Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 151 in total

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  1. Jayaseelan J
    AIDS Action, 1993 Mar-May;[nil](20):4.
    PMID: 12288933
    PIP: Pink Triangle, the only community-based group in Malaysia which works with men who have sex with men, took initial steps in August 1992 to establish a self-help project for people who are HIV-seropositive. Supporting people who are HIV-positive and fighting for their rights is new in Malaysia. The group has thus far been publicized through its public education events, hospitals, and other nongovernmental organizations. For the first time, information is being published specifically by and for people living with HIV/AIDS. The project also has a phone line to allow people to speak anonymously with someone who shares their experience. Many callers are men who have sex with men in the social context of intense prejudice and discrimination. Afraid to openly acknowledge their sexuality with strangers, the callers have yet to accede to meeting each other face-to-face in a group setting. The author notes in closing that Pink Triangle must be realistic about what can be achieved in Malaysia and allow the group to develop according to people's needs and not on the basis of a model imported from outside of the country.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear*
  2. Earnshaw VA, Jin H, Wickersham JA, Kamarulzaman A, John J, Lim SH, et al.
    AIDS Behav, 2016 Jan;20(1):98-106.
    PMID: 26324078 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1168-x
    Men who have sex with men (MSM) living in countries with strong stigma toward MSM are vulnerable to HIV and experience significant barriers to HIV care. Research is needed to inform interventions to reduce stigma toward MSM in these countries, particularly among healthcare providers. A cross-sectional survey of 1158 medical and dental students was conducted at seven Malaysian universities in 2012. Multivariate analyses of variance suggest that students who had interpersonal contact with MSM were less prejudiced toward and had lower intentions to discriminate against MSM. Path analyses with bootstrapping suggest stereotypes and fear mediate associations between contact with prejudice and discrimination. Intervention strategies to reduce MSM stigma among healthcare providers in Malaysia and other countries with strong stigma toward MSM may include facilitating opportunities for direct, in-person or indirect, media-based prosocial contact between medical and dental students with MSM.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  3. Tee YC, Earnshaw VA, Altice FL, Jin H, Kamarulzaman A, Wickersham JA
    AIDS Behav, 2019 Apr;23(4):1039-1047.
    PMID: 30560483 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2362-4
    People with HIV (PWH) in Malaysia experience high levels of stigma, which may act as a barrier to accessing healthcare. Stigma against PWH in medical settings is understudied in Malaysia. In the present study, we examine factors associated with physicians' intention to discriminate against PWH in Malaysia. A cross-sectional online survey was emailed to all 1431 physicians at two major university hospitals in Malaysia; 568 (39.6%) participants completed the survey and were included in this analysis. Measures included intention to discriminate against PWH, stigma-related constructs, and socio-demographic characteristics. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify factors associated with intention to discriminate against PWH. Participants were comprised of women (53.5%), Malays (43.1%), and Chinese (35.0%) with nearly 10 years of clinical experience. Most participants were from non-surgical specialties (77.6%). The final multivariate linear regression showed that physicians who expressed greater discriminatory intent against PWH also expressed more negative feelings toward PWH, more HIV-related shame, were more fearful of HIV, and believed that PWH do not deserve good care. Physicians from surgical-based specialties were also significantly more likely to endorse discriminatory intent toward PWH. Stigma and intentions to discriminate against a class of patients, including PWH, can undermine engagement in care, which is central to international HIV prevention and treatment strategies. Interventions that reduce stigma toward PWH among physicians are crucial to ensuring equitable and stigma-free healthcare.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  4. Lim SH, Alias H, Kien JKW, Akbar M, Kamarulzaman A, Wong LP
    AIDS Educ Prev, 2019 06;31(3):193-205.
    PMID: 31145000 DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2019.31.3.193
    This study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to HIV testing and treatment among Malaysian MSM. Between June 2014 and December 2015, in-depth interviews were conducted in 20 HIV-positive MSM recruited from a teaching hospital and NGO in Kuala Lumpur. Thematic analysis was used to identify, analyze, and report themes. Most participants investigated their HIV status after long period of sickness. Others sought testing upon partner's diagnosis and some were diagnosed via blood donation. Barriers to testing include personal (perceived good health, fear of positive result, denial); social and structural factors (stigmatization by health providers and family, lack of information about free HIV testing and long wait time). Barriers to treatment comprise personal factors (perceived HIV as incurable and treatment as complicated), social factors (HIV and homosexual stigma), and cost. Promoting benefits of regular testing and early treatment is needed to improve HIV care continuum among MSM in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  5. Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff, Tan, Ying Jie, Ab Rahman Esa
    MyJurnal
    Objective: Medical housemanship training has always been regarded as a highly stressful environment to doctors. This article described findings on stress, stressors and coping strategies among house officers in a Malaysian hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on house officers in a Malaysian hospital. The 12 items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), General Stressors Questionnaire (GSQ) and Brief COPE inventory were administered to measure perceived stress, sources of stress and coping strategies among house officers respectively. Data was analysed using SPSS version 12. Results: Forty two house officers participated in this study. This study found that approximately 31% of the house officers were in distress. The top five stressors were fears of making mistakes that can lead to serious consequences, work overload, working with uncooperative colleagues, doing
    work that mentally straining and feeling of being underpaid. The most frequent coping strategies used by house officers were religion, acceptance and self-distraction. Conclusion: This study found that there was a high percentage of distressed house officers. It also found that major stressors were related to performance pressure. The main coping strategy used by house officer was emotion-focused coping.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  6. Ahmad Fuad Abdul Rahim, Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff
    ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2010;11(2):180-0.
    MyJurnal
    Objective: Postgraduate medical training has always been regarded as a highly stressful environment to students. This article described an initial finding on prevalence and sources of stress among postgraduate students. Method: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on postgraduate students in the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Sample size as calculated for this preliminary study was 38 and convenient sampling method was applied. The 12 items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Postgraduate Stressors Questionnaire (PSQ) were administered during a workshop involving postgraduate students. Data was analysed using SPSS version 12. Results: Thirty three participants participated in this study. This study found that the prevalence of distressed postgraduate students was 36.4%. The top ten stressors were tests and examinations, large amount of content to be learnt, time pressure to meet deadlines, doing work beyond
    ability, work overload, unfair assessment by superior, fears of making mistakes that can lead to serious consequences, doing work that mentally straining, work demands affect my personal and home life, and lack of time to review what have been learnt. Conclusion: This study found that there was a high prevalence of distressed postgraduate students. It also found that the major stressors were related to academic and performance pressure.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  7. Jambunathan, Stephen T., Gill, Jesjeet Singh, Kanagasundram, Sharmilla, Koh, Ong Hui
    ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2008;9(2):118-125.
    MyJurnal
    Dissociation, including multiple personality disorder, has long been a controversial topic. Patients with suggestive symptoms are often misdiagnosed as malingering or even having
    schizophrenia. The former as a result of the overlooking of a clinician on the fact that suggestibility itself plays a key role in the emergence and perpetuation of this illness and the latter due to the lack of knowledge of the whole dissociative disorder spectrum, often resembling that of a psychotic disorder. Another contributing factor to the small number of patients with this diagnosis is due to the reluctance of a psychiatrist to do so because of his/her lack of experience and also fear of humiliation of being accused of seeking fame from diagnosing this somewhat glamorous phenomenon. In Malaysia, various culture bound syndromes often present with similar symptoms too. This article will attempt to understand this dissociation on the local context using case studies as a reference point.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  8. S.L. Tan
    ASM Science Journal, 2013;7(2):129-138.
    MyJurnal
    The paper seeks to assuage the fears and worries over living modified organisms (LMOs). It describes how any research carried out on LMOs as well as any release activity on LMOs for public use in Malaysia is controlled by the Biosafety Act 2007. Stringent risk assessment of the LMO and its product/s is carried out to eradicate or minimize the negative effects of these on animal and human health, and to biological diversity and the environment. In contrast, no such risk assessment is carried out on introduced exotic species, or on the products of other types of technology, with the exception of pharmaceuticals. Examples are given comparing risk assessment on LMOs and exotic species.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  9. Savithri, N.V., Esa, R.
    Ann Dent, 2008;15(1):27-32.
    MyJurnal
    Dental fear is a hindrance to the effective provision of oral health care and causes patients to delay, or even avoid necessary care altogether. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and level of dental fear, to identify specific fear provoking stimuli and also to explore the avoidance behaviour among the respondents. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 407 antenatal mothers utilizing the Kleinknecht's Dental Fear Survey Questionnaire. The overall prevalence of dental fear was 94.1% of which 67.6% of the subjects reported low fear levels, 26.5% were moderately fearful while none were highly fearful. Only 5.9% of the subjects reported no fear. The drill and anaesthetic needle were identified as the most fear provoking objects. Subjects with moderate fear were about 6.4 times (OR=6.39; 95%CI 3.81-10.75) more likely to avoid making appointments and 6 times (OR=6.05; 95% CI 3.20-11.50) more likely to cancel appointments compared to subjects with lower levels of fear. This. study indicates that dental fear is a common problem among antenatal mothers contributing to poor dental attendance.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  10. Razak, I.A.
    Ann Dent, 1995;2(1):-.
    MyJurnal
    A postal questionnaire concerning the Malaysian dentists' attitudes towards their patients yielded a 73.1% response rate. The results of this study indicated that a majority of dentists felt that patients had more negative than positive attributes. Private practitioners attributed more negative traits to their patients than their public sector colleaques. About 88% of dentists indicated that the most negative patient attribute was fear of pain. Fear of pain was perceived to be stronger than fear of the dentist (62.2%). likewise the patients' inability to seek treatment soon enough (78.4%), to come for regular check-up (72.7%) and to follow advice on personal oral hygiene(70.1%) were worrisome.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  11. Rajesh, S.M., Muirhead, V., Mohd Dom, T.N., Ismail, N.M., Jamaludin, M., Saub, R.
    Ann Dent, 2013;20(1):1-7.
    MyJurnal
    To explore the association between social
    support and stress levels in preclinical and clinical dental
    students in Malaysia. Method: A cross sectional survey
    of dental undergraduate students was conducted at the
    Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Universiti
    Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia.
    Stress was measured using the Dental Environment Stress
    (DES) questionnaire. A DES-32 item was used to measure
    stress for the clinical students and DES-16 item for the
    preclinical students. Four questions were used to measure
    social support. The total stress scores were standardized
    for comparison purposes. Results: A total of 357 (79.7%)
    preclinical and 417 (71.8%) clinical undergraduate dental
    students responded to the questionnaires. The clinical
    students experienced higher stress [mean standardized
    DES score = 72.63, SD = 10.64] than preclinical students
    [mean standardized DES score = 70.19, SD=12.01]. The
    two most stressful items reported by preclinical students
    were “fear of failing” and “examination and grades”.
    Among clinical students, the two most stressful items related
    to academic were “completing course requirement” and
    fear of failing course” and items related to clinical session
    were “fear of being barred due to the clinical schedule”
    and “patients late or absent”. Multiple regression analyses
    revealed that low stress levels among preclinical students
    were significantly associated to a lot of contact with
    students of the same course. Conclusion: To some extent,
    social support does play a role in explaining differences in
    perceived stress, in particular among preclinical students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  12. Tan CS, Chen AH, Au Eong KG
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 2006 Feb;35(2):72-6.
    PMID: 16565757
    INTRODUCTION: During cataract surgery under regional (retrobulbar, peribulbar or sub- Tenon's) or topical anaesthesia, many patients experience a variety of visual sensations in their operated eye intraoperatively. Between 3% and 16.2% of patients are frightened by their intraoperative visual experiences, which may increase the risk of intraoperative complications and affect patients' satisfaction with the surgery. This study aims to determine optometry students' beliefs and knowledge of visual sensations experienced by patients during cataract surgery under regional and topical anaesthesia.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nationwide survey of all Malaysian optometry students using a standardised, self-administered questionnaire.

    RESULTS: All 129 optometry students participated in the survey, giving a 100% response rate. Overall, 26.4% and 29.5% of the students believed that patients undergoing cataract surgery under regional and topical anaesthesia, respectively, may experience no light perception, while 78.3% and 72.9%, respectively, thought that patients would experience light perception. Many respondents also believed that patients might experience a variety of other visual sensations. Of all respondents, 70.5% and 74.4% of students believed that patients undergoing cataract surgery under regional and topical anaesthesia, respectively, may be frightened by their visual experience and 93.0% and 85.3%, respectively, felt that preoperative counselling might help to alleviate this fear.

    CONCLUSION: Many optometry students are aware that patients might encounter a variety of visual sensations during cataract surgery under local anaesthesia. A high proportion of students believe that patients may experience fear as a result of the intraoperative visual sensations and felt that preoperative counselling would be helpful.

    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  13. Poon CH, Heng BC, Lim LW
    Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2021 01;1484(1):9-31.
    PMID: 32808327 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14458
    Advances in characterizing molecular profiles provide valuable insights and opportunities for deciphering the neuropathology of depression. Although abnormal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in depression has gained much support from preclinical and clinical research, how it mediates behavioral alterations in the depressed state remains largely obscure. Environmental factors contribute significantly to the onset of depression and produce robust epigenetic changes. Epigenetic regulation of BDNF, as one of the most characterized gene loci in epigenetics, has recently emerged as a target in research on memory and psychiatric disorders. Specifically, epigenetic alterations of BDNF exons are heavily involved in mediating memory functions and antidepressant effects. In this review, we discuss key research on stress-induced depression from both preclinical and clinical studies, which revealed that differential epigenetic regulation of specific BDNF exons is associated with depression pathophysiology. Considering that BDNF has a central role in depression, we argue that memory extinction, an adaptive response to fear exposure, is dependent on BDNF modulation and holds promise as a prospective target for alleviating or treating depression and anxiety disorders.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear/physiology
  14. Khalid HM, Helander MG, Hood NA
    Appl Ergon, 2013 Sep;44(5):671-9.
    PMID: 22944486 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2012.06.005
    The purpose of this study was to analyze people's attitudes to disasters by investigating how people feel, behave and think during disasters. We focused on disasters induced by humans, such as terrorist attacks. Two types of textual information were collected - from Internet blogs and from research papers. The analysis enabled forecasting of attitudes for the design of proactive disaster advisory scheme. Text was analyzed using a text mining tool, Leximancer. The outcome of this analysis revealed core themes and concepts in the text concerning people's attitudes. The themes and concepts were sorted into three broad categories: Affect, Behaviour, and Cognition (ABC), and the data was visualized in semantic maps. The maps reveal several knowledge pathways of ABC for developing attitudinal ontologies, which describe the relations between affect, behaviour and cognition, and the sequence in which they develop. Clearly, terrorist attacks induced trauma and people became highly vulnerable.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  15. Cheah, Whye Lian, Tay, Siow Phing, Chai, Shiun Chat, Bong, Cheong Shin, Luqmanul Hakim Baharuddin, Zhuleikha Bainun Jalil Che' Jalil
    MyJurnal
    Dental caries is a major health problem affecting an estimated 90% of school children worldwide. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among secondary school students in Kuching, Sarawak. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire on 209 randomly selected students from four schools. Results showed no significant differences between the gender and age groups in terms of knowledge level, but significant differences were observed between the schools. The students had positive attitude towards the dental services, but their dental visits were still low due to fear of dental needle and handpieces. Toothbrush and toothpaste were still the most commonly used oral hygiene aids. As compared to parents and friends, dentist was perceived to have more influence on oral hygiene practices among the students. Girls consumed more sweets, snacks and soft drinks than boys. However, girls spent longer time to brush their teeth and brush more frequently. Oral health education should be a life-long practice and incorporated into the school environment with the support of teachers and parents.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  16. Swami V, Barron D, Furnham A
    Arch Sex Behav, 2022 Nov;51(8):3981-3992.
    PMID: 35900679 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02367-8
    Emerging research has suggested that appearance-related factors, such as greater appearance orientation, are associated with dating anxiety in emerging adults, but much more could be done to understand mechanistic pathways and potential buffers. Here, we tested a moderated mediation model in which appearance-based rejection sensitivity and social physique anxiety were explored as mediators, and self-compassion was explored as a moderator, of the relationship between appearance orientation and dating anxiety. A total of 501 heterosexual emerging adults (248 women, 253 men) from the UK completed instruments measuring the aforementioned constructs. Relationships among all variables were largely similar across women and men, with only the association between social physique anxiety and appearance-based rejection sensitivity being significantly stronger in women. Mediation analysis in the total sample indicated that both social physique anxiety and appearance-based rejection anxiety were significant mediators. Additionally, we confirmed a serial mediation involving appearance orientation → appearance-based rejection sensitivity → social physique anxiety → dating anxiety. Conversely, self-compassion did not moderate the effects of either social physique anxiety or appearance-based rejection sensitivity on dating anxiety, although greater self-compassion was moderately associated lower dating anxiety. We suggest ways in which existing interventions aimed at reducing dating anxiety could be combined with body image interventions to reduce dating anxiety in heterosocial contexts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  17. Paul A, Nath TK, Mahanta J, Sultana NN, Kayes ASMI, Noon SJ, et al.
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2021 01;33(1):100-108.
    PMID: 33289393 DOI: 10.1177/1010539520977304
    The objective of this research is to understand the psychological and livelihood-related impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Bangladeshi lower income group people who depend on daily earnings for their living. Following the convenience sampling method, 576 respondents were interviewed for quantitative data and 30 in-depth interviews for qualitative information in several districts of Bangladesh. To 94.1% respondents, livelihood has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak with an overall score of 3.20 ± 0.77 on a 4-point Likert-type scale. In comparison to unemployed respondents, daily workers have been hardly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak (odds ratio [OR] = 7.957; P < .01), and so they are going outside more frequently in search of jobs (OR = 9.984, P < .01). Due to fear of COVID-19 infection and lack of livelihood means, respondents (76.6%) have been stressed out (overall score 3.19 ± 0.81 on a 4-point Likert-type scale), and those working in industries (OR = 5.818, P < .01), farmers (OR = 3.029, P < .05), and day laborers (OR = 2.651, P < .05) have been highly stressed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear*
  18. Al-Dubai SA, Ganasegeran K, Alabsi AM, Abdul Manaf MR, Ijaz S, Kassim S
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(4):1627-32.
    PMID: 22799379
    BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia. Barriers for practicing breast self examination (BSE) await exploration.

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the practice of BSE and its correlated factors and particularly barriers amongst urban women in Malaysia.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 222 Malaysian women using a self-administered questionnaire.

    RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 28.5 (±9.2) years, 59.0% were university graduates. Of the total, 81.1% were aware of breast cancer and 55% practiced BSE. Amongst 45% of respondents who did not practice BSE, 79.8% did not know how to do it, 60.6% feared being diagnosed with breast cancer, 59.6% were worried about detecting breast cancer, 22% reported that they should not touch their bodies, 44% and 28% reported BSE is embarrassing or unpleasant, 29% time consuming, 22% thought they would never have breast cancer or it is ineffective and finally 20% perceived BSE as unimportant. Logistic regression modeling showed that respondents aged ≥45 years, being Malay, married and having a high education level were more likely to practice BSE (p<0.05).

    CONCLUSION: In this study sample, a significant proportion of respondents was aware of breast cancer but did not practice BSE. Knowledge, psychological, cultural, perception and environmental factors were identified as barriers. BSE practice was associated significantly with socio-demographic factors and socioeconomic status.
    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
  19. Mohd Suan MA, Tan WL, Ismail I, Abu Hassan MR
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2020 May 01;21(5):1253-1258.
    PMID: 32458630 DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.5.1253
    BACKGROUND: Patients with positive immunochemical faecal occult blood test results were found to have poor compliance for a subsequent colonoscopy procedure. This study was conducted to explore patients' perceived deterrence for colonoscopy following a positive stool test.

    METHODS: Using qualitative study method, a phone interview was conducted with 16 patients to elicit their views on the reasons for failure to attend the colonoscopy procedure following a positive stool test. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated before proceeded with the data analysis. Content analysis was made on the translated interview, followed by systematic classification of data by major themes.

    RESULTS: Reasons for nonattendance were categorized under five main themes; unnecessary test, fear of the procedure, logistic obstacles (subthemes; time constraint, transportation problem), social influences, and having other health priority. Lacking in information about the procedure during the referral process was identified to cause misperception and unnecessary worry towards colonoscopy. Fear of the procedure was commonly cited by female respondents while logistic issues pertaining to time constraint were raised by working respondents.

    CONCLUSIONS: More effective communication between patients and health care providers are warranted to avoid misconception regarding colonoscopy procedure. Support from primary care doctors, customer-friendly appointment system, use of educational aids and better involvement from family members were among the strategies to increase colonoscopy compliance.

    Matched MeSH terms: Fear
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