Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health disorder that affects 10%-15% women globally. Longitudinal and meta-analyses have consistently demonstrated the negative impacts of PPD on both the affected mothers and subsequent infant development. Given the consideration that antidepressant side effects in breastfeeding infants and the cost-effectiveness considerations of psychotherapies, attention has been paid towards the promising role of social support interventions in order to prevent and reduce the PPD symptoms. Confirming the assertion, this narrative review examines the potential of five social support interventions to ameliorate PPD-related maternal and infant outcomes. The wide implications of psychoeducational strategy, nurses' supportive and non-directive counselling and home-visiting approach are outlined. Furthermore, the evidence underlying the role of peer support, culturally tailored intervention and community-based participatory approach in PPD is elucidated. In clinical practice, this review reinforce the roles of discharge educational intervention led by the experienced nurse during the postpartum stay, in order to maintain psychological mental health among the postpartum mothers. More importantly, the skilled and competence public health nurses act as valuable assets in treating PPD, and this effective treatment alternative should be considered by healthcare planners. In future, major investigations will be strategized to discover the synergistic effects of combined social support approaches to yield a better outcome in the prevention and treatment of PPD.
Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome, which is a worldwide concern within the field of geriatrics due to the aggravating effect on the physical and mental functions of the elderly. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of the frailty syndrome among urban-living community-dwelling elderly in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 community-dwelling elders. Frailty status was assessed using the Fried phenotype criteria. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (M-GDS-14), whereas the functional abilities and cognitive status were measured using the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (Lawton IADL) scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-M), respectively. Malnutrition risk was observed through the abridged version (Short Form) of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the significant predictors of the frailty syndrome. Three hundred and one elderly persons engaged in this study, with a mean age of 67.08 ± 5.536 ranging between 60 to 84 years old. The prevalence values of frailty and pre-frail were 15.9% and 72.8%, respectively, in which women appeared to be at a higher risk of frailty. The multivariate model revealed that frailty could be predicted from an increase in age, lower household income, being at risk of malnutrition, wasting (low skeletal muscle mass), and high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level. A holistic approach is suggested for managing the frailty syndrome as it involves a decline in the multiple components of the geriatric syndrome.
Studies have been carried out on the association between frailty and malnutrition, but the similarities and divergence of the relationship remain debatable. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of malnutrition risk and frailty as well as the overlapping constructs. The associations that emerged were assessed independently of other risk factors. A total of 301 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 66.91 ± 5.59 years old were randomly recruited. Fried Criteria and Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) were used to assess frailty status and malnutrition, respectively. Other related nutritional assessments were assessed (body mass index (BMI), circumference measures, body fat % and skeletal muscle mass). The prevalence of frailty was 14.6% and prefrail was 59.7%; 29.6% were at risk of malnutrition, and 3.3% were malnourished. Malnutrition risk was significantly associated with a higher number of chronic diseases, BMI, circumference of mid-upper arm (MUAC), and calf, (CC)and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and frailty, whereas frailty was significantly associated with higher number of chronic diseases, SMM and malnutrition. Frailty syndrome can be predicted with increasing age, body fat, lower skeletal muscle and malnutrition. Those who were frail were found to be five times more likely to be at risk of malnutrition. Results suggested that frailty and malnutrition shared considerable overlap, which emphasised the interrelated but discrete concepts. Therefore, the assessment of malnutrition is imperative and could be used as a practical implication in assessing frailty syndrome.