Assessing catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment in adult asthma care: a cross-sectional study of patients attending six public health clinics in Klang District, Malaysia.

Background: In Malaysia, asthma is a common chronic respiratory illness. Poor asthma control may increase out-of-pocket payment for asthma care, leading to financial hardships Malaysia provides Universal Health Coverage for the population with low user fees in the public health system to reduce financial hardship. We aimed to determine out-of-pocket expenditure on outpatient care for adult patients with asthma visiting government-funded public health clinics.

Factors associated with all-cause mortality in tuberculosis patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital.

Introduction: The all-cause mortality for tuberculosis is 1 in every 10 patients in Malaysia. The currently available national surveillance database does not record patients' variables such as socio-economic factors, existing co-morbidities, and risk behavior for investigation. An electronic medical record system can capture this missing information and use it to determine all-cause mortality factors more accurately.

A qualitative exploration of tuberculosis patients who were lost to follow-up in Malaysia.

Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is an unsuccessful treatment outcome for tuberculosis (TB) patients. In Malaysia, LTFU affects around 1 in 20 TB patients. Integration of qualitative research methods and evidence will provide a better understanding of LTFU and its underlying issues.

Asthma control and care among six public health clinic attenders in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Asthma is common in Malaysia but neglected. Achieving optimal asthma control and care is a challenge in the primary care setting. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for poor asthma control and pattern of care among adults and children (5-17 years old) with asthma attending six public health clinics in Klang District, Malaysia.

Healthcare resources, organisational support and practice in asthma in six public health clinics in Malaysia.

Asthma, a common chronic respiratory illness is mostly managed in primary care. We aimed to determine healthcare resources, organisational support, and doctors' practice in managing asthma in a Malaysian primary care setting. A total of six public health clinics participated.

Psychological health and wellbeing of primary healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: a longitudinal qualitative study.

Background: Primary healthcare workers (PHCWs) are at the frontline of dealing with viral pandemics. They may experience significant psychological stresses, which have hitherto not been examined in depth. We aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health and wellbeing of frontline PHCWs in Malaysia.

A cross sectional study on patient satisfaction and its association with length of consultation at the University Malaya Medical Centre Primary Care Clinic.

Introduction: Patient satisfaction has been found to be a determinant of patient compliance to medical advice and treatment, medical service utilisation, the doctor-patient relationship, and continuity of care. Assessment of patient satisfaction can be used to evaluate health care services and identify areas to target for quality improvement.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the satisfaction level of patients attending a primary care clinic and its associated factors.

Stakeholders' views of supporting asthma management in schools with a school-based asthma programme for primary school children: a qualitative study in Malaysia.

Objective: The WHO Global School Health Initiative aimed to improve child and community health through health promotion programmes in schools, though most focus on preventing communicable disease. Despite WHO recommendations, no asthma programme is included in the Malaysian national school health service guideline. Therefore, we aimed to explore the views of school staff, healthcare professionals and policy-makers about the challenges of managing asthma in schools and the potential of a school asthma programme for primary school children.

Correction: Prevalence of limited health literacy among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Implementing asthma management guidelines in public primary care clinics in Malaysia.

Implementing asthma guideline recommendations is challenging in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to explore healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on the provision of recommended care. Twenty-six HCPs from six public primary care clinics in a semi-urban district of Malaysia were purposively sampled based on roles and experience.

Predictors for detecting chronic respiratory diseases in community surveys: A pilot cross-sectional survey in four South and South East Asian low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Our previous scoping review revealed limitations and inconsistencies in population surveys of chronic respiratory disease. Informed by this review, we piloted a cross-sectional survey of adults in four South/South-East Asian low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) to assess survey feasibility and identify variables that predicted asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: We administered relevant translations of the BOLD-1 questionnaire with additional questions from ECRHS-II, performed spirometry and arranged specialist clinical review for a sub-group to confirm the diagnosis.

Clinical effectiveness and components of Home-pulmonary rehabilitation for people with chronic respiratory diseases: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are common and disabling conditions that can result in social isolation and economic hardship for patients and their families. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) improves functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) but practical barriers to attending centre-based sessions or the need for infection control limits accessibility. Home-PR offers a potential solution that may improve access.

Sociocultural influences on asthma self-management in a multicultural society: A qualitative study amongst Malaysian adults.

Background: Supported self-management improves asthma outcomes, but implementation requires adaptation to the local context. Barriers reported in Western cultures may not resonate in other cultural contexts. We explored the views, experiences and beliefs that influenced self-management among adults with asthma in multicultural Malaysia.

Barriers to implementing asthma self-management in Malaysian primary care: qualitative study exploring the perspectives of healthcare professionals.

Asthma self-management is a crucial component of asthma management. We sought to explore healthcare professionals' (HCPs') perceptions on barriers to asthma self-management implementation in primary care. We recruited 26 HCPs from six public primary care clinics in a semi-urban district of Malaysia in 2019.

Chronic respiratory disease surveys in adults in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic scoping review of methodological approaches and outcomes.

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) contribute significantly towards the global burden of disease, but the true prevalence and burden of these conditions in adults is unknown in the majority of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to identify strategies - in particular the definitions, study designs, sampling frames, instruments, and outcomes - used to conduct prevalence surveys for CRDs in LMICs. The findings will inform a future RESPIRE Four Country ChrOnic Respiratory Disease (4CCORD) study, which will estimate CRD prevalence, including disease burden, in adults in LMICs.

School-based self-management interventions for asthma among primary school children: a systematic review.

A Cochrane review of school-based asthma interventions (combining all ages) found improved health outcomes. Self-management skills, however, vary according to age. We assessed effectiveness of primary school-based self-management interventions and identified components associated with successful programmes in children aged 6-12 years.

Prevalence of limited health literacy and its associated factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Perak, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Limited health literacy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) led to poorer diabetes knowledge, less medication adherence and increased healthcare cost. The purpose of this paper was to report the prevalence of limited health literacy in patients with T2DM and to identify factors that are associated with it.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2018; data on patients' sociodemographic characteristics, diabetes knowledge, perceived social support and health literacy level were collected.

Development of a PATIENT-Medication Adherence Instrument (P-MAI) and a HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL-Medication Adherence Instrument (H-MAI) using the nominal group technique.

To date, several medication adherence instruments have been developed and validated worldwide. However, most instruments have only assessed medication adherence from the patient's perspective. The aim was to develop and validate the PATIENT-Medication Adherence Instrument (P-MAI) and the HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL-Medication Adherence Instrument (H-MAI) to assess medication adherence from the patient's and healthcare professional (HCP)'s perspectives.

Gender differences in factors influencing intention to undergo cardiovascular disease health checks: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Undergo a health check for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important strategy to improve cardiovascular (CV) health. Men are reported to be less likely to undergo cardiovascular disease (CVD) health check than women. Gender difference could be one of the factors influencing health seeking behaviour of men and women.