MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted amongst married older adults aged 60 years and above. All interview responses were transcribed verbatim and examined using thematic approach and interpretative description method.
RESULTS: A total of 11 married couples were interviewed. Three major themes emerged: [1] Our roles in driving; [2] Challenges to continue driving; and, [3] Our driving strategies to ensure continued driving. Older couples adopted driving strategies and regulated their driving patterns to ensure they continued to drive safely. Male partners often took the active driving role as the principal drivers, while the females adopted a more passive role, including being the passenger to accompany the principal drivers or becoming the co-driver to help in navigation. Other coping strategies include sharing the driving duties as well as using public transportation or mixed mode transportation.
DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest spouse play a significant role in their partners' decision to self-regulate driving. This underscores a need to recognise the importance of interdependency amongst couples and its impact on their driving decisions and outcomes.
METHODS: We designed an interactive web-based educational module in the Malay language wherein videos were combined with text and pictorial visual cues. Malaysians aged 18-40 years old who underwent the module had their knowledge and attitudes assessed at baseline, post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up using a selfadministered validated questionnaire.
RESULTS: Sixty-five participants: 47 Malays (72.3%), 15 Chinese (23.1%), three Indians (4.6%) underwent the module. Questionnaires were completed at baseline (n=65), postintervention (n=65) and at 6-month follow-up (n=60). Out of a total knowledge score of 21, significant changes were recorded across three time-points- median scores were 12 at pre-intervention, 19 at post-intervention and 16 at 6-month follow-up (p<0.001). Post-hoc testing comparing preintervention and 6-month follow-up scores showed significant retention of knowledge (p<0.001). Compared to baseline, attitudes at 6-month follow-up showed an increased acceptance for "marriage avoidance between carriers" (pre-intervention 20%, 6-month follow-up 48.3%, p<0.001) and "prenatal diagnosis" (pre-intervention 73.8%, 6-month follow-up 86.2%, p=0.008). Acceptance for selective termination however, remained low without significant change (pre-intervention 6.2%, 6-month follow-up 16.7%, p=0.109).
CONCLUSION: A web-based educational module appears effective in improving knowledge and attitudes towards thalassaemia prevention and its incorporation in thalassaemia prevention programs is potentially useful in Malaysia and countries with a high internet penetration rate.
Objective: This study derives insights on preferred herbs, perception and predictors of herbal use for health among Malay women in Malaysia.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey, comprising of Malay women, performed in all fourteen states in Malaysia. Respondents were assessed for demographic characteristic, current use of herbal medicine, their preferred herbal medicine and perception of herbal use. Predictors of herbal use were then determined using a multivariate logistic regression model.
Results: A total of 1067 respondents were included in the study of which 592 (55.5%) admitted to using herbs for health. In general, raw herbs were the most preferred herbal remedies used (n=407, 69.5%). A significantly higher number of respondents perceived that herbal remedies would not cause any problems to women's overall health (n=725, 67.9%) (χ2=137.5, df(1), p<0.001), although a large majority agreed that not all remedies were safe for pregnant women (n=979, 91.8%) (χ2=744.03, df(1), p<0.001). Among predictors of herbal use were marital status and income (χ2=203.98, df(795) p<0.001). Those that were married were 3.9 times more likely to use herbs than unmarried women (p<0.001). Having an income of