Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 269 in total

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  1. Tan WY, Hamzaid NH, Ibrahim N
    Nutrients, 2023 Mar 26;15(7).
    PMID: 37049449 DOI: 10.3390/nu15071608
    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that comes with co-occurring eating behavior such as limited food varieties, selective food intake, and repetitive eating patterns, contributing to significant challenges for their parents. Many parents find mealtimes difficult and develop anxiety or stress about their child's nutrition, health, and overall well-being. Hence, parents must equip themselves with the correct awareness and nutrition knowledge. An online open-ended semi-structured interview was conducted among fifteen parents from the community-rehabilitation program center to explore their understanding of nutrition's importance and the possible coping strategies when facing challenges. The interview sessions were recorded, followed by three researchers' coding processes. Data were then subjected to thematic analysis. The interview sessions suggested that the parents were aware of the autism trait eating behavior and had a general knowledge about nutrition. However, it was quite challenging when it came to preparation. Nevertheless, the parents are able to manage the challenges with unique kinds of coping strategies. In addition, a complete educational dietary intervention program including psychosocial aspects for parents is recommended for better effectiveness.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  2. Ibrahim F, Samsudin EZ, Ishak AR, Sathasivam J
    Front Public Health, 2022;10:1067764.
    PMID: 36424957 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1067764
    Indoor air quality (IAQ) has recently gained substantial traction as the airborne transmission of infectious respiratory disease becomes an increasing public health concern. Hospital indoor environments are complex ecosystems and strategies to improve hospital IAQ require greater appreciation of its potentially modifiable determinants, evidence of which are currently limited. This mini-review updates and integrates findings of previous literature to outline the current scientific evidence on the relationship between hospital IAQ and building design, building operation, and occupant-related factors. Emerging evidence has linked aspects of building design (dimensional, ventilation, and building envelope designs, construction and finishing materials, furnishing), building operation (ventilation operation and maintenance, hygiene maintenance, access control for hospital users), and occupants' characteristics (occupant activities, medical activities, adaptive behavior) to hospital IAQ. Despite the growing pool of IAQ literature, some important areas within hospitals (outpatient departments) and several key IAQ elements (dimensional aspects, room configurations, building materials, ventilation practices, adaptive behavior) remain understudied. Ventilation for hospitals continues to be challenging, as elevated levels of carbon monoxide, bioaerosols, and chemical compounds persist in indoor air despite having mechanical ventilation systems in place. To curb this public health issue, policy makers should champion implementing hospital IAQ surveillance system for all areas of the hospital building, applying interdisciplinary knowledge during the hospital design, construction and operation phase, and training of hospital staff with regards to operation, maintenance, and building control manipulation. Multipronged strategies targeting these important determinants are believed to be a viable strategy for the future control and improvement of hospital IAQ.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  3. Wan Ghazali WS, Minhat HS, Mohd Zulkefli NA, Ahmad N, Ismail F, Mashudi DN, et al.
    PLoS One, 2023;18(8):e0285366.
    PMID: 37616287 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285366
    BACKGROUND: Despite evidence of depression among mothers of children with cancer, there appears to be a lack of studies or concern regarding factors associated with depression among these mothers.

    OBJECTIVE: To review the factors associated with depression among mothers of children with cancer.

    METHOD: Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, Psychology, and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Academic Search Complete were searched according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify studies published between 2010 to 2022 on the associated risk factors of depression among mothers of children with cancer. The keywords used included mothers OR maternal' AND 'Child*' AND 'cancer OR tumo*r OR neoplasm' AND 'factors OR facilitators AND barriers OR predictors OR determinants AND 'depression'. Selected studies were evaluated by quality assessment.

    RESULT: Five articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The factors associated with depression among mothers of children were socio-demographic risk factors (marital status, education level, annual income, child cancer diagnosis), and stress factors (caregiving stress, cancer-related stress, general stress). There were other factors associated with depression that act as mediators along the process which were emotion-focused coping and perceived social support.

    CONCLUSION: Besides the commonly reported socio-demographic risk factors (marital status, education level, and annual income), other factors include stress factors (caregiving stress, cancer-related stress, and general stress). Furthermore, emotion-focused coping and perceived social support act as mediators along the process. More studies are warranted to explore depression among these mothers to ensure the most appropriate and effective preventive measures.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  4. Zakaria N, Zakaria NH, Bin Abdul Rassip MNA, Lee KY
    BMJ Open, 2022 Oct 10;12(10):e064687.
    PMID: 36216421 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064687
    OBJECTIVE: This national-level study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of burnout, as well as the coping strategies among nurses in the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia.

    DESIGN: Using a complex sampling design, a two-stage stratified cluster sampling was performed to recruit MOH nurses between August and November 2019.

    SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2428 nurses from 32 hospitals and 28 district health offices answered the questionnaires based on Maslach Burnout Inventory for Human Services and Brief COPE. Complex sampling analysis was applied.

    OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome of interest was the prevalence of burnout and its three domains of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and low personal accomplishment. ORs using 95% CIs were calculated. Significant factors at the univariate level were entered into the multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictors of burnout.

    RESULTS: One in four (24.4%) nurses experienced burnout. Younger, single, and childless nurses had a higher prevalence of burnout. Shift working nurses were 1.6 times more likely to develop burnout. Those who performed >6 night shifts per month were 1.5 times more predisposed to burnout (95% CI 1.01 to 2.36; p<0.05). While encountering traumatic events at work led to 4.2 times (95% CI 2.31, 7.63; p<0.05) higher risk of burnout, those who received post-traumatic psychological support were better protected. The use of dysfunctional coping strategies was detrimental as it was positively correlated with EE and DP.

    CONCLUSION: Addressing modifiable stressors of burnout at individual and institutional levels identified in this study can be potentially beneficial in reducing burnout and its undesirable effects among nurses. Interventions that promote positive coping strategies should be implemented. Organisational-driven efforts must target the improvement of work schedules for nurses and the establishment of a structured debriefing service for post-trauma counselling.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  5. Ab Latif R, Mat Nor MZ
    Malays J Med Sci, 2019 Mar;26(2):88-98.
    PMID: 31447612 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2019.26.2.10
    Introduction: Consistent with the significant of the stress issue in education, this study aimed to survey type of stressors and identifies the coping strategies used by diploma nursing students during clinical practices.

    Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Kubang Kerian Nursing College, Kelantan which involved 346 respondents using simple random sampling method. The inclusion criteria were year one, two and three of nursing students who have clinical posting and voluntarily joining the study. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Brief COPE inventory were utilised in the data collection. Higher mean score indicates higher degree of stress.

    Results: Clinical assignments and workload were the main stressor (mean = 3.19, SD = 1.09). Religion approach was the most coping strategy applied (mean = 3.30, SD = 0.71). Pearson's correlation coefficient test found that six domains of stressors during clinical practices (taking care of patients; clinical educators/instructors and ward staff; clinical assignments and workload; peers and nursing students from other college; lack of professional knowledge and skills and clinical environment) were statistically significant correlation with coping strategies, where P-value < 0.05.

    Conclusion: Clinical assignment was the main stressor among nursing students; therefore, successful activities should be promoted to help them in managing clinical assignment and enhancing knowledge in religion.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  6. Baharudin NS, Harun D, Kadar M
    Malays J Med Sci, 2020 Mar;27(2):21-36.
    PMID: 32788838 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2020.27.2.3
    Various standardised assessment tools have been used to evaluate children with disabilities. However, assessment tools that provide information on the movement and function of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) are still limited. This article provides a narrative review of the characteristics of five movement and/or function assessment tools. The strengths and limitations of the tools will be highlighted. Empirical studies on the assessment tools used are reviewed based on three criteria: (i) standardised tools; (ii) assessment of movement and/or function; (iii) applicability to children with SLD ranging from 4-17 years of age and widely used in practice. The following instruments have been included as they have been found to fulfil the criteria: (i) the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-2 (BOT-2); (ii) the movement assessment battery for children-2 (MABC-2); (iii) the pediatric balance scale (PBS); (iv) the Vineland adaptive behaviour scale-II (VABS-II) and (v) the pediatric evaluation of disability inventory-computerised adaptive test (PEDI-CAT). The article presents the characteristics, strengths and limitations of five standardised assessment tools that are currently in use, which measure the movement and/or function of children with SLD. This article concludes with a discussion of recommendations for the best approaches to evaluating the movement and functional abilities of children with SLD.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  7. Alwi N, Harun D, Omar B, Ahmad M, Zagan M, Leonard JH
    Clin Ter, 2015 Nov-Dec;166(6):e361-4.
    PMID: 26794817 DOI: 10.7417/T.2015.1901
    Caregivers face challenges to adapt while handling individual with learning disabilities (LD). The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scale (F-COPES) is a widely used instrument to measure coping strategies among caregivers. The current study performed cross cultural translation of F-COPES in Malay language. This study aims to examine the reliability by testing internal consistency of Malay version of F-COPES which is developed through back to back translation method from original English version.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  8. Shahabudin SH, Safiah N
    Med Teach, 1991;13(3):205-11.
    PMID: 1745110
    Three years ago the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia medical school changed its curriculum from the traditional discipline based curriculum to the integrated organ-system approach. Once change was effected a process of 'refreezing' had to be initiated whereby new responses had to be reintegrated into the ongoing personality or emotional relationships of important people so that the change process will endure and become stable. During this refreezing process the faculty encountered several problems which could thwart further development of the new curricula if left unresolved. The nature of the problems seemed to indicate that curricular change involves more than just efforts at bettering the what and ways of student learning and assessment. A lot of energy was also spent on keeping things going, keeping people motivated, making sure the work was done (at least as well as it has in the past), looking for better ways to do things, weighing new solutions and to be alert to new problems. In ensuring the continuance of change it was important to ensure, from the outset the institutionalization of policies, programmes, procedures and practices for continuing reward, routinization, structural integration into the system, continuing evaluation and providing for continuing maintenance.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  9. Khairunisa Amalina Binti Kaswadi, Malik, Aakriti, Keat, Ooi Boon
    MyJurnal
    Undergraduate studies are a challenging time for students to adapt to the multi-functional roles and responsibilities of a university life. Research worldwide indicates undergraduate students to experience high levels of stress, depression and anxiety thus affecting their academic performance. Studies in Malaysia with respect to understanding the relationship between anxiety levels and academic achievement are sparse. The current study sought responses from a preliminary sample of 100 undergraduate students consisted of 50 males and 50 females on their cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory. The results suggested girls to have slightly higher levels of anxiety when compared to boys. Both boys and girls were found to have moderate levels of anxiety as indicated by BAI. A mild negative relationship was found between anxiety levels and academic achievement. The findings highlight the need for preventive mental health measures in universities catering to the growing academic and personal demands on students thereby facilitating students with coping and life skills.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  10. Wan Mohd Yunus WMA, Musiat P, Brown JSL
    Behav Sci (Basel), 2020 Dec 16;10(12).
    PMID: 33339086 DOI: 10.3390/bs10120193
    Brief face-to-face self-confidence workshops were effective in reducing depression among the public. Technological advances have enabled traditional face-to-face interventions to be adapted using unique technology-mediated platforms. This article details the formative development of a self-confidence web-based seminar (webinar) intervention for workplace depression. The first section discusses a qualitative study that explores the feasibility and acceptability of adapting the self-confidence workshops into a webinar platform on employees in the workplace. The second section describes the systematic development of this new webinar intervention informed by the qualitative study findings, a published systematic review, and previous face-to-face self-confidence workshops. The qualitative study involves three focus groups (n = 10) conducted in a small organization. Three themes were identified relevant to the running of the new self-confidence webinars in the workplace: personal (content, time and duration preference, features of the webinar, individual participation, personalization), interpersonal (stigma from others, engagement with participants/presenter, moderated interaction), and organizational (endorsement from management, work demand). For the intervention development, the format, structure, features, and content of the self-confidence webinar intervention are described. Features such as file sharing, virtual whiteboard, live chat, and poll are explained with the intervention primarily based on cognitive behavior therapy and coping flexibility concepts.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  11. Shamir Das K.N. Kavidas, Alexius, Cheang, Weng, Onn
    MyJurnal
    Student athletes represent a unique segment of society, having to manage a set of expectations and challenges that are distinct and psychologically demanding. They are expected to achieve the highest level of sporting excellence while also performing well academically. A basic qualitative study was used to gain an understanding of the nature and type of psychological challenges faced, and ways the student athletes successfully managed or was currently managing those challenges. The results entailed two overlapping groups of challenges; internal and external, where internal consisted of emotional strain, expectations from one’s self, balance between sports and studies, and present feelings of regret, while external consisted of issues with their coach, perception of others, and transition to tertiary education. Additionally, there were three ways of managing those challenges namely through problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and experiential learning. Those three domains are further explored and discussed, with consideration to the local context and the role of individual differences.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  12. Hui WJ, Pikkarainen M, Nah SA, Nah SNJ, Pölkki T, Wang W, et al.
    J Pediatr Nurs, 2020 01 24;52:e42-e50.
    PMID: 31983480 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2020.01.004
    PURPOSE: To explore the experiences and needs of parents while waiting for their children undergoing surgery.

    DESIGNS AND METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. A purposive sample of 11 parents who went through their first waiting experiences during their children's surgeries in a Singapore public hospital was recruited. Children younger than or equal to 16 years of age were included. A semi-structured interview guide facilitated the individual face-to-face interviews. Thematic analysis was used.

    RESULTS: Four themes were identified: "Care and care provision affecting waiting experiences", "Parental concerns and surgery affecting waiting experiences", "Coping strategies used during waiting periods" and "Recommendations to improve waiting experiences". Pre-operative instructions, the professionalism of medical teams, and a lack of timely updates affected parental experiences. Parents expressed their worries. The complexities and types of surgery influenced how they felt. Their concerns included potential complications, surgical outcomes, anesthesia-related side effects, and post-operative care including pain. They spent their waiting times eating, resting, using their smart devices, and coping with a support system. Environmental improvements, more updates, and mobile applications were recommended by the participants.

    CONCLUSION: For a parent, the wait during his/her child's surgery can be unsettling. Our results give insights into parental waiting experiences and needs during their children's surgeries.

    PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These findings can guide the improvement of the current practise based on our evidence or the implementation of newer technology to provide better waiting experiences for parents during their children's surgeries and to enhance the quality of clients' experiences in the hospital.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  13. Eskin M, Baydar N, El-Nayal M, Asad N, Noor IM, Rezaeian M, et al.
    Soc Sci Med, 2020 11;265:113390.
    PMID: 33007656 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113390
    OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the associations of religiosity, religious coping and suicide acceptance to suicide ideation and attempts in 7427 young adults affiliating with Islam from 11 Muslim countries.

    METHOD: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. We used F and χ2 tests and correlation analyses to report descriptive statistics. Multi-group path models with (i) a zero-inflated Poisson distribution and, (ii) a Binomial distribution were used to model the number of occurrences of suicidal ideation, and occurrence of a suicide attempt, respectively.

    RESULTS: Religiosity was negatively associated with acceptability of suicide, but it was positively related to punishment after death across the 11 countries. Religiosity was negatively associated with ever experiencing suicidal ideation, both directly and indirectly through its association with attitudes towards suicide, especially the belief in acceptability of suicide. Neither positive nor negative religious coping were related to suicidal ideation. However, religiosity was negatively related to suicide attempts among those who experienced suicidal ideation at least once. This association was mediated through the belief in acceptability of suicide and religious coping. Negative religious coping was positively associated with suicide attempts probably because it weakened the protective effects of religiosity.

    CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study suggest that the effects of religiosity in the suicidal process operate through attitudes towards suicide. We therefore conclude that clinical assessment as well as research in suicidology may benefit from paying due attention to attitudes towards suicide.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  14. Park MS, Goto N, Kennedy A, Raj S, Dutson A, Park L, et al.
    Psychol Health Med, 2020 Aug 05.
    PMID: 32755397 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2020.1804599
    Mental health practitioners in many developing countries are faced with high job demands and a lack of institutional support. Given their high levels of work-related stress, it is important to identify mechanisms that help them to maintain psychological well-being and job satisfaction. Recent research has focused on the role that positive orientation (POS) may play in mediating the negative impact of stress on individual well-being. The present study investigated whether POS predicts mental health practitioners' perceived levels of stress, mental health and job satisfaction. If POS measures a person's tendency to take a positive attitude to life and their ability to cope with difficulties, a high POS could be linked to reduced levels of stress and increased levels of job satisfaction and well-being. This study examined associations between self-reported POS and psychological outcomes in a sample of 100 Malaysian mental health practitioners. The results showed that POS significantly predicted job satisfaction positively and mental health issues and perceived stress negatively, even when socio-demographic variables were controlled. Overall, we found a strong effect of POS on individual functioning across the sample of mental health practitioners. Our results have implications for improving practitioner wellbeing and job satisfaction.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  15. Ismail N, Khalid MKA
    MyJurnal
    Adjustment among new students at the university plays an important role in determining their success at university. This study showed one of the reasons students fail to complete their study is due to adjustment problems. Students found to be unable to deal with the challenges and demands on campus and experience a variety of problems that some of them failed to proceed to the next semester. The population of the study consist of 143 First Semester Diploma students in the Faculty of Business and Management studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang Raub Campus. The instrument used is questionnaires. There are four subscales designed to measure the effectiveness of student adjustment to university that are academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal (emotional) adjustment and institutional commitment. The study shows that adaptability on campus has a relationship with psychosocial abilities possessed by the students. Among the psychosocial abilities have a positive and significant impact on student adjustment is emotional intelligence, coping, and social support. All three of these psychosocial capabilities found to play an important role in helping students adjust at the university. Thus, the university must take proactive steps to develop emotional intelligence, coping and social support among new students to improve their adaptability
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  16. Siti Norzaimalina Abd Majid
    MyJurnal
    The role of a mother alone is very challenging. With an additional role as a student or a worker add more burden to them. It is undeniable that Malaysian women in the 21st century has more roles than women in the pre-independent era. Nowadays, women have equal opportunities to work and pursue higher education like men. The need to provide quality life to the children has also encouraged women to contribute more in the family income. Despite the multiple roles play by women, the household tasks are still managed by them. For this phenomenological research, in-depth interviews were conducted with two participants who studied in public university in Malaysia. By using thematic analysis, four themes were emerged from this study. The themes were challenges, role management, assistance/support and coping strategies. In this study, the major challenge was to balance the role of mother and student. But whatever challenges they faced; family was their priority. Furthermore, spousal support also helped the mothers in managing their multiple roles. From the findings, it is hoped that it gives some insights on the type of support that student mother needs and ways of coping in challenging situation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  17. Khoshaim HB, Al-Sukayt A, Chinna K, Nurunnabi M, Sundarasen S, Kamaludin K, et al.
    J Public Health Res, 2020 Nov 17;9(Suppl 1):1898.
    PMID: 33437753 DOI: 10.4081/jphr.2020.1898
    The novel coronavirus is the worst pandemic of this century. Unfortunately, there is no clear solution for how to cope with such an epidemic. This study examines the coping strategies used by university students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From March to May 2020, a questionnaire was administered and completed by 400 students. This study used the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to examine the respondents' level of anxiety. The results indicate that 35% of students experienced some levels of anxiety. Moreover, there was a moderate use of four types of coping strategies: Seek social support, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian. These findings can guide policymakers on the importance of developing practical guidelines to handle such lethal diseases. Moreover, the results inform the Saudi community what strategies were used to cope so far with the pandemic. Future research is expected to address the validity and appropriateness of these strategies and encourage other approaches.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  18. Chin Lee Mei @ Mary Tan, Mohd Dahlan A. Malek, Ismail Maakip
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Nursing is a highly stressful profession that affects the nurses’ physical and mental health. To maintain the quality of health services, nurses must have physically and mentally healthy. Given this, the present study aimed to examine the level of Stress and Psychological Well-Being among nurses and the methods used by nurses to cope with them. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychological well-being and coping strat- egies with stress which include Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being (RPWB), Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WOCQ) and Nursing Stress Scales (NSS) for the data collection on 637 nurses in nine hospitals in Sabah. Results: The results revealed that the main Sources of Stress among nurses was Conflict with Other Nurses. Also, Purpose in Life was found to have the highest mean score in terms of psychological well-being among nurses. Furthermore, Positive Re- appraisal was found to be employed by nurses in dealing with stress. The study also revealed there was relationship between the sources of stress and the psychological well-being among nurses. Conclusion: Thus, to reduce work stress among nurses, hospital administration should keep themselves aware of the work dynamics and address the negative conflict occurred in nurses as soon as it is recognized. Recognizing the impact of work stress and using the technique of coping plays a vital role in minimizing the stress of nurses.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  19. Othman H, Ludin SM, Saidi S, Awang MS
    J Public Health Res, 2021 Apr 14;10(2).
    PMID: 33855403 DOI: 10.4081/jphr.2021.2205
    BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors require attention and dependence from their primary caregiver. This is because TBI is a defect that affects both the psychological and physical functions of the victim. Caregivers play an essential role in providing the adequate care victims need to adjust to the new problems they may experience due to their condition, as family members alone may not be able to provide for their needs. In particular, TBI caregivers may face specific challenges when assisting their patients in handling unexpected changes to their daily routines. Therefore, this quantitative study aims to explore the needs of caregivers, their coping mechanisms towards stressful and traumatic circumstances, and how they provide care to their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    DESIGN AND METHODS: It was conducted with ten caregivers of individuals suffering from traumatic brain injury, that were selected using a theoretical sampling method. Data were obtained using a semi-structured interview guide, which helped the caregivers provide their responses. Meanwhile, data analysis was performed using the NVIVO analysis software.

    RESULTS: The results showed that there were, three significant themes namely, (a) Support needed, (b) the information need for care, and (c) developing self-resilience. The results also showed that caregivers really need support from the various parties, and the participants lack information on specific care techniques for the severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors.

    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, caregivers require approval and seek more useful information to provide excellent care to their loved ones. Being aware of the caregiver's needs would enable them to offer improved customized care.

    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
  20. Kadravello A, Tan SB, Ho GF, Kaur R, Yip CH
    Medicina (Kaunas), 2021 Jul 07;57(7).
    PMID: 34356974 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57070693
    Background and Objective: Despite the increasing treatment options for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), unmet needs remain common, especially in low and middle-income countries where resources are limited and MBC patients face many challenges. They often join support groups to cope with their unmet needs. Currently, many MBC patients connect with each other via online support group in view of the constant availability of support and rapid information exchange. The objective of this study is to determine the unmet needs of women with MBC from an online support group. Material and Methods: Messages in an online support group of twenty-two MBC patients over a period of three years from August 2016 till August 2019 were thematically analyzed. Results: Three themes were generated, (1) unmet information needs (2) unmet financial needs (3) unmet support needs. Women needed information on side effects of treatment, new treatment options and availability of clinical trials. Although Malaysia has universal health care coverage, access to treatment remains a major challenge. When treatment was not available in the public hospitals, or waiting lists were too long, women were forced to seek treatment in private hospitals, incurring financial catastrophe. Insufficient private insurance and inadequate social security payments force many women to consider stopping treatment. Women felt that they were not getting support from their clinicians in the public sector, who were quick to stop active treatment and advise palliation. On the other hand, clinicians in the private sector advise expensive treatment beyond the financial capability of the patients. Women with families also face the challenge of managing their family and household in addition to coping with their illness. Conclusions: There is a need for healthcare professionals, policy makers, and civil society to better address the needs of MBC patients through patient-centered, multidisciplinary and multi-organizational collaboration.
    Matched MeSH terms: Adaptation, Psychological
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