METHODS: A total of 2,461 secondary school students aged 12-17 years from 19 schools in Sarawak participated in the study. Questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic data, parental history of hypertension, and self-reported physical activity. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were taken. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS version 23.0.
RESULTS: The prevalence of adolescents with elevated blood pressure, overweight, central obesity, and overfat were 30.1%, 24.3%, 13.5%, and 6.7%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated the predictors significantly associated with elevated blood pressure among respondents: overweight (adjusted odds ratio=3.144), being male (adjusted odds ratio=3.073), being Chinese (adjusted odds ratio=2.321) or Iban (adjusted odds ratio=1.578), central obesity (adjusted odds ratio=2.145), being overfat (adjusted odds ratio=1.885), and being an older adolescent (adjusted odds ratio=1.109). Parental history of hypertension, locality, and physical activity showed no significant associations.
CONCLUSION: The obesity epidemic must be tackled at community and school levels by health education and regulation of school canteen foods.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among undergraduate students aged 18 years old and above. Anthropometric measurements, such as weight, height, body composition, and blood pressure measurements, were collected. Hypertension was defined as equal or more than 140/90 mmHg. Statistical analyses were done using IBM SPSS version 20.
Results: A total of 354 respondents participated in the study. Mean age for the respondents was 21 years (SD 1.18 years). About 40% of the respondents were overweight or obese. Prevalence of hypertension was 8.2%. Mean systolic blood pressure was 119.1mmHg (SD14.36mmHg), and the mean diastolic blood pressure was 72.6mmHg (SD 9.73mmHg). There is a significant association between male gender (odds ratio =3.519, 95% CI is 1.886-6.566), body fat percentage (odds ratio = 1.944, 95% CI is 1.050-3.601), visceral fat (odds ratio = 2.830, 95% CI is 1.346-5.951), and family history of hypertension (odds ratio= 2.366, 95% CI is 1.334-4.194) and hypertension.
Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was less than 10% and is associated with male gender, body composition, and family history of hypertension.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 198 caregivers in Kuching from January till July 2014. The respondents were recruited using systematic sampling and were required to provide information on sociodemographic and environmental factors as well as complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire. The data was analysed using the IBM SPSS Statistical Software Version 20.0.
Results: The prevalence rates of anxiety and depression among caregivers were 32.8% and 27.8%, respectively. The caregiver's age (OR=0.97, 95% CI = 0.953 - 0.996), the perception of caregiving as an economic burden (OR= 2.70, 95% CI= 1.256 - 5.803) and the dependence of the patient (OR= 2.27, 95% CI= 1.087 - 4.719) were associated with anxiety. A caregiver who was male (OR= 2.21, 95% CI= 1.143 - 4.262), a caretaker who held the perception that a patient was dependent on them (OR=2.53, 95% CI= 1.203 - 5.337), and a caretaker who lacked stress-coping skills (OR=2.48, 95% CI= 1.030 - 5.973) were found to be significant factors in depression.
Conclusion: A high prevalence of probable anxiety and depression among caregivers points to the need to screen caregivers. There is a vital need to train healthcare workers to be able to detect early anxiety and depression. Culturally sensitive research should be carried out for different ethnicity, and improving the support system for caregivers is necessary.
METHOD: Standard procedures and validated equipment were used to measure blood pressure and anthropometric indicators. The body mass index (BMI)-for-age and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Questionnaires were used to obtain family sociodemographic data and health history.
RESULTS: A total of 1,314 children aged 6-12 years were enrolled, of whom 107 (8.1%) and 178 (13.5%) were hypertensive and pre-hypertensive, respectively. The chi-squared test indicated that hypertension was significantly associated with male sex (P<0.05), >1 standard deviation BMI-for-age (P<0.001), percentage of excess body fat (BF)(P<0.001), 5th to 95th height percentile (P<0.001), >90th excess waist circumference (WC) percentile (P<0.001), >90th WHtR percentile (P<0.001), clerical, service, sales and skilled parental work (P<0.05), excess weight (P<0.05) and cardiovascular disease (P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the percentage of excess BF [odds ratio (OR): 4.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.01-11.66] and excess WC (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.15-4.72) were significantly related to hypertension after adjusting for sex and age.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension among the study population is higher than that among children worldwide. Childhood hypertension-related factors must be identified to aid in routine blood pressure screening, which is crucial for early detection and intervention to reduce future morbidity burden.
METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted involving 109 elderly people with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25.0 kg/m2. BMI, body composition, and average daily steps were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0, and repeated-measures analysis of variance with the paired t-test for post-hoc analysis was conducted.
RESULTS: In total, 48 participants in the intervention group and 61 participants in the control group completed the study. A significant interaction was found between time and group. The post-hoc analysis showed a significant difference between pre-intervention and post-intervention (within the intervention group). The post-intervention analysis revealed an increase in the mean number of daily steps by 3571.59, with decreases in body weight (-2.20 kg), BMI (-0.94 kg/m2), body fat percentage (-3.52%), visceral fat percentage (-1.29%) and waist circumference (-2.91 cm). Skeletal muscle percentage also showed a significant increase (1.67%).
CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week walking program combining a 7000-step goals with weekly group walking activities had a significant effect on the anthropometric measurements of previously inactive and overweight/obese elderly people.
METHODS: Respondents were recruited using the proportional sampling method among mothers who attended the Maternal and Child Health Clinic in the Kuching division in Sarawak, Malaysia. Face-to-face interview was conducted using a questionnaire that consisted of items on socio-demographic data as well as perinatal, prenatal and postpartum factors, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a checklist of 28 specific postpartum symptoms were used during the first 6 weeks and after 12 weeks of childbirth.
RESULTS: A total of 281 respondents participated in this study. Fatigue (42.7%), back or neck pain (36.3%), breast discomfort (16.4%), dizziness (13.5%) and nipple irritation (11.0%) were among the most common symptoms experienced by the mothers during the first 6 weeks after childbirth. There was a significant decrease in the physical symptom scores of the respondents from the first 6 weeks to after 12 weeks of childbirth (1.73±1.96 vs 0.16±0.42; P<0.0005). A significant decrease was also found in the depression scores (6.26±4.26 vs 1.35±1.85, P<0.0005).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of postnatal depression was higher during the first 6 weeks of postpartum than after 12 weeks of postpartum. Screening and treatment of poor postpartum mental health among working women are essential owing to the impacts on occupational outcomes.
METHODS: Systematic sampling was used to recruit working mothers who attended Kuching's maternal and child health clinics. They were interviewed with a validated translated questionnaire to obtain data on sociodemographics, health profiles, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and postpartum symptoms. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 21.0.
RESULTS: Out of the total 281 respondents, 15.3% of respondents had depression symptoms. Fatigue (42.7%), back or neck pain (36.3%), breast discomfort (16.4%), dizziness (13.5%) and nipple irritation (11.0%) were the most common physical symptoms experienced by the mothers. Regression analysis showed that working mothers who exhibited higher scores of physical symptoms were 1.26 times more likely to develop PD (adjusted odd ratio 1.26, P < 0.01; 95% CI: 1.071, 1.487).
CONCLUSION: Physical symptoms were the predictors of PD among working mothers.