METHODS: Using the Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics' (MDA) framework, a new, tutorless educational board game known as the Simulated Disaster Management And Response Triage training ("SMARTriage") was first developed for disaster response training. Subsequently, the perceptions of 113 final year medical students on the "SMARTriage" board game was compared with that of tabletop exercise using a crossover design.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected through medical records and interview sessions with patients on current pharmacotherapy for hypertension management at baseline and 2-3 months later. Results are expressed as mean ± SD for continuous data and as frequencies and percentages for categorical data.

RESULTS: Among 182 recruited patients, 89 (49%) achieved BP control by the end of the study. Majority (62/89) patients were on single-pill (monotherapy or SPC) antihypertensives. Majority (63/89) required more than two antihypertensives to achieve BP control.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-depth interview using semistructured open-ended questions were designed to explore the challenges of implementing PEC. Fifteen private optometrists across Malaysian were interviewed via purposive sampling until the data were saturated. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed.

RESULTS: Four major themes emerged: working environment, support and recognition, self-sufficiency and customer influence. The first major theme identified a lack of time and equipment in the workplace as a barrier to PEC implementation. The second major theme acknowledges the lack of support and recognition for PEC practise from financial bodies, the government, Malaysian Optical Council (MOC) and other eye professionals. Meanwhile, some practising optometrists faced significant challenges due to their lack of self-sufficiency regarding skills, knowledge and confidence. The final major theme, customer influence, reflects the customer's role in shaping eye care delivery through their perception and acceptance of PEC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative research with a survey approach and observation of hand washing compliance of all nurses N = 321 with a sample of n = 178 nurses. The research variables studied consisted of intention, discipline, self-assessment, opportunity compliance and implementation of the nurse's hand washing. Nurse handwashing compliance observations were made by Infection Prevention Control Link Nurse (IPCN) committee. Data analysis using structural equation modelling (SEM) with smart partial least square (SmartPLS 3.0) application.

RESULTS: The nurse's intention to apply the theory of planned behaviour has no significant effect on the implementation of hand washing with path coefficients of 0.104 and p-value 0.221 > 0.05. The effect of nurses' intentions on the implementation of nurse hand washing through discipline is significant with a value of variance accounted for (VAF) 0.8043 or 80.43 % of nurse discipline is a complete mediation variable.

METHOD: A retrospective cohort study was done to explore the association between dengue serotypes and the various complications. All patients who underwent dengue serotyping from 1st January to 31st December 2018 in Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital were selected. Serotypes were randomly done for admitted dengue patients. Notes were then retrieved for data collection. Secondary outcomes like length of stay and highest lactate level were also studied. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20.

RESULT: A total of 193 patient records were included in the analysis. Chi-square test for independence indicated that the proportion of dengue complications between male and female were significantly different (χ2(1) = 11.37, p = 0.001). Dengue serotype was not associated with the development of dengue complications, total number of dengue complications, length of admission, lactate level and survival among the serotypes. Results of the binary logistic regression showed that men have thrice the odds (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.6 6.7) for developing dengue complications. One patient was found to be co-infected with serotype 2 and 3.

AIMS AND METHODS: The present study aimed to examine the changes in mean daily cigarette consumption among random samples of the Malaysian current smoker population over 20 years using an age-period-cohort (APC) approach. We conducted APC analysis using a multilevel hierarchical age-period-cohort model and data from four nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional surveys (National Health and Morbidity Survey) conducted in 1996, 2006, 2011, and 2015 among individuals aged 18 to 80 years. Analyses were also stratified by gender and ethnicity.

RESULTS: Overall, mean daily cigarette consumption (smoking intensity) among current smokers increased with age until 60, after which a drop was observed. There were increases in daily cigarette consumption across birth cohorts. Age and cohort trends did not vary by gender but by ethnicity. The decreasing cigarette consumption after age 60 among the current smoker population was consistent with those observed among the Chinese and Indians, a trend that was not observed in Malays and other aborigines. In contrast, the increasing cohort trend was consistent with those observed among the Malays and other bumiputras.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlighted important ethnic-specific trends for mean daily cigarette consumption among the current smoker population in Malaysia. These findings are essential in guiding the formulation of interventional strategies or implementation of national tobacco control policies and help achieve the Ministry of Health Malaysia's 2025 and 2045 targets for smoking prevalence.