Trends in all-cause mortality among adults with diagnosed type 2 diabetes in West Malaysia: 2010 - 2019.

Aims: We determined 10-year all-cause mortality trends in diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) population in West Malaysia, a middle-income country in the Western-Pacific region.

Methods: One million T2D people aged 40-79 registered in the National Diabetes Registry (2009-2018) were linked to death records (censored on 31 December 2019). Standardized absolute mortality rates and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated relative to the Malaysian general population, and standardized to the 2019 registry population with respect to sex, age group, and disease duration.

Duration of Referral-to-Death and its Associated Factors Among Cancer and Noncancer Patients: Retrospective Cohort Study of a Community Palliative Care Setting in Malaysia.

Addressing timely community palliative care integration is prioritized due to the increased burden of noncommunicable diseases. To compare referral-to-death duration among palliative cancer and noncancer patients and to determine its associated factors in a Malaysian community palliative care center. This retrospective cohort study included decedents referred to a Malaysian community palliative care center between January 2017 and December 2019.

When do persuasive messages on vaccine safety steer COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and recommendations? Behavioural insights from a randomised controlled experiment in Malaysia.

Introduction: Vaccine safety is a primary concern among vaccine-hesitant individuals. We examined how seven persuasive messages with different frames, all focusing on vaccine safety, influenced Malaysians to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, and recommend it to individuals with different health and age profiles; that is, healthy adults, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions.

Methods: A randomised controlled experiment was conducted from 29 April to 7 June 2021, which coincided with the early phases of the national vaccination programme when vaccine uptake data were largely unavailable.

COVID-19 breakthrough infections and humoral immune response among BNT162b2 vaccinated healthcare workers in Malaysia.

The evaluation of breakthrough infection and humoral immunity responses are important outcomes for vaccination policy for healthcare staff. This prospective cohort study collected blood samples at 5-time points; before primary vaccine doses, and at 2, 10 and 24 weeks after BNT162b2 vaccination from 551 HCWs, between March and October 2021. We investigated the association between anti-spike-1 protein receptor-binding domain (anti-S1-RBD) antibody geometric mean titre (GMT) and breakthrough infections.

Appointment structure in Malaysian healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic: The public perspective.

Introduction: Evidence shows physical distancing of one metre or more is important to reduce person-to-person SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This puts the Malaysian public healthcare system to a test when overcrowding has always been an issue. A new clinical appointment structure was proposed in the Malaysian public healthcare system amidst the pandemic to reduce the transmission risk.

Factors influencing acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Malaysia: a web-based survey.

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has set a precedent for the fastest-produced vaccine as a result of global collaboration and outreach. This study explored Malaysians' acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and its associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous web-based survey was disseminated to Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years old via social media platforms between July 10, 2020 and August 31, 2020.

Serology surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in COVID-19 designated facilities in Malaysia.

Background: Asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections are well documented. Healthcare workers (HCW) are at increased risk of infection due to occupational exposure to infected patients. We aim to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among HCW who did not come to medical attention.

Adult palliative care 2004-2030 population study: estimates and projections in Malaysia.

Objectives: To estimate past trends and future projection of adult palliative care needs in Malaysia.

Methods: This is a population-based secondary data analysis using the national mortality registry from 2004 to 2014. Past trend estimation was conducted using Murtagh's minimum and maximum methods and Gómez-Batiste's method.

Health facility use by dengue patients in the Klang Valley, Malaysia: a secondary analysis of dengue surveillance data.

Background: Dengue patients in Malaysia have the choice to seek care from either public or private sector providers. This study aims to analyse the pattern of health facility use among dengue patients to provide input for the ongoing policy discussion regarding public-private integration. The focus of this study is in the Klang Valley, which has a high dengue burden as well as a high number of private facilities.

Zika virus infection in Malaysia: an epidemiological, clinical and virological analysis.

Background: A major outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) has been reported in Brazil in 2015. Since then, it spread further to other countries in the Americas and resulted in declaration of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by World Health Organization. In 2016, Singapore reported its first minor ZIKV epidemic.

Estimating dengue incidence and hospitalization in Malaysia, 2001 to 2013.

Background: Epidemiologic measures of the dengue burden such as prevalence and incidence are important for policy-making and monitoring the progress of disease control. It is a common practice where epidemiologic and economic research estimate dengue burden based on notification data. However, a basic challenge in estimating the incidence of dengue is that a significant proportion of infected population are asymptomatic.

Validity of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding for dengue infections in hospital discharge records in Malaysia.

Background: Hospitalization due to dengue illness is an important measure of dengue morbidity. However, limited studies are based on administrative database because the validity of the diagnosis codes is unknown. We validated the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD) diagnosis coding for dengue infections in the Malaysian Ministry of Health's (MOH) hospital discharge database.

Rural-urban comparisons of dengue seroprevalence in Malaysia.

Background: Each year an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur worldwide. In Malaysia, dengue is a growing public health concern but estimate of its disease burden remains uncertain. We compared the urban-rural difference of dengue seroprevalence and determined age-specific dengue seroprevalence in Malaysia.

A Two-Year Review on Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Dengue Deaths in Malaysia, 2013-2014.

Background: Dengue infection is the fastest spreading mosquito-borne viral disease, which affects people living in the tropical and subtropical countries. Malaysia had large dengue outbreaks in recent years. We aimed to study the demographics and clinical characteristics associated with dengue deaths in Malaysia.