METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 Malaysian elderly participants aged 60 years and older who live in Kuala Lumpur. Twelve neighbourhood associations were randomly selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data was collected using standardized and validated questionnaire by face-to-face interview technique with which was conducted by trained interviewers.
RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 65.33 (5.87) year old with majority were still married. Female (55.7%) reported more sexual problems as evidenced by the higher proportion of those with lacked interest in having sex (72.5%), find sex is unpleasant (34.8%) and unable to come to orgasm (55.1%). Gender was found to have significant impact on every model obtained in the analysis for both sexual problems and perceptions. Female elderly were 10.6 times more likely to have sexual problem compared to male elderly (OR = 10.64, P
METHODS: A total of 800 cervical scrapings were taken by cytobrush and placed in ThinPrep medium. The samples were dried over infrared transparent matrix. Beams of infrared light were directed at the dried samples at frequency of 4000 to 400 cm(-1). The absorption data were produced using a Spectrum BX II FTIR spectrometer. Data were compared with the reference absorption data of known samples using FTIR spectroscopy software. FTIR spectroscopy was compared with cytology (gold standard).
RESULTS: FTIR spectroscopy could differentiate normal from abnormal cervical cells in the samples examined. The sensitivity was 85%, specificity 91%, positive predictive value 19.5% and negative predictive value of 99.5%.
CONCLUSION: This study suggests that FTIR spectroscopy could be used as an alternative method for screening for cervical cancer.