Pathways to Hypertension Control: Unfinished Journeys of Low-Income Individuals in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Background: Reducing inequities in hypertension control among those affected in low- and middle-income countries requires person-centred health system responses based on a contextualised understanding of the choices and care pathways taken by those who rely on the services provided, particularly those from poor and marginalised communities. We examine patterns of care seeking and pathways followed by individuals with hypertension from low-income households in the Philippines and Malaysia. This study aims to fill a significant gap in the literature by analysing the stages at which individuals make decisions that may affect the successful control of their blood pressure.

Knowledge of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Its Association With Condom Use Self-Efficacy (CUSES) Among People Living With HIV (PLHIV) in Public Health Clinics in Selangor, Malaysia.

Background Condom use self-efficacy is critical in preventing the spread of HIV among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is a crucial factor in promoting safer sexual behaviors. However, there is scarce data on its association with condom use self-efficacy, particularly among PLHIV.

Giant Urinary Bladder in a Woman with Down Syndrome: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder involves fluctuating flow rates due to involuntary muscle contractions during voiding in those with normal neurological function. The diagnostic challenge lies in distinguishing between massive urinary bladder distension and ovarian tumors. While various pathologies mimicking ovarian tumors are documented, cases of a massively distended urinary bladder, known as giant urinary bladder, posing as such are notably scarce.

Dietary nutrient intake study among older adults: baseline Malaysian pure study.

Introduction: The older adults (OA) is vulnerable to malnutrition, which may affect their health and quality of life. This study assesses the prevalence of deficiencies in dietary nutrients among the Malaysian OA stratified by residency, genders, socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass index (BMI).

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted, utilizing purposive sampling, recruiting 2,299 Malaysian people aged 60 years old and above who agreed to be interviewed via a comprehensive semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

Knowledge, Attitude and Factors associated with Self-efficacy in Screening and Treatment of Hepatitis C among Primary Care Doctors in Selangor.

Introduction: Primary care doctors (PCDs) play an increasingly important role in the management of hepatitis C. It is essential for PCDs to have good self-efficacy in screening and treating hepatitis C to achieve good outcomes. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitude towards and other factors associated with self-efficacy in screening and treating hepatitis C.

Physical Activity in Malaysia: Are We Doing Enough? Findings from the REDISCOVER Study.

Physical activity (PA) in the form of structured or unstructured exercise is beneficial for health. This paper aims to study PA levels across four domains according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and its associated factors. A total of 7479 Malaysian adult participants between 18 to 90 years old from the REDISCOVER study who completed the IPAQ were analyzed.

Associations of Antibiotics, Hormonal Therapies, Oral Contraceptives, and Long-Term NSAIDS With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results From the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study.

Background & Aims: Several medications have been suspected to contribute to the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study assessed the association between medication use and the risk of developing IBD using the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology cohort.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 133,137 individuals between the ages of 20 and 80 from 24 countries.

Prevalence, determinants and outcomes of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use for hypertension among low-income households in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Background: Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) is used to treat a broad range of conditions. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), TCAM use is particularly common among those with low socio-economic status. To better understand the patterns and impact of TCAM use on the management of non-communicable diseases in these populations, this study examines the prevalence and characteristics of TCAM use for hypertension, its determinants, and its association with hypertension management outcomes and wellbeing among low-income adults in two Southeast Asian countries at different levels of economic and health system development, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Exploring Spiritual and Religious Coping Among PLHIV in a Malaysian Muslim Community: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Increase in life expectancy of PLHIV has brought new challenges especially for young Malay Muslim men who have sex with men (MSM) in Malaysia. This country has strong religious and cultural roots that may pose as additional stigma and discrimination in the lives of PLHIV. Therefore, coping skills among PLHIV is important.

Caregiver burden among informal caregivers in the largest specialized palliative care unit in Malaysia: a cross sectional study.

Background: Informal caregivers (IC) are often overshadowed by the attention required by the terminally ill. This study aims to reveal the estimated proportion of caregiver burden, psychological manifestations and factors associated with caregiver burden among IC in the largest specialized Palliative Care Unit (PCU) in Malaysia.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving IC attending a PCU.

Health Literacy, Knowledge on Cervical Cancer and Pap Smear and Its Influence on Pre-Marital Malay Muslim Women Attitude towards Pap Smear.

Background: Cervical cancer is preventable. In Malaysia, women are found to have good awareness of the disease and yet, the Pap smear uptake is still poor. Measuring health literacy level could explain this discrepancy.

Polycythaemia Vera JAK 2 Mutation in a Patient with Underlying Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease at a Primary Care Setting.

The presence of erythrocytosis along with the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may veer a primary care clinician in a busy clinic towards attributing the erythrocytosis to hypoxia secondary to COPD; however, this is not always the case. This case highlights the importance of investigation and the significance not excluding a primary cause in COPD patients with erythrocytosis. A 57-year-old male, presenting with chronic cough, was subsequently diagnosed with COPD clinically and confirmed by spirometry.

Avascular Necrosis of the Hip in Primary Care.

Avascular necrosis, or osteonecrosis of the femoral head, is a debilitating condition which leads to the destruction of the hip joint due to an interruption in the blood supply to the bony region and is most commonly due to trauma. The case discussed here has been highlighted as it presented as non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head with an absence of risk factors in a healthy adult male. A 37-year-old male presented with a 4-month history of recurrent left hip pain, which worsened with initiation of movement and weightbearing on the affected side.

Multi-Faceted Intervention to Improve the Antibiotic Prescriptions among Doctors for Acute URI and Acute Diarrhoea Cases: The Green Zone Antibiotic Project.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that is perpetuated by the inappropriate use of antibiotics among doctors. This study aims to assess the antibiotic prescription rate for patients with acute upper respiratory infection (URI) and acute diarrhoea.

Methods: A completed clinical audit cycle was conducted in 2018 in the busy emergency department of a public hospital in Malaysia.

Socio-demographic determinants of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in migrant workers of Peninsular Malaysia.

Background: The number of migrants working in Malaysia has increased sharply since the 1970's and there is concern that infectious diseases endemic in other (e.g. neighbouring) countries may be inadvertently imported.

Effectiveness of the EMPOWER-PAR Intervention in Improving Clinical Outcomes of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Care: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background: The chronic care model was proven effective in improving clinical outcomes of diabetes in developed countries. However, evidence in developing countries is scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EMPOWER-PAR intervention (based on the chronic care model) in improving clinical outcomes for type 2 diabetes mellitus using readily available resources in the Malaysian public primary care setting.

Migrant Workers in Malaysia: Current Implications of Sociodemographic and Environmental Characteristics in the Transmission of Intestinal Parasitic Infections.

A cross-sectional study of intestinal parasitic infections amongst migrant workers in Malaysia was conducted. A total of 388 workers were recruited from five sectors including manufacturing, construction, plantation, domestic and food services. The majority were recruited from Indonesia (n = 167, 43.

Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries across income levels: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study.

Background: Several international guidelines recommend the consumption of two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, but their intake is thought to be low worldwide. We aimed to determine the extent to which such low intake is related to availability and affordability.

Methods: We assessed fruit and vegetable consumption using data from country-specific, validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, which enrolled participants from communities in 18 countries between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2013.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, control and socio demographic determinants of hypertension in Malaysian adults.

Background: Hypertension is the leading cardiovascular risk factor globally as well as in Malaysia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment, control and the socio demographic determinants of hypertension among Malaysian adults.

Method: The analytic sample consisted of 11,288 adults aged ≥ 30 years recruited at baseline in 2007-2011 from the REDISCOVER Study which is an ongoing, prospective cohort study involving 18 urban and 22 rural communities in Malaysia.

Are medical students confident in taking a sexual history? An assessment on attitude and skills from an upper middle income country.

Background: Sexual history training during undergraduate education is essential for preparing future doctors to handle patients' sexual health concerns. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and perceptions of final-year medical students in Malaysia toward sexual history taking and the training they receive from their medical schools.

Methods: The study used a cross-sectional survey of 379 final-year medical students from three medical schools in Malaysia.

Study protocol of EMPOWER participatory action research (EMPOWER-PAR): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial of multifaceted chronic disease management strategies to improve diabetes and hypertension outcomes in primary care.

Background: Chronic disease management presents enormous challenges to the primary care workforce because of the rising epidemic of cardiovascular risk factors. The chronic care model was proven effective in improving chronic disease outcomes in developed countries, but there is little evidence of its effectiveness in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the EMPOWER-PAR intervention (multifaceted chronic disease management strategies based on the chronic care model) in improving outcomes for type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension using readily available resources in the Malaysian public primary care setting.

JIS definition identified more Malaysian adults with metabolic syndrome compared to the NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a steering force for the cardiovascular diseases epidemic in Asia. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of MetS in Malaysian adults using NCEP-ATP III, IDF, and JIS definitions, identify the demographic factors associated with MetS, and determine the level of agreement between these definitions. The analytic sample consisted of 8,836 adults aged ≥30 years recruited at baseline in 2007-2011 from the Cardiovascular Risk Prevention Study (CRisPS), an ongoing, prospective cohort study involving 18 urban and 22 rural communities in Malaysia.