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Predictors of parenting stress among Malaysian mothers of children with Down syndrome

Norizan A, Shamsuddin K

J Intellect Disabil Res, 2010 Nov;54(11):992-1003.
PMID: 20868445 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01324.x

Having children with intellectual disability can be stressful for most parents. Currently there are very few studies focusing on parenting stress among mothers of children with Down syndrome (DS) in Asia. The present study examined the level of parenting stress experienced by Malaysian mothers of children with DS and evaluated the child and maternal factors that contributed to parenting stress based on Hill's ABC-X Model (Hill 1949).

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext An Asian viewpoint on the use of vitamin D and calcium in osteoporosis treatment: physician and patient attitudes and beliefs

Chan SP, Scott BB, Sen SS

BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 2010;11:248.
PMID: 20977729 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2474-11-248

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis treatment guidelines recommend calcium and vitamin D supplementation for both prevention as well as treatment, however, compliance with these guidelines is often unsatisfactory. This study investigated the opinion of Asian physicians and Asian patients regarding vitamin D and calcium and patients' use of both.
METHODS: Physicians selected from Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Singapore were asked to grade the significance of vitamin D and calcium in the treatment of osteoporosis and their patients' use of these supplements. In addition, physicians recruited seven eligible osteoporotic women to answer a questionnaire to determine their use of vitamin D and calcium, and their attitudes and beliefs regarding these supplements.
RESULTS: In total, 237 physicians and 1463 osteoporosis patients completed the questionnaire. The results revealed that 22% of physicians in Malaysia, 12% in Taiwan, 72% in the Philippines, 50% in Korea and 24% in Singapore rated the importance of vitamin D supplementation as being extremely important. For calcium, 27% of physicians in Malaysia, 30% in Taiwan, 80% in the Philippines, 50% in Korea and 38% in Singapore rated the importance as being extremely important. Forty-three percent of patients in Malaysia, 38% in Taiwan, 73% in the Philippines, 35% in Korea and 39% in Singapore rated the importance of vitamin D as being extremely important. For calcium, 69% of patients in Malaysia, 58% in Taiwan, 90% in the Philippines, 70% in Korea and 55% in Singapore rated the importance as being extremely important. In addition, results of the patient questionnaire revealed that only a very small number regularly took both supplements. In addition, the results indicated that, with the exception of patients from the Philippines, the majority of patients had no or infrequent discussion with their physician about vitamin D and calcium.
CONCLUSIONS: There is generally suboptimal appreciation by both physicians and patients of the importance of vitamin D and calcium for maintenance of bone health as reflected in the low number of patients who reported regularly taking these supplements. Recognition of this problem should translate to appropriate action to improve education for both physicians and patients, with a goal to increase use of these supplements among Asian patients with osteoporosis.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology*
Beliefs and practices surrounding postpartum period among Myanmar women

Sein KK

Midwifery, 2013 Nov;29(11):1257-63.
PMID: 23415368 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2012.11.012

to examine the postpartum beliefs and practices among young women (15-24 years)

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Measuring quality of life in different cultures: translation of the Functional Living Index for Cancer (FLIC) into Chinese and Malay in Singapore

Goh CR, Lee KS, Tan TC, Wang TL, Tan CH, Wong J, et al.

Ann Acad Med Singap, 1996 May;25(3):323-34.
PMID: 8876896

Quality-of-life assessment has become an accepted method of evaluation in clinical medicine. The technique is based on a patient's self-assessment of physical, psychological, and social function, as well as the effects of distressing physical symptoms. The most important aspect of quality-of-life assessment is that it brings into focus a patient-centred view of health outcome, which is broader than the physiologic measures which predominate in Western medicine. Strategies for the development and use of assessment questionnaires have evolved over the past 15 years, and numerous questionnaires have been created. Most originate in Western societies, with English as the most common language of development. Adapting such questionnaires for use in other language and cultural settings is an imprecise practice. Language translation and equivalent cultural meaning must both be addressed. This paper reports on the language translation process and results for the Functional Living Index for Cancer (FLIC) as translated into Chinese and Malay in Singapore. We employed a step-wise process beginning with translation/back translation, followed by structured pilot field trials and population sampling. Taped versions of the questionnaire were devised to meet illiteracy problems in the sample population. Paired comparisons of the Chinese and Malay versions of individual questions with their English counterparts show good correlations and similar means most of the time. Factor analysis on a population sample of 246 (112 Chinese, 35 Malay and 98 English speaking) with cancers of minimal, extensive or palliative extent is convergent with that obtained on a North American population. However, a separate analysis of the Chinese questionnaires showed some differences in factor pattern. Specific language and cultural translation difficulties are discussed. Of note is the predicted significant decrease in total FLIC scores with extent of disease within each of the language preference populations, which provides some evidence for the validity for each language version in the Singapore culture(s). Thus, the FLIC translations into Malay and Chinese in Singapore can be considered for use in local trials, subject to ongoing evaluation.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Dental care access among individuals with Down syndrome: a Malaysian scenario

Abdul Rahim FS, Mohamed AM, Marizan Nor M, Saub R

Acta Odontol Scand, 2014 Nov;72(8):999-1004.
PMID: 25029211 DOI: 10.3109/00016357.2014.936036

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the legal representatives' perceptions on dental care access of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) compared to their non-DS siblings in Peninsular Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Editorial: The cross-cultural approach to medical practice

Sandosham AA

Med J Malaysia, 1974 Sep;29(1):1.
PMID: 4377165
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Orthodontic treatment need in Asian adult males

Soh J, Sandham A

Angle Orthod, 2004 Dec;74(6):769-73.
PMID: 15673139

Orthodontic treatment in adults has gained social and professional acceptance in recent years. An assessment of orthodontic treatment need helps to identify individuals who will benefit from treatment and safeguard their interest. The purpose of this study was to assess the objective and subjective levels of orthodontic treatment need in a sample of orthodontically untreated adult Asian males. A sample of male army recruits (n = 339, age 17-22 years, Chinese = 258, Malay = 60, Indian = 21) with no history of orthodontic treatment or craniofacial anomalies participated in the study on a voluntary basis with informed consent. Impressions for study models were taken. Objective treatment need was assessed based on study model analysis using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Questionnaires were used to assess subjective treatment need based on subjective esthetic component (EC) ratings. Fifty percentage of the sample had a definite need for orthodontic treatment (dental health component [DHC] grades 4 and 5), whereas 29.2% had a moderate need for treatment (DHC grades 3). The occlusal trait most commonly identified was dental crossbite. Malay males had the highest percentage with a definite need for treatment for both dental health and esthetic reasons in comparison with Chinese and Indian males. However, there was no difference in the level of treatment need among the ethnic groups (P > .05). No correlation between objective and subjective EC scores was found (P > .05). A high level of investigator-identified treatment need was not supported by a similar level of subject awareness among the adult sample.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Does performance of breast self-exams increase the probability of using mammography: evidence from Malaysia

Dunn RA, Tan A, Samad I

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2010;11(2):417-21.
PMID: 20843127

OBJECTIVES: Breast self-examination (BSE) was evaluated to see if it is a significant predictor of mammography.

METHODS: The decisions of females above age 40 in Malaysia to test for breast cancer using BSE and mammography are jointly modeled using a bivariate probit so that unobserved attributes affecting mammography usage are also allowed to affect BSE. Data come from the Malaysia Non-Communicable Disease Surveillance-1, which was collected between September 2005 and February 2006.

RESULTS: Having ever performed BSE is positively associated with having ever undergone mammography among Malay (adjusted OR=7.343, CI=2.686, 20.079) and Chinese (adjusted OR=3.466, CI=1.330, 9.031) females after adjusting for household income, education, marital status and residential location. Neither relationship is affected by jointly modelling the decision problem. Although the association is also positive for Indian females when mammography is modelled separately (adjusted OR=5.959, CI=1.546 - 22.970), the relationship is reversed when both decisions are modelled separately.

CONCLUSIONS: De-emphasizing BSE in Malaysia may reduce mammography screening among a large proportion of the population. Previous work on the issue in developed countries may not apply to nations with limited resources.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Islam and harm reduction

Kamarulzaman A, Saifuddeen SM

Int J Drug Policy, 2010 Mar;21(2):115-8.
PMID: 20006483 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2009.11.003

Although drugs are haram and therefore prohibited in Islam, illicit drug use is widespread in many Islamic countries throughout the world. In the last several years increased prevalence of this problem has been observed in many of these countries which has in turn led to increasing injecting drug use driven HIV/AIDS epidemic across the Islamic world. Whilst some countries have recently responded to the threat through the implementation of harm reduction programmes, many others have been slow to respond. In Islam, The Quran and the Prophetic traditions or the Sunnah are the central sources of references for the laws and principles that guide the Muslims' way of life and by which policies and guidelines for responses including that of contemporary social and health problems can be derived. The preservation and protection of the dignity of man, and steering mankind away from harm and destruction are central to the teachings of Islam. When viewed through the Islamic principles of the preservation and protection of the faith, life, intellect, progeny and wealth, harm reduction programmes are permissible and in fact provide a practical solution to a problem that could result in far greater damage to the society at large if left unaddressed.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Do depression literacy, mental illness beliefs and stigma influence mental health help-seeking attitude? A cross-sectional study of secondary school and university students from B40 households in Malaysia

Ibrahim N, Amit N, Shahar S, Wee LH, Ismail R, Khairuddin R, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2019 Jun 13;19(Suppl 4):544.
PMID: 31196033 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6862-6

BACKGROUND: Mental illness rates among young people is high, yet the frequency of help-seeking is low, especially among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding factors influencing help-seeking, such as mental illness beliefs, stigma and literacy among B40 individuals is important, but past studies are sparse. Hence, we aimed to examine the factors associated with mental help-seeking attitude among students from the B40 income bracket. Differences in beliefs toward mental illness, stigma and help-seeking attitudes among university and secondary school students were also investigated.
METHODS: University and secondary school students from low-income households (N = 202) were involved in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Depression Literacy Questionnaire (D-Lit), General Help Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ), Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS), Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH), and Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI).
RESULTS: Mental help-seeking attitude had a significant relationship with self-stigma on seeking help (r = -.258, p

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Fogging to combat dengue: factors influencing stakeholders' attitudes in Malaysia

Arham AF, Amin L, Mustapa MAC, Mahadi Z, Yaacob M, Wasli MMP, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2023 Jun 14;23(1):1140.
PMID: 37312081 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16054-3

BACKGROUND: Fogging is a conventional technique used to combat Aedes mosquitoes and prevent dengue disease. It is often implemented in outbreak areas or areas harbouring a high density of Aedes mosquitoes. Currently, studies on stakeholders' attitudes towards fogging are still limited in number. Therefore, this study aims to assess Malaysian attitudes, and identify the predicting factors influencing such attitudes.
METHODS: A validated instrument was used to interview 399 randomly selected respondents from the public (n = 202, 50.6%) and scientists (n = 197, 49.4%) in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia. The data were analysed using PLS-SEM involving Smart-PLS software.
RESULTS: The results confirmed that stakeholder attitudes toward fogging should be viewed in terms of a multi-dimensional association. The stakeholders surveyed were highly positive with regard to the application of fogging to control dengue but professed moderate concerns as to associated risks. The PLS-SEM analyses demonstrated that the perceived benefit was the most important factor influencing attitudes, followed by trust in key players.
CONCLUSIONS: This result provides a good insight from the perspective of education and unravels the underlying fundamentals of stakeholders' attitudes toward the fogging technique. The findings also provide a positive indicator to the responsible parties involved to continue the usage of this technique in conjunction with improvements with regard to its safety aspects, and possibly in combination with other environmental-friendly alternatives in order to achieve a healthy environment without dengue in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Factors associated with inappropriate utilisation of emergency department services

Selasawati HG, Naing L, Wan Aasim WA, Winn T, Rusli BN

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2007;19(2):29-36.
PMID: 18050561 DOI: 10.1177/10105395070190020601

This study was carried out to determine the associated factors and the reasons for inappropriate utilisation of Emergency Department (ED) services at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital. A case-control study was conducted with 170 cases from ED and 170 controls from the Outpatient Department (OPD). A self-administered questionnaire was designed and used to obtain sociodemographic data, knowledge on the functions of ED and OPD, health seeking attitude and behaviour, and reasons for seeking treatment at ED. The study found that gender, marital status, family size, shift work, perceived illness, and knowledge on the role and functions of ED and OPD were significant associated factors. The three most common reasons for inappropriate utilisation of ED were as follows: "due to severity of illness" (85%), "can't go to OPD during office hours" (42%), and "ED near my house" (27%).

Study site: Emergency department, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM)

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Understanding tuberculosis: perspectives and experiences of the people of Sabah, East Malaysia

Rundi C

J Health Popul Nutr, 2010 Apr;28(2):114-23.
PMID: 20411673

Malaysia is a country with the intermediate burden of tuberculosis (TB). TB is still a public-health problem in Sabah, one of the two states in East Malaysia. In 2007, the state of Sabah contributed slightly more than 3,000 of 16,129 new and relapse cases reported in the country. It has a notification rate of two and a half times that of the country's. Very few studies on TB have been conducted in Sabah, and there is little documentation on the perceptions of TB patients and the community about TB, healthcare-seeking behaviour, and impact of TB on the people of Sabah. A qualitative study was conducted in 2006 in seven districts in Sabah to assess the knowledge and perceptions of TB patients and the community about TB, also to know the experiences of healthcare services, and to examine the impact of TB on patients and families. Purposive sampling identified 27 TB patients and 20 relatives and community members who were interviewed using a set of questions on knowledge, perceptions about TB, healthcare-seeking behaviour, and impact of TB. A further 11 health staff attended informal discussions and feedback sessions. Most interviews were taped and later translated. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Ninety-six percent of the respondents did not know the cause of TB. Some thought that TB occurred due to a 'tear' in the body or due to hard work or inflammation while others thought that it occurred due to eating contaminated food or due to sharing utensils or breathing space with TB patients. Although the germ theory was not well-known, 98% of the respondents believed that TB was infectious. Some patients did not perceive the symptoms they had as those of TB. The prevailing practice among the respondents was to seek modem medicine for cure. Other forms of treatment, such as traditional medicine, were sought if modem medicine failed to cure the disease. TB was still a stigmatizing disease, and the expression of this was in both perceived and enacted ways. TB also affected the patients in various aspects of their lives, such as psychosocial, physical, financial and life practices. Patients who were farmers complained that they did not recover fully from their disease and were not, thus, able to continue with their previous work. Patients changed their life practices, such as not sharing their utensils, had a separate sleeping area, and practised social distancing. On the other hand, most health workers were unaware of the effects of TB on their patients and that knowledge of their patients on TB was inadequate. There is a need to understand the reasons for the misconceptions about TB and to address the lack of knowledge on TB through health education. Patients need to recognize the symptoms of TB early so that prompt treatment can be initiated, and patients need to be convinced of its curability.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Problems of tuberculosis management in Sabah

Roy RN

N Z Med J, 1972 Aug;76(483):97-101.
PMID: 4508817
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Medical traditions in Malaysia

Rosenbloom AL

JFMA, 1972 Apr;59(4):37-43.
PMID: 4555905
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Hazarding health: experiences of body, work, and risk among factory women in Malaysia

Root R

Health Care Women Int, 2009 Oct;30(10):903-18.
PMID: 19742364 DOI: 10.1080/07399330903042807

In the 1970s, Malaysia launched an export-oriented development strategy as a means of financing the nation's modernization. The success of the strategy hinged significantly on intensive recruitment of women for factory employment. I draw on descriptive qualitative research, including interviews (51), surveys (106), and ethnography in Malaysia to investigate factory women's experiences of work and work-related health risks. Discourse analysis surfaced a latent consciousness of bodily changes in relation to work. A grounded theory analysis showed a compromised access to occupational risk knowledge that may bear negatively on women's well-being and the role women's new labor identities played in mediating the meanings of work and risks. Given the predominance of women workers in low-end manufacturing globally, I aimed to contribute to theoretical and applied understandings of gender, globalization, and health.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology*
The use of the FACT-H&N (v4) in clinical settings within a developing country: a mixed method study

Bilal S, Doss JG, Rogers SN

J Craniomaxillofac Surg, 2014 Dec;42(8):1590-7.
PMID: 25224886 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcms.2014.04.015

In the last decade there has been an increasing awareness about 'quality of life' (QOL) of cancer survivors in developing countries. The study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the FACT-H&N (v4) in Urdu language for Pakistani head and neck cancer patients. In this study the 'same language adaptation method' was used. Cognitive debriefing through in-depth interviews of 25 patients to assess semantic, operational and conceptual equivalence was done. The validation phase included 50 patients to evaluate the psychometric properties. The translated FACT-H&N was easily comprehended (100%). Cronbach's alpha for FACT-G subscales ranged from 0.726 - 0.969. The head and neck subscale and Pakistani questions subscale showed low internal consistency (0.426 and 0.541 respectively). Instrument demonstrated known-group validity in differentiating patients of different clinical stages, treatment status and tumor sites (p < 0.05). Most FACT summary scales correlated strongly with each other (r > 0.75) and showed convergent validity (r > 0.90), with little discriminant validity. Factor analysis revealed 6 factors explaining 85.1% of the total variance with very good (>0.8) Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin and highly significant Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (p < 0.001). The cross-culturally adapted FACT-H&N into Urdu language showed adequate reliability and validity to be incorporated in Pakistani clinical settings for head and neck cancer patients.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Public perception and attitude towards dengue prevention activity and response to dengue early warning in Malaysia

Zaki R, Roffeei SN, Hii YL, Yahya A, Appannan M, Said MA, et al.

PLoS One, 2019;14(2):e0212497.
PMID: 30818394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212497

An early warning system for dengue is meant to predict outbreaks and prevent dengue cases by aiding timely decision making and deployment of interventions. However, only a system which is accepted and utilised by the public would be sustainable in the long run. This study aimed to explore the perception and attitude of the Malaysian public towards a dengue early warning system. The sample consisted of 847 individuals who were 18 years and above and living/working in the Petaling District, an area adjacent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A questionnaire consisting of personal information and three sub-measures of; i) perception, ii) attitude towards dengue early warning and iii) response towards early warning; was distributed to participants. We found that most of the respondents know about dengue fever (97.1%) and its association with climate factors (90.6%). Most of them wanted to help reduce the number of dengue cases in their area (91.5%). A small percentage of the respondents admitted that they were not willing to be involved in public activities, and 64% of them admitted that they did not check dengue situations or hotspots around their area regularly. Despite the high awareness on the relationship between climate and dengue, about 45% of respondents do not know or are not sure how this can be used to predict dengue. Respondents would like to know more about how climate data can be used to predict a dengue outbreak (92.7%). Providing more information on how climate can influence dengue cases would increase public acceptability and improve response towards climate-based warning system. The most preferred way of communicating early warning was through the television (66.4%). This study shows that the public in Petaling District considers it necessary to have a dengue warning system to be necessary, but more education is required.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Cultural factors in the epidemiology of filariasis due to Brugia malayi in an endemic community in Malaysia

Riji HM

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1983 Mar;14(1):34-9.
PMID: 6612423

A study was carried out to identify some of the cultural factors in the epidemiology of filariasis in an endemic community in Malaysia. The viewpoint of the community, data an responses on knowledge of illness and filariasis, host related factors, health examination, vector study were analysed and discussed. The observations noted on cultural factors were: Occupational pattern: Different agricultural occupations seemed to related to transmission in terms of body exposure. Activities not related to production of crops: Play groups in late afternoon, bathing of household members near and after sunset, congregations at prayer houses very much exposed the population to mosquito bites in different degree in terms of length of time spent outside the house. Knowledge of filariasis: Filariasis was understood in terms of elephantiasis, the chronic stage of the disease. Other signs of disease-adenolymphangitis, red lines running down one or both legs and abscess were generally recognized but not often annonated with specific disease. Attitude toward disease: Filariasis was not seen as a health problem and the idea of filarial worms was still hard to believe. Knowledge on disease causation: Biological causes were generally recognized, though the idea of bacteria was not widespread.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Comparison of knowledge on filariasis and epidemiologic factors between infected and uninfected respondents in a Malay community

Riji HM

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1986 Sep;17(3):457-63.
PMID: 3563614

A study to identify the knowledge of infected and uninfected respondents on filariasis and epidemiologic factors in one endemic community in Malaysia to determine their role in the transmission and control of filariasis was carried out. The data were collected by non-participant observations and interviews using semi-structured schedules. The majority of respondents in both groups had knowledge of filariasis. There was no marked difference between male and female respondents, and similarly, there was fair distributions of knowledgeable respondents with and without some years of schooling. On filarial transmission, 9.2% of the infected said that filariasis was contacted through mosquito bites, while among the uninfected it was 7.4%. Within the infected, 14.8% thought that filarial worms entered the human body through the consumption of unhygenically prepared foods and drinks while, among the uninfected it was 20.4%. Both groups were aware of the presence of mosquitoes in their village. However, the majority did not associate this factor with host's susceptibility to filarial infections. Rather, they were of the opinion that personal hygiene and proper meals had something to do with filariasis. The findings showed there was general awareness of filariasis in the community which might indicate that the health campaigns had reached various levels of the population. Yet, they still lacked knowledge on disease transmission. Also, they did not make direct association between environment and exposure to mosquitoes bites though they were aware of their presence but which they regarded as not directly harmful to their health.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*

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