Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 76 in total

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  1. A preliminary survey of drug dependence in the state of Penang, West Malaysia
    Tan E
    Med J Malaysia, 1973 Sep;28(1):23-8.
    PMID: 4273778
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  2. A review on the abuse of three NPS (synthetic cannabinoids, kratom, poppers) among youths in Asia
    Bae K, Kwon NJ, Han E
    Forensic Sci Int, 2018 Nov;292:45-49.
    PMID: 30273913 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.09.008
    Abuse of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) among youths is increasing at an unprecedented rate all over the world. In Asia, abuse of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), kratom, and poppers has been reported, but up to date information related to abuse of these three NPSs is lacking. This literature review focuses on the recent abuse of these three NPS among Asian youth. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the abuse statuses of SCs in Asian youth in Turkey, Japan, and Korea, and many cases of kratom abuse have been reported in Malaysia and Thailand. In addition, concerns have been expressed about the use of kratom in combination with other substances by teenagers. Popper abuse has been reported among many young people in Asia, including Korea and China, and many studies on popper abuse have focused on men who have sex with men in China and Malaysia. Since NPS abuse can have severe adverse effects and create social problems, there is a continuing need to investigate NPS abuse status continuously among young people.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  3. A seven year study of opiate dependence in Malaysia
    Parameshvara Deva M
    Med J Malaysia, 1978 Mar;32(3):249-54.
    PMID: 683053
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  4. A study on socio-medical variables of drug-dependent persons volunteering for treatment in Penang, Malaysia
    Navaratnam V, Spencer CP
    Bull Narc, 1978 Jan-Mar;30(1):1-7.
    PMID: 352461
    There has been a rapid increase in the past five years in the numbers of hospitalized drug dependents. While the studied population was clearly unrepresentative of the country-wide drug using population, it illustrates how the problem is neither limited to one particular stratum of society, nor to the few "traditional" drugs. Indeed, an increasingly youthful group of individuals drawn from all backgrounds is not only becoming dependent upon opiates, but is also using a range of other drugs, all of which are available on the market at relatively low cost. The market prices of drugs have an effect on the pattern of drug use; and many individuals move directly from tobacco to heroin smoking. Drug abuse continues to be a considerable public and governmental concern, and enforcement and treatment programmes are rapidly expanding in attempts to resolve this problem.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  5. A survey of 47 opiate dependent persons who sought treatment
    Deva MP
    Med J Malaysia, 1977 Mar;31(3):183-7.
    PMID: 904509
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  6. Fulltext Absence of antiretroviral therapy and other risk factors for morbidity and mortality in Malaysian compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers
    Fu JJ, Bazazi AR, Altice FL, Mohamed MN, Kamarulzaman A
    PLoS One, 2012;7(9):e44249.
    PMID: 23028508 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044249
    Throughout Asia, people who use drugs are confined in facilities referred to as compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers. The limited transparency and accessibility of these centers has posed a significant challenge to evaluating detainees and detention conditions directly. Despite HIV being highly prevalent in this type of confined setting, direct evaluation of detainees with HIV and their access to medical care has yet to be reported in the literature.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  7. Fulltext Accessibility and utilization patterns of a mobile medical clinic among vulnerable populations
    Gibson BA, Ghosh D, Morano JP, Altice FL
    Health Place, 2014 Jul;28:153-66.
    PMID: 24853039 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.04.008
    We mapped mobile medical clinic (MMC) clients for spatial distribution of their self-reported locations and travel behaviors to better understand health-seeking and utilization patterns of medically vulnerable populations in Connecticut. Contrary to distance decay literature, we found that a small but significant proportion of clients was traveling substantial distances to receive repeat care at the MMC. Of 8404 total clients, 90.2% lived within 5 miles of a MMC site, yet mean utilization was highest (5.3 visits per client) among those living 11-20 miles of MMCs, primarily for those with substance use disorders. Of clients making >20 visits, 15.0% traveled >10 miles, suggesting that a significant minority of clients traveled to MMC sites because of their need-specific healthcare services, which are not only free but available at an acceptable and accommodating environment. The findings of this study contribute to the important research on healthcare utilization among vulnerable population by focusing on broader dimensions of accessibility in a setting where both mobile and fixed healthcare services coexist.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  8. Adolescent pregnancy outcomes and risk factors in Malaysia
    Omar K, Hasim S, Muhammad NA, Jaffar A, Hashim SM, Siraj HH
    Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2010 Dec;111(3):220-3.
    PMID: 20800837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.06.023
    OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes and risk factors of adolescent pregnancies in 2 major hospitals in Malaysia.
    METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of pregnant girls aged 10 through 19 years. The controls were women aged 20 through 35 years who did not become pregnant in their adolescence. Cases and controls were matched for parity and place of delivery. Data were collected from questionnaires and the hospitals' medical records.
    RESULTS: The study included 102 cases and 102 controls. There were significant associations between adolescent pregnancy and low education level, low socioeconomic status, being raised by a single parent, not engaging in extracurricular school activities, engaging in unsupervised activities with peers after school, and substance abuse (P<0.05 for all); being anemic, being unsure of the expected delivery date, and having few antenatal visits and a late delivery booking; and low Apgar scores and perinatal complications.
    CONCLUSION: Adolescent pregnancies are high-risk pregnancies. Better sexual health strategies are required to address the associated complications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  9. Fulltext An epidemiological assessment of drug dependence in Malaysia--a trend analysis
    Navaratnam V, Foong K
    Med J Malaysia, 1989 Jun;44(2):92-103.
    PMID: 2626130
    Information from the national drug abuse monitoring system was analysed to determine the trends in extent and pattern of drug dependence in Malaysia over the period 1970 to 1986. The annual incidence and prevalence rates of reported drug dependents increased by many folds when compared to the early seventies. Generally, the profile of drug dependents identified has remained relatively stable throughout the years. A stable pattern of drug abuse was also noted over this period. Factors influencing the trend patterns are discussed, as well as the implications of these findings for policy purposes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  10. An overview of inhalant abuse in selected countries of Asia and the Pacific Region
    Kin F, Navaratnam V
    NIDA Res. Monogr., 1995;148:29-49.
    PMID: 8929883
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  11. Fulltext Analgesic use and abuse--a study in three selected population groups in Peninsular Malaysia
    Segasothy M
    Med J Malaysia, 1983 Dec;38(4):282-8.
    PMID: 6599983
    A survey was conducted on three different groups of population viz. inpatients in the medical wards of General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, the people of Kampong Pandan and two rubber estates as to their analgesic consuming habits. It is found that 0.5 to 2.0% of the people surveyed had consumed more than 2 kg of analgesics and 4.6 to 9.6% of the people surveyed had consumed more than 250g of analgesics. The commonest analgesic consumed is paracetamol followed by Chap Kaki Tiga and Chap Harimau. The commonest reason for consuming analgesic is headache. The implications of the above findings are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  12. Fulltext Associations between depression, anxiety, stress, hopelessness, subjective well-being, coping styles and suicide in Chinese university students
    Lew B, Huen J, Yu P, Yuan L, Wang DF, Ping F, et al.
    PLoS One, 2019;14(7):e0217372.
    PMID: 31260454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217372
    Suicide is a major public health concern worldwide. This study aimed to predict the suicidal behavior of Chinese university students by studying psychological measures such as hopelessness, orientation to happiness, meaning in life, depression, anxiety, stress, and coping styles. In November 2016, a stratified-clustered-random sampling approach was utilized to select subjects from two large public medical-related universities in Shandong province, China. This sample consisted of 2,074 undergraduate students (706 males, 1,368 females; mean age = 19.79±1.39 years). The students' major risk factors for suicide were depression, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness, and the students' minor risk factors included orientation to happiness and coping styles (including self-distraction, self-blame and substance use). Notably, the presence of meaning in life had a positive effect on preventing suicide and acted as a protective factor, which suggests that it is important to identify risk factors as well as protective factors relevant to the target population group in order to increase the effectiveness of counseling and suicide prevention programs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  13. Fulltext Betel-quid dependence and oral potentially malignant disorders in six Asian countries
    Lee CH, Ko AM, Yen CF, Chu KS, Gao YJ, Warnakulasuriya S, et al.
    Br J Psychiatry, 2012 Nov;201(5):383-91.
    PMID: 22995631 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.107961
    Despite gradual understanding of the multidimensional health consequences of betel-quid chewing, information on the effects of dependent use is scant.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  14. Betel-quid dependence domains and syndrome associated with betel-quid ingredients among chewers: an Asian multi-country evidence
    Lee CH, Chiang SL, Ko AM, Hua CH, Tsai MH, Warnakulasuriya S, et al.
    Addiction, 2014 Jul;109(7):1194-204.
    PMID: 24650227 DOI: 10.1111/add.12530
    Betel-quid (BQ) contains biologically psychoactive ingredients; however, data are limited concerning the symptoms and syndrome of BQ dependence among chewers. The aims of this study were to evaluate the ingredients-associated BQ dependence syndrome and country-specific chewing features and behaviour for BQ dependence among chewers from six Asian communities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  15. Fulltext Challenges in managing HIV in people who use drugs
    Kamarulzaman A, Altice FL
    Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis., 2015 Feb;28(1):10-6.
    PMID: 25490106 DOI: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000125
    HIV management in people who use drugs (PWUD) is typically complex and challenging due to the presence of multiple medical and psychiatric comorbidities as well as social, physical, economic and legal factors that often disrupt the HIV continuum of care. In this review, we describe the individual, health systems and societal barriers to HIV treatment access and care retention for PWUD. In addition, the clinical management of HIV-infected PWUD is often complicated by the presence of multiple infectious and noninfectious comorbidities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  16. Fulltext Confronting the HIV, Tuberculosis, Addiction, and Incarceration Syndemic in Southeast Asia: Lessons Learned from Malaysia
    Culbert GJ, Pillai V, Bick J, Al-Darraji HA, Wickersham JA, Wegman MP, et al.
    J Neuroimmune Pharmacol, 2016 09;11(3):446-55.
    PMID: 27216260 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-016-9676-7
    Throughout Southeast Asia, repressive drug laws have resulted in high rates of imprisonment in people who inject drugs (PWID) and people living with HIV (PLH), greatly magnifying the harm associated with HIV, tuberculosis, and addiction. We review findings from Malaysia's largest prison to describe the negative synergistic effects of HIV, tuberculosis, addiction, and incarceration that contribute to a 'perfect storm' of events challenging public and personal health and offer insights into innovative strategies to control these converging epidemics. The majority of PLH who are imprisoned in Malaysia are opioid dependent PWID. Although promoted by official policy, evidence-based addiction treatment is largely unavailable, contributing to rapid relapse and/or overdose after release. Similarly, HIV treatment in prisons and compulsory drug treatment centers is sometimes inadequate or absent. The prevalence of active tuberculosis is high, particularly in PLH, and over 80 % of prisoners and prison personnel are latently infected. Mandatory HIV testing and subsequent segregation of HIV-infected prisoners increases the likelihood of tuberculosis acquisition and progression to active disease, amplifying the reservoir of infection for other prisoners. We discuss strategies to control these intersecting epidemics including screening linked to standardized treatment protocols for all three conditions, and effective transitional programs for released prisoners. For example, recently introduced evidence-based interventions in prisons like antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV, isoniazid preventive therapy to treat latent tuberculosis infection, and methadone maintenance to treat opioid dependence, have markedly improved clinical care and reduced morbidity and mortality. Since introduction of these interventions in September 2012, all-cause and HIV-related mortality have decreased by 50.0 % and 75.7 %, respectively. We discuss the further deployment of these interventions in Malaysian prisons.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  17. Correlates of current smoking among Malaysian secondary school children
    Tee GH, Kaur G
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):70S-80S.
    PMID: 24965781 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514540468
    Cigarette smoking in adolescent is a significant public health problem, leading to the risk of addiction, morbidity, and mortality in the long term. This study determined the prevalence and correlates of current smoking among adolescent school children. A nationwide school-based survey among 25 507 students between Forms 1 to 5 (aged 12-17) was conducted using a 2-stage cluster sampling design. The prevalence of current smoking was 11.5%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that current smoking was significantly associated with males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.87, 4.98), current drinking (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI = 1.46, 3.74), drug used (aOR = 2.97; 95% CI = 1.24, 7.11), and being bullied (aOR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.98) at least once in the past 12 months. Smoking is associated with several behaviors that pose risks to adolescents, such as social issues and smoking-related health problems. Thus, early and integrated prevention programs that address multiple risk behaviors simultaneously are required.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  18. Development and application of a system for monitoring drug abuse: the Malaysian experience
    Navaratnam V, Foong K
    Bull Narc, 1989;41(1-2):53-65.
    PMID: 2765720
    Monitoring systems are useful epidemiological instruments for assessing the problem of drug abuse. The rapid growth of the drug dependence problem in Malaysia led to increased awareness of the need for a system for continuous monitoring of the situation. Preliminary work on the design of an appropriate monitoring system was initiated in 1976. A fully integrated national reporting system was established in 1978, linking all public services and agencies coming into contact with drug-dependent persons, including law enforcement agencies, drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centres, and social and welfare institutions. The information system included a mechanism for systematic gathering, processing, analysing and presenting essential data on the prevention, control and management of drug abuse problems. It also included reporting on drug-related events, such as hospitalizations and arrests, as well as data on known drug-dependent persons and new cases of dependence. The system has been used for routine monitoring of the extent, trends, patterns and other characteristics of drug abuse problems in Malaysia, providing basic information for policy-making and programme planning. On the basis of data generated by the system, it was estimated that the prevalence rate of drug-dependent persons per 100,000 population increased from 84.3 in 1976 to 754.6 in 1986. It was estimated that there were 119,001 drug-dependent persons in Malaysia in 1986.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
  19. Fulltext Dispensation of antiretroviral therapy and methadone maintenance therapy at the same facility in a low-barrier setting linked to optimal adherence to HIV treatment
    Mohd Salleh NA, Fairbairn N, Nolan S, Barrios R, Shoveller J, Richardson L, et al.
    HIV Med, 2019 10;20(9):606-614.
    PMID: 31359615 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.12777
    OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine the association between dispensation of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the same facility, across multiple low-barrier dispensing outlets, and achieving optimal adherence to ART among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD).

    METHODS: We used data from the AIDS Care Cohort to Evaluate Exposure to Survival Services (ACCESS) study, a long-running study of a community-recruited cohort of HIV-positive PWUD, linked to comprehensive HIV clinical records in Vancouver, Canada, a setting of no-cost, universal access to HIV care. The longitudinal relationship between MMT-ART dispensation at the same facility and the odds of ≥ 95% ART adherence was analysed using multivariable generalized linear mixed-effects modelling. We conducted a further analysis using a marginal structural mode with inverse probability of treatment weights as a sensitivity analysis.

    RESULTS: This study included data on 1690 interviews of 345 ART- and MMT-exposed participants carried out between June 2012 and December 2017. In the final multivariable model, MMT-ART dispensation, compared with nondispensation at the same facility, was associated with greater odds of achieving ≥ 95% adherence [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-1.96]. A marginal structural model estimated a 1.48 (95% CI 1.15-1.80) greater odds of ≥ 95% adherence among participants who reported MMT-ART dispensation at the same facility compared with those who did not.

    CONCLUSIONS: The odds of achieving optimal adherence to ART were 56% higher during periods in which MMT and ART medications were dispensed at the same facility, in a low-barrier setting. Our findings highlight the need to consider a simpler integrated approach with medication dispensation at the same facility in low-threshold settings.

    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
  20. Drug Abuse, HIV, and HCV in Asian Countries
    Hser YI, Liang D, Lan YC, Vicknasingam BK, Chakrabarti A
    J Neuroimmune Pharmacol, 2016 09;11(3):383-93.
    PMID: 27000123 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-016-9665-x
    Drug abuse and co-occurring infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Asian countries are particularly vulnerable to the deleterious consequences of these risks/problems, as they have some of the highest rates of these diseases. This review describes drug abuse, HIV, and hepatitis C (HCV) in Asian countries. The most commonly used illicit drugs include opioids, amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), cannabis, and ketamine. Among people who inject drugs, HIV rates range from 6.3 % in China to 19 % in Malaysia, and HCV ranges from 41 % in India and Taiwan to 74 % in Vietnam. In the face of the HIV epidemics, drug policies in these countries are slowly changing from the traditional punitive approach (e.g., incarcerating drug users or requiring registration as a drug user) to embrace public health approaches, including, for example, community-based treatment options as well as harm reduction approaches to reduce needle sharing and thus HIV transmission. HIV and HCV molecular epidemiology indicates limited geographic diffusion. While the HIV prevalence is declining in all five countries, use of new drugs (e.g., ATS, ketamine) continues to increase, as well as high-risk sexual behaviors associated with drug use-increasing the risk of sexual transmission of HIV, particularly among men who have sex with men. Screening, early intervention, and continued scaling up of therapeutic options (drug treatment and recovery support, ART, long-term HIV and HCV care for drug users) are critical for effective control or continued reduction of drug abuse and co-infections.
    Matched MeSH terms: Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology*
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