Displaying publications 81 - 100 of 5181 in total

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  1. A comparison of factors associated with physical inactivity among East Asian college students
    Seo DC, Torabi MR, Chin MK, Huang SF, Chen CK, Mok MM, et al.
    Int J Behav Med, 2012 Sep;19(3):316-23.
    PMID: 21562780 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-011-9167-4
    BACKGROUND: Little is known on the level of physical inactivity and its behavioral and cultural correlates among East Asian college students.
    PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine and compare the level and behavioral and cultural correlates of physical inactivity among college students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.
    METHOD: Data were collected from a representative sample of college students (N = 12,137) in five East Asian economies during the 2008-2009 academic year. The stratified random sampling (stratum: geographic region) was used to select participating institutions. The overall response rate was 77%.
    RESULTS: The percentage of physically inactive students was 7.2% for Singapore, 8.0% for Malaysia, 13.5% for Taiwan, 16.8% for Hong Kong, and 28.5% for South Korea. When gender, age, and body mass index were controlled, fruit and vegetable consumptions were significant correlates for physical inactivity across all the five economies. In Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan, those who engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past 2 weeks were less likely to be physically inactive than those who did not. Religion and military experience did not independently predict physical inactivity in any of the five economies.
    CONCLUSION: Physical inactivity varies greatly across different economies in East Asia that are usually grouped together and considered a single homogeneous entity by some researchers. However, in terms of correlates of physical inactivity, findings of the current study indicate that the transversal value of physical activity might be transformed into a universal.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  2. A comparison of human elements and nonhuman elements in private health care settings: customers' perceptions and expectations
    Mohd Suki N, Chwee Lian JC, Suki NM
    J Hosp Mark Public Relations, 2009;19(2):113-28.
    PMID: 19827322 DOI: 10.1080/15390940903041567
    In today's highly competitive health care environment, many private health care settings are now looking into customer service indicators to learn customers' perceptions and determine whether they are meeting customers' expectations in order to ensure that their customers are satisfied with the services. This research paper aims to investigate whether the human elements were more important than the nonhuman elements in private health care settings. We used the internationally renowned SERVQUAL five-dimension model plus three additional dimensions-courtesy, communication, and understanding of customers of the human element-when evaluating health care services. A total of 191 respondents from three private health care settings in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia were investigated. Descriptive statistics were calculated by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program, version 15. Interestingly, the results suggested that customers nowadays have very high expectations especially when it comes to the treatment they are receiving. Overall, the research indicated that the human elements were more important than the nonhuman element in private health care settings. Hospital management should look further to improve on areas that have been highlighted. Implications for management practice and directions for future research are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  3. A comparison of knowledge of diabetes mellitus between patients with diabetes and healthy adults: a survey from north Malaysia
    Yun LS, Hassan Y, Aziz NA, Awaisu A, Ghazali R
    Patient Educ Couns, 2007 Dec;69(1-3):47-54.
    PMID: 17720351 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2007.06.017
    Objective: The primary objective of this study was to assess and compare the knowledge of diabetes mellitus possessed by patients with diabetes and healthy adult volunteers in Penang, Malaysia.
    Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 20 February 2006 to 31 March 2006. We randomly selected 120 patients with diabetes mellitus from a diabetic clinic at the General Hospital Penang, Malaysia and 120 healthy adults at a shopping complex in Penang. Each participant was interviewed face-to-face by a pharmacist using a validated questionnaire, and they were required to answer a total of 30 questions concerning knowledge about diabetes mellitus using Yes, No or Unsure as the only response.
    Results: The results showed that patients with diabetes mellitus were significantly more knowledgeable than the healthy volunteers about risk factors, symptoms, chronic complications, treatment and self-management, and monitoring parameters. Educational level was the best predictive factor for diabetes mellitus and public awareness.
    Conclusion: Knowledge about diabetes mellitus should be improved among the general population.
    Practice implications: This study has major implications for the design of an educational programme for diabetics and a health promotion programme as a primary prevention measure for the healthy population in general, and especially for those at high risk. The results could be useful in the design of future studies for evaluating patients' and the general public's knowledge about diabetes mellitus.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  4. A comparison of parenting stress between mothers of children with spina bifida and able-bodied controls
    Ong LC, Norshireen NA, Chandran V
    Dev Neurorehabil, 2011;14(1):22-8.
    PMID: 21241175 DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2010.523057
    To compare parenting stress between mothers of children with spina bifida (SB) and able bodied controls.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  5. Fulltext A comparison of responses to alcohol expectancy questionnaire (CEOA) of Indian and Malaysian medical students
    Ganaraja B, Ramesh BM, Kotian MS
    Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol., 2010;54(3):265-70.
    PMID: 21409864
    Alcohol addiction is a social problem faced by every country worldwide. Young people are more at risk of this menace. In spite of a clear knowledge and message about the effects of alcohol on individual health and social fabric, it is hard to curb the overuse of this beverage. In the present study, we compared the outcome of a survey using Comprehensive effects of Alcohol (CEOA) in two private Medical institutions in two Asian countries, viz. KMC, Mangalore, India (n=180) and AIMST, Kedah, Malaysia (n=170). The study included both males and female students. The result suggested that the negative reinforcement responses were rated higher in both the study groups. But those who have tasted alcohol before had a higher rating that alcohol may cause positive reinforcement. Both groups of respondents showed similar trend suggesting that the alcohol expectancies are similar in Indian students and Malaysian students. From the results we could conclude that the responses of the two sample groups were comparable to each other. While the male respondents were inclined show higher affinity towards acceptance of alcohol females are very much less so. However, the respondents of both groups appeared to be well aware of the negative aspects of alcohol. Importantly previous exposure to alcohol intake dramatically changed the perception and showed increased inclination towards alcoholism. This study thus provides an important clue to the clinician, counselors and parents regarding the importance of guiding the young people about the alcoholism.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires*
  6. Fulltext A comparison of sexual desire in opiate-dependent men receiving methadone and buprenorphine maintenance treatment
    Yee A, Loh HS, Loh HH, Riahi S, Ng CG, Sulaiman AHB
    Ann Gen Psychiatry, 2019;18:25.
    PMID: 31649742 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-019-0249-z
    Background: Methadone is an effective therapy for opiate dependence. However, one of the commonest side effects is sexual dysfunction among male patients. Buprenorphine is an alternative to methadone. This study aimed to compare sexual desire among opiate-dependent male patients on buprenorphine (BMT) and methadone maintenance therapy (MMT).

    Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 126 male opiate-dependent patient who were tested for total testosterone (TT) and prolactin levels, and were interviewed and completed the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2), Malay language of International Index of Erectile Function (Mal-IIEF-15) and the Malay version of the self-rated Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-BM) questionnaires.

    Results: There were 95 (75.4%) patients on MMT and 31 (24.6%) on BMT. Patients on MMT scored significantly lower in the sexual desire domain (Mal-IIEF-15 scores) (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  7. A comparison of the information needs of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in Malaysia and the United kingdom
    Gopal RL, Beaver K, Barnett T, Ismail NS
    Cancer Nurs, 2005 Mar-Apr;28(2):132-40.
    PMID: 15815183
    Little is known about the information needs of women with breast cancer in non-Western societies. This study examined the priority information needs of 100 women with breast cancer in Malaysia and compared the findings to previous work involving 150 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the United Kingdom. The study used a valid and reliable measure, the Information Needs Questionnaire (INQ). The INQ contained 9 items of information related to physical, psychological, and social care, used successfully in Canada and the United Kingdom. The INQ was shown to have cross-cultural relevance and sensitivity. For Malaysian women, information about likelihood of cure, sexual attractiveness, and spread of disease were the most important information needs. For UK women, similar priorities were evident, apart from the item on sexual attractiveness, which was ranked much lower by women in the United Kingdom. The cultural similarities and differences that emerged from this study have implications for nurses in the cancer field caring for people from a diversity of cultural backgrounds. Breast care nurses are not a feature of the Malaysian healthcare system, although the findings from this study support the view that specialist nurses have a vital role to play in meeting the psychosocial needs of women with breast cancer in non-Western societies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  8. Fulltext A comprehensive health effects assessment of the use of sanitizers and disinfectants during COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey
    Hashemi F, Hoepner L, Hamidinejad FS, Haluza D, Afrashteh S, Abbasi A, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Jun;30(28):72368-72388.
    PMID: 37166731 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27197-6
    COVID-19 has affected all aspects of human life so far. From the outset of the pandemic, preventing the spread of COVID-19 through the observance of health protocols, especially the use of sanitizers and disinfectants was given more attention. Despite the effectiveness of disinfection chemicals in controlling and preventing COVID-19, there are critical concerns about their adverse effects on human health. This study aims to assess the health effects of sanitizers and disinfectants on a global scale. A total of 91,056 participants from 154 countries participated in this cross-sectional study. Information on the use of sanitizers and disinfectants and health was collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was translated into 26 languages via web-based platforms. The findings of this study suggest that detergents, alcohol-based substances, and chlorinated compounds emerged as the most prevalent chemical agents compared to other sanitizers and disinfectants examined. Most frequently reported health issues include skin effects and respiratory effects. The Chi-square test showed a significant association between chlorinated compounds (sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine) with all possible health effects under investigation (p-value <0.001). Examination of risk factors based on multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohols and alcohols-based materials were associated with skin effects (OR, 1.98; 95%CI, 1.87-2.09), per-chlorine was associated with eye effects (OR, 1.83; 95%CI, 1.74-1.93), and highly likely with itching and throat irritation (OR, 2.00; 95%CI, 1.90-2.11). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). Furthermore, formaldehyde was associated with a higher prevalence of neurological effects (OR, 2.17; 95%CI, 1.92-2.44). The use of sodium hypochlorite and per-chlorine also had a high chance of having respiratory effects. The findings of the current study suggest that health authorities need to implement more awareness programs about the side effects of using sanitizers and disinfectants during viral epidemics especially when they are used or overused.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  9. A comprehensive review of techniques for natural fibers as reinforcement in composites: Preparation, processing and characterization
    M R S, Siengchin S, Parameswaranpillai J, Jawaid M, Pruncu CI, Khan A
    Carbohydr Polym, 2019 Mar 01;207:108-121.
    PMID: 30599990 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.11.083
    Designing environmentally friendly materials from natural resources represents a great challenge in the last decade. However, the lack of fundamental knowledge in the processing of the raw materials to fabricate the composites structure is still a major challenge for potential applications. Natural fibers extracted from plants are receiving more attention from researchers, scientists and academics due to their use in polymer composites and also their environmentally friendly nature and sustainability. The natural fiber features depend on the preparation and processing of the fibers. Natural plant fibers are extracted either by mechanical retting, dew retting and/or water retting processes. The natural fibers characteristics could be improved by suitable chemicals and surface treatments. This survey proposes a detailed review of the different types of retting processes, chemical and surface treatments and characterization techniques for natural fibers. We summarize major findings from the literature and the treatment effects on the properties of the natural fibers are being highlighted.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  10. A comprehensive survey of fruit grading systems for tropical fruits of Maharashtra
    Khoje SA, Bodhe SK
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2015;55(12):1658-71.
    PMID: 24915312 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2012.698662
    It is said that the backbone of Indian economy is agriculture. The contribution of the agriculture sector to the national GDP (Gross Domestic Products) was 14.6% in the year 2010. To attain a growth rate equivalent to that of industry (viz., about 9%), it is highly mandatory for Indian agriculture to modernize and use automation at various stages of cultivation and post-harvesting techniques. The use of computers in assessing the quality of fruits is one of the major activities in post-harvesting technology. As of now, this assessment is majorly done manually, except for a few fruits. Currently, the fruit quality assessment by machine vision in India is still at research level. Major research has been carried out in countries like China, Malaysia, UK, and Netherlands. To suit the Indian market and psychology of Indian farmers, it is necessary to develop indigenous technology. This paper is the first step toward evaluating the research carried out by the research community all over world for tropical fruits. For the purpose of survey, we have concentrated on the tropical fruits of the state of Maharashtra, while keeping in focus of the review image processing algorithms.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  11. Fulltext A confirmatory factor analysis of the knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire towards prevention of respiratory tract infections during Hajj and Umrah
    Goni MD, Naing NN, Hasan H, Wan-Arfah N, Deris ZZ, Arifin WN, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2020 Nov 10;20(1):1684.
    PMID: 33172429 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09756-5
    BACKGROUND: Respiratory tract infections are one of the common infection associated with Hajj pilgrimage that is of great public health and global concern. This study is aimed at determining the factor structure of the knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire for the prevention of respiratory tract infections during Hajj by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

    METHODS: A multistage cluster sampling method was conducted on Malaysian Umrah pilgrims during the weekly Umrah orientation course. A total of 200 Umrah pilgrims participated in the study. The knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire was distributed to pilgrims at the beginning of the orientation and retrieved immediately at the end of the orientation. Data analysis was done using R version 3.5.0 after data entry into SPSS 24. The robust maximum likelihood was used for the estimation due to the multivariate normality assumption violation. A two-factor model was tested for measurement model validity and construct validity for each of the attitude and practice domains.

    RESULTS: CFA of a 25-item in total, the two-factor model yielded adequate goodness-of-fit values. The measurement model also showed good convergent and discriminant validity after model re-specification. A two-factor model was tested for measurement model validity and construct validity for each of the attitude and practice domains. The result also showed a statistically significant value (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  12. Fulltext A confirmatory factor analysis study on the medical student stressor questionnaire among Malaysian medical students
    Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff
    Education in Medicine Journal, 2011;3(1):44-53.
    MyJurnal
    Objective: To determine the construct validity, convergent validity, construct reliability and internal consistency of the Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ) among first-year medical students in Malaysia. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study was done on 375 medical students of four medical schools in Malaysia. The confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis were applied to measure construct validity, construct reliability and internal consistency of the MSSQ. These analyses were done using Predictive Analytics SoftWare (PASW) version 18 and Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) version 19. The Composite Reliability and Average Variance Extracted of the final constructs were calculated manually to determine construct reliability and convergent validity. Results: A total of 359 (95.7%) medical students responded to this study. The confirmatory factor analysis showed the six factor model with 20 items had a good fit with the latent constructs (X2 (df) = 258.02 (155), p < 0.001, RMR = 0.055, GFI = 0.933, AGFI = 0.910, NFI = 0.931, RFI = 0.916, IFI = 0.971, TLI = 0.965, CFI = 0.971, RMSEA = 0.043). The Cronbach’s alpha value of the MSSQ was 0.92. The Cronbach’s alpha values of the six constructs were more than 0.7. Composite Reliability and Average Variance Extracted values of the six constructs were more than 0.6 and 0.5 respectively indicating good construct reliability and adequate convergent validity. Conclusion: This study suggested that the six factor model with 20 items of the MSSQ had a good fit and shown good psychometric values. It is a valid and reliability measurement to identify stressors among medical students across institutions in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  13. A contingent valuation approach to evaluating willingness to pay for an improved water pollution management system in Dhaka City, Bangladesh
    Sehreen F, Masud MM, Akhtar R, Masum MRA
    Environ Monit Assess, 2019 Jun 22;191(7):457.
    PMID: 31230139 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7595-9
    The city of Dhaka has been ranked repeatedly as the most polluted, the most populous, and the most unbearable city in the world. More than 19.5 million inhabitants live in Dhaka, and the population growth rate of urban areas in Bangladesh is almost double that of rural areas. Rapid urbanization is one of the leading contributors to water pollution in Dhaka and could prevent the country from achieving sustainable development. Therefore, this study estimates respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) to improve water pollution management systems and identifies factors that influence WTP in Dhaka. This study employed the contingent valuation method (CVM) to estimate WTP of the respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with CVM questions, which was distributed to households in the study areas. The results revealed that 67% of the respondents are willing to pay for an improved water pollution management system, while 31.8% of households are unwilling to pay. The study also found that socio-economic factors (e.g., income and education) and perception significantly influence WTP. Therefore, this paper will provide directives for policymakers in developing an effective policy framework, as well as sensitize all stakeholders to the management of water pollution in Dhaka. The study suggests that social institutions, financial institutions, banks, non-government organizations (NGOs), insurance companies, and the government could provide effective outreach programs for water pollution management as part of their social responsibility.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  14. Fulltext A cross sectional assessment of health related quality of life among patients with Hepatitis-B in Pakistan
    ul Haq N, Hassali MA, Shafie AA, Saleem F, Aljadhey H
    Health Qual Life Outcomes, 2012 Aug 06;10:91.
    PMID: 22866752 DOI: 10.1186/1477-7525-10-91
    OBJECTIVE: The study aims to assess Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among Hepatitis B (HB) patients and to identify significant predictors of the HRQoL in HB patients of Quetta, Pakistan.

    METHODS: A cross sectional study by adopting European Quality of Life scale (EQ-5D) for the assessment of HRQoL was conducted. All registered HB patients attending two public hospitals in Quetta, Pakistan were approached for study. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic and disease related characteristics of the patients. HRQoL was scored using values adapted from the United Kingdom general population survey. EQ-5D scale scores were compared with Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test. Standard multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of HRQoL. All analyses were performed using SPSS v 16.0.

    RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety HB patients were enrolled in the study. Majority of the participants (n = 126, 32.3%) were categorized in the age group of 18-27 years (36.07 ± 9.23). HRQoL was measured as poor in the current study patients (0.3498 ± 0.31785). The multivariate analysis revealed a significant model (F(10, 380) = 40.04, P 

    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  15. Fulltext A cross sectional study of chronic pain relief after bekam (traditional malay "cupping") therapy
    Lim KG, Chuah SW, Ee MST, Wong ZG, Murugesan A, Syed Azman SA
    International e-Journal of Science, Medicine & Education, 2015;9(2):32-36.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Bekam, an Islamic variant of cupping, is an ancient form of traditional medicine still practised today in Malaysia. There are published findings indicating that cupping benefits patients with low back pain, other musculoskeletal pain and even pain from cancer, herpes zoster and trigeminal neuralgia when pain is measured on an analogue scale. We proposed to investigate whether in addition to pain improvement on an analogue scale we could show if pain relief might be demonstrated in terms of reduction of analgesic use.

    Methods: We carried out a retrospective cross sectional study on subjects who had been for outpatient clinic treatment with chronic pain of at least one month and who completed at least two bekam therapy sessions. In addition to documenting a pain score before and after therapy we documented their analgesic consumption.

    Results: A total of 77 respondents, with overlapping symptoms of headache, backache and joint pains were included. The mean pain score before bekam therapy was 6.74±1.78, and was 2.66±1.64 after two sessions of therapy. Twenty eight respondents completed six sessions of bekam therapy and had a mean pain score of 2.25±1.32 after. Thirty-four patients consumed analgesic medication before starting bekam therapy and only twelve did so after. The consumption of analgesics was significantly lower after bekam therapy.

    Conclusions: Bekam therapy appears to help patients experience less pain and reduce the amount of analgesic medication they consume. Nevertheless only a randomised prospective study will eliminate the biases a retrospective study is encumbered with and we believe would be worth doing.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  16. A cross sectional study on assessing the knowledge, attitude and perception towards allergic reactions of paracetamol in Malaysia
    Dellemin NA, Zahari Z, Ahmad Hassali MA, Rashid SA
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2020 May;33(3):1057-1061.
    PMID: 33191229
    Recent years, the prevalence of paracetamol allergy becomes great concerns. However, data on knowledge, attitude and perception towards allergic reactions of paracetamol are lacking. This study aimed to investigate knowledge, attitude, and perception towards allergic reactions of paracetamol (KAP-ARP). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire around Pasar Siti Khadijah, Kelantan from February 2016 to January 2017 among the general population. A total of 177 respondents participated in this study. The mean percentage scores for knowledge, attitude and perception towards allergic reactions of paracetamol were 31.7% (SD 23.6), 53.1% (SD 19.2) and 53.3% (SD 23.9), respectively. This study revealed that respondents demonstrated a poor level of knowledge, a fair level of attitude and negative perception towards allergic reactions of paracetamol. These results may lay a basis for conducting a study of knowledge, attitude and perception towards allergic reactions among general population in other different setting or around Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  17. Fulltext A cross sectional study on job satisfaction level and the influencing factors among public health specialists in the Ministry of Health Malaysia, September 2004 - October 2004
    Aniza, I., Syed Mohamed Al Junid, Sharifa Ezat
    Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2005;5(2):25-31.
    MyJurnal
    Job satisfaction level of workers is among the important factors influencing the performance and productivity of an organization. A cross sectional study was conducted among Public Health Specialists in the Ministry of Health of Malaysia to identify their job satisfaction level and the factors influencing it. The respondents are from the Association of Public Health Specialists of Malaysia. A working in Ministry of Health. Focus group discussions were conducted in four states to develop a relevant and comprehensive questionnaire. Survey questionnaires were then mailed to the respondents. The response rate was 7 2.3%. In measuring the job satisfaction level seven aspects were studied. The study showed that ‘job and workload` is the main contributor to job dissatisfaction followed by ’management and policy aspect’, 'salary and remuneration: aspect’ and resources and facilities aspect. Most of the respondents (94.0%) were dissatisfied with their job. Gender and income were the predictors of general job satisfaction. As a conclusion, the management, policy and remuneration shouM be revised in order to overcome the problems identified and subsequently increase job satisfaction levels among Public Health Specialists in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  18. Fulltext A cross-country comparison of tobacco consumption among youths from selected South-Asian countries
    Kabir MA, Goh KL, Khan MH
    BMC Public Health, 2013;13:379.
    PMID: 23617464 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-379
    BACKGROUND:
    Tobacco consumption (TC) among youths poses significant public health problem in developing countries. This study utilized the data of Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), 2007 to examine and compare youth TC behavior in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

    METHODS:
    The GYTS covered a total of 2,242 Bangladeshi, 1,444 Nepalese and 1,377 Sri-Lankan youths aged 13-15 years. They represented response rates of 88.9%, 94.6%, and 85.0% for the three countries, respectively. Socioeconomic, environmental, motivating, and programmatic predictors of TC were examined using cross tabulations and logistic regressions.

    RESULTS:
    Prevalence of TC was 6.9% (9.1% in males, 5.1% in females) in Bangladesh, 9.4% (13.2% in males, 5.3% in females) in Nepal and 9.1% (12.4% in males, 5.8% in females) in Sri Lanka. The average tobacco initiation age was 9.6, 10.24 and 8.61 years, respectively. Cross tabulations showed that gender, smoking among parents and friends, exposure to smoking at home and public places, availability of free tobacco were significantly (P < 0.001) associated with TC in all three countries. The multivariable analysis [odds ratio (95% confidence interval)] indicated that the common significant predictors for TC in the three countries were TC among friends [1.9 (1.30-2.89) for Bangladesh, 4.10 (2.64-6.38) for Nepal, 2.34 (1.36-4.02) for Sri Lanka], exposure to smoking at home [1.7 (1.02-2.81) for Bangladesh, 1.81 (1.08-2.79) for Nepal, 3.96 (1.82-8.62) for Sri Lanka], exposure to smoking at other places [2.67 (1.59-4.47) for Bangladesh, 5.22 (2.76-9.85) for Nepal, 1.76 (1.05-2.88) for Sri Lanka], and the teaching of smoking hazards in schools [0.56 (0.38-0.84) for Bangladesh, 0.60 (0.41-0.89) for Nepal, 0.58 (0.35-0.94) for Sri Lanka].

    CONCLUSIONS:
    An understanding of the influencing factors of youth TC provides helpful insights for the formulation of tobacco control policies in the South-Asian region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  19. A cross-cultural comparison of autistic traits in the UK, India and Malaysia
    Freeth M, Sheppard E, Ramachandran R, Milne E
    J Autism Dev Disord, 2013 Nov;43(11):2569-83.
    PMID: 23494561 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1808-9
    The disorder of autism is widely recognised throughout the world. However, the diagnostic criteria and theories of autism are based on research predominantly conducted in Western cultures. Here we compare the expression of autistic traits in a sample of neurotypical individuals from one Western culture (UK) and two Eastern cultures (India and Malaysia), using the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) in order to identify possible cultural differences in the expression of autistic traits. Behaviours associated with autistic traits were reported to a greater extent in the Eastern cultures than the Western culture. Males scored higher than females and science students scored higher than non-science students in each culture. Indian students scored higher than both other groups on the Imagination sub-scale, Malaysian students scored higher than both other groups on the Attention Switching sub-scale. The underlying factor structures of the AQ for each population were derived and discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires
  20. A cross-sectional assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among hypertensive patients in Pakistan
    Saleem F, Hassali MA, Shafie AA
    Health Expect, 2014 Jun;17(3):388-95.
    PMID: 22390260 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2012.00765.x
    OBJECTIVE: To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) profile of hypertensive population in Pakistan.
    METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken with a cohort of 385 hypertensive patients attending two public hospitals in Quetta city, Pakistan. The EuroQoL EQ-5D scale was used for the assessment of HRQoL. EQ-5D is a standardized instrument for use as a measure of health outcome and is used in the clinical and economic evaluation of health care as well as population health surveys. The HRQoL was scored using values derived from the UK general population survey. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant.
    RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-five (68.85%) respondents were men with 3.01 ± 0.939 years of history of hypertension. Majority (n = 186, 48.3%) were categorized in age group of 28-37 years with mean age of 39.02 ± 6.596. Education, income and locality had significant relation with HRQoL score. HRQoL was measured poor in our study patients (0.4674 ± 0.2844).
    CONCLUSION: Hypertension has an adverse effect on patients' well-being and HRQoL. Results from this study could be useful in clinical practice, particularly in early treatment of hypertension, at point where improving HRQoL is still possible.
    KEYWORDS: educational level; health-related quality of life; hypertension
    Matched MeSH terms: Surveys and Questionnaires*
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