Introduction: Studies found that low sleep quality (SQ) is associated with many factors such as health, quality of life (QOL), work or academic performance and co-curriculum activities. Hence, improvement to maintain SQ to en- hance students’ QOL is important. Approximately 43% of Malaysian were unaware of their sleep problem and how it affects their physical and mental health, especially among the younger generation. The study aims to investigate the association between SQ and QOL among undergraduate students in UTAR Sungai Long Campus. Method: A cross-sectional study among 256 undergraduate students recruited by purposive sampling was conducted. The Pitts- burgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instruments (WHOQOL-BREF) were administered to evaluate SQ and QOL, respectively. Self-reported demographic data were collected with a structured sociodemographic profile. Associations were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Chi- square test and independence t-test. The level of significance was p< 0.05. Result: Results showed more than one half of students had poor SQ (F=137, 53.5%) and poor QOL (F= 159, 62.1%). All seven PSQI components were significantly associated with at least one QOL domain. Sleep disturbances, sleep latency and daytime dysfunction were correlated with all four QOL domains which are physical health, psychological, social relationships, and envi- ronment. Among the sociodemographic variables, only time travelled from place of stay to campus was associated to SQ (p = 0.04). However, there was no significant association between SQ and the selected sociodemographic vari- ables such as gender, working part-time job, and travel distance from place of stay to campus. Conclusion: Overall, the results from this study showed one half of students suffered from poor SQ and QOL. SQ among undergraduate students is vital in developing good QOL.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Pain is a sensation that is difficult to remember. Pain exposure is a stimulus that can damage the development of the baby's brain and contribute to learning disorders and behavior in childhood. Therefore nursing intervention is needed that can reduce the pain response in infants, especially during hospital treatment. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of non-nutritive sucking (NNS) and ASI (Air Susu Ibu or Breast Milk) on oral responses to acute pain in the neonate when invasive actions were performed. The benefits of research as evidence-based practiced about administering NNS and ASI orally to pain responses in neonates when experiencing pain. The research design uses experimental nonequivalent control group before and after design. The population of all neonates admitted to Dr. Soekardjo Tasikmalaya, with a total sample of 30 respondents consisting of 15 ASI respondents and 15 respondents for the NNS group. Pain assessments instruments CRIES (Crying, Requiring an increase in oxygen, Increased vital sign, Expression, Sleeplessness) was applied. Data analysis used non parametric tests Mann Whitney and Wilcoxon. The results of the study showed no significant differences in pain response before and after the intervention (p-value 0.236). It was suggested that nurses can improve health education for parents to be able to provide breastfeeding during treatment, especially when the baby receives invasive action
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Objective: The purpose of this study is to access the prevalence of anxiety disorders and quality of life factors among hematological cancer patients in a Malaysian hospital. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional research design. It was conducted at the Ampang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, a tertiary referral center for hematological cancer. Anxiety disorders were diagnosed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); quality of life was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQC30) questionnaire. Results: A total of 105 hematological cancer patients participated in the study, which constituted a response rate of 83.3%. The prevalence of anxiety disorders in our sample ranged from 1% to 24.8%. Overall, compared to patients without anxiety disorders, hematological cancer patients with anxiety disorders reported impaired quality of life in regards to emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, insomnia, dyspnoea, nausea and vomiting, appetite loss and constipation (p
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Poor appetite and inadequate food intake together with depression are associated with malnutrition, that will increase risk of morbidity and mortality among elderly people. Identifying factors associated with these conditions are essential for formulation of preventive strategies. Therefore, a study was conducted to identify factors associated with poor appetite and depression among institutionalised Chinese elderly people in Butterworth, Penang. A total of 100 Chinese elderly (49 men and 51 women) aged 60 years and above, (mean age ± SD of 74.7 ± 9.2 years), with no known terminal and mental illnesses from two nursing homes participated in this study. Subjects were interviewed to gather information on appetite using Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ), depression using Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and also socio demographic and health status. Food intake was assessed using a combination of one-day food weighing and 24 hour diet recall. Body weight and height were measured. Results showed that the mean energy and nutrients intake did not achieve the Recommended Nutrient Intake of Malaysia (RNI), with the exception for vitamin C. Only 4% of the subjects were underweight and obese, 65% normal and 31% overweight. A total of 70% and 73% of subjects had poor appetite and depression, respectively. Subjects who had depression (adjusted OR = 2.78, 95% CI = 0.95-8.03), energy intake below RNI (adjusted OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 0.68-6.95) and difficulty to fall asleep at night (insomnia) (adjusted OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 0.72-6.82) were more likely to have poor appetite. Subjects who had poor appetite (adjusted OR = 3.36, 95% CI = 1.19-9.47) and insomnia (adjusted OR = 2.58, 95% CI = 0.83-7.98) were more likely to have depression. In conclusion, although the majority of subjects had normal body weight but the nutrient intake was inadequate. Poor appetite and depression were prevalent and interrelated and also strongly associated with insomnia.
Device, Scales & Questionnaire: Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ-8); Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Background: This paper investigates the quality of life of brain pathology patients in relation to their sociodemographic
profiles and clinical factors.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study done at a tertiary referral hospital in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 100
patients were recruited in the study after excluding 22 patients who did not met the exclusion criteria. The
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) self-administered
questionnaire was utilized in the study. The Global health status/QoL, Physical functioning, Role functioning,
Emotional functioning, Cognitive functioning, Social functioning, Fatigue, Nausea and vomiting, Pain, Dyspnoea,
Insomnia, Appetite loss, Constipation, Diarrhoea, and Financial difficulties were assessed in this study.
Results: The most severe impairment in functioning was with lowest score of cognitive functioning (mean
score=61) and the most severe symptom was fatigue (mean score=45). There were significant differences in
quality of life scores in different socio-demographic groupsand types of brain pathology patients. Patients aged
below 40 years old or less had better physical functioning, less symptoms of fatigue and insomnia compared
to patients who were more than 40 years old. Male patients faced more financial difficulties compared with
female patients. Patients who were married had increased insomnia compared to the single patients. Employed
patients had better physical functioning and less financial difficulties compared with patients who were
unemployed. Patients who earned >RM 2500.00 monthly had better physical functioning, less symptoms of pain and less financial difficulties than patients who earned ≤RM 2500.00. Patients with qualifications lower
than SPM tended to face more financial difficulties compared to patients with qualifications of SPM or higher.
Meningioma patients had better social functioning compared with others, whereas Carvenoma patients had
better physical functioning. Meningioma patients had more symptoms of insomnia compared with other
patients. All the findings were with p value less than 0.05.
Conclusion: The quality of life of patients with brain pathology is affected by socio-demographic factors and
clinical diagnoses. Efforts should be made to improve the overall quality of life of these patients.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
The development of overweight and obesity among women in Malaysia has shown an increasing trend between the year 2003 and 2014 base on the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey report in 2015. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in women by 22.9% compared to men 14.5%. There are many factors contributing to the upsurge of obesity among women and among most, sleep disorders has been the emerging issue which has longed been discussed. Certain important factors affecting women related to sleep quality such as stress, insomnia, depression and some biological conditions like menopause, menstrual cycle and pregnancy can affect sleep quality. This paper serves to review how lack of sleep quality is associated to the development of obesity and why healthy sleep behaviour could aid to weight loss. Public health approaches to reducing the burden of obesity must consider equipping the women in managing their sleep related issues and how they are able to control the food consumption and lifestyle of the family. Thus, promoting healthy sleep behaviour among women emphasized on the importance of deriving sleep quality through three important factors that is early bed time, sleep in the dark and sleep duration would be a contributing factor in managing obesity through healthy lifestyle changes.
Study name: Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MAN-2014)
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Hypokalemic thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is a potentially life-threatening complication of hyperthyroidism, defined by 3 characteristic features: thyrotoxicosis, hypokalemia, and acute painless muscle weakness. In this case, a 25-year-old Malaysian man presented with acute, painless lower extremity weakness immediately after a meal. His associated symptoms included palpitations, tremor, and anxiety. He also reported a 30-pound unintentional weight loss over the previous 18 months, dyspnea on exertion, and insomnia.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/etiology
We present results of a study of treated rates of schizophrenia among the Iban of Sarawak, Malaysia. Most Iban live in longhouses, each comprising a kindred group of up to 300 individuals. Cultural practices such as minimal intermarriage with members of adjacent ethnic groups and in-depth genealogical knowledge make them a population suitable for genetic investigation. Iban culture is conducive to a focus on symptoms and illness, and to patterns of treatment-seeking behaviour that are enthusiastic and persistent.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Research identifying adults' mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic relies solely on demographic predictors without examining adults' health condition as a potential predictor. This study aims to examine individuals' perception of health conditions and test availability as potential predictors of mental health-insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress-during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey of 669 adults in Malaysia was conducted during 2-8 May 2020, six weeks after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was issued. We found adults' perception of health conditions had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and distress. Perceived test availability for COVID-19 also had curvilinear relationships (horizontally reversed J-shaped) with anxiety and depression. Younger adults reported worse mental health, but people from various religions and ethnic groups did not differ significantly in reported mental health. The results indicated that adults with worse health conditions had more mental health problems, and the worse degree deepened for unhealthy people. Perceived test availability negatively predicted anxiety and depression, especially for adults perceiving COVID-19 test unavailability. The significant predictions of perceived health condition and perceived COVID-19 test availability suggest a new direction for the literature to identify the psychiatric risk factors directly from health-related variables during a pandemic.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
OBJECTIVE: Mimosa pudica Linn. (Mimosaceae) is traditionally used as a folk medicine to treat various ailments including convulsions, alopecia, diarrhea, dysentery, insomnia, tumor, wound healing, snake bite, etc., Here, the study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of M. pudica leaves extract against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (in vitro) and its modulatory effect on rat brain enzymes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total phenolic, flavonoid contents, and in vitro antioxidant potential against DPPH radical were evaluated from various extracts of M. pudica leaves. In addition, ethyl acetate extract of Mimosa pudica leaves (EAMP) in doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day were administered orally for 7 consecutive days to albino rats and evaluated for the oxidative stress markers as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) from rat brain homogenate.
RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest total phenolic content and total flavonoid content among other extracts of M. pudica leaves. The percentage inhibition and IC50 value of all the extracts were followed dose-dependency and found significant (P < 0.01) as compared to standard (ascorbic acid). The oxidative stress markers as SOD, CAT, and GSH were increased significantly (P < 0.01) at 200 and 400 mg/kg of EAMP treated animals and decreased significantly the TBARS level at 400 mg/kg of EAMP as compared to control group.
CONCLUSION: These results revealed that the ethyl acetate extract of M. pudica exhibits both in vitro antioxidant activity against DPPH and in vivo antioxidant activity by modulating brain enzymes in the rat. This could be further correlated with its potential to neuroprotective activity due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic contents in the extract.
SUMMARY: Total phenolic, flavonoid contents and in-vitro antioxidant potential were evaluated from various extracts of M. pudica leaves. Again, in-vivo antioxidant evaluation from brain homogenate on oxidative stress markers as TBARS, SOD, CAT and GSH from rat was investigated. Our findings revealed that M. pudica possesses both in-vitro and in-vivo antioxidant activity due to presence of phenolics and flavonoids.
KEYWORDS: 2; 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; Brain homogenate; Flavonoids; Mimosa pudica; Oxidative stress
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Aspartame (α-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine-o-methyl ester), an artificial sweetener, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems. Possible neurophysiological symptoms include learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The consumption of aspartame, unlike dietary protein, can elevate the levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain. These compounds can inhibit the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are known regulators of neurophysiological activity. Aspartame acts as a chemical stressor by elevating plasma cortisol levels and causing the production of excess free radicals. High cortisol levels and excess free radicals may increase the brains vulnerability to oxidative stress which may have adverse effects on neurobehavioral health. We reviewed studies linking neurophysiological symptoms to aspartame usage and conclude that aspartame may be responsible for adverse neurobehavioral health outcomes. Aspartame consumption needs to be approached with caution due to the possible effects on neurobehavioral health. Whether aspartame and its metabolites are safe for general consumption is still debatable due to a lack of consistent data. More research evaluating the neurobehavioral effects of aspartame are required.
Matched MeSH terms: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/chemically induced; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/diagnosis