A cross»sectional study was undertaken between April 2005 to _1 uly 2005 to determine the extent of the health problems experienced by individuals involved in the December 2004 tsunami wave disaster in the Northeast District of Penang, Malaysia. The overall health status of the respondents were evaluated using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Out of 171 respondents, 160(93 .6%) were Malays, 8(4.7%) were Chinese and 3(1.8%) were Indians. The mean age ofrespondents was 45.4 years, 15.9 years. Ninety-four of the respondents were males (55.0%) while 7 7(45.0%) were females. The overall mean physical component score was significantly lower (66.9:23 .O) amongst respondents with low education level compared with those with high education level (76.3:19.1, p=0.004). This mean score was also significantly much lower ( 68.7:22 .3) amongst those who are married compared to those who were not married (79.8:1 7.4, p=0.003) . The overall mental health score was significantly much higher (78.8:14.6) amongst those who were not married compared to those who were married (68.5:19.2, p=0.001). The overall mental health score was also significantly higher amongst those in the younger age»group (62.3:16.1) compared to those in the older age»group (72.4:18.9, p=0.005). Based on the scores obtained on the Physical Health and Mental Health dimensions of the SF-36 questionnaire, it can be concluded that the health of victims with low education, elderly and those who were married were more adversely affected than others. Therefore, it is vital that medical as well as psychological attention should be channeled to these risk groups who responded more adversely to disasters.
The author considered both the direct effect and the moderator effect of role salience in the stress-strain relationship. In contrast to previous studies that have examined the effects of salience on well-being within specific social roles, the present study focused on the work-family interface. From a sample of 147 employed English women with children, the present results of the regression analyses showed that both effects are possible, depending on the outcome measures used. The author observed a direct effect of role salience in the prediction of job satisfaction; work salience was positively related to job satisfaction, over and above the main-effect terms of work-interfering-with-family (WIF) conflict and family-interfering-with-work (FIW) conflict. In contrast, the author found a moderator effect of role salience and conflict for symptoms of psychological distress. However, contrary to predictions, the author found that work salience exacerbated the negative impact of WIF conflict, rather than FIW conflict, on well-being. The author discussed these results in relation to the literature on work-family conflict, role salience, and the issue of stress-strain specificity.
There are a lot of factors and conditions to be considered by tour and travel companies when designing quality product due to the fact that the product being sold is intangible and their ultimate goal is to sustain customers' loyalty. Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) has been observed to be compatible to this 'intangible' factor thus giving better result when compared to other methods. By using FLC, all communications are clear and have precise meaning.
In this article, I evaluate the hypothesis that higher infant and child mortality among Muslim populations is related to the lower autonomy of Muslim women using data from 15 pairs of Muslim and non-Muslim communities in India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Women's autonomy in various spheres is not consistently lower in Muslim than in non-Muslim settings. Both across and within communities, the association between women's autonomy and mortality is weak, and measures of autonomy or socioeconomic status are generally of limited import for understanding the Muslim disadvantage in children's survival.
The role of husband-wife communication in the practice of family planning was studied among the rural Malay couples in Mukim Rusila, Terengganu. It was a cross-sectional study in which a cluster sampling was used to select the study sample. A total of 193 (100.0%) wives and 74 (38.3%) husbands responded to a face-to-face interview. Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure the level of husband-wife communication. Husband-wife communication score was lower on family planning compared to other matters. There was a significant fair agreement on the scores between the husbands and the wives (p > 0.05) on family planning. There was a significant association between husband-wife communication on family planning and the current practice of family planning (p = 0.002). The 'likelihood' that couples who had had good husband-wife communication to practice family planning was about 2.8 times higher compared to those couples with poor husband-wife communication (95% C.I.: 1.4, 5.3). Further research need to be carried out, as the study was limited by certain constraints.
This qualitative study aimed to examine cultural differences in knowledge, attitudes and practices related to erectile dysfunction (ED) utilizing focus group discussion. Six focus groups consisting of 66 men, 45-70-y-old were conducted-two Malay groups (n=18), two Chinese groups (n=25) and two Indian groups (n=23). Participants were purposely recruited from the general public on a voluntary basis with informed consent. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative data analysis software ATLASti. The Malay and Chinese traditional remedies for preventing or treating ED are commonly recognized among all races. Many have a negative perception of someone with ED. Malay and Chinese men tended to blame their wife for their problem and thought that the problem might lead to extra-marital affairs, unlike the Indian men who attributed their condition to fate. Malays would prefer traditional medicine for the problem. The Chinese felt they would be more comfortable with a male doctor whilst this is not so with the Malays or Indians. Almost all prefer the doctor to initiate discussion on sexual issues related to their medical condition. There is a need for doctors to consider cultural perspectives in a multicultural society as a lack of understanding of this often contributes to an inadequate consultation.
The purpose of this study is to validate the English version of the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Marital State (GRIMS) in a Malaysian population. Using the test-retest method and Cronbach's alpha, we assessed reliability and internal consistency. Sensitivity to change was expressed as the effect size. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha value = 0.59 to 0.91) Test-retest correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were highly significant in majority items (ICC = 0.62 and above), and there was a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The GRIMS is suitable, reliable, valid, and sensitive to clinical change in a Malaysian population.
OBJECTIVE: To validate the Medical Outcomes Study Family and Marital Functioning Measures (FMM and MFM) in a multi-ethnic, urban Asian population in Singapore.
METHODS: English speaking Chinese, Malay or Indian SLE patients (n=120) completed a self-administered questionnaire containing the FFM and MFM at baseline, after 2 weeks and after 6 months. Lupus activity, disease-related damage and quality of life were assessed using the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG), Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index and SF-36 Health Survey respectively. Scale psychometric properties were assessed through factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, quantifying test-retest differences and known-groups construct validity.
RESULTS: Factor analysis of scores obtained at baseline and after 6 months identified 3 factors corresponding to the FFM (1 factor) and the MFM (2 factors). Both scales showed acceptable internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 for the FFM and 0.70 for the MFM. Mean (s.d.) test-retest differences were -0.31 (3.82) points for the FFM and -0.70 (4.26) points for the MFM. Eleven out of 13 a priori hypotheses relating both the FFM and MFM to demographic, disease and quality of life variables were confirmed, supporting the construct validity of these scales.
CONCLUSION: The FFM and MFM are valid and reliable measures of family and marital functioning in a multi-ethnic cohort of Asian SLE patients in Singapore.
In this paper we discuss a number of hypotheses about motives for intergenerational transfers within the family. We use data on time and money transfers between generations in Malaysia, where there is neither Social Security nor Medicare, to explore these hypotheses empirically. We find evidence supporting the hypotheses that children are an important source of old age security and that old age security is, in part, children's repayment for parental investments in their education. This repayment is partly a function of the children's income and, in the case of females, a function of their spouse's income. We also find evidence supporting the hypotheses that parents and children engage in the exchange of time help for money.
"The impact of family migration on women's economic position in a developing country setting is an area that has received relatively little research attention. Incorporating a lifetime perspective, this study makes use of the retrospective migration histories of husbands and wives from the second round of the Malaysian Family Life Survey to estimate how joint migration with the husband affects women's socioeconomic achievement. The findings show that family migration depresses the chances of working, but it does not significantly reduce socioeconomic attainment of those who do work. However, when a woman migrates with her husband she does forgo the substantial advantage she could have derived had she moved alone."
This study investigates the reasons for entry to medicine and the career perspectives of phase III medical students of the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The majority of the students were Malays from low socio-economic backgrounds who entered medical school after completing a 2-year matriculation course. An interest in medicine and helping people were the two main stated reasons for entry to medical school. A group of students wishing to work in private practice was identified. In comparison to the rest of the study body, students in the group were: not well prepared to enter medical school; dissatisfied with the course; and subject to family influences. A desire for monetary gain motivated their choice of medicine as a career. Overall, 13% of the students wished to change career because they were dissatisfied with their experience of medicine as undergraduates. The study did not find a significant difference in career intentions between female and male medical students. However, women were less likely to seek entrance into private practice or pursue formal postgraduate education. The choice of surgery as a career was confined to men. About 90% of the students had already decided on their future specialty. Four well-established specialties were their most popular choices. The gender of the students had no significant influences of the decision to continue into postgraduate education. The proportion of female students who wished to marry doctors was significantly higher than for male students.
In this paper we use data from the Second Malaysian Family Life Survey (MFLS-2) to examine the extent to which ethnic differences in the living arrangements of the older population in Peninsular Malaysia can be explained by ethnic differences in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. We also investigate whether the three main ethnic groups of Malaysia differ in the extent to which their living arrangements are influenced by these factors. For the married, the higher incidence of remarriage and lower housing costs for Malays each contribute importantly to their lower coresidence rates. The relatively poorer health of Indians and better health of Malays also contribute to the ethnic differences in coresidence rates for the married, as does the higher incidence of daughter-only families among Malays. The explanatory variables considered here explain less of the ethnic differences in coresidence rates for the unmarried.
Study name: Malaysian Family Life Survey (MFLS-2)
A cross-sectional survey of 568 married women aged 21-65 years in the Pasir Panjang Constituency was conducted to determine the prevalence of cervical cancer screening in the community and the factors affecting acceptance of this screening test. Results show that 309 (54.4%) of the respondents had ever had a Pap smear. The women who reported having had a smear were more likely to be below 45 years of age (prevalence ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 1.88), Chinese and of a higher socioeconomic status (1.68, 1.33 to 2.12). They were also more likely to have married at a later age (1.68, 1.21 to 2.31) than women who had not had a smear. Age and socioeconomic status remained independent predictors on multivariate analysis. The findings suggest that an important task of public health practitioners is to increase the uptake of screening among older and socially disadvantaged women who are known to be at the highest risk of cervical cancer. In addition, strategies to encourage younger women to continue regular attendance at screening clinics beyond their childbearing years will be important for the future.
Data from the 1984 Malaysian Population and Family Survey were matched with birth registration records for 1985-87 to determine the accuracy of statements regarding desired family size that were reported in a household survey in predicting subsequent reproductive behavior. The findings of this study were that stated fertility intention provides fairly accurate forecasts of fertility behavior in the subsequent period. In other words, whether a woman has another child is predicted closely by whether she wanted an additional child. Informational, educational, and motivational activities of family planning programs would, therefore, have greater success in reducing family size if fertility intentions were taken into account.
Familial Paroxysmal Rhabdomyolysis of the non-exertional variety is a rare but treatable disorder previously not described in Malaysia. We report 3 Malay siblings of a consanguinous marriage who developed myoglobulinuria during a febrile illness. The first 2 died without being investigated, but the last had creatinine kinase levels of 24,800 UIL suggesting acute rhabdomyolysis. Fasting appears to be a major precipitating factor, and glucose infusions combined with alkaline diuresis may be life-saving.
A case of Koro is described in a Malaysian Chinese man in the setting of martial dysharmony and sexual rejection. A distinction is suggested between the epidemic form of Koro and the Koro symptom occurring sporadically. Existence of the sporadic Koro syndrome is discussed and a unified classificatory system is proposed.