Displaying publications 101 - 120 of 250 in total

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  1. Prioritisation in speech and language therapy departments in Scotland and Malaysia
    Santiago C, Stansfield J
    Int J Lang Commun Disord, 1998;33 Suppl:102-7.
    PMID: 10343674
    This study investigates how prioritisation in health services have influenced speech and language therapy (SLT) services in Scotland in prioritising their caseload. Additionally, it evaluates how current prioritisation systems may contribute towards the development of the SLT service in Malaysia. Health, education and social agencies in Malaysia were contacted and a literature review was conducted. Information on prioritisation systems used in Malaysia was unavailable. Prioritisation systems from seven SLT departments within Scotland were investigated, of which three SLT managers took part in semi-structured interviews. The findings show that prioritisation is influenced by a combination of factors and that the principles could only be applied to the Malaysian SLT service if consideration is given to the political, economical, social, geographical and cultural factors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  2. Fulltext From Third World to Fourth. Third WONCA World Conference on Rural Health in Kuching, Malaysia; Fourth in Calgary
    Topps D, Rourke J
    Can Fam Physician, 2000 Oct;46:2065.
    PMID: 11072589
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  3. Organizational barriers and ethnicity in the Scottish NHS
    Sheffield J, Hussain A, Coleshill P
    J Manag Med, 1999;13(4-5):263-4.
    PMID: 10787497
    The NHS faces a crisis in terms of staffing and recruitment. Many of the ethnic minority GPs in inner city areas throughout the UK are coming up to retirement age, and there is an insufficient supply of trainees to fill estimated vacancies. Over 2,000 nursing vacancies exist across the UK, and recruitment to the profession and retention within the profession are poor. Nurses have been recruited from overseas for the past 40 years, and are currently being recruited from Finland, Malaysia, and the West Indies, whilst doctors are being sought in India, Pakistan and Africa. Overseas recruitment is not a new phenomenon, and numerous studies have been carried out to examine equal opportunities and racial discrimination within the NHS. The aim of this paper was to examine ethnicity and equal opportunities within the Scottish NHS and record the levels of organisational awareness of ethnicity and equal opportunities' issues. The paper also examines the link between health service delivery to ethnic minorities and internal cultural attitudes to staff.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  4. Fulltext Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with access to public clinics
    Makmor T., Khaled, T., Ahmad Farid O., Nurul Huda M.S.
    JUMMEC, 2018;21(1):28-33.
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Providing adequate and equal access to healthcare is a key goal towards achieving universal health coverage. However, social and demographic inequalities in accessing health care services exist in both developed and developing countries. This study examined the demographic and socio-economic factors associated with the lack of access to public clinics in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area.
    Materials and Methods: The study employed a survey involving 1032 participants. Data were collected using self- administered questionnaires distributed between October and December 2015 in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area.
    Results: Of the 1032 participants, 535 were public clinic users. A quarter (25.8%) of the users stated that they did not have access to public clinics in their residential area. A multiple logistic analysis showed that the elderly, the women, those from ethnic minority groups, those of lower family income, and the private sector workers were more likely not to have access to public clinics than their counterparts.
    Conclusions: The existing level of accessibility to public clinics could be improved by increasing the number of clinics. Clinics should be established to focus more on reaching the elderly, the women, the ethnic minority groups, the poorer families, and the private sector employees.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  5. Guillain-Barré syndrome
    Shahrizaila N, Lehmann HC, Kuwabara S
    Lancet, 2021 03 27;397(10280):1214-1228.
    PMID: 33647239 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00517-1
    Guillain-Barré syndrome is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis worldwide. Most patients present with an antecedent illness, most commonly upper respiratory tract infection, before the onset of progressive motor weakness. Several microorganisms have been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome, most notably Campylobacter jejuni, Zika virus, and in 2020, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In C jejuni-related Guillain-Barré syndrome, there is good evidence to support an autoantibody-mediated immune process that is triggered by molecular mimicry between structural components of peripheral nerves and the microorganism. Making a diagnosis of so-called classical Guillain-Barré syndrome is straightforward; however, the existing diagnostic criteria have limitations and can result in some variants of the syndrome being missed. Most patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome do well with immunotherapy, but a substantial proportion are left with disability, and death can occur. Results from the International Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outcome Study suggest that geographical variations exist in Guillain-Barré syndrome, including insufficient access to immunotherapy in low-income countries. There is a need to provide improved access to treatment for all patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome, and to develop effective disease-modifying therapies that can limit the extent of nerve injury. Clinical trials are currently underway to investigate some of the potential therapeutic candidates, including complement inhibitors, which, together with emerging data from large international collaborative studies on the syndrome, will contribute substantially to understanding the many facets of this disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  6. Fulltext COVID-19 Impact on Healthcare and Supportive Services for People Who Use Drugs (PWUDs) in Malaysia
    Vicknasingam B, Mohd Salleh NA, Chooi WT, Singh D, Mohd Zaharim N, Kamarulzaman A, et al.
    Front Psychiatry, 2021;12:630730.
    PMID: 33854449 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.630730
    Background: Restrictive orders and temporary programmatic or ad hoc changes within healthcare and other supportive systems that were implemented in response to the COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia may have created hindrances to accessing healthcare and/or receiving other supportive services for people who use drugs (PWUDs). Design: A primarily qualitative study has been conducted to evaluate how service providers and recipients were adapting and coping during the initial periods of the COVID-19 response. Settings: The study engaged several healthcare and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the peninsular states of Penang, Kelantan, Selangor, and Melaka. Participants: Medical personnel of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs (n = 2) and HIV clinics (n = 3), staff of NGO services (n = 4), and MMT patients (n = 9) were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Results: Interviewed participants reported significant organizational, programmatic, and treatment protocols related changes implemented within the healthcare and support services in addition to nationally imposed Movement Control Orders (MCOs). Changes aimed to reduce patient flow and concentration at the on-site services locations, including less frequent in-person visits, increased use of telemedicine resources, and greater reliance on telecommunication methods to maintain contacts with patients and clients; changes in medication dispensing protocols, including increased take-home doses and relaxed rules for obtaining them, or delivery of medications to patients' homes or locations near their homes were reported by the majority of study participants. No significant rates of COVID-19 infections among PWUDs, including among those with HIV have been reported at the study sites. Conclusions: Although the reported changes presented new challenges for both services providers and recipients and resulted in some degree of initial disruption, generally, all participants reported successful implementation and high levels of compliance with the newly introduced restrictions, regulations, and protocols, resulting in relatively low rates of treatment disruption or discontinuation at the study sites.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  7. Intracranial Complications of Chronic Otitis Media: Why Does It Still Occur?
    Gendeh HS, Abdullah AB, Goh BS, Hashim ND
    Ear Nose Throat J, 2019 Aug;98(7):416-419.
    PMID: 31018687 DOI: 10.1177/0145561319840166
    Intracranial complications secondary to chronic otitis media (COM) include otogenic brain abscess and sinus thrombosis. Intravenous antibiotics and imaging have significantly reduced the incidence of intracranial complications secondary to COM. However, the same does not apply to a developing country like Malaysia, which still experiences persisting otogenic complications. This case series describes 3 patients with COM and intracranial complications. All 3 patients had COM with mastoiditis, with 1 of the 3 having a cholesteatoma. Postulated reasons for the continued occurrence include poor access to health care, poor compliance with medication, and the lack of pneumococcal vaccination during childhood. In conclusion, public awareness and a timely specialty referral can reduce the incidence of intracranial complications of COM.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  8. Fulltext Lessons Learned: Patient Communication During the Pandemic
    Wang E, Real I, David-Wang A, Rubio DA, Gaston CL, Quintos AJ, et al.
    Malays Orthop J, 2021 Mar;15(1):12-15.
    PMID: 33880142 DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2103.002
    A series of mortalities among musculoskeletal tumour patients secondary to medical illnesses during the first few months of the pandemic highlighted the need to review our methods of communication with patients. Prominent among patients' concerns had been a fear of consulting at hospitals and a lack of ready access to health care. Recommendations are made for proactive consultation and patient education, identifying at-risk patients for follow-up and probing for possible co-morbidities. Telemedicine use is encouraged bearing in mind its inherent limitations. A network of physicians and pharmaceutical representatives is an added help we can offer our patients who may be isolated by community quarantine.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  9. Neglected diseases and ethnic minorities in the Western Pacific Region exploring the links
    Schratz A, Pineda MF, Reforma LG, Fox NM, Le Anh T, Tommaso Cavalli-Sforza L, et al.
    Adv Parasitol, 2010;72:79-107.
    PMID: 20624529 DOI: 10.1016/S0065-308X(10)72004-2
    Ethnic minority groups (EMGs) are often subject to exclusion, marginalization and poverty. These characteristics render them particularly vulnerable to neglected diseases, a diverse group of diseases that comprise bacteria, ecto-parasites, fungi, helminths and viruses. Despite the health policy relevance, only little is known of the epidemiological profile of neglected diseases among EMGs. We reviewed country data from Australia, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam and found several overlaps between regions with high proportions of EMG population and high prevalence rates of neglected diseases (infections with soil-transmitted helminths, filarial worms, schistosomes, food-borne trematodes and cestodes). While the links are not always clearly evident and it is impossible to establish correlations among highly aggregated data without control variables-such as environmental factors-there appear indeed to be important linkages between EMGs, socio-economic status and prevalence of neglected diseases. Some determinants under consideration are lack of access to health care and general health status, poverty and social marginalization, as well as education and literacy. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of these linkages and to determine their public health and socio-economic significance. In particular, there is a need for more data from all countries in the Western Pacific Region that is disaggregated below the provincial level. Selected case studies that incorporate other control variables-such as risk factors from the physical environment-might be useful to inform policy makers about the feasibility of prevention and control interventions that are targeted at high-risk EMGs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  10. Mapping timely access to emergency and essential surgical services: The Malaysian experience
    Hoh SM, Wahab MYA, Hisham AN, Guest GD, Watters DAK
    ANZ J Surg, 2021 Jun 01.
    PMID: 34075677 DOI: 10.1111/ans.16986
    BACKGROUND: Surgical conditions form a significant proportion of the global burden of disease. Since the 2015 World Health Assembly resolution A68.15, there is recognition that the provision of essential surgical care is an integral part of universal access to health care. The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery proposed its first surgical indicator to measure a population's access to the Bellwether procedures (laparotomy, caesarean section and treatment of open fracture) within two hours. Bellwether access is a proxy for emergency and essential surgical care. This project aims to map essential surgical access to the Bellwether procedures in Malaysia.

    METHODS: The location and capability of hospitals to perform the Bellwether procedures was obtained from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and MoH hospital specific websites. The Malaysian population data were retrieved from the national department of statistics. Times for patients to travel to hospital were calculated by combining manual contouring and geospatial mapping.

    RESULTS: There were 49 Bellwether-capable MoH hospitals serving a national population of 32.5 million. Overall 94% of Malaysia's population have access to the Bellwethers within two hours. This coverage is universal in West (Peninsular) Malaysia, but there is only 73% coverage in East Malaysia, with 1.8 million residents of Sabah and Sarawak not having timely access. Malaysia's Bellwether capacity compares well with other countries in World Health Organisation's Western Pacific region.

    CONCLUSION: There is good access to essential and emergency surgical services in Malaysia. The incomplete access for 1.8 million people in East Malaysia will inform national surgical planning.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  11. Fulltext Outbreak management during the worst flood disaster of 2006–2007 in Johore, Malaysia
    Arbaiah, O., Badrul, H.A.S., Marzukhi, M.I., Mohd Yusof, Badaruddin, M., Mohd Adam
    Malaysian Journal of Community Health, 2009;15(3):111-118.
    MyJurnal
    Outbreak management in disaster has to be planned and implemented prior to, during and after the disaster is over. The risk of outbreaks following disaster is related to the size, health status and living conditions of the displaced population. The risk is increased due standing water in floods for vector borne diseases, overcrowding, inadequate water and sanitation and poor access to health care. The 2006-2007 flood in Johore resulted in 2 episodes of food poisoning and an outbreak of coxsackie A24 acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Only 19,667 (12.5%) of the 157,018 displaced persons suffered from communicable diseases which comprised of acute respiratory disease 7361(28%), skin infection 4241(19%), acute gastroenteritis 1872(8%) and conjunctivitis 589 (2%). The routine disease surveillance and environmental control were enhanced to cover the relief centers and flood areas. Risk assessment of communicable disease carried out resulted in prompt control measures and good coverage of preventive activities. In conclusion the Johore State Health Department has successfully manage the outbreaks during the major flood.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  12. Consumer quality use of medicines: An important element in public health
    Hassali MA, Al-Tamimi SK, Dawood OT
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2016 07 14;13(1):261-265.
    PMID: 27496382 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.06.011
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  13. Fulltext Barriers in obtaining primary health care services from public clinics by non-citizen labors in Malaysia
    Maryam Sohrabi, Ahmad Farid Osman, Makmor Tumin
    Malaysian Journal of Medical Research, 2018;2(1):52-60.
    MyJurnal
    Non-citizen labors in the country have been found to face difficulties in accessing healthcare services. The study seeks to investigate the existence of barriers in accessing primary healthcare services by non-citizen labors in Malaysia. This study was conducted on 323 non-citizen labors residing in the urban areas of Malaysia, particularly of Johor Bahru and Klang Valley from May to September 2017. Relevant information regarding the personal barriers (language, preference for physician's gender, difficulty taking leave from work), structural barriers (availability of public clinic in residential area, travel time to the public clinic,physician's knowledge and skill) and financial barriers (insurance coverage, fear of losing daily income,transportation costs) on using primary healthcare services at public clinics were obtained. The result of the analysis revealed that the barriers cited by non-citizens to seek primary healthcare in Malaysia were lack of medical insurance protection (75.1%), non-availability of a public clinic in the residential area (38.7%), not receiving the needed or wanted services (21.3%), long travel time to the nearest public clinic (17.3%), language (10.2% of respondents), negative perception about the doctors' knowledge and skills (9.9%), difficulty taking leave (7.8%), fear of losing daily income (7.7%), high transportation cost (3.7%) and different doctor gender preference (2.5%). Therefore, barriers to access healthcare services among noncitizens exist in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  14. Fulltext Management of advanced prostate cancer in a middle-income country: real-world consideration of the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2017
    Saad M, Alip A, Lim J, Abdullah MM, Chong FLT, Chua CB, et al.
    BJU Int, 2019 09;124(3):373-382.
    PMID: 31077523 DOI: 10.1111/bju.14807
    OBJECTIVE: To examine the results of the Malaysian Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (MyAPCCC) 2018, held for assessing the generalizability of consensus reached at the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC 2017) to Malaysia, a middle-income country.

    METHODS: Six key sections were chosen: (1) high-risk localized and locally advanced prostate cancer, (2) oligometastatic prostate cancer, (3) castration-naïve prostate cancer, (4) castrate resistant prostate cancer, (5) use of osteoclast-targeted therapy and (6) global access to prostate cancer drugs. There were 101 consensus questions, consisting of 91 questions from APCCC 2017 and 10 new questions from MyAPCCC 2018, selected and modified by the steering committee; of which, 23 questions were assessed in both ideal world and real-world settings. A panel of 22 experts, comprising of 11 urologists and 11 oncologists, voted on 101 predefined questions anonymously. Final voting results were compared with the APCCC 2017 outcomes.

    RESULTS: Most voting results from the MyAPCCC 2018 were consistent with the APCCC 2017 outcomes. No consensus was achieved for controversial topics with little level I evidence, such as management of oligometastatic disease. No consensus was reached on using high-cost drugs in castration-naïve or castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer in real-world settings. All panellists recommended using generic drugs when available.

    CONCLUSIONS: The MyAPCCC 2018 voting results reflect the management of advanced prostate cancer in a middle-income country in a real-world setting. These results may serve as a guide for local clinical practices and highlight the financial challenges in modern healthcare.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  15. Fulltext Making Health Services Adolescent-Friendly in Northeastern Peninsular Malaysia: A Mixed-Methods Study
    Awang H, Ab Rahman A, Sukeri S, Hashim N, Nik Abdul Rashid NR
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 02 19;17(4).
    PMID: 32093018 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17041341
    A mixed-methods study was conducted in a Malaysian state beginning with a cross-sectional quantitative study to determine the relationship between clinic characteristics and clinic score of adolescent-friendliness. Subsequently, perceptions of healthcare providers on the facilitating factors for the provision of adolescent-friendly health services were explored qualitatively to support the quantitative findings. Availability of trained healthcare providers, adequate privacy, dedicated adolescent health services team, and adolescent health promotional activities were the clinic characteristics that significantly (p < 0.05) related with clinics' scores of adolescent-friendliness. The facilitating factors required for adolescent-friendly health services were (1) healthcare providers' commitment and prioritization towards adolescent-friendly health services; (2) organizational supports; (3) appropriate clinic settings; and (4) external supports for adolescent health promotional activities. The qualitative findings reaffirmed those of the quantitative study on the significant clinic characteristics required for adolescent-friendly health services. This study provides valuable insight for the Ministry of Health to elicit the required facilitating factors to further improve the quality of adolescent health services in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  16. Fulltext The Lancet Commission on diagnostics: transforming access to diagnostics
    Fleming KA, Horton S, Wilson ML, Atun R, DeStigter K, Flanigan J, et al.
    Lancet, 2021 Nov 27;398(10315):1997-2050.
    PMID: 34626542 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00673-5
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  17. Fulltext The paediatric global musculoskeletal task force - 'towards better MSK health for all'
    Foster HE, Scott C, Tiderius CJ, Dobbs MB
    Pediatr Rheumatol Online J, 2020 Jul 14;18(1):60.
    PMID: 32664961 DOI: 10.1186/s12969-020-00451-8
    There is increasing concern about the emerging global non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden. The focus has mainly been on NCDs in adults but it is important that MSK morbidity in both children and adults is included in strategic planning. There have been considerable advances in the understanding and treatment options for children and young people (CYP) and clinical outcomes are improving for those who can access such high quality care. However vast inequity exists and there are many CYP who live in areas of the world with high burden of health care challenges, compounded by paucity of specialist care and limited access to treatments. The Paediatric Global Musculoskeletal Task Force aims to raise awareness about unmet needs for CYP with MSK conditions, promotion of MSK health through lifestyle and the avoidance of injury. We aim to leverage change through 'working together better'.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  18. Fulltext Perceptions of Good-Quality Antenatal Care and Birthing Services among Postpartum Women in Nepal
    Rajbanshi S, Norhayati MN, Nik Hazlina NH
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Jun 26;18(13).
    PMID: 34206868 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136876
    Patient complaints and dissatisfaction should be taken seriously and used as an opportunity to provide acceptable services. Mounting evidence shows that the perception of the quality of healthcare services impacts health-seeking behaviors. This study explores the perceptions of good-quality antenatal and birthing services among postpartum women. A qualitative study using phenomenological inquiry was conducted in the Morang district, Nepal. The study participants were postpartum women with at least one high-risk factor who refused the referral hospital's birth advice. A total of 14 women were purposively selected and interviewed in-depth. NVivo 12 Plus software was used for systematic coding, and thematic analysis was performed manually. Three themes emerged: (i) women's opinions and satisfactory factors of health services, (ii) expectations of the health facility and staff, and (iii) a lack of suggestions to improve the quality of care. Women did not have many expectations from the healthcare facility or the healthcare providers and could not express what good quality of care meant for them. Women from low socioeconomic status and marginalized ethnicities lack knowledge of their basic reproductive rights. These women judge the quality of care in terms of staff interpersonal behavior and personal experiences. Women will not demand quality services if they lack an understanding of their basic health rights.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  19. Opportunities and challenges of lupus care in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific: A call to action
    Mysler E, Monticielo OA, Al-Homood IA, Lau CS, Hussein H, Chen YH
    Mod Rheumatol, 2024 Jul 06;34(4):655-669.
    PMID: 38531074 DOI: 10.1093/mr/roae001
    Lupus remains a disease with a low prioritisation in the national agendas of many countries in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, where there is a dearth of rheumatologists and limited access to new or even standard lupus treatments. There is thus an important need for education, advocacy, and outreach to prioritise lupus in these regions to ensure that patients receive the care they need. This article reviews some of the specific challenges facing the care and management of people with lupus in these regions and suggests strategies for improving patient outcomes. Specifically, we review and discuss (with a focus on the aforementioned regions) the epidemiology of lupus; economic costs, disease burden, and effects on quality of life; barriers to care related to disease assessment; barriers to effective treatment, including limitations of standard treatments, high glucocorticoid use, inadequate access to new treatments, and low adherence to medications; and strategies to improve lupus management and patient outcomes. We hope that this represents a call to action to come together and act now for the lupus community, policymakers, health authorities, and healthcare professionals to improve lupus management and patient outcomes in Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  20. Fulltext Improvement in the effective cataract surgical coverage in Malaysia: evidence of impact from a mobile cataract outreach program
    Salowi MA, Naing NN, Mustafa N, Nawang WRW, Sharudin SN, Husni MA
    BMC Public Health, 2025 Feb 03;25(1):435.
    PMID: 39901209 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-21602-0
    BACKGROUND: Effective Cataract Surgical Coverage (eCSC) is one of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) indicators recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is calculated from a population survey and measures access and quality of eye care services in the community. We conducted simultaneous population-based eye surveys in two regions in Malaysia in 2023 to estimate eCSC and compare the results with the survey in 2014 following the implementation of a mobile cataract program.

    METHODS: The surveys were simultaneously done in Eastern and Sarawak administrative regions using the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) technique. It involved a multistage cluster sampling method, each cluster comprising 50 residents aged 50 years and older. Presenting visual acuity (PVA) was checked, and subjects with cataracts were identified. The corrected VA (Pinhole) of those who had undergone cataract surgery was measured. eCSC was calculated at all levels of cataract surgical thresholds according to the protocol. The findings were compared with the previous survey.

    RESULTS: A total of 10,184 subjects were enumerated, with 9,709 examined and 475 non-respondents. Females had a significantly lower Cataract Surgical Coverage (CSC) than males for cataract surgical threshold of

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
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