Anxiety and depression are prevalent during pregnancy. Estimates of the prevalence of anxiety and depression during pregnancy vary according to the criteria used, variable methodologies and population characteristics.
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for female sexual desire disorder (FSDD) among healthcare personnel at selected healthcare facilities in Malaysia.
METHODS: Two hundred and one female healthcare workers from three large tertiary hospitals were selected by stratified random sampling to participate in this cross-sectional study. Validated questionnaires were used to assess depression, anxiety, and sexual function in women and erectile dysfunction (ED) in their partners.
RESULTS: The prevalence of FSDD was 18.9%. Women with low sexual desire were more likely to have higher educational attainment (OR = 3.06; 95% CI; 1.22-7.66), lower frequency of sexual intercourse (OR = 12.81; 95% CI; 4.43-37.83), two or more children (OR = 3.05; 95% CI; 1.02-9.09), duration of marriage of 20 years or more (OR = 2.62; 95% CI; 1.27-5.40), and a spouse with ED (OR = 2.86; 95% CI; 1.08-7.56).
DISCUSSION: FSDD is common among female healthcare personnel in Malaysia, affecting nearly one in five women. The implication of low sexual desire is important in terms of contributing to a meaningful sexual relationship, and indirectly affects the quality of life of the healthcare personnel.
KEYWORDS: Malaysia; healthcare personnel; prevalence; risk factor; sexual desire disorder
MeSH terms: Adult; Educational Status; Female; Health Personnel/psychology; Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data*; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data; Prevalence; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/etiology; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/epidemiology*; Young Adult
The objective of this study was to examine the risk of female sexual orgasmic disorder among a group of women with hypertension in Malaysia. The associated factors were also examined.
MeSH terms: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Hypertension/complications*; Malaysia/epidemiology; Menopause; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/etiology*; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/epidemiology
To examine the relationship between externalizing/internalizing syndromes and school truancy among Form Four (10th grade) students attending "high-risk" schools in Kuala Lumpur.
Introduction: Research on depression in local patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is sparse. Thus, this study aims to examine the frequency and severity of depression among ESRD patients and relate depression with their coping skills.
Methods: A cross-sectional study using universal sampling method was conducted at several dialysis centers in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Johor, Malaysia. The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) and the Brief COPE scale were used to measure depression and coping skill, respectively.
Results: The study involved 274 ESRD patients, comprising of 183 hemodialysis and 91 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. The result showed that 21.1% of the patients experienced moderate to severe depression. Several components of coping skill were associated with depression. However, only two components in the Brief COPE (behavioral disengagement and self-blame) were identified as predictors.
Discussion: This study showed that depression is common in ESRD patients and is related to the types of coping skills adopted by patients. Hence, this study provides some insight into ESRD patients with depression. Appropriate counseling should be given to these patients to empower them to cope with the illness so as to enhance their quality of life.
SSRIs are known for their sexual side-effects with a variable rate of sexual dysfunction (SD). 5HT2A (rs6311) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was found to have significant association with SD. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of female SDD, its clinical correlates and association with 5HT2A (rs6311) SNP in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) treated with SSRIs.
MeSH terms: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy; Female; Genotype; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Surveys and Questionnaires; Prevalence; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors/adverse effects*; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/chemically induced; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/genetics*; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological/epidemiology; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics*; Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/genetics*; Genetic Association Studies
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the construct of the phases of the female sexual response cycle (SRC) among women attending an infertility clinic in a Malaysian tertiary center.
MeSH terms: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Female; Humans; Infertility, Female/psychology*; Libido; Malaysia/epidemiology; Orgasm; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sexual Behavior/psychology*; Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data; Principal Component Analysis
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine the role of social support and depression in predicting the quality of life among the elderly living in a rural Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) community in Malaysia.
METHODS: A total of 162 elderly settlers of FELDA Sungai Tengi, aged 60 years and above, were selected by universal sampling method in this cross-sectional study. Three standardized instruments - the 12-item Short Form (SF-12), 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and Medical Outcome Study Social Support (MOS-Social Support) - were used to assess for quality of life, depression and social support.
RESULTS: Quality of life of the elderly people in this community was high, especially in terms of physical components as compared to mental components. The mean scores for emotional role in the SF-12 was relatively the highest (90.74 ± 21.59) with social functioning being the lowest (30.35 ± 22.29). The results also showed that the mean value was higher for physical component summary (74.40) as compared to mental component summary (51.51). Approximately 23.5% suffered mild depression and only 2.5% had severe depression.
DISCUSSION: This study showed that the elderly FELDA settlers have a high quality of life, mainly on the physical components of life and low rate of severe depression, a positive indicator of their psychological well-being. Social support in the form of emotional/informational support, and depression were significant factors related to their good quality of life.
KEYWORDS: depression; elderly; quality of life; rural community; social support
Study site; FELDA Sungai Tengi, Selangor, Malaysia
Device, Questionnaire & Scale: Short Form Health Survey (SF-12); Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15; Medical Outcome Study Social Support (MOS-Social Support)
MeSH terms: Activities of Daily Living/psychology; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression/epidemiology*; Depression/psychology; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Quality of Life/psychology*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Rural Population; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data; Social Support*
INTRODUCTION: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric conditions in men. The aim of the study was to determine the depressive symptoms and associated factors among men on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 108 subjects who attended the Drug Clinic at Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The instruments used include the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition Axis-I Disorder, Beck Depression Inventory and the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function.
RESULTS: The rate of depression was 44.4%. There were significant associations between Malay ethnicity, secondary education level and concurrent illicit cannabis use with depression (P
Anxiety among house officers may impair functioning and health care delivery. This study aimed to determine the association between anxiety among house officers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, sociodemographic and work-related factors.
Chronic stress in adolescents may cause physical, mental and emotional health issues which lead to poor outcomes if left untreated. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress, and their association with stressors.
Neurosyphilis may presents with a range of psychiatric symptoms. This report illustrates a case of neurosyphilis in a man who presented with psychosis and cognitive dysfunction. Clinical findings and investigations done in the present case showed positive results for syphilis. Reduction of symptoms was noted after treatment with antibiotic. This case further highlights the importance of having high index of suspicion for neurosyphilis in patients presenting with psychiatric symptoms.
Research in the field of child sexual abuse is lacking in Malaysia. The aims of this study are to identify the association between sociodemographic factors and depression among sexually abused females.
MeSH terms: Adolescent; Age Factors; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual/psychology*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression/etiology*; Depression/epidemiology; Family/psychology; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Surveys and Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse/psychology*; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse/statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between clinical/socio-demographic factors with knowledge and attitude on sex among medical students of the National University of Malaysia (UKM).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study assessing 452 students using a self-administered questionnaire of knowledge and attitude was performed and had a response rate of 80%.
RESULTS: The majority of respondents were Malays (56%), females (57.5%), lived in urban areas (66.4%), had a median family income of RM3000 and perceived themselves as moderately religious (60%). The overall score on knowledge about sex was 21.7 of 35 (a higher score indicates better knowledge about sex). It was noted that 73.2% of students felt that they did not receive adequate training in medical school to deal with patients' sexuality and sexual problems, while 51.5% felt uncomfortable talking to patients about these issues. Students in the clinical year were more knowledgeable than those in pre-clinical years (22.67 versus 20.71, P 22 marks [median score]).
DISCUSSION: The students' attitude on sex was considered conservative as the majority of them disagreed on premarital sex, masturbation, abortion, homosexuality and oral sex. Gender and religiosity have a large influence on attitudes on controversial sexual issues, whereas clinical status plays a small role. Knowledge on sex among UKM medical students is inadequate and their attitudes on sex are considered conservative. Integration of sexual medicine and health modules in the medical curriculum is crucial for students to more effectively address patients' sexual problems and promote non-judgmental attitudes towards patients.
KEYWORDS: attitude; knowledge; medical student; sex
MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Homosexuality/psychology; Homosexuality/statistics & numerical data; Humans; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires; Schools, Medical/statistics & numerical data; Sexual Behavior/psychology*; Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data; Students, Medical/psychology*; Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
The rapidly increasing of incidence colorectal cancer (CRC) in Malaysia and the introduction of new treatments that prolong survival advocating treatment outcome measures such as patients' quality of life (QOL) are evaluated in this study. The study aims to determine QOL in CRC patients according to cancer stage and age.
MeSH terms: Adult; Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Status; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life/psychology*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Colorectal Neoplasms/psychology*; Young Adult
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the Malay version of Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men (MVATL/MVATG) among a group of medical students in Malaysia.
METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study of 173 medical students in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The participants were given the MVATL/MVATG, Index of Attitudes toward Homosexuals (IATH), Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS) and the English version of Attitude toward Lesbians and Gay Men. Two weeks later, these students were given the MVATLG again.
RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between the individual scores of MVATL and MVATG with IATH and HAS in the results. The scale was able to differentiate Muslim and Non-Muslim subjects. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of both the MVATL and MVATG were good, at 0.76 and 0.82, respectively. The parallel form reliability (Pearson's correlation) of MVATL was 0.0.73 and 0.74 for MVATG. The test-retest reliability of MVATL/MVATG was good (Intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.67 for MVATL and 0.60 for MVATG).
DISCUSSION: The MVATLG demonstrated good psychometric properties in measuring attitudes toward homosexuality among a group of medical students in Malaysia and it could be used as a simple instrument on young educated Malaysian adults.
KEYWORDS: Malaysia; attitude; gay men; homosexuality; lesbians; validation
MeSH terms: Attitude of Health Personnel*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires/standards; Religion and Sex; Schools, Medical/statistics & numerical data; Students, Medical/psychology*; Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data; Reproducibility of Results; Homosexuality, Male/psychology*; Homosexuality, Male/statistics & numerical data; Homosexuality, Female/psychology*; Homosexuality, Female/statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; Homophobia/psychology; Homophobia/statistics & numerical data
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the association between sexual abuse, substance abuse and socio-demographic factors with suicidal ideation (SI), plans (SP) and deliberate self-harm (DSH) and propose steps to prevent youth suicidal behavior.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 6786 adolescents aged 17-18 years, selected randomly from all Malaysian adolescents to undergo compulsory youth camps located in Selangor, Malaysia (2008-2009). Participants were assessed using self-administered questionnaires developed to reflect the local cultural setting. However, only 4581 subjects were analyzed after excluding incomplete data.
RESULTS: The rates of SI, SP and DSH were 7.6%, 3.2% and 6.3%, respectively. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio showed that sexual abuse was associated with SI 1.99 (95% CI: 1.56-2.55), SP 1.57 (95% CI: 1.09-2.27) and DSH 2.26 (95% CI: 1.75-2.94); illicit drug use was associated with SI 4.05 (95% CI: 2.14-7.67), SP 2.62 (95% CI: 1.05-6.53) and DSH 2.06, (95% CI: 1.05-4.04); for alcohol use DSH was 1.34 (95% CI: 1.00-1.79). Being female was associated with all suicidal behaviors: SI 2.51 (95% CI: 1.91-3.30), SP 2.07 (95% CI: 1.39-3.08) and DSH 1.59 (95% CI: 1.19-2.11).
DISCUSSION: Given the well-founded concern of increasing risk of suicidal behavior among youth, preventive efforts should adopt a more comprehensive approach in dealing with sexual abuse and substance abuse, and their sequelae, especially in girls.
KEYWORDS: adolescent; risks; sexual abuse; substance abuse; suicidal behavior
INTRODUCTION: Hospital-based community psychiatric service (HCPS) is a developing intervention in Malaysia targeted for patients with severe mental illnesses (SMIs). Its effectiveness had not been systematically measured. This study aimed to assess the outcome of HCPS with respect to re-hospitalization and factors associated with low re-hospitalization among patients with schizophrenia in the metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur.
METHODS: A naturalistic and retrospective cohort study was conducted using within-subject pre-post design on 155 patients with schizophrenia who received HCPS in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). The selection was made by simple random sampling. The hospital admission profiles were obtained from clinical records. The socio-demographic and relevant clinical data were also assessed through clinical interviews.
RESULTS: One hundred and forty (90%) of 155 respondents had low rate of hospital admission with significant reduction of being hospitalized within 1 year after receiving HCPS (p