Health indicators among students from Hô Chi Minh-Ville (Vietnam): comparison with other countries

In Vietnam, as in most developing countries, adolescent health is not considered a priority, yet this population faces many health problems. This study aims to describe perceptions of health among high school students in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam. The study was carried out with a representative sample of 543 students between the ages of 16 and 19, using a tool adapted from a questionnaire that was created and validated by the Centre for Preventive Medicine in Nancy, France. The adolescents who participated in the study described their perceptions of health in diverse ways: on the one hand they described them in a classic manner (absence of sickness) and on the other hand they described them in a more comprehensive, positive way (fitness, strength, development, happiness). A comparison with other studies in Algeria and France that used the same questionnaire shows certain similarities across cultures with regard to perceptions of health, as well as certain characteristics that are particular to each society and each culture.