The present study aims to compare the family's social environment, social supports and mental health of Malay women from rural and urban areas. Equal number (n-184) of Malay women from similar socio-economic back grounds were chosen from the rural areas of Kedah and urban areas of Pulau Pinang using the stratified random sampling method. The results indicated significantly higher level of mental health problems among the rural respondents when compared with the urban subjects. Among the family related variables included in the present study, cohesiveness, moral religious emphasis and organization and intellectual and cultural orientation were found to be significantly associated with the mental health problems of rural respondents. Whereas, only one variable, namely, active recreational orientation was found to be having an impact on the mental health of urban respondents. Similarly, deficiencies in the social support perceived from family and other members of the community were found to be significantly associated with the mental health problems of rural samples when compared to the social support perceived from the others for the urban subjects. The implications of these observations are discussed.
This article aims to review the social policies on mental health and mental illness in Malaysia. Using critical theory, major policy issues pertaining to mental health and mental illness such as mental health legislation, prevalence rates and quality of services available to the people with mental health problems are discussed in detail. Implications of these issues on persons with mental health problems are critically evaluated. The paper highlights that the other countries in ASEAN region also require similar review by policy literature.
Background: The present research aims to study the association between emotional expressiveness of primary care-givers and quality of life of patients with schizophrenia.
Method: The data for the present study were collected from 174 purposively selected patients with schizophrenia and their primary care-givers. The Quality of Life Interview (QOLI) (Lehman 1988) was used to collect information related to the quality of life of patients. The care-givers‘ emotional expressiveness was assessed using three questions on home environment from Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO/DAS) (WHO 1988).
Results: Three components of emotional expressiveness were included in the present research, namely, emotional involvement, control and attitude of rejection. Among these three components, emotional involvement of key care-givers was found to have a significant association with quality of life of schizophrenia patients.
Conclusion: Based on this result, the present study argues that emotional involvement of key care-givers needs careful attention while planning psychosocial rehabilitation programmes aimed at enhancing the quality of life of schizophrenia patients.
Keywords: emotional expression – quality of life – schizophrenia – emotional involvement – community – Asia