The prevalence of tooth loss amongst the elderly is generally very high. Hence mastication and subsequently nutrition is greatly affected leading to the impairment of their general health. Therefore denture construction is an important aspect in the rehabilitation of the oral and general health in most elderlies. However, poorly constructed dentures and lack of maintenance coupled with various other health and healthrelated problems of the elderly, for instance poor general health especially with immunocompromised states, multiple medication intake, xerostomia, reduced mobility, economic status, mental state and ignorance may all lead to discomfort and denture associated lesions in these elderly patients. No regional studies or data on denture-related lesions in the general population have been reported. Previous epidemiological studies of adults in Malaysia (1,2) and other local studies have not investigated lesions of the oral tissues associated with geriatric denture wearers although studies in developed countries, where prevalence of denture usage is high, have noted that denture-related lesions to be the most common group of oral mucosal lesions in the elderly (3-7). As has been reported in most developing countries, the proportion of elderly in Malaysia is also increasing. It has also been noted that the mean number of teeth present decreases as age increases; in those between 15 to 19 years, all 28 teeth are present, 35 to 44 years-old have 23 teeth whereas those above 65 years retain only 12 teeth. Edentulousness increases from 0% to 7.3% to 56.6% in these age groups respectively (2). It is anticipated that with the increasing population of the elderly in Malaysia and the improving economy, the proportion of denture wearers in the population will increase. In view of the lack of investigations in Malaysia focusing exclusively on this group of lesions, it is therefore the aim of this pilot investigation to highlight the prevalence of denture- related lesions in a representative population of the elderly living in the community, both in the urban and rural areas. It may also form a basis against which future studies can be compared.
Background : A cross-sectional survey was carried out in December 2007 to compare the healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) of stroke survivors with that of general Malaysian population.
Methodology : Stroke patients were recruited from two community-based rehabilitation centres in Selangor. HRQoL was assessed using Medical Outcome 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).
Result : A total of 61 patients (34 males and 27 females) were interviewed. Majority were Chinese (85%) and a small percentage were Malays (15%). 82% (n=50) were elderly of 60 years and above, and the remaining 18% (n=11) were younger patients. 64% had stroke for one year and more, and 36% were less than a year post-stroke. All subjects were community-dwellers and lived with their families. The result showed that with the exception of bodily pain, the mean score of all SF-36 health domains of stroke patients were lower than that of the general population. The greatest difference was in role physical, followed by physical functioning. Female patients demonstrated higher score than the males in all SF-36 domains, in particular general health (57.2 vs 70.3, p=0.01) and social functioning (52.2 vs 73.1, p=0.00). There were no differences of HRQoL domains after comparison according to poststroke duration (all p>0.05).
Conclusion : HRQoL of stroke survivors is lower than that of Malaysian general population in all SF-36 health domains, with the exception of bodily pain.
The unstable living situation in Iraq in the last 10 years after 2003 war affected the daily life of most Iraqis, and especially the children. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of an unstable living environment on children’s health. A community-based qualitative study was done to collect data from 20 mothers of children (age 7 to 8years old) through in-depth interview (IDI). Data was recorded using tape recorders and was later transcribed and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis techniques. The majority of mothers interviewed said the past nine years of unstable security in the capital had affected their daily life; some mothers also expressed concern about their child’s nutritional status, their eating habits during the school day, and the unhealthy food being sold at school canteens. As a conclusion, the unstable living situations in Baghdad city after the last war had affected the cognitive and nutritional development of children. More precautions should be taken by parents to ensure their children safety in the future.
Introduction: In view of high healthcare expenditure, Malaysia also faces problems in healthcare financing. The policy option is to establish a national health financing scheme. However, it is a problem to develop mechanisms to cover social insurance package to more than one third of the population working in informal sector such as farmers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to assess the ability and willingness of the farming community. The main objective was to study the ability and willingness in the farming community to contribute to national healthcare financing scheme.
Methodology: This a cross sectional study involved 400 farmers in Selangor. A total of 92.3% farmers were able to pay for the healthcare.
Results: Willingness to contribute to The national healthcare financing scheme were RM2.00 per month.
Conclusion: The education level influenced the ability to pay while the educational level and per capita income influenced willingness to pay.
Objective: This descriptive cross-section, community-based study examined the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and quality of life (QOL) and the associated factors among family caregivers of hospice patients with cancer. Methods: Subjects were 50 family caregivers of cancer patients under the care of Hospice Malaysia homecare. Home visits were done in Klang Valley. Psychiatric morbidity was detected using GHQ-30 English and Bahasa Malaysia versions, and the QOL was assessed by the Short Form 36 items (SF-36) questionnaire. Results:The study results showed that 54% of respondents had psychiatric morbidity. The educational status and the relationship between family caregivers and the cancer patients were statistically significant (p
Introduction: It is estimated that 4.9 million people worldwide died in 2000 as a result of their addiction to nicotine, about half of them prematurely. This huge death toll is rising rapidly, especially in low and middle income countries where most of the world’s 1.2 billion tobacco users live.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine (i) the prevalence of smoking among the community aged 18 and above in Terengganu state, and (ii) the relationship between smoking and age, sex, educational level, family and peer influence.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in this study and data was collected using a standardised pre-tested structured questionnaire.
Results: The overall mean age of the respondents was 38.9 (95% CI= 37.7 – 40.2) years. The majority of the respondents were Malays (99.1%). Of the 653 respondents, 32.2% and 23.6% were ever and current smokers respectively. Of this, 211 ever smokers, 199 (94.3%) were males and only 12 (5.7%) were females. The prevalence of ever and current smokers for males was 73.2% and 53.7% respectively compared to the females (3.1% and 2.1% respectively). There was a significant association between smoking status and sex (p<0.001). The prevalence of ever smokers was lowest amongst respondents with college or university educational level. However, for current smokers, those with college or university education had the highest prevalence. The overall mean initiation age of ever smokers was 19.7 years (95% CI = 18.8 – 20.7). The mean initiation age for the males (19. 1 years) was significantly lower compared to 29.8 years for the females (p<0.001). The mean duration of smoking for the current smokers was 21.6 (95% CI= 19.1 – 24) years. There was also no significant difference in the mean duration of current smoking for males compared to the females (p = 0.5). The majority (93.4%) of the ever smokers started either because their friends asked them to try or they were trying for fun. The quit ratio was 27%.
Conclusion : The prevalence of ever and current smokers in males is very high (73.2% and 53.7% respectively) compared with the females (3.1% and 2.1% respectively). The mean initiation age for the males (19.1 years) was significantly lower compared to 29.8 years for the females (p<0.001). Key words: Smoking, prevalence, initiation age, duration, Terengganu state
Leisure involvement is an essential element in the daily life of the elderly people. Little is known, however, about the perceived leisure constraints among them, especially among the increasing elderly population in Malaysia. This study aims to explore constraints perceived by the elderly that prevent them from actively involved in leisure. In depth interviews were conducted, involving a total of 20 elderly aged 60 years and above with stratification by background characteristics. Each interview was conducted for an average of 15 to 30 minutes and discontinued when a saturation point was achieved. They were purposively selected from two health clinics located in two different districts in the state of Selangor, representing an urban and a rural area. Elderly participation in leisure activities was constrained by many factors. These factors can be divided into individual, family and community factors such as increasing age and related physical deterioration , education level, health status and the existence of chronic illness, absence of family member or friends to perform the activity together and non-conducive environment. The constraints should be endorsed and acknowledged by the relevant agencies and authorities in order to facilitate effective implementation of related policies, strategies and programmes to improve the health of the elderly people. These include the provision of appropriate services and facilities to cater senior citizens from various health and demographic perspectives.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the home environment was a risk factor for falls occurring at home among the elderly in the Masjid Tanah community, Malaysia. An analytical cross-sectional study conducted from early June 2006 until May 2007 in six randomly selected villages in Masjid Tanah Province. A total of 516 participants were included in this study. Overall prevalence of falls among the study participants was 27.3%. Home falls accounted for 66.7% of the total falls. In conclusion, there was no association between home environment and home fall in this study. Logistic regression analysis showed that having a depressive mood was the main determinant for home falls among the elderly in this study.
Background: In line with a rapidly ageing global population, the rise in the frequency of falls will lead to increased healthcare and social care costs. This study will be one of the few randomized controlled trials evaluating a multifaceted falls intervention in a low-middle income, culturally-diverse older Asian community. The primary objective of our paper is to evaluate whether individually tailored multifactorial interventions will successfully reduce the number of falls among older adults.
Methods: Three hundred community-dwelling older Malaysian adults with a history of (i) two or more falls, or (ii) one injurious fall in the past 12 months will be recruited. Baseline assessment will include cardiovascular, frailty, fracture risk, psychological factors, gait and balance, activities of daily living and visual assessments. Fallers will be randomized into 2 groups: to receive tailored multifactorial interventions (intervention group); or given lifestyle advice with continued conventional care (control group). Multifactorial interventions will target 6 specific risk factors. All participants will be re-assessed after 12 months. The primary outcome measure will be fall recurrence, measured with monthly falls diaries. Secondary outcomes include falls risk factors; and psychological measures including fear of falling, and quality of life.
Discussion: Previous studies evaluating multifactorial interventions in falls have reported variable outcomes.
Given likely cultural, personal, lifestyle and health service differences in Asian countries, it is vital that
individually-tailored multifaceted interventions are evaluated in an Asian population to determine applicability of these interventions in our setting. If successful, these approaches have the potential for widespread application in geriatric healthcare services, will reduce the projected escalation of falls and fall-related injuries, and improve the quality of life of our older community.
Trial registration: ISRCTN11674947
Study: Malaysian Falls Assessment and Intervention Trial; MyFAIT
The inherent economic and social challenges in major cities have been known to foster stress among the urban population. Frequent stress over long periods may well have serious damaging outcomes, resulting in ailments such as burnout syndrome, sleeplessness and exhaustion, depression, feelings of panic, among others. Therefore, providing access to resources that may enable people to cope with the stress of urban life has become a crucial phenomenon in the twentieth century. Increasing empirical evidence indicates that the presence of natural areas can contribute to enhancing the quality of life in many ways. This study examines two historical Persian gardens from the residents' perspective in well-known, historic cities of Iran: Isfahan and Kerman. The data were collected through questionnaires (n = 252), semi-structured interviews (n = 20), and visual observation techniques. The findings demonstrate that nature, diversity and the gardens' historical background, and coherence motivate the residents' frequent visits to the gardens, which help to address their social, psychological, and physical needs. In addition, the residents' involvements and the variety of experiences that occur in the gardens lead to the creation of deeper meanings and values associated with the gardens. Subsequently, these construct functional and emotional attachment that evokes a sense of place and identity and may contribute to society's health and well-being.
Dengue fever is a major public health problem in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess factors affecting knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dengue fever among a selected population in Malaysia. A descriptive, community-based, cross sectional study was conducted with 300 participants from three different geographical settings in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas within the states of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The questionnaire included questions on demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dengue fever. Mean age of respondents was 34.4 (+/- 5.7) years, and the age ranged from 18 to 65 years. The majority of respondents were married (54.7%), Malays (72.7%) and heard about dengue fever (89.7%). Television was the common source of information about dengue fever (97.0%). Participants answered 4 out of 15 items of knowledge incorrectly. There was no significant association between knowledge score and socio-demographic factors. About one-fifth of the respondents (24%) believed that immediate treatment is not necessary for dengue fever, and the majority of them were not afraid of the disease (96.0%). Attitudes toward dengue fever were significantly associated with the level of education and employment status (p < 0.05). Practice was associated significantly with age, marital status, and geographic area (p < 0.05) and knowledge on dengue fever (p = 0.030). There is a need to increase health promotion activities through campaigns and social mobilization to increase knowledge regarding dengue fever. This would help to mold positive attitudes and cultivate better preventive practices among the public to eliminate dengue in the country.
Children's physical activity has been correlated with child characteristics and social or physical environment. This study aimed to compare preschoolers' physical activity among various sociodemographic characteristics and to determine barriers, motivators, and environmental factors for active play. A total of 835 preschoolers were included in this analysis. Time spent on active play, quiet play, and screen time was reported by parents. Boys spent significantly more time on active play and screen time than girls. Time spent on quiet play was highest in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia and lowest in Sarawak. Some 40% of children achieved active play recommendation while 27% exceeded daily screen time recommendation. Most parents reported that their child played actively in the house area; and that the main barrier and motivator to active play were safety and child's enjoyment, respectively. These findings demonstrate that sociodemographic characteristics and environment should be considered in designing physical activity intervention programs.
MESH: screen time
Matched MeSH terms: Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data
This study was to assess differences in the symptom profile of depressive illness across various countries/territories in Asia. The study was a part of the Research on Asia Psychotropic Prescription project. The participating countries/territories include China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Matched MeSH terms: Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data
To investigate the role of geography (place of residence) as a moderator in the relationship between dental caries disease and treatment experience and dental fear in 16-year-olds living in Malaysia.
Matched MeSH terms: Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data
Physical inactivity has been acknowledged as a public health issue and has received increasing attention in recent years. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the barriers to physical activity among Malaysian men. These barriers were analyzed with regards to sociodemographic factors, physical activity level, BMI and waist circumference.
Matched MeSH terms: Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data
A total of 1,157 sera from jaundiced patients with clinical and biochemical evidence of liver disease received from government hospital in Kelantan and Terengganu, during the period from 1994 to 1997, were investigated to determine the cause. Hepatitis A virus was found to be the main cause in 26.1% (24/92) of symptomatic clinical hepatitis cases in 1994, 47.8% (63/132) in 1995, 66.4% (613/923) in 1996 and 20% (2/10) in 1997. Sera received in 1996 were also tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E. 1.4% (13/923) anti-bodies were found to be positive for HBc IgM indicating recent HBV infection, 5.4% (50/923) for total HCV Ab, 0.9% (8/923) for total HDV Ab and 0.4% (4/923) for anti-HEV IgM. This study shows that HAV is still a major problem in Kelantan and Terengganu, and there is a need to identify effective strategies for prevention and control in these two states.
Matched MeSH terms: Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data
Fertility differentials between rural and urban populations are investigated using World Fertility Survey data for Bangladesh, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. "The fertility measure used in this analysis is the number of children ever born to a woman. An attempt is made first to establish the differential in fertility levels between urban and rural areas after necessary control of the demographic factors..., and then the possible explanation of the differential is sought in terms of socio-economic variables such as education of the respondent, and occupation, work pattern, work status and place of work of the respondent as well as that of the husband." Data concerning the fertility differentials and the associated explanatory variables are presented in tables and charts. "The results tend to show that the countries of Asia are undergoing similar patterns of fertility transition as was experienced in the advanced countries. Perhaps one can graduate the countries in the transition scale as follows: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Malaysia are in the initial stage; Fiji, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand are in the middle stage of transition."