Demand for Health Information on COVID-19 among Vietnamese

Huong Thi Le, Diep Ngoc Nguyen, Ahmed Sam Beydoun, Xuan Thi Thanh Le, Thao Thanh Nguyen, Quan Thi Pham, Nhung Thi Kim Ta, Quynh Thi Nguyen, Anh Ngoc Nguyen, Men Thi Hoang, Linh Gia Vu, Bach Xuan Tran, Carl A. Latkin, Cyrus S.H. Ho and Roger C.M. Ho
Additional contact information
Huong Thi Le: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Diep Ngoc Nguyen: Institute for Global Health Innovations, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam
Ahmed Sam Beydoun: College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Xuan Thi Thanh Le: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Thao Thanh Nguyen: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Quan Thi Pham: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Nhung Thi Kim Ta: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Quynh Thi Nguyen: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Anh Ngoc Nguyen: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Men Thi Hoang: Institute for Global Health Innovations, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam
Linh Gia Vu: Center of Excellence in Evidence-based Medicine, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
Bach Xuan Tran: Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
Carl A. Latkin: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Cyrus S.H. Ho: Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074, Singapore
Roger C.M. Ho: Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus, Vietnam introduced its first national partial lockdown on April 1st, 2020. The public relied on online sources, whether through official websites or phone-based applications, to acquire up-to-date health information, provide accurate instructions, and limit misinformation. This study aims to provide insight regarding the current level of awareness of the pandemic, and to identify associated factors in Vietnamese participants to recommend necessary interventions. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey during the first week of the lockdown period. There were 341 observations collected using a snowball sampling technique. A Tobit multivariable regression model was used to identify factors associated with the demand for each category of health information. The most requested information was the latest updated news on the epidemic, followed by information about disease symptoms and updated news on the outbreak. The prevalence of diverse socioeconomic, demographic, and ethnic factors in Vietnam requires consideration of the specific health information needs of unique groups. Identifying group-specific demands would be helpful to provide proper information to fulfill each population group’s needs.

Keywords: COVID-19; health information; news on the pandemic; Vietnam; risk communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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