Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 238 in total

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  1. Psychometric properties of the self-report Malay version of the Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQLTM) 4.0 Generic Core Scales among multiethnic Malaysian adolescents
    Ainuddin HA, Loh SY, Chinna K, Low WY, Roslani AC
    J Child Health Care, 2015 Jun;19(2):229-38.
    PMID: 24154841 DOI: 10.1177/1367493513504834
    Adolescence is the potential period for growth and optimal functioning, but developmental issues like time of transition from childhood to adulthood will create stress and affect the adolescent's quality of life (QOL). However, there is a lack of research tool for measuring adolescent's QOL in Malaysia. The aim of the study was to determine the validity and reliability of the self-report Malay version of the pediatric QOL (PedsQL™) 4.0 Generic Core Scales in assessing the QOL of Malaysian adolescents. A cross-sectional study design using the 23-item self-report Malay version of the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales was administered on a convenient cluster sampling (n = 297 adolescent) from a secondary school. The internal consistency reliability had Cronbach's α values ranging from .70 to .89. Factor analysis reported a six-factor structure via principal axis factor analysis. In conclusion, the self-report Malay version of the pediatric QOL 4.0 Generic Core Scales is a reliable and valid tool to measure the QOL of multiethnic Malaysian adolescents.
  2. Quality of life of multiethnic adolescents living with a parent with cancer
    Ainuddin HA, Loh SY, Low WY, Sapihis M, Roslani AC
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(12):6289-94.
    PMID: 23464447
    BACKGROUND: Research evidence suggests a debilitating impact of the diagnosis of cancer on the quality of life of the afflicted individuals, their spouses and their families. However, relatively few studies have been carried out on the impact on the QOL of adolescents living with parents diagnosed with cancer. This paper presents a sub- analysis on the impact of parental cancer (colorectal, breast and lung) on adolescents.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on adolescents aged 13-18 years old. Upon ethical clearance obtained from UMMC Medical Ethics Committee, patients with colorectal, breast or lung cancer and their adolescent children were recruited from the Clinical Oncology Unit of University of Malaya Medical Centre. Respondents who gave consent completed a demographic questionnaire and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, via the post, email, home visit or meetings at the clinics.

    RESULTS: 95 adolescents from 50 families responded, giving a response rate of 88 percent. The adolescent's mean age was 16 years (ranging between 13-18 years). Adolescents with parental cancer had the lowest mean score in emotional functioning (p<0.05). Male adolescents had significantly higher quality of life overall and in physical functioning compared to female adolescents. Adolescents with a father with cancer had better school functioning compared to adolescents whose mothers had cancer. Families with household income of RM 5000 and above have significantly better quality of life compared to families with lower household income.

    CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent sons and daughters of parents with a cancer diagnosis show lowered QOL, particularly with reference to emotional functioning and school performance. Addressing the needs of this young group has been slow and warrants special attention. Revisiting the risk and resilience factors of adolescents might also inform tailored programs to address the needs of this neglected adolescent population.

  3. Fulltext Knowledge and barriers towards cervical cancer screening among young women in Malaysia
    Al-Naggar RA, Low WY, Isa ZM
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2010;11(4):867-73.
    PMID: 21133593
    OBJECTIVES: This study examined the level of knowledge and barriers towards cervical cancer screening of female university students.

    METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional design was used for 287 female students at a tertiary institution located in Selangor, Malaysia. A name list of all students in the all faculties were obtained from each faculty's registrar and the ethics committee of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, approved the study. Respondents completed a consent form before they were given the questionnaire consisting of four sections: socio-demographic characteristics (six questions); risk factor of cervical cancer (six); knowledge about cervical cancer and the Pap smear test (ten); and finally barriers to Pap screening (eleven). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 13.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of ever having had a Pap test was 6%. Majority of the participants had adequate knowledge about risk factors of cervical cancer. The highest knowledge about cervical cancer risk factor reported by the respondents was having more than one sex partner (77.5%), whereas the lowest was the relationship between HPV and cervical cancer (51.2%). Age, marital status, ethnicity, monthly family income and faculty were significantly associated with knowledge of cervical cancer screening (p=0.003; p=0.001; p=0.002; p=0.002; p=0.001 and p=0.002; respectively). The most common barriers of cervical cancer screening were the Pap smear test will make them worry (95.8%) whereas the least common barrier reported among participants was no encouragement from the partner (8.8%).

    CONCLUSION: Some misconceptions and barriers in uptaking Pap smear test are still serious problems among young women. Although knowledge about cervical cancer screening is adequate they have a very poor practice of Pap smear test. The introduction of reproductive health subjects is warranted for all university students.
  4. Fulltext Perceptions and opinion of happiness among university students in a Malaysian university
    Al-Naggar RA, Al-Jashamy KA, Low WY, Mohd Isa Z, Alsaror MI, Al-Naggar AGA
    ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2010;11(2):198-0.
    MyJurnal
    Objective: This study was aimed to explore the perceptions and opinions of happiness among university students. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in January for the academic year 2010 among 33 Medical Science Students from Management and Science University (MSU), Shah Alam, Malaysia. The facilitator wrote down the conversation during the discussion. The data obtained was classified into various categories. Due to the small sample size, the data was analyzed manually. Results: All participants mentioned that the main source of happiness is money. Good relationship with friends and family is the second source of happiness among university students. Some of the students mentioned that the stability of life and good health are causes of happiness. Few participants mentioned that success in life is one of the causes of the happiness.
  5. Effects of nutritional status on academic performance of Malaysian primary school children
    Anuar Zaini MZ, Lim CT, Low WY, Harun F
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2005;17(2):81-7.
    PMID: 16425650
    Numerous factors are known to affect the academic performance of students. These include prenatal conditions, birth conditions, postnatal events, nutritional, socio-economic factors and environmental factors. This paper examines the nutritional status and its relationship with academic performance of 9-10 years old primary school children recruited randomly in Selangor, Malaysia. A standard self-administered questionnaire was utilized to obtain pertinent information and a face-to-face interview was also conducted with the parents. Results of the academic performances were extracted from the students' report cards. The intellectual performance was assessed using Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices. Physical examination was also conducted on these students by doctors. Overall 1,405 students and 1,317 parents responded to the survey. Of these 83.6% were Malays, 11.6% Indians, and 4.2% Chinese. The majority of them (82.9%) were from urban areas. The female: male ratio was 51:49; mean age was 9.71 years. The mean height and weight were 32.3 kg and 135.2 cm respectively. Their mean BMI was 17.42 kg/cm2, with 0.9% underweight, 76.3% normal BMI, 16.3% overweight, and 6.3% obese. Academic performance was significantly correlated with breast feeding, income and educational level of their parents, BMI, and whether they have been taking breakfast. There was a weak correlation between presence of anaemia and intellectual performance. Improving the socio-economic status of the parents will lend a helping hand in the academic performance of the students. Since breast feeding is associated with better academic and intellectual performance it must be emphasized, particularly to expectant mothers in the antenatal clinics.
  6. DIFFERENTIALS IN SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AMONG EAST MALAYSIAN ADOLESCENTS
    Awang H, Low WY, Tong WT, Tan LY, Cheah WL, Benedict Lasimbang H, et al.
    J Biosoc Sci, 2019 03;51(2):282-291.
    PMID: 29978769 DOI: 10.1017/S0021932018000214
    The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of East Malaysian adolescents on sexual and reproductive health issues. Data were collected in March-July 2015 from 2858 adolescents aged 13-18 years from selected East Malaysian secondary schools using a self-administered questionnaire. Twelve items relating to sexual and reproductive health were used to measure respondents' knowledge based on their responses 'True', 'False' or 'Don't know', with the proportion of correct answers being the variable of interest. Cronbach's alpha for the twelve items was 0.761 and the mean knowledge score was 6.8. While the majority of the respondents knew that a woman can get pregnant if she has sex with a man and that HIV and AIDS can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, knowledge about Malaysia's abortion laws, that a woman can get pregnant if she has sex only once and that people with sexually transmitted infections may look healthy was poor. Older respondents and those from urban schools reported significantly higher knowledge than younger respondents and those from rural schools, respectively. More emphasis should be given in schools to the specific topics for which low levels of sexual and reproductive health knowledge were found, with greater attention being given to younger adolescents and those in rural areas.
  7. Fulltext Knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual behaviours among Malaysian male youths
    Awang H, Wong LP, Jani R, Low WY
    J Biosoc Sci, 2014 Mar;46(2):214-24.
    PMID: 23480474 DOI: 10.1017/S0021932013000114
    This study examines the knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among male youths in Malaysia. A self-administered survey was carried out on a sample of 952 never-married males aged 15-24 years. The respondents were asked about their knowledge of STDs, how these diseases get transmitted and their sexual behaviours. The data showed that 92% of the respondents knew of at least one STD (syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, herpes, genital warts, yeast infection, trichomoniasis or HIV/AIDS). About 95% of them knew of at least one method of STD transmission. Urban and tertiary-educated male youths showed a substantially higher proportion of awareness of STDs and transmission methods compared with their rural and less-educated counterparts. The data also indicated that 10% of the study sample admitted to having had sexual experiences. There were still a large proportion of the respondents who were not aware of STDs other than syphilis and HIV/AIDS and the means of transmission, such as multiple sex partners, including those who claimed to be sexually active. Thus there is a need for more concerted efforts to disseminate information on STDs and transmission methods to a wider audience in Malaysia, especially youths in rural areas.
  8. Impact of Hypnosis Intervention in Alleviating Psychological and Physical Symptoms During Pregnancy
    Beevi Z, Low WY, Hassan J
    Am J Clin Hypn, 2016 Apr;58(4):368-82.
    PMID: 27003486 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2015.1063476
    Physical symptoms (e.g., vomiting) and psychological symptoms (stress, anxiety, and depression) during pregnancy are common. Various strategies such as hypnosis are available to reduce these symptoms. The objective of the authors in this study is to investigate the impact of a hypnosis intervention in reducing physical and psychological symptoms during pregnancy. A pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design was employed in this study. The hypnosis intervention was given to the experimental group participants at weeks 16 (baseline), 20 (time point 1), 28 (time point 2), and 36 (time point 3) of their pregnancy. Participants in the control group received only the traditional antenatal care. Participants from both groups completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and a Pregnancy Symptoms Checklist at weeks 16, 20, 28 and 36 of pregnancy. Results indicated that stress and anxiety symptoms were significantly reduced for the experimental group, but not for the control group. Although mean differences for the depressive symptoms were not significant, the experimental group had lower symptoms at time point 3. The physical symptoms' results showed significant group differences at time point 3, indicating a reduction in the experience of physical symptoms for the experimental group participants. Our study showed that hypnosis intervention during pregnancy aided in reducing physical and psychological symptoms during pregnancy.
  9. Successful Treatment of Ptyalism Gravidarum With Concomitant Hyperemesis Using Hypnosis
    Beevi Z, Low WY, Hassan J
    Am J Clin Hypn, 2015 Oct;58(2):215-23.
    PMID: 26264544 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2015.1013186
    Ptyalism gravidarum, or sialorrhea, is the excessive secretion of saliva during pregnancy. Treatment of ptyalism gravidarum is often challenging due to its unknown etiologies. This article discusses a case of ptyalism gravidarum with concomitant hyperemesis in which the condition was successfully treated with hypnosis. A 28-year-old woman presented with ptyalism 2 months into her pregnancy and hyperemesis 3 months into pregnancy with associated vomiting that occurred following every meal. Hypnosis was administered at week 16 of pregnancy to eliminate ptyalism and hyperemesis, to prepare for childbirth, and to increase overall psychological well-being. Ptyalism resolved by week 36, concurrent with the final hypnosis session.
  10. The Effectiveness of Hypnosis Intervention in Alleviating Postpartum Psychological Symptoms
    Beevi Z, Low WY, Hassan J
    Am J Clin Hypn, 2019 Apr;61(4):409-425.
    PMID: 31017553 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2018.1538870
    Psychological symptoms, particularly postpartum depression, may impair women's well-being after childbirth. Mind-body treatments such as hypnosis are available to help prepare women to maintain or improve their well-being postpartum. The aims of the present study are to determine the effectiveness of a hypnosis intervention in alleviating psychological symptoms (stress, anxiety, and depression) and the symptoms of postpartum depression. A quasi-experimental design was utilized in this study. The experimental group participants (n = 28) received a hypnosis intervention at weeks 16, 20, 28, and 36 of their pregnancies. Participants in the control group (n = 28) received routine prenatal care. The final data collection, occurring at two months postpartum, included 16 women from the experimental group and 11 women from the control group. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to measure psychological symptoms, and postpartum depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The results at two months postpartum showed that the experimental group had significantly lower postpartum anxiety than the control group (M = 2.88 versus M = 38.36, p = .023). Similarly, the experimental group had significantly lower postpartum depressive symptoms than the control group (M = 1.25 versus M = 6.73, p
  11. The Effectiveness of Hypnosis Intervention for Labor: An Experimental Study
    Beevi Z, Low WY, Hassan J
    Am J Clin Hypn, 2017 Oct;60(2):172-191.
    PMID: 28891771 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2017.1280659
    Hypnosis has been shown to help pregnant women experience improved labor and postpartum periods. The present study compares the differences between experimental (n = 23) and control groups (n = 22) on specific variables measured both during labor and 24 hr postpartum. The participants in the experimental group received the hypnosis intervention at weeks 16, 20, 28, and 36 of pregnancy, while those in the control group received only routine antenatal care. The data collected at the labor stage describe the length of the labor stage, pain relief used during labor, the method of delivery, and the type of assisted vaginal delivery. Within 24 hr of delivery, data on neonatal birth weight, neonatal Apgar scores, and self-reported pain were obtained. The labor stage results showed no significant differences in the length of the second and third stages of labor. Although the participants in the experimental group reported higher pain levels immediately prior to, during, and immediately after delivery, their use of pethidine during labor was significantly lower than the control group participants. None of the experimental group participants opted for an epidural, and they had a greater number of assisted vaginal deliveries than the control group participants. The 24 hr postpartum results showed that the neonates of the experimental group participants had nonsignificantly higher Apgar scores than those of the women in the control group. Group differences in neonatal weight were not significant. The results of the present study indicate that hypnosis is useful for assisting pregnant women during labor and the postpartum period.
  12. The Year of the Monkey and Progress in Public Health in the Asia Pacific Region
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2016 Jan;28(1):4-6.
    PMID: 26712894 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515624534
  13. Lessons from Ramazzini for occupational health in the Asia-Pacific region
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Nov;26(6):557-9.
    PMID: 25385927 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514557441
  14. What is public health?
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Jan;27(1):5-6.
    PMID: 25573842 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514565740
  15. Nutrition in the 21st century: riding the U-shaped wave
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5):444-6.
    PMID: 25143450 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514546797
  16. The Bard's birthday, immunization, and public health
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Jul;26(4):336-8.
    PMID: 24947830 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514539795
  17. Oral public health in the Asia-pacific region
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 May;26(3):224-5.
    PMID: 24824521 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514533252
  18. Sex Workers Need Public Health Too
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Nov;27(8):804-5.
    PMID: 26470714 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515613230
  19. Neonatal Public Health: Progress and Challenges
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Oct;27(7):688-9.
    PMID: 26316501 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515604944
  20. Environmental Challenges Facing Public Health in 2016
    Binns C, Low WY
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2016 Apr;28(3):204-5.
    PMID: 27095817 DOI: 10.1177/1010539516643198
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