A “paradox of progress” shapes the social determinants of infectious diseases in Vietnam, 1975–2025

Abstract

This article discusses key social determinants of health and how they have shaped infectious disease patterns in Vietnam from 1975 to 2025. It suggests a “paradox of progress”: the country’s transition from post-war poverty to dynamic middle-income economy has driven a shift from diseases of deprivation to a more complex profile linked to development itself. Economic growth reduces malnutrition and poverty-related illnesses, yet rapid urbanization, lifestyle changes, and inequality fuel rising chronic diseases and some infection risk factors. Vietnam now faces a “triple burden” of communicable, non-communicable, and climate-related threats, underscoring the need for intersectoral approaches beyond biomedical interventions.