Palliative Care Intervention Outcome Evaluation in Quang Ninh, Vietnam: 2009 – 2010

Four rounds of surveys were conducted (rounds 1, 2 and 3 are completed) by the RTCCD team. This study was conducted in collaboration with FHI Vietnam (funded by USAID). Palliative care is the combination of measures that relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for those facing severe and debilitating illnesses. It should be offered from the point of diagnosis and continue through death and bereavement. Though it is one of the most important forms of care for individuals with progressive or far-advanced illness, millions do not have access to palliative care services. This means that they continue to endure pain and psychosocial suffering, and millions more struggle to care for sick loved ones. Findings from the study would not only provide evidence for change but could be used to show Vietnam as a model for countries interested in developing palliative care guidelines, training and programs.

The study aims to evaluate the outcomes and processes of implementing palliative care services for PLHIV. The two main primary objectives are (1) to measure changes in three primary palliative care outcomes: pain; depression and anxiety; and social support, and (2) to identify facilitators and barriers to implementing palliative care services at the district level. Using a quasi-experimental, two-arm, non-randomized intervention, it involves 850 PLHIV in Cam Pha and Van Don out-patient clinics to be interviewed in each of the four three-month interval official survey rounds.  

The training and on-the-job practical instruction to health workers in mental health care for PLHIV is conducted within the design of this research. Download first baseline report summary in English.

Baseline Data Collection for Indicator 14 of the National HIV M&E Framework: 2009

The Government of Vietnam released the “National Strategy on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control”. A National HIV M&E Framework developed by Ministry of Health (MOH) regrouped a set of 54 key indicators on HIV prevention and control activities in Vietnam. No data exists for indicator #14 which looks at life-skills based HIV education in schools and there was a need for a survey to collect baseline data. The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is taking steps to consolidate and harmonize experience gained through pilot projects and scale up life skills-based HIV education, and UNICEF (which is supporting MOET to control the implementation of Healthy Living and Life Skills Education component) invited RTCCD to be the national technical consultant for the baseline data collection. The methods applied in the survey are postal surveys and follow-up visits. Download report summary in English and Vietnamese.