METHODS: Nationally representative data of Malaysia were used to generate cross-sectional evidence. The sample size was 2156 respondents. An ordered probit regression was utilized to assess factors associated with the practice of physical activity.
RESULTS: Respondents aged 40-49 years with hypertension were 7.3% less likely to participate in high-level physical activity when compared to those without hypertension. The probability of having a low level of physical activity was 12.3% higher among hypertensive patients aged ≥60. Males, married individuals, less-educated adults, low-income earners, and individuals who were aware of their BMI, had a higher tendency to indulge in a highly active lifestyle than others.
CONCLUSION: The effect of hypertension on physical activity was moderated by age. Factors influencing physical activity levels among adults were income, gender, marital status, education, employment status, and BMI awareness.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Sociodemographic data questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21, sources of workplace worries questionnaire, and Brief-COPE inventory were randomly distributed to frontline HCWs who worked at the medical, emergency, and anaesthesiology departments. Data were analyzed using Chi-square tests and multivariable linear regression analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 137 frontline HCWs responded to the questionnaires. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 69.3%, 77.4%, and 57.7%, respectively. None of the sociodemographic characteristics was associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Depression was associated to all sources of workplace worries, except "fear of getting infected" (p = 0.089), while anxiety and stress were associated with all sources of workplace worries. Humour (β = 0.821), self-blame (β = 0.686), denial (β = 0.676), substance use (β = 0.835), and behavioural disengagement (β = 0.583) were positively correlated to depression. However, active coping (β = -0.648) and acceptance (β = -0.602) were negatively correlated to depression. On the other hand, active coping (β = 0.913), planning (β = 0.879), acceptance (β = 0.831), religion (β = 0.704), and self-distraction (β = 0.929) were positively correlated to stress. Only substance use (β = -0.417) was negatively correlated to stress. All coping strategies did not correlate to anxiety.
CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress is attributed by the various sources of workplace worries and the inappropriate coping strategies among the frontline HCWs. Measures that minimise workplace worries and inappropriate coping strategies must be implemented promptly.
METHODS: A total of 22 consented participants with facial palsy was assessed with photos and videography recordings where they performed 10 standard facial expressions. The severity of facial paralysis was evaluated with the House-Brackmann, Sydney, and Sunnybrook grading scales subjectively and with the facial nerve conduction study objectively. The assessments were repeated after 3 months.
RESULTS: A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that there were statistically significant change in all three gradings after 3-month of assessment. The responsiveness of the nerve conduction study was significant for the nasalis and orbicularis oris muscles. It was not significant for the orbicularis oculi muscle. The nasalis and orbicularis oculi showed statistically significant correlation with the three classification systems except for the orbicularis oculi muscle.
CONCLUSIONS: All three grading systems, House-Brackmann, Sydney, and Sunnybrook, showed statistically significant responsiveness after 3 months of evaluation. The nasalis and orbicularis oculi muscle can be used to predict facial palsy recovery because they showed strong positive and negative correlations with the extent of facial nerve degeneration from the nerve conduction study.
METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 May to 30 June, 2013, in three rural divisions of Sabah (the Interior, the West Coast, and Kudat). Data regarding domestic iodised salt use and iodine-containing supplement consumption were obtained from respondents through face-to-face interviews; goitre enlargement was examined through palpation and graded according to the World Health Organization classification. Spot urine samples were also obtained to assess urinary iodine levels by using an in-house modified micromethod.
RESULTS: In total, 534 pregnant women participated. The prevalence of goitre was 1.0% (n=5), noted only in the West Coast and Kudat divisions. Although all pregnant women consumed iodised salt, overall median urinary iodine concentration was only 106 μg/L, indicating insufficient iodine intake, with nearly two-thirds of the women (60%) having a median urinary iodine concentrations of <150 μg/L.
CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women from the rural divisions in Sabah still exhibit iodine deficiency disorder despite the mandatory universal salt iodisation programme. Iodine supplementation programmes targeting pregnant women are warranted.