METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study which involved medical students in their final two years of study at a public university in Malaysia. Self-administered Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) and World Health Organisation QOL questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) were used to assess their psychological symptoms and QOL.
RESULTS: A total 149 students participated. The prevalence rates of anxiety and depression were 33% and 11% respectively. Malay students had significantly more anxiety compared to the other ethnic groups, P<0.05. Female students had significantly lower psychological score compared to male; 70.73 vs 66.32(P<0.05). Anxiety and depression were associated with significantly poorer QOL. Students with depression symptoms were associated with lower physical, psychological and environmental domain score whereas those with anxiety had lower psychological, social and environmental scores, P<0.05. Overall QOL score was significantly lower in Chinese students (P<0.05) and those with depression (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: QOL of medical students are significantly affected by the presence of anxiety and depression. It is recommended that medical schools implement measures which can identify students at risk and to offer comprehensive intervention and preventive programmes to improve the students' wellbeing.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional comparison study whereby 225 overweight/obese children matched for age, sex, and ethnicity with 225 normal weight children participated in this study. Body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms were assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured, whereas blood was drawn to determine insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), glucose, and lipid profiles. Homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated using glucose and insulin levels. Wechsler's Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) was used to assess cognitive function in children. Ordinary least square regression analysis was conducted to determine the direct and indirect relationships between weight status and cognitive function.
RESULTS: A negative relationship was found between overweight/obesity with cognitive function. Overweight/obese children were on average 4.075 units lower in cognitive function scores compared to normal weight children. Such difference was found through mediators, such as body image dissatisfaction, disordered eating, depression, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP, contributing 22.2% of the variances in cognitive function in children.
CONCLUSION: Results highlight the important mediators of the relationship between overweight/obesity and cognitive function. Consequently, future interventions should target to improve psychological well-being and reduce cardiovascular disease risk for the prevention of poorer cognitive performance in overweight/obese children.
OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to explore the occurrence of anxiety, depression and to identify the factors associated with hospital readmission among older patients after AECOPD discharge.
METHODS: A multicentre prospective study was conducted in Malaysia (from 1st September 2012 till 31st September 2013) among older patients (≥60 years) hospitalised for AECOPD. Anxiety and depression were assessed on discharge using previously validated questionnaires, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7 and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), respectively. Patients were followed up for a period of 3 months after discharge.
RESULTS: A total of 81 patients with a median age of 72 years (IQR 66.40-78.00) were recruited. Anxiety was observed in 34.57% while 38.27% had depression. Both anxiety and depression were detected in 25.93% of the patients. A history of frequent AECOPD admissions was found to be associated with developing depressive symptoms, while anxiety scores were associated with severe dyspnoea. Severe depression was more commonly identified among patients aged 60-75 and in those with a history of tuberculosis. A high readmission rate (40.74%) during the 3-month period was noticed. History of frequent AECOPD admissions (OR = 2.87; 95% CI 1.05-7.85, P = 0.040) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) (OR = 4.04; 95% CI 1.1-14.6, P = 0.032) were identified as the factors associated with the risk of hospital readmission.
CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression were found to be relatively common among older patients with AECOPD. IHD and history of frequent COPD hospitalisation were associated with short-term readmission among the elderly.
METHOD: Participants aged above 60 years from three ageing cohorts in Malaysia were interviewed virtually. The Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illness and Loss of Weight scale, blind Montreal Cognitive Assessment, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, anxiety subscale of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and four-item Perceived Stress Scale measured frailty, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), depression, anxiety and stress, respectively.
RESULTS: Cognitive frailty data were available for 870 participants, age (mean ± SD) = 73.44 ± 6.32 years and 55.6% were women. Fifty-seven (6.6%) were robust, 24 (2.8%) had MCI, 451 (51.8%) were pre-frail, 164 (18.9%) were pre-frail+MCI, 119 (13.7%) were frail and 55 (6.3%) were frail+MCI. There were significant differences in depression and anxiety scores between the controlled MCO and recovery MCO. Using multinomial logistic regression, pre-frail (mean difference (95% confidence interval, CI) = 1.16 (0.932, 1.337), frail (1.49 (1.235, 1.803) and frail+MCI (1.49 (1.225, 1.822)) groups had significantly higher depression scores, frail (1.19 (1.030, 1.373)) and frail+MCI (1.24 (1.065, 1.439)) had significantly higher anxiety scores and pre-frail (1.50 (1.285, 1.761)), frail (1.74 (1.469, 2.062)) and frail+MCI (1.81 (1.508, 2.165)) had significantly higher stress scores upon adjustments for the potential confounders. The MCO was a potential confounder in the relationship between depression and prefrail+MCI (1.08 (0.898, 1.340)).
CONCLUSION: Frail individuals with or without MCI had significantly higher depression, anxiety and stress than those who were robust. Increased depression and stress were also observed in the pre-frail group. Interventions to address psychological issues in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic could target prefrail and frail individuals and need further evaluation.
METHOD: Participants were contacted and offered early physical consultation with a neurologist. Patients who participated in the Phase 1 study on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with epilepsy and treated in our hospital were recruited. Clinical and psychological outcomes of COVID-19 were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31).
RESULT: A total of 312 patients completed this study with a mean age of 39.13 ± 16.13 years, majority female (51.0%), and experienced seizures at least once yearly (64.7%). There was 12.6% who experienced seizure worsening related to the COVID-19 pandemic. After receiving early clinical intervention, 30.8% achieved better seizure control with another 51.1% had no seizure occurrence. The mean HADS anxiety score improved immediately post-intervention (5.27 ± 4.32 vs. 4.79 ± 4.26, p
METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study in the neurology clinic in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The screening tools used were the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) and the General Anxiety Disorder Form (GAD-7).
RESULTS: Five hundred and eighty-five patients were recruited in this study, and 50.8% of them were male, predominantly Chinese (46.7%), with a mean age of seizure onset of 21.8 ± 16.1 years. The majority had focal seizures (75.0%), and 41.9% had seizure remission. There were 15.5% who scored ≥15 in the NDDI-E, and 17.0% had moderate or severe anxiety (scored ≥10 in the GAD-7). In a regression model to predict the NDDI-E score, the age of seizure onset recorded a higher beta value (β = -0.265, p =