Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 58 in total

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  1. Fulltext Why girls get married early in Sarawak, Malaysia - an exploratory qualitative study
    Kohno A, Dahlui M, Nik Farid ND, Safii R, Nakayama T
    BMC Womens Health, 2020 03 04;20(1):46.
    PMID: 32131810 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-020-00911-z
    BACKGROUND: Child marriage, a marriage that involves someone under the age of 18 years, is a long-standing social issue in Sarawak state, Malaysia. The state has taken several measures to improve situations of inequity for women who get married early; however, the practice is still a common part of the tradition and culture. The aim of this study was to explore the factors leading to child marriage in Sarawak state, Malaysia.

    METHODS: This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted via semi-structured interviews with twenty-two women who were married when they were younger than 18 years old in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Participants were recruited through purposive and convenient sampling with the use of data from a reproductive health clinic and recruitment in villages. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis.

    RESULTS: Four overarching themes were identified: health risk behaviour, family poverty, early marriage as fate, and family disharmony.

    CONCLUSIONS: In-depth understanding of the unique factors leading to child marriage locally will facilitate the introduction of new approaches to interventions to eradicate child marriage in Sarawak state, Malaysia.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  2. Fulltext Virtual and essential - adolescent SRHR in the time of COVID-19
    Nanda P, Tandon S, Khanna A
    Sex Reprod Health Matters, 2020 12;28(1):1831136.
    PMID: 33073718 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2020.1831136
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health*
  3. Views and experiences of Malaysian family medicine trainees of female sexual dysfunction
    Lai PS, Tan SY, Liew SM
    Arch Sex Behav, 2016 Nov;45(8):2081-2089.
    PMID: 27502351 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0796-1
    Sociocultural factors have been shown to be important influencers of sexual health and sexuality. Hence, the aim of our study was to explore the views and experiences of family medicine trainees regarding female sexual dysfunction (FSD) with a focus on the barriers and facilitators towards the initiation of conversation on this topic. A qualitative study design involving semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) was conducted with 19 family medicine trainees in Malaysia. The conceptual framework used was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Thematic approach was used to analyze the data. Participants perceived FSD as being uncommon and unimportant. According to our participants, patients often presented with indirect complaints, and doctors were not proactive in asking about FSD. Three main barriers were identified: doctor factors, perceived patient factors, and system factors. Lack of confidence, knowledge, experience, time, and embarrassment were the key barriers identified at the doctors' level. Lack of awareness, among patients regarding FSD, and local cultural and religious norms were the perceived patient barriers. System barriers were lack of time and privacy. Various facilitators, such as continuous medical education and public forums, were suggested as means to encourage family medicine trainees to initiate discussion on sexual matters during consultations. In conclusion, family medicine trainees found it difficult to initiate conversation on FSD with patients. Interventions to encourage conversation on FSD should target this and other identified barriers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health*
  4. Fulltext Training in male sexual and reproductive health for a primary care physician
    Shaiful BI
    Malays Fam Physician, 2008;3(1):58-60.
    PMID: 25606115
    In 2006, I was awarded a scholarship from Universiti Sains Malaysia for Fellowship training at Monash University (MU) for one year. The objective of the training programme was to develop knowledge and skills in several areas, including androgen deficiency, male infertility, prostate disease, testicular tumours, sexual dysfunction and sexually transmitted diseases. The training programme consisted of attachments with clinical specialists, completion of a course work module and a research project. After completion of the training programme, I believe that Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) will benefit from undertaking the training programme that I had completed. It will enable PCPs to assume leadership roles in this multidisciplinary area. The ability of PCPs in handling sexual and reproductive health issues in men will definitely be a more cost effective form of care for patients, particularly as the number of specialists is limited, and even more importantly, it will be satisfying for the patient and the physician.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  5. Fulltext The International Sexual Health And REproductive Health during COVID-19 (I-SHARE) Study: A Multicountry Analysis of Adults from 30 Countries Prior to and During the Initial Coronavirus Disease 2019 Wave
    Toller Erausquin J, Tan RKJ, Uhlich M, Francis JM, Kumar N, Campbell L, et al.
    Clin Infect Dis, 2022 Aug 24;75(1):e991-e999.
    PMID: 35136960 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac102
    BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To address this gap, our team organized a multicountry, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium.

    METHODS: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling methods included convenience, online panels, and population-representative. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service use, and we compared 3 months prior to and during policy measures to mitigate COVID-19. We conducted meta-analyses for primary outcomes and graded the certainty of the evidence.

    RESULTS: Among 4546 respondents with casual partners, condom use stayed the same for 3374 (74.4%), and 640 (14.1%) reported a decline. Fewer respondents reported physical or sexual partner violence during COVID-19 measures (1063 of 15 144, 7.0%) compared to before COVID-19 measures (1469 of 15 887, 9.3%). COVID-19 measures impeded access to condoms (933 of 10 790, 8.7%), contraceptives (610 of 8175, 7.5%), and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing (750 of 1965, 30.7%). Pooled estimates from meta-analysis indicate that during COVID-19 measures, 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.9%-42.1%) of people needing HIV/STI testing had hindered access, 4.4% (95% CI, 3.4%-5.4%) experienced partner violence, and 5.8% (95% CI, 5.4%-8.2%) decreased casual partner condom use (moderate certainty of evidence for each outcome). Meta-analysis findings were robust in sensitivity analyses that examined country income level, sample size, and sampling strategy.

    CONCLUSIONS: Open science methods are feasible to organize research studies as part of emergency responses. The initial COVID-19 wave impacted SRH behaviors and access to services across diverse global settings.

    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  6. Fulltext The Health Status of Muslim Women with HIV/AIDS in Arab Countries
    Salih, F.A.M., Haque, Q.M.
    International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2007;6(2):1-5.
    MyJurnal
    The number of people worldwide living with human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) is more than 40 million, among them 17.7 millions are women (UNAIDS/WHO, 2006) The latest report from the Eastern Mediterranean Region shows that at least one million people are infected with HIV; among them 30% are women. The great majority of reported cases in the Region are men. However, the ratio of men to women cases varies in different countries. It ranges between “9:1 (as for example in Egypt), to 2:1” (as in Morocco and some parts of Yemen). Due to religious, social and cultural values regarding female purity, women and girls living with HIV and AIDS are subjected to greater discrimination than men. WHO reports show that a large percentage of the infected women in Arab countries have contacted the infection from their husbands especially migrants and drug abusers. In Arab countries, studies conducted show that 86% of women choose not to disclose their status of infection for the fear of abandonment, rejection, discrimination, violence, upsetting family members, and accusations of infidelity from their partners, families, and communities. As a result, many women only seek help at the last minute when they are already been terminally ill. Violence against women and girls in its different forms increases women's vulnerability to HIV infection and undermines AIDS control efforts. The fear of violence prevents many women from accessing HIV information, from getting testing and seeking treatment. Stigma and discrimination may also prevent them from carrying out their normal life activities. When women are blamed, this can lead to heightened levels of sexual and domestic violence, abandonment by families and communities, forced abortion or sterilization, dismissal from employment and loss of livelihood opportunities. A study of AIDS-related discrimination in Arab region found that over ten percent of women had lost financial support from family members since being diagnosed as HIV positive. There is a great deal of evidence to establish the significant link between gender-based violence and rising rates of HIV infection among women and girls throughout the world. HIV-positive women must be supported to make their own reproductive choices about whether and/or when to have children. Promote male involvement in sexual and reproductive health programmes. Finally the stigma, discrimination and violations must be stopped.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  7. The Global Gag Rule: The death trap for comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare and way to overcome the US gag rule
    Murshid ME, Haque M
    J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol, 2020 06 11;27(2):e87-e99.
    PMID: 32621461 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27i2.677
    The United States of America (USA) is one of the largest bilateral donors in the field of global health assistance. There are beneficiaries in 70 countries around the world. In 2015, the USA released US$638 million for the improvement of global health status by promoting family planning services. Unfortunately, in 2017, Trump administration reinstated Mexico City Policy/Global Gag Rule (GGR). This policy prevents non-US nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from receiving US health financial assistance if they have any relationship with abortion-related services. This restriction pushed millions of lives into great danger due to the lack of comprehensive family planning services, especially lack of abortion-related services. This article has attempted to let the readers know about the impacts of GGR around the world and how global leaders are trying to overcome the harmful effects of this rule. Finally, it proposes some solutions to the impacts of the extension of Mexico City Policy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health Services/economics; Reproductive Health Services/legislation & jurisprudence
  8. Fulltext Source of information on sexual and reproductive health among secondary schools’ girls in the Klang Valley
    Kamrani, M.A., Sharifah Zainiyah, S.Y., Hamzah, A., Ahmad, Z.
    Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2011;11(1):29-35.
    MyJurnal
    Adolescents are known to obtain information regarding sexual and reproductive health from a variety of sources and not just during formal lessons in schools. This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to determine the source of information on sexual and reproductive health among Form four secondary schools girls in the Klang Valley as well as parents’ relationship profile. A total of 520 secondary school girls were recruited for the study. In this study, the source of information on puberty and sexual topics were categorized as follows: first level of importance - mothers, second level of importance - siblings, third level of importance - fathers, fourth level of importance - friends, fifth level of importance - teachers and sixth level of importance - books/internet. A majority of respondents agreed that their mothers were the first level of importance they sought for information on puberty (74.8%) and sexual topics (53.8%). Thirty nine point three percent (39.3%) of respondents reported it was very easy to have a dialogue with their mothers while only 10.0% of the respondents said it was very easy to have a dialogue with their fathers. While this was the case, only 6.3% of the respondents reported discussing sex-related matter with their mothers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  9. Sociodemographic factors associated with semen quality among Malaysian men attending fertility clinic
    Muhamad S, Sengupta P, Ramli R, Nasir A
    Andrologia, 2019 Nov;51(10):e13383.
    PMID: 31373711 DOI: 10.1111/and.13383
    The worldwide declining trend in male fertility has been a steady concern since the past few decades. Male infertility reportedly accounts for half of the overall infertility cases in the world. Despite the evidences of reduced fertility rates in Malaysia in the recent years, there is lack of interventions regarding the reproductive parameters in Malaysian men. Complexity in determining the underlying causatives in most of the male subfertility and infertility cases limits the scope of management. The sociodemographic impacts upon overall health as well as on reproductive health of men are undeniable. The present study has analysed the data collected from patients' records in the Fertility Clinic, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), from the January 2009 until December 2018. A total of 300 male patients were included in the study and were categorised according to their seminal fluid analysis (SFA) records. The sociodemographic characteristics for each subject were analysed. The results presented significant correlations among essential sociodemographic factors, such as educational attainment, marital duration as well as the age of wife, with the levels of semen abnormalities in the subjects. The study thereby unleashes scope for further investigations focusing upon the demographic factors for better insights to ameliorate male reproductive health in the Malaysian population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health/statistics & numerical data*
  10. Sexual health of male migrant workers
    Siti Norazah Z
    JUMMEC, 2002;1:52-58.
    Sexual health is defined as part of reproductive health and includes healthy sexual development; equitable and responsible relationships and sexual fulfillment; and freedom from illness, disease, disability, violence and other harmful practices related to sexuality. For this project on Health Problems of Migrant Workers, a section on sexual health was incorporated based on a special concern over sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and high-risk behaviours. Access to healthcare is recognised to be a problem with minority or marginalised groups, including adolescents and migrant populations, especially undocumented migrants. This exacerbates the issue of control and management of STDs. The Sexual Health section covered experience with sexual interourse, and a limited number of questions related to sex partners and condom use among those who are sexually experienced.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  11. Sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS, and public health
    Low WY, Wong YL
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Mar;26(2):116-7.
    PMID: 24671667 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514526686
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health*
  12. Fulltext Sexual and reproductive health and rights post 2015--challenges and opportunities
    Allotey P, Reidpath DD
    BJOG, 2015 Jan;122(2):152-5.
    PMID: 25394350 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13177
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health*
  13. Sexual and reproductive health and rights in public health education
    Allotey PA, Diniz S, Dejong J, Delvaux T, Gruskin S, Fonn S
    Reprod Health Matters, 2011 Nov;19(38):56-68.
    PMID: 22118142 DOI: 10.1016/S0968-8080(11)38577-1
    This paper addresses the challenges faced in mainstreaming the teaching of sexual and reproductive health and rights into public health education. For this paper, we define sexual and reproductive health and rights education as including not only its biomedical aspects but also an understanding of its history, values and politics, grounded in gender politics and social justice, addressing sexuality, and placed within a broader context of health systems and global health. Using a case study approach with an opportunistically selected sample of schools of public health within our regional contexts, we examine the status of sexual and reproductive health and rights education and some of the drivers and obstacles to the development and delivery of sexual and reproductive health and rights curricula. Despite diverse national and institutional contexts, there are many commonalities. Teaching of sexual and reproductive health and rights is not fully integrated into core curricula. Existing initiatives rely on personal faculty interest or short-term courses, neither of which are truly sustainable or replicable. We call for a multidisciplinary and more comprehensive integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights in public health education. The education of tomorrow's public health leaders is critical, and a strategy is needed to ensure that they understand and are prepared to engage with the range of sexual and reproductive health and rights issues within their historical and political contexts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health/education*
  14. Fulltext Sexual and reproductive health and rights and bodily autonomy in a digital world
    Khosla R, Mishra V, Singh S
    Sex Reprod Health Matters, 2023 Dec;31(4):2269003.
    PMID: 37930349 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2023.2269003
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health*
  15. Fulltext Self care interventions to advance health and wellbeing: a conceptual framework to inform normative guidance
    Narasimhan M, Allotey P, Hardon A
    BMJ, 2019 Apr 01;365:l688.
    PMID: 30936087 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l688
    Manjulaa Narasimhan and colleagues argue that there is a pressing need for a clearer conceptualisation of self care to support health policy
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health Services
  16. Fulltext Self care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights: costs, benefits, and financing
    Remme M, Narasimhan M, Wilson D, Ali M, Vijayasingham L, Ghani F, et al.
    BMJ, 2019 Apr 01;365:l1228.
    PMID: 30936210 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.l1228
    Michelle Remme and colleagues argue that if costs to users are considered and their financing is right, self care interventions for sexual and reproductive health can improve equity and efficiency
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health/economics*
  17. Fulltext Selected data on health status of migrant women respondents
    Siti Norazah Z
    JUMMEC, 2002;7(1):15-23.
    Reproductive health is "a state of complete, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Implicit in this is the right of men and women to be informed and to have access to safe, effective and affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility, which are not against the law, and the right of access to health-care services that enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth." The survey on Health Problems of Migrant Workers included a section on Women's Health covering aspects of reproductive health. This was based on concerns over reproductive health needs of migrant women workers, particularly since the large majority are in the reproductive age-group, and the utilisation of government healthcare facilities. The latter has implications for the potential burden on public healthcare services in terms of resources and costs. Specifically, the Women's Health section included questions on pregnancy, place of delivery of last baby (born in Malaysia), postnatal care related to this delivery, and mode of payment. For those currently pregnant, questions were asked of sources of antenatal care, postnatal care and respective modes of payment for thsoe services. This section also included questions on current contraceptive practices, source of supplies, and mode of payment for contraceptive methods.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  18. Fulltext Recovery of Prenatal Baicalein Exposure Perturbed Reproduction by Postnatal Exposure of Testosterone in Male Mice
    Vaadala S, Ponneri N, Karanam VS, Sainath SB, Reddy PS, Pamuru RR, et al.
    Int J Endocrinol, 2020;2020:5012736.
    PMID: 33293955 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5012736
    Baicalein (BC), a flavonoid, which lacks the qualities of reproductive health and shows adverse effects, is tested in this study. Inseminated mice were injected with 30, 60, and 90 mg BC/Kg body weight on gestation days 11, 13, 15, and 17. The F1 BC-exposed males of each dosage were divided into six groups. First three groups (n = 6 from each BC dosage) were used for assessment of reproductive performance, the others (n = 4 from each BC dosage) were administered with testosterone 4.16 mg/kg body weight on postnatal days 21, 31, and 41. The reproductive health of adult F1 males at the age of 55 and 60 was tested. Prenatal BC exposure showed reduced fertility after cohabitation with control females. The BC exposure significantly reduced the body weight, tissue indices, and sperm parameters (motility, count, viability, and daily sperm count) and altered the sperm membrane in a hypoosmotic swelling test. A downward trend was observed in testicular steroidogenic marker enzymes (3β- and 17β-steroid dehydrogenases) and serum testosterone, whereas increase in serum titers of FSH and LH along with altered the testicular histology. Conversely, testosterone (4.16 mg/kg body weight) partially recovered reduced male reproductive health by BC. BC impaired male reproductive health due to low levels of testosterone is reverted by external testosterone is evidenced in this study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  19. Fulltext Psychosocial determinants of adolescent romantic relationship in Malaysia: Social media use, pornography surfing, sexual and reproductive health knowledge, and depression
    Mud Shukri MI, Baharom A
    PLoS One, 2023;18(12):e0295933.
    PMID: 38117759 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295933
    It is socially natural that adolescents engage in romantic relationship. However, there are negative health implications when they are not properly monitored and guided. The engagement in unsafe sexual practices has been reported to cause various adverse health and social implications affecting Malaysian adolescents. To date, why adolescents engage in romantic relationship has remained understudied. Prior studies on adolescent romantic relationship mainly focused on the western context. Hence, the reported findings are deemed not applicable for the Malaysian population. There are insufficient data on the prevalence and determinants of adolescent romantic relationship within the Malaysian context. Thus, the current study aimed to identify the prevalence and determinants of romantic relationship among adolescents in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Adopting a cross-sectional research design, this study's self-administered questionnaire survey, which was conducted from 25 May 2021 to 5 June 2021 in residential areas that were part of the "Healthy Community Empowers the Nation" programme (KOSPEN), involved 396 adolescents who fulfilled the study's selection criteria. In terms of age, the respondents were of between 14 and 19 years old, with median age (IQR) of 19 (2). Adolescent romantic relationship in this study recorded prevalence of 24.1%, which was comparatively lower than that of the western countries. The results further revealed social media use (AOR: 2.162, 95% CI: 1.202-3.888, p = 0.01), pornography website surfing (AOR 2.748, 95% CI: 1.517-4.977, p = 0.001), poor SRH knowledge (AOR: 3.885, 95% CI: 2.144-7.040, p < 0.001), and depression (AOR: 2.830, 95% CI: 1.323-6.055, p = 0.007) as significant determinants of adolescent romantic relationship. Thus, this study demonstrated the significant role of social media use, pornography website surfing, SRH knowledge, and depression on adolescent romantic relationship. Further longitudinal studies to investigate the temporal relationships between depression and romantic relationship are recommended. The highly significant association between SRH knowledge and romantic relationship in this study suggests that strategies on improving the level of SRH knowledge among adolescents should be prioritised.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health
  20. Fulltext Priority-setting to integrate sexual and reproductive health into universal health coverage: the case of Malaysia
    Lim SC, Yap YC, Barmania S, Govender V, Danhoundo G, Remme M
    Sex Reprod Health Matters, 2020 Dec;28(2):1842153.
    PMID: 33236973 DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2020.1842153
    Despite increasing calls to integrate and prioritise sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in universal health coverage (UHC) processes, several SRH services have remained a low priority in countries' UHC plans. This study aims to understand the priority-setting process of SRH interventions in the context of UHC, drawing on the Malaysian experience. A realist evaluation framework was adopted to examine the priority-setting process for three SRH tracer interventions: pregnancy, safe delivery and post-natal care; gender-based violence (GBV) services; and abortion-related services. The study used a qualitative multi-method design, including a literature and document review, and 20 in-depth key informant interviews, to explore the context-mechanism-outcome configurations that influenced and explained the priority-setting process. Four key advocacy strategies were identified for the effective prioritisation of SRH services, namely: (1) generating public demand and social support, (2) linking SRH issues with public agendas or international commitments, (3) engaging champions that are internal and external to the public health sector, and (4) reframing SRH issues as public health issues. While these strategies successfully triggered mechanisms, such as mutual understanding and increased buy-in of policymakers to prioritise SRH services, the level and extent of prioritisation was affected by both inner and outer contextual factors, in particular the socio-cultural and political context. Priority-setting is a political decision-making process that reflects societal values and norms. Efforts to integrate SRH services in UHC processes need both to make technical arguments and to find strategies to overcome barriers related to societal values (including certain socio-cultural and religious norms). This is particularly important for sensitive SRH services, like GBV and safe abortion, and for certain populations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Reproductive Health Services*; Reproductive Health/standards*
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