METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Malaysians aged 20 years old and over, who had accessed the internet and used the WhatsApp application. The sampling method was a convenient snowball from 14 Malaysian states. This study was conducted online using questionnaires during the Movement Control Order due to the pandemic.
RESULTS: Approximately 40.0%, 46.1% and 47.4% of 1,290 participants had a score above the median (good score) for preventive behaviour, attitude and knowledge, respectively. Age was significantly associated with poor knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97, 0.99; P = 0.026). Males (AOR 1.35; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.74; P = 0.021), Malays (AOR 1.41; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.98; P = 0.043) and Chinese (AOR 2.19; 95% CI: 1.17, 4.13; P = 0.015) were the associated factors for poor attitude. Chinese ethnicity was significantly associated with poor preventive behaviour (AOR 2.80; 95% CI: 1.39, 5.61; P = 0.004).
CONCLUSION: The level of knowledge, attitude and practices were high except for a few questions. The young, males and Malay and Chinese individuals need health education.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an interventional study involving 382 blood donors who were deferred for low hemoglobin. The donors were divided equally into two groups: a control group and the intervention group. The control group received standard management for low hemoglobin deferral, which includes a short counseling session and a 1-month course of oral iron therapy. The intervention group used a mobile application in addition to standard management. The primary endpoint was the number of blood donors who returned during the 7 months of follow-up. The secondary endpoints were the hemoglobin increment at the first visit after the donors' deferral.
RESULTS: The return rate was higher in the intervention group, with 81.2% of the donors returning in the 7 months of follow-up compared to 66% of the control group (p<0.001). Male and female donors had mean hemoglobin increments of 1.0 g/dL and 0.7 g/dL, respectively, in the intervention group, compared to decrements of 0.2 g/dL and 0.4 g/dL, respectively, in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a significant association between intervention method, education level and donation status on donor return (p=0.015, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively).
DISCUSSION: Higher return rate and greater hemoglobin increase in the interventional group could be attributed to features in the mobile application. Repeat donors had the highest odds of returning to donate, followed by those with a tertiary level of education, and those given the mobile application. This study showed that a mobile application was effective in enhancing donor return and increasing hemoglobin level among deferred blood donors on their first return.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This multicentre, prospective cohort study will be conducted in three governmental hospitals and one tertiary cancer institute in Penang, Malaysia. Adult women diagnosed with primary or recurrent tumour, node, metastases stage I-IV breast cancer based on pathological biopsy will be eligible for this study. At least 281 samples are required for this study. Participants will undergo follow-up at three time intervals: T1 at breast cancer diagnosis; T2 at 3 months after diagnosis and T3 at 6 months after diagnosis. Patients will complete a set of questionnaires at each time. The primary outcome of this study includes the changes in supportive care needs over three time points, followed by the secondary outcome examining patients' characteristics, coping behaviours and positive psychological components as they affect changes in unmet supportive care needs over time.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received ethics approval from the Medical Research and Ethics Committee, Ministry of Health Malaysia (NMRR-19-268-45809 IIR) and the Human Research Ethics Committee of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM/JEPeM/17100443). The results of the prospective study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.