1. 1. Paris green was used as a larvicide on an inland hilly estate where A. maculatus was the carrier-and where most of the water treated was moving, more or less rapidly. 2. 2. Three different diluents were tried, viz., lime, talcum and soapstone powder. 3. 3. The strength of the mixture was one part of Paris green to ninety-nine parts of diluent by volume. 4. 4. Distribution was carried out by mechanical blowers and sprayers. 5. 5. The application was checked twenty-four hours afterwards. For one month it was checked forty-eight hours afterwards. 6. 6. There was an increase in breeding places-most of which were found in moving water. 7. 7. There was an increase in larvæ, many of them being over two days old. 8. 8. In spite of treatment of epidemics with plasmochin and quinine, the malaria rate was higher than during the previous year. The rise was more or less consistent, pointing to constant infections. 9. 9. The morbidity rate, death rate and infantile mortality were apparently not adversely affected, but in view of the treatments given with plasmochin, they are of no help in deciding the value of Paris green. 10. 10. There was a distinct fall in anti-larval costs, but the total anti-malarial costs were still high on account of the treatments necessary for epidemics of malaria. 11. 11. The advantages and disadvantages of Paris green are discussed.
Disease patterns among outpatients seen at static and travelling dispensaries, as well as among hospital admissions and hospital deaths are compared between 1959 and 1974. While disease patterns of patients seen by travelling dispensaries show no change, patients seen by static dispensaries and hospital admissions in 1974 show a marked relative decline in infective and parasitic diseases and an increase in accidents, poisonings and violence. Causes of death in hospitals in 1974 were different, there being relative increases in diseases of early infancy, diseases of circulatory system, neoplasms, and accidents, poisonings, violence while infective and parasitic diseases, and diseases of the digestive system declined.
Oil palm estates and associated industries employ a fair proportion of workers. Good medical care benefits both the employers and the employees. The pattern of illness is not very different from that found in general practice. However, certain environmental factors, the nature of occupation and the water supply can influence the increased incidence of certain diseases. Upper respiratory tract infection, acute gastroenteritis, contact dermatitis (eczemas & rashes) eye, and ear diseases, injuries and musculoskeletal diseases are the commonest causes of morbidity. The resident doctor, who has a good knowledge of the environment of his patients is in the best position to practise preventive medicine or early intervention, thereby reducing illnesses and improving productivity of the workers.
The reasons why 860 patients visited the general medical clinic at the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur were studied. 75.3% of the patients came for evaluation of symptoms; 12.4% sought checkups for chronic diseases; 4.9% requested diagnostic checkups and screening tests; 4.8% came to renew prescription. Few visits were made for evaluation of injuries, receiving test results or for administrative examination. This profile reflected the function of the clinic as an acute diagnostic centre. Other applications of the results are discussed.
Study site: General Medical Clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Reason for Encounter Classification (RFEC) was designed by a WHO Working Party to classify the reasons why patients seek care at the primary care level. It is designed along two axes: Chapters and Components. Each chapter carries an alpha-code which is the first character of the basic 3-character alphanumeric code. Each chapter is subdivided into seven "components" carrying 2-digit numeric codes. The field trial was undertaken by family physicians and nurses in: Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Hungary, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway and the US. 90497 RFE's were analysed. Their distribution over the chapters and components characterize the content of international primary care. Listings with the most common RFE's in the participating countries reflect the cultural differences. It is concluded that the RFEC is not only feasible to classify reasons why patients seek care but also to classify the diagnosis and the process of primary care. As a result of this, the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) succeeds the RFEC.
Eight general practitioners participated in a survey of content of general practice. This is useful as an indicator or morbidity in the community as well as of workload of general practice. A total of 3164 consultations were recorded, of which 2764 (87%) were because of an illness and the rest (13%) for other reasons like medical examinations, antenatal check, family planning advice, pregnancy tests, pap smear and vaccination. The old and the young have high consultation rates for an illness, men consulted as often as women. The most common illness seen was upper respiratory tract infections, accounting for 37% of all illnesses. Other common minor illnesses were skin infections (6%), genito-urinary infections (5%), minor musculoskeletal (6%) and gastrointestinal (6%) complaints as well as minor injuries and cuts (4%). Major disorders form an unusually low proportion (18%) of all illnesses seen, in comparison with figures from United Kingdom. The common major disorders seen were hypertension, asthma, chronic rheumatic disorders and diabetes. Circulatory disorders were remarkably rare, accounting for only 1% of illnesses. Psychological disorders, both major and minor, were also rarely seen, accounting for only 1% of illnesses which is in marked contrast with figures from the United Kingdom. Factors contributing to these notable findings are discussed.
The concept of epidemiological transition is now quite widely recognized, if not so widely accepted. The transition appears to progress at varying speeds and to different extents spatially; it seems that there can be considerable international, regional and local variations in its progress. The paper examines this contention in the case of a number of countries in Southeast Asia, principally Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. Drawing on evidence from this region, the paper highlights the importance when researching epidemiological transition of the time period under consideration; socio-cultural variations; the nature and quality of data, and spatial scale. It makes some suggestions as to the potential of the concept of epidemiological transition in health care planning and development studies.
A study was undertaken to determine the extent of morbidity associated with asthma and to audit the management of asthma in two out-patient clinics of two district hospitals. Patients were recruited for the study during a 3-month period from December 1990 to February 1991. Seventy asthmatic patients were studied. Eighty-six percent of the patients had their sleep disturbed by asthma, 77% took daily medication regularly, 63% felt that their activities were restricted by asthma, 60% had at least one acute exacerbation in the preceding six months. Of those who had their peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measured, 40% had a PEFR below 50% predicted, and only 11% had normal PEFR (greater than 80% predicted). The morbidity of asthma was thus considerable. On the other hand, the drug treatment of these asthmatics was grossly inadequate. They were prescribed on average 2.1 item of drugs, which for most patients comprised an oral beta agonist and a theophylline. Only 43% of the patients received inhaler therapy, but no patients were given steroids, inhaled or oral. The drug treatment was unrelated to the severity of patients' asthma. Further, objective measurement of severity was under-used in the assessment of asthma, only 8.5% of patients ever had their PEFR recorded. This study has found that asthma is poorly managed in out-patient clinics. We need to improve the training of doctors in the optimal management of asthma.
Study site: General outpatient clinics, district hospitals, Pahang, Malaysia
Classifications of adult low energy nutritional status based on the Quetelet or body mass index (weight/height2) have often assumed independence of age and sex. This paper reports findings of a study of 447 men and 564 women aged over 18 years and belonging to the Iban tribe of central Sarawak, East Malaysia. BMI and fat-free mass fell markedly in both sexes, and fat mass in women but not men, after about 40 years of age. In men over age 40, and women aged 18-40, BMI was sensitive to reported morbidity. For subjects aged over 40 years, BMI was related to morbidity independently of age effects in men, and to age alone in women. These findings suggest that the functional significance of low BMI differs between the sexes and with age.
In view of controversial reports about the role of prelabour rupture of foetal membranes (PROM) in neonatal morbidity and to study the association of PROM with infections and meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), a prospective case control study was conducted in a level II nursery of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. Of the 111 neonates with PROM studied, 18 developed clinical problems (septicaemia and other specific problems such as pneumonia, omphalitis, skin infection and MAS) while 5/56 of the control group developed similar problems. The difference between the two groups was not significant (p < 0.30). There was no neonatal death. It is concluded that PROM is not associated with neonatal morbidity. Neonates with this problem alone do not need to be admitted to the neonatal nursery.
This paper reports findings of a cross-sectional anthropometric survey of 447 men and 564 women aged > 18 years of the Iban tribe in rural Sarawak. The percentage of each approximately 10 year cohort with body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) < 18.5 increased progressively with age > 40 years in both sexes. BMI and arm-muscle plus bone cross-sectional area (AMBA) were influenced significantly by reported single symptoms in men and two concurrent symptoms in women. Sensitivity of BMI < 18.5 for identifying those reporting symptoms of illness was 21% in men and 29% in women. Independently of illness effects, values of stature, BMI and AMBA in men, and stature alone in women, were significantly greater in those farming plots with the shortest time left fallow, suggesting their comparative success. The BMI of men may reflect primarily their economic activities, while that of women their experience of illness; the AMBA may also be a better overall index of health than BMI in this population.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is a major cause of fetal and maternal morbidity. Epidemiologic observations have shown an inverse association between calcium intake and incidence of eclampsia. Calcium supplementation has been reported to decrease blood pressure in pregnant women, although this remains controversial. The mechanism responsible for the effect of calcium on hypertinsion in pregnant women is unknown. This paper is a review of some of the recent calcium supplementation trials that have been carried out and their effectiveness in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure and decreasing the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
To investigate whether a neonatal retrieval system would have any impact on the survival of infants < 1550g birthweight, data from the Malaysian Paediatric Association Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) study were analyzed. Inborns had a significantly better survival than outborns. Outborn babies had more hypothermia, were more likely to die from hypothermia, received more blood and plasma transfusions, more exchange transfusions, and had more infections. Length of stay was significantly longer for outborns. A neonatal retrieval system could reduce the mortality of VLBW babies as well as reduce length of stay, antibiotic usage, and blood product usage.
This study aimed to established baseline data on patients' demographic and morbidity patterns over three months in the Outpatients Department (OPD) Ipoh Hospital. Entry of the first ten thousand patients into a computerised database for analysis showed that the majority were unemployed and from the low income group. There were more Malays and Indians, less Chinese. Respiratory infections accounted for 18.5 % while major chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, asthma) were common. Overall a wide spectrum of illnesses were seen. A career structure for OPD doctors and incorporation of Family Medicine concepts were proposed to improve primary care in OPD.
Study site: Outpatients Department (OPD), Hospital Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia