Background and Aims: In every disease, there will be the triggers on the occurrences. One of them is the oxidative stress, an imbalance between free radicals such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidants. The human body manages free radicals through neutralization by the antioxidative defense mechanism, however, when excessive free radicals being produced, it will become less effective. Over 40 years of age, oxidative stress become prominent and may associated with many diseases such as neural disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative stress can cause damage to lipids, known as lipid peroxidation, producing malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker to detect the degree of oxidative stress. Availability of oxygen (O2) is the main factor of the ROS formation, which could be indicated by haemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Thus, this research is conducted to find out the correlation between Hb concentration and MDA level in healthy middle age adults.
Methods: A correlation study was conducted in a private University, Shah Alam from January 2018 until March 2018. Total 16 participants, who are MSU staffs, age between 45 and 65, with no known diseases, are selected after the consents are gained. Pearson correlation was used for statistical analysis of the data.
Results: It is found that there is a strong correlation between Hb concentration and MDA level (r: .756, p
Dengue fever is a major public health problem in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess factors affecting knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dengue fever among a selected population in Malaysia. A descriptive, community-based, cross sectional study was conducted with 300 participants from three different geographical settings in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas within the states of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The questionnaire included questions on demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dengue fever. Mean age of respondents was 34.4 (+/- 5.7) years, and the age ranged from 18 to 65 years. The majority of respondents were married (54.7%), Malays (72.7%) and heard about dengue fever (89.7%). Television was the common source of information about dengue fever (97.0%). Participants answered 4 out of 15 items of knowledge incorrectly. There was no significant association between knowledge score and socio-demographic factors. About one-fifth of the respondents (24%) believed that immediate treatment is not necessary for dengue fever, and the majority of them were not afraid of the disease (96.0%). Attitudes toward dengue fever were significantly associated with the level of education and employment status (p < 0.05). Practice was associated significantly with age, marital status, and geographic area (p < 0.05) and knowledge on dengue fever (p = 0.030). There is a need to increase health promotion activities through campaigns and social mobilization to increase knowledge regarding dengue fever. This would help to mold positive attitudes and cultivate better preventive practices among the public to eliminate dengue in the country.