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Fulltext Female community health volunteers to reduce blood pressure: feasible and sustainable?

Bhuvan KC, Khanal S

Lancet Glob Health, 2018 04;6(4):e373.
PMID: 29530416 DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30034-2
Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health
Gendered burdens and impacts of SARS-CoV-2: a review

Ayittey FK, Dhar BK, Anani G, Chiwero NB

Health Care Women Int, 2021 2 23;41(11-12):1210-1225.
PMID: 33616506 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2020.1809664

Using the SRQR EQUATOR checklist, we review the gendered burdens and impacts of SARS-CoV-2. Although men are primarily detected to be slightly more vulnerable in succumbing to the ongoing COVID-19 contagion, many researchers have recognized that women are facing more of the devastating brunt in secondary terms. Aside gendered health and social impacts, women are more disproportionately disadvantaged than men in economic terms, as they are predominantly found in the part-time and informal occupations, which have been closed down for months now since the emergence of the current global crisis. Also, since women form the vast proportion of the caregivers within the health sector, their role in handling the pandemic as frontline respondents at the hospitals put them in higher risks of contracting the disease. Despite this higher risk of infection, the peculiar attentions to women's health in the planning and rolling out of actions to contain the virus have been overlooked. Additionally, their unpaid domestic care works have also increased due to closure of schools and businesses, which have forced family members to stay at home for as long as movement control orders remain in place. In this confined state, the domestic violence against women have been recorded to be on the increase. To recommend measures that consider gendered dimensions of the current crisis, we have reviewed the various sex-based burdens and impacts of the pandemic, and proceeded to suggest necessary response actions to handle the situation. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects of the outbreak on women, and how the gendered flaws in the current response strategies could be avoided in managing future global crises.

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health
Feminism in Malaysia: a historical and present perspective of women's struggles in Malaysia

Ariffen R

Womens Stud Int Forum, 1999;22(4):417-23.
PMID: 22593983
Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health/ethnology; Women's Health/history
Cultural health beliefs in a rural family practice: a Malaysian perspective

Ariff KM, Khoo SB

Aust J Rural Health, 2006 Feb;14(1):2-8.
PMID: 16426425 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2006.00747.x

Background: Understanding the sociocultural dimension of a patient’s health beliefs is critical to a successful clinical encounter. Malaysia with its multi-ethnic population of Malay, Chinese and Indian still uses many forms of traditional health care in spite of a remarkably modern rural health service.
Objective: The objective of this paper is discuss traditional health care in the context of some of the cultural aspects of health beliefs, perceptions and practices in the different ethnic groups of the author’s rural family practices. This helps to promote communication and cooperation between doctors and patients, improves clinical diagnosis and Management, avoids cultural blind spots and unnecessary medical testing and leads to better adherence to treatment by patients.
Discussion: Includes traditional practices of ‘hot and cold’, notions of Yin-Yang and Ayurveda, cultural healing, alternative medicine, cultural perception of body structures and cultural practices in the context of women’s health. Modern and traditional medical systems are potentially complementary rather than antagonistic. Ethnic and cultural considerations can be integrated further into the modern health delivery system to improve care and health outcomes.
KEY WORDS: alternative medicine, child health, cultural healing, traditional medicine, women’s health

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health
Fulltext Gender equality by 2045: reimagining a healthier future for women and girls

Amin A, Remme M, Allotey P, Askew I

BMJ, 2021 06 28;373:n1621.
PMID: 34183331 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n1621
Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health/trends*
Fulltext Weight Change and Its Association with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in Overweight and Obese Women

Ahmad Zamri L, Appannah G, Zahari Sham SY, Mansor F, Ambak R, Mohd Nor NS, et al.

J Obes, 2020;2020:3198326.
PMID: 32399286 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3198326

Objectives: To examine the association of weight loss magnitude with changes in cardiometabolic risk markers in overweight and obese women from low socioeconomic areas engaged in a lifestyle intervention.
Methods: Analyses were performed on 243 women (mean body mass index 31.27 ± 4.14 kg/m2) who completed a 12-month lifestyle intervention in low socioeconomic communities in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare changes of cardiometabolic risk factors across weight change categories (2% gain, ±2% maintain, >2 to <5% loss, and 5 to 20% loss) within intervention and control group.
Results: A graded association for changes in waist circumference, fasting insulin, and total cholesterol (p=0.002, for all variables) across the weight change categories were observed within the intervention group at six months postintervention. Participants who lost 5 to 20% of weight had the greatest improvements in those risk markers (-5.67 cm CI: -7.98 to -3.36, -4.27 μU/mL CI: -7.35, -1.19, and -0.59 mmol/L CI: -.99, -0.19, respectively) compared to those who did not. Those who lost >2% to <5% weight reduced more waist circumference (-4.24 cm CI: -5.44 to -3.04) and fasting insulin (-0.36 μU/mL CI: -1.95 to 1.24) than those who maintained or gained weight. No significant association was detected in changes of risk markers across the weight change categories within the control group except for waist circumference and adiponectin.
Conclusion: Weight loss of >2 to <5% obtained through lifestyle intervention may represent a reasonable initial weight loss target for women in the low socioeconomic community as it led to improvements in selected risk markers, particularly of diabetes risk.

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health
Fulltext Postnatal depression and intimate partner violence: a nationwide clinic-based cross-sectional study in Malaysia

Ahmad NA, Silim UA, Rosman A, Mohamed M, Chan YY, Mohd Kasim N, et al.

BMJ Open, 2018 05 14;8(5):e020649.
PMID: 29764882 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020649

INTRODUCTION: An estimated 13% of women in the postnatal period suffer from postnatal depression (PND) worldwide. In addition to underprivileged women, women who are exposed to violence are at higher risk of PND. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and PND in Malaysia.

METHODS: This survey was conducted as a nationwide cross-sectional study using a cluster sampling design. Probable PND was assessed using a self-administered Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Demographic profiles and IPV were assessed using a locally validated WHO Multicountry Study on Women's Health and Life Events Questionnaire that was administered in a face-to-face interview. An EPDS total score of 12 or more and/or a positive tendency to self-harm were used to define PND.

RESULTS: Out of 6669 women, 5727 respondents were successfully interviewed with a response rate of 85.9%. The prevalence of probable PND was 4.4% (95% CI 2.9 to 6.7). The overall prevalence of IPV was 4.9% (95% CI 3.8 to 6.4). Among the women in this group, 3.7% (95% CI 2.7 to 5.0), 2.6% (95% CI 1.9 to 3.5) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.9 to 1.7) experienced emotional, physical and sexual violence, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women who were exposed to IPV were at 2.3 times the risk for probable PND, with an adjusted OR (aOR) of 2.34 (95% CI 1.12 to 4.87). Other factors for PND were reported emotional violence (aOR 3.79, 95% CI 1.93 to 7.45), unplanned pregnancy (aOR 3.32, 95% CI 2.35 to 4.69), lack of family support during confinement (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.87), partner's use of alcohol (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.35) or being from a household with a low income (aOR 2.99; 95% CI 1.63 to 5.49).

CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to IPV was significantly associated with probable PND. Healthcare personnel should be trained to detect and manage both problems. An appropriate referral system and support should be made available.

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health*
Fulltext The decision-making journey of Malaysian women with early breast cancer: a qualitative study

Abdullah A, Abdullah KL, Yip CH, Teo SH, Taib NA, Ng CJ

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2013;14(12):7143-7.
PMID: 24460266

BACKGROUND: The survival outcomes for women presenting with early breast cancer are influenced by treatment decisions. In Malaysia, survival outcome is generally poor due to late presentation. Of those who present early, many refuse treatment for complementary therapy.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the decision making experiences of women with early breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative study using individual in-depth interviews was conducted to capture the decision making process of women with early breast cancer in Malaysia. We used purposive sampling to recruit women yet to undergo surgical treatment. A total of eight participants consented and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. These women were recruited from a period of one week after they were informed of their diagnoses. A topic guide, based on the Ottawa decision support framework (ODSF), was used to facilitate the interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach.
RESULTS: We identified four phases in the decision-making process of women with early breast cancer: discovery (pre-diagnosis); confirmatory ('receiving bad news'); deliberation; and decision (making a decision). These phases ranged from when women first discovered abnormalities in their breasts to them making final surgical treatment decisions. Information was vital in guiding these women. Support from family members, friends, healthcare professionals as well as survivors also has an influencing role. However, the final say on treatment decision was from themselves.
CONCLUSIONS: The treatment decision for women with early breast cancer in Malaysia is a result of information they gather on their decision making journey. This journey starts with diagnosis. The women's spouses, friends, family members and healthcare professionals play different roles as information providers and supporters at different stages of treatment decisions. However, the final treatment decision is influenced mainly by women's own experiences, knowledge and understanding.
Study site: Breast surgical units, Klang Valley, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health
Women Deliver post-2015

Lancet, 2013 May 18;381(9879):1687.
PMID: 23683612 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61057-0
Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health*
Fulltext The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey 2006 (NHMS III)

ISBN: 978-983-3887-27-9

Citation: National Health Morbidity Survey 2006. Kuala Lumpur: Ministry of Health, Malaysia, 2008
Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2006)

Matched MeSH terms: Women's Health