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Fulltext Physical Activity and Its Correlates among Adults in Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Cai Lian T, Bonn G, Si Han Y, Chin Choo Y, Chee Piau W

PLoS One, 2016;11(6):e0157730.
PMID: 27332883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157730

Obesity and rates of non-communicable diseases linked to physical inactivity have increased dramatically in Malaysia over the past 20 years. Malaysia has also been identified as one of the least physically active countries in the world with over 60% of adults being essentially sedentary. This study examines the relationship of socio-demographic factors to physical activity among 770 adults from 3 Malaysian states. Physical activity levels were significantly related to ethnicity, gender, age, occupation and educational level. Controlling for inter-relationships among these variables; age, gender, Chinese ethnicity and education level were found to have unique effects on total physical activity, as well as moderate and vigorous exercise. As would be expected, younger people were more physically active, engaging more in both moderate and vigorous types of exercise and males were generally more active than females. Contrary to findings from many developed countries, however, more educated Malaysians were less likely to engage in all types of physical activity. Ethnic Chinese participants, and to a lesser degree Indians also consistently reported lower levels of activity. Possible intervention strategies are discussed that specifically target ethnic and cultural norms related to physical activity. Future research programs exploring barriers to participation and perceptions of physical activity, as well as programs to encourage active life styles among youths are also suggested.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and quality of life: Is there any effect? A cross-sectional study of the MENA region

Al Dhaheri AS, Bataineh MF, Mohamad MN, Ajab A, Al Marzouqi A, Jarrar AH, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0249107.
PMID: 33765015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249107

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life among the general population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A total of 6142 adults from eighteen countries within the MENA region completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2020. Psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the social and family support impact was assessed with questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). The IES-R mean score was 29.3 (SD = 14.8), corresponding to mild stressful impact with 30.9% reporting severe psychological impact. Most participants (45%-62%) felt horrified, apprehensive, or helpless due to COVID-19. Furthermore, over 40% reported increased stress from work and financial matters. Higher IES-R scores were found among females, participants aged 26-35 years, those with lower educational level, and participants residing in the North Africa region (p<0.005). About 42% reported receiving increased support from family members, 40.5% were paying more attention to their mental health, and over 40% reported spending more time resting since the pandemic started. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild psychological impact while it also encouraged some positive impact on family support and mental health awareness among adults in the MENA region. Clinical interventions targeted towards vulnerable groups such as females and younger adults are needed.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Malnutrition among 3 to 5 years old children in Baghdad city, Iraq: a cross-sectional study

Ghazi HF, Mustafa J, Aljunid S, Isa Z, Abdalqader MA

J Health Popul Nutr, 2013 Sep;31(3):350-5.
PMID: 24288949

The unstable geopolitical situation in Iraq since 2003 still affects the health of people, especially children. Several factors may indirectly affect a child's nutritional status. The main aim of this study was to identify factors contributing to malnutrition among 3 to 5 years old children in Baghdad city, Iraq. Two hundred twenty children aged 3 to 5 years were chosen randomly from four kindergartens in Baghdad city according to the cross-sectional design. The nutritional status of the children was assessed using a weight-for-age z-score based on the World Health Organization 2007 cutoff points, in which any child with a z-score of

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Incidence and determinants of acute diarrhoea in Malaysia: a population-based study

Gurpreet K, Tee GH, Amal NM, Paramesarvathy R, Karuthan C

J Health Popul Nutr, 2011 Apr;29(2):103-12.
PMID: 21608419

Acute diarrhoea is a major health problem in many parts of the world, contributing to about 1.8 million deaths globally. The objectives of the study were to assess the incidence, determinants, and severity of acute diarrhoea in the population. A nation-wide cross-sectional survey involving about 57,000 respondents was conducted via face-to-face interview among eligible respondents of all ages. An acute diarrhoeal episode was defined as having three or more episodes of loose stools in any 24-hour period within the past four weeks before the interview. The severity was measured by duration of acute diarrhoea and associated symptoms. The variables tested as determinants were age, sex, ethnicity, the highest educational level, total monthly household income, and locality. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate procedures meant for complex study design were used in the analyses. The four-week incidence of acute diarrhoea was 5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.8-5.2]. The incidence of acute diarrhoea among the estimated population was the highest among young adults aged 20-29 years, Other Bumiputras (the pre-dominant ethnic group in East Malaysia), those with tertiary-level of education, those earning a monthly household income of less than RM 400, and rural dwellers. Only age, ethnicity, the highest level of education attained, and locality were significantly associated with acute diarrhoea in bivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, these four variables were found to be the determinants of acute diarrhoea. Sex and monthly household income were excluded from the model. The mean duration of acute diarrhoea was 2.0 days (standard deviation 1.3). Forty-six percent of the respondents reported stomach cramps as an associated symptom. The findings revealed that acute diarrhoea is still a major public-health concern in Malaysia and grossly under-notified. There is a need for intensification of public-health intervention efforts to reduce the incidence of acute diarrhoea while improving surveillance and notification of the disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Socio-demographic, environmental and caring risk factors for childhood drowning deaths in Bangladesh

Hossain M, Mani KK, Sidik SM, Hayati KS, Rahman AK

BMC Pediatr, 2015;15:114.
PMID: 26357879 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-015-0431-7

Drowning contributes to incapacity and early death in many countries. In low- and middle-income countries, children are the most susceptible to fatalities. Over 50 % of the global drowning deaths occur among children aged under 15 years old with children aged between 1 and 4 years of age being most at risk. In Bangladesh, drowning rates are 10 to 20 times more than those in other developing countries. The object of this study is to determine the socio-demographic, environmental and caring hazard issues for child drowning in Bangladesh.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Relationships between negative affect and academic achievement among secondary school students: the mediating effects of habituated exercise

Hashim HA, Freddy G, Rosmatunisah A

J Phys Act Health, 2012 Sep;9(7):1012-9.
PMID: 22971880

The current study was undertaken to examine the associations between self-determination, exercise habit, anxiety, depression, stress, and academic achievement among adolescents aged 13 and 14 years in eastern Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Prevalence and Factors Associated with Self-Reported Vision Disability among the Elderly in Malaysia: Findings from National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018

Rezali MS, Ab Wahab NA, Sahril N, Ramli MHT, Shahein NA, Chan YY, et al.

J Ophthalmol, 2021;2021:7564827.
PMID: 34007483 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7564827

Introduction: Disability has adverse effects on health, wellbeing, and life quality. Vision disorder is one of the top-ranked causes of disability in the elderly population. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vision disability among the elderly in Malaysia. Methodology. Data collection from National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018 was obtained. This survey focused on elderly health by using two-stage stratified cluster sampling design. The Washington Group Extended Question Set on Functioning (WG ES-F) was used to determine the vision disability. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 utilizing a complex sample design with multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the prevalence and associated factors to vision disability.
Results: A total of 3,977 elderly completed the vision disability questionnaire. The overall prevalence of vision disability among those who were 60 years old and above was 4.5%. Multiple logistic regression revealed that no formal education (AOR: 6.69, 95% CI: 1.52, 29.49), only primary education (AOR: 4.26, 95% CI: 1.01, 18.03), unemployed/retiree or homemaker (AOR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.79, 5.89), hypertension (AOR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.09), and malnourished elderly (AOR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.76, 461) had higher odds for having vision disability.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that a low education level, unemployment, hypertension, and malnourishment are significant risk factors for VD among Malaysia's elderly. Strengthening awareness campaigns to increase VD awareness and provide high-quality rehabilitation services must target specific groups, such as the elderly with a low level of education and the unemployed. Empower primary healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the quality of eye care delivery and expand eye screening in settling VD issues nationally.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext The impact of mild cognitive impairment on sexual activity

Momtaz YA, Hamid TA, Ibrahim R

Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen, 2013 Dec;28(8):759-62.
PMID: 24085247 DOI: 10.1177/1533317513504612

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the unique impact of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on sexual activity among older adults.
METHODS: Data for the study were drawn from a national survey entitled the "Determinants of Wellness among Older Malaysians: A Health Promotion Perspective" conducted in 2010.
RESULTS: According to the Mini-Mental State Examination education-adjusted cutoff points, 15.6% of the 1046 respondents were identified as having MCI. Older adults with MCI had a significantly lower level of sexual activity than the healthy cognitive group (chi-square = 50.20, P < .001, 32.5% vs 62.3%). The results of 3-step hierarchical logistic regression model revealed that MCI is significantly associated with decreased sexual activity in community-dwelling older adults, over and beyond demographic factors, and age-related medical conditions affecting sexual activity (odds ratio 0.33, P < .001, 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.49).
CONCLUSION: Findings from the present study support the significant role of cognitive functioning to perform sexual activity in later life.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Evidence of a reversal of the breastfeeding decline in Peninsular Malaysia

Haaga JG

Am J Public Health, 1986 Mar;76(3):245-51.
PMID: 3946711

Data from the Malaysian Family Life Survey show an increase in the percentage of infants breastfed, at least initially, from 75 per cent in 1970-74 to 79 per cent in 1975-77. Contrary to what would be expected if Malaysia were following the trends observed in the United States and Western Europe, the increase has occurred among poor and uneducated women as well as among the more fortunate. The increase was especially marked for infants born in hospitals and private clinics, which had very low rates of breastfeeding in the early 1970s. The change may be due partly to a shift in the practices and recommendations of health professionals. Trends in infant feeding practices in Malaysia during the whole period 1950-77 are reviewed. Reasons for thinking the increase in the mid-1970s an artifact of the survey are presented and provisionally rejected. The implications of these findings for child health policy in Malaysia and for theories of infant feeding trends in developing countries are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Knowledge of Pre-Pregnancy Care Among Men Attending the Outpatient Clinics of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Ishak SH, Yaacob LH, Ishak A

Malays J Med Sci, 2021 Apr;28(2):119-127.
PMID: 33958966 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.2.11

Background: Men's involvement in pre-pregnancy care is important to ensure a positive pregnancy outcome. The objective of this study is to determine the level of knowledge of pre-pregnancy care among men and the factors associated with poor knowledge.
Methods: This work is a cross-sectional study conducted at the outpatient clinics of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia involving 235 married men. A self-administered questionnaire was used and it consisted of four sections: socio-demographic data, reproductive characteristics of couples, clinical characteristics and knowledge of pre-pregnancy care.
Results: More than half of the men (51.9%) had poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care, mostly on high-risk pregnancy, consequences of poor birth spacing and effect of maternal anaemia on a baby. The mean (SD) knowledge was 11.86 (3.85). Poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care was significantly associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99, P = 0.002) and education level (AOR = 2.61; 95% CI: 1.49, 4.57; P = 0.001).
Conclusion: The men in our study had poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care. Further health promotion and education are needed to be focused on men to increase their knowledge and share the responsibilities in maternal health.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Physical and mental health problems of the elderly in a rural community of Sepang, Selangor

Mohd Sidik S, Rampal L, Afifi M

Malays J Med Sci, 2004 Jan;11(1):52-9.
PMID: 22977360 MyJurnal

The prevalence of aging population is increasing not only in developed countries, but also in developing countries like Malaysia. The aim of this study was: (1) to determine the prevalence of physical and mental health problems, and (2) to determine the association of these health problems with socio demographic factors among the elderly in a rural community in Sepang, Selangor. A cross sectional study design was used. Five out of nine villages were selected via random sampling. The elderly in the selected villages were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire which included the GDS-30, ECAQ and Barthel Index. Out of 263 elderly residents (6.2% of the total population), 223 agreed to participate in the study giving a response rate of 84.8%. The mean age of the respondents was 69.7 + 6.8 years with a median of 68 years. The prevalence of physical health problems such as chronic illness and functional dependence were 60.1% and 15.7%, respectively. While the prevalence of mental health problems such as depression and cognitive impairment were 7.6% and 22.4%, respectively. Among the health problems studied, depression was found to be significantly associated with unemployment (p<0.05), where as cognitive impairment was significantly associated with age, gender, ethnicity, marital status and level of education (p<0.05).

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext The Power of Multidimensional Poverty in Explaining Life Expectancy: Empirical Evidence from Cross-Sectional Data of 62 Developing Countries

Tafran K, Tumin M, Osman AF

Iran J Public Health, 2020 Sep;49(9):1709-1717.
PMID: 33643946 DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v49i9.4088

Background: We examined whether multidimensional poverty index (MPI) explained variations in life expectancy (LE) better than income poverty; and assessed the relative importance of MPI indicators in influencing LE.
Methods: Cross-sectional data from 62 developing countries were used to run several multivariate linear regressions. R2 was used to compare the powers of MPI with income-poverties (income poverty gaps [IPG] at 1.9 and 3.1 USD) in explaining LE.
Results: Adjusting for controls, both MPI (β =-0.245, P<0.001) and IPG at 3.1 USD (β=-0.135, P=0.044) significantly correlates with LE, but not IPG at 1.9 USD (β=-0.147, P=0.135). MPI explains 12.1% of the variation in LE compared to only 3.2% explained by IPG at 3.1 USD. The effect of MPI on LE is higher on female (β=-0.210, P<0.001) than male (β=-0.177, P<0.001). The relative influence of the deprivation indictors on LE ranks as follows (most to least): Asset ownership, drinking water, cooking fuel, flooring, child school attendance, years of schooling, nutrition, mortality, improved sanitation, and electricity.
Conclusion: Interventions to reduce poverty and improve LE should be guided by MPI, not income poverty indices. Such policies should be female-oriented and prioritized based on the relative influence of the various poverty deprivation indicators on LE.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Domestic violence and decision-making power of married women in Myanmar: analysis of a nationally representative sample

Kabir R, Haque M, Mohammadnezhad M, Samad N, Mostari S, Jabin S, et al.

Ann Saudi Med, 2019;39(6):395-402.
PMID: 31804139 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2019.395

BACKGROUND: Women in Myanmar are not considered decision makers in the community and the physical and psychological effect of violence makes them more vulnerable. There is a strong negative reaction, usually violent, to any economic activity generated by women among poorer and middle-class families in Myanmar because a woman's income is not considered necessary for basic survival.
OBJECTIVE: Explore the relationship between domestic violence on the decision-making power of married women in Myanmar.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional.
SETTING: National, both urban and rural areas of Myanmar.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey 2015-16 were used in this analysis. In that survey, married women aged between 15 to 49 years were selected for interview using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The dependent variables were domestic violence and the decision-making power of women. Independent variables were age of the respondents, educational level, place of residence, employment status, number of children younger than 5 years of age and wealth index.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Domestic violence and decision-making power of women.
SAMPLE SIZE: 7870 currently married women.
RESULTS: About 50% respondents were 35 to 49 years of age and the mean (SD) age was 35 (8.4) years. Women's place of residence and employment status had a significant impact on decision-making power whereas age group and decision-making power of women had a relationship with domestic violence.
CONCLUSION: Giving women decision making power will be indispensable for the achievement of sustainable development goals. Government and other stakeholders should emphasize this to eliminate violence against women.
LIMITATIONS: Use of secondary data analysis of cross-sectional study design and cross-sectional studies are not suitable design to assess this causality. Secondly the self-reported data on violence may be subject to recall bias.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Knowledge of breast cancer and breast self-examination practice among Iranian women in Hamedan, Iran

Akhtari-Zavare M, Ghanbari-Baghestan A, Latiff LA, Matinnia N, Hoseini M

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(16):6531-4.
PMID: 25169482

BACKGROUND: In Iran, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women and a major public health problem.
METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out to determine knowledge on breast cancer and breast self- examination (BSE) practices of 384 females living in the city of Hamadan, Iran. A purposive sampling method was adopted and data were collected via face-to-face interviews based on a validated questionnaire developed for this study.
RESULTS: Among respondents 268 (69.8%) were married and 144 (37.5%) of the respondents reported having a family history of breast cancer. One hundred respondents (26.0%) claimed they practiced BSE. Level of breast cancer knowledge was significantly associated with BSE practice (p=0.000). There was no association with demographic details (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: The findings showed that Iranian women's knowledge regarding breast cancer and the practice of BSE is inadequate. Targeted education should be implemented to improve early detection of breast cancer.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Validation of the Malay version of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and the prevalence of dental anxiety in a Malaysian population

Sitheeque M, Massoud M, Yahya S, Humphris G

J Investig Clin Dent, 2015 Nov;6(4):313-20.
PMID: 25045162 DOI: 10.1111/jicd.12106

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Malay version of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), and to determine the prevalence of dental anxiety and associated factors in a Malaysian population.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Child marriage in Bangladesh: trends and determinants

Kamal SM, Hassan CH, Alam GM, Ying Y

J Biosoc Sci, 2015 Jan;47(1):120-39.
PMID: 24480489 DOI: 10.1017/S0021932013000746

This study examines the trends and determinants of child marriage among women aged 20-49 in Bangladesh. Data were extracted from the last six nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys conducted during 1993-2011. Simple cross-tabulation and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were adopted. According to the survey conducted in 2011, more than 75% of marriages can be categorized as child marriages. This is a decline of 10 percentage points in the prevalence of child marriage compared with the survey conducted in 1993-1994. Despite some improvements in education and other socioeconomic indicators, Bangladeshi society still faces the relentless practice of early marriage. The mean age at first marriage has increased by only 1.4 years over the last one and half decades, from 14.3 years in 1993-1994 to 15.7 years in 2011. Although the situation on risk of child marriage has improved over time, the pace is sluggish. Both the year-of-birth and year-of-marriage cohorts of women suggest that the likelihood of marrying as a child has decreased significantly in recent years. The risk of child marriage was significantly higher when husbands had no formal education or little education, and when the wives were unemployed or unskilled workers. Muslim women living in rural areas have a greater risk of child marriage. Women's education level was the single most significant negative determinant of child marriage. Thus, the variables identified as important determinants of child marriage are: education of women and their husbands, and women's occupation, place of residence and religion. Programmes to help and motivate girls to stay in school will not only reduce early marriage but will also support overall societal development. The rigid enforcement of the legal minimum age at first marriage could be critical in decreasing child marriage.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Cross-bite and oral health related quality of life in young people

Masood M, Masood Y, Newton T

J Dent, 2014 Mar;42(3):249-55.
PMID: 24373852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2013.12.004

This study sought to assess the impact of posterior cross-bite on OHRQoL in young people aged 15-25 and to determine whether the impact on higher domains of Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (physical disability, psychological disability, social disability and handicap) is a direct function of the cross-bite or mediated through the lower domains of OHIP-14 (functional limitation, pain and discomfort).

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Depression in male patients on methadone maintenance therapy

Baharudin A, Mislan N, Ibrahim N, Sidi H, Nik Jaafar NR

Asia Pac Psychiatry, 2013 Apr;5 Suppl 1:67-73.
PMID: 23857840 DOI: 10.1111/appy.12069

INTRODUCTION: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric conditions in men. The aim of the study was to determine the depressive symptoms and associated factors among men on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 108 subjects who attended the Drug Clinic at Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The instruments used include the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition Axis-I Disorder, Beck Depression Inventory and the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function.
RESULTS: The rate of depression was 44.4%. There were significant associations between Malay ethnicity, secondary education level and concurrent illicit cannabis use with depression (P

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Fulltext Iraqi parents' views of barriers to childhood immunization

Al-Lela OQ, Bahari MB, Al-Abbassi MG, Salih MR, Basher AY

East Mediterr Health J, 2013 Mar;19(3):295-7.
PMID: 23879083

Deficiencies in knowledge about immunization among parents often leads to poor utake or errors in immunization dosage and timing. The aims of this study were to determine Iraqi parents' views of barriers to immunization and beliefs about ways to promote immunization. A questionnaire survey was carried out among 528 Iraqi parents with children who had incomplete immunization status. The main barriers to immunization agreed by the parents were lack of vaccine availability (51.5% of parents) and parents' lack of education (42.4%), while 88.4% of parents thought that lack of funding was not an important barrier. More than 60% of the parents suggested promoting childhood immunization via the media, and 77.5% thought that an increase in funding would not remove barriers to childhood immunization. Better vaccine availability in public health clinics and improving parents' literacy might enhance immunization uptake in Iraq.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status
Perceived parenting style of fathers and adolescents' locus of control in a collectivist culture of Malaysia: the moderating role of fathers' education

Keshavarz S, Baharudin R, Mounts NS

J Genet Psychol, 2013 May-Jun;174(3):253-70.
PMID: 23991523

The authors investigated the moderating role of father's education on the associations between perceived paternal parenting styles and locus of control among 382 Malaysian adolescents with an average age of 14.27. Data were collected by means of adolescents' self-report using standardized instruments (i.e., parental authority questionnaire and Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale for Children). Results revealed that there were significant negative relationships between fathers' authoritative parenting style (r = -.243, p < .001) and authoritarian parenting style (r = -.130, p < .01) with adolescents' internal locus of control. Furthermore, the findings indicated that father's high level of education moderated the relationship between perceived paternal authoritarian parenting and locus of control (b = -0.147, p < .001). The findings underscore the need to include the role of parents' education when assessing the links between parenting styles and adolescents' locus of control.

Matched MeSH terms: Educational Status

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