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Fulltext A cross-sectional study comparing customer satisfaction between rural and urban primary care clinics in Hulu Langat district and the influencing factors. [Kajian keratan rentas perbandingan kepuasan pelanggan di antara klinik-klinik kesihatan primer luar bandar dan bandar di daerah Hulu Langat dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi]

Azimatun, N.A., Salmiah, B., Ahamad, J.

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2012;12(2):52-67.
MyJurnal

Improvement in the service quality system of health clinics in Malaysia had increase with the increase of national development. However, customer dissatisfaction towards regular service still has become an issue in the provision of health service in clinics throughout this country. This study aims to identify factors that influence customer satisfaction such as sociodemographic factors of patients, the location of clinic (rural or urban) and the most important SERVQUAL dimensions in determining customer satisfaction. This study conducted in October and November 2008 in Hulu Langat District. SERVQUAL questionnaires were used. Probabilistic sampling was used for the selection of respondents and the number of samples for each clinic was based on the workload of the clinic. Overall, the results showed that there are differences in levels of customer satisfaction between urban clinic (25.8%) and rural (30.7%). The most critical service quality dimensions for urban clinics are the responsiveness and reliability dimensions with a mean value of -0.7018 and -0.7434. Responsiveness, existence and reliability are the weakest quality service dimensions (mean -0.6317, -0.6718 and -0.6028) in rural clinics. It was found that customers’ ethnicity and education affect customer satisfaction in both the urban and rural clinics. Gender and type of work are factors that affect customer satisfaction only in urban clinics. Overall customer satisfaction at health clinics in Hulu Langat District is low. The difference between urban and rural clinics show the customers' needs in the area is different.
Key words: Customer satisfaction, SERVQUAL, health clinics, services.
Fulltext Hiv infection among fishermen in Terengganu

Fauziah, M.N., Anita, S., Shaari, N., Ahamad, J., Senan, Pratap, Muhammad Amir, K.

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2002;2(1):21-25.
MyJurnal

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of HI V iryfection, risk factors and to measure the knowledge on AIDS among fishermen in Terengganu. In this survey fishermen registered with the Malaysian Fishery Development Board in Terengganu were studied. There were 600 eligible fishermen based on a list provided by the Malaysian Fishery Development Board (MFDB). Study sites were at 6 loading centres where health personnel awaited returning fishermen between 4. 00pm —7. 00 pm during a period of one month, A total of 542 registeredfshermen were studied and this corresponded to a response rate of 90.3 %. The majority of the fishermen were Malays (98.6%}, Nine fishermen were tested positive to HIV antibody and this corresponds to a
g prevalence of I. 7%. Prevalence of HIV is higher among those with a positive history of drug use, single marital status and also among the unskilled workers who represented the socio-economically poorer group of fishermen. Almost 89% of respondents have heard about HIV/AIDS and among these, 93% received information through TV and radio. The mean knowledge score was significantly higher among fishermen admitting to drug taking, sex with prostitutes, and those who have had at least a secondary school education. The Prevalence of HIV infection among fishermen is higher than in the general population. Risk characterisation of HI V injection was statistically signyicant onlv among fishermen who gave positive history of drug used. Findings also suggest that poorer fishermen based on multiple indicators to socioeconomic status had a higher risk of being HIV positive as well as being less knowledgeable about AIDS, Health promotion strategies should focus on the use of TV and radio as an interactive medium to reach out to risk groups among fishermen as its popularity has been determined by this study.
Fulltext Risk factors for typhoid outbreak in Sungai Congkak Recreational Park, Selangor 2009

Suleiman A, Amir KM, Fadzilah K, Ahamad J, Noorhaida U, Marina K, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2012 Feb;67(1):12-6.
PMID: 22582542 MyJurnal

Typhoid fever continues to pose public health problems in Selangor where cases are found sporadically with occasional outbreaks reported. In February 2009, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) reported a cluster of typhoid fever among four children in the pediatric ward. We investigated the source of the outbreak, risk factors for the infection to propose control measures. We conducted a case-control study to identify the risk factors for the outbreak. A case was defined as a person with S. typhi isolated from blood, urine or stool and had visited Sungai Congkak recreational park on 27th January 2010. Controls were healthy household members of cases who have similar exposure but no isolation of S. typhi in blood, urine or stool. Cases were identified from routine surveillance system, medical record searching from the nearest clinic and contact tracing other than family members including food handlers and construction workers in the recreational park. Immediate control measures were initiated and followed up. Twelve (12) cases were identified from routine surveillance with 75 household controls. The Case-control study showed cases were 17 times more likely to be 12 years or younger (95% CI: 2.10, 137.86) and 13 times more likely to have ingested river water accidentally during swimming (95% CI: 3.07, 58.71). River water was found contaminated with sewage disposal from two public toilets which effluent grew salmonella spp. The typhoid outbreak in Sungai Congkak recreational park resulted from contaminated river water due to poor sanitation. Children who accidentally ingested river water were highly susceptible. Immediate closure and upgrading of public toilet has stopped the outbreak.
Fulltext How Internet Websites Portray Herbal Vitality Products Containing Eurycoma longifolia Jack: An Evaluation of the Quality and Risks of Online Information

Wahab MSA, Abd Hamid NN, Yassen AO, Naim MJ, Ahamad J, Zulkifli NW, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 20;19(19).
PMID: 36231154 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911853

BACKGROUND: Tongkat Ali (TA) or Eurycoma longifolia is a herbal medicine (HM) plant traditionally used to treat sexual dysfunction and enhance libido in men. Websites containing information about HM are abundant. However, studies have shown that in general the quality of websites containing information on HM is low. The present study aims to assess the quality and risks of websites containing information about TA supplements and to identify the health claims for TA.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study to evaluate the quality and risks of websites discussing TA supplements was conducted. Online marketing websites, research articles, news articles, personal opinions, and those restricted by password were excluded. The quality and risks of websites were assessed using a modified DISCERN tool and a set of risk assessment criteria, respectively. The health claims for TA were identified and analyzed using content analysis.
RESULTS: Overall, 321 websites met the inclusion criteria and were further evaluated. The overall rating of the quality of the websites was low, with a mean score ± standard deviation of 1.07 ± 0.51. Most websites lacked information that there may be more than one possible treatment choice and did not discuss areas of uncertainty. However, 67.9% (218/321) of the websites received a risk score of zero. A minority of websites (5/321, 1.6%) discouraged the use of conventional medicines. The most common health claims for TA included in the websites related to the enhancement of testosterone level (121/321, 37.7%), treatment of malaria (112/321, 34.9%), and improvement in libido (108/321, 33.6%).
CONCLUSIONS: Websites containing information about TA supplements generally have a low-quality rating based on a modified DISCERN tool despite having a low-risk score. Government agencies and healthcare professionals (HCPs) must be more proactive in the critique and dissemination of information relating to HM, and in ensuring the safe use of HM among the public and patients.