OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (1) identify problem nutrient(s), (2) identify locally available nutrient-dense food sources that can provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children aged 2-5 years, and (3) use linear programming to recommend a daily diet based on the current food patterns that achieves dietary adequacy and meets average food costs for these children.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Seremban, Malaysia. Three-day 24hour dietary recalls were collected from the mothers (n = 168). Food costs were estimated using market surveys. The FBRs were formulated by linear programming analysis using Optifood software.
RESULTS: Folate was an "absolute problem nutrient" (such a nutrient does not achieve the 100% recommended nutrient intake even upon diet optimization). Full-cream milk, chocolate malted milk, fortified cornflakes, and chicken egg were the common locally available nutrient-dense foods that would provide adequate nutrients to meet the recommended dietary intakes of undernourished urban poor children. The final FBR set would ensure dietary adequacy for eight to nine of 11 nutrients at a cost of ringgit Malaysia (RM) 4.80/day (US $1.05/day) and RM6.20/day (US $1.34/day), depending on the age group.
CONCLUSIONS: Interventions are required to ensure dietary adequacy for undernourished urban poor children under 5 years old. Dietary adequacy could be improved via realistic changes in habitual food consumption practices.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine Malaysian parents of child (ren) with communication disorders, who fulfilled the inclusionary criteria. Parents had attempted the speech-language home program by using the guidebook prior to the interview. The participants were subjected to 45-min to 1-h interviews. The interviews were audio- or video-recorded for verbatim transcription. Thematic analysis was used for data interpretation.
RESULTS: Four main themes were identified: (1) 'Golden Period': a guidebook to deliver speech-language home program, (2) perception of the speech-language home program among parents of children with communication disorders, (3) challenges faced by parents when practicing speech-language home program and (4) suggestions for improvements: parent's needs. The themes informed the perspective of parents towards the user experience of the parental guidebook, the feasibility of the speech-language home program and their recommendations. Overall, participants conveyed positive responses on the parental guidebook.
CONCLUSIONS: Malaysian parents face difficulties in accessing speech therapy because of limited numbers of SLTs, geographical barriers, financial constraints, availability of facilities and so forth. Findings could assist SLTs in adopting a family-centred approach in their service delivery, thus increasing the cost-effectiveness of their service delivery.
METHOD: We extracted asthma data from the Global Burden of Disease database for South Asia (1990-2021). Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess temporal trends in asthma burden. Total Percentage change (TPC) in age-standardized rates of incidence, mortality, and DALYs were calculated. Data were stratified by gender, and the contribution of risk factors was evaluated.
RESULTS: Asthma-related mortality in South Asia decreased by 37%, from 27.78 per 100,000 (1990) to 17.54 per 100,000 (2021). The Maldives showed the most significant reduction in mortality (78.31%), while Bangladesh recorded a 47.44% reduction in prevalence and a 62.64% decrease in DALYs. High BMI, smoking, and environmental risks contributed significantly to DALYs, with environmental factors playing a major role in countries like Afghanistan (20.73%) and Bhutan (18.58%). Females, particularly those over 20, experienced higher asthma-related DALYs than males.
CONCLUSION: Asthma burden in South Asia has reduced over the past three decades, yet the absolute number of cases continues to rise, driven by population growth and environmental risk factors. Targeted interventions addressing risk factors and healthcare disparities are essential for further reducing asthma burden.
METHOD: This retrospective cross-sectional study analysed the clinical records and computed tomography (CT) data of patients with pure OBFs, treated between 1st January 2008 and 28th February 2022 at a single tertiary trauma centre in Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data collected included demographic characteristics and the aetiology of OBFs. Specific factors such as fracture site, size, type, and soft tissue involvement were assessed using CT images, which were converted to DICOM format and analysed with the OsiriX v4.1.2 software. Diplopia was measured using the Hess area ratio percentage (HAR%).
RESULTS: The analysis included records of 70 patients. Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) accounted for 61.4 % of pure OBFs. The largest fracture observed involved both the orbital floor and the medial wall, with a mean size of 6.40 ± 3.05 cm². Among the patients, 41.6 % had Type 3 fractures, and 50 % (n = 35) had 2-point muscle-soft tissue contact. Fracture size, site, type, and muscle contact were all significantly associated with HAR92 % (p < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed that Type 3 fracture was the significant predictor of diplopia (HAR < 92 %), with an odds ratio of 19.80 (95 % CI: 5.76-68.07, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Fracture site, size, type, and muscle involvement were important factors associated with diplopia. Among these, Type 3 fractures were identified as the primary predictor of HAR < 92 %.