MyMedR

Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 240 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Impact of Point-of-Sale Tobacco Display Bans in Thailand: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Southeast Asia Survey

Li L, Borland R, Yong HH, Sirirassamee B, Hamann S, Omar M, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2015 Aug;12(8):9508-22.
PMID: 26287219 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120809508

In September 2005 Thailand became the first Asian country to implement a complete ban on the display of cigarettes and other tobacco products at point-of-sale (POS). This paper examined the impact of the POS tobacco display ban in Thailand, with Malaysia (which did not impose bans) serving as a comparison. The data came from the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Survey (2005-2011), a prospective cohort survey designed to evaluate the psychosocial and behavioral impacts of tobacco control policies. Main measures included smokers' reported awareness of tobacco displays and advertising at POS. At the first post-ban survey wave over 90% of smokers in Thailand were aware of the display ban policy and supported it, and about three quarters thought the ban was effective. Noticing tobacco displays in stores was lowest (16.9%) at the first post-ban survey wave, but increased at later survey waves; however, the levels were consistently lower than those in Malaysia. Similarly, exposure to POS tobacco advertising was lower in Thailand. The display ban has reduced exposure to tobacco marketing at POS. The trend toward increased noticing is likely at least in part due to some increase in violations of the display bans and/or strategies to circumvent them.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Deceased Donor Organs: What Can Be Done to Raise Donation Rates Using Evidence From Malaysia?

Rasiah R, Manikam R, Chandrasekaran SK, Naghavi N, Mubarik S, Mustafa R, et al.

Am J Transplant, 2016 05;16(5):1540-7.
PMID: 26602367 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13603

Organ donation rates have continued to fall seriously short of needs worldwide, with the lowest rates recorded among developing economies. This study seeks to analyze evidence from a developing economy to explore the usefulness of social psychological theory to solve the problem. The study deployed a large survey (n = 10 412) using a convenience sampling procedure targeted at increasing the number of Malaysians registered with the Ministry of Health, Malaysia who are willing to donate organs upon death. Structural equation modeling was deployed to estimate simultaneously the relative influence of cognitive and noncognitive variables on willingness to donate deceased organs. The cognitive factors of donation perception, socioeconomic status and financial incentives, and the noncognitive factors of demography and fear showed a high statistically significant (1%) relationship with willingness to donate organs after death. While financial incentives were significant, cash rewards showed the least impact. Donation perception showed the highest impact, which shows that the development of effective pedagogic programs with simultaneous improvements to the quality of services provided by medical personnel engaged in retrieving and transplanting deceased donor organs can help raise organ donation rates.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Patients' and Caregivers' Attitudes Toward Deprescribing in Singapore

Kua CH, Reeve E, Tan DSY, Koh T, Soong JL, Sim MJL, et al.

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2021 05 22;76(6):1053-1060.
PMID: 31965159 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glaa018

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of decision-making preference of patients and caregivers is needed to facilitate deprescribing. This study aimed to assess the perspectives of caregivers and older adults towards deprescribing in an Asian population. Secondary objectives were to identify and compare characteristics associated with these attitudes and beliefs.
METHOD: A cross-sectional survey of two groups of participants was conducted using the Revised Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing questionnaire. Descriptive results were reported for participants' characteristics and questionnaire responses from four factors (belief in medication inappropriateness, medication burden, concerns about stopping, and involvement) and two global questions. Correlation between participant characteristics and their responses was analyzed.
RESULTS: A total of 1,057 (615 older adults; 442 caregivers) participants were recruited from 10 institutions in Singapore. In which 511 (83.0%) older adults and 385 (87.1%) caregivers reported that they would be willing to stop one or more of their medications if their doctor said it was possible, especially among older adults recruited from acute-care hospitals (85.3%) compared with older adults in community pharmacies (73.6%). Individuals who take more than five medications and those with higher education were correlated with greater agreement in inappropriateness and involvement, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider discussing deprescribing with older adults and caregivers in their regular clinical practice, especially when polypharmacy is present. Further research is needed into how to engage older adults and caregivers in shared decision making based on their attitudes toward deprescribing.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Intracranial neoplasms in Malaysia

Selby R, Pereira N

Int Surg, 1973 Aug;58(8):536-41.
PMID: 4738062
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
The development and comprehensibility of a pictorial asthma action plan

Roberts NJ, Mohamed Z, Wong PS, Johnson M, Loh LC, Partridge MR

Patient Educ Couns, 2009 Jan;74(1):12-8.
PMID: 18789626 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2008.07.049

OBJECTIVE: Written action plans are regarded as an important part of asthma self-management education and yet they may not be understood by those with limited literacy skills. This study was designed to produce an understandable pictorial asthma action plan.
METHODS: With advice from a group of doctors and nurses a "standard" written action plan was translated by a medical artist into a series of pictorial images. These were assessed using the techniques of guessability and translucency by a series of adults attending a specialist asthma clinic in London and the same process was subsequently used to assess comprehensibility of the images and plans amongst a group of Somalis living in Manchester, UK and Malaysians in Seremban, Malaysia.
RESULTS: Guessability testing showed that the majority of pictograms were well understood by each of the study groups. Translucency testing revealed close agreement with intended meaning for the majority of the images. One image, depicting extra use of reliever medication scored less well in all populations; two other images scored less well in the Somali and Malaysian groups and reflect less use of certain inhaler devices in other countries. The overall plan was well understood by all patients who were able to adequately recount the appropriate actions to take in different clinical scenarios.
CONCLUSION: We have developed a pictorial asthma action plan understandable by 3 different populations of patients with asthma.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pictorial representations have been shown by other studies in other situations to be an effective method of reinforcing the spoken word. The pictorial asthma action plan developed for this study has been shown to be comprehensible, personalised to the individual in the usual fashion. It is now suitable for further evaluation in clinical practice.
Study site in Malaysia: Asthma clinic, Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health/ethnology
Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of epilepsy in Asia: toward a uniform study protocol

Lim SH, Pan A

Epilepsia, 2005;46 Suppl 1:48-9.
PMID: 15816980

Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of epilepsy (KAPE) among the public play a major role in determining the extent to which people with epilepsy can be integrated into their society.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Religious commitment, attitudes toward suicide, and suicidal behaviors among college students of different ethnic and religious groups in Malaysia

Foo XY, Alwi MN, Ismail SI, Ibrahim N, Osman ZJ

J Relig Health, 2014 Jun;53(3):731-46.
PMID: 23196328 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-012-9667-9

The variation in suicide patterns across ethnic groups with different religious background is a puzzling social phenomenon. This study sought to examine the impact of religious commitment and attitudes toward suicide on suicidal behaviors of college students across major ethnic and religious groups in a multicultural society of Malaysia. A total of 139 college students completed Religious Commitment Inventory-10, Attitudes Toward Suicide Scale, and Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. Findings showed significant discrepancies in attitudes toward suicide, but not suicidal behaviors across ethnic and religious groups. Suicide acceptance significantly affected suicidal behaviors as well. Although religious commitment is not associated with suicidal behaviors, its deviation is reflected in students' acceptance of suicide. Additionally, college students' suicide risk, lifetime, and recent suicide ideation, as well as their likelihood of future suicide attempt can be associated with their acceptance of suicide. The influence of attitudes toward suicide and religion, therefore, should be taken into consideration while implementing suicide prevention programs as it helps shape the norms about suicide among youths.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Attitudes towards colorectal cancer (CRC) and CRC screening tests among elderly Malay patients

Al-Naggar RA, Al-Kubaisy W, Yap BW, Bobryshev YV, Osman MT

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2015;16(2):667-74.
PMID: 25684505

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy in Malaysia, where data are limited regarding knowledge and barriers in regard to CRC and screening tests. The aim of the study was to assess these parameters among Malaysians.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The questionnaires were distributed in the Umra Private Hospital in Selangor. The questionnaire had four parts and covered social-demographic questions, respondent knowledge about CRC and colorectal tests, attitude towards CRC and respondentaction regarding CRC. More than half of Malay participants (total n=187) were female (57.2%) and 36.9% of them were working as professionals.
RESULTS: The majority of the participants (93.6%) never had a CRC screening test. The study found that only 10.2% of the study participants did not consider that their chances of getting CRC were high. A high percentage of the participants (43.3%) believed that they would have good chance of survival if the cancer would be found early. About one third of the respondents did not want to do screening because of fear of cancer, and concerns of embarrassment during the procedure adversely affected attitude to CRC screening as well. Age, gender, income, family history of CRC, vegetable intake and physical activity were found to be significant determinants of knowledge on CRC.
CONCLUSIONS: The major barriers identified towards CRC screening identified in our study were fear of pain and embarrassment. The findings have implications for understanding of similarities and differences in attitude to CRC amongst elderly patients in other cultural/ geographic regions.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Influence of Chinese cultural health beliefs among Malaysian Chinese in a suburban population: a survey

Chew KS, Tan TW, Ooi YT

Singapore Med J, 2011 Apr;52(4):252-6.
PMID: 21552785

In a multiethnic nation, it is not uncommon for doctors to encounter patients of different cultural backgrounds. Often, patients' cultural beliefs influence their perception of health and illnesses, and their treatment option. Many Chinese cultural beliefs are influenced by the Taoist concept of yin-yang balance.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Barriers to smoking cessation: a qualitative study from the perspective of primary care in Malaysia

Chean KY, Goh LG, Liew KW, Tan CC, Choi XL, Tan KC, et al.

BMJ Open, 2019 07 09;9(7):e025491.
PMID: 31289057 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025491

OBJECTIVES: This qualitative study aims to construct a model of the barriers to smoking cessation in the primary care setting.
DESIGN: Individual in-depth, semistructured interviews were audio-taped, then verbatim transcribed and translated when necessary. The data were first independently coded and then collectively discussed for emergent themes using the Straussian grounded theory method.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Fifty-seven current smokers were recruited from a previous smoking related study carried out in a primary care setting in Malaysia. Current smokers with at least one failed quit attempts were included.
RESULTS: A five-theme model emerged from this grounded theory method. (1) Personal and lifestyle factors: participants were unable to resist the temptation to smoke; (2) Nicotine addiction: withdrawal symptoms could not be overcome; (3) Social cultural norms: participants identified accepting cigarettes from friends as a token of friendship to be problematic; (4) Misconception: perception among smokers that ability to quit was solely based on one's ability to achieve mind control, and perception that stopping smoking will harm the body and (5) Failed assisted smoking cessation: smoking cessation services were not felt to be user-friendly and were poorly understood. The themes were organised into five concentric circles based on time frame: those actionable in the short term (themes 1 and 2) and the long term (themes 3, 4, 5).
CONCLUSIONS: Five themes of specific beliefs and practices prevented smokers from quitting. Clinicians need to work on these barriers, which can be guided by the recommended time frames to help patients to succeed in smoking cessation.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
The demand for abortion in an urban Malaysian population

Ooi OS

Med J Malaya, 1971 Mar;25(3):175-81.
PMID: 4253243
Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext A knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) study on dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever and the Aedes mosquitoes

Uma Deavi Ayyamani, Gan CY, Ooi GS

Med J Malaysia, 1986 Jun;41(2):108-15.
PMID: 3821605

A KAP study on dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever (DF/DHF) was carried out in three areas in the Federal Territory. The three areas were selected based on their ethnic group composition and were Jinjang North (Chinese), Kampung Bahru (Malays) and Sentul (Indians). Houses were selected by a systematic sampling method and house-to-house interviews were carried out with a pre-tested, predesigned questionnaire. 546 (87.62%) of the households responded.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Sex among Asian men and women: the Global Better Sex Survey in Asia

Tan HM, Marumo K, Yang DY, Hwang TI, Ong ML

Int J Urol, 2009 May;16(5):507-14; discussion 514-5.
PMID: 19467120 DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2009.02283.x

OBJECTIVES:
To explore by a pooled subanalysis of the Global Better Sex Survey sexual aspirations and unmet needs of men and women from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

METHODS:
To qualify, respondents must have had sexual intercourse at least once in the past 12 months. Women must have had heterosexual intercourse. Data were weighted by population size between countries.

RESULTS:
Of 3538 Asian respondents (1776 men and 1762 women), 52% were aged <40 years, 40% were aged 40-59 years, and 8% were aged >or=60 years. The majority were married or in a relationship. Men and women reported having sexual intercourse 5.1 and 4.0 times monthly, respectively. Attraction to partner, foreplay, intercourse, and achieving orgasm were important to most men and women. Two thirds were less than very satisfied with their sex life, and 36% of men were interested in improving sex. For a good sexual experience, the man's ability to get and maintain an erection and erection hardness were important to the majority of Asian men and women. Few respondents reported using a prescription erectile dysfunction medication, but many showed interest in using these medications to improve their sex lives. A comparison between individual countries suggests that attitudes about sex differ from country to country, and between men and women in each country.

CONCLUSIONS:
Sex is very important to Asian men and women, but many of them are not fully satisfied with their sex lives and want to improve them.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext The effects of smoking norms and attitudes on quitting intentions in Malaysia, Thailand and four Western nations: a cross-cultural comparison

Hosking W, Borland R, Yong HH, Fong G, Zanna M, Laux F, et al.

Psychol Health, 2009 Jan;24(1):95-107.
PMID: 20186642 DOI: 10.1080/08870440802385854

This research investigated the influence of smoking attitudes and norms on quitting intentions in two predominantly collectivistic countries (Malaysia and Thailand) and four predominantly individualistic Western countries (Canada, USA, UK and Australia). Data from the International Tobacco Control Project (N = 13,062) revealed that higher odds of intending to quit were associated with negative personal attitudes in Thailand and the Western countries, but not in Malaysia; with norms against smoking from significant others in Malaysia and the Western countries, but not in Thailand; and with societal norms against smoking in all countries. Our findings indicate that normative factors are important determinants of intentions, but they play a different role in different cultural and/or tobacco control contexts. Interventions may be more effective if they are designed with these different patterns of social influence in mind.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Factors influencing insulin acceptance among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a primary care clinic: a qualitative exploration

Abu Hassan H, Tohid H, Mohd Amin R, Long Bidin MB, Muthupalaniappen L, Omar K

BMC Fam Pract, 2013;14:164.
PMID: 24164794 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2296-14-164

BACKGROUND: Many Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients refuse insulin therapy even when they require this modality of treatment. However, some eventually accept insulin. This study aimed to explore the T2DM patients' reasons for accepting insulin therapy and their initial barriers to use insulin.
METHODS: This qualitative study interviewed twenty-one T2DM patients at a primary care clinic who had been on insulin for more than a year through three in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions. A semi structured interview protocol was used and the sessions were audio-recorded. Subsequently, thematic analysis was conducted to identify major themes.
RESULTS: The participants' acceptance of insulin was influenced by their concerns and beliefs about diabetes and insulin. Concerns about complications of poorly controlled diabetes and side effects of other treatment regime had resulted in insulin acceptance among the participants. They also had a strong belief in insulin benefits and effectiveness. These concerns and beliefs were the results of having good knowledge about the diabetes and insulin, experiential learning, as well as doctors' practical and emotional support that helped them to accept insulin therapy and become efficient in self-care management. These factors also allayed their negative concerns and beliefs towards diabetes and insulin, which were their barriers for insulin acceptance as it caused fear to use insulin. These negative concerns were related to injection (self-injection, needle phobia, injection pain), and insulin use (inconvenience, embarrassment, lifestyle restriction, negative social stigma, and poor self-efficacy), whereas the negative beliefs were 'insulin could cause organ damage', 'their diabetes was not serious enough', 'insulin is for life-long', and 'insulin is for more severe disease only'.
CONCLUSIONS: Exploring patients' concerns and beliefs about diabetes and insulin is crucial to assist physicians in delivering patient-centered care. By understanding this, physicians could address their concerns with aim to modify their patients' misconceptions towards insulin therapy. In addition, continuous educations as well as practical and emotional support from others were found to be valuable for insulin acceptance.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia FF-214-2009.
Study site: Primary Care clinic, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Role of ethical beliefs and attitudes of dental students in providing care for HIV/AIDS patients

Khan SA, Liew ML, Omar H

Saudi Dent J, 2017 Jan;29(1):7-14.
PMID: 28270704 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2016.08.005

INTRODUCTION: Dental care has remained as an unmet need for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). Dental students are considered as future healthcare workforce and having beliefs which are discriminating may have negative attitudes towards providing care to these individuals (Azodo et al., 2010). The study aimed to assess the ethical beliefs and attitudes of dental students towards PLWHAs for providing care.
METHODS: It is a descriptive correlational and cross sectional study. Nine public and private dental schools in Malaysia participated in the study. Data was collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire.
RESULTS: A total of 481 dental students participated in this study, yielding response rate of 78%. Majority of the participants (74%) believed that patients' HIV status should be disclosed to patients' sexual partner without permission. Approximately 60% of the participants reported that rooms/beds of HIV patients should be clearly marked. Regarding patient disease status 28% of the students reported that it is appropriate to test a patient for HIV/AIDS without patient's permission. Only Fifty five percent of the students expressed the willingness to treat HIV patients and 49% reported to held fear of getting infected while treating patients with HIV/AIDS. Sixty four percent of the participants reported to be more comfortable giving care to non-HIV patients than HIV-positive patients.
CONCLUSION: Dental students' ethical beliefs about HIV/AIDS were not consistent with the ethical principles as stated in the code of ethics and they held negative attitudes towards PLWHAs. Ethical beliefs were found to be a determinant that may influence future attitudes of these students towards individuals with HIV/AIDS when providing care.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Social and behavioral aspects of filariasis transmission in Kumpeh, Jambi, Indonesia

Sudomo M, Kasnodiharjo, Oemijati S

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1993;24 Suppl 2:26-30.
PMID: 7973942

Studies on the social and behavioral aspects of filariasis transmission were conducted in the transmigration area of Kumpeh, in the province of Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia. Three methods were used in the study namely, interview, participation observation and focus group discussion. A total of 266 respondents (136 males and 130 females) were interviewed. The results of the study showed the most of the transmigrants were not familiar with the word "filariasis". They were more used to the name of "penyakit kaki gajah" or "elephant's leg" disease or "untut". The word "untut" is similar to what people of Selangor, Malaysia call this disease. The community attitude towards control efforts against filariasis was positive, as evidenced by their readiness in being bled and their readiness to help change the environment which serves as mosquito breeding places. Usually the transmigrants live in the "ladang" or dry farming area for 3-4 months to protect their crops from damages by pests. This habit was rather negative, because in their "ladangs" they exposed themselves to high risk of mosquito bites and thus to filariasis infection.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Fulltext Turkish health system reform from the people's perspective: a cross sectional study

Ali Jadoo SA, Aljunid SM, Sulku SN, Nur AM

BMC Health Serv Res, 2014;14:30.
PMID: 24447374 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-30

Since 2003, Turkey has implemented major health care reforms to develop easily accessible, high-quality, efficient, and effective healthcare services for the population. The purpose of this study was to bring out opinions of the Turkish people on health system reform process, focusing on several aspects of health system and assessing whether the public prefer the current health system or that provided a decade ago.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health*
Fulltext Reliability and validity of Champion's Health Belief Model Scale for breast cancer screening among Malaysian women

Parsa P, Kandiah M, Mohd Nasir MT, Hejar AR, Nor Afiah MZ

Singapore Med J, 2008 Nov;49(11):897-903.
PMID: 19037556

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Malaysian women, and the use of breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE) and mammography remain low in Malaysia. Therefore, there is a need to develop a valid and reliable tool to measure the beliefs that influence breast cancer screening practices. The Champion's Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS) is a valid and reliable tool to measure beliefs about breast cancer and screening methods in the Western culture. The purpose of this study was to translate the use of CHBMS into the Malaysian context and validate the scale among Malaysian women.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health
Satisfaction of orthognathic surgical patients in a Malaysian population

Siow KK, Ong ST, Lian CB, Ngeow WC

J Oral Sci, 2002 Dec;44(3-4):165-71.
PMID: 12613507

Thirty-one patients treated at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, were assessed for their satisfaction following orthognathic surgery. The female to male ratio was 22:9 with an age range of 17 to 36. Almost all patients (97%) listed appearance as one of their rationales for surgery. More males (78%) than females (59%) wanted functional improvement, while more females (91%) than males (33%) hoped for improvement in self-confidence. All patients reported esthetic improvement while 68% each reported improvement in mastication and self-confidence. Slightly more than half (52%) chose esthetic improvement as the single most important factor resulting in satisfaction. Almost ninety percent of male patients claimed satisfaction with functional improvement, while 68% of those who found satisfaction in improved self-confidence were females. Eighty-seven percent rated their post-surgical changes as being well accepted by their family. The impact of these findings on the success of the surgery and the need to reinforce verbal communication with printed pamphlets are emphasized.

Matched MeSH terms: Attitude to Health

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links