MyMedR

'Mother Needles': lessons on inter-ethnic psychiatry in Malaysian society

Provencher R

Soc Sci Med, 1984;18(2):139-46.

PMID: 6701558 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(84)90034-0

Details of curing rituals symbolize social traumas. Western based psychiatrists are often not very successful in treating Malay patients because of the difficulty of understanding the ritual signs. This paper focusses upon cultural details as they relate to a curer. The paper begins by discussing 'medical pluralism' and proceeds to a consideration of one local healer.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Fulltext A community child and adolescent guidance clinic in Malaysia

Krahl W, Quek SL, Raman N

Med J Malaysia, 1981 Sep;36(3):171-3.

PMID: 7329374

Study site: Child and Adolescent Guidance Clinic, Hospital Bahagia, Perak, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

A successfully treated Dutch case of latah

Jenner JA

J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 1991 Oct;179(10):636-7.

PMID: 1919550

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Fulltext Behaviour therapy in psychiatric outpatients

Ko SM, Tan SL, Leong B

Singapore Med J, 1996 Apr;37(2):168-71.

PMID: 8942256

In a prospective study of fifty consecutive outpatients (30 men and 20 women) attending the Behaviour Therapy Clinic at a general hospital, the commonest conditions were obsessive compulsive disorders (n = 16), phobic disorders (n = 11) and generalised anxiety disorders (n = 9). Three-quarters of the referrals were from psychiatrists and family physicians. The patients received between 2 to 10 sessions of behaviour treatment; most had 4 to 6 sessions with a mean of 4.7, SD 1.82. The commonest behavioural techniques administered were exposure therapy with response prevention and relaxation therapy. Initially, treatment was therapist-aided, but subsequently self-help was encouraged with regular reviews of the patient's homework. After one month, 42 patients (84%) were assessed to have improved somewhat, with 20 (40%) showing moderate improvement. After three months, 41 (82%) continued to improve, with 33 (66%) showing moderate to great improvement. Nine patients were considered to have failed in therapy-six defaulted and three were non-responders. The reasons for defaulting treatment were unwillingness to bear with the discomfort involved in exposure therapy, lack of motivation or returning to own hometown in Malaysia. Sixteen patients (n = 32%) were treated solely with behavioural techniques while the rest had a combination of behaviour therapy and drugs, especially anxiolytics and antidepressants. However, at the end of treatment, the dosages of most medications were reduced or else discontinued completely.

Study site: Behavior therapy clinic at a general hospital

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Belief in supernatural causes of mental illness among Malay patients: impact on treatment

Razali SM, Khan UA, Hasanah CI

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1996 Oct;94(4):229-33.

PMID: 8911557

The concept of aetiology of mental illness in 134 Malay patients was investigated by means of a 20-item checklist. About 53% of the patients attributed their illnesses to supernatural agents. Witchcraft and possession by evil spirits were regarded as common causes of illness. The number of patients who believed in supernatural causes of their mental illness was significantly higher among those who had consulted bomohs (Malay traditional healers) than among those who had not consulted them. The belief that mental illness is caused by supernatural agents is firmly held by bomohs, who reinforce this notion in those who seek their advice. Belief in supernatural causes of mental illness was not significantly associated with age, gender, level of education or occupation of the patients. Patients who believed in supernatural causes of mental illness were also found to show poor drug compliance, and the number of such patients at 6 months follow-up was significantly lower than the corresponding figure for those who did not believe in supernatural causes. The importance of understanding the patients' cultural background when treating psychiatric patients is highlighted.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Beyond psychiatry: motivations for considering an Australian wellbeing program within Malaysian health services

Silim UA, Suhaimi AF, Moore G, Ryan B, Castle DJ

Australas Psychiatry, 2019 Jun;27(3):262-266.

PMID: 30931582 DOI: 10.1177/1039856219834074

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relevance and adaptability of the Optimal Health Program for mental and primary healthcare providers in Malaysia.

METHODS: Evaluate stakeholder engagement and training programme for psychiatrists, family medicine specialists, public health specialists, physicians, clinical psychologists, counsellors, and representatives from a patient support group. Evaluate the programme for applicability, as well as participant's knowledge and confidence in using key components.

RESULTS: The training was very well received in terms of content, training materials and facilitation style. Development of culturally specific materials will be needed. Improvement in the self-rating measurement for knowledge and confidence in using key Optimal Health Program components was reported at the completion of the 2-day training.

CONCLUSIONS: The Optimal Health Program has potential as a comprehensive socio-culturally responsive self-management programme that is relevant within mental health services and adaptable for task-sharing of mental health care in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 improves mental health in victims with irritable bowel syndrome developed after a major flood disaster

Ma ZF, Yusof N, Hamid N, Lawenko RM, Mohammad WMZW, Liong MT, et al.

Benef Microbes, 2019 Mar 13;10(2):111-120.

PMID: 30525951 DOI: 10.3920/BM2018.0008

Individuals in a community who developed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) after major floods have significant mental health impairment. We aimed to determine if Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 was effective in improving symptoms, psychology and quality of life measures in flood-affected individuals with IBS and if the improvement was mediated by gut microbiota changes. Design was non-randomised, open-label, controlled before-and-after. Of 53 participants, 20 with IBS were given B. infantis M-63 (1×109 cfu/sachet/day) for three months and 33 were controls. IBS symptom severity scale, hospital anxiety and depression scale, SF-36 Questionnaire, hydrogen breath testing for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and stools for 16S rRNA metagenomic analysis were performed before and after intervention. 11 of 20 who were given probiotics (M-63) and 20 of 33 controls completed study as per-protocol. Mental well-being was improved with M-63 vs controls for full analysis (P=0.03) and per-protocol (P=0.01) populations. Within-group differences were observed for anxiety and bodily pain (both P=0.04) in the M-63 per-protocol population. Lower ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes was observed with M-63 vs controls (P=0.01) and the lower ratio was correlated with higher post-intervention mental score (P=0.04). B. infantis M-63 is probably effective in improving mental health of victims who developed IBS after floods and this is maybe due to restoration of microbial balance and the gut-brain axis. However, our conclusion must be interpreted within the context of limited sample size. The study was retrospectively registered on 12 October 2017 and the Trial Registration Number (TRN) was NCT03318614.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Classification and concepts of causation of mental illness in a rural Malay community

Chen PCY

Int J Soc Psychiatry, 1970;16(3):205-15.

PMID: 4325131 DOI: 10.1177/002076407001600307

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Cross-cultural psychotherapy: the Malaysian experience. An open system model

Kinzie JD

Am J Psychother, 1972 Apr;26(2):220-31.

PMID: 5024276

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Fulltext Diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease--an update

Srinivas P

Med J Malaysia, 1999 Dec;54(4):541-9; quiz 550.

PMID: 11072482

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become recognised as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the ageing population worldwide. Over 20 million people worldwide are affected by AD, which ensures that the disease imposes a major economic burden. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with characteristic clinical and neuropathological features. Neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques and amyloid angiopathy occur in varying severity in brains of patient's with Alzheimer's disease. Biological markers of AD allowing an early definitive premorbid diagnoses are currently not available. Memory loss for recent events is invariable and often the earliest prominent symptom. Language disorders, difficulties with complex tasks, depression, psychotic symptoms and behavioral changes are other common manifestations of AD. Diagnosis involves the early detection of cognitive decline and ruling out other causes of dementia like vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, fronto-temporal degeneration or reversible causes like hypothyroidism. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have shown to be effective in mild to moderate AD in improving the cognitive function of patients in clinical trials. Caregiver intervention programs have considerable potential to improve both the caregiver and patient quality of life.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Evaluation and validation of a measure profiling needs and problems of psychiatric patients in the community: a Malaysian study

Cheah YC, Parker G, Roy K

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2000 Apr;35(4):170-6.

PMID: 10868082

The Profile of Community Psychiatry Clients (PCPC) was developed in a Sydney-based sample of those with a mental illness as a 35-item measure of likely need for service recognition, review and possible assistance.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Growing wealth and growing pains: child and adolescent psychiatry in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore

Tan S, Fung D, Hung SF, Rey J

Australas Psychiatry, 2008 Jun;16(3):204-9.

PMID: 18568628 DOI: 10.1080/10398560701874283

Several Asian regions have undergone a dramatic transformation, some becoming very affluent. This paper aims to ascertain how countries that are becoming wealthy have dealt with child and adolescent mental health issues.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Main puteri: an indigenous Kelantanese form of psychotherapy

Chen PCY

Int J Soc Psychiatry, 1979;25(3):167-75.

PMID: 500287 DOI: 10.1177/002076407902500302

The permainan puteri (usually abbreviated to main puteri) is an indigenous Kelantanese healing ceremony in which the bomoh (traditional medicine-man), the sick individual and other participants become spirit-medium through whom puteri (spirits) are able to enact a permainan ('play'). It has been successfully used as a psychotherapy for depression. The bomoh assisted by his minduk (master of spirits) and a troupe of musicians, is able to provide a conceptual framework around which the sick individual can organize his vague, mysterious and chaotic symptoms so that they become comprehensible and orderly. At the same time the bomoh is able to draw the sick individual out of his state of morbid self-absorption and heighten his feelings of self-worth. The involvement of his family, relatives and friends tends to enhance group solidarity and reintegrate the sick individual into his immediate social group.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Fulltext Malay psychiatric patients and traditional healers (bomohs)

Yeoh OH

Med J Malaysia, 1980 Jun;34(4):349-57.

PMID: 7219262

This paper describes the characteristics of Malay psychiatric inpatients, their attitudes towards hospitalisation and their practice of consulting traditional healers (bomohs). The behaviour patterns which prompted hospitalisation were: acute disorganised behaviour directed at the community, behaviour of a less acute nature distressing the family and life-threatening crises. The social interaction life styles of urban and rural Malays are discussed in relation to the differences observed between urban and rural hospitalised patients. When the traditional healers were consulted there was a delay before hospitalisation, but there was an awareness of the need for hospitalisation shown by a small number of the traditional healers. Some patients who had consulted the traditional healers had the tendency to continue the consultations after leaving the hospital, but this practice became less frequent after each discharge from hospital.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Malaysia mental health country profile

Parameshvara Deva M

Int Rev Psychiatry, 2014 Feb-May;16(1-2):167-76.

PMID: 15276949 DOI: 10.1080/09540260310001635203

Malaysia is a tropical country in the heart of south east Asia with a population of 24 million people of diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds living in harmony in 330,000 km(2) of land on the Asian mainland and Borneo. Malaysia, which lies on the crossroads of trade between east and west Asia, has an ancient history as a centre of trading attracting commerce between Europe, west Asia, India and China. It has had influences from major powers that dominated the region throughout its history. Today the country, after independence in 1957, has embarked on an ambitious development project to make it a developed country by 2020. In this effort the economy has changed from one producing raw material to one manufacturing consumer goods and services and the colonial health system has been overhauled and social systems strengthened to provide better services for its people. The per capita income, which was under 1,000 US dollars at independence, has now passed 4,000 US dollars and continues to grow, with the economy largely based on strong exports that amount to over 100 billion US dollars. The mental health system that was based on institutional care in four mental hospitals at independence from British colonial rule in 1957 with no Malaysian psychiatrists is today largely based on over 30 general hospital psychiatric units spread throughout the country. With three local postgraduate training programmes in psychiatry and 12 undergraduate departments of psychiatry in the country--all started after independence--there is now a healthy development of mental health services. This is being supplemented by a newly established primary care mental health service that covers community mental health by integrating mental health into primary health care. Mental health care at the level of psychiatrists rests with about 140 psychiatrists most of whom had undertaken a four-year masters course in postgraduate psychiatry in Malaysia since 1973. However, there continues to be severe shortages of other professionals such as clinical psychologists and social workers in mental health services. There are a few specialists, and specialized services in child, adolescent, forensic, rehabilitative, liaison or research fields of mental health. In the area of services for women and children, as well as the disabled in the community, there are strong efforts to improve the care and provide services that are in keeping with a caring society. New legislation on these are being passed every year and the setting up of a Ministry for Women's Affairs is one such move in recent years. Mental health in Malaysia has been slow in developing but has in the past decade seen important strides to bring it on par with other branches of medicine.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Malaysia's social policies on mental health: a critical theory

Mubarak AR

J Health Soc Policy, 2003;17(1):55-72.

PMID: 14620736

This article aims to review the social policies on mental health and mental illness in Malaysia. Using critical theory, major policy issues pertaining to mental health and mental illness such as mental health legislation, prevalence rates and quality of services available to the people with mental health problems are discussed in detail. Implications of these issues on persons with mental health problems are critically evaluated. The paper highlights that the other countries in ASEAN region also require similar review by policy literature.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Malaysian child psychiatric practice: a pragmatic and rational approach

Yeoh KL, Ong SB

Aust N Z J Psychiatry, 1982 Jun;16(2):61-6.

PMID: 6957184

A pragmatic and rational approach to the management of five child psychiatric cases in Malaysia is briefly reviewed. The significance of sociocultural factors in treating these cases within the context of a rapidly developing plural society is emphasized. The implications of overemphasis on educational and material achievements are noted.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Mental health in Asia: social improvements and challenges

Tseng WS, Ebata K, Kim KI, Krahl W, Kua EH, Lu Q, et al.

Int J Soc Psychiatry, 2001;47(1):8-23.

PMID: 11322408

Remarkable improvements in economic conditions and a considerable upgrade in the quality of life have been observed in many parts of Asia during the past several decades. At the same time, many mental health challenges face the people of Asia. Various social mental health indexes are reviewed here, with available data from China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and other Asian societies. The data are compared with data from the United States, Australia in the Pacific Rim, and some other Western countries to examine patterns of similarity or difference between East and West in the process of modernization. Common trends in mental health issues associated with rapid sociocultural change observed in different Asian societies are discussed, as well as the relative shortage of mental health personnel available in many Asian societies. It is emphasized that, in addition to expanding psychiatric services, there is an even more urgent need to promote mental health knowledge and concern through education in the general population. Mental health needs to be cultivated and maintained by social forces and cultural strengths. It is stressed that there is a challenge for Asian people to advance mental health beyond economic development in the 21st century.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy

Fulltext Mental health services for refugees in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Tay AK, Balasundaram S

Lancet Psychiatry, 2021 Feb;8(2):e7.

PMID: 33485426 DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30525-3

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

Mental health services in Cambodia, challenges and opportunities in a post-conflict setting

Jegannathan B, Kullgren G, Deva P

Asian J Psychiatr, 2015 Feb;13:75-80.

PMID: 25563073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2014.12.006

Cambodia had suffered enormously due to war and internecine conflict during the latter half of the twentieth century, more so during the Vietnam War. Total collapse of education and health systems during the Pol Pot era continues to be a challenge for developing the necessary infrastructure and human resources to provide basic minimum mental health care which is compounded by the prevailing cultural belief and stigma over mental, neurological and substance abuse disorders (MNSDs). The mental health research and services in Cambodia had been predominantly 'trauma focused', a legacy of war, and there is a need to move toward epidemiologically sound public health oriented mental health policy and service development. Integrating mental health program with primary health care services with specifically stated minimum package of activities at primary level and complementary package of activities at secondary level is an opportunity to meet the needs and rights of persons with mental, neurological and substance abuse disorders (PWMNSDs) in Cambodia, provided there is mental health leadership, government commitment and political will.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/therapy*

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