This paper examines data on the sexual activities of 1,200 Malaysian adolescents aged 15-21 years based on a probability household sampled survey carried out in Kuala Lumpur in 1986. Sexual behaviours like premarital sexual intercourse, contraceptive usage and masturbation were presented. Of the 1,181 unmarried respondents, 9% (105) reported having had sexual intercourse; males were significantly more experienced compared to females. Older age groups were also found to be more sexually active than the younger ones. Among those who had experience dating (n = 521), 20% (105) have experienced sexual intercourse, 44% (228) have kissed and necked, and 35% (183) have experienced petting, while 24% (130) have had no physical intimacies. Poor use of contraception was also revealed. The most commonly used were condoms, oral contraceptives and withdrawal. With regard to masturbation, males begin this practice relatively earlier than females. Almost half of those who indulged in masturbation were worried by the act, especially the females. Implications of the findings are discussed.
This paper presents data on two surveys done in 1989 and 1992 that indicated the attitudes of Singaporeans to sexuality. Both surveys revealed that Singaporeans have sexually conservative attitudes and those who have a lower education, are single, above the age of 40, are Malays/Muslims hold more conservative views.
To examine the risk factors of HIV type-I infection among male drug addicts in Malaysia, a case-control study was conducted on inmates, aged 20-40 years, at a drug rehabilitation centre in January, 1994. Stratified random sampling was performed. A total of 87 cases and 261 controls, chosen by frequency matching for age and ethnicity, answered self-administered questionnaires. About 59.8% of the subjects administered drugs intravenously and of these, 71.2% shared needles. Practices significantly associated with HIV infection were needle-sharing (OR = 8.53; 95% CI = 3.36-5.52), sexual relationship with prostitutes (OR = 3.70; 95% CI = 2.10-6.56), homosexuality (OR = 4.05; 95% CI = 1.49-11.11) and non-condom use while having sex with prostitutes (OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.05-4.97).
OBJECTIVES:
To compare indicators of sexual health and predictors of condom use for commercial sex among local and international female sex workers first attending an STD clinic.
SETTING:
A public STD clinic in Sydney, Australia.
SUBJECTS:
All sex workers first attending between June 1991 and May 1993.
METHODS:
Cross-sectional analysis of demographic, behavioural and morbidity data from proforma medical records.
RESULTS:
91 local sex workers and 123 international sex workers (predominantly from Thailand, Malaysia and China) first presented during the study period. There were significantly higher prevalences of chlamydia (0 v. 15%, p = 0.0002), gonorrhoea (0 v. 14%, p = 0.0006), syphilis (0 v. 10%, p = 0.006) and clinical genital herpes (0 v. 5%, p = 0.04) among international sex workers. The only case of HIV infection was in an international sex worker. Inconsistent condom use for commercial sex was significantly more common among international sex workers (RR = 4.5; 95% CI 3.1-6.5). On multivariate analysis, inconsistent condom use in international sex workers was associated with a recent history of prostitution outside Australia (p = 0.04), while inconsistent condom usage among local sex workers was associated with increasing age (p = 0.003).
CONCLUSIONS:
These data illustrate the efficacy of condoms and the success of targeted education programmes in local sex workers in Sydney. By contrast, international sex workers continued to be at high risk of STDs. The international sex industry in Sydney requires enhanced culture-specific interventions. Immigration laws as they affect sex workers should also be reviewed.
PIP:
This study analyzes data on all female sex workers who attended the Sydney Sexual Health Center for a first visit for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening during June 1, 1991, and May 31, 1993. International sex workers were identified as women who do not speak English at home and were born outside Australia. Diseases were confirmed clinically, by specimen or culture or by antibody or serological tests. Results apply to 91 local and 123 international prostitutes. 47% of international prostitutes and 34% of local prostitutes were aged 21-25 years. Most international sex workers spoke Thai or a Chinese dialect. 10% of local prostitutes were born in Asia. 90% of international prostitutes were born in Thailand, Malaysia, or China. Local prostitutes were better educated. 7% of the local prostitutes and none of the international sex workers had a history of injectable drug use. Local prostitutes tended to use condoms for birth control, and international prostitutes tended to use oral contraceptives. One international prostitute tested HIV positive. 1 in 7 international prostitutes had gonorrhea and the same proportion had chlamydia. Viral STDs (chronic hepatitis B, HIV infection, and genital warts) were more prevalent, but uncommon among international prostitutes. More international prostitutes had multiple STDs. 79 international sex workers and only 9 local sex workers had an STD. 47% of international sex workers and only 10% of local sex workers had worked overseas as a prostitute in the preceding 12 months. Over half of local sex workers and only 8% of international sex workers consistently used condoms. Failure to use condoms was associated with being an international sex worker. Inconsistent use of condoms among local prostitutes was related to increased age.
Global surveillance of HIV-1 subtypes for genetic characterization is hampered by the biohazard of processing and the difficulties of shipping whole blood or cells from many developing country regions. We developed a technique for the direct automated sequencing of viral DNA from dried blood spot (DBS) specimens collected on absorbent paper, which can be mailed unrefrigerated in sturdy paper envelopes with low biohazard risk. DBS were collected nonrandomly from HIV-1-infected, mostly asymptomatic, patients in five Asian countries in 1991, and shipped via airmail or hand carried without refrigeration to Bangkok, and then transshipped to North America for processing. After more than 2 years of storage, including 6 months at ambient temperatures, proviral DNA in the DBS was amplified by nested PCR, and a 389-nucleotide segment of the C2-V3 env gene region was sequenced, from which 287 base pairs were aligned and subtyped by phylogenetic analysis with neighbor-joining and other methods. From southern India, there were 25 infections with subtype C and 2 with subtype A. From Myanmar (Burma), we identified the first subtype E infection, as well as six subtype BB, a distinct cluster within subtype B that was first discovered in Thailand and that has now appeared in China, Malaysia, and Japan. From southwest China, one BB was identified, while a "classical" B typical of North American and European strains was found in Indonesia. From Thailand, five DBS of ambiguous serotype were identified as three B, one BB, and one E. A blinded control serotype E specimen was correctly identified, but a serotype BB control was not tested. Most HIV-1 in southern India appears to be env subtype C, with rare A, as others have reported in western and northern India. The subtypes BB and E in Myanmar, and the BB in China, suggest epidemiological linkage with these subtypes in neighboring Thailand. DBS are a practical, economical technique for conducting large-scale molecular epidemiological surveillance to track the global distribution and spread of HIV-1 variants.
The effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack were studied on the libido of sexually experienced male rats after dosing them with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight twice daily of different fractions of E. longifolia Jack for 10 days. Results showed that E. longifolia Jack produced a dose-dependent increase in mounting frequency of the treated animals with 400 mg/kg of chloroform, methanol, water and butanol fractions resulting in mounting frequencies of 5.3 +/- 1.2, 4.9 +/- 0.7, 4.8 +/- 0.7 and 5.2 +/- 0.1, and 800 mg/kg further increased them to 5.4 +/- 0.8, 5.4 +/- 0.8, 5.2 +/- 0.6 and 5.3 +/- 0.2 respectively but there were no erections, intromissions, ejaculations or seminal emissions during the 20-min observation period which allowed for the measurement of sexual arousal reflected by mounting frequency uninfluenced by other behavioural components. This study provides evidence that E. longifolia Jack is a potent stimulator of sexual arousal in sexually vigorous male rats in the absence of feedback from genital sensation.
Matched MeSH terms: Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
A study was conducted in the Dermatology cum Genitourinary Clinic, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru to determine a local population's knowledge of HIV and their sexual behaviour in relation to it. A total of 231 men and 217 women were interviewed. The sexual culture seen is one of relatively late age of first sexual intercourse, low level of partner change and low level of condom use. Men reported a higher involvement in risk behaviour. Nearly all the respondents (95.8%) have heard of HIV/AIDS but had incorrect perceptions of its mode of transmission and its associations with risk groups. This study enable us to gain background information about our patients sexual behaviour and HIV knowledge. There is a need to continue HIV education to improve our public's HIV knowledge and the results of this study provides a baseline against which future educational interventions can be gauged.
The effects ofEurycoma longifolia Jack were studied on the sexual behaviour of male rats. Sexually normal male rats were treated twice daily with 500 mg kg(-1) of different fractions ofE. longifolia Jack for 10 days prior to test and were then observed for their copulatory behaviour with a receptive female in a copulation cage. Results showed that was a significant increase (p<0.05) in EL-1, EL-2, EL-3 but significant decrease (p<0.05) in both PEI-1 and PEI-2 in treated male rats as compared to the control male rats indicating thatE. longifolia Jack increased the sexual performance of the treated male rats by extending the duration of coitus and decreasing the refractory period between the different series of copulation. Hence, this preliminary work supports the folk use of this plant as having aphrodisiac property.
The effects of Eurycoma longifolia JACK were studied on the orientation activities of sexually experienced male rats towards receptive females (mounting, licking, anogenital sniffing), environment (exploration, raring, climbing), themselves (genital grooming, non-genital grooming) and mobility (unrestricted, restricted) after dosing them with 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight twice daily for 10 d prior to the test. The results showed that E. longifolia JACK modified the orientation activities of the treated male rats in that they significantly displayed more frequent and vigorous mounting, licking and anogenital sniffing towards the receptive females, and it further intensified self orientation as indicated by the increased grooming of the genitals compared to the controls (p<0.05). In addition, rats treated with 800 mg/kg of methanol, water and butanol extracts of E. longifolia JACK continued to show confinement to a particular area of the cage (around the female), thus showing restriction in movement as compared to the controls (p<0.05). However, the treated males possessed a lack of interest in the external environment as indicated by a reduction in exploration, raring and climbing on the cage wall. Hence, the present study further supports the folk use of E. longifolia JACK as an aphrodisiac.
Matched MeSH terms: Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
Chlamydia trachomatis is recognized as the most prevalent sexually transmitted organism in many parts of the world. Most complications associated with chlamydial infection in women and their infants can be avoided by appropriate treatment. However, treatment is often not initiated because infections are frequently asymptomatic. The identification of at risk patients and treatment of these patients is a practical clinical approach in the reduction of transmission and prevention of complications. The prevalence of chlamydial infection among patients with pelvic inflammatory disease admitted to Seremban General Hospital was 22.7%. The difference in seropositivity between PID patients (20.5%) and antenatal controls (2.3%) was statistically significant. The corresponding cervical antigen detection rates were 6.8% and 2.3% respectively. Chlamydial infection should be screened for in gynaecological patients and antibiotic policies should take cognizance of the aetiological role played by this organism in pelvic inflammatory disease.
The aim of this study is to provide evidence on the aphrodisiac property of Eurycoma longifolia Jack. An electric grid was used as an obstruction in the electrical copulation cage in order to determine how much an aversive stimulus the sexually naive male rat for both the treated with E. longifolia Jack and control groups were willing to overcome to reach the estrous receptive female in the goal cage. The intensity of the grid current was maintained at 0.12 mA and this was the intensity in which the male rats in the control group failed to crossover to reach the goal cage. Results showed that E. longifolia Jack continued to enhance and also maintain a high level of both the total number of successful crossovers, mountings, intromissions and ejaculations during the 9-12th week observation period. In conclusion, these results further enhanced and strengthened the aphrodisiac property of E. longifolia Jack.
Matched MeSH terms: Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
Twenty three major government hospitals were involved in a study to detect cases of child abuse and neglect admitted to the hospitals in 1995. There were 680 cases admitted for the year consisting of 328 cases of physical and 263 sexual abuse and 89 cases of neglect or abandonment. In the majority of hospitals, there was a predominance of physical abuse cases being admitted whereas in a few hospitals there were more cases of sexual abuse. 48.2% of those physically abused were below 5 years of age and 21.7% were 10 years and above. However, amongst those sexually abused, 14.4% were below 5 years and 46.7% were 10 years old and above. Fourteen of the children died due to physical abuse. In 11 cases, the death was due to subdural haemorrhage.
The aim of this research is to study how the physical changes in the maxillofacial trauma patients affect them psychologically in patients of different ages, sexes, races, socioeconomic backgrounds, types and severity of injury. The study was conducted by doing a questionnaire survey, which was divided into physical and psychological components. In the physical component, the questions were mainly related to the physical injuries to the patient, which could be visualized clinically and functionally. The psychological component consisted of analyzing the impact of the maxillofacial trauma to the psychological profile. Twenty patients of both sexes and ages, ranged from 15 to 62 years old were interviewed. The main cause of trauma was from motor vehicle accidents. This study appears to show that maxillofacial trauma may have a psychological impact on patients.
We studied the effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack, commonly known as Tongkat Ali in Malaysia, on the initiation of sexual performance and the weights of sexual accessories in inexperienced castrated male rats. The doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight, which were extracted from E. longifolia Jack, were orally administered to the rats twice daily for 10 days prior to the tests and continued throughout the test period. Testosterone was used as a positive control after injecting 15 mg/kg daily subcutaneously for 32 days. Results showed that E. longifolia Jack produced a dose-dependent increase in sexual performance of the treated animals, but the E. longifolia Jack groups showed lower sexual performance in mounting, intromission and ejaculation than the testosterone group. Further results also showed that E. longifolia Jack promoted the growth of both ventral prostate and seminal vesicles as compared with the control, but the growth of sexual accessories at 800 mg/kg of butanol, methanol, water and chloroform fractions of E. longifolia Jack was less than that of testosterone treated group. The present study therefore gives further evidence of the folkuse of E. longifolia as an aphrodisiac.
Matched MeSH terms: Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
A survey was conducted to assess student's sexual knowledge and attitudes using a questionnaire based on the Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test (SKAT-II) to compare medical and nursing students with students (non-medical/nursing) who registered for a sexual health course. 85 Sexual Health, 115 medical and 81 nursing students voluntarily participated in the survey. This study showed that all the student groups showed relatively low scores in knowledge. Furthermore, average knowledge scores differed significantly between the three student groups with medical students scoring highest and nursing students lowest. Besides student groups, several other factors were found to be significantly associated with Knowledge score namely, race, religion, age, perception of the importance of religion and the extent to which religious beliefs influence sexual attitudes. Furthermore, multivariate statistical analyses showed that among these factors, student group, race/religion and religious importance were significant predictors of sexual knowledge. Specifically, being a medical student was associated with higher scores relative to a non-medical student, being a Malay student was independently associated with a lower average score compared to other races, and perceiving religion as extremely important was associated with a lower score.
This paper looks at some of the problems encountered when cases of abuse and injuries occur in children placed in child care in an urban community in Malaysia. It is based on the study of 37 children referred to our hospital's Child Protection Services over the past four years for injuries and incidents where the child-minders came under suspicion. They constituted 12% of the 285 children referred to the Child Protection Team during that period for evaluation of suspected child abuse. Twenty six children had experienced physical trauma. Fifty eight percent of these were young infants with cranial injuries or limb fractures but no history to explain their occurrence. Four had superficial injuries from accidents secondary to inadequate supervision. The other 11 children had been sexually abused. The perpetrators in 73% of cases were either the husbands or sons of the child-minder. Ninety five percent of the incidents occured at home-based nurseries. Prospects of any punitive measures were remote in most instances due to uncertainty about the perpetrator, or insufficient corroborative evidence required in sexual abuse cases. There were three documented cases where the family refused to lodge a police report or co-operate with investigations out of a reluctance to implicate or offend the child-minders who were mainly neighbours, relatives or friends in 58% of cases. Ninety seven percent of the facilities were unregistered, making surveillance for recurrent incidents and adherence to safety standards difficult. These incidents were almost certainly an underestimate of the problem. Training of child-care providers, improved legislation and enforcement as well as education of parents to choose suitable facilities are issues which need to be tackled.