Displaying publications 61 - 80 of 770 in total

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  1. Aamir K., Khan H., Arya A.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Polymetabolic syndrome is a malady encompassing centralized accumulation of lipids and subsequent resistance to insulin leading towards diabesity. Currently, this condition is perilous threat to public health and also, creating perplexity for medical scientists. There is an intensive need for the development of obese rodent model having close resemblance with human metabolic syndrome (MetS); so that intricate molecular and/or therapeutic
    targets can be elucidated. The resultant simulations will be beneficial to explicate not only pathogenesis but also secret conversation of signaling pathways in inducing MetS related complications in other organs. Methods: Currently, there are different methods for the development of rodent models of MetS, for instance, utilizing high lipogenic diet, genetic alterations, induction by chemicals or by combination of high fat diet and few others. In general, combination of cafeteria or western diet and low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) is a fine example of diet induced experimental model. In this model animals are allowed free access to highly palatable, energy dense, unhealthy human food for 12-18 weeks which promotes voluntary hyperphagia resulting in weight gain, increased fat mass and insulin resistance. At the end of feeding period 30mg/kg STZ is given intraperitoneally to mimic human type 2 diabetic condition.
    Conclusion: Consumption of cafeteria diet with low dose STZ is considered to be the robust model of diabesity offering an exceptional stage to investigate the genomic, molecular, biochemical and cellular mechanisms of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  2. Chin YSJ, De Pretto L, Thuppil V, Ashfold MJ
    PLoS One, 2019;14(3):e0212206.
    PMID: 30870439 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212206
    As in many nations, air pollution linked to rapid industrialization is a public health and environmental concern in Malaysia, especially in cities. Understanding awareness of air pollution and support for environmental protection from the general public is essential for informing governmental approaches to dealing with this problem. This study presents a cross-sectional survey conducted in the Klang Valley and Iskandar conurbations to examine urban Malaysians' perception, awareness and opinions of air pollution. The survey was conducted in two languages, English and Malay, and administered through the online survey research software, Qualtrics. The survey consisted of three sections, where we collected sociodemographic information, information on the public perception of air quality and the causes of air pollution, information on public awareness of air pollution and its related impacts, and information on attitudes towards environmental protection. Of 214 respondents, over 60% were positive towards the air quality at both study sites despite the presence of harmful levels of air pollution. The air in the Klang Valley was perceived to be slightly more polluted and causing greater health issues. Overall, the majority of respondents were aware that motor vehicles represent the primary pollution source, yet private transport was still the preferred choice of transportation mode. A generally positive approach towards environmental protection emerged from the data. However, participants showed stronger agreement with protection actions that do not involve individual effort. Nonetheless, we found that certain segments of the sample (people owning more than three vehicles per household and those with relatives who suffered from respiratory diseases) were significantly more willing to personally pay for environmental protection compared to others. Implications point to the need for actions for spreading awareness of air pollution to the overall population, especially with regards to its health risks, as well as strategies for increasing the perception of behavioural control, especially with regards to motor vehicles' usage.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  3. Thaver I, Ashraf M
    J Pak Med Assoc, 2017 Apr;67(4):651.
    PMID: 28420937
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health*; Education, Public Health Professional*
  4. Pang T, Gubler D, Goh DYT, Ismail Z, Asia Dengue Vaccine Advocacy Group
    Lancet, 2018 02 17;391(10121):654.
    PMID: 29617262 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30245-9
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  5. Lee L, Patrick W, Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2002;14(1):47-8.
    PMID: 12597519
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health*
  6. Vikneswaran Sabramani, Halim Ismail, Asrul Abdul Wahab
    Int J Public Health Res, 2015;5(2):584-591.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction Helminthiasis is a common parasitic condition particularly among children in
    rural areas in developing countries where poor hygiene standard is practiced.
    The study aimed to determine the prevalence of helminthiasis among Indian
    preschoolers in urban areas in Penang and its associated factors.

    Methods A total of 194 urban Indian preschoolers aged 4 to 6 years old were selected
    randomly from 11 kindergartens in the state of Penang for this cross sectional
    study. Data collection was carried out in 2 phases. First, microscopic stool
    examinations were done to examine the presence of helminths. Second, self
    administered questionnaires which inquired about human, environment and
    socioeconomic factors were completed by the parents/guardians.

    Results The overall prevalence of helminthiasis was 7.2% and the most frequently
    encountered infective agent was Ascaris lumbricoides (57.1%) and followed
    by the tapeworms (42.86%). The logistic regression indicated that habitual
    thumb sucking (AOR= 5.6. 95%CI: 1.73-18.39) and families owning
    domestic pets (AOR= 3.2; 95%CI: 1.03-10.14) were the significant
    contributing factors to helminthiasis among the Indian pre-schoolers in urban
    Penang. Although the prevalence of helminth infection among the urban
    Indian preschoolers is lower than rural area, it is still a public health concern.
    Children habitual thumb sucking and rearing domestic pets at home were the
    significant contributing factors in helminthiasis.

    Conclusion Prevention strategy should focus on health education and promotion among
    adults and children, awareness on domestic animal hygiene and maintaining
    good environmental sanitation. Multi agency collaboration is clearly
    essential, especially between state health, education and veterinary
    departments in curbing this disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  7. Abdi Guled, Rashid, Nik Mazlan Mamat, Wan Azdie Mohd Abu Bakar, Belachew, Tefera, Assefa, Nega
    MyJurnal
    Malnutrition is a major public health problem worldwide. More than half of under-five child deaths are due to undernutrition, mainly in developing countries. Ethiopia is among the highestin Sub-Saharan Africa. While,Somali regionis the worstin Ethiopia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  8. Balami AD, Said SM, Zulkefli NM, Bachok N, Audu BM
    BMC Public Health, 2020 Mar 24;20(1):384.
    PMID: 32204704 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08513-y
    BACKGROUND: Many studies on malaria knowledge, attitude and practice among pregnant women have been conducted in Hausa speaking communities in Nigeria. Despite this, no standard and uniform instrument for assessing this important public health problem has been developed in the Hausa language, even though it is widely spoken. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire in Hausa language assessing information, motivation, and behavioural skills for malaria prevention during pregnancy.

    METHODS: The questionnaire was first developed in English language, and then assessed for its contents by a team of experts. It was then forwardly translated to Hausa, and backwardly translated again to English by independent language experts. These two English versions were then compared by a Public Health expert, following which the questionnaire was administered to 190 Hausa speaking antenatal care attendees. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on the data collected. Sixty three out of the 190 respondents were invited after 2 weeks to answer the same questionnaire, following which reliability tests were performed.

    RESULTS: The questionnaire showed good internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.859, 0.890 and 0.773 for information, motivation and behavioural skills constructs respectively. The motivation and behavioural skills constructs were able to delineate their items into three and two sub-sections respectively. The factor loadings for the two constructs ranged from 0.610 to 0.965. As for test retest reliability, the Krippendorff's alpha values for the items of the motivation section ranged from 0.941 to 0.996; that for behavioural skills ranged from 0.810 to 0.953, while for frequency of ITN use, it was 0.988. The Cohen's kappa values for the information section ranged from 0.689-0.974, except the item for 'fever' (zazzabi) which was 0.382, and was as such reworded to a simpler terminology 'hotness of the body' (zafin jiki).

    CONCLUSIONS: The Hausa language IMB questionnaire on malaria in pregnancy demonstrated good validity, and a high level of reliability. It is as such recommended for use among Hausa speaking communities to ensure uniformity and objectivity.

    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  9. Javed A, Lee C, Zakaria H, Buenaventura RD, Cetkovich-Bakmas M, Duailibi K, et al.
    Asian J Psychiatr, 2021 Apr;58:102601.
    PMID: 33611083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102601
    Mental health disorders are a burgeoning global public health challenge, and disproportionately affect the poor. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear 80 % of the mental health disease burden. Stigma associated with mental health results in delayed help seeking, reduced access to health services, suboptimal treatment, poor outcomes and an increased risk of individuals' human rights violations. Moreover, widespread co-occurrence of physical comorbidities such as noncommunicable diseases with mental health disorders makes the treatment of both conditions challenging and worsens prognosis. This paper explores various aspects of stigma towards mental health with a focus on LMICs and assesses measures to increase help-seeking and access to and uptake of mental health services. Stigma impacts persons living with mental illness, their families and caregivers and healthcare professionals (mental health professionals, non-psychiatric specialists and general practitioners) imparting mental health care. Cultural, socio-economic and religious factors determine various aspects of mental health in LMICs, ranging from perceptions of health and illness, health seeking behavior, attitudes of the individuals and health practitioners and mental health systems. Addressing stigma requires comprehensive and inclusive mental health policies and legislations; sustainable and culturally-adapted awareness programs; capacity building of mental health workforce through task-shifting and interprofessional approaches; and improved access to mental health services by integration with primary healthcare and utilizing existing pathways of care. Future strategies targeting stigma reduction must consider the enormous physical comorbidity burden associated with mental health, prioritize workplace interventions and importantly, address the deterioration of population mental health from the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  10. Marilyn Charlene Montini Maluda, Michelle May D. Goroh, Tan, Eric Chee How, Syed Sharizman Syed Abdul Rahim, Richard Avoi, Mohammad Saffree Jeffree, et al.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Melioidosis, also known as Whitmore disease, is caused by the gram-negative bacillus, Burkholderia pseudomallei and remains a public health concern in Southeast Asia and northern parts of Australia. This study attempts to identify all possible complications of melioidosis and its outcomes.
    Methods: Literature search was conducted from databases such as PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus from 1st January 2000 to 31st August 2019. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) search strategy was used with the terms ‘Melioidosis’ or ‘Burkholderia pseudomallei’ and ‘Complications’.
    Results: A total of 162 titles were identified and 22 articles were included in the review. Findings showed that among the 22 articles, the ratio of male to female melioidosis incidence was 2.3 to 1, with most cases (86.4%) aged older than 14 years old and showed a mean age of 46 years old. A third (7/22) of the papers reported the involvement of the nervous system as a complication of melioidosis followed by cardiovascular complications. Among the 23 cases reported, 13 had underlying medical conditions with most of them (84.6%) having diabetes mellitus or newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Overall, only one case (4.3%) had resulted in mortality, while 17.4% developed complications and 78.3% managed a full recovery after undergoing treatment for melioidosis.
    Conclusion: The most commonly found complication of melioidosis involved the nervous system but patient outcomes were favourable. Rare complications included mycotic aneurysm that can be fatal. Melioidosis can affect almost any organ leading to various complications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  11. Norfazilah Ahmad, Siti Norbayah Yusof, Nurmawati Ahmad, Zaleha Md Nor, Juhaida Mohd Noor, Hasanain Faisal Ghazi, et al.
    Int J Public Health Res, 2018;8(1):924-932.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health challenge especially in low- and middle-income countries reflects improper, delayed or missed diagnosis. Contact screening should be utilized both as an efficient and effective targeted approach to intensify TB case finding.
    Methods Through a comprehensive systematic literature review of online database, this paper aims at providing an insight into the current practice of TB contact screening and to provide evidence based practice for formulation of appropriate policies in low- and middle-income countries. There are 24 articles included in this review from studies published from 2005 to 2014.
    Results Findings in literature varies substantially. Generally, contact screening is better intensified with clear operational guidelines, adequate training, include close contact outside household as appropriate and follow up at least for 1 year. Prioritizing high risk close contacts is helpful in resource limited setting. Tuberculin skin test is still of value as screening tool and intensified case finding must be accompanied with effective management protocol. Prophylaxis treatment is recommended especially for children especially less than 5 years old, unvaccinated, malnourished, living with person having HIV and close contact with MDR-TB.
    Conclusions Policy recommendations in improving TB management must incorporate complementary strategies to enhance case finding, effective management protocol for follow up or prophylaxis treatment, training for public health capacity and concerted dedication from various stakeholders
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  12. Nor Dalila Marican, Rozita Hod, Nadiah Wan-Arfah, Azmi Hassan
    Int J Public Health Res, 2018;8(1):933-938.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction Non-specific low back pain is one of the most common physical ailments
    affecting millions of people worldwide. This condition constitutes a
    significant public health problem and was listed as a prevalent health
    complaint in most societies. Even though there are many anecdotal claims
    for reflexology in the treatment of various conditions such as a migraine,
    arthritis and multiple sclerosis, but very little clinical evidence exists for
    reflexology on the management of low back pain per se. This study aims to
    evaluate the effects of foot reflexology therapy as an adjunctive treatment to
    the Malaysian low back pain standard care in relieving pain and promoting
    health-related quality of life among people with non-specific low back pain.
    Methods This is a parallel randomized controlled trial with pre and post-treatment
    study design. The study setting for the intervention located at Penawar
    Reflexology Center, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. A total of 100
    participants with non-specific low back pain will be allocated to one of two
    groups, using a randomization computer program of Research Randomizer.
    The control group will receive low back pain standard care, while the
    intervention group will receive standard care plus eight sessions of foot
    reflexology therapy. The pain intensity and health-related quality of life
    scores will be measured using Visual Analogue Scale and Euro-quality of
    life scale respectively in both groups. The study was approved by the
    Human Research Ethics Committee of University Sultan Zainal Abidin
    (UHREC/2016/2/011). The study protocol was registered at
    ClinicalTrials.gov, with the ID number of NCT02887430.
    Measurements Outcome measures will be undertaken at pre-intervention (week 1), postintervention
    (week 6) and follow-up (week 10).
    Conclusions This will be the first trial to compare the foot reflexology therapy with
    control group among people who medically diagnosed with non-specific low
    back pain in Malaysia. The result of this study will contribute to better
    management of this population, especially for Malaysia healthcare setting.

    Study site: Penawar Reflexology Center, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  13. Maiwada, Abdullahi Mohammed, Nik Mazlan Mamat, Nor Azlina A. Rahman, Suzanah Abdul Rahman, Baba, Tukur Mohammed
    MyJurnal
    Reproductive and Maternal health are an important components of public health and medicine which are concerned with the complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing in all matters regarding reproductive system and health of mother especially during pregnancy.It implies ensuring that all women receive the care they need to be safe and healthy throughout pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. However, according to World Health Organization, millions of women all over the world do not have access to good quality health services during pregnancy and childbirth resulting in mortalities. Islam is a complete way of life. The Qur’an and Hadith consider pregnancy and child bearing as signs among other signs of the divine existence of Allah.The importance of maternal and reproductive is thus not unexplained in the Islamic perspectives. The study look at what role Muslim religious leaders can play in the prevention of maternal deaths and morbidities in developing countries. A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews and focus groups discussion with a purposive sample of some Muslim religious leaders from Gusau local government area of Zamfara state northwest Nigeria in order to elicit information about the Islamic perspectives of reproductive and maternal health and the roles they can play in the prevention of maternal deaths among the Muslim communities. Muslim Religious leaders have a crucial role and contribution for the attainment and maintenance of good heath of women and children among Muslim communities through public enlightenment in the context of ‘ilm’, providing guidance through ‘Fatwah’ and community mobilization in the spirit brotherhood ‘ukhuwah’.Islam does not accept the “preventable death of a woman” due to childbirth or pregnancy. Thus, Islam encourages attendance of antenatal care visits and health care seeking.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  14. Hussain R, Dawoud DM, Babar ZU
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2021 01;17(1):1920-1924.
    PMID: 32792322 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.07.015
    Countries around the globe have responded to pandemic preparedness and developed strategies to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. In this context, the role of healthcare professionals is of paramount importance. Pharmacists are playing a vital role in dealing, preparedness, prevention, protection, promoting access to medicines and to improve health outcomes during this crisis. In this context, "Drive-thru" pharmacy services improve access to medicines while ensuring the preventive measures suggested by the World Health Organization. This commentary provides an overview of opportunities and challenges related to the implementation of "drive-thru pharmacy services" and their role in improving public health during this crisis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  15. Marzukhi, M.I., Daud, A.R., Badrul Hisham, A.S.
    MyJurnal
    Past major flooding events for the state of Johore, Malaysia were recorded in 1926, 1967, 1968 and 1971. However, major meteorological phenomena that hit Johore on the 19th December 2006 (first wave) and the 12th January 2007 (second wave) were claimed to be the worst flood disaster in Johore in a 100 years. All eight districts were affected displacing 157,018 and 155,368 population during the first and the second wave event respectively. The Johore Health Department deployed substantial number of medical and health personnel to deal with the Johore flood crisis. Flood-related data were collected on daily basis between 19th December 2006 and 19th February 2007 using spreadsheet format from Flood Operational Rooms located at respective District Health Offices. Among flood victims 34,530 were found to have non-communicable diseases and 19,670 with communicable diseases. No major food- and water-borne disease outbreaks, such as cholera and typhoid, were reported in Johore. High success of public health measures was depending on the workforce of medical and health personnel on the ground. On the other hand, voluntary services offered by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector and other volunteers should be well coordinated without compromising regulatory and ethical requirements. Crisis guidelines and plan of actions shall be updated so that they would be more relevant to the crises encountered on the ground.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  16. Baha Latif
    Medical Health Reviews, 2009;2009(2):27-46.
    MyJurnal
    This review places emphasis on the food and water borne protozoal diseases like, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, and toxoplasmosis which are endemic in many parts of the world. The article addresses cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, cyclosporiasis, and toxoplasmosis. Cryptosporidium and Giardia are widespread in the environment and major outbreaks have occurred as a result of contaminated drinking water. Cyclospora has significance in the preparation and consumption of fresh food that have not received heat treatment. Toxoplasma gondii, transmission occur through contaminated water, unpasteurised milk and also the consumption of raw meat, which has been regarded as a major route of transmission to humans .These parasitic protozoa do not multiply in foods, but they may survive in or on moist foods for months especially in cool and damp environment. Their ecology makes control of these parasites difficult. Transmission, clinical manifestations, outbreaks, public health surveillance and control measures that are used for those diseases will be reviewed in this article.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health Surveillance
  17. Haque M, McKimm J, Sartelli M, Samad N, Haque SZ, Bakar MA
    J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol, 2020 03 03;27(1):e76-e103.
    PMID: 32170920 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v27i1.666
    The provision of healthy and safe food is vital for human health, and the addition of unnecessary sugars in foodstuffs is an important global issue, leading to multiple long- and short-term health issues and spiraling costs for individuals and governments alike. The negative effect of excess sugar consumption contributes to adverse health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and poor oral health in both high and low resource settings. A key plank of governmental and health promotion bodies' nutritional guidance is to raise public awareness of "hidden" sugars, salt, and fats, such as found in processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and guide individuals to reduce their consumption. This rapid narrative review brings together some of the key issues identified in the literature around the consumption of SSBs, including patterns of consumption, the general impact on human health and nutrition, specific effects on oral health and the oral microbiome, and strategies to address over-consumption. The range of long-term adverse effects on health is often misunderstood or unknown by the public. However, some strategies have succeeded in reducing the consumption of SSBs, including public health strategies and interventions and the imposition of taxes or levies, and this article makes recommendations for action.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health*
  18. Zin NNINM, Rahimi WNAWM, Bakar NA
    Malays J Med Sci, 2019 Nov;26(6):19-34.
    PMID: 31908584 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2019.26.6.3
    Parasitic diseases represent one of the causes for significant global economic, environmental and public health impacts. The efficacy of currently available anti-parasitic drugs has been threatened by the emergence of single drug- or multidrug-resistant parasite populations, vector threats and high cost of drug development. Therefore, the discovery of more potent anti-parasitic drugs coming from medicinal plants such as Quercus infectoria is seen as a major approach to tackle the problem. A systematic review was conducted to assess the efficacy of Q. infectoria in treating parasitic diseases both in vitro and in vivo due to the lack of such reviews on the anti-parasitic activities of this plant. This review consisted of intensive searches from three databases including PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. Articles were selected throughout the years, limited to English language and fully documented. A total of 454 potential articles were identified, but only four articles were accepted to be evaluated based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Although there were insufficient pieces of evidence to account for the efficacy of Q. infectoria against the parasites, this plant appears to have anti-leishmanial, anti-blastocystis and anti-amoebic activities. More studies in vitro and in vivo are warranted to further validate the anti-parasitic efficacy of Q. infectoria.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  19. Ahmad A, Khan MU, Balkrishnan R
    Lancet Glob Health, 2016 08;4(8):e521.
    PMID: 27443777 DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30093-6
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health
  20. Roehler DR, Ear C, Parker EM, Sem P, Ballesteros MF
    Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot, 2015;22(2):165-71.
    PMID: 24499413 DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2013.876050
    This study examines the risk characteristics of fatal motorcycle crashes in Cambodia over a 5-year period (2007-2011). Secondary data analyses were conducted using the Cambodia Road Crash and Victim Information System, the only comprehensive and integrated road crash surveillance system in the country. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Handicap International found that (1) males are dying in motorcycle crashes roughly seven times more frequently than females; (2) motorcyclist fatalities increased by about 30% from 2007 to 2011; (3) the motorcyclist death rates per 100,000 population increased from 7.4 to 8.7 deaths from 2007 to 2011; and (4) speed-related crashes and not wearing motorcycle helmet were commonly reported for motorcyclist fatalities at approximately 50% and over 80% through the study years, respectively. Additionally, this study highlights that Cambodia has the highest motorcycle death rate in South-East Asia, far surpassing Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar. By recognising the patterns of fatal motorcycle crashes in Cambodia, local road-safety champions and stakeholders can design targeted interventions and preventative measures to improve road safety among motorcyclists.
    Matched MeSH terms: Public Health Surveillance
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