Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 227 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Barrios C, de Lima Lopes G, Yusof MM, Rubagumya F, Rutkowski P, Sengar M
    Nat Rev Clin Oncol, 2023 Jan;20(1):7-15.
    PMID: 36380066 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00700-7
    In the past decade, oncologists worldwide have seen unprecedented advances in drug development and approvals but have also become increasingly cognizant of the rising costs of and increasing inequities in access to these therapies. These trends have resulted in the current problematic situation in which dramatic disparities in outcomes exist among patients with cancer worldwide owing, in part, to the lack of access to drugs that provide clinically meaningful benefits. In this Viewpoint, we have asked six oncologists working in different countries to describe how they perceive this issue in their region and propose potential solutions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  2. Moreira DC, Rajagopal R, Navarro-Martin Del Campo RM, Polanco AC, Alcasabas AP, Arredondo-Navarro LA, et al.
    JCO Glob Oncol, 2020 04;6:583-584.
    PMID: 32293939 DOI: 10.1200/GO.20.00047
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  3. Ab Hamid J, Juni MH, Rosliza AM, Syed Ismail SN, Lim PY
    Med J Malaysia, 2023 Jan;78(1):109-117.
    PMID: 36715200
    INTRODUCTION: The floating catchment area (FCA) method has emerged as the most comprehensive and accurate method for quantifying the spatial accessibility of health care services. There were variants of the FCA-based method that was continuously improvised by the researchers to suit specific local contexts and the different nature of healthcare service delivery. This scoping review identifies factors associated with the spatial accessibility of healthcare services that were specifically measured using the FCAbased method.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This scoping review was performed through electronic databases (PubMed and ScienceDirect) using keywords: 'spatial accessibility', 'floating catchment area' and 'factors'. Google Scholar and Mendeley Network were also used as additional sources to obtain relevant studies.

    RESULTS: A total of 32 articles were included in this review. Factors identified can be distinguished into two broad categories, which are spatial and non-spatial factors. Spatial factors were remoteness or distance from the urban centre, areas in close proximity to main roads, and some specific geographical characteristics such as mountainous and deltaic regions, whereas non-spatial factors were the degree of urbanisation, population density and various demographic profiles of the population such as socioeconomic status, health need, and minority ethnic composition.

    CONCLUSION: This study adds to the body of literature pertinent to the factors associated with spatial accessibility to healthcare services. These findings could give insight for researchers to consider and incorporate those additional variables to further improve the FCA-based method calculations.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  4. Ab Hamid J, Juni MH, Abdul Manaf R, Syed Ismail SN, Lim PY
    PMID: 36833838 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043147
    Disparities in access to health services in rural areas represent a global health issue. Various external factors contribute to these disparities and each root requires specific remedial action to alleviate the issue. This study elucidates an approach to assessing the spatial accessibility of primary care, considering Malaysia's dual public-private system specifically in rural areas, and identifies its associated ecological factors. Spatial accessibility was calculated using the Enhance 2-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) method, modified as per local context. Data were secondary sourced from Population and Housing Census data and administrative datasets pertaining to health facilities and road network. The spatial pattern of the E2SFCA scores were depicted using Hot spot Analysis. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and geographical weight regression were performed to identify factors that affect E2SFCA scores. Hot spot areas revolved near the urban agglomeration, largely contributed by the private sector. Distance to urban areas, road density, population density dependency ratios and ethnic composition were among the associated factors. Accurate conceptualization and comprehensive assessment of accessibility are crucial for evidence-based decision making by the policymakers and health authorities in identifying areas that need attention for a more specific and localized planning and development.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  5. Awuah WA, Adebusoye FT, Tenkorang PO, Mehta A, Mustapha MJ, Debrah AF, et al.
    Int J Surg, 2023 Mar 01;109(3):227-229.
    PMID: 36906787 DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000020
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  6. Loganathan T, Chan ZX, Pocock NS
    PLoS One, 2020;15(12):e0243629.
    PMID: 33296436 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243629
    BACKGROUND: For Malaysia, a nation highly dependent on migrant labour, the large non-citizen workforce presents a unique health system challenge. Although documented migrant workers are covered by mandatory healthcare insurance (SPIKPA), financial constraints remain a major barrier for non-citizen healthcare access. Malaysia recently extended protection for migrant workers under the national social security scheme (SOCSO), previously exclusive to citizens. This study aims to evaluate healthcare financing and social security policies for migrant workers to identify policy gaps and opportunities for intervention.

    METHODS: A total of 37 in-depth interviews were conducted of 44 stakeholders from July 2018 to July 2019. A mixed-methods analysis combining major themes from qualitative interviews with policy document reviews was conducted. Descriptive analysis of publicly available secondary data, namely revenues collected at government healthcare facilities, was conducted to contextualise the policy review and qualitative findings.

    RESULTS: We found that migrant workers and employers were unaware of SPIKPA enrolment and entitlements. Higher fees for non-citizens result in delayed care-seeking. While the Malaysian government nearly doubled non-citizen healthcare fees revenues from RM 104 to 182 million (USD 26 to 45 million) between 2014 to 2018, outstanding revenues tripled from RM 16 to 50 million (USD 4 to 12 million) in the same period. SPIKPA coverage is likely inadequate in providing financial risk protection to migrant workers, especially with increased non-citizens fees at public hospitals. Undocumented workers and other migrant populations excluded from SPIKPA contribution to unpaid fees revenues are unknown. Problems described with the previous Foreign Workers Compensation Scheme (FWCS), could be partially addressed by SOCSO, in theory. Nevertheless, questions remain on the feasibility of implementing elements of SOCSO, such as recurring payments to workers and next-of-kin overseas.

    CONCLUSION: Malaysia is moving towards migrant inclusion with the provision of SOCSO for documented migrant workers, but more needs to be done. Here we suggest the expansion of the SPIKPA insurance scheme to include all migrant populations, while broadening its scope towards more comprehensive coverage, including essential primary care.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/economics*; Health Services Accessibility/legislation & jurisprudence
  7. Yu CP, Whynes DK, Sach TH
    Health Policy, 2011 May;100(2-3):256-63.
    PMID: 21129808 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2010.10.018
    This paper assesses the potential equity impact of Malaysia's projected reform of its current tax financed system towards National Health Insurance (NHI).
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  8. Md Bohari NF, Kruger E, John J, Tennant M
    Int Dent J, 2019 Jun;69(3):223-229.
    PMID: 30565655 DOI: 10.1111/idj.12454
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse, in detail, the distribution of primary dental clinics in relation to the Malaysian population and relative population wealth, to test the hypothesis that an uneven distribution of dental services exists in Malaysia.

    METHOD: This 2016 study located every dental practice in Malaysia (private and public) and mapped these practices against population, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools. Population clusters within 5, 10 and 20 km of a dental clinic were identified, and clinic-to-population ratios were ascertained. Population data were obtained from the Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2010. Population relative wealth was obtained from the 2014 Report on Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey for Malaysia. The physical address for each dental practice in Malaysia was gathered from the Official Portal of Ministry of Health Malaysia. All data for analysis were extracted from the integrated database in Quantum GIS (QGIS) into Microsoft Excel.

    RESULT: The population of Malaysia (24.9 million) was distributed across 127 districts, with 119 (94%) having at least one dental clinic. Sixty-four districts had fewer than 10 dental clinics, and 11.3% of Malaysians did not reside in the catchment of 20 km from any dental clinic. The total dental clinic-to-population ratio was 1:9,000: for public dental clinics it was 1:38,000 and for private clinics it was 1:13,000.

    CONCLUSION: Dental services were distributed relative to high population density, were unevenly distributed across Malaysia and the majority of people with the highest inaccessibility to a dental service resided in Malaysian Borneo.

    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  9. Subsittipong N, Choi J, Kim TH, Han E
    PMID: 35409470 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073786
    Background: The introduction of new vaccines has been delayed in some countries in the Asia-Pacific region, which has led to delays in accessing vaccines for target patients. However, the approval lag of vaccines in the Asia-Pacific region has not been assessed. The objective of this study is to assess the availability and approval lag of vaccines in Asia-Pacific countries and compare them among Asia-Pacific countries, the United States (US), and Europe (EU). Methods: The information on vaccines prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) between 2010 and 2019 was obtained primarily from the WHO website. The date of approval of the WHO prequalified vaccine in Australia, India, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the US, and EU was retrieved from the official website of national regulatory agencies. The vaccines were divided into two groups based on their first approval pathway, that is, vaccines that were first approved by SRA (Stringent Regulatory Authority including the US, EU, and WHO) and those that were first approved by non-SRA. The absolute approval lag represented the availability of the vaccine. Relative approval lag represented the lag time between the approval date of the country of interest and the first global approval date and was measured as the median approval lag. A Mann−Whitney U test was used to examine statistical differences between relative approval lag between the SRA first and the non-SRA first groups. Results: A total of 92 vaccines were prequalified by the WHO between 2010 and 2019, but only 61 vaccines were included in the analysis. Over 50% of vaccines were first licensed by non-SRAs. Of all the WHO-prequalified vaccines, the median approval lag in the ASEAN countries in this study was longer than those in the US and EU, with a median of 30 months in Australia, 15 months in South Korea, 52 months in Thailand, and 23 months in Singapore, compared to 0 months in the US and EU. The differences in approval lags between SRA first vaccines and non-SRA first vaccines were statistically significant in South Korea and Thailand (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The approval lag of vaccines was observed in the Asia-Pacific region, indicating a gap between the Asia-pacific region and the US and EU in regard to access to new vaccines. Future studies need to analyze the background factors related to the gap in availability and vaccine approval lag in the Asia-Pacific region and assess the impact of vaccine approval lag in the region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  10. Allotey P, Yasin S, Tang S, Chong SL, Cheah JC, Reidpath DD
    BMC Public Health, 2012;12 Suppl 1:S1.
    PMID: 22992275
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  11. Dare AJ, Bayle A, Hatoqai A, Mungo C, Velilla DG, Soto-Perez-de-Celis E, et al.
    Cancer Discov, 2023 Feb 06;13(2):269-274.
    PMID: 36734325 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-22-1372
    Essential cancer treatments are not accessible, affordable, or available to patients who need them in many parts of the world. A new Access to Oncology Medicines (ATOM) Coalition, using public-private partnerships, aims to bring essential cancer medicines and diagnostics to patients in low- and lower middle-income countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility
  12. Low WY, Binns C
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Mar;27(2 Suppl):7S-8S.
    PMID: 25712494 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515574405
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/organization & administration
  13. Jegannathan B, Kullgren G, Deva P
    Asian J Psychiatr, 2015 Feb;13:75-80.
    PMID: 25563073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2014.12.006
    Cambodia had suffered enormously due to war and internecine conflict during the latter half of the twentieth century, more so during the Vietnam War. Total collapse of education and health systems during the Pol Pot era continues to be a challenge for developing the necessary infrastructure and human resources to provide basic minimum mental health care which is compounded by the prevailing cultural belief and stigma over mental, neurological and substance abuse disorders (MNSDs). The mental health research and services in Cambodia had been predominantly 'trauma focused', a legacy of war, and there is a need to move toward epidemiologically sound public health oriented mental health policy and service development. Integrating mental health program with primary health care services with specifically stated minimum package of activities at primary level and complementary package of activities at secondary level is an opportunity to meet the needs and rights of persons with mental, neurological and substance abuse disorders (PWMNSDs) in Cambodia, provided there is mental health leadership, government commitment and political will.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  14. Lim TO, Goh A, Lim YN, Mohamad Zaher ZM, Suleiman AB
    Health Aff (Millwood), 2010 Dec;29(12):2214-22.
    PMID: 21134922 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0135
    Between 1990 and 2005, dialysis treatment rates in Malaysia increased more than eightfold. Dialysis treatment reached a level comparable to rates in developed countries. This remarkable transformation was brought about in large part by the Malaysian government's large-scale purchase of dialysis services from the highly competitive private sector. This paper traces a series of public- and private-sector reforms that dramatically increased access to dialysis for patients with kidney failure from 13 per million people in the population in 1990 to 119 per million in 2005. Not all developing countries have had uniformly positive experiences with private-sector participation in health care. However, our data suggest that strong participation by the private sector in Malaysia has helped make for a stronger health care system as well as healthier patients. Yet the policy decisions that enabled the private sector to participate fully in providing dialysis have not been repeated with other medical services.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  15. Lim VW, Staines A
    Med J Malaysia, 2007 Dec;62(5):398-401.
    PMID: 18705475 MyJurnal
    Cerebral Palsy (CP) describes a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination caused by damage to one or more areas of the brain, occurring at any time during foetal development to infancy. This research was carried out to learn how parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) had found and accessed services provided for them in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. It was based in the Spastic Children's Association of Selangor and Federal Territory (SCAS&FT) among 96 of 201 parents of children who use the facilities and services provided by the SCAS&FT through questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. There was a satisfactory level of availability and accessibility of contacting and using the services provided by SCAS&FT in terms of respondent satisfaction. However, parents had varying levels of awareness of the different classes and activities carried out by the school. Efforts to improve knowledge regarding the services available for children with CP in the general population and among parents of these children should be promoted.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
  16. Van Dort S, Coyle J, Wilson L, Ibrahim HM
    Int J Speech Lang Pathol, 2013 Feb;15(1):90-5.
    PMID: 23323823 DOI: 10.3109/17549507.2012.757707
    The lead article by Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall (2013) puts forward pertinent issues facing the speech-language pathology profession raised by the World Report on Disability. This paper continues the discussion by reporting on a capacity building action research study on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a new approach to early intervention speech-language pathology through clinical education in Malaysia. This research evaluated a student-led service in community-based rehabilitation that supplemented existing and more typical institution-based services. A Malaysian community-based rehabilitation project was chosen due to its emphasis on increasing the equitability and accessibility of services for people with disabilities which was a catalyst for this research. Also, expanding awareness-building, education, and training activities about communication disability was important. The intention was to provide students with experience of working in such settings, and facilitate their development as advocates for broadening the scope of practice of speech-language pathology services in Malaysia. This article focuses on the findings pertaining to the collaborative process and the learning experiences of the adult participants. Through reflection on the positive achievements, as well as some failures, it aims to provide deeper understanding of the use of such a model.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/trends*
  17. Ahmad K, Ibrahim H, Othman BF, Vong E
    Int J Speech Lang Pathol, 2013 Feb;15(1):37-41.
    PMID: 23323816 DOI: 10.3109/17549507.2012.757709
    The current paper is a response to the Wiley, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall lead article regarding the application of the World Report on Disability (WRD) to people with communication disorders. The current paper directly addresses recommendation 5 (improvement of human resource capacity) and indirectly addresses recommendations 7, 8, and 9 (related to improving local knowledge and data on communicative disabilities) indirectly. The paper describes Malaysia's initiatives in the early 1990s, in developing its local professional capacity to provide services for people with communication disorders (PWCD). It charts the history of development of a local undergraduate entry-level degree program for speech-language pathology (SLP) from the point of conceptualization to full execution. The article provides glimpses to the processes and challenges faced by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as the pioneer university in the South East Asia region to undertake the training and education of the SLP profession and highlights relevant issues faced by newly introduced professions in a country where resources and practice traditions were previously unavailable. It underscores the important role played by government institutions and an international professional network in driving forward-looking policies to implement and sustain the program.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility/trends*
  18. Hung LC, Mohan AJ, Soo TL, Ng HP
    Med J Malaysia, 2000 Dec;55(4):424-32.
    PMID: 11221153
    This prospective, descriptive study was carried out to determine the pattern and the type of congenital heart disease seen in the Paediatric Departments in 4 government hospitals. The accessibility of surgical or transcatheter interventional treatment was also assessed. Consecutive new patients seen for suspected congenital heart disease from 1/1/95 till 31/12/95 (Group I) were registered. Records of patients seen from 1/1/95 to 31/8/95 (Group Ia) were reviewed 6 months after presentation to determine the nature of treatment received. Group II were cardiac patients who were first seen prior to the year 1995 and had undergone cardiac surgery or transcatheter interventional procedures in 1995. Of the 375 patients registered in the 4 hospitals, 250 were new patients and 125 were patients first seen prior to 1995 and had surgery or transcatheter interventional procedures in 1995. Of the 250 new patients, 83.2% had acyanotic cardiac lesions and 16.8% had cyanotic lesions. Ventricular septal defect was the commonest lesion, constituting 37.2%, followed by patent arterial duct (18.8%) and atrial septal defects (9.6%). At 6 month review, access to close-heart surgery or transcatheter interventional treatment were readily available. However, for patients with ventricular septal defects, 42.1% who required closure were still waiting for surgery 6 months after presentation. Of the 4 patients with Fallot's Tetralogy who required surgery, 2 had modified Blalock-Taussig shunt and 2 were awaiting surgery. In 1995, a total of 204 cardiac procedures were performed, there were 114 (55.9%) open heart procedures, 50 (24.5%) surgical ligation of the arterial duct, 28 (13.7%) modified Blalock-Taussig shunts, 11 (5.4%) transcatheter duct occlusion and 1 (0.5%) balloon valvuloplasty. The mean age of Fallot's Tetralogy repair was 6.4 years. No corrective surgery was performed for patients with complex cardiac lesions from the 4 hospitals in 1995. In conclusion, the pattern of congenital heart disease was similar to that seen world wide. Except for patent arterial duct, access to surgical treatment was inadequate.
    Matched MeSH terms: Health Services Accessibility*
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links