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Fulltext Parental and clinician agreement of illness severity in children with RTIs: secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study

van der Werf ET, Redmond NM, Turnbull S, Thornton H, Thompson M, Little P, et al.

Br J Gen Pract, 2019 Apr;69(681):e236-e245.
PMID: 30858333 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp19X701837

BACKGROUND: Severity assessments of respiratory tract infection (RTI) in children are known to differ between parents and clinicians, but determinants of perceived severity are unknown.
AIM: To investigate the (dis)agreement between, and compare the determinants of, parent and clinician severity scores.
DESIGN AND SETTING: Secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study of 8394 children presenting to primary care with acute (≤28 days) cough and RTI.
METHOD: Data on sociodemographic factors, parent-reported symptoms, clinician-reported findings, and severity assessments were used. Kappa (κ)-statistics were used to investigate (dis) agreement, whereas multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with illness severity.
RESULTS: Parents reported higher illness severity (mean 5.2 [standard deviation (SD) 1.8], median 5 [interquartile range (IQR) 4-7]), than clinicians (mean 3.1 [SD 1.7], median 3 [IQR 2-4], P<0.0001). There was low positive correlation between these scores (+0.43) and poor inter-rater agreement between parents and clinicians (κ 0.049). The number of clinical signs was highly correlated with clinician scores (+0.71). Parent-reported symptoms (in the previous 24 hours) that were independently associated with higher illness severity scores, in order of importance, were: severe fever, severe cough, rapid breathing, severe reduced eating, moderate-to-severe reduced fluid intake, severe disturbed sleep, and change in cry. Three of these symptoms (severe fever, rapid breathing, and change in cry) along with inter/subcostal recession, crackles/crepitations, nasal flaring, wheeze, and drowsiness/irritability were associated with higher clinician scores.
CONCLUSION: Clinicians and parents use different factors and make different judgements about the severity of children's RTI. Improved understanding of the factors that concern parents could improve parent-clinician communication and consultation outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Sourcing and framing in cancer control continuum: A content analysis of Malaysian English and Chinese online cancer news

Zhang TH, Tham JS, Yu X, Chang PK, Kho SN

Front Public Health, 2022;10:924027.
PMID: 36530718 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.924027

BACKGROUND: In health news production, sourcing and framing are two critical mechanisms that influence how newsreaders think about and perceive the severity of a health issue. Understanding how local media covers the cancer control continuum is vital. However, very limited studies have looked at the effect of sourcing and framing in cancer news coverage, and it is still unknown how sources and news frames shape cancer coverage, especially in non-Western countries.
OBJECTIVE: This study examines framing and sourcing patterns in news stories reporting on cancer control in Malaysian mainstream (English) and ethnicity (Chinese) online news sites, uncovering underlining associations between essential news components, source, and framing.
METHODS: We used a predesigned code book to conduct a quantitative content analysis on cancer news stories (n = 841) published on two Malaysian English and Chinese online news sites from 2017 to 2019. Cancer news received adequate coverage in Malaysian English and Chinese media and was also session-centered.
RESULTS: Two logistic regression models demonstrated the internal relationships between sourcing, framing, and different elements in cancer coverage. In terms of news sources, the results revealed that medical journals were the most likely to be cited when the news focused on medical research, followed by primary cancer prevention. When the news concentrated on statistical cancer reports and environmental/occupational risk factors, government agencies were more likely to be interviewed. Of news frames, when the news articles engaged with medical institutions and mentioned medical publications, the lifestyle frame was very likely to be shown, but the environmental frame was more likely to be portrayed when interviewing medical practitioners.
CONCLUSION: This study is the first comprehensive assessment to analyze and compare Malaysian English and Chinese online cancer news coverages and uncover underlying associations between news components, sourcing, and framing paradigms. We contributed to the scholarly understanding of cancer news coverage. This study can serve as a model for future health promotion researchers, journalists, and policymakers. Implications for cancer risk communication research, health journalist practices, and health policymaking were discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Public perception and attitude towards dengue prevention activity and response to dengue early warning in Malaysia

Zaki R, Roffeei SN, Hii YL, Yahya A, Appannan M, Said MA, et al.

PLoS One, 2019;14(2):e0212497.
PMID: 30818394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212497

An early warning system for dengue is meant to predict outbreaks and prevent dengue cases by aiding timely decision making and deployment of interventions. However, only a system which is accepted and utilised by the public would be sustainable in the long run. This study aimed to explore the perception and attitude of the Malaysian public towards a dengue early warning system. The sample consisted of 847 individuals who were 18 years and above and living/working in the Petaling District, an area adjacent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A questionnaire consisting of personal information and three sub-measures of; i) perception, ii) attitude towards dengue early warning and iii) response towards early warning; was distributed to participants. We found that most of the respondents know about dengue fever (97.1%) and its association with climate factors (90.6%). Most of them wanted to help reduce the number of dengue cases in their area (91.5%). A small percentage of the respondents admitted that they were not willing to be involved in public activities, and 64% of them admitted that they did not check dengue situations or hotspots around their area regularly. Despite the high awareness on the relationship between climate and dengue, about 45% of respondents do not know or are not sure how this can be used to predict dengue. Respondents would like to know more about how climate data can be used to predict a dengue outbreak (92.7%). Providing more information on how climate can influence dengue cases would increase public acceptability and improve response towards climate-based warning system. The most preferred way of communicating early warning was through the television (66.4%). This study shows that the public in Petaling District considers it necessary to have a dengue warning system to be necessary, but more education is required.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Understanding the breast cancer experience: a qualitative study of Malaysian women

Yusuf A, Ab Hadi IS, Mahamood Z, Ahmad Z, Keng SL

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2013;14(6):3689-98.
PMID: 23886167

Breast cancer is the most common and leading cause of cancer mortality among Malaysian women. Despite good survival rates, the diagnosis of cancer still invokes the feeling of stress, fear and uncertainty. Because very little is known about the experiences of Malaysian women with breast cancer, a qualitative study using semi- structured interviews to explore the lived experience of newly diagnosed breast cancer. Using a purposive sampling method, 20 Malaysian women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, including Malays (n=10) and Chinese (n=10) were recruited in two main public hospitals in Kelantan. Similarities and divergence in women's experience were identified through thematic analysis of interview transcripts. Three themes emerged from the data: uncertainty experience of the illness, transition process and fatalistic view of breast cancer. In many ways, these findings were parallel with previous studies, suggesting that the experience of breast cancer is to a certain extent similar among women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. This study adds to the sparse literature concerning the experience of illness following breast cancer diagnosis among the Malays and Chinese. More importantly, this study addressed areas that were previously lacking, specifically in depth information on breast cancer experience from a developing country with a multi-ethnic population. The results of this investigation provide preliminary information to healthcare professionals on the impact of illness and cultural influence on survivorship to plan for appropriate education and supportive programme in order to meet the needs of breast cancer women more effectively.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Sociocultural influences on disease perception

Yusoff K

Med J Malaysia, 1994 Sep;49(3):197-8.
PMID: 7845264
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Development of a health promotion questionnaire index (HPQI) to measure doktor muda (junior doctor) programme impact on schoolchildren’s oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour

Yusof, Z.Y.M., Jaafar, N.

Ann Dent, 2013;20(1):13-19.
MyJurnal

Long term evaluations of impacts of community
based health promotion programmes are not an easy or
straightforward task to do due to lack of validated and
reliable indices. Objective: To develop and test an index
to measure schoolchildren’s oral health knowledge,
attitudes, and behaviour as a result of a school-based health
promotion programme in Malaysia called the Doktor
Muda (Junior Doctor) Programme (DMP). Materials and
Methods: The index was developed in English based on
the DMP module and translated into Malay. The Malay
version was tested on 174, 11-12 year old schoolchildren.
Psychometric analysis of the index involved content and
face validity tests as well as factor analysis, internal and
test-retest reliability. Results: Factor analysis yielded 3
factors with groups of items viz. oral health knowledge
(OHK), oral health attitudes (OHA) and oral health
behaviour (OHB). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of the
three factors were 0.61, 0.73, and 0.64, respectively. The
Kappa coefficients were 0.70, 0.77 and 0.73, respectively
(intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.72, 0.70 and 0.78).
The final questionnaire comprised 33 items, namely; OHK
11 items, OHA 15 items, and OHB 7 items. Conclusion:
The Health Promotion Questionnaire Index (HPQI) to
measure the DMP impact on schoolchildren’s oral health
knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours was empirically
verified to be valid and reliable for use among 11-12 year
old Malaysian schoolchildren.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
A comparison of knowledge of diabetes mellitus between patients with diabetes and healthy adults: a survey from north Malaysia

Yun LS, Hassan Y, Aziz NA, Awaisu A, Ghazali R

Patient Educ Couns, 2007 Dec;69(1-3):47-54.
PMID: 17720351 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2007.06.017

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to assess and compare the knowledge of diabetes mellitus possessed by patients with diabetes and healthy adult volunteers in Penang, Malaysia.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 20 February 2006 to 31 March 2006. We randomly selected 120 patients with diabetes mellitus from a diabetic clinic at the General Hospital Penang, Malaysia and 120 healthy adults at a shopping complex in Penang. Each participant was interviewed face-to-face by a pharmacist using a validated questionnaire, and they were required to answer a total of 30 questions concerning knowledge about diabetes mellitus using Yes, No or Unsure as the only response.
Results: The results showed that patients with diabetes mellitus were significantly more knowledgeable than the healthy volunteers about risk factors, symptoms, chronic complications, treatment and self-management, and monitoring parameters. Educational level was the best predictive factor for diabetes mellitus and public awareness.
Conclusion: Knowledge about diabetes mellitus should be improved among the general population.
Practice implications: This study has major implications for the design of an educational programme for diabetics and a health promotion programme as a primary prevention measure for the healthy population in general, and especially for those at high risk. The results could be useful in the design of future studies for evaluating patients' and the general public's knowledge about diabetes mellitus.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Prevalence and correlates of roll-your-own smoking in Thailand and Malaysia: Findings of the ITC-South East Asia Survey

Young D, Yong HH, Borland R, Ross H, Sirirassamee B, Kin F, et al.

Nicotine Tob Res, 2008 May;10(5):907-15.
PMID: 18569766 DOI: 10.1080/14622200802027172

Roll-your-own (RYO) cigarette use has been subject to relatively limited research, particularly in developing countries. This paper seeks to describe RYO use in Thailand and Malaysia and relate RYO use to smokers' knowledge of the harmfulness of tobacco. Data come from face-to-face surveys with 4,004 adult smokers from Malaysia (N = 2,004) and Thailand (N = 2000), collected between January and March 2005. The prevalence of any use of RYO cigarettes varied greatly between Malaysia (17%) and Thailand (58%). In both countries, any RYO use was associated with living in rural areas, older average age, lower level of education, male gender, not being in paid work, slightly lower consumption of cigarettes, higher social acceptability of smoking, and positive attitudes toward tobacco regulation. Among RYO users, exclusive use of RYO cigarettes (compared with mixed use) was associated with older age, female gender (relatively), thinking about the enjoyment of smoking, and not making a special effort to buy cheaper cigarettes if the price goes up. Finally, exclusive RYO smokers were less aware of health warnings (RYO tobacco carries no health warnings), but even so, knowledge of the health effects of tobacco was equivalent.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Support for and reported compliance among smokers with smoke-free policies in air-conditioned hospitality venues in Malaysia and Thailand: findings from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey

Yong HH, Foong K, Borland R, Omar M, Hamann S, Sirirassamee B, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2010 Jan;22(1):98-109.
PMID: 20032039 DOI: 10.1177/1010539509351303

This study examined support for and reported compliance with smoke-free policy in air-conditioned restaurants and other similar places among adult smokers in Malaysia and Thailand. Baseline data (early 2005) from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey (ITC-SEA), conducted face-to-face in Malaysia and Thailand (n = 4005), were used. Among those attending venues, reported total smoking bans in indoor air-conditioned places such as restaurants, coffee shops, and karaoke lounges were 40% and 57% in Malaysia and Thailand, respectively. Support for a total ban in air-conditioned venues was high and similar for both countries (82% Malaysian and 90% Thai smokers who believed there was a total ban), but self-reported compliance with bans in such venues was significantly higher in Thailand than in Malaysia (95% vs 51%, P < .001). As expected, reporting a ban in air-conditioned venues was associated with a greater support for a ban in such venues in both countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Levels and correlates of awareness of tobacco promotional activities among adult smokers in Malaysia and Thailand: findings from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia (ITC-SEA) Survey

Yong HH, Borland R, Hammond D, Sirirassamee B, Ritthiphakdee B, Awang R, et al.

Tob Control, 2008 Feb;17(1):46-52.
PMID: 18218808 DOI: 10.1136/tc.2007.021964

To examine the impact of tobacco advertising policy on adult smokers' awareness of tobacco promotion in two developing countries--Malaysia and Thailand.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Support for a Campus Tobacco-Free Policy among Non- Smokers: Findings from a Developing Country

Yasin SM, Isa MR, Fadzil MA, Zamhuri MI, Selamat MI, Mat Ruzlin AN, et al.

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2016;17(1):275-80.
PMID: 26838223

BACKGROUND: A tobacco-free workplace policy is identified as an effective means to reduce tobacco use and protect people from second-hand smoke; however, the number of tobacco-free policies (TFP) remains very low in workplaces in Malaysia. This study explored the factors affecting support for a tobacco-free policy on two healthcare campuses in Malaysia, prior to the implementation of TFP.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross- sectional study was conducted among 286 non-smokers from two healthcare training centres and two nearby colleges in Malaysia from January 2015 to April 2015. A standardized questionnaire was administered via staff and student emails. The questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic characteristics, support for a tobacco-free policy and perceived respiratory and sensory symptoms due to tobacco exposure. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the independent effects of supporting a tobacco-free campus.
RESULTS: The percentage of individuals supporting completely tobacco-free facilities was 83.2% (N=238), as opposed to 16.7% (N=48) in support of partially tobacco-free facilities. Compared to the supporters of partially tobacco-free facilities, non-smokers who supported completely tobacco-free health facilities were more likely to be female, have higher education levels, to be very concerned about the effects of other people smoking on their health and to perceive a tobacco-free policy as very important. In addition, they perceived that tobacco smoke bothered them at work by causing headaches and coughs and, in the past 4 weeks, had experienced difficulty breathing. In the multivariate model, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and other factors, only experiencing coughs and headaches increased the odds of supporting a completely tobacco-free campus, up to 2.5- and 1.9-fold, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Coughs and headaches due to other people smoking at work enhances support for a completely tobacco-free campus among non-smokers.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Islam, sexuality, and the marginal positioning of Pengkids and their girlfriends in Malaysia

Wong Y

J Lesbian Stud, 2012;16(4):435-48.
PMID: 22978284 DOI: 10.1080/10894160.2012.681267

Drawing on the lived experiences of the Pengkids and their girlfriends in the deprived district of the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, this article examines transgender practices and women's same-sex desires within the local contexts of urbanization and political Islam. This article questions the assumed marginal positions of transgender practices and same-sex desires in society, and provides a nuanced understanding of the politics of identity, gender, sexuality and religion involved in a Muslim country. While the Muslim-Malay sexual minorities are increasingly subjected to the threats of moral policing in Malaysia, Pengkid has become a new identity marker for the marginalized sexual subject framed by the Islamic discourse of this country.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology
Midlife crisis perceptions, experiences, help-seeking, and needs among multi-ethnic malaysian women

Wong LP, Awang H, Jani R

Women Health, 2012;52(8):804-19.
PMID: 23127220 DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2012.729557

In the present study, researchers explored attitudes toward midlife crises, experience with midlife crises, help-seeking, and needs among multi-ethnic Malaysian women. A total of 14 focus group discussions were conducted with 89 Malaysian women of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Women expressed concern over physical aging and decline in their physical functional health. Having a midlife crisis was frequently reported. Issues that were frequently reported to trigger a midlife crisis, such as empty nest syndrome, impact of aging on sexual and reproductive function, extended parenthood, caring for aging or ill parents, and career challenges were noted by the study participants (listed here in order of most to least frequently reporting of these themes across the group discussions). Overall, these issues were associated with attitudes about aging. A comparatively less open attitude toward sexual attitudes and help-seeking for sexual problems were found among the Malay and Indian women. This may imply that intervention to increase positive attitudes concerning both sexuality and help-seeking intentions should be culturally specific. The use of religious coping for comfort and consolation was frequently reported; therefore, those providing midlife crisis prevention and intervention programs should consider involving faith-based interventions in the Malaysian setting.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Young multiethnic women's attitudes toward the HPV vaccine and HPV vaccination

Wong LP

Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2008 Nov;103(2):131-5.
PMID: 18768178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.07.005

To investigate the acceptability of the HPV vaccine among a multiethnic sample of young women in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Libido, sexuality and the levonorgestrel IUS in Malaysia

Wong CY

J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care, 2001 Jan;27(1):56.
PMID: 12457552 DOI: 10.1783/147118901101194976

Hysterectomy and tubal sterilisation are two commonly performed gynaecological procedures in Malaysia. Little has been published about the psychological impact on sexuality of such operations in the Far East. Many Malaysian patients believe that surgery to the pelvic organs may be detrimental to the sexual health and needs of women. There is a widespread belief that the uterus is essential for the libido and sexual wellbeing of women. It is also believed that tubal sterilisation may result in the loss of libido and thus of sexual desire for her husband. Despite counselling to dispel these misconceptions, patients frequently refuse surgical management for fear of losing their libido and sexuality. Inability to satisfy and consummate marriage is a valid reason for the partner to find another wife (Muslims in Malaysia are legally allowed to have four wives). This fear of ultimately losing the husband to another woman due to lack of libido and loss of sexuality often causes women to refuse appropriate surgery. The recent availability of the levonorgestrel intra-uterine system (IUS) in Malaysia provides a suitable medical alternative to surgery in managing some of these patients. There is good evidence to suggest the effectiveness of the levonorgestrel IUS in the treatment of menorrhagia. The use of the levonorgestrel IUS in women whose cultural beliefs/misconceptions are not amenable to counselling, may help in the psychological preservation of their libido and sexuality.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology*
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C in southeast and southern Asia: challenges for governments

Wait S, Kell E, Hamid S, Muljono DH, Sollano J, Mohamed R, et al.

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2016 11;1(3):248-255.
PMID: 28404097 DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253(16)30031-0

In 2015, the Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific gathered leading hepatitis experts from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand to discuss common challenges to the burden posed by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), to learn from each other's experience, and identify sustainable approaches. In this report, we summarise these discussions. Countries differ in their policy responses to HBV and HCV; however, substantial systemic, cultural, and financial barriers to achievement of elimination of these infections persist in all countries. Common challenges to elimination include limited availability of reliable epidemiological data; insufficient public awareness of risk factors and modes of transmission, leading to underdiagnosis; high rates of transmission through infected blood products, including in medical settings; limited access to care for people who inject drugs; prevailing stigma and discrimination against people infected with viral hepatitis; and financial barriers to treatment and care. Despite these challenges, promising examples of effective programmes, public-private initiatives, and other innovative approaches are evident in all countries we studied in Asia Pacific. The draft WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016-21 provides a solid framework upon which governments can build their local strategies towards viral hepatitis. However, greater recognition by national governments and the international community of the urgency to comprehensively tackle both HBV and HCV are still needed. In all countries, strategic plans and policy goals need to be translated into resources and concrete actions, with national governments at the helm, to enable a sustainable response to the rising burden of hepatitis B and C in all countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Beliefs in genetic determinism and attitudes towards psychiatric genetic research: psychometric scale properties, construct associations, demographic correlates, and cross-cultural comparisons

Voracek M, Swami V, Loibl LM, Furnham A

Psychol Rep, 2007 Dec;101(3 Pt 1):979-86.
PMID: 18232457

Using two new scales, this study examined beliefs in genetic determinism and attitudes towards psychiatric genetic research in student samples from Austria, Malaysia, Romania, and the United Kingdom. For both constructs, effects of culture were detectable, whereas those related to key demographics were either small and inconsistent across samples (political orientation and religiosity) or zero (sex and age). Judged from factorial dimensionality and internal consistency, the psychometric properties of both scales were satisfactory. Belief in genetic determinism had lower prevalence and corresponded only modestly to positive attitudes towards psychiatric genetic research which had higher prevalence. The correlations of both constructs with a preference of inequality among social groups (social dominance orientation) were modest and inconsistent across samples. Both scales appear appropriate for cross-cultural applications, in particular for research into lay theories and public perceptions regarding genetic vs environmental effects on human behavior, mental disorders, and behavioral and psychiatric genetic research related to these.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Descriptive Epidemiology of Somatising Tendency: Findings from the CUPID Study

Vargas-Prada S, Coggon D, Ntani G, Walker-Bone K, Palmer KT, Felli VE, et al.

PLoS One, 2016;11(4):e0153748.
PMID: 27128094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153748

Somatising tendency, defined as a predisposition to worry about common somatic symptoms, is importantly associated with various aspects of health and health-related behaviour, including musculoskeletal pain and associated disability. To explore its epidemiological characteristics, and how it can be specified most efficiently, we analysed data from an international longitudinal study. A baseline questionnaire, which included questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory about seven common symptoms, was completed by 12,072 participants aged 20-59 from 46 occupational groups in 18 countries (response rate 70%). The seven symptoms were all mutually associated (odds ratios for pairwise associations 3.4 to 9.3), and each contributed to a measure of somatising tendency that exhibited an exposure-response relationship both with multi-site pain (prevalence rate ratios up to six), and also with sickness absence for non-musculoskeletal reasons. In most participants, the level of somatising tendency was little changed when reassessed after a mean interval of 14 months (75% having a change of 0 or 1 in their symptom count), although the specific symptoms reported at follow-up often differed from those at baseline. Somatising tendency was more common in women than men, especially at older ages, and varied markedly across the 46 occupational groups studied, with higher rates in South and Central America. It was weakly associated with smoking, but not with level of education. Our study supports the use of questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory as a method for measuring somatising tendency, and suggests that in adults of working age, it is a fairly stable trait.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Development, validity and reliability of the short multidimensional positive mental health instrument

Vaingankar JA, Subramaniam M, Abdin E, Picco L, Chua BY, Eng GK, et al.

Qual Life Res, 2014 Jun;23(5):1459-77.
PMID: 24307210 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-013-0589-0

PURPOSE: The 47-item positive mental health (PMH) instrument measures the level of PMH in multiethnic adult Asian populations. This study aimed to (1) develop a short PMH instrument and (2) establish its validity and reliability among the adult Singapore population.
METHODS: Two separate studies were conducted among adult community-dwelling Singapore residents of Chinese, Malay or Indian ethnicity where participants completed self-administered questionnaires. In the first study, secondary data analysis was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to shorten the PMH instrument. In the second study, the newly developed short PMH instrument and other scales were administered to 201 residents to establish its factor structure, validity and reliability.
RESULTS: A 20-item short PMH instrument fulfilling a higher-order six-factor structure was developed following secondary analysis. The mean age of the participants in the second study was 41 years and about 53% were women. One item with poor factor loading was further removed to generate a 19-item version of the PMH instrument. CFA demonstrated a first-order six-factor model of the short PMH instrument. The PMH-19 instrument and its subscales fulfilled criterion validity hypotheses. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the PMH-19 instrument were high (Cronbach's α coefficient = 0.87; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.93, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: The 19-item PMH instrument is multidimensional, valid and reliable, and most importantly, with its reduced administration time, the short PMH instrument can be used to measure and evaluate PMH in Asian communities.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Moderating Role of Religiosity and the Determinants to Attitude, Willingness to Donate and Willingness to Communicate Posthumous Organ Donation Decisions among University Students in Pakistan

Umair S, Ho JA, Ng SSI, Basha NK

Omega (Westport), 2023 Nov;88(1):216-244.
PMID: 34505539 DOI: 10.1177/00302228211045170

Organ transplantation is considered an alternative treatment to save lives or to improve the quality of life and is a successful method for the treatment of patients with end-stage organ diseases. The main objective of the current study was to explore the determinants of the attitudes and willingness to communicate the posthumous organ donation decisions to the families. Questionnaires were used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results confirmed altruism, knowledge, empathy, and self-identity as the antecedents to attitude. We also found perceived behavioral control, moral norms, and attitude as significant antecedents to the willingness to donate organs after death. The results of the study also indicated that those who were willing to sign the donor card were also willing to communicate their decision to their families. Religiosity moderated the relationship between willingness to donate and signing the donor card, and it strengthened the relationship. The findings of this study would provide insight into the factors which can influence posthumous organ donation among university students in Pakistan.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology

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