Clustering and Tracking the Stability of Biological CVD Risk Factors in Adolescents: The Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team Study (MyHeARTs).

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors tend to cluster and progress from adolescence to young adulthood. Reliable and meaningful clustering of CVD risk factors is essential to circumvent loss of information. Tracking adverse and high-risk profiles of adolescents is hoped to curb CVD progression later in life.

The Association of Breakfast Frequency and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Factors among Adolescents in Malaysia.

Breakfast frequency is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in Western populations, possibly via the types of food eaten or the timing of food consumption, but associations in Malaysian adolescents are unknown. While the timing of breakfast is similar, the type of food consumed at breakfast in Malaysia differs from Western diets, which allows novel insight into the mechanisms underlying breakfast-CVD risk associations. We investigated foods eaten for breakfast and associations between breakfast frequency and CVD risk factors in the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team study (MyHeARTs).

Comparative validity of a Food Frequency Questionnaire (MyUM Adolescent FFQ) to estimate the habitual dietary intake of adolescents in Malaysia.

Background And Objectives: The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is a dietary tool used to assess the habitual intake of the population. The goal of this study is to examine the reproducibility and validity of the FFQ that was developed for a multi-ethnic population in Malaysia.

Methods And Study Design: Collective food data from MyHeARTs 2012 database were used to construct the MyUM Adolescent FFQ.

Risk factors of vitamin D deficiency among 15-year-old adolescents participating in the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team Study (MyHeARTs).

Background: This study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D ≤ 50 nmol/L) among 15-year-old Malaysian adolescents. By identifying potential risk factors, prevention strategies and interventions can be carried out to improve the vitamin D status in adolescents.

Methods And Findings: Stratified random sampling design was used to select adolescents from 15 urban and rural secondary schools in Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients in Malaysia: An Early Report From the MyBCC Study.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased and little is known on CAM use during the initial period. Therefore, the aim was to determine prevalence of CAM use among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients prior to seeking conventional treatment.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involved interviewing newly diagnosed breast cancer patients in the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) using a structured questionnaire.

Vitamin D and Calcium Intakes, Physical Activity, and Calcaneus BMC among School-Going 13-Year Old Malaysian Adolescents.

Background: Dietary calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone development. Apart from diet, physical activity may potentially improve and sustain bone health.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D, physical activity, and bone mineral content (BMC) in 13-year-old Malaysian adolescents.

Vitamin D deficiency in Malaysian adolescents aged 13 years: findings from the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team study (MyHeARTs).

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<37.5 nmol/L) among young adolescents in Malaysia and its association with demographic characteristics, anthropometric measures and physical activity.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study among Form 1 (year 7) students from 15 schools selected using a stratified random sampling design.

Physical activity, body composition and lipids changes in adolescents: analysis from the MyHeART Study.

Insufficient physical activity and growing obesity levels among Malaysian adolescents are becoming a public health concern. Our study is to identify the trends of self-reported physical activity (PA) levels, blood lipid profiles, and body composition (BC) indices from a cohort of 820 adolescents. The self-reported PA was assessed using a validated Malay version of the PA Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C).

Integrating Information and Communication Technology for Health Information System Strengthening: A Policy Analysis.

Despite the high costs involved and the lack of definitive evidence of sustained effectiveness, many low- and middle-income countries had begun to strengthen their health information system using information and communication technology in the past few decades. Following this international trend, the Malaysian Ministry of Health had been incorporating Telehealth (National Telehealth initiatives) into national health policies since the 1990s. Employing qualitative approaches, including key informant interviews and document review, this study examines the agenda-setting processes of the Telehealth policy using Kingdon's framework.

Validity and reliability of the hausa version of multidimensional scale of perceived social support index.

Background: Social support has been identified as one of the key factors for enhancing the quality of life after stroke. However, a scientific tool that is valid for evaluating social support among stroke survivors in Nigeria has not been developed so far.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Hausa translated versions of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and to validate it for future use in clinical research in Nigeria.

Predictors of sexual risk behaviour among adolescents from welfare institutions in Malaysia: a cross sectional study.

Background: In welfare institutions, it is essential to address the health-related needs of adolescent populations who often engage in sexual activities. This study examines the association between individual and interpersonal factors concerning sexual risk behaviour (SRB) among adolescents in welfare institutions in Malaysia.

Methods: Data were derived from a cross-sectional study of 1082 adolescents in 22 welfare institutions located across Peninsular Malaysia in 2009.

Metabolic syndrome among 13 year old adolescents: prevalence and risk factors.

Background: Obesity and metabolic syndrome is prevalent among Malaysian adolescents and has been associated with certain behavioural factors such as duration of sleep, screen time and physical activity. The aim of the study is to report the prevalence of overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome and its risk factors among adolescents.

Methods: A multi-staged cluster sampling method was used to select participants from urban and rural schools in Selangor, Perak and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

An exploratory study on risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases among adolescents in Malaysia: overview of the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team study (The MyHeART study).

Background: The National Health & Morbidity Survey (NHMS) IV (2011) observed that the prevalence of obese children aged less than 18 years in Malaysia is 6.1% compared to 5.4% overweight and obese in NHMS III (2006).

Fitness level and body composition indices: cross-sectional study among Malaysian adolescent.

Background: The importance of fitness level on the well-being of children and adolescent has long been recognised. The aim of this study was to investigate the fitness level of school-going Malaysian adolescent, and its association with body composition indices.

Methods: 1071 healthy secondary school students participated in the fitness assessment for the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team (MyHEART) study.

Reliability and validity of the Nigerian (Hausa) version of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) 3.0 index.

This study aims to test the translated Hausa version of the stroke impact scale SIS (3.0) and further evaluate its psychometric properties. The SIS 3.

Clinical breast examination as the recommended breast cancer screening modality in a rural community in Malaysia; what are the factors that could enhance its uptake?

Breast cancer is the most common cause of deaths and the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of breast cancer screening, specifically on clinical breast examination, and the predictors of its uptake among women in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in five selected districts whereby women aged between 20 to 64 years old, from a total of 1000 households were interviewed.

Association between self-reported physical activity and indicators of body composition in Malaysian adolescents.

Background: Obesity and lack of physical activity are fast becoming a concern among Malaysian adolescents.

Objective: This study aims to assess physical activity levels among Malaysian adolescents and investigate the association between physical activity levels and body composition such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percentage of body fat.

Subjects And Methods: 1361 school-going 13 year old multi-ethnic adolescents from population representative samples in Malaysia were involved in our study.

Predictors of poststroke health-related quality of life in Nigerian stroke survivors: a 1-year follow-up study.

This study aims to identify the predictors in the different aspects of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to measure the changes of functional status over time in a cohort of Nigerian stroke survivors. A prospective observational study was conducted in three hospitals of Kano state of Nigeria where stroke survivors receive rehabilitation. The linguistic-validated Hausa versions of the stroke impact scale 3.

Incidence of adverse transition in smoking stages among adolescents of Kinta, Perak.

Background: Few local studies have explored the process of adverse transition of smoking stages among adolescents. The present investigation aimed to identify adverse transitions prospectively from the early stages till the escalation of the stages after one year.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected in two waves from a cohort of 2,552 adolescents aged 12-13 years old studying in 15 secondary schools based in Kinta, Perak.

Determinants of sexual intercourse initiation among incarcerated adolescents: a mixed-method study.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the determinants of sexual intercourse initiation among incarcerated adolescents aged 12-19 years in Malaysia.

Methods: This was a sequential mixed-method research project that was conducted in two phases. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the first and second phases, respectively.

Smoking stage relations to peer, school and parental factors among secondary school students in Kinta, Perak.

Background: To identify the prevalence of different stages of smoking and differences in associated risk factors.

Materials And Methods: Thos longitudinal study started in February 2011 and the subjects were 2552 form one students aged between twelve to thirteen years of from 15 government secondary schools of Kinta, Perak. Data on demographic, parental, school and peer factors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

Does telephone lactation counselling improve breastfeeding practices? A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding rates in Malaysia remains low despite the implementation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) policy in government hospitals. It has been suggested that any form of postnatal lactation support will lead to an increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates.

Objective: To study the effectiveness of telephone lactation counselling on breastfeeding practices.

The relationship between age of smoking initiation and current smoking: an analysis of school surveys in three European countries.

Introduction: It is held that younger smoking initiates are more likely to become regular smokers. The definitions of smoking initiation (a puff, part of a cigarette, a whole cigarette) are inconsistent and raise questions about the robustness of the view. We sought to re-examine the relationship using adolescent smoking data from 3 European countries.

Factors associated with success or failure of quit attempts: a clinical approach for lung cancer prevention.

The objective of the study is to investigate the success rate of quit attempts and identify factors associated with success or failure of quit attempts in a quit smoking clinic. A cohort study was conducted with 495 smokers who enrolled in a quit smoking clinic from 2005 to 2008. The factors leading to quit smoking successfully were "being Malay", "having high blood pressure" "type of Nicotine Replacement Therapy" and "duration of follow up".

Gender and risk of depression in Saudi Arabia, a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Depression is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In the year 2000 depression accounted for 4.4% of the global disability adjusted life years (DALYs).