abstract: 'BackgroundInternationally, mental health and social care systems face

  significant challenges when implementing policy to prevent and respond

  to domestic violence (DV). This paper reviews the policy process

  pertaining to the national law on domestic violence prevention and

  control (DVPC) within the health system in Vietnam from 2003 to 2018,

  and critically examines the policy-making process and content, the

  involvement of key actors and the barriers to implementation within the

  health system.Methods63 policy documents, 36 key informant interviews

  and 4 focus group discussions were conducted in Hanoi city, Bac Giang

  and Hai Duong provinces. The policy triangle framework was used to

  analyse the development and implementation process of the Law on

  DVPC.ResultsThe Vietnamese government developed the law on DVPC in

  response to the Millennium Development Goals reporting requirements. The

  development was a top-down process directed by state bodies, but it was

  the first time that international agencies and civil society groups had

  been involved in the health policy development process. The major themes

  that emerged in the analysis include: policy content, policymaking and

  implementation processes, the nature of actors'' involvement, contexts,

  and mechanisms for policy implementation. Policy implementation was slow

  and delayed due to implementation being optional, decentralization,

  socio-cultural factors related especially to sensitivity, insufficient

  budgets, and insufficient cooperation between various actors within the

  health system and other related DV support systems.ConclusionThe initial

  development process for DVPC Law in Vietnam was pressured by external

  and internal demands, but the subsequent implementation within the

  health system experienced protracted delays. It is recommended that the

  policy be revised to emphasise a rights-based approach. Implementation

  would be more effective if monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are

  improved, the quality of training for health workers is enhanced, and

  cooperation between the health sector and related actors in the

  community is required and becomes routine in daily work.'
affiliation: 'Le, TM (Corresponding Author), Hanoi Univ Publ Hlth, Fac Hlth Social
  Sci Behav \& Hlth Educ, Dept Populat \& Reprod Hlth, Duc Thang Ward, 1A Duc Thang
  Rd, Hanoi, Vietnam.

  Le, TM (Corresponding Author), Queensland Univ Technol, Sch Publ Hlth \& Social
  Work, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

  Thi Minh Le, Hanoi Univ Publ Hlth, Fac Hlth Social Sci Behav \& Hlth Educ, Dept
  Populat \& Reprod Hlth, Duc Thang Ward, 1A Duc Thang Rd, Hanoi, Vietnam.

  Thi Minh Le; Morley, Christine; Dunne, Michael P., Queensland Univ Technol, Sch
  Publ Hlth \& Social Work, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

  Hill, Peter S., Univ Queensland, Sch Publ Hlth, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

  Quyen Tu Bui, Hanoi Univ Publ Hlth, Fac Fundamental Sci, Duc Thang Ward, 1A Duc
  Thang Rd, Hanoi, Vietnam.

  Dunne, Michael P., Hue Univ, Inst Community Hlth Res, Hue, Vietnam.'
article-number: '41'
author: Le, Thi Minh and Morley, Christine and Hill, Peter S. and Bui, Quyen Tu and
  Dunne, Michael P.
author-email: lmt@huph.edu.vn
author_list:
- family: Le
  given: Thi Minh
- family: Morley
  given: Christine
- family: Hill
  given: Peter S.
- family: Bui
  given: Quyen Tu
- family: Dunne
  given: Michael P.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1186/s13033-019-0295-6
files: []
issn: 1752-4458
journal: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS
keywords: 'Domestic violence; Gender; Case study; Policy; Development;

  Implementation; Vietnam; Health system'
keywords-plus: INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE; MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES
language: English
month: JUN 8
number-of-cited-references: '35'
orcid-numbers: 'Bui, Quyen/0000-0002-5061-8488

  Le, Minh Thi/0000-0002-1017-6187

  Morley, Christine/0000-0002-5141-3804'
papis_id: cce1407e5a7ec0872ca730535cc24ee8
ref: Le2019evolutiondomestic
researcherid-numbers: 'Bui, Quyen/ABA-5289-2021

  '
times-cited: '8'
title: 'The evolution of domestic violence prevention and control in Vietnam from
  2003 to 2018: a case study of policy development and implementation within the health
  system'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000470781200001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '5'
volume: '13'
web-of-science-categories: Psychiatry
year: '2019'