Estimating causes of community death of adults in Myanmar from a nationwide population sample: Application of verbal autopsy.

In Myanmar 84% of deaths occur in the community, of which half are unregistered and none have a reliable cause of death (COD) recorded. Since 2018, Myanmar has introduced improved registration practices and verbal autopsy (VA) to assess whether such methods can produce policy relevant information on community COD. Community health midwives and public health supervisors grade II collected VAs on over 80,000 deaths which occurred between January 2018 and December 2019 in a nationwide sample of 42 townships in Myanmar.

Developing and validating a questionnaire to assess an individual's perceived risk of four major non-communicable diseases in Myanmar.

Adopting healthy lifestyles is greatly influenced by an individual's perceived risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire that can assess an individual's perceived risk of developing four major NCDs. We used the exploratory sequential mixed methods design.

Perception of the risk of tobacco use in pregnancy and factors associated with tobacco use in rural areas of Myanmar.

Introduction: Tobacco use is recognized as the most important preventable risk factor for pregnancy complications and undesirable fetal outcomes. This study examined the reported prevalence of tobacco use among married men and women residing in rural areas, and their knowledge on the risks of tobacco use during pregnancy and the factors associated with tobacco use.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted within 32 villages in the delta region of Myanmar, randomly selected through multistage sampling procedure by using a pre-tested structured questionnaire during 2016.

Chronic low grade inflammation measured by dietary inflammatory index and its association with obesity among school teachers in Yangon, Myanmar.

Background And Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the association between obesity and chronic low grade inflammation (CLGI) measured by Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) as a proxy indicator of CLGI among obese and non-obese teachers.

Methods And Study Design: We conducted a cross sectional study among 128 non-obese (BMI <25) and 116 obese (BMI >=25) female teachers aged 25-60 years from six urban schools in Yangon, Myanmar between January and March 2015. Usual dietary intake was collected by 3-day nonconsecutive estimated 24 hour's dietary records and semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaires.

Lipid profiles and determinants of total cholesterol and hypercholesterolaemia among 25-74 year-old urban and rural citizens of the Yangon Region, Myanmar: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: The first is to estimate the prevalence of dyslipidaemia (hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level), as well as the mean levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL, in the urban and rural Yangon Region, Myanmar. The second is to investigate the association between urban-rural location and total cholesterol.

Design: Two cross-sectional studies using the WHO STEPS methodology.

Changes in prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension from 2004 to 2014 among 25-74-year-old citizens in the Yangon Region, Myanmar.

Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and little is known about trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment and the control of hypertension in Myanmar. This study aims at evaluating changes from 2004 to 2014 in the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in the Yangon Region, Myanmar, and to compare associations between hypertension and selected socio-demographic, behavioural- and metabolic risk factors in 2004 and 2014.

Methods: In 2004 and 2014, household-based cross-sectional studies were conducted in urban and rural areas of Yangon Region using the WHO STEPS protocol.

Active case-finding for tuberculosis by mobile teams in Myanmar: yield and treatment outcomes.

Background: Since 2005, the Myanmar National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) has been implementing active case finding (ACF) activities involving mobile teams in hard-to-reach areas. This study revealed the contribution of mobile team activities to total tuberculosis (TB) case detection, characteristics of TB patients detected by mobile teams and their treatment outcomes.

Methods: This was a descriptive study using routine programme data between October 2014 and December 2014.

The contribution of a non-governmental organisation's Community Based Tuberculosis Care Programme to case finding in Myanmar: trend over time.

Background: It is estimated that the standard, passive case finding (PCF) strategy for detecting cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Myanmar has not been successful: 26% of cases are missing. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as active case finding (ACF) by community volunteers, have been initiated since 2011. This study aimed to assess the contribution of a Community Based TB Care Programme (CBTC) by local non-government organizations (NGOs) to TB case finding in Myanmar over 4 years.

Different challenges, different approaches and related expenditures of community-based tuberculosis activities by international non-governmental organizations in Myanmar.

Background: International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) have been implementing community-based tuberculosis (TB) care (CBTBC) in Myanmar since 2011. Although the National TB Programme (NTP) ultimately plans to take over CBTBC, there have been no evaluations of the models of care or of the costs of providing CBTBC in Myanmar by INGOs.

Methods: This was a descriptive study using routinely-collected programmatic and financial data from four INGOs during 2013 and 2014, adjusted for inflation.

Prevalence of cardiovascular morbidities in Myanmar.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are now in a rising trend in South East Asia including Myanmar due to increase in major cardiovascular risk factors in both urban and rural areas, such as smoking, obesity and diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to determine CVD morbidities in Myanmar for planning of prevention and control activities for CVDs. The cross-sectional household survey was conducted in 2012 with 600 people aged 40 years and above in four townships (Kyauk-Tan, Mawlamyaing, Pathein and Pyay) and used face-to-face interview with standard questionnaire [Rose Angina Questionnaire and Questionnaire by European Cardiovascular Indicators Surveillance Set (EUROCISS) Research Group] to determine the level of reported CVD morbidities in adult population.

Prevalence and determinants of hypertension in Myanmar - a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), malaria and tuberculosis dominate the disease pattern in Myanmar. Due to urbanization, westernized lifestyle and economic development, it is likely that NCDs such as cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease are on a rise. The leading behavioral- and metabolic NCDs risk factors are tobacco smoke, dietary risks and alcohol use, and high blood pressure and body mass index, respectively.

Gaps and challenges to integrating diabetes care in Myanmar.

In common with other low-income countries, diabetes is a growing challenge for Myanmar. Gaps and challenges exist in political commitment, policy development, the health system, treatment-seeking behaviour and the role of traditional medicine. National policies aimed at prevention - such as to promote healthy food, create a healthy environment conducive to increased physical activity, restrict marketing of unhealthy food, and initiate mass awareness-raising programmes - need to be strengthened.