title: Family impact of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis in Taiwan and Vietnam: an Ethnographic Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior to the introduction of rotavirus vaccines, rotavirus was the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children, and it continues to be the leading cause in countries without vaccination programs. Rotavirus gastroenteritis results in substantial economic burden and has a pronounced effect on the family of those who are ill. Both in Taiwan and in Vietnam, rotavirus illness is viewed as a priority disease. This study assessed, in Taiwan and Vietnam, the impact of rotavirus gastroenteritis on the family among a group of parents whose children had recently been hospitalized for this illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first half of 2013, parents of children who had been hospitalized due to rotavirus infection were recruited from hospitals in Taiwan (n = 12) and Vietnam (n = 22), and participated in focus group sessions or in-depth ethnographic interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both countries, the results point to a substantial burden on the parents concerning emotions and logistics of daily tasks, and to considerable disruptions of the family routine. Taiwanese parents reported satisfaction with the health care system, a great deal of effort to suppress emotions, a fair amount of knowledge about rotavirus, and little extra costs related to the illness. On the other hand, parents in Vietnam expressed concern about the emotional well-being of and the health care treatments for their children, were less knowledgeable regarding rotavirus infection, and experienced a substantial financial burden due to indirect costs that were related to accessing treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Families in Taiwan and Vietnam suffer from a considerable economic and emotional burden related to rotavirus gastroenteritis. One way to substantially reduce this burden is to provide universal and affordable rotavirus vaccination to susceptible children, especially since cost-effectiveness studies have demonstrated that universal vaccination would be safe and efficacious against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in these countries.
authors.affiliation: Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. cerise.james@merck.com.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: IMS Health, Barcelona, Spain. srojas@es.imshealth.com.
authors.forename: Sònia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rojas-Farreras
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan. ped2435@ms2.mmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Hung-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan & School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan. lhlinlh@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Lung-Huang
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. jason@vghtc.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Chieh-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital # 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. hlphuc@yds.edu.vn.
authors.forename: Phuc Le
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hoang
authors.affiliation: IMS Health, Barcelona, Spain. montse.pedros@es.imshealth.com.
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedros
authors.affiliation: IMS Health, Barcelona, Spain. nlara@es.imshealth.com.|IMS Health, Doctor Ferran 25-27 2°, 08034, Barcelona, Spain. nlara@es.imshealth.com.
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004644:Emotions; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012401:Rotavirus; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013624:Taiwan; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult