MyMedR

The plasma cholinesterase baseline levels in Malaysian workers are within the guidelines used. There is a need to carry out close monitoring of workers handling organophosphate s even in a well-run, modern factory where there are no hazards in the plant operation. Abnormal results are mainly because many of our workers are unaware of the health hazards and do not follow orders properly, ie personal hygiene, such as washing of hands before eating, etc. The use of temporary workers should be discouraged because of poor compliance with rules and difficulty in follow up. Product stewardship and education of farmers, sprayers and end users are of paramount importance. Finally there is a great need for educaiton of everyone from factory workers, farmers, sprayers to the general public.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

Fulltext Comparative study on the acceptance and use of contraceptive methods in a rural population in Kelantan

Kamalanathan JP

Malays J Reprod Health, 1990 Dec;8(2):66-71.

PMID: 12343150

PIP: Contraceptive prevalence was determined in the Kelantan region of Malaysia, an area with relatively poor health indices. 350 women attending health clinics on rubber and palm-oil estates and living in surrounding suburbs were surveyed by clinic workers or during home visits. The sample included 273 Malays, 64 Indians and 13 Chinese. This area of Peninsular Malaysia is noted for the highest infant mortality rate (17.7), second highest crude birth rate (35.2) and highest dependency ratio (88%) in the country. 44.9% practiced contraception, highest in Chinese and lowest in Indians. Methods used were pills by (55%), traditional methods (19%), tubal ligation (18%), safe period (14%), injections (5.5%), IUD (4.7%), and condom (2.3%). The Malaysian traditional methods are herbal preparations from tree bark or roots, herb pills, and exercises after coitus. 34% of the non contraceptors had used contraception before but stopped because of side effects, religious or spousal objections, or desire to conceive. 74% had married in their teens. 46% of the non-contraceptors were spacing their children by prolonged breastfeeding.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health Services*

Fulltext Occupational health in sawmills of Sarawak

Tan CC, Cheu KT, Hardin S

Med J Malaysia, 1991 Sep;46(3):247-51.

PMID: 1839920

A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among sawmill managers in Sarawak to explore certain health and safety aspects of workers in this industry. The survey reveals that many sawmills are lacking in the provision of occupational health facilities and activities for their employees.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health Services; Occupational Health*

Pulmonary function testing

Noor Hassim I

Family Physician, 1991;3:11-13.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

Fulltext Current perspectives in occupational health

Rampal KG

Med J Malaysia, 1993 Sep;48(3):256-8.

PMID: 8183135

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*

Improving drug related problems in the work place

Md Hussain H

Family Physician, 1994;6:27-31.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

Pure-tone audiometry and auditory brainstem responses in noise-induced deafness

Noorhassim I, Kaga K, Nishimura K

Am J Otolaryngol, 1996 1 1;17(1):31-5.

PMID: 8801813

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to find the relationship between pure-tone audiometry results and the auditory brainstem response wave abnormalities.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) from 22 patients (44 ears) with diagnosed noise-induced permanent hearing loss were studied. Three indices of PTA were average thresholds of 0.5 kHz/, /1 kHz, and 2 kHz (PTA1); 2 kHz and 4 kHz (PTA2); and 4 kHz (PTA3) were subdivided into 3 thresholds of hearing. Their relationships with ABR results were analysed. The patterns of PTA from various groups of ABR wave patterns were studied.

RESULTS: In this study, the abnormal ABR wave patterns were detected in 72.7% of the ears. The ears with prolonged ABR wave latency, absent early waves, prolong interpeak wave I-V latency was 20.5%, 18.2%, and 21.1%, respectively. Normal ABRs were recorded in 27.3% of the ears despite marked thresholds elevation of the PTA at high frequencies. Other relationships between PTA results and ABR wave results were discussed.

CONCLUSION: There were relationships between severity of noise-induced hearing loss indicated by PTA and the patterns of ABR wave abnormalities among workers with noise-induced permanent hearing loss.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

Fulltext Ergonomic task analysis in electronics industries: some case studies

Tan GL

J Hum Ergol (Tokyo), 1996 Jun;25(1):49-62.

PMID: 9551132 DOI: 10.11183/jhe1972.25.38

The analyses of a few tasks were carried out in an electronics factory. The main objectives are to identify the ergonomic and biomechanical hazards of problem work tasks, to analyze each task systematically in order to evaluate the workers' exposures to the risk factors of force, posture pressure and repetition and to make recommendations to reduce the risks and hazards. The methodology includes objective measures--detailed analysis by going through training manuals, job description and production records. Subjective measures include interviewing the operator and supervisors informally, the operators were also required to fill in a structured questionnaire. The paper concludes by making recommendations to reduce the ergonomic hazards by engineering solutions, redesign or administrative controls or the implementation of procedures.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*

The international electronics industry

LaDou J, Rohm T

Int J Occup Environ Health, 1998 Jan-Mar;4(1):1-18.

PMID: 10026464

High-technology microelectronics has a major presence in countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, now the third-largest manufacturer of semiconductor chips. The migration of European, Japanese, and American companies accommodates regional markets. Low wage rates and limited enforcement of environmental regulations in developing countries also serve as incentives for the dramatic global migration of this industry. The manufacture of microelectonics products is accompanied by a high incidence of occupational illnesses, which may reflect the widespread use of toxic materials. Metals, photoactive chemicals, solvents, acids, and toxic gases are used in a wide variety of combinations and workplace settings. The industry also presents problems of radiation exposure and various occupational stressors, including some unresolved ergonomic issues. The fast-paced changes of the technology underlying this industry, as well as the stringent security precautions, have added to the difficulty of instituting proper health and safety measures. Epidemiologic studies reveal an alarming increase in spontaneous abortions among cleanroom manufacturing workers; no definitive study has yet identified its cause. Other health issues, including occupational cancer, are yet to be studied. The microelectronics industry is a good example of an industry that is exported to many areas of the world before health and safety problems are properly addressed and resolved.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*

Fulltext Trends in absenteeism rates following psychological intervention-preliminary results

Saroja KI, Ramphal KG, Kasmini K, Ainsah O, Bakar OC

Singapore Med J, 1999 May;40(5):349-51.

PMID: 10489494

To determine the relationship between absenteeism rates and psychological intervention over a 6-month period in an agency with 334 employees in Klang Valley, Malaysia, which had the highest absenteeism rates.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

Occupational health research priorities in Malaysia: a Delphi study

Sadhra S, Beach JR, Aw TC, Sheikh-Ahmed K

Occup Environ Med, 2001 Jul;58(7):426-31.

PMID: 11404445

As part of a consultancy project on occupational health, the Delphi method was used to identify research priorities in occupational health in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*

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