Barriers to Healthcare Access for Indigenous Communities: Insights from Healthcare Professionals.

Background: The indigenous people or 'Orang Asli' (OA) in Malaysia is a vulnerable group who lags behind in terms of socioeconomic, education and health. Despite numerous developments, health disparities still exist among the OA, resulting in varying health outcomes. This study aimed to identify barriers to providing healthcare to OA by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Malaysia.

Hypertension in Adults With Diabetes in Southeast Asia: A Systematic Review.

Diabetes is one of the most pressing health issues in the Southeast Asian region, and hypertension has been commonly reported as a comorbidity in adults with diabetes. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the prevalence and management of hypertension in adults with diabetes in Southeast Asian countries. A literature search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE and Embase Classic + Embase from database inception until March 15, 2024.

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Fixed-Dose Combination Antihypertensive Medicine Prescribing in Twenty-Four Countries, Including Qualitative Insights.

Background: Treatment inertia, non-adherence and non-persistence to medical treatment contribute to poor blood pressure (BP) control worldwide. Fixed dose combination (FDC) antihypertensive medicines simplify prescribing patterns and improve adherence. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with prescribing FDC antihypertensive medicines and to understand if these factors differ among doctors worldwide.

The prescription of beta-blockers in older patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: an observational study in Vietnam.

This study in older hospitalized patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) aimed to examine the prevalence of beta-blocker prescription and its associated factors. A total of 190 participants were recruited from July 2019 to July 2020. The inclusion criteria included: (1) aged ≥ 60 years, (2) having a diagnosis of chronic HFrEF in the medical records, (3) hospitalized for at least 48 h.

Simplifying medication regimens for residents of aged care facilities: Pharmacist and physician use of a structured five-step medication simplification tool.

Background: Pharmacist-led medication regimen simplification using a structured approach can reduce unnecessary medication regimen complexity in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), but no studies have investigated simplification by different health professionals, nor the extent to which simplification is recommended during comprehensive medication reviews.

Objectives: To compare medication regimen simplification opportunities identified by pharmacists, general medical practitioners (GPs), and geriatricians and to determine if pharmacists identified simplification opportunities during routinely conducted comprehensive medication reviews in RACFs for these same residents.

Methods: Three pharmacists, three GPs and three geriatricians independently applied the Medication Regimen Simplification Guide for Residential Aged CarE (MRS GRACE) to medication data for 83 residents taking medications at least twice daily.

Prevalence and patterns of comorbidities in older people with type 2 diabetes in Australian primary care settings.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and patterns of comorbidity in community-dwelling older people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending general practice settings in Australia.

Methods: This study involved a cross-sectional analysis using the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) sub-study data. In a series of sub-studies, a representative sample of general practitioners was asked to record all diagnosed chronic conditions for patients at 40 consecutive encounters using structured paper-based recording forms.

Work readiness of pharmacy graduates: An exploratory study.

Introduction: The recent global pandemic of Covid-19 caused various disruptions. Among them were face-to-face teaching and learning activities being switched to virtual sessions in accordance with health authorities recommendations. The impact of these changes on work readiness of pharmacy graduates is unknown.

Pre-operative psoas muscle index, a surrogate for sarcopenia; as a predictor of post-esophagectomy complications.

Background: Esophagectomy is the standard of care for curative esophageal cancer. However, it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Esophageal cancer is known to negatively affect the nutritional status of patients and many manifest cancer sarcopenia.

Economic Evaluations of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapies for Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Decision-analytic models (DAMs) with varying structures and assumptions have been applied in economic evaluations (EEs) to assist decision making for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) therapeutics. This systematic review aimed to summarize and critically appraise the EEs of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) for HFrEF.

Methods: A systematic search of English articles and gray literature, published from January 2010, was performed on databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, NHSEED, health technology assessment, Cochrane Library, etc.

Perspectives on opportunities and challenges in a predominantly flipped classroom-based pharmacy curriculum: A qualitative study.

Introduction: To adapt to flipped classroom pedagogy in universities, factors such as the amount of the program that is flipped, students' pre-existing educational experiences, and cultural background may influence adjusting to the approach. We investigated students' perspectives across four years of a predominantly flipped classroom-based pharmacy curriculum in a low to middle income country.

Methods: We conducted five semi-structured focus groups with 18 pharmacy students from years one to four of the bachelor of pharmacy program at Monash University Malaysia where students came from different pre-university backgrounds.

When is POEM truly equivalent to LHM? A comparison of complication rates during the learning curve.

Introduction: Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) is an effective treatment for Esophageal Achalasia Cardia (EAC) but the endoscopic technique required is complex. As competency is crucial for patient safety, we believe that its' competency can be demonstrated when the complication rate equals that of an established procedure such as Laparoscopic Heller's Myotomy with Fundoplication (LHM + F).

Methods: A multicentre, ambi-directional, non-randomized comparison of intra-procedural complications during the learning curve of POEM was performed against a historical cohort of LHM + F.

Cultural adaptation and validation of instruments for measuring the flipped classroom experience.

Introduction: In 2017, a revamped bachelor of pharmacy program was introduced at Monash University and incorporated a predominantly flipped classroom-based pedagogy. The attitudes and preferences of students towards this program had yet to be assessed using a reliable instrument. Since no instrument was readily available, the objective of this study was to identify, contextualize, and validate a suitable instrument.

30-Day Morbidity and Mortality of Bariatric Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Multinational Cohort Study of 7704 Patients from 42 Countries.

Background: There are data on the safety of cancer surgery and the efficacy of preventive strategies on the prevention of postoperative symptomatic COVID-19 in these patients. But there is little such data for any elective surgery. The main objectives of this study were to examine the safety of bariatric surgery (BS) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to determine the efficacy of perioperative COVID-19 protective strategies on postoperative symptomatic COVID-19 rates.

Young breast cancer and the influence of ethnicity in Sandakan: A 3-year retrospective cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in Malaysia, with incidence increasing with age. There have been demonstrated differences in age of presentation and tumour biology when comparing ethnicities. Twenty percent of Caucasian women present before 50 years old, but almost 50% of Southeast Asian (SEA) women present before 50.

Changes of balance control in individuals with lumbar degenerative spine disease after lumbar surgery: a longitudinal study.

Background Context: Lumbar degenerative spine disease (DSD) with neurological symptoms is the most common indication requiring lumbar surgery when nonoperative treatment is not effective. Individuals with lumbar DSD have sensory, proprioception, and musculoskeletal system alterations, which may result in balance impairment. However, evidence regarding balance recovery in individuals with lumbar DSD after lumbar surgery is limited.

Hemangiopericytoma 11 years later: delayed recurrence of a rare soft tissue sarcoma.

Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are uncommon tumours. We present the case of a 41-year-old female with multiple resections at different sites over the course of 11 years. The approach considerations, as well as treatment options and prognosis are discussed.