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Fulltext A cross-sectional online survey of compulsive internet use and mental health of young adults in Malaysia

Kutty NA, Sreeramareddy CT

J Family Community Med, 2014 Jan;21(1):23-8.
PMID: 24696631 DOI: 10.4103/2230-8229.128770

BACKGROUND: The last decade has seen the emergence of the internet as the prime communication medium changing the way people live and interact. Studies from various countries have reported on internet addiction and its association with mental health, but none have come from Malaysia.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed at assessing the frequency of the use of various internet applications and exploring the association of compulsive internet use with mental health and socio-demographic factors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among participants registered for the monthly opinion poll survey of University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia. The questionnaire contained socio-demographic information, the use of various internet applications on a five-point Likert scale, compulsive internet use scale (CIUS) and 12 item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12). Correlations and linear regression analyzes were carried out.
RESULTS: Of the 330 respondents, 182 were females and 148 were males. The mean age was 23.17 (SD = 3.84). Mean CIUS score was 19.85 (SD = 10.57) and mean GHQ score was 15.47 (SD = 6.29). Correlation coefficients of CIUS score with age, years of use and daily hours of internet use were -0.118 (P = 0.03), -0.014 (P = 0.81) and 0.242 (P < 0.001) respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age (β = -0.111, P = 0.033) and marital status (β = -0.124, P = 0.018) were negatively associated with CIUS scores whereas daily hours of internet use (β = 0.269, P = 0.001) and GHQ score (β = 0.259, P = 0.001) were positively associated with the CIUS score.
CONCLUSIONS: Compulsive internet use was correlated with GHQ score. More research is needed to confirm our results. Psychologists may consider assessing internet addiction when evaluating young psychiatric patients.
KEYWORDS: Internet addiction; mental health; well-being
Fulltext Blood pressure and its associated factors among primary school children in suburban Selangor, Malaysia: A cross-sectional survey

Sreeramareddy CT, Chew WF, Poulsaeman V, Boo NY, Choo KB, Yap SF

J Family Community Med, 2013 May;20(2):90-7.
PMID: 23983560 DOI: 10.4103/2230-8229.114769

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship of blood pressure (BP) with adiposity indicators, dietary habits, physical activity, and sleep in school children in Malaysia. We aimed to study about the distribution of BP and its associated factors in primary school children.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was carried out on a random sample of 335 children in five primary schools. BP was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Anthropometry was done by standard methods. Demographic information, dietary habits, physical activity, and duration of sleep were collected by interviews. World Health Organization classification based on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) cut-offs were used to define overweight/obesity. Elevated BP was defined according to US reference standards.
RESULTS: A total 335 children (144 boys and 191 girls) were examined. Their mean age was 9.18 years (standard deviation [SD] = 0.28). Overall mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were 99.32 mmHg (SD = 10.79) and 67.11 mmHg (SD = 10.76), respectively. Mean BMI and WC were 16.39 (SD = 3.58) and 57.77 cm (SD = 8.98), respectively. The prevalence of pre-hypertension was 12.23% (95% confidence intervals [CIs] 8.73, 15.75) and hypertension was 13.4% (95% CIs 9.78, 17.09). Mean SBP and DBP was higher among overweight and obese children than normal children. By multivariate linear regression analyses, BMI (β = 0.250, P = 0.049) and WC (β = 0.308, P = 0.015) were positively associated with SBP; age (β = 0.111, P = 0.017), BMI (β = 0.320, P = 0.012) were positively associated with DBP but total (weekly) hours of sleep (β = -0.095, P = 0.037) was negatively associated with DBP.
CONCLUSION: BP was associated with BMI and WC. Health promotion activities should be initiated in primary schools.
KEYWORDS: Blood pressure; body mass index; cross-sectional survey; obesity; school children; waist circumference
Fulltext Dentists' awareness about the link between oral and systemic health

Nazir MA, Izhar F, Akhtar K, Almas K

J Family Community Med, 2019 10 2;26(3):206-212.
PMID: 31572052 DOI: 10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_55_19

BACKGROUND: Oral health is integral to systemic health. There is a growing body of evidence of an association between periodontal and systemic diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the awareness of dentists regarding link between oral and systemic health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected using a self-administered pilot-tested questionnaire. Dentists awareness about link between oral and systemic link was assessed on five point likert scale. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS.
RESULTS: Of the 588 dentists, 500 completed the questionnaire (response rate 85.03%). About 93% of the participants (mean age 25.82 ± 4.21 years) agreed that oral health was associated with systemic health. Most dentists were aware of a connection between periodontal disease and diabetes (84.4%) and heart disease (70.2%). Similarly, 85.6% believed in the negative impact of oral disease on the quality of life of patients. More female than male dentists were aware of the relationship between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis (P < 0.001). Most dentists (97%) believed that more patients would seek oral care if they were aware of the oral-systemic link. After adjustments, private dentists were 4.65 times more likely than public dentists to believe in improving access to oral care with increased patient awareness of the oral-systemic connection (P = 0.011).
CONCLUSIONS: Most dentists were aware of the oral-systemic link. They believed that patients' access to oral care would improve if they were aware of a connection between oral and systemic health. Therefore, patients should be informed of the oral-systemic link to improve their oral health.
Fulltext Prevalence, patterns, and correlates of equestrian injuries in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

Majeedkutty NA, Khairulanuar NA

J Family Community Med, 2017 Jan-Apr;24(1):18-22.
PMID: 28163571 DOI: 10.4103/2230-8229.197177

BACKGROUND: Equestrian sport carries with it an implicit risk of injury. Despite the frequency of injuries in equestrian sports, there is no published study on injuries of equestrian athletes in Malaysia.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of injuries and its correlates among horseback riders.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A web-based standardized questionnaire was used to collect data for this cross-sectional survey. Horseback riders aged 18 years and above were included in the study. Out of 169 participants, 93 were females and 76 were males. The correlation of injuries to gender, age, level of experience, exercise habits, use of safety measures, and type of equestrian sport were determined. Chi-square test was performed to test for statistical significance.
RESULTS: The prevalence was high with 85.8% of the participants reporting symptoms and characteristics of injuries in the past 12 months. The most frequently perceived symptoms reported were in the upper extremities (43.4%) followed by lower extremities (40.7%), head injury (8.3%) and injuries of upper and lower back (3.4%). There was a higher prevalence of injury among female participants (55.03%) than males (42.60%). A significant correlation was found between gender and prevalence of injuries. About 70% of the riders sustained soft tissue injuries. Fifty-five percent of the injured were involved in recreational riding. The most common mechanism of injury was a fall from a horse. Sixty percent of the injured riders did not seek medical attention after being injured, and physiotherapy consultation was even lower with 10.3%.
CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of injuries and low rate of medical consultation emphasize the need for education programs on safety in Malaysia. Sessions should be held to improve coaching for riders and instructors, and their knowledge of the nature of the horse, mechanisms of injuries, horse handling, and riding skills to help them host safe equestrian activities.
KEYWORDS: Equestrian; horse riding; injuries; prevalence; safety equipment
Fulltext A rare invasive male breast cancer of nonspecific type presenting at a primary care clinic: Importance of early diagnosis and management

Mansoor NS, Arifin F, Kornain NKM, Razalli MM

J Family Community Med, 2023;30(1):65-67.
PMID: 36843866 DOI: 10.4103/jfcm.jfcm_210_22

Male breast cancer is a rare disease with an incidence rate of <1% of all breast cancer cases, and only 1% of all male malignancies. Men tend to present at an older age and with more advanced stages compared to women. We report a case of a 74-year-old man who presented at a primary care clinic with a right subareolar painless breast mass. A mammogram and core biopsy were performed. A diagnosis of right invasive breast carcinoma was rendered. The patient underwent a right total mastectomy with ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection, which revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type (NST). Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy were included in the adjuvant treatment plan. In this report, we discuss the important role of the primary care physician (PCP) in early diagnosis and referral for definitive management. The PCP also plays an essential role in the holistic care of male breast cancer patients, including the management of physical, psychological, social, and underlying chronic diseases.