Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 98 in total

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  1. Vikneswary Uvaraja, Lee, Lai Soon
    MyJurnal
    Urban Transit Network Design Problem (UTNDP) focuses on deriving useful set of
    routes, manageable timetabling for each transit route and transit scheduling based on
    available resources. UTNDP is commonly subdivided into Urban Transit Routing
    Problem (UTRP) and Urban Transit Scheduling Problem (UTSP), respectively. There are
    various approaches applied to solve the UTSP. The aim of this paper is to give a
    comprehensive list of studies on UTSP that deals with metaheuristic approaches such
    as Tabu Search, Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithm and their hybrid methods. This
    review also addressed possible gaps of the approaches and the limitations of the
    overall problem. It can be concluded that only some of the metaheuristic approaches
    and sub-problems are highly studied in UTSP. This review will be useful for researchers
    who are interested in expanding their knowledge and conduct research in UTSP using
    metaheuristic approaches.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  2. Norsyafiqah Mohamad, Masnita Misiran, Zahayu Md Yusof
    MyJurnal
    Businesses adopt queuing mechanism as it can improve efficiency and provide economic use of
    resources. Some business segment that normally adapted queuing theory include assessing staff
    scheduling, productivity, performance, and customers waiting time. This article will adopt queuing
    theory to current service provided by Department of Labour, Kuala Terengganu. As the department is
    committed to provide quality services to its customer, the level of satisfaction and current queueing
    time need to be investigated. To achieve this, four elements in queueing theory – arrival rate, the
    queuing discipline, the service and also the cost structure are utilized. Arrival rate is measured as way
    in which customer arrives at this department and entered for receiving a service. Single server queuing
    model is known as infinite queue length model (exponential service) was used in this study. This model
    is based on certain assumptions about queuing, as the arrivals are described by Poisson probability
    distribution and arrive from infinite population. This study has demonstrated that, majority of the
    customers are dissatisfied with services offered and the major cause of dissatisfaction is the long waiting
    time. Sunday shows the busiest day at Department of Labour, Kuala Terengganu when there are too
    many customers and duty officer faced a hectic day on Sunday, followed by Thursday and Wednesday.
    Department of Labour, Kuala Terengganu needed to do the other internal procedures for reducing
    waiting times and thus ensuring an effective services system. This study recommended of adding a new
    checkout counter and hiring another employee to help duty officer improve the operation at Department
    of Labour, Kuala Terengganu.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  3. Abbas AA, Mohamad JA, Lydia AL, Selvaratnam L, Razif A, Ab-Rahim S, et al.
    JUMMEC, 2014;17(1):8-13.
    MyJurnal
    Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a widely accepted procedure for the treatment of large, fullthickness chondral defects involving various joints, but its use in developing countries is limited because of high cost and failure rates due to limited resources and support systems. Five patients (age
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  4. Epping-Jordan JE, van Ommeren M, Ashour HN, Maramis A, Marini A, Mohanraj A, et al.
    PMID: 25904981 DOI: 10.1186/s13033-015-0007-9
    BACKGROUND: Major gaps remain - especially in low- and middle-income countries - in the realization of comprehensive, community-based mental health care. One potentially important yet overlooked opportunity for accelerating mental health reform lies within emergency situations, such as armed conflicts or natural disasters. Despite their adverse impacts on affected populations' mental health and well being, emergencies also draw attention and resources to these issues and provide openings for mental health service development.

    CASE DESCRIPTION: Cases were considered if they represented a low- or middle-income country or territory affected by an emergency, were initiated between 2000 and 2010, succeeded in making changes to the mental health system, and were able to be documented by an expert involved directly with the case. Based on these criteria, 10 case examples from diverse emergency-affected settings were included: Afghanistan, Burundi, Indonesia (Aceh Province), Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste.

    DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION: These cases demonstrate generally that emergency contexts can be tapped to make substantial and sustainable improvements in mental health systems. From these experiences, 10 common lessons learnt were identified on how to make this happen. These lessons include the importance of adopting a longer-term perspective for mental health reform from the outset, and focusing on system-wide reform that addresses both new-onset and pre-existing mental disorders.

    CONCLUSIONS: Global progress in mental health care would happen more quickly if, in every crisis, strategic efforts were made to convert short-term interest in mental health problems into momentum for mental health reform.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  5. Noushad M, Al-Saqqaf IS
    Int J Infect Dis, 2021 May;106:79-82.
    PMID: 33737135 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.03.030
    The first case of COVID-19 in Yemen was confirmed on 10 April 2020. Having faced with a six-year long conflict that has destroyed half of its healthcare facilities and displaced millions, predictions of infections and mortality in Yemen suggested a looming healthcare catastrophe. Difficulty in implementing coordinated lockdowns and preventive measures due to the daily labor working nature of the majority of the population, provided the perfect breeding ground for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, official figures of infections and mortality are very low and there have not been confirmed reports of excess mortality. This could indicate that Yemen is silently marching towards forced herd immunity. Seroprevalence studies will provide useful insight into the COVID-19 transmission trajectory in Yemen, which can serve as a guide in planning vaccine distribution strategies and allocating the limited funds wisely.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution*
  6. Poh KW, Ngan CH, Wong JY, Ng TK, Mohd Noor N
    Int J Health Care Qual Assur, 2020 Feb 25;ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print).
    PMID: 32108452 DOI: 10.1108/IJHCQA-11-2019-0195
    PURPOSE: There was limited study available on successful intervention for central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) done at nonintensive care unit (ICU) and resources-limited setting. The objective of this study was to design, implement and evaluate a strategy to reduce CLABSI rate in non-ICU settings at general medical wards of Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar Seremban.

    DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Preinterventional study was conducted in one-month period of January 2019, followed by intervention period from February to March 2019. Postintervention study was conducted from April to July 2019. The CLABSI rates were compared between pre and postintervention periods. A multifaceted intervention bundle was implemented, which comprised (1) educational program for healthcare workers, (2) weekly audit and feedback and (3) implementation of central line bundle of care.

    FINDINGS: There was a significant overall reduction of CLABSI rate between preintervention and postintervention period [incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.06 (95 percent CI, 0.01-0.33; P = 0.001)].

    PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: CLABSI rates were reduced by a multifaceted intervention bundle, even in non-ICU and resource-limited setting. This includes a preinterventional study to identify the risk factors followed by a local adaption of the recommended care bundles. This study recommends resources-limited hospitals to design a strategy that is suitable for their own local setting to reduce CLABSI.

    ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study demonstrated the feasibility of a multifaceted intervention bundle that was locally adapted with an evidence-based approach to reduce CLABSI rate in non-ICU and resource-limited setting.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  7. Cheah PK, Steven EM, Ng KK, Hashim MI, Abdul Kadir MH, Roder NP
    Int J Emerg Med, 2021 May 07;14(1):30.
    PMID: 33962581 DOI: 10.1186/s12245-021-00354-9
    Sabah in Malaysian Borneo is among the Malaysian states which reported a high number of detected COVID-19 cases during the current pandemic. Due to geographical challenges and limited resources, clinicians developed novel strategies for managing patients. The use of a dual oxygen concentrator system for mechanical ventilation is one of the innovations developed by retrieval team members from the Emergency Department (ED) of the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital. Due to conditions requiring isolation of patients suspected of or positive for COVID-19, high-risk patients were treated in an ED extension area that lacked central wall oxygen. Direct access to oxygen tanks became the only viable option, but ensuring a continuous supply was laborious. The novel setup described within this paper has been used on intubated patients in the ED extension area with moderate to high ventilator settings successfully. This simple setup, designed to meet the limited resources within a pandemic environment, needed only a turbine-driven ventilator, two oxygen concentrators, a 3-way connector, and three oxygen tubing. The application of this setup could potentially save more critically ill patients who are being managed in resource-limited conditions such as in smaller district hospitals or out in the field.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  8. Niza Samsuddin, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Ailin Razali, Muhammad Zubir Yusof, Ahmad Fitri Abdullah Hair, Manivasagam, Dayanath, et al.
    MyJurnal
    A guideline on Basic Occupational Health Services (BOHS) has been established jointly by ILO/WHO/ICOH in response to poor achievements of the Occupational Health Services (OHS), especially among workers in small and medium enterprises at the global level. Malaysia. The international guideline describes competent and skilled human resources as an essential strategy for BOHS implementation. This commentary will discuss the challenges faced by current occupational health personnel providing OHS in Malaysia and proposes improvements of human resource development for future BOHS in Malaysia to ensure fair and better OHS coverage for Malaysian workers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  9. Biswas R, Lugo A, Gallus S, Akeroyd MA, Hall DA
    Hear Res, 2019 06;377:330-338.
    PMID: 30853349 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.02.008
    INTRODUCTION: Prevalence estimates depend largely on the nature of the question asked to define the presence of the health condition, and the literature on the population burden of tinnitus and hearing difficulties is no different in this respect. The lack of standardized questions for data collection limits comparison across studies and across countries. The purpose of this short Technical Note is to report the first attempt to establish a set of standard questions developed for use in population-based surveys, and their adaptation and translation from English into 11 European languages.

    METHODS: Four questions and their corresponding response options were adapted from existing population-based surveys to assess tinnitus prevalence, tinnitus symptom severity, use of healthcare resources for tinnitus and hearing difficulty. The translated versions (Bulgarian, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, and Spanish) were generated using recognized methods to achieve a "world-for-world" translation.

    RESULTS: Translated versions were produced with acceptable functional equivalence to the original English-language version, as judged by a small panel of bilingual speakers who participated in the online field testing.

    CONCLUSION: This work is the first of its kind to promote multi-national standardization by creating a set of tools that can readily be used across countries. These are currently being used in a European-wide study of tinnitus prevalence, and have wider application across English- and Spanish speaking countries including the Americas and Oceania.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources*
  10. Thwala C, Carrera PM
    Health Aff (Millwood), 2016 08 01;35(8):1546.
    PMID: 27503987 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0790
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources*
  11. Mahadeva S, Chia YC, Vinothini A, Mohazmi M, Goh KL
    Gut, 2008 Sep;57(9):1214-20.
    PMID: 18441005 DOI: 10.1136/gut.2007.147728
    To compare a Helicobacter pylori "test and treat" strategy with prompt endoscopy in young Asians with dyspepsia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/utilization
  12. Zawiah M, Al-Ashwal FY, Saeed RM, Kubas M, Saeed S, Khan AH, et al.
    Front Public Health, 2020;8:419.
    PMID: 32850608 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00419
    Background: In the past decade, Yemen has witnessed several disasters that resulted in a crumbled healthcare system. With the declaration of COVID-19 a global pandemic, and later the appearance of first confirmed cases in Yemen, there is an urgent need to assess the preparedness of healthcare facilities (HCFs) and their capacities to tackle a looming COVID-19 outbreak. Herein, we present an assessment of the current state of preparedness and capabilities of HCFs in Yemen to prevent and manage the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: An online survey for HCFs was developed, validated, and distributed. The questionnaire is divided into five main sections: (1) Demographic variables for participants. (2) HCFs capabilities for COVID-19 outbreak. (3) Support received to face the emergence and spread of COVID-19. (4). Current practices of infection prevention and control measures in the HCFs. The last section focused on the recommendations to ensure effective and timely response to this outbreak in Yemen. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze data using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), version 23. Results: Responses were received from healthcare workers (HCWs) from 18 out of 22 governorates in Yemen. Out of the 296 HCWs who participated in the study, the vast majority (93.9%) believed that the healthcare system in Yemen does not have the resources and capabilities to face and manage a COVID-19 outbreak. Approximately 82.4% of participants rated the general preparedness level of their HCFs as very poor or poor. More specifically, the majority of HCWs rated their HCFs as very poor or poor in term of availability of the following: an adequate number of mechanical ventilators (88.8%), diagnostic devices (88.2%), ICU rooms and beds (81.4%), and isolation rooms (79.7%). Conclusions: The healthcare facilities in Yemen are unprepared and lack the most basic resources and capabilities to cope with or tackle a COVID-19 outbreak. With the current state of a fragile healthcare system, a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen could result in devastating consequences. There is an urgent need to provide support to the healthcare workers and HCFs that are on the frontline against COVID-19.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/supply & distribution
  13. Leung D, Chua GT, Mondragon AV, Zhong Y, Nguyen-Ngoc-Quynh L, Imai K, et al.
    Front Immunol, 2020;11:1605.
    PMID: 32903579 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01605
    Background: The Asia Pacific Society for Immunodeficiencies (APSID) conducted nine primary immunodeficiency (PID) Schools in 5 years since inauguration to provide PID care training for early career physicians in Asia Pacific, a region with divergent needs in PID resources and training. Objective: To identify differences in PID patient care resource and training needs across Asia Pacific and propose a corresponding action plan. Methods: The Human Development Index (HDI) indicates the degree of socio-economic development in each country/region. Information related to investigations and learning issues were extracted from the abstracts and personal statements from all Schools and mapped onto resource and training needs. Correlations between HDI and country/region-specific parameters were tested by two-tailed Pearson correlation. Results: A total of 427 abstracts were received in nine Schools between 2015 and 2020, predominantly on immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity. Genetic confirmation was described in 61.8% of abstracts, and its absence negatively correlated with HDI (r = -0.696, p = 0.004). Essential immunologic and genetic tests were not available in 25.4 and 29.5% of abstracts, respectively, and their absence negatively correlated with HDI (r = -0.788, p < 0.001; r = -0.739, p = 0.002). HDI positively correlated with average testing level (r = 0.742, p = 0.002). Cases from medium-HDI countries/regions focused on learning how to investigate a patient for PIDs in cases of severe or atypical infections, whereas those from very-high-HDI countries/regions, from which most faculty members originated, listed hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and gene therapy, newborn screening, and research as learning issues more frequently. Conclusion: There are unique HDI-related PID resource and training needs in each country/region. APSID proposes HDI group-specific strategies to improve PID care and education in her member countries/regions. Further quantitative analysis of needs in PID care in Asia Pacific is needed for lobbying governments to increase their support for PID care and research.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  14. Kong YC, Sakti VV, Sullivan R, Bhoo-Pathy N
    Ecancermedicalscience, 2020;14:1134.
    PMID: 33281926 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2020.1134
    The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may worsen the existing financial vulnerabilities of cancer survivors who may be experiencing a double financial hit, both from cancer-induced financial toxicity as well as economic strains arising from loss of income and prolonged unemployment following the pandemic. The impact of the pandemic is likely to be more pronounced on cancer survivors living in resource-limited settings, such as in Southeast Asia. As health care systems in the region try to streamline resources and accommodate the influx of patients from COVID-19, many in the cancer community have experienced severe disruptions in their care. The delays and disruption of timely access to cancer care could lead to patients presenting with worsened conditions and at more advanced cancer stages in which treatment options tended to be costlier. Similar to countries around the world, the various forms of movement restrictions that were enforced have aggravated the rates of unemployment, loss of wages and the limited access to support from family or friends around Southeast Asia. The economic impact of COVID-19 hits even harder on the large proportion of the population in the region that works in the informal sector, who are often one paycheque or one episode of illness away from financial catastrophe. More worryingly, the lack of a robust social security system in many Southeast Asian countries, especially in terms of income protection, could ultimately force many cancer survivors to choose between paying for their treatments, or to forego treatments, and feed their families. Early identification of cancer patients experiencing financial toxicity following the pandemic will enable timely and appropriate interventions to be undertaken by various stakeholders, potentially averting a cascade of other economic fallouts that may last for years after cancer treatment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  15. Lombe D, Sullivan R, Caduff C, Ali Z, Bhoo-Pathy N, Cleary J, et al.
    Ecancermedicalscience, 2021;15:1202.
    PMID: 33889211 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2021.1202
    Introduction: Public health emergencies and crises such as the current COVID-19 pandemic can accelerate innovation and place renewed focus on the value of health interventions. Capturing important lessons learnt, both positive and negative, is vital. We aimed to document the perceived positive changes (silver linings) in cancer care that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify challenges that may limit their long-term adoption.

    Methods: This study employed a qualitative design. Semi-structured interviews (n = 20) were conducted with key opinion leaders from 14 countries. The participants were predominantly members of the International COVID-19 and Cancer Taskforce, who convened in March 2020 to address delivery of cancer care in the context of the pandemic. The Framework Method was employed to analyse the positive changes of the pandemic with corresponding challenges to their maintenance post-pandemic.

    Results: Ten themes of positive changes were identified which included: value in cancer care, digital communication, convenience, inclusivity and cooperation, decentralisation of cancer care, acceleration of policy change, human interactions, hygiene practices, health awareness and promotion and systems improvement. Impediments to the scale-up of these positive changes included resource disparities and variation in legal frameworks across regions. Barriers were largely attributed to behaviours and attitudes of stakeholders.

    Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to important value-based innovations and changes for better cancer care across different health systems. The challenges to maintaining/implementing these changes vary by setting. Efforts are needed to implement improved elements of care that evolved during the pandemic.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  16. Mohd Yusoff MI
    Comput Math Methods Med, 2020;2020:9328414.
    PMID: 33224268 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9328414
    Researchers used a hybrid model (a combination of health resource demand model and disease transmission model), Bayesian model, and susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model to predict health service utilization and deaths and mixed-effect nonlinear regression. Further, they used the mixture model to predict the number of confirmed cases and deaths or to predict when the curve would flatten. In this article, we show, through scenarios developed using system dynamics methodology, besides close to real-world results, the detrimental effects of ignoring social distancing guidelines (in terms of the number of people infected, which decreased as the percentage of noncompliance decreased).
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
  17. Huo Y, Lee SW, Sawhney JP, Kim HS, Krittayaphong R, Nhan VT, et al.
    Clin Cardiol, 2015 Sep;38(9):511-9.
    PMID: 26206158 DOI: 10.1002/clc.22431
    BACKGROUND: In-hospital and postdischarge mortality for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) vary across Asia and remain generally poorer than globally. The relationship between real-life antithrombotic management patterns (AMPs) and ACS-related outcomes in Asia is unclear.

    METHODS: EPICOR Asia (Long-tErm follow-uP of antithrombotic management patterns In acute CORonary syndrome patients in Asia) (NCT01361386) is a prospective, multinational, observational study of patients discharged after hospitalization for an ACS, with 2-year follow-up. The aim is to describe short- and long-term (up to 2 years post-index event) AMPs in patients hospitalized for ACS and to record clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status. Pre- and in-hospital management, AMPs, and associated outcomes, with particular focus on ischemic and bleeding events, will be recorded during the 2-year follow up.

    RESULTS: Between June 2011 and May 2012, 13 005 patients were enrolled. From these, 12 922 patients surviving an ACS (6616 with STEMI, 2570 with NSTEMI, and 3736 with UA) were eligible for inclusion from 219 hospitals across 8 countries and regions in Asia: China (n = 8214), Hong Kong (n = 177), India (n = 2468), Malaysia (n = 100), Singapore (n = 93), South Korea (n = 705), Thailand (n = 957), and Vietnam (n = 208).

    CONCLUSIONS: EPICOR Asia will provide information regarding clinical management and AMPs for ACS patients in Asia. Impact of AMPs on clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status both during hospitalization and up to 2 years after discharge will also be described.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/statistics & numerical data
  18. Yip CH, Taib NA
    Climacteric, 2014 Dec;17 Suppl 2:54-9.
    PMID: 25131779 DOI: 10.3109/13697137.2014.947255
    Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers world-wide. While the incidence in developing countries is lower than in developed countries, the mortality is much higher. Of the estimated 1 600 000 new cases of breast cancer globally in 2012, 794 000 were in the more developed world compared to 883 000 in the less developed world; however, there were 198 000 deaths in the more developed world compared to 324 000 in the less developed world (data from Globocan 2012, IARC). Survival from breast cancer depends on two main factors--early detection and optimal treatment. In developing countries, women present with late stages of disease. The barriers to early detection are physical, such as geographical isolation, financial as well as psychosocial, including lack of education, belief in traditional medicine and lack of autonomous decision-making in the male-dominated societies that prevail in the developing world. There are virtually no population-based breast cancer screening programs in developing countries. However, before any screening program can be implemented, there must be facilities to treat the cancers that are detected. Inadequate access to optimal treatment of breast cancer remains a problem. Lack of specialist manpower, facilities and anticancer drugs contribute to the suboptimal care that a woman with breast cancer in a low-income country receives. International groups such as the Breast Health Global Initiative were set up to develop economically feasible, clinical practice guidelines for breast cancer management to improve breast health outcomes in countries with limited resources.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources/economics; Health Resources/trends
  19. Mikton C, Power M, Raleva M, Makoae M, Al Eissa M, Cheah I, et al.
    Child Abuse Negl, 2013 Dec;37(12):1237-51.
    PMID: 23962585 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.07.009
    This study aimed to systematically assess the readiness of five countries - Brazil, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa - to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. To this end, it applied a recently developed method called Readiness Assessment for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment based on two parallel 100-item instruments. The first measures the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs concerning child maltreatment prevention of key informants; the second, completed by child maltreatment prevention experts using all available data in the country, produces a more objective assessment readiness. The instruments cover all of the main aspects of readiness including, for instance, availability of scientific data on the problem, legislation and policies, will to address the problem, and material resources. Key informant scores ranged from 31.2 (Brazil) to 45.8/100 (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and expert scores, from 35.2 (Brazil) to 56/100 (Malaysia). Major gaps identified in almost all countries included a lack of professionals with the skills, knowledge, and expertise to implement evidence-based child maltreatment programs and of institutions to train them; inadequate funding, infrastructure, and equipment; extreme rarity of outcome evaluations of prevention programs; and lack of national prevalence surveys of child maltreatment. In sum, the five countries are in a low to moderate state of readiness to implement evidence-based child maltreatment prevention programs on a large scale. Such an assessment of readiness - the first of its kind - allows gaps to be identified and then addressed to increase the likelihood of program success.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Resources
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