This is a report of 13 cases of meningiomas treated in the Neurosurgical Unit, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, over a period of nine months from September 1982.
Physical abuse of women has been documented since the dawn of history. However, it is not frequent that such patients come for help as such. Rather, they present as part ofrelated complicated problems such as marital discord, attempted suicide, depression and even psychotic illness. Women have been traditionally considered to be the inferior sex and as such, in many countries, social rehabilitation is difficult within the legal rights granted by the provisions of the appropriate laws. Two cases of physical abuse were admitted to the University Hospital in 1981-82 and their difficult rehabilitation is described to highlight the inadequacies of the existing laws under which protection and rehabilitation of the patients were sought. An account of what was and could be done for them is given.
This is a report of clinical features of migraine in Malaysians. Seventeen migraineurs were studied with respect to age, sex, length of disease, headache, aura, nausea, frequency, remission, precipitating factors, relieving factors, family history, coexisting symptoms, coexisting disease, and type of migraine. Similarities and differences between Malaysian and Caucasian migraineurs are discussed.
One hundred and fifty two patients were treated for acute renal failure in 1976-1978. Overall mortality was 46 (30.3 percent) and was highest among the surgical patients 15 (51.7 percent) and lowest in patients with outflow tract obstruction 2 (8.7 percent) uncontrolled sepsis was the commonest cause of death.
Malaysian adolescents, like their Western counterparts, undergo rapid growth and development. It is hypothesized that self-concept improves as adolescents mature and become more adjusted to the changes. This study therefore sought to ascertain whether the self-concept changes with age, not only in the global sense but in the various components of the self-concept. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale and the Brookover Scale of Academic Ability were administered to 375 adolescent boys, ranging in age from 14.7 to 17.0 years, and to 289 adolescent girls, ranging in age from 14.4 to 17.2 years. The findings show that the self-concept of adolescent boys changes with age in the direction predicted. The trend is less obvious and less consistent for girls.
This is a study of 148 women seeking induced abortion by doctors. The typical woman in this study was married, with 2 or more children, Chinese, urban, 21-30 years and had completed primary education. She was motivated to defer pregnancy and to a lesser extent to limit family size by resorting to induced abortion.
A total of 346 paediatric in-patients in the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur was examined for infection with Enterobius vermicularis using two anal swabs taken on two consecutive days. 24% of these children. whose mean age was 6 years [range 2-14 years] were infected. The infection was more prevalent among children between the ages of 5-11 years. There is only a slight difference in the distribution of infection among Malay. Chinese and Indian children. There is no significant difference in the prevalance of infection between boys and girls.
The records of the Division of Stomatology were reviewed for the incidence of adenomatoid odontogenic tumour diagnosed between 1968 and 1986. Forty-five cases were found. The prevalence of this tumour according to their age, sex, site and its distribution in the various states in Malaysia are reported. Many features were similar to previous reports of this entity. However the incidence of AOT appears to be higher among the Indians and lower in the Chinese population. It is suggested that this feature may be peculiar to Malaysians.
Eight longhouses were selected randomly for a goitre survey in the Entabai area of the Sixth Division, Sarawak. 645 subjects were examined and a goitre prevalence of 46.4% (15 years and above) was found. The females had a higher rate of 69.5% as compared with their male counterparts with 24.4%. Below the age of 15 years, prevalence was low and there was not much difference between the two sexes. After the age of 15 years, the prevalence among the females
increased from 40% to almost 80% by the age of 25 years. The males, on the other hand, showed a decrease in prevalence after the age of 15 years and levelled off at about 30%. The females also had much larger goitres than males. About 43% of the households surveyed consumed iodised salt but the rates tend to fluctuate according to supplies. There was however no direct correlation between goitre prevalence and consumption of iodised salt.
Four cases of tropical myositis seen over a period of four months at the Penang General Hospital are reported here. All were young local residents in whom large amounts of pus were found deep within skeletal muscles without an obvious aetiological factor.
The characteristics of 74 patients who attempted suicide in Penang are described. Differences in the incidence and reasons for and methods of attempting were observed among the ethnic groups. There was a higher incidence in females and patients of single status. The majority of patients did not suffer from severe psychiatric disorders, but did encounter chronic inter-personal and intra-familial conflicts. Conflicts with elders were more frequent among female patients, and this finding suggested that young females were faced with a greater degree of role conflicts. Rural to urban shift among the Chinese patients was observed to be associated with a high incidence of attempts. Dwellers of high-rise flat complexes were not over-represented. In view of antecedent social factors, professionals and others besides psychiatrists have a role in the prevention and management of para-suicidal behaviours.
A survey of Kayans of Long A tip, Baram, Sarawak, was conducted in 1986 as part of the pre-requisite to the development of a primary health care system for the people of the Baram. A total of 178 Kayans of all ages were surveyed for decayed, missing and filled teeth. Of the aggregate 39.3% did not have any decayed teeth, 37.6% had no missing teeth and 93.8% had not had any fillings. Compared with their neighbouring Penans, the Kayans of Long A tip had a relatively better dental status.