Daily food intake of women may affect their bone health by altering their bone mineral density (BMD) as the lack of certain
nutrients may affect bone integrity whilst, BMD also can be a predictor of breast cancer. To date, many studies have been
conducted to discuss on association of BMD and mammographic breast density (MBD) and how both are related to breast
cancer risks but no consideration has been made on dietary intake. Therefore, this study was designed to determine
the association of dietary intake with BMD and other breast cancer risk factors. A cross-sectional study on 76 pre- and
postmenopausal women above 40 years underwent mammogram screening and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
was conducted in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) for the duration of 1 year. Purposive sampling method was used to choose
the respondents. Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent cancer treatment were excluded from this
study. DEXA unit (Hologic Discovery W, Hologic, Inc) were used to measure BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine in
grams per centimetre squared (g/cm2
) and they were classified into normal and abnormal group based on the T-scores.
The subjects were asked about their daily dietary pattern for a duration of three days using Diet History Questionnaire
(DHQ). The mean of selected characteristics were compared between groups. Additionally, binary logistic regression was
used to determine the association between diet intake with BMD and other risk factors of breast cancer. The total number
of pre- and postmenopausal women who consented to participate in this study are equal. The mean age was 47.1 years
and 54.9 years for premenopausal and postmenopausal women respectively. The results indicate only menopausal age of
the women was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A number of 17% premenopausal and 9% of postmenopausal women
showed to have family history of breast cancer, however, it was not statistically significant (p = 0.12). There was no
significant difference in daily energy intake of food in both groups (p = 0.22). None of the nutrients in daily food intake
showed to be statistically significant. Menstrual status showed an association with BMD with p < 0.05 and the remaining
risk factors did not show any association. Logistic regression revealed that only menstrual status had correlation with
BMD in both groups. This study provided the dietary pattern and the effects on bone health. The association of other risk
factors of breast cancer with BMD were also analysed and most of it showed a negative association.
Inclination towards nutrition beliefs by parents and caregivers plays an important role in the dietary intake of children
with leukemia. However, local studies examining on the nutrition practices and dietary beliefs among caregivers of
leukemia patients are very limited. This study aims to assess nutrition beliefs among caregivers of children with leukemia
and healthcare professionals at the Pediatric Institute of Kuala Lumpur Hospital (IPHKL), Malaysia. This qualitative
study was conducted to assess the beliefs and practices towards certain foods among caregivers of pediatric leukemia
patients. Thirty subjects comprising a group of 10 health care professionals and 20 caregivers were interviewed using
semi-structured interview method. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. version 7.5.6 qualitative
analysis software and subsequently several themes.were obtained. Five themes emerged from this analysis that are
(1) beliefs about foods that can cure cancer, (2) beliefs related to consumption of meat and dairy products, (3) beliefs
towards foods containing pesticides, (4) beliefs that certain food causes itchiness, and (5) source of nutrition information
and nutrition knowledge of caregivers. This study proves that beliefs in various myths related to nutrition and dietary
practices exist among caregivers and health professionals group. Information from these findings can provide perspective
on the beliefs towards dietary practices among caregivers of children with leukemia and healthcare professionals. This
is important for the healthcare professions, especially when planning the strategies for caregivers’ nutrition education
in order to improve the nutritional status of childhood leukemia patients.
The aims of this study were to compare the entrance surface dose (ESD) between anteroposterior (AP) supine with
posteroanterior (PA) prone projection of computed radiography (CR) abdominal examination and to determine the
relationship between body mass index (BMI) and ESD of a patient. AP supine and PA prone projections on the same
patients for CR abdominal examination of intravenous urography (IVU) were acquired on 50 patients at Hospital Raja
Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh. All the radiographic examinations were carried out on a Siemens Multixtop general x-ray unit
and the images were processed with CR Carestream Direct view Max. Entrance surface dose (ESD) in miligray (mGy)
was measured using optical stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLD) calibrated by the Malaysian Nuclear Agency.
Data were analyzed using dependent t-test comparing the AP and PA projections on the same subject and Pearson
correlation was used to determine the relationship between BMI and percentage of reduction of ESD. Results showed a
significant different (p < 0.01) between AP supine (mean ESD = 6.42 ± 7.13 mGy) and PA prone (mean ESD = 3.92 ± 3.56
mGy) projection at all BMI. The BMI has a positive correlation with percentage of reduction of ESD (r = 0. 61) and was
statistically significant (p < 0.01). In conclusion, PA abdomen prone projection significantly reduces the radiation dose
and there is a positive correlation between BMI and percentage of reduction of ESD. The use of PA prone projection for
CR abdominal examination should be considered as the routine projection at all BMIs level. Awareness that as the BMI
increases the ESD also increases at a moderate positive linear relationship.
Early identification of any vestibular dysfunction and balance problem in children is crucial for their general well-being.
However the identification process, could be challenging and difficult as compared to adults. We conducted a preliminary
study to review our initial experience with ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs and
cVEMPs), video head impulse test (vHIT) and Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency II (BOT-2) on healthy children
and also to determine the feasibility of these tests in this population. Twenty one normal healthy children (12 boys and
9 girls), aged between 6 and 15 years old (mean age, 11.15 ± 2.54 years) participated in the study. They underwent
oVEMPs and cVEMPs elicited with bone conduction stimulus via minishaker and air conduction stimulus respectively. All
six semicircular canals were assessed using the vHIT. Bilateral coordination, balance, running, speed and agility which
are the three subsets of BOT-2 gross motor assessment were conducted for balance assessment. All subjects completed the
vestibular and balance assessment except for 1 subject who did not complete the vHIT vertical component. The response
rate was 100% for oVEMPs, cVEMPs, and BOT-2, and 95.24% for vHIT. The mean latency and mean amplitude for n10
oVEMPs were 8.88 ± 0.92 and 2.71 ± 1.29, respectively. The mean latency for cVEMPs p13, and n23 were 13.4 ± 1.35
and 21.76 ± 3.71, respectively with interamplitude mean of 97.57 ± 42.69. The vHIT mean for vestibular ocular reflex
(VOR) gain were >0.85 for lateral canals and > 0.65 for vertical canals. The mean scale score for bilateral coordination,
balance, running, speed, and agility for BOT-2 were 17.52 ± 3.40, 15.14 ± 3.65 and 13.9 ± 5.46, respectively. This study
suggest that VEMPs, vHIT, and BOT-2 are feasible test for vestibular and balance assessment in children. Apart from the
tests findings, it is hoped that the described experienced and adjustment made in assessing this young population could
also be applied by other relevant professional
The expansion of ageing population has gained much public attention on the importance of healthy and successful ageing,
which is absence of major chronic diseases, preserved physiological and cognitive functioning and active engagement
with life. Previous studies have found there was a significant correlation between physical fitness with cognition. However,
the relationship between physical fitness with successful and unsuccessful cognitive ageing groups are very limited. This
study was aimed to identify the significant physical fitness components that contribute in reducing risk of cognitive decline
represented as different cognitive ageing groups. A total of 300 community-based elderly aged 60 and above from the
states of Selangor, Perak and Kelantan were recruited using multistage random sampling method in this cross-sectional
study. Cognitive function of subjects was categorized into three groups, namely Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (n
= 100), Usual Ageing (UA) (n = 100) and Successful Ageing (SA) (n = 100) based on defined criteria. Senior Fitness
Tests included 2-minute step, handgrip strength, chair stand, chair sit-and-reach, 8 foot up-and-go and back scratch
were measured to determine the cardiorespiratory fitness; muscle strength; agility and flexibility of subjects. SA group
had significantly better performance than non-SA groups in all fitness components, except for chair sit-and-reach. After
controlling for age, gender, education years and smoking status, handgrip strength and chair stand tests were associated
with a reduced risk of MCI by 7% [OR: 0.93, 95% C.I: 0.88-0.99, p < 0.05] and 15% [OR: 0.85, 95% C.I: 0.75-0.95, p <
0.01], respectively. These findings suggest that older adults with higher upper and lower body muscular strength could
serve as protective factors for cognitive impairment. Further research is warranted to evaluate the mechanism of physical
and cognitive decline such as Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) in more detailed for the purpose for promoting
healthy and successful ageing.
Rehabilitasi penglihatan bagi murid penglihatan terhad adalah penting untuk membantu mereka menggunakan penglihatan
secara optimum ketika melakukan aktiviti hidup seharian (ADL) dan seterusnya menjadikan mereka lebih berdikari di
masa hadapan. UKM-CHILD adalah indeks ADL untuk mengukur keupayaan murid penglihatan terhad dalam melakukan
ADL. UKM-CHILD mengandungi 25-item soal selidik kendiri dan 7-item pengukur prestasi. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk
mengukur keberkesanan rehabilitasi penglihatan murid penglihatan terhad menggunakan UKM-CHILD. Seramai 40 murid
penglihatan terhad berumur 15.33 ± 1.56 tahun diberikan rehabilitasi penglihatan yang melibatkan preskripsi kaca mata,
alat bantu penglihatan terhad dan latihan penggunaan alat bantu penglihatan terhad. Sesi latihan dilakukan selama 5
minggu dan ianya merangkumi kaedah penggunaan alat bantu penglihatan terhad dan latihan membaca. Pengukuran
parameter kajian iaitu akuiti visual, kelajuan membaca dan keupayaan melakukan ADL (UKM-CHILD) dilakukan pada
peringkat pra dan pasca rehabilitasi. Keputusan kajian ini mendapati purata akuiti visual jauh meningkat sebanyak
empat baris (VAjauh(pra): 0.85 ± 0.05 logMAR; VAjauh(pasca): 0.40 ± 0.06 logMAR; z = -2.27, p = 0.026) dan purata akuiti
visual dekat meningkat sebanyak dua baris (VAdekat(pra): 0.64 ± 0.22 logMAR; VAdekat(pasca): 0.40 ± 0.12 logMAR; z = -5.21, p
< 0.05) selepas rehabilitasi. Purata kelajuan membaca meningkat sebanyak 48% (kelajuan membacapra: 49.58 ± 25.51
ppm; kelajuan membacapasca: 73.22 ± 26.19 ppm; t(39) = 16.67, p < 0.05). Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan terdapat
peningkatan signifikan dalam skor soal selidik kendiri (soal selidik kendiripra: 1.72 ± 0.83 logit; soal selidik kendiripasca:
2.12 ± 1.25 logit; z = -5.129, p < 0.05) dan skor pengukur prestasi (pengukur prestasipra: 0.82 ± 0.30 logit; pengukur
prestasipasca: 2.87 ± 1.52 logit; z = -5.55, p < 0.05) selepas 5 minggu rehabilitasi. Kajian ini mendapati UKM-CHILD boleh
digunakan untuk mengukur keberkesanan rehabilitasi penglihatan.
This study was conducted to determine the score of self-reported visual function index (VF-14) and its correlation with
best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the elderly population. Participants were elderly aged 60 years and above recruited
from the on-going population-based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity (TUA). Visual
acuity was measured using logMAR chart. A self-reported visual function assessment was measured using modified
Bahasa Malaysia Visual Functioning Index (VF-14). A total of 482 (93.05%) from 518 subjects participated in this study.
Mean age was 69.18 ± 5.67 years old and mean best corrected VA was 0.21 ± 0.17 logMAR. Mean VF-14 score was 89.65
± 13.19. Female had lower mean score of self-reported visual function scores compared to male (meanfemale89.21 ± 12.76,
meanmale90.11 ± 13.65) but it was not statistically significant (z = -1.09,p = 0.277). There was a moderate but significant
correlation between VF-14 score and best corrected VA (r = -0.412, p < 0.01). In conclusion, the best corrected visual
acuity alone was not able to become as an indicator to describe changes in VF14 score. This study showed that it only
contributes 17.2% to changes in VF14 score. The combination of many other factors such as socio-demographic factors
(race, educational status, and health problems), contrast sensitivity and stereopsis should be taken into account when
assessing visual function as measured by VF14.
Salmonella spp. is a pathogenic microbial contaminant in beef of worldwide importance. It has the ability to colonize
the gastrointestinal tract of animals without producing any clinical sign. It may lead to infections in human when the
contaminated meat was consumed. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the contamination of Salmonella spp.
on beef carcasses and meat contact surfaces at selected abattoirs in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 152 swabs from beef
carcasses (n = 104) and meat contact surfaces (n = 48) were collected from the selected abattoirs in October 2015 to
June 2016. The collected samples were examined for total viable count and prevalence of Salmonella spp. Salmonellapositive
samples were confirmed by routine biochemical tests and Gram staining. The results showed that all samples
contained an average viable count of 4.56 ± 1.23 Log CFU/cm2
. The overall prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 21.05%
which beef carcasses and meat contact surfaces contributed 11.18% and 9.87%, respectively to the overall prevalence.
The prevalence of Salmonella spp. on meat contact surfaces was higher than that on beef carcasses could be attributed
to poor hygienic practices at the abattoirs. However, despite a lower prevalence of Salmonella spp. on the beef carcasses,
beef could still be a potential vehicle for foodborne infections. This study suggests implementation of preventive measures
and good hygienic practices at abattoirs in order to avoid cross-contamination on beef prepared for retail markets.
The assessment for patient with duct-dependent pulmonary circulation (DDPC) during the inter-stage intervals before first
stage palliation commonly includes imaging of the heart with multiple imaging modalities. Recently, three-dimensional
echocardiography (3DE) was found with the ability to delineate cardiac structure that is able to do 360o
rotation. Therefore,
this study aimed at identifying the accuracy of 3DE colour flow in measuring PDA size compared to computer tomography
angiography (CTA). This study involves randomly selected 26 patients with DDPC undergoing CTA for palliation treatment
in one year. The mean patient age is 1.6 ± 0.261 months with mean weight of 3.65 ± 0.82 kg. The full-volume 3DE colour
flow acquisition was performed and analysed offline using Q-lab software. The PDA diameters at the origin as well as the
insertion site were measured. The data obtained by 3DE colour flow data were compared to the CTA, which was taken as
the gold standard. Results showed that the offline analysis of PDA size was feasible in all patients (100%) with the mean
diameter of PDA at the origin on 3DE colour flow and CTA of 0.51 mm ± 0.14 and 0.52 mm ± 0.11, respectively (p = 0.92)
. The PDA diameter at insertion site on 3DE colour flow and CTA was 0.29 mm ± 0.08 and 0.27 mm ± 0.97 respectively (p
= 0.5). Meanwhile, the measurement of 3DE colour flow is comparable to CTA in measurement PDA size. However, the use
of 3DE colour flow in infants with rapid heart rate is yet challenging to 3DE colour flow acquisitions.
Snacks are required for athletes to fuel their higher demand of energy. Meanwhile, social influences and multimedia can
affect the athletes’ choices of snacks. Social influences are divided into three categories: Compliance (sports dietitian/
nutritionist & medical officer), Conformity (friend) and Obedience (parent & coach), while multimedia refers to internet,
magazines and newspaper. The objective of this study was to investigate the different sources of social influence and
multimedia on athletes’ preferred snacks. Out of 26 snack choices, 3 most preferred snacks were chosen by 69 endurance
athletes from the National Sports Institute (NSI) through a questionnaire. They are Popiah & Mixed Fruit Jelly, Chicken
Salad and Egg & Cheese Sandwich. Out of the 6 choices of beverages, the top 3 preferred beverages were sports drinks,
orange smoothie and apple smoothie. Social influence from parent (p = 0.041) has significant effect on the athlete’s most
preferred snack choice, followed by influence from dietitian (p = 0.02) on their second preferred snack choice and lastly
internet (p = 0.024), has its effect on the third preferred snack. Other social influences such as friends, medical officer
and coach show no significance effect on the preferred snack choices. The parent factor also has significant effect on
the most preferred beverage choices with p = 0.043. To conclude, parent influence is strongly related to both snack and
beverage choices of the athletes, followed by dietitian and internet on the athlete’s preferred snack choices.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) commenced the National Cochlear Implant (CI) Program in 2008. As of November 2014,
the program has implanted 205 individuals with hearing losses, many of whom are pediatric recipients (71%) with
prelingual deafness. This study aimed to profile the prelingually deafened pediatric cochlear implant recipients under the
MoH CI program. The data reported here were from a total of 121 recipients (82.8%) from all the nine satellite hospitals
in the program. There were 58 males and the majority of the cases were Malay (66.9%). From the cases reviewed 39
(32.2%) were high risk for permanent hearing loss and the majority (46%) had multiple risk factors. In this cohort,
only 12 children (9.9%) were identified through the newborn hearing screening (NHS) program. The age of diagnosis of
hearing loss ranged from 1 to 46 months with a mean age of 24.3 ± 10.2 months. Hearing aids were fitted at the age of
4 to 46 months with a mean of 27.5 ± 9.9 months. The average age of implantation was 41.5 ± 10.3 months. The mean
overall waiting period from the first visit to the audiologist to the time when the cochlear implant was activated was 18.5
± 9.1 months. Descriptive findings indicate that the children received their implants at a relatively late age for speech
and language development. The existing national NHS program needs to be tighten and strengthen so that it can be the
main feeder for the pediatric CI program under the MoH. Subsequently, it is hoped that early identification of hearing
loss will lead to earlier age of implantation among the pediatric patients in the future.
Food insecurity is associated with an inadequate nutrient intake among older adults. Therefore, this study aimed
to determine the food intake among older adults with food insecurity in an agricultural settlement, i.e. Felda Land
Development Authority (FELDA) settlers at Lubuk Merbau, Kedah. A total of 70 older adults were selected as a subsample
to record data on food supply for a week, from an original study (n = 289: mean age= 69.2 ± 7.4 years). This study was
conducted through a house to house visit of which respondent was interview to get information on sociodemographic
and food insecurity. Food intake was recorded for a week using food supply questionnaire. Food insecurity was assessed
using Food Security Tool For the Elderly. Results indicated that 19.7% respondents had food insecurity. Energy intake
was found to be higher among women with food insecurity (2329.0 ± 814 kcal/day) compared to respondents with food
secured (1836 ± 447 kcal/day) (p < 0.05). However, after removing over reporters, the energy intake among both groups
did not differ significantly (1890 ± 208 kcal/day and 1643 ± 233 kcal/day). Total intake from food groups of fat, oil, sugar
and salt was higher among respondents with food insecurity (106.6 ± 60.0 g/day) as compared to those who were food
secured (80.3 ± 30.1 g/day)(p < 0.05). In conclusion, food insecurity affected approximately a fifth of the respondents and
associated with unhealthy diet with high in fat, oil, sugar and salt. There is a need to formulate intervention programme
to improve the quality of diet of older adults at high risk of food insecurity.
Low vision device (LVD) is prescribed to visually impaired (VI) schoolchildren to assist in their learning. One of the factors
that could influence the success of LVD use is the skills of using the devices. The objective of this study is to compare the
reading speed of VI schoolchildren before and after receiving LVD training by special school teachers. Twenty-two special
school teachers attended a series of workshop on the use of LVD. Twenty-two VI schoolchildren were recruited and paired
with teachers for training of LVD in the classroom (in-classroom training). A suitable LVD was prescribed by the researcher
to the schoolchildren before training commence. The total in-classroom training was 5 hours which is 1 hour/week. In
classroom training was based on a module that was developed at the beginning of the study and the teachers used a
checklist to monitor the schoolchildren’s progress. Reading speed in words per minute (wpm) was measured using UKM
near chart before and after completion of in-classroom training. All teachers successfully completed the in-classroom
training session. Results from One-way repeated measure ANOVA test showed reading speed improved significantly after
5 hours of in-classroom training, F(1.6,34.4)= 35.53, p < 0.001, partial ŋ² = 0.63. Reading speed of VI schoolchildren
have improved after completion of in-classroom training. This suggests that systematic training of LVD given by the special
school teachers assist VI schoolchildren to use their device effectively and thus, improved their reading speed.
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease due to reduced insulin sensitivity and secretion in the body which associated with obesity and hypertension. This study aimed to determine the influence of family support and self-motivation towards dietary compliance and glycaemic control among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) outpatients. This cross-sectional study involved 35 subjects selected from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) in Cheras and Ampangan Health Clinic in Seremban. Anthropometric measurements and fasting blood glucose have been obtained. Face-to-face interview session was done to obtain socio-demographic and diet intake. Further, dietary compliance, social support and self-motivation were assessed using Summary Diabetes Self Care Activities (SDSCA), Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire Family version (DSSQ-Fa) and Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire (TSRQ), respectively. Only 8.6% of subjects complied with dietary counselling. Fasting blood glucose for both men (7.93 ± 1.99 mmol/L) and women (8.77 ± 3.08 mmol/L) were higher than normal range. Self-motivation (r = 0.358, p < 0.05) and family support (r = 0.460, p < 0.01) significantly correlated with dietary compliance. Self-motivation and family support are important factors which can increase compliance towards dietary counseling. Further investigation should be carried out to determine factors that may influence dietary compliance and family support towards achieving desirable glycaemic control among T2DM patients.
Study site: Klinik Warga UKMMC, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur; Klinik Kesihatan Ampangan, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Recognising the epidemic of overweight and obesity among Malaysians, formulation of intervention programmes such as
a weight management programme at workplace is essential. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a structured
weight management programme at workplace among overweight and obese employees. In this quasi-experimental
study, sixty-four of overweight and obese adults were recruited and divided into two groups (intervention group,
n = 32 and control group, n = 32). Subjects in the intervention group received three months scheduled programme and the
control group received a routine weight management consultation from dietitians. Significant group effect was found on
waist circumference (WC) in men (p < 0.05) and Body Mass Index (BMI) in women (p < 0.05). Men from the intervention
group had reduced their WC by 3.4% (-3.7 cm) as compared to controls of 0.7% (-0.8 cm). Women in the intervention
group improved their BMI by 1.4% (-0.4 kg/m2
) as compared to controls at 0.3% (-0.1 kg/m2
). Total cholesterol and LDL-C
reduced among women in both intervention and control group with significant time effect (p < 0.05). As a conclusion a
structured weight management programme effectively improved WC in men and BMI in women, and appeared to be as
effective as individual diet counselling by dietitians in improving lipid profiles in women.
Obesity is a risk factor for chronic diseases which can affect work productivity and physical function of employees
particularly among those in security sector. The study aimed to determine the association between obesity with total
days of sick leave and health related quality of life (HRQoL) among Malay male security officers. A cross-sectional
study was conducted among Malay male security officers working in a Malaysian higher learning institution. Subjects
were evaluated using anthropometric measurements, quality of life and number of sick leave taken within two months
prior to the study. A total of 194 subjects (mean age 40.12 ± 11.41 years) were recruited. A total of 30.4% were obese,
39.7% were pre-obese and only 29.9% had normal body weight or underweight. Central obesity was observed in 57.7%
of them and 87.1% shown excessive body fat percentage. Number of sick leave days was positively correlated with Body
Mass Index (BMI) (r = 0.162, p = 0.024) and waist circumference (r = 0.181, p = 0.012). Score of the general health
component was negatively correlated with BMI (r = -0.161, p = 0.025), waist circumference (r = -0.194, p = 0.007) and
body fat percentage (r = -0.191, p = 0.008). Physical functioning score was lowest in obese subjects than normal and
pre-obese subjects (p = 0.046). Score of the bodily pain component was positively correlated with waist circumference (r
= 0.156, p = 0.030). Obesity is associated with number of sick leave days and quality of life in the studied group. Hence,
body weight of the security staff should be monitored and appropriate intervention should be conducted to improve their
work attendance and quality of life.
Stroke is a causal factor that commonly caused physical impairments and activity limitations among patients to perform daily activities until at certain level stroke patients will experience disability. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship of each demographic and clinical factors that is believed to associate with physical functioning of patients
those who experienced stroke. This present study also try to compare physical functioning of patients with associated factors and then examine the correlation between those factors with physical functioning. A total of 147 respondents that pass for cognitive screening test involved in this study. Barthel Index (ADL) was administered to the respondents after 6 weeks of stroke attack in order to measure their physical functioning status. Results found that there was a significant difference [F(3, 143) = 4.06; p < 0.01] between level of educations with physical functioning of patients. With respect to clinical factors also showed a significant difference (p < 0.01) was higher in physical functioning when stroke attack
occurred at right hemisphere of brain. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in physical functioning with respect to belief of recovery. Furthermore, number of stroke attack also showed a significant difference [F(1, 145) = 11.19; [p < 0.01] in physical functioning of patients. Correlation test that was carried out found a positive significant correlation
(r = 0.24; p < 0.01) between physical functioning with respect to the affected lesion side. In conclusion, demographic and clinical factors also played the roles to determine level of physical functioning among stroke patients and thus these factors should be considered in any studies that intended to enhance physical functioning of patients in future.
Keywords: stroke; physical functioning; disability; physical impairment
The incidence of neonatal jaundice among aborigines is increasing with the morbidity and mortality among this group are
well recognized. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude status on neonatal jaundice among Orang Asli in
Sepang, Selangor. Cross-sectional study was conducted within two weeks in Kampung Orang Asli in Sg. Pelek, Sepang,
Selangor. A simple random sample of adults aged 18 years and above was selected. Data were collected by an interviewed
structured questionnaire. Overall, out of 152 residents, 67% were aware about neonatal jaundice. Majority of them were
female (72%), married (78.4%) and respondents who have children (86%). Among those who were aware, almost 68%
have good knowledge, in which 70% recognized jaundice by yellow discoloration on the body. High pitched crying (12.7%)
and not feeding (10.8%) were among symptoms they knew. Almost 50% of the respondents believed neonatal jaundice
may cause mental retardation. As for management of neonatal jaundice at home, majority of them (47%) will expose
the baby under the sun, 7.8% will take herbal medication whereas 2% will continue with breast feeding. Almost eighty
percent of the respondents will send their jaundiced baby to the hospital immediately, whereas 23% prefer management
by nurse at home. Although majority of respondents in Kg. Orang Asli Sg. Pelek have good knowledge & good attitude
on neonatal jaundice, some mothers are still likely to resort to self-treatment with potentially harmful therapies.
Parents or caregivers of children with learning disabilities have been shown to experience increases in stress and greater negative caregiving consequences than those with typically developing children. The current study sought to assess the perceived stress among Malay caregivers of children with learning disabilities in Kelantan. The Malay version of Perceived Stress Scale 10 items was administered to a sample of 40 caregivers of children with learning disabilities who were registered to five Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti (PDK) in Kelantan. Higher scores indicate higher levels of stress. The caregivers had mean age of 47.68 (SD = 9.18) years old, of whom 90% were fathers or mothers. Ninety percent of them were married, majority were unemployed or housewives and had secondary school education. The majority of children with learning disabilities were males and half of them were Down Syndrome children. The mean total Perceived Stress Scale score of the caregivers was 16.77 (SD = 5.74). There were no significant associations between total perceived stress score and any of the independent variables. The mean total perceived stress score showed that the perceived stress level was in the category of slightly higher than average and health concern level was high, while the average stress level was between score of 12 to 15. In conclusion, this result indicated that the caregivers had slightly higher levels of stress than the average score, and might increase susceptibility to stress-induced illness.
In this study, morphometric and gravimetric indices were used to determine the impact of cadmium exposure on a sentinel
species. Scaling coefficient, condition factor (CF), hepatosomatic index (HSI), renosomatic index (RSI) and gonadosomatic
index (GSI) were compared between rice frogs (Fejervarya limnocharis) exposed to different environmental cadmium levels.
The result showed that frogs caught from the contaminated site had significantly higher CF (10.296), RSI (0.413) and female
GSI (7.594) than frogs from the contaminated site (7.594, 0.380 and 1.594, respectively). For Scaling Coefficient and HSI,
albeit being statistically insignificant, these indices showed a similar trend. On the other hand, the male GSI showed a
reverse trend where frogs from contaminated site showed higher values than their counterpart from the reference site.
However, the differences were not statistically significant. This research concluded that there is a relationship between
cadmium contamination with morphometric and gravimetric indices. Therefore, it is suggested that the use of these data
could give an idea on the effect of cadmium exposure on the rice frog