than for those with high ethnic identity. The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of culturally-tailored strategies in developing cancer screening interventions for the Vietnamese American population.

The taboo question: condom retailing in Vietnam and social marketing implications.
The taboo question: condom retailing in Vietnam and social marketing implications.
Dang Hong Hai Nguyen, Lukas Parker and others. Journal of Social Marketing, 2014, volume 4, number 2.

Abstract:

Purpose - This paper aims to illustrate the need for both upstream and downstream social marketing in relation to condom merchandising in the Vietnamese context.  –

Design/methodology/approach - A mystery shopper audit of condom merchandising practices and retail outlets was undertaken in a number of locations throughout Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition to the audits, a series of depth interviews with retailers of condoms on barriers and facilitators for purchase was undertaken. –

Findings - The research highlighted some very interesting dynamics in relation to condom retailing in Vietnam. Condoms are not always made easy to purchase, through both the merchandising and other choices made by the retailers. While accessibility to condom is no longer an issue in urban Vietnam considering the increase of condom retailing outlets, lack of easy access is highly problematic and may interfere with actual condom obtainment. As sex is still a taboo topic in Vietnam, this is a serious concern for social marketing in the sexual and reproductive health domain.  –

Practical implications - Given the capacity to portray taboo topics in Vietnamese media context, social marketing will be challenging. The development of a social marketing strategy for macro, meso and micro levels will be necessary for successful social marketing. Stigma associated with safe-sex practices and condom use may require a consideration of a social norms social marketing campaign. –

Originality/value - This research is the first of its kind in the Vietnamese context. While there are a large number of NGOs campaigning in the region, safe-sex practices and condom use within the general population remains a concern. This research demonstrates that access and availability are key components of the social marketing mix.


**Energy

The Impact of Energy Subsidies on the Power Sector in Southeast Asia.
The Impact of Energy Subsidies on the Power Sector in Southeast Asia.
Debabrata Chattopadhyay and Shikha Jha. The Electricity Journal, 2014.

Abstract: Fossil fuel subsidies in developing nations have proven to be one of the most nagging challenges for policymakers. This article reviews the tradeoffs of such subsidies among members of the ASEAN-5 group. [sci-dir]. Free full text http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040619014000839.


**Poverty

Impact of Household Credit on Education and Healthcare Spending by the Poor in Peri-Urban Areas, Vietnam.
Impact of Household Credit on Education and Healthcare Spending by the Poor in Peri-Urban Areas, Vietnam.
Tinh Doan, John Gibson and Mark Holmes. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE) 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 87-103.

Abstract: There is an ongoing debate about whether microfinance has a positive impact on education and health for borrowing households in developing countries. To understand this debate, we use a survey designed to meet the conditions for propensity score matching (PSM) and examine the impact of household credit on education and healthcare spending by the poor in peri-urban areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition to matching statistically identical non-borrowers to borrowers, our estimates also control for household pre-treatment income and assets, which may be associated with unobservable factors affecting both credit participation and the outcomes of interest. The PSM estimates show a significant and positive impact of borrowing on education and healthcare spending. However, further investigation of the effects of the treatment reveals that only formal credit has a significant and positive impact on education and healthcare spending, while informal credit has an insignificant impact on spending. This paper contributes to the limited literature on peri-urban areas using evidence from one of the largest and most dynamic cities in Southeast Asia.

Poverty, Inequality and Social Protection in Southeast Asia: An Introduction.
Poverty, Inequality and Social Protection in Southeast Asia: An Introduction.
Sarah Cook and Jonathan Pincus. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE) 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 1-17.

Abstract: Social protection programmes have expanded rapidly in the developing world in recent years. In Southeast Asia, the experience of the Asian Financial Crisis of the 1990s heightened awareness of vulnerability to poverty and the role of government in protecting households from a sudden loss of employment and income, or from contingencies such as ill-health and ageing. Most governments have expanded targeted social assistance programmes, although the quality and coverage of these programmes vary from place to place. Public support for basic health and education services is also uneven. Common challenges in the region include economic risks associated with financial globalization, rapid urbanization, high levels of informal employment, rising dependency ratios and a highly unequal gender division of labour.

Trade Openness and Household Welfare within a Country: A Microeconomic Analysis of Vietnamese Households.
Trade Openness and Household Welfare within a Country: A Microeconomic Analysis of Vietnamese Households.
Le Minh Son. Journal of Asian Economics, 2014.

Abstract: The positive effects of trade liberalisation on several dimensions of poverty have initiated studies of the tradepoverty relationship. Trade liberalisation accompanies institutional reforms that help to reduce institutional barriers against the poor. This study examines the impacts of trade openness and institutional reforms on rural household welfare at the provincial level through the analysis of the determinants of welfare of rural households in Vietnam. The study employs a model of micro-determinants of growth and tests it on the data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys (VHLSSs) of 2006 and 2010. What makes the study different from some other studies of the same vein is that it attempts to directly capture the institutional effect on welfare. The study finds that, in the provinces with high institutional reforms and trade openness, the welfare of rural households improved. Institutional reforms in Vietnam appeared to be sluggish in the late 2000s. In particular, both access to land and lower informal charges were the important determinants of welfare improvement over time. These findings suggest that Vietnam should maintain its development by accelerating the process of institutional reforms, thereby helping poor households to improve standards of living. [sci-dir].


**Social protection

Challenging Assumptions and Managing Expectations: Moving Towards Inclusive Social Protection in Southeast Asia.
Challenging Assumptions and Managing Expectations: Moving Towards Inclusive Social Protection in Southeast Asia.
Keetie Roelen. Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE) 2014, volume 31, number 1, pp. 57-67.

Abstract: Social protection has become part and parcel of the development response in Southeast Asia and across the globe and is likely to gain even greater prominence in light of the post-2015 development agenda. Its set of objectives has steadily widened with social protection now expected to fulfil a plethora of functions ranging from household-level consumption smoothing to macro-level economic stabilization. Notwithstanding the many achievements of social protection to date, this paper aims to inject a healthy dose of realism into current debates about its appropriate roles. This paper particularly reflects on the productivity-enhancing and growth-inducing focus within social protection — a particularly strong feature in Southeast Asia — and how this undermines principles of inclusivity, human rights and social justice. As an antidote to this Machiavellian type of social protection, this paper argues for "Inclusive Social Protection", focusing on equitable coverage, realistic expectations and better integration of policies and programmes.

Transnational Undocumented Marriages in the Sino-Vietnamese Border Areas of China.
Transnational Undocumented Marriages in the Sino-Vietnamese Border Areas of China.
Liang Maochun and Chen Wen. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal, 2014, volume 23, number 1.

Abstract: For many countries, irregular immigration usually engenders adverse public reaction and restrictionist policies. However, public attitudes often vary and looser policies have been adopted at certain times and for certain reasons. The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of undocumented, transnational marriages in the Sino-Vietnamese border areas of China, and to explain why many undocumented immigrants are treated leniently and/ or have not been deported. Research reveals that this could be due to female immigrants considerably relieving the marriage market crisis along China’s border. Thus, unauthorized border crossing continues despite prohibition and de facto marriage is prevalent and uncontrollable. China and Vietnam have yet to establish a bilateral cooperation to address the problematic aspects of this phenomenon. [Maochun-Wen-2014.pdf]. Free full text http://www.smc.org.ph/administrator/uploads/apmj_pdf/APMJ2014V23N1.pdf#page=115.






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