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Fulltext Mixture of anxiety and depression among parents of physical disabled children in rural Sabah. [Campuran kebimbangan dan kemurungan dalam kalangan ibu bapa kanak-kanak kurang upaya fizikal di luar bandar Sabah]

Lineker T, Ferlis B, Nurul Hudani Mohd N

Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 2016;30:61-73.

Previous researchers have shown that parents of children with physical disabilities have a higher risk of mental health problems that may be caused by significant challenges in raising children with disabilities. This challenge is compounded by the difficulty of living in rural areas. This study aimed to identify whether parents of children with physical disabilities experience Mixed Anxiety and Depression (MAD) and build a deep understanding of "why" parents experienced MAD. Material for this case study was obtained using the Kessler psychological stress scale (K-10) and in-depth interviews. Six parents who have MAD has been interviewed. Inductive content analysis with the help of computer program ATLAS.ti 7 has produced six symptoms of MAD among parents (sleep disturbance, irritable, anxious, easy crying, expecting something worse will happen, hopeless about the future) and five sources of MAD (lack of support, acceptance problems, lack of information and experience, the rural factor, child health problem). It can be concluded, this finding relates to the challenges faced by parents in raising children with physical disabilities in rural Sabah.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Researchers journey in conducting interview on breastfeeding experience among Malay mothers

Siti Mariam Muda, Nurul Akma Jamil

International Journal of Care Scholars, 2018;1(2):34-36.
MyJurnal

In Malaysia, breastfeeding was dominantly practiced among Malay whose deeply believe in Islam and any decision should abide by Islamic teachings. Existing literature appear to have limited evidence on Malay mothers’ interpretation and construction of this practice. The decision to breastfeed was believed to be influenced by social and cultural context. Therefore, in order to explore life experience of breastfeeding mothers on their beliefs related to religious and sociocultural, qualitative study design was used. A minimal guidance of phenomenological approach adopted as the methodological framework. Semi structured interviews were carried out among 15 mothers whose were recruited from four Maternal and Child Health Clinic in Kuantan using purposive sampling. The experience of researchers thorough out their journey will be shared in terms of challenges; barriers and solution to overcome the concerned that exist while conducting in-depth interview session.

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Centers
Fulltext Barriers to utilization of oral health care services among antenatal mothers in Kuantan, Pahang [Abstract]

Zurainie Ablla, Karimah Hanim Abdul Aziz, Nurjasmine Aida Jamani

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2017;16(21):40.
MyJurnal

Introduction: During pregnancy, increased acidity in the mouth increases the risk of antenatal mother to get dental caries. It is worsen if antenatal mother has morning sickness like vomiting during pregnancy. It can aggravate the problem by exposing the teeth to more gastric acid. In addition, antenatal mothers have hormonal changes that they are more susceptible to periodontal problems. Therefore, it is important for antenatal mother to get dental treatment and use oral health service. This study aim is to describe barriers to utilisation of oral health care services among antenatal mothers attending the Klinik Kesihatan Ibu dan Anak around Kuantan. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study which was conducted among purposely selected 296 antenatal mothers aged 18-45 years from Kuantan, Pahang in 18 months duration. Study used validated self-administered questionnaire to obtain information on the variables of interest. Results: Common barriers to utilization of services among antenatal mothers are fear to dental pain (45.6%), time constraints- busy at workplace (36.5%) and feeling of not having any dental problems (36.1%). Meanwhile the least barrier to oral health care services among antenatal mothers is attitude of the dentist (0.7%), followed by attitude of the staff (1.4%) and condition of treatment room (1.7%) Conclusion(s): Fear of dental pain is the main barrier to utilization of service among antenatal mothers and dissatisfaction of the service provided is the least barrier among other factors.
KEYWORDS: barriers, antenatal, pregnant mothers, dental caries, periodontal

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Centers
Fulltext Factors associated with optimum child health record book use among parents attending government health clinics in Putrajaya

Siti Hafsah Abdul Halim, Nor Afiah Mohamad Zulkefli

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(104):9-9.
MyJurnal

ntroduction: The child health record book was long established in Malaysia, but no evaluation study on the util-isation of the book has ever been done. The objectives of the study were to determine the proportion of optimum record book use and the factors associated with it. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 415 ran-domly selected parents of children aged below six years old attending government health clinics in Putrajaya using a self-administered questionnaire. Optimum use of child health record book was defined by respondents reading all the sections and recording comments in the book. Factors studied were sociodemographic characteristics; ante-natal and breastfeeding history; child’s health and immunisation status; perceptions and level of knowledge on the book and child health; and healthcare providers’ performance. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of optimum use. Results: In total, 36.1% of respondents optimally used the record book. The five de-terminants of optimum use identified were mother’s age group between 35-39 years and ≥40 years old (AOR: 2.24, 95% CI 1.13-4.44; AOR: 3.36, 95% CI 1.24-9.07), a mother with a higher level of education (AOR: 2.67, 95% CI 1.43-5.00), delivered in a government hospital (AOR: 3.01, 95% CI 1.11-8.16), had good level of knowledge on the record book and on general child health (AOR: 3.69, 95% CI 2.08-6.56; AOR: 2.07, 95% CI 1.19-3.60). Conclusion: The proportion of optimum child health record book use is relatively low. Based on the findings, improving the par-ents’ knowledge on the child health record book utilisation is vital to increase the optimum usage particularly among mothers with low education level, aged less than 30 years old and those who delivered in non-government hospitals.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Factors influencing childhood immunization defaulters in Sabah, Malaysia

Shamsul Azhar, S., Rohaizat, H., Azimatun Noor, A., Rozita, H., Nazarudin, S., Nirmal, K.

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2012;11(1):17-22.
MyJurnal

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of defaulters of immunization, and their associated risk factors among children age 12 to 24 months. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in all government's maternal child health clinics in District of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Data was collected using a standardised questionnaire from July to November 2006. Results: The prevalence rate for defaulting immunization was 16.8% from the 315 respondents. Bivariable analysis showed various significant factors associated with defaulters such as mother’s employment status, family mobility, transportation and cost. Nonetheless, multivariable analysis showed only mother’s age, mother employment status and family size were the significant predictors for defaulting immunization. Immunization that had the highest rate of defaulters was DPT–OPV booster dose (56.6%), followed by MMR immunization (43.4 %) and
DPT-Hib/OPV and Hep B third dose (37.7%).Conclusion: Employed mothers with bigger family size should be more closely monitored and advised to reduce the chance of defaulting on the immunization. Health promotion activities also should focus to these groups of mothers.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Anemia and iron status of Malay women attending an antenatal clinic in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

Hassan R, Abdullah WZ, Nik Hussain NH

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2005 Sep;36(5):1304-7.
PMID: 16438162

The purpose of this study was to detect the frequency of iron deficiency anemia in women attending their first antenatal clinic at a Maternal and Child Health Clinic in Kubang Kerian, a district of Kelantan that is located on the East coast of Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was done over a two-month period and fifty-two Malay women were enrolled in this study. Red blood cell indices and serum ferritin were used as a screening tool for anemia and iron status. Eighteen patients (34.6%) were anemic. The majority were classified as having mild anemia (90%). Four of them had hypochromic microcytic anemia. Of 52 women, 7 had iron deficient erythropoiesis and 11 (61.1%) had iron deficient anemia. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women was 21.2%, which is similar to other developing countries. The serum ferritin level was significantly associated with the hemoglobin level (p=0.003). Other red blood cell indices were not useful in predicting iron deficient erythropoiesis. It is important to detect iron deficient erythropoiesis during the first antenatal check-up, as it is an early manifestation of iron deficiency anemia. In conclusion, screening for iron deficient is recommended during first antenatal visit because iron deficiency anemia is still the leading cause of nutritional deficiency in pregnant women. This will initiate an early therapeutic intervention so as to reduce public health problem.
Study site: Hopital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) and the Maternal and Child Health Clinic, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Centers
Integration and family planning programme performance: an interpretive summary of research projects in Malaysia and the Republic of Korea on the determinants and impact of integration in family planning programmes

Chan Onn Fong, Kim KW, Ness GD

Popul Res Leads, 1982.
PMID: 12338570

PIP:
Results are presented of research undertaken in the Republic of Korea and Malaysia to determine how far integration affects the performance of family planning and allied programs and to identify organizational determinants of clinic level interactive linkages. The report discusses the background of the research, provides overviews of the country programs, outlines research methodologies and procedures, and presents findings. 41 clinics with high, medium, and low performance ratings in Korea and 17 main health centers, 31 sub-health centers, and 49 midwife stations in Malaysia, (some of them intensive input demonstration areas) were assessed on performance, interaction measures, and organizational determinants. The overall finding was that integration affects program performance, but the direction of the impact depends on how the integrated programs are organized. In Malaysia, where the program is specifically organized to integrate family planning with maternal and child health, the integration appears to have increased service delivery and resulted in larger numbers of family planning acceptors. No spill-over was found from the inputs of the 2 components to each other. The overall positive impact and lack of service reduction due to integration appears to result from specific planning for a limited degree of integration. In Korea, a mild negative relationship was found between clinic level performance in the family planning and community development, or Saemaul Undong (SU) components. In the field SU was observed to be more favored and powerful, and was not fully integrated with family planning. The major conclusion of the study was that integration works best when family planning is linked to similar services, and does not work as well with services that are different in character or in degree of government support.

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Centers*
The benefits of yoga in children

Nanthakumar C

J Integr Med, 2018 01;16(1):14-19.
PMID: 29397087 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2017.12.008

The number of children suffering from stress and anxiety in Malaysia is on the rise. Evidence shows that mind-body therapies such as mindfulness therapy, meditation and yoga have been practiced in many other countries to reduce and/or manage the psychological effects of stress and anxiety. This review article looks at the intervention of yoga as a meditative movement practice in helping school children manage stress and anxiety. Articles were retrieved using a combination of databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Not only peer-reviewed articles, but also those written in English language were included in this review. All studies reviewed had incorporated some form of meditative movement exercise. The intervention encompassed asanas (postures), pranayama (expansion of life force), dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation), which are the different paths in yoga. A total of eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The findings of this review reveal that the practice of yoga has brought about, among other things, improvement in managing and reducing stress and anxiety. Despite the limitations in most, if not all of the studies reviewed, in terms of heterogeneity and sample size, yoga appears to be an effective modality for helping children cope with stress and anxiety. It appears that if schools in Malaysia can incorporate yoga as part of the physical education curriculum, it will definitely benefit the students.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health*
Fulltext HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY STATUS AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH CHILD FEEDING PRACTICE AND CHILDREN’S WEIGHT STATUS AMONG LOW INCOME MOTHERS IN TERENGGANU

CHEAH PEI SHYUAN, HAYATI MOHD YUSOF, ASMA ALI, NOOR SALIHAH ZAKARIA

UMT Journal of Undergraduate Research, 2020;2(2):101-110.
MyJurnal

Food insecurity is normally associated with lower socioeconomic status and improper feeding practices which may consequently affect growth and development of young children. This study aims to assess household food security status and its association with child feeding practices and children’s weight status among low income mothers in Terengganu. A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted at four public maternal and child health clinics (MCH) located in Terengganu. A total of 107 of low-income mothers between ages of 18 to 45 years with net household income less than RM 3000 who has at least one child aged two years and above were recruited. The instruments used were Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) and weight-for-age child growth chart for children’ weight status at aged one year. Descriptive statistic and non-parametric tests were employed (SPSS 20). Majority of the households were food secure (85.0%). Yet, it is also important to note that about 15% of the household had experienced some degree of food insecurity. There was no significant correlation between household food security and all child feeding practice domains. Most of the mothers had children with normal weight (mean Z-score =-0.72+0.99). There was statistically significant association between household food security status and weight of children at one year of age (p=0.01). In conclusion, majority of the households experienced food secure. Household food security were associated with children’s weight status at early age but not correlated with parent’s child feeding practice.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext The Malaysian health reform in primary health care services

Aniza I, Jamsiah M, Amin SA, Ali M, Munizam AM

Malaysian Journal of Community Health, 2008;14(2):1-10.
MyJurnal

Introduction : Family Health Development Division is one of the earliest divisions in Public Health Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia. The division has progressed each year with the extension and expansion of the scopes of services since the establishment of Maternal and Child Health Unit in 1956. The services currently include school children, adolescent, adult and elderly health and also known as life-course perspective: from womb to tomb.
Objectives : The objective is to elaborate and explain the reformation of primary health care services implemented in the past and present.
Methods : The methodology applied is compilation, data review and comparison from annual report, action plan report, articles, speeches, specialists and stake holder view.
Results : The focus of Primary Health Care Service is covering health promotion, disease prevention, early detection and treatment, acute disease care, disease limitation and rehabilitation, clinical support services and teleprimary care. The reformation is caused by factors such as globalization, modernization, growth of health market, emergence and re-emergence of diseases, and development of medical technology. Three health fields that have underwent and under going reformation are concept and wellness practise in primary healthcare, primary healthcare clinical support services development and primary healthcare informatics development. The outcome of these reformations is the increment of service quality and outstanding services for patients and health staffs.
Conclusion : Health reformation in primary healthcare is greatly needed to give excellent services for primary health care for today and future.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Improving IUCD usage among reproductive women with Diabetes Mellitus in Health Clinics of Perlis

Muhammad Ridzwan Rafi’i

Q Bulletin, 2019;1(28):26-34.
MyJurnal

Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus pose an increased risk of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. In Perlis, for the year of 2016, only 3 (0.3%) out of 1,114 reproductive women with diabetes mellitus were using an intrauterine device (IUCD) as their main contraceptive measure. This project aims to improve the usage of IUCD to 10% among reproductive women with diabetes mellitus in nine health clinics of Perlis.
A retrospective contraception card review was undertaken to determine the baseline in providing IUCD services. Two sets of validated questionnaires were distributed to patients and healthcare providers in the pre and post-remedial period.
Customised training sessions were organised for both doctors and nurses’ group. A quick reference for IUCD was developed to guide the healthcare providers during counselling sessions. The Model of Good Care (MOGC) was integrated into the Maternal and Child Health State Plan of Action 2016 to ease the supervision of quality improvement.
Of the 244 diabetic women who had undergone counselling, 44 (18%) agreed to use IUCD and 38 (16%) of them inserted the IUCD within two weeks. Our project was able to increase the usage of IUCD among diabetic women in nine Perlis health clinics from 3 (0.3%) to 38 (3.4%) within six months. There was a gap reduction in achievable but not achieved (ABNA) from 9.7% to 6.6%. [ABNA = Achievable benefit not achieved]
Low usage of IUCD among diabetic women is a challenging issue and patient refusal to use IUCD, lack of husband support and comfortable with the previous contraception method were among the main contributing factors. However, providing continuous awareness and new process of effort in promoting the usage of IUCD among diabetic women do improve the uptake of the approach

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Grandmothers as gatekeepers? The role of grandmothers in influencing health-seeking for mothers and newborns in rural northern Ghana

Gupta ML, Aborigo RA, Adongo PB, Rominski S, Hodgson A, Engmann CM, et al.

Glob Public Health, 2015 Oct;10(9):1078-91.
PMID: 25635475 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2014.1002413

Previous research suggests that care-seeking in rural northern Ghana is often governed by a woman's husband or compound head. This study was designed to explore the role grandmothers (typically a woman's mother-in-law) play in influencing maternal and newborn healthcare decisions. In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 mothers of newborns, 8 traditional birth attendants and local healers, 16 community leaders and 13 healthcare practitioners. An additional 18 focus groups were conducted with stakeholders such as household heads, compound leaders and grandmothers. In this region, grandmothers play many roles. They may act as primary support providers to pregnant mothers, care for newborns following delivery, preserve cultural traditions and serve as repositories of knowledge on local medicine. Grandmothers may also serve as gatekeepers for health-seeking behaviour, especially with regard to their daughters and daughters-in-law. This research also sheds light on the potential gap between health education campaigns that target mothers as autonomous decision-makers, and the reality of a more collectivist community structure in which mothers rarely make such decisions without the support of other community members.

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Services/utilization*
The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate

Watts N, Amann M, Arnell N, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Belesova K, Boykoff M, et al.

Lancet, 2019 11 16;394(10211):1836-1878.
PMID: 31733928 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32596-6
Matched MeSH terms: Child Health*
Prevalence and factors associated with child health record book utilization among parents attending government health clinics in Putrajaya, Malaysia

Abdul Halim SH, Mohd Zulkefli NA

Child Care Health Dev, 2021 07;47(4):509-516.
PMID: 33660312 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12863

BACKGROUND: Use of a child health record book has long been established in Malaysia. The objective of the study was to determine the proportion of optimum child health record book utilization and its associated factors among parents attending government child health clinics in Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected group of 450 parents using a self-administered questionnaire. Optimum utilization of the book was defined as respondents reading all sections and recording comments in the book. Independent variables studied were sociodemographic characteristics; antenatal and breastfeeding history; child health and immunization status; perceptions and level of knowledge on the book and child health; and healthcare providers' performance. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors of optimum utilization.
RESULTS: Out of 450 study participants, 415 completed the questionnaire and 150 (36.1%) were found to optimally utilized the book. Participants who read all sections totalled 245 (59.0%), and 242 (58.3%) respondents reported to record some comments in the book. Optimum utilization of the book was associated with older parents' age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.11) and higher education attainment (AOR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.24-3.91), with a good level of knowledge on child health record books and general child health (AOR: 3.87, 95% CI 2.27-6.61; AOR: 2.05, 95% CI 1.25-3.36) and among parents who delivered their children in government hospitals (AOR: 2.93, 95% CI 1.11-7.73).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of child health record book utilization was low at 36.1% but difficult to compare with other studies. Based on the findings, improving the parents' knowledge of the book and general child health, particularly among younger parents with lower educational levels, and delivering the book to institutions outside government hospitals might be useful to increase the utilization.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health*
Current trends in morbidity and mortality of children in Malaysia

Lin, Hai Peng, Mohd Sham Kasim

Malaysian Journal of Child Health, 1997;9(2):104-132.
MyJurnal

Malaysia is a rapidly developing country with a very young population, about 36% of which are below the age of 15 years. The standard of child health has improved greatly. However, there are great changes in the morbidity and mortality patterns of childhood diseases relating mainly to an improved standard of living; availability of safe water supply and adequate sanitary latrines; a higher literacy rate; rapid industrialisation and urban migration. The infant mortality rate has droppedfrom 50.1 per 1,000 livebirths in 1986 to 10.4 in 1995, and similar trends apply also to neonatal, perinatal and toddler mortality rates. Nevertheless, current major child health problems are those relating to events in the perinatal period and to infections. Despite improvements in the standard of neonatal care with the use ofhigh technology, the commonest cause of certified deaths still occur in the neonatal period. A rapid and inexpensive screening test for G6PD deficiency, a disease present in 2-3% of the population, is now widely available and, together with the use of phototherapy is largely responsible for the declining incidence of kernicterus in the country. Infections remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality although their patterns have changed. The very high (>95%) WHO-EPI-vaccines coverage rate is linked to the great reduction in the incidence of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis and measles. Childhood tuberculosis is less common now, with about 250 - 300 reported cases per year and TB meningitis is rare with about 30-40 reported cases/year. The hepatitis B carrier rate is high (5%) and the introduction of routine newborn hepatitis B vaccination in 1989 is expected to have a positive impact as is the immunisation of young girls against rubella introduced in 1985 in reducing the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome. The incidence of malaria has declined but remains prevalent in the interiors of PeninsularMalaysia and in Sabah and Sarawak. Filariasis is largely under control. Unfortunately, despite great efforts at mosquito control, dengue virus infection remains a major problem with thousands of cases reported every year. Children are most susceptible to dengue haemorrhagic fever with many dying from the shock syndrome. The incidence of acute gastroenteritis has also dropped with most cases being due to a viral aetiology. Acute respiratory infections, mostly viral in origin, account for most attendances at paediatric outpatient services. Although staphylococcal and streptococcal impetigo and pneumonia are common, the incidence of streptococcal related diseases like rheumatic fever and acute glomendonephritis is rapidly declining. The nutritional status of children has improved in tandem with the rise in the standard of living, but subclinical malnutrition is prevalent, particularly among urban squatters and the rural poor. There is a disturbing decline in breastfeeding among urban working mothers. Poor weaning practices and food habits are responsible for the common occurrence of nutritional anaemia (5%) among infants and young children. Greater prosperity, rapid industrialisation and urbanisation have resulted in changes in the childhood disease pattern where non-communicable diseases assume greater importance as the problems of malnutrition and infection are gradually overcome. Road traffic accidents are a major killer and home accidents, largely preventable, are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Childhood cancer, with about 550 new cases a year, is an important cause of death beyond infancy. Major congenital malformations, with a 1% prevalence rate, cause much ill-health. Thalassaemia is a particularly common genetic disease with fl thalassaemia gene frequency of about 5%. The prevalence of asthma is increasing, with a rate of 13.9% in the Kiang Valley but the prevalence of asthma-related symptoms is much higher. Physical, sexual child abuse and neglect, abandoned babies, substance abuse are but signs of stress of modern city living and peoples inability to cope with it. Although the general standard of child health has greatly improved, there are several states where it is still not satisfactory. In Sabah where there is a large illegal immigrant population, the infant mortality and infection rates are relatively high. In Kelantan and Trengganu, it is common for parents to refuse permission for a lumbar puncture required to treat meningitis. Other still deeply entrenched, culturally-related adverse health practices include : a fatalistic attitude to illness; a preference for traditional practitioners of medicine resulting in late treatment; and 'doctor-hopping' with unrealistic expectations of 'instant cure'. Childhood illnesses that are uncommon in Malaysia include: cystic fibrosis, coeliac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohns disease, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Encopresis, enuresis and epiglottitis due to Haemophilus Influen:ae.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Medical students' knowledge and perception toward family planning services: A preliminary intervention study

Htay MNN, Latt SS, Abas AL, Chuni N, Soe HHK, Moe S

J Educ Health Promot, 2018;7:137.
PMID: 30596109 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_104_18

INTRODUCTION: Family planning and contraception is the effective strategy to reduce maternal mortality, child mortality, abortion, and unwanted pregnancies. Since the medical students are the future doctors, it is important to have proper knowledge and training on family planning services. This study aimed to explore the effect of teaching-learning process at maternal and child health (MCH) clinics on the students' knowledge, perceptions toward contraception methods, and family planning counselling.
METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the private medical institution in Malaysia. The same questionnaire was used to administer twice, before and after the posting. Moreover, a qualitative question on the issues related to family planning and contraception utilizations in Malaysia was added to the after posting survey. The quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (version 20) and qualitative data by RQDA software.
RESULTS: A total of 146 participants were recruited in this study. Knowledge on contraception method before posting was 5.11 (standard deviation [SD] ±1.36) and after posting was 6.35 (SD ± 1.38) (P < 0.001). Thematic analysis of the students' answer revealed four salient themes, which were as follows: (1) cultural barrier, (2) misconception, (3) inadequate knowledge, and (4) improvement for the health-care services.
CONCLUSIONS: The teaching-learning process at the MCH posting has an influence on their perception and upgraded their knowledge. It also reflects the role of primary health-care clinics on medical students' clinical exposure and training on family planning services during their postings.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Fulltext Medical students' reflection on the family planning services at primary health clinics in Malaysia

Htay MNN, Than NN, Abas AL, Lwin H, Moe S

J Educ Health Promot, 2018;7:87.
PMID: 30079358 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_144_17

CONTEXT: Family planning is crucial for everyone within the reproductive age to promote the health and welfare of every member of the family. For the medical students, it is essential to have core knowledge, understanding of family planning concept, and competency in communication skills with the patients. The final-year medical students are posted in Maternal and Child Health Clinics for 3 weeks to gain the knowledge and practical experiences on the primary healthcare in the community.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of final-year medical students on family planning services offered at community clinics in Malaysia.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was qualitative study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This qualitative study used the data of the students' reflection written in the case reports on family planning. Coding, identification of subthemes, and themes were done by two researchers independently using RQDA software.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Final-year medical students who had exposure to the clinical services at primary care clinic, regarding Malay word (Klinik Kesihatan) gained the learning opportunities during family planning session such as learning by observation, clerking, and counseling the patients, understanding the barriers to utilizing services and learning for their self-improvement. These learning opportunities lead to developing the positive attitudes on their learning experiences and the positive attitudes toward the concept and services of family planning.

CONCLUSIONS: To have the better understanding of family planning services and provide the better care to the community in the future, the clinical exposure at the primary care clinics should be promoted for medical students in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health
Realizing the promise of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Fassil H, Borrazzo J, Greene R, Jacobs T, Norton M, Stanton ME, et al.

Health Policy Plan, 2017 Sep 01;32(7):1072-1076.
PMID: 28407108 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czx018

Reflecting on Storeng and Béhague ("Lives in the balance": the politics of integration in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Health Policy and Planning Storeng and Béhague (2016).) historical ethnography of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), this commentary provides a more current account of PMNCH's trajectory since its inception in 2005. It highlights PMNCH's distinct characteristics and how it is positioned to play an instrumental role in the current global health landscape.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health Services/organization & administration*
Fulltext Prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in Tuaran district, Sabah: a cross sectional study. [Abstract]

Dualis H, Swe, Mathew GG

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(106):99.
MyJurnal

ABSTRACTS FOR THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL BORNEO HEALTHCARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE AND 4TH BORNEO TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONGRESS
Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) imposes a risk for both mother and child. Worldwide, it was estimated that GDM affects 1% to 28% of antenatal mothers. Previous studies revealed that prevalence of GDM ranged from 18.3% and 24.9% in Malaysia. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of GDM among pregnant women and their sociodemographic characteristics in Tuaran District, Sabah State, Malaysia.
Methods: A cross sectional study was done in four Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Clinics at Tuaran, Tamparuli, Tenghilan and Kiulu in Tuaran District which included all pregnant mothers at gestational period of 24 weeks and above who attended these clinics from May 2018 to June 2018. Convenient sampling method was used. Secondary data was obtained from antenatal book records and primary data was collected by interview method using pretest-ed questionnaire. A total of 195 pregnant women participated in the study.
Results: The overall GDM prevalence among pregnant women who attended MCH clinics for antenatal care in Tuaran District was 28.2%, (95% CI: 22.0%-35.1%, n=55). Distribution of GDM cases were 34.5%, 34.5%, 18.2% and 12.7% for MCH Tuaran, Teng-hilan, Tamparuli and Kiulu respectively. Sociodemographic characteristics showed that majority of GDM was less than 35 years old of age (63.6%), multipara (60%), Kadazan/Dusun ethnicity (58.2%), attained secondary schools’ education and above (91%) and earning > RM1000 per month (65.5%). Percentage according to potential risk factors were 25%, 21% and 20% for history of abortion, family history of diabetes mellitus and previous history of GDM respectively.
Conclusion: Prevalence of GDM among pregnant women in Tuaran District was quite alarming. Further studies should be conducted about GDM and its determining factors for effective planning in strengthening GDM prevention and control programs.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health; Maternal-Child Health Centers
'These are modern times': infant feeding practice in Peninsular Malaysia

Manderson L

Soc Sci Med, 1984;18(1):47-57.
PMID: 6695200 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(84)90343-5

Traditionally, Malaysian women (Malay, Indian and Chinese) breastfed their infants as a matter of course and for an extended period of time; only elite Chinese women might have resorted to a wet-nurse. But the introduction of condensed and dehydrated milk in colonial Malaya from the late nineteenth century, and the later marketing also of commercially manufactured baby foods, led to some variation in traditional practice. Structural changes, industrialiZation and urbanisation affected social as well as economic life, and again these broad changes had an impact on infant feeding. Today, few women remain unfamiliar with the wide range of infant food products sold in the most isolated provision shops. This paper focuses on key sociological factors that might predict the frequency and duration of breastfeeding and weaning patterns. The data analysed below, collected during semi-structured interviews with 278 women presenting at Maternal and Child Health Clinics in Peninsular Malaysia, are in part confusing. They suggest that the women most likely to bottle feed only or to breast feed for a short period, and to use commercial baby foods, are young, with one child only, who reside in urban or peri-urban areas and have a reasonable household income. Higher educated women, and women whose husbands are in non-traditional occupations, are also less likely to breast feed or to do so for an extended period. But the profile of infant feeding practices is by no means clear. One of the shortcomings of the study relates to the method of collection of data, and highlights the need for detailed ethnographic studies to better explore the variability and complexity of the patterns of infant feeding.

Matched MeSH terms: Maternal-Child Health Centers

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