METHODS: Seventy clavicle fractures were non-surgically treated in the Orthopedics Department at the Tuanku Ja'afar General Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in Seremban, Malaysia, an average of six months after injury. The clavicle fractures were treated conservatively with an arm sling and a figure-eight splint for three weeks. No attempt was made to reduce displaced fractures, and the patients were allowed immediate free-shoulder mobilization, as tolerated. They were prospectively evaluated clinically and radiographically. Shoulder function was evaluated using the Constant scoring technique.
RESULTS: There were statistically significant functional outcome impairments in non-surgically treated clavicle fractures that correlated with the fracture type (comminution), the fracture displacement (21 mm or more), shortening (15 mm or more) and the fracture union (malunion).
CONCLUSION: This article reveals the need for surgical intervention to treat clavicle fractures and improve shoulder functional outcomes.
Methods: This is a retrospective cohort review of data obtained from the Malaysian National Obstetrics and Gynaecology Registry between the year 2010 and year 2012. All women in their first pregnancy with a booking BMI in their first trimester were included in this study. The association between BMI classifications as defined by the WHO cut-offs and the potential public health action points identified by WHO expert consultations towards adverse obstetric outcomes was compared.
Results: A total of 88,837 pregnant women were included in this study. We noted that the risk of adverse obstetric outcomes was significantly higher using the public health action points identified by WHO expert consultations even among the overweight group as the risk of stillbirths was (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.0,1.4), shoulder dystocia (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.2,2.9), foetal macrosomia (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.6,2.0), caesarean section (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.8,2.0) and assisted conception (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.6,2.1).
Conclusion: A specifically lower BMI references based on the potential public health action points for BMI classifications were a more sensitive predictor of adverse obstetric outcomes, and we recommend the use of these references in pregnancy especially among Asian population.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of self-reported low back pain (LBP), and neck and/or shoulder pain (NSP) among secondary school teachers; and to evaluate the association of LBP and NSP with psychological distress and work-related psychosocial factors.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among teachers in the state of Penang, Malaysia. The participants were recruited via a two stage sampling method. Information on demographic, psychological distress, work-related psychosocial factors, and musculoskeletal pain (LBP and NSP) in the past 12 months was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Poisson regression was used to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) for the associations between psychological distress and work-related psychosocial factors with LBP and NSP.
RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported LBP and NSP among 1482 teachers in the past 12 months was 48.0% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 45.2%, 50.9%) and 60.1% (95% CI 57.4%, 62.9%) respectively. From the multivariate analysis, self-reported LBP was associated with teachers who reported severe to extremely severe depression (PR: 1.71, 95% CI 1.25, 2.32), severe to extremely severe anxiety (1.46, 95% CI 1.22, 1.75), high psychological job demand (1.29, 95% CI 1.06, 1.57), low skill discretion (1.28, 95% CI 1.13, 1.47) and poorer mental health (0.98, 95% CI 0.97, 0.99). Self-reported NSP was associated with mild to moderate anxiety (1.18, 95% CI 1.06, 1.33), severe to extremely severe anxiety (1.25, 95% CI 1.09, 1.43), low supervisory support (1.13, 95% CI 1.03, 1.25) and poorer mental health (0.98, 95% CI 0.97, 0.99).
CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported LBP and NSP were common among secondary school teachers. Interventions targeting psychological distress and work-related psychosocial characteristics may reduce musculoskeletal pain among school teachers.