To describe the pattern of drug use among the children with respiratory illnesses and/or diarrhoe... more To describe the pattern of drug use among the children with respiratory illnesses and/or diarrhoea; and to analyze the association between various socio-economic factors and pattern of drug use. A population-based survey of 4087 children under five was conducted within the framework of an epidemiological surveillance site in a rural district of Vietnam. Through interviewing mothers or caretakers, data on self-reported illness, use of drugs, and use of health services during 2 weeks prior to the survey and other background information were collected. Out of 4087 children, 1836 children had respiratory illness and/or diarrhoea during 2 weeks before the interview and drugs were used in the majority of cases. Antibiotics (72.2%) and analgesics/antipyretics (53.5%) were the drugs most commonly reported. Corticosteroids were used in 11.6% of all cases. Among children with diarrhoea, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) was used in 9.7%, while anti-diarrhoea drugs were used in 36.1% of all cases. There was a significant association between the family's socio-economic condition and use of corticosteroids, but to a lesser degree regarding other drugs. There was no significant association between pattern of drug use and type of health service consulted. There are major problems about irrational drug use among children. The treatment guidelines for respiratory illness and diarrhoea are not followed. Urgent actions are needed and should target all actors in the field, mothers, doctors, pharmacy staff, and authorities in order to improve this situation.
We analyzed the treatment gap by interviewing 189 persons previously identified as having active ... more We analyzed the treatment gap by interviewing 189 persons previously identified as having active epilepsy in a population-based epidemiological project in a rural district of Vietnam (EPIBAVI). Only 29 persons were on regular treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the time of the survey; treatment gap 84.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 79.5-89.8%). The treatment gap was not associated with age, gender, education, income, or seizure control status, but was higher among those living single compared to those who were married (p < 0.05). The most common reason for not taking AEDs expressed by patients who never tried, as well as among those who tried but discontinued, AEDs was the perception that their seizures were too few to justify the trouble and costs associated with treatment.
Purpose: Epidemiologic studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. As part of a pop... more Purpose: Epidemiologic studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. As part of a population-based epidemiologic project in Vietnam, EPIBAVI, we studied the incidence and etiology of epilepsy in people in a representative rural region of the country. Methods: Two identical field surveys were carried out 3 years apart (January to December 2005, and June to December 2008) in the same population of the Bavi District in Vietnam. On both occasions, close to 50,000 members of approximately 13,000 households were screened using a questionnaire for epilepsy. A clinical examination of all screened positive was performed by a neurologist to verify the epilepsy diagnosis, and all incident cases were offered EEG and a CT scan. Results: In the first survey 2.8% screened positive according to the questionnaire. Of these, 19 had epilepsy onset within 1 year preceding the screening, yielding an incidence rate of 40.2 per 100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.1-58.3]. In the second survey 1.8% were screened positive, and 21 of these had epilepsy onset within 1 year preceding the screening, giving an incidence rate of 42.9 per 100,000 (95% CI 24.5-61.2). The age-adjusted incidence was 44.8 per 100,000 (95% CI 30.6-59.0). The incidence was higher in those younger than 16 years, among people with lower education, and among people with lower income. CT scan was performed in 29 cases and only two cases were found with some abnormalities. Discussion: The incidence rate of epilepsy in rural Vietnam in our study was lower than in developing countries in Latin America and Africa and similar to rates in Europe and North America.
Epidemiological studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. We have therefore initi... more Epidemiological studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. We have therefore initiated a population-based epidemiological project in Vietnam, EPIBAVI, with the overall objective to determine the incidence and prevalence of seizures and epilepsy in a representative region of the country. This is a fi rst report on the prevalence of active epilepsy in people 1 year or older in a rural district of Vietnam. Methods: A fi eld survey was carried out in the Bavi District in northern Vietnam between January and December 2005, when members of approximately 13 000 households were screened using a WHO screening questionnaire for seizure disorders. A clinical examination of all screened positive was performed by a neurologist to verify the epilepsy diagnosis, and all epilepsy cases were offered an EEG. Results: Out of 47,269 screened, 1,338 (2.8%) had a positive response to the questionnaire. Of these, 206 fulfi lled the criteria for active epilepsy after clinical examination, yielding a prevalence of 4.4 per 1000 (95%CI 3.8-5.0), higher among males (5.1) than females (3.7), among those with lower compared with higher education and among single compared with those married. EEG revealed epileptiform activity in 11% of the cases. Only 13 cases (6.3%) fulfi lled criteria for idiopathic epilepsy, 62 (30.1%) were considered symptomatic of which one was progressive. The majority, 132 cases (64.1%) were considered cryptogenic. Only 20.6% were seizure free the year before the examination. Conclusion: The prevalence of active epilepsy in Vietnam is similar to some other Asian countries but lower than in developing countries from Africa and South America. 1,2 # This paper was awarded the Tadokoro Prize, Best Platform Presentation, 2 nd Prize.
To describe the pattern of drug use among the children with respiratory illnesses and/or diarrhoe... more To describe the pattern of drug use among the children with respiratory illnesses and/or diarrhoea; and to analyze the association between various socio-economic factors and pattern of drug use. A population-based survey of 4087 children under five was conducted within the framework of an epidemiological surveillance site in a rural district of Vietnam. Through interviewing mothers or caretakers, data on self-reported illness, use of drugs, and use of health services during 2 weeks prior to the survey and other background information were collected. Out of 4087 children, 1836 children had respiratory illness and/or diarrhoea during 2 weeks before the interview and drugs were used in the majority of cases. Antibiotics (72.2%) and analgesics/antipyretics (53.5%) were the drugs most commonly reported. Corticosteroids were used in 11.6% of all cases. Among children with diarrhoea, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) was used in 9.7%, while anti-diarrhoea drugs were used in 36.1% of all cases. There was a significant association between the family's socio-economic condition and use of corticosteroids, but to a lesser degree regarding other drugs. There was no significant association between pattern of drug use and type of health service consulted. There are major problems about irrational drug use among children. The treatment guidelines for respiratory illness and diarrhoea are not followed. Urgent actions are needed and should target all actors in the field, mothers, doctors, pharmacy staff, and authorities in order to improve this situation.
We analyzed the treatment gap by interviewing 189 persons previously identified as having active ... more We analyzed the treatment gap by interviewing 189 persons previously identified as having active epilepsy in a population-based epidemiological project in a rural district of Vietnam (EPIBAVI). Only 29 persons were on regular treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the time of the survey; treatment gap 84.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 79.5-89.8%). The treatment gap was not associated with age, gender, education, income, or seizure control status, but was higher among those living single compared to those who were married (p < 0.05). The most common reason for not taking AEDs expressed by patients who never tried, as well as among those who tried but discontinued, AEDs was the perception that their seizures were too few to justify the trouble and costs associated with treatment.
Purpose: Epidemiologic studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. As part of a pop... more Purpose: Epidemiologic studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. As part of a population-based epidemiologic project in Vietnam, EPIBAVI, we studied the incidence and etiology of epilepsy in people in a representative rural region of the country. Methods: Two identical field surveys were carried out 3 years apart (January to December 2005, and June to December 2008) in the same population of the Bavi District in Vietnam. On both occasions, close to 50,000 members of approximately 13,000 households were screened using a questionnaire for epilepsy. A clinical examination of all screened positive was performed by a neurologist to verify the epilepsy diagnosis, and all incident cases were offered EEG and a CT scan. Results: In the first survey 2.8% screened positive according to the questionnaire. Of these, 19 had epilepsy onset within 1 year preceding the screening, yielding an incidence rate of 40.2 per 100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.1-58.3]. In the second survey 1.8% were screened positive, and 21 of these had epilepsy onset within 1 year preceding the screening, giving an incidence rate of 42.9 per 100,000 (95% CI 24.5-61.2). The age-adjusted incidence was 44.8 per 100,000 (95% CI 30.6-59.0). The incidence was higher in those younger than 16 years, among people with lower education, and among people with lower income. CT scan was performed in 29 cases and only two cases were found with some abnormalities. Discussion: The incidence rate of epilepsy in rural Vietnam in our study was lower than in developing countries in Latin America and Africa and similar to rates in Europe and North America.
Epidemiological studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. We have therefore initi... more Epidemiological studies of epilepsy from developing countries are scarce. We have therefore initiated a population-based epidemiological project in Vietnam, EPIBAVI, with the overall objective to determine the incidence and prevalence of seizures and epilepsy in a representative region of the country. This is a fi rst report on the prevalence of active epilepsy in people 1 year or older in a rural district of Vietnam. Methods: A fi eld survey was carried out in the Bavi District in northern Vietnam between January and December 2005, when members of approximately 13 000 households were screened using a WHO screening questionnaire for seizure disorders. A clinical examination of all screened positive was performed by a neurologist to verify the epilepsy diagnosis, and all epilepsy cases were offered an EEG. Results: Out of 47,269 screened, 1,338 (2.8%) had a positive response to the questionnaire. Of these, 206 fulfi lled the criteria for active epilepsy after clinical examination, yielding a prevalence of 4.4 per 1000 (95%CI 3.8-5.0), higher among males (5.1) than females (3.7), among those with lower compared with higher education and among single compared with those married. EEG revealed epileptiform activity in 11% of the cases. Only 13 cases (6.3%) fulfi lled criteria for idiopathic epilepsy, 62 (30.1%) were considered symptomatic of which one was progressive. The majority, 132 cases (64.1%) were considered cryptogenic. Only 20.6% were seizure free the year before the examination. Conclusion: The prevalence of active epilepsy in Vietnam is similar to some other Asian countries but lower than in developing countries from Africa and South America. 1,2 # This paper was awarded the Tadokoro Prize, Best Platform Presentation, 2 nd Prize.
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