Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 657 in total

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  1. Lee YK, Ng CJ
    Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes, 2017 Jun;123-124:66-68.
    PMID: 28527637 DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2017.05.019
    Shared decision making (SDM) activities in Malaysia began around 2010. Although the concept is not widespread, there are opportunities to implement SDM in both the public and private healthcare sectors. Malaysia has a multicultural society and cultural components (such as language differences, medical paternalism, strong family involvement, religious beliefs and complementary medicine) influence medical decision making. In terms of policy, the Ministry of Health has increasingly mentioned patient-centered care as a component of healthcare delivery while the Malaysian Medical Council's guidelines on doctors' duties mentioned collaborative partnerships as a goal of doctor-patient relationships. Current research on SDM comprises baseline surveys of decisional role preferences, development and implementation of locally developed patient decision aids, and conducting of SDM training workshops. Most of this research is carried out by public research universities. In summary, the current state of SDM in Malaysia is still at its infancy. However, there are increasing recognition and efforts from the academic institutions and Ministry of Health to conduct research in SDM, develop patient decision support tools and initiate national discussion on patient involvement in decision making.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*
  2. Lee YK, Ng CJ, Lee PY, Tong WT, Sa'at H
    Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes, 2022 Jun;171:89-92.
    PMID: 35610129 DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2022.04.020
    Shared decision making (SDM) activities in Malaysia began around 2010. The rise in the numbers of patients with chronic disease in Malaysia underscores a growing need for doctors to practice patient-centred care and SDM as more Malaysians come into regular contact with health decision-making scenarios. Recent guidelines for medical professionalism have emphasized that options and risks be discussed in consultations, especially for procedures with risk of adverse outcomes. Although SDM is not legally required, principles of SDM are applied in legal judgements on informed consent. Research on SDM has grown to include the adoption of patient and public involvement in research, an increased emphasis on incorporating local cultural values in SDM, and implementation of SDM in Malaysia's health system and organizational culture. While COVID-19 hindered the progress of SDM research, one positive development was that vaccination choices heightened public consciousness about personal decisional autonomy and the need to discuss pros and cons with doctors before making a medical decision.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy
  3. Teoh SK
    World Smoking Health, 1984;9(2):27-30.
    PMID: 12179603
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
  4. Low CS, Ho JJ, Nallusamy R
    World J Pediatr, 2016 Nov;12(4):450-454.
    PMID: 27286688 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-016-0037-7
    BACKGROUND: Most of the evidence on early feeding of preterm infants was derived from high income settings, it is equally important to evaluate whether it can be successfully implemented into less resourced settings. This study aimed to compare growth and feeding of preterm infants before and after the introduction of a new aggressive feeding policy in Penang Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in a middle income country.

    METHODS: The new aggressive feeding policy was developed mainly from Cochrane review evidence, using early parenteral and enteral nutrition with standardized breastfeeding counselling aimed at empowering mothers to provide early expressed milk. A total of 80 preterm babies (34 weeks and below) discharged from NICU were included (40 pre- and 40 post-intervention). Pre and post-intervention data were compared. The primary outcome was growth at day 7, 14, 21 and at discharge and secondary outcomes were time to full oral feeding, breastfeeding rates, and adverse events.

    RESULTS: Complete data were available for all babies to discharge. One baby was discharged prior to day 14 and 10 babies before day 21, so growth data for these babies were unavailable. Baseline data were similar in the two groups. There was no significant weight difference at 7, 14, 21 days and at discharge. More post-intervention babies were breastfed at discharge than pre-intervention babies (21 vs. 8, P=0.005). Nosocomial infection (11 vs. 4, P=0.045), and blood transfusion were significantly lower in the postintervention babies than in the pre-intervention babies (31 vs. 13, P=0.01). The post-intervention babies were more likely to achieve shorter median days (interquartile range) to full oral feeding [11 (6) days vs. 13 (11) days, P=0.058] and with lower number affecting necrotising enterocolitis (0 vs. 5, P=0.055).

    CONCLUSION: Early aggressive parenteral nutrition and early provision of mother's milk did not result in improved growth as evidenced by weight gain at discharge. However we found more breastfeeding babies, lower nosocomial infection and transfusion rates. Our findings suggest that implementing a more aggressive feeding policy supported by high level scientific evidence is able to improve important outcomes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making; Nutrition Policy*
  5. Dallas MP, Horner R, Li L
    World Dev, 2021 Mar;139:105324.
    PMID: 33293754 DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105324
    Shortages of critical medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic have turned global value chains (GVCs) in personal protective equipment (PPE) into a political lightning rod. Some blame excessive outsourcing and foreign dependency for causing shortages, thus urging greater state intervention; others applaud GVCs for their flexibility and scaling up of production, while blaming states for undermining GVC operations. Using policy process-tracing and monthly trade data of seven PPE products across the US, Europe, China and Malaysia, this paper goes beyond the binary debate of either the 'failure' or 'success' of GVCs to show when and under what conditions states interacted with GVCs to produce mixed outcomes in provisioning countries with PPEs. We identify interactions between the type of state intervention and two key structural features of GVCs - geographic distribution of production and technological attributes of the product. Conceptually, the paper demonstrates the mutual constraints of states and GVCs, and highlights structural factors involved in the relationship. Looking to the future of GVCs, we caution against wholesale declarations that GVCs should be abandoned or maintained, instead concluding that paying attention to GVC structure, states and their interactions are crucial.
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  6. Tao H, Rahman MA, Al-Saffar A, Zhang R, Salih SQ, Zain JM, et al.
    Work, 2021;68(3):853-861.
    PMID: 33612528 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203419
    BACKGROUND: Nowadays, workplace violence is found to be a mental health hazard and considered a crucial topic. The collaboration between robots and humans is increasing with the growth of Industry 4.0. Therefore, the first problem that must be solved is human-machine security. Ensuring the safety of human beings is one of the main aspects of human-robotic interaction. This is not just about preventing collisions within a shared space among human beings and robots; it includes all possible means of harm for an individual, from physical contact to unpleasant or dangerous psychological effects.

    OBJECTIVE: In this paper, Non-linear Adaptive Heuristic Mathematical Model (NAHMM) has been proposed for the prevention of workplace violence using security Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) is an area of research with a wide range of up-demands, future scenarios, and potential economic influence. HRC is an interdisciplinary field of research that encompasses cognitive sciences, classical robotics, and psychology.

    RESULTS: The robot can thus make the optimal decision between actions that expose its capabilities to the human being and take the best steps given the knowledge that is currently available to the human being. Further, the ideal policy can be measured carefully under certain observability assumptions.

    CONCLUSION: The system is shown on a collaborative robot and is compared to a state of the art security system. The device is experimentally demonstrated. The new system is being evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively.

    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  7. Zheyuan C, Rahman MA, Tao H, Liu Y, Pengxuan D, Yaseen ZM
    Work, 2021;68(3):825-834.
    PMID: 33612525 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203416
    BACKGROUND: The increasing use of robotics in the work of co-workers poses some new problems in terms of occupational safety and health. In the workplace, industrial robots are being used increasingly. During operations such as repairs, unmanageable, adjustment, and set-up, robots can cause serious and fatal injuries to workers. Collaborative robotics recently plays a rising role in the manufacturing filed, warehouses, mining agriculture, and much more in modern industrial environments. This development advances with many benefits, like higher efficiency, increased productivity, and new challenges like new hazards and risks from the elimination of human and robotic barriers.

    OBJECTIVES: In this paper, the Advanced Human-Robot Collaboration Model (AHRCM) approach is to enhance the risk assessment and to make the workplace involving security robots. The robots use perception cameras and generate scene diagrams for semantic depictions of their environment. Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have utilized to develop a highly protected security robot based risk management system in the workplace.

    RESULTS: The experimental results show that the proposed AHRCM method achieves high performance in human-robot mutual adaption and reduce the risk.

    CONCLUSION: Through an experiment in the field of human subjects, demonstrated that policies based on the proposed model improved the efficiency of the human-robot team significantly compared with policies assuming complete human-robot adaptation.

    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  8. Wei H, Rahman MA, Hu X, Zhang L, Guo L, Tao H, et al.
    Work, 2021;68(3):845-852.
    PMID: 33612527 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203418
    BACKGROUND: The selection of orders is the method of gathering the parts needed to assemble the final products from storage sites. Kitting is the name of a ready-to-use package or a parts kit, flexible robotic systems will significantly help the industry to improve the performance of this activity. In reality, despite some other limitations on the complexity of components and component characteristics, the technological advances in recent years in robotics and artificial intelligence allows the treatment of a wide range of items.

    OBJECTIVE: In this article, we study the robotic kitting system with a Robotic Mounted Rail Arm System (RMRAS), which travels narrowly to choose the elements.

    RESULTS: The objective is to evaluate the efficiency of a robotic kitting system in cycle times through modeling of the elementary kitting operations that the robot performs (pick and room, move, change tools, etc.). The experimental results show that the proposed method enhances the performance and efficiency ratio when compared to other existing methods.

    CONCLUSION: This study with the manufacturer can help him assess the robotic area performance in a given design (layout and picking a policy, etc.) as part of an ongoing project on automation of kitting operations.

    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  9. Agamuthu P, Victor D
    Waste Manag Res, 2011 Sep;29(9):945-53.
    PMID: 21771873 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X11413332
    This paper seeks to examine the provisions for extended producer responsibility (EPR) within the Malaysian environmental and waste management policies and to determine its existing practice and future prospects in Malaysia. Malaysian waste generation has been increasing drastically where solid waste generation was estimated to increase from about 9.0 million tonnes in 2000 to about 10.9 million tonnes in 2010, to about 12.8 million tonnes in 2015 and finally to about 15.6 million tonnes in 2020. Malaysian e-waste was estimated to be about 652 909 tonnes in 2006 and was estimated to increase to about 706 000 tonnes in 2010 and finally to about 1.2 million tonnes in 2020. The projected increasing generation of both solid waste and scheduled wastes is expected to burden the country's resources and environment in managing these wastes in a sustainable manner. The concept of EPR is provided for in the Malaysia waste management system via the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007. However, these provisions in the policy are generic in nature without relevant regulations to enable its enforcement and as such the concept of EPR still remains on paper whereas the existing practice of EPR in Malaysia is limited through voluntary participation. In conclusion, policy trends of EPR in Malaysia seem to indicate that Malaysia may be embarking on the path towards EPR through the enactment of an EPR regulation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Environmental Policy/economics*
  10. Agamuthu P, Fauziah SH
    Waste Manag Res, 2011 Jan;29(1):13-9.
    PMID: 20880936 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X10383080
    Malaysia disposes of 28,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste directly into landfills daily. This fact alone necessitates sustainable landfills to avoid adverse impacts on the population and the environment. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the issues and challenges faced by waste managers in moving towards sustainable landfilling in Malaysia. Various factors influence the management of a landfill. Among them is the human factor, which includes attitude and public participation. Although Malaysia's economy is developing rapidly, public concern and awareness are not evolving in parallel and therefore participation towards sustainable waste management through the 'reduce, reuse and recycle' approach (3Rs) is severely lacking. Consequently, landfill space is exhausted earlier than scheduled and this is no longer sustainable in terms of security of disposal. Challenges also arise from the lack of funding and the increase in the price of land. Thus, most waste managers normally aim for 'just enough' to comply with the regulations. Investment for the establishment of landfills generally is minimized since landfilling operations are considered uneconomical after closure. Institutional factors also hamper the practice of sustainable landfilling in the country where 3Rs is not mandatory and waste separation is totally absent. Although there are huge obstacles to be dealt with in moving towards sustainable landfilling in Malaysia, recent developments in waste management policy and regulations have indicated that positive changes are possible in the near future. Consequently, with the issues solved and challenges tackled, landfills in Malaysia can then be managed effectively in a more sustainable manner.
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  11. Agamuthu P, Khidzir KM, Hamid FS
    Waste Manag Res, 2009 Oct;27(7):625-33.
    PMID: 19470545 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X09103191
    Drivers of sustainable waste management are defined as groups of related factors that influence the development (or lack thereof) of industry. There has been no attempt to reasonably list the drivers that influence sustainable waste management in Asia. In this review, four groups of drivers of sustainable waste management, specifically of Asia, are explained. The four groups of drivers consist of three human elements (human, economic and institutional) and the environment as a single driving group. Typically, the first three groups have been very influential, with the environment driver, noticeably, only considered when preceded by other groups of drivers. The interconnectedness of the drivers and neglect of the environment driver is discussed. It is concluded that while the essence of the four groups of drivers can be found all over Asia, each driving group must be investigated in a local context and all information combined to devise sustainable waste management policies or strategies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy
  12. Azri S, Ujang U, Abdullah NS
    Waste Manag Res, 2023 Mar;41(3):687-700.
    PMID: 36129019 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X221123489
    Despite the government's policies and objectives, Malaysia lags behind in sustainable waste management techniques, particularly recycling. Bins should be located conveniently to encourage recycling and reduce waste. The current model of bin location-allocation is mostly determined by distance. However, it has been identified that previous studies excluded an important factor: litter pattern identification. Litter pattern is important to identify waste generation hotspots and litter distribution. Thus, we proposed the within cluster pattern identification (WCPI) approach to optimize the recycle point distribution. WCPI gathers the information on litter distribution using geotagged images and analyses the pattern distribution. The optimal location for recycle bin can be identified by incorporating k-means clustering to the pattern distribution. Since k-means faces the non-deterministic polynomial-time-hard challenge of selecting the ideal cluster and cluster centre, WCPI used the total within-cluster sum of square on top of k-means clustering. The proposed location by WCPI is validated in terms of accessibility and suitability. Furthermore, this study provides further analysis of carbon footprint that can be reduced by simulating the data from geotagged images. The results show that 10,323.55 kg of carbon emission can be reduced if the litter is sent for recycling. Thus, we believe that locating bins at an optimal location will embark on consumer motivation to dispose of recycled waste, reduce litter and lessen the carbon footprint. At the same time, these efforts could transform Malaysia into a clean and sustainable nation that aims to achieve Agenda 2030.
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy
  13. Lee D, Balasubramaniam K, Ali HM
    WHO Reg Publ Eur Ser, 1993;45:193-218.
    PMID: 8442847
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy
  14. Roughead EE, Lhazeen K, Socialine E, Bahri S, Park BJ, Holloway K
    WHO South East Asia J Public Health, 2013 Apr-Jun;2(2):113-117.
    PMID: 28612769 DOI: 10.4103/2224-3151.122946
    Critical to the successful implementation of a national medicines strategy is evaluation of the policy and ongoing monitoring of medicine use. Methods for monitoring medicines use within countries vary depending on the country and its stage of medicines policy development and implementation. In this paper, we provide four case studies on monitoring medicines use to support national medicines policy development and implementation. Cases come from Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea.
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making; Policy
  15. Ngorsuraches S, Chaiyakunapruk N, Jianfei Guo J, Yang BM
    Value Health Reg Issues, 2017 05;12:99-100.
    PMID: 28648323 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2017.04.002
    Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making*
  16. Dilokthornsakul P, McQueen RB, Chaiyakunapruk N, Spackman E, Watanabe JH, Campbell JD
    Value Health Reg Issues, 2016 May;9:99-104.
    PMID: 27881269 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2015.12.003
    Health technology assessment is a form of health policy research that provides policymakers with information relevant to decisions about policy alternatives. Findings from cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) are one of the important aspects of health technology assessment. Nevertheless, the more advanced method of value of information (VOI), which is recommended by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research and Society for Medical Decision Making Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force, has rarely been applied in CEA studies in Asia. The lack of VOI in Asian CEA studies may be due to limited understanding of VOI methods and what VOI can and cannot help policy decision makers accomplish. This concept article offers audiences a practical primer in understanding the calculation, presentation, and policy implications of VOI. In addition, it provides a rapid survey of health technology assessment guidelines and literature related to VOI in Asia and discusses the future directions of VOI use in Asia and its potential barriers. This article will enable health economists, outcomes researchers, and policymakers in Asia to better understand the importance of VOI analysis and its implications, leading to the appropriate use of VOI in Asia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy
  17. Almomani E, Alabbadi I, Fasseeh A, Al-Qutob R, Al-Sharu E, Hayek N, et al.
    Value Health Reg Issues, 2021 Sep;25:126-134.
    PMID: 34015521 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2021.01.003
    OBJECTIVES: Health technology assessment (HTA) can increase the appropriateness and transparency of pricing and reimbursement decisions. Jordan is still in the early phase of its HTA implementation, although the country has very limited public resources for the coverage of healthcare technologies. The study objective was to explore and validate priorities in the HTA road map for Jordan and propose to facilitate the preferred HTA status.

    METHODS: Health policy experts from the public and private sectors were asked to participate in a survey to explore the current and future status of HTA implementation in Jordan. Semistructured interviews with senior policy makers supported by literature review were conducted to validate survey results and make recommendations for specific actions.

    RESULTS: Survey and interview results indicated a need for increased HTA training, including both short courses and academic programs and gradually increasing public funding for technology assessment and appraisal. Multiple HTA bodies with central coordination can be the most feasible format of HTA institutionalization. The weight of cost-effectiveness criterion based on local data with published reports and explicit decision thresholds should be increased in policy decisions of pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical technologies.

    CONCLUSION: Currently, HTA has limited impact on health policy decisions in Jordan, and when it is used to support pharmaceutical reimbursement decisions, it is mainly based on results from other countries without considering transferability of international evidence. Policy makers should facilitate HTA institutionalization and use in policy decisions by increasing the weight of local evidence in HTA recommendations.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy
  18. Thatte U, Hussain S, de Rosas-Valera M, Malik MA
    Value Health, 2009 Nov-Dec;12 Suppl 3:S18-25.
    PMID: 20586975 DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4733.2009.00622.x
    This paper discusses national programs implemented in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Philippines to generate and apply evidence in making informed policy decisions on the approval, pricing, reimbursement and financing of medicines, diagnostics, and medical devices.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy/economics*
  19. Aljunid SM, Srithamrongsawat S, Chen W, Bae SJ, Pwu RF, Ikeda S, et al.
    Value Health, 2012 2 1;15(1 Suppl):S132-8.
    PMID: 22265060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2011.11.004
    This article sought to describe the health-care data situation in six selected economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Authors from Thailand, China mainland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia present their analyses in three parts. The first part of the article describes the data-collection process and the sources of data. The second part of the article presents issues around policies of data sharing with the stakeholders. The third and final part of the article focuses on the extent of health-care data use for policy reform in these different economies. Even though these economies differ in their economic structure and population size, they share some similarities on issues related to health-care data. There are two main institutions that collect and manage the health-care data in these economies. In Thailand, China mainland, Taiwan, and Malaysia, the Ministry of Health is responsible through its various agencies for collecting and managing the health-care data. On the other hand, health insurance is the main institution that collects and stores health-care data in South Korea and Japan. In all economies, sharing of and access to data is an issue. The reasons for limited access to some data are privacy protection, fragmented health-care system, poor quality of routinely collected data, unclear policies and procedures to access the data, and control on the freedom on publication. The primary objective of collecting health-care data in these economies is to aid the policymakers and researchers in policy decision making as well as create an awareness on health-care issues for the general public. The usage of data in monitoring the performance of the heath system is still in the process of development. In conclusion, for the region under discussion, health-care data collection is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and health insurance agencies. Data are collected from health-care providers mainly from the public sector. Routinely collected data are supplemented by national surveys. Accessibility to the data is a major issue in most of the economies under discussion. Accurate health-care data are required mainly to support policy making and evidence-based decisions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*; Policy Making
  20. Jauneikaite E, Jefferies JM, Hibberd ML, Clarke SC
    Vaccine, 2012 May 21;30(24):3503-14.
    PMID: 22475858 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.03.066
    BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of bacterial infections resulting in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Currently, up to 13 serotypes are included in pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). However, the serotype formulation of these vaccines was initially designed to protect children against serotypes most commonly causing invasive disease in North America, and may not reflect the serotype distribution across the world. Data regarding pneumococcal epidemiology from the other parts of the world, in particular South East Asia, has not been reviewed.
    METHODS: This systematic literature review analyses published serotype data regarding S. pneumoniae isolates from South East Asian countries (defined as countries belonging to the Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN): Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam up to 3rd of March 2012.
    RESULTS: Analysis of data from six ASEAN countries, from which information on pneumococcal serotypes was available, showed that the most common disease causing serotypes (in rank order) were 19F, 23F, 14, 6B, 1, 19A and 3. Serotype distribution of pneumococcal isolates was similar across the ASEAN region. Serotype level data was more commonly reported for pneumococcal isolates causing invasive pneumococcal disease than for those from non-invasive disease. Studies from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore contributed the largest proportion of pneumococcal isolates, and serotype data, when compared to other ASEAN countries.
    CONCLUSION: This review demonstrates that the majority of IPD causing serotypes in SE Asia are included in currently licensed PCVs. However, PCV's are included in the routine childhood immunisation schedule of only one of the ten countries included in this analysis. Our findings demonstrate the scarcity of information available on serotype prevalence and distribution of pneumococci in SE Asia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy
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