Da Nang Airbase served as a bulk storage and supply facility for Agent Orange and other herbicides during the Operation
Ranch Hand 1961-1971. Local people living in the vicinities of the Da Nang Airbase as well as in other dioxin hot spots in
Vietnam have probably been facing with high risk of exposing to dioxin in soil, water, mud and particularly through
consuming local contaminated foods.1,2,3,4,5 Continued with the success of the public health intervention program
implemented in Bien Hoa dioxin hot spot in the period 2007-2009 in reducing the risk of dioxin exposure for local
residents6, the Ford Foundation funded to expand this intervention model to four wards in the vicinities of the Da Nang
Airbase. In 2009, before developing and implementing this intervention program, a cross sectional survey on knowledge,
attitude and practices (KAP) was undertaken aiming at assessing the KAP of householders on dioxin and measures to
prevent dioxin exposure through consuming contaminated foods. A sample of 400 households was randomly selected from
the list of local households in four most affected wards in Da Nang using systematic random sampling scheme. 400 food
handlers from selected households, aged 16-60 were interviewed. Data was entered using Epi-data 3.1, and analyzed using
SPSS 17.0 software. The results showed that although living in a severe dioxin hot spot, the knowledge and practices of
local residents living near Da Nang Airbase on dioxin and preventive measures were very limited. An intervention program
to reduce the risk of dioxin exposure for local people living at four wards near Da Nang Airbase was urgently needed. The
results of this survey was presented at the workshop organized in May 2010 in Da Nang City to develop a detail
intervention program with active involvement of related local departments and stakeholders.