MyMedR

Services for older people in Malaysia: issues and challenges

Poi PJ, Forsyth DR, Chan DK

Age Ageing, 2004 Sep;33(5):444-6.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/trends; Health Services for the Aged/trends*; Health Services Needs and Demand/trends*

A consensus plan for action to improve access to cancer care in the association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region

Woodward M

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(19):8521-6.

PMID: 25339057

In many countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), cancer is an increasing problem due to ageing and a transition to Western lifestyles. Governments have been slow to react to the health consequences of these socioeconomic changes, leading to the risk of a cancer epidemic overwhelming the region. A major limitation to motivating change is the paucity of high-quality data on cancer, and its socioeconomic repercussions, in ASEAN. Two initiatives have been launched to address these issues. First, a study of over 9000 new cancer patients in ASEAN - the ACTION study - which records information on financial difficulties, as well as clinical outcomes, subsequent to the diagnosis. Second, a series of roundtable meetings of key stakeholders and experts, with the broad aim of producing advice for governments in ASEAN to take appropriate account of issues relating to cancer, as well as to generate knowledge and interest through engagement with the media. An important product of these roundtables has been the Jakarta Call to Action on Cancer Control. The growth and ageing of populations is a global challenge for cancer services. In the less developed parts of Asia, and elsewhere, these problems are compounded by the epidemiological transition to Western lifestyles and lack of awareness of cancer at the government level. For many years, health services in less developed countries have concentrated on infectious diseases and mother-and-child health; despite a recent wake-up call (United Nations, 2010), these health services have so far failed to allow for the huge increase in cancer cases to come. It has been estimated that, in Asia, the number of new cancer cases per year will grow from 6.1 million in 2008 to 10.6 million in 2030 (Sankaranarayanan et al., 2014). In the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), corresponding figures are 770 thousand in 2012 (Figure 1), rising to 1.3 million in 2030 (Ferlay et al., 2012). ASEAN consists of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. It, thus, includes low- and middle-income countries where the double whammy of infectious and chronic diseases will pose an enormous challenge in allocating limited resources to competing health issues. Cancer statistics, even at the sub-national level, only tell part of the story. Many individuals who contract cancer in poor countries have no medical insurance and no, or limited, expectation of public assistance. Whilst any person who has a family member with cancer can expect to bear some consequential burden of care or expense, in a poor family in a poor environment the burden will surely be greater. This additional burden from cancer is rarely considered, and even more rarely quantified, even in developed nations.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*; Health Services Needs and Demand/trends; Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data

Asia's heart for diversity

Ahmad WA, Fong AY, Quek DK, Sim KH, Zambahari R

Eur Heart J, 2012 Jan;33(2):155-6.

PMID: 22351968

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services/supply & distribution; Health Services Accessibility

A framework for cohesive healthcare coalition formation

Cheah YN, Chong YH, Neoh SL

Stud Health Technol Inform, 2006;124:575-80.

PMID: 17108579

The mobilisation of cohesive and effective groups of healthcare human resource is important in ensuring the success of healthcare organisations. However, forming the right team or coalition in healthcare organisations is not always straightforward due to various human factors. Traditional coalition formation approaches have been perceived as 'materialistic' or focusing too much on competency or pay-off. Therefore, to put prominence on the human aspects of working together, we present a cohesiveness-focused healthcare coalition formation methodology and framework that explores the possibilities of social networks, i.e. the relationship between various healthcare human resources, and adaptive resonance theory.

Matched MeSH terms: Community Health Services/manpower*; Community Health Services/organization & administration

Fulltext From Third World to Fourth. Third WONCA World Conference on Rural Health in Kuching, Malaysia; Fourth in Calgary

Topps D, Rourke J

Can Fam Physician, 2000 Oct;46:2065.

PMID: 11072589

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility; Rural Health Services*

Fulltext Healthcare financing and social protection policies for migrant workers in Malaysia

Loganathan T, Chan ZX, Pocock NS

PLoS One, 2020;15(12):e0243629.

PMID: 33296436 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243629

BACKGROUND: For Malaysia, a nation highly dependent on migrant labour, the large non-citizen workforce presents a unique health system challenge. Although documented migrant workers are covered by mandatory healthcare insurance (SPIKPA), financial constraints remain a major barrier for non-citizen healthcare access. Malaysia recently extended protection for migrant workers under the national social security scheme (SOCSO), previously exclusive to citizens. This study aims to evaluate healthcare financing and social security policies for migrant workers to identify policy gaps and opportunities for intervention.

METHODS: A total of 37 in-depth interviews were conducted of 44 stakeholders from July 2018 to July 2019. A mixed-methods analysis combining major themes from qualitative interviews with policy document reviews was conducted. Descriptive analysis of publicly available secondary data, namely revenues collected at government healthcare facilities, was conducted to contextualise the policy review and qualitative findings.

RESULTS: We found that migrant workers and employers were unaware of SPIKPA enrolment and entitlements. Higher fees for non-citizens result in delayed care-seeking. While the Malaysian government nearly doubled non-citizen healthcare fees revenues from RM 104 to 182 million (USD 26 to 45 million) between 2014 to 2018, outstanding revenues tripled from RM 16 to 50 million (USD 4 to 12 million) in the same period. SPIKPA coverage is likely inadequate in providing financial risk protection to migrant workers, especially with increased non-citizens fees at public hospitals. Undocumented workers and other migrant populations excluded from SPIKPA contribution to unpaid fees revenues are unknown. Problems described with the previous Foreign Workers Compensation Scheme (FWCS), could be partially addressed by SOCSO, in theory. Nevertheless, questions remain on the feasibility of implementing elements of SOCSO, such as recurring payments to workers and next-of-kin overseas.

CONCLUSION: Malaysia is moving towards migrant inclusion with the provision of SOCSO for documented migrant workers, but more needs to be done. Here we suggest the expansion of the SPIKPA insurance scheme to include all migrant populations, while broadening its scope towards more comprehensive coverage, including essential primary care.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/economics*; Health Services Accessibility/legislation & jurisprudence

The improvement of immunization status in children attending child health clinics

Pathmanathan I

J Trop Med Hyg, 1973 Nov;76(11):294-6.

PMID: 4758753

The Municipal Maternal and Child Health Clinics at Kuala Lumpur were faced with a declining but continuing problem of diphtheria. The arrangements for immunization were such that a low coverage was obtained for triple vaccination, but a high one for smallpox, a disease they had not experienced for many years. By reversing the schedule, so that triple vaccine injections were administered first, and ensuring that fewer children were not immunized because of concurrent minor ailments, the diphtheria immunization coverage was greatly improved. There was some loss of smallpox cover.
The revision commenced in 1970 and the diphtheria incidence rate, which had been falling since 1965, continued to fall but at a lower rate. The author does not discuss possible explanations for this. The article illustrates a dramatic improvement in immunization cover by a simple re-arrangement better suited to the needs of the town

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health Services*; Preventive Health Services

Fulltext Perceptions of Good-Quality Antenatal Care and Birthing Services among Postpartum Women in Nepal

Rajbanshi S, Norhayati MN, Nik Hazlina NH

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Jun 26;18(13).

PMID: 34206868 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136876

Patient complaints and dissatisfaction should be taken seriously and used as an opportunity to provide acceptable services. Mounting evidence shows that the perception of the quality of healthcare services impacts health-seeking behaviors. This study explores the perceptions of good-quality antenatal and birthing services among postpartum women. A qualitative study using phenomenological inquiry was conducted in the Morang district, Nepal. The study participants were postpartum women with at least one high-risk factor who refused the referral hospital's birth advice. A total of 14 women were purposively selected and interviewed in-depth. NVivo 12 Plus software was used for systematic coding, and thematic analysis was performed manually. Three themes emerged: (i) women's opinions and satisfactory factors of health services, (ii) expectations of the health facility and staff, and (iii) a lack of suggestions to improve the quality of care. Women did not have many expectations from the healthcare facility or the healthcare providers and could not express what good quality of care meant for them. Women from low socioeconomic status and marginalized ethnicities lack knowledge of their basic reproductive rights. These women judge the quality of care in terms of staff interpersonal behavior and personal experiences. Women will not demand quality services if they lack an understanding of their basic health rights.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility; Maternal Health Services*

School health in Malaysia: where are we now?

Pavlin BI, Ali O, Poh BK

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2014 Sep;26(5 Suppl):4S-6S.

PMID: 25143526 DOI: 10.1177/1010539514545286

Matched MeSH terms: School Health Services*

Fulltext Community participatory approach: an important managerial role in cancer control

Latiff KA

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2008;9(2):357-59.

PMID: 18712990

Despite the mountain of information generated by researchers, the cancer problem has not significantly declined and perhaps in certain situations it is gradually increasing, affecting those who are previously at low risk. There is a tendency to believe that positive outcomes can always be expected once intervention activities, like exercise promotion, are carried out, but practical experience gives rise to serious doubt. A greater understanding of the biological mechanisms operating in the physical activity, cancer relation, complete measurement of physical activity through a subject's life, assessment of all potential confounders and association modifiers are needed to confirm a protective role of physical activity in cancer development and allow specific exercise prescriptions for community-based prevention in particular cancer sites. Furthermore, the most important impetus of any community intervention approach should be oriented in the form of 'from people to the people'. More emphasis needs to be placed on effective management and parameters for assessment of management success.

Matched MeSH terms: Community Health Services/organization & administration*

Editor's foreword

Cernada G

Int Q Community Health Educ, 2013;34(2):119-20.

PMID: 24928605 DOI: 10.2190/IQ.34.2.a

Publication year=2013-2014

Matched MeSH terms: Community Health Services*

Moving beyond the casemix frontier: towards sub-acute and non-acute classification. Abstracts of the 6th International Casemix Conference 2012 (6ICMC2012). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. June 6-7, 2012

BMC Health Serv Res, 2012 Nov 21;12 Suppl 1:I1-8, O1-10, P1-12.

PMID: 23210451

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Research*

Asia-pacific ready to act on mental health target in the SDGs

Minas H, Izutsu T, Tsutsumi A, Kakuma R, Lopez AD

Lancet Psychiatry, 2015 Mar;2(3):199-201.

PMID: 26359888 DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00124-2

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Health Services*

Nepal Disaster: A Public Health Response Needed

Binns C, Low WY

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Jul;27(5):484-5.

PMID: 26116652 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515593015

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Needs and Demand*

Southeast Asian countries vie with each other to woo foreign patients

Choo V

Lancet, 2002 Sep 28;360(9338):1004.

PMID: 12383679

Matched MeSH terms: Marketing of Health Services/methods*

Fulltext Social problems and care of the elderly

Arokiasamy JT

Med J Malaysia, 1997 Sep;52(3):231-7.

PMID: 10968091

Several countries of Asia, including Malaysia, have in recent years experienced spectacular economic growth and social change. This, together with declining fertility
rates and mortality rates, and accompanying increased
expectation of life at birth have resulted in rapid population ageing of these countries. However, relative
to the developed countries, where fertility and mortality declines, and improvements in social and economic conditions have evolved gradually over a period of a century, these phenomena in the developing countries of Southeast Asia are evolving in a much shorter time period aided by the availability of medical and technological advances and interventions that can prevent deaths and births and prolong the duration of disability free years of life. This poses a challenge to countries like Malaysia who have to cope with the ageing phenomenon with limited resources that are available. The elderly are a heterogeneous group who are affected by both health and non health factors. The latter are largely social factors related to health that contribute to social problems faced by the elderly. This paper addresses these before looking at the care of the elderly.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Services for the Aged*

Fulltext Child health delivery in Asia

Chen PCY

Med J Malaysia, 1986 Mar;41(1):93-8.

PMID: 3796358

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health Services*

Fulltext Child health strategies in primary health care

Jelliffee DB

Med J Malaysia, 1986 Mar;41(1):84-7.

PMID: 3796356

Various key aspects needing consideration in primary health care services for children are described. These include the need for basic curative facilities, a dyodic approach, concentration on major issues, use of appropriate technology and cultural appropriateness.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Health Services*

Focus on Malaysia

Chen PC

Trop Doct, 1971 Oct;1(4):183-6.

PMID: 5152672

Matched MeSH terms: Community Health Services*

Priorities in a modern tuberculosis program in developing countries

Sodhy JS

Med J Malaya, 1970 Mar;24(3):171-5.

PMID: 4246795

Matched MeSH terms: Community Health Services*

Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 938 in total