Functional difficulty among children in Malaysia - findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019.

Introduction: Data on child functioning and disability are important for public policy development which aimed at reducing child disability prevalence and strengthening the provision of appropriate and timely health care services. This study reports the prevalence of functional difficulty in Malaysian children aged 2-17 years and its associated sociodemographic factors and epilepsy.

Methods: Data on children aged 2-17 years (n = 4576) were generated from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019, a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Poor Self-Rated Health and Associated Factors among Older Persons in Malaysia: A Population-Based Study.

Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of poor self-rated health (SRH) in Malaysia and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle behavior, chronic diseases, depression, and functional limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) among older persons.

Design: Cross-sectional. Setting, participants, and outcome measures: We used data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018, a nationwide community-based study.

Self-Reported Modifiable Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease among Older Adults in Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Clustering.

The co-occurrence of multiple modifiable risk factors increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity or mortality. This study examines the prevalence and clustering of self-reported modifiable CVD risk factors among older adults in Malaysia. A total of 7117 adults aged ≥50 years participated in the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Elderly Health, a community-based cross-sectional survey.

Vision and Hearing Impairments Affecting Activities of Daily Living among Malaysian Older Adults by Gender.

Vision and hearing impairments are common among older adults and can cause undesirable health effects. There are limited studies from low- and middle-income countries exploring gender differences between vision and hearing impairment with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate gender differences between vision and hearing impairments with ADL disability among older adults in Malaysia.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Self-Reported Vision Disability among the Elderly in Malaysia: Findings from National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018.

Introduction: Disability has adverse effects on health, wellbeing, and life quality. Vision disorder is one of the top-ranked causes of disability in the elderly population. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with vision disability among the elderly in Malaysia.

Prevalence and factors associated with physical inactivity among older adults in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: Physical inactivity in older adults is linked to increased risk of chronic diseases, disability and various poor health outcomes. As the aging population rises, the prevalence of diseases associated with aging also increases. Regular physical activity in older adults is important to improve overall health and promote healthy aging.

Abdominal obesity and its associated factors among older adults in Malaysia.

Aim: The rise in the prevalence of abdominal obesity (AO), in particular, has become a major concern as it contributes to diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease and certain types of cancer. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and associated factors of AO among older adults aged ≥60 years in Malaysia.

Methods: This was a nationwide cross-sectional study using two-stage stratified random sampling.

An overview of the methodology and general findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Older persons' health in Malaysia.

Aim: This article describes the methodology of the 2018 Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey, and provides an overview of the sociodemographic details of the respondents and key findings on the health of older adults.

Methods: The survey included 3977 community-dwelling respondents, aged ≥60 years across Malaysia. Two-stage stratified random sampling with selection of enumeration blocks from both urban and rural areas ensured the findings were representative of the Malaysian older population.

Exposure to secondhand smoke among school-going adolescents in Malaysia: Findings from the tobacco and e-cigarettes survey among Malaysian adolescents (TECMA).

Introduction: Many studies have revealed that exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) substantially increases the risk of smoking related diseases especially among the vulnerable groups, yet data on the location of SHS exposure among youth in Malaysia are still lacking. The study aims to describe the prevalence and factors associated with SHS exposure at home, outside the home, and inside the school among school-going adolescents in Malaysia.

Methods: We derived the data from the TECMA study, which used a cross-sectional study design and multi-stage sampling method to obtain a representative sample of school-going adolescents aged 11-19 years in Malaysia in 2016.

Clustering of lifestyle risk behaviours and its determinants among school-going adolescents in a middle-income country: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Lifestyle risk behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and low fruit/vegetable intake have been identified as the major causes of chronic diseases. Such behaviours are usually instigated in adolescence and tend to persist into adulthood. Studies on the clustering of lifestyle risk behaviours among adolescents are scarce, particularly in developing countries.

Prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity among older adults in Malaysia: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015.

Malaysia has an increasingly aging population. Despite the substantial benefits of physical activity for healthy aging, older adults are considered the most physically inactive segment of the Malaysian population. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity among older adults in Malaysia and its correlates.

Postnatal depression and intimate partner violence: a nationwide clinic-based cross-sectional study in Malaysia.

Introduction: An estimated 13% of women in the postnatal period suffer from postnatal depression (PND) worldwide. In addition to underprivileged women, women who are exposed to violence are at higher risk of PND. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and PND in Malaysia.

Prevalence and determinants of disability among adults in Malaysia: results from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015.

Background: Reliable national data on disability which is internationally comparable is needed in Malaysia. This study aims to examine the prevalence of disability among adults in Malaysia and its determinants, particularly the socioeconomic factors and comorbidities.

Methods: This study was based on the disability module, which is part of the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015.

Physical activity and overweight/obesity among Malaysian adults: findings from the 2015 National Health and morbidity survey (NHMS).

Background: Overweight and obesity are growing health problems both worldwide and in Malaysia due to such lifestyle changes as decreased physical activity (PA), increased sedentary behavior and unhealthy eating habits. This study examined the levels and patterns of PA among normal-weight and overweight/obese adults and to investigate the association between PA level and overweight/obesity in Malaysian adults.

Methods: This study used data from the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), a nationwide cross-sectional survey that implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling design.

Iodine status among pregnant women in rural Sabah, Malaysia.

Background And Objectives: In 2000, legislation on mandatory universal salt iodisation was enacted in Sabah, Malaysia, to reduce the incidence of iodine deficiency disorders among its population. To evaluate the iodine levels among pregnant women from selected rural divisions in Sabah 13 years after the enactment of the universal salt iodisation programme.

Methods And Study Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 May to 30 June, 2013, in three rural divisions of Sabah (the Interior, the West Coast, and Kudat).

Association of physical activity with blood pressure and blood glucose among Malaysian adults: a population-based study.

Background: The health-enhancing benefits of physical activity (PA) on hypertension and diabetes have been well documented for decades. This study aimed to determine the association of PA with systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as blood glucose in the Malaysian adult population.

Methods: Data were extracted from the 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), a nationally representative, cross-sectional study.

Lifestyle, chronic diseases and self-rated health among Malaysian adults: results from the 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS).

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) has been demonstrated as a valid and appropriate predictor of incident mortality and chronic morbidity. Associations between lifestyle, chronic diseases, and SRH have been reported by various population studies but few have included data from developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of poor SRH in Malaysia and its association with lifestyle factors and chronic diseases among Malaysian adults.

Smoking among Secondary School Students in Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia--Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study.

Smoking is a learnt behavior during adolescence and understanding the factor/s associated with smoking will assist in identifying suitable measures in combating the rising prevalence of smoking among adolescents. This research aimed to identify the factor/s associated with smoking among form four students in Kota Tinggi, Johor. Multistage sampling was used to select a representative sample of students in 2008 and data were collected using a self-administered validated questionnaire.

Systematic review on international practices in controlling waterpipe tobacco smoking.

Background: Waterpipe tobacco smoking has becoming popular especially among young people worldwide. Smokers are attracted by its sweeter, smoother smoke, social ambience and the misconception of reduced harm. The objective of this study was to systematically review the effects of waterpipe tobacco policies and practices in reducing its prevalence.

Learning Clinical Procedures Through Internet Digital Objects: Experience of Undergraduate Students Across Clinical Faculties.

Background: Various digital learning objects (DLOs) are available via the World Wide Web, showing the flow of clinical procedures. It is unclear to what extent these freely accessible Internet DLOs facilitate or hamper students' acquisition of clinical competence.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the experience of undergraduate students across clinical disciplines-medicine, dentistry, and nursing-in using openly accessible Internet DLOs, and to investigate the role of Internet DLOs in facilitating their clinical learning.

Stages of smoking cessation among Malaysian adults--findings from national health morbidity survey 2006.

Increasing the rate of smoking cessation will reduce the burden of diseases related to smoking, including cancer. Understanding the process of smoking cessation is a pre-requisite to planning and developing effective programs to enhance the rate of smoking cessation.The aims of the study were to determine the demographic distribution of smokers across the initial stages of smoking cessation (the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages) and to identify the predictors of smoking cessation among Malaysian adult smokers.

Epidemiology of smoking among Malaysian adult males: prevalence and associated factors.

Background: Three National Health and Morbidity Surveys (NHMSs) had been conducted in Malaysia in 10-year intervals from 1986-2006. Based on the latest NHMS survey in 2006, we describe the prevalence of smoking and identify the social and demographic factors associated with smoking among adult males in Malaysia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study among 15,639 Malaysian adult males aged 18 years and above was conducted using proportional to size stratified sampling method.

Prevalence of papillary changes and folliculosis of the palpebral conjunctiva in asymptomatic Chinese children.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of papillary changes of the upper palpebral conjunctiva and folliculosis of the lower palpebral conjunctiva in Chinese children with no history of contact lens wear.

Method: Ninety-nine subjects (aged 6-15 years old) who were interested in a myopia control study were screened for papillary changes and folliculosis of the palpebral conjunctiva. Photodocumentation was performed under white and blue light (after the application of fluorescein) with a yellow filter and the photographs were graded by a group of practitioners according to a pre-set grading scale.

Growth-related changes in intracellular spermidine and its effect on efflux pump expression and quorum sensing in Burkholderia pseudomallei.

The Burkholderia pseudomallei BpeAB-OprB resistance-nodulation-division (RND) family pump effluxes aminoglycoside and macrolide antibiotics as well as acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) involved in quorum sensing. Expression of bpeA-lacZ was cell density-dependent and was inducible in the presence of these compounds. Intracellular levels of spermidine and N-acetylspermidine increased with cell density in wild-type B.