Evidence Synthesis for the Development of National Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in Malaysia: A Literature Review and Stakeholder Engagement Approach.

Introduction: Nursing-sensitive indicators measure and evaluate nursing care quality and its contribution to patient care. The identification of indicators that demonstrate nursing care contribution and the quality of care delivered locally is of paramount importance, and national indicators that demonstrate this are essential. This paper aims to provide an evidence base of nursing-sensitive indicators that can facilitate the conceptualization of local nursing national indicators.

Efficacy of decision aid delivery modes in prostate cancer screening: umbrella review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: To review and compare the efficacy of different delivery modes of decision aids (DAs), including computer-based, print-based, multimedia-based, video-based, and website-based on decision-making outcomes for prostate cancer screening compared to usual care (UC) and among the delivery modes.

Methods: PubMed, the Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Advanced Search, and Turning Research Into Practice (TRIP) Database were systematically searched from inception to August 2023. The primary outcomes were knowledge level, knowledge scores, participation in shared decision-making (SDM), decisional conflict, and preference for SDM participation.

Cancer impact on lower-income patients in Malaysian public healthcare: An exploration of out-of-pocket expenses, productivity loss, and financial coping strategies.

Cancer patients often grapple with substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses and productivity loss, with the ramifications being particularly crucial for lower-income households. This study aims to estimate OOP costs incurred by cancer patients, assess their productivity loss, and analyse the financial coping mechanisms employed by individuals within the lower-income bracket. The study employed face-to-face interviews among cancer patients aged 40 years and above, currently undergoing treatment, and belonging to the lower-income group.

Trends in medicine utilisation in public and private healthcare facilities before and during COVID-19: a nationwide analysis of medicine procurement and sales data, 2018-2022.

Background: There was a fluctuation in medication demand and supply during COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess the trend of drug utilisation in Malaysia in 2018-2022 and evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on drug utilisation rates.

Methods: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional study of pharmaceutical sales data from public and private sectors in Malaysia from 2018 to 2022.

Biopsychosocial factors of depression among community-dwelling geriatric population with low perceived social support; a population-based study.

Background: Although significant and disabling consequences are presented due to geriatric population-related depression, an insufficient comprehension of various biological, psychological, and social factors affecting this issue has been observed. Notably, these factors can contribute to geriatric population-related depression with low social support. This study aimed to identify factors associated with depression among the community-dwelling geriatric population with low social support in Malaysia.

Scaling-Out Digitally Enabled Integrated Care in Europe Through Good Practices Transfer: The JADECARE Study.

Introduction: The absence of a coordinated approach to health and social care compromises the ability of health systems to provide universal, equitable, high-quality, and financially sustainable care. Transferring evidence-based practices focused on digitally-enabled integrated care to new contexts can overcome this challenge if implementation is satisfactory. This paper presents the scaling-out methodology that JADECARE has designed to spread effective innovative practices across Europe.

Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment and the risk of post-COVID condition over 180 days in Malaysia.

Background: The effect of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir on preventing post-COVID condition (PCC) in the BA4, BA5, and XBB Omicron predominant periods is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to assess how nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment affected both PCC and health-related quality of life.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 2,524 adults aged 18 years and older who were eligible for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir between July 14 to November 14, 2022.

A longitudinal assessment of major mouthwashes used in alleviating pain and xerostomia among advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Objective: This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the overall efficacy of mouthwashes in oral mucositis pain and mucositis xerostomia in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) at different phases throughout treatment.

Methods: A longitudinal study enrolled 79 advanced NPC subjects receiving CCRT. The subjects were interviewed prospectively three times over 7 weeks for pain and xerostomia scores based on the various types of mouthwash used.

Achieving cervical cancer elimination: The simulated impacts of HPV vaccination and transitioning from liquid-based cytology to HPV-based screening test.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia aims to fully replace liquid-based cytology (LBC) with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) tests and increase the screening coverage from a baseline of 25% to 40% by 2023, followed by a 10% yearly increment until 70% coverage. This transition requires proper planning, including the number of tests needed and budget allocation. This study aims to simulate different transition strategies involving the shift from LBC to HPV testing with expanded screening coverage to predict their impact on cervical cancer elimination in Malaysia.

Giving meaning to quality of healthcare in Malaysia.

Ensuring quality in healthcare calls for a coordinated, systematic, congruous, and sustained approach. Nevertheless, it demands defining what the quality of healthcare means in the local context. Presently, the Malaysian healthcare system utilizes various definitions of quality of healthcare across the different initiatives and levels of healthcare, which can lead to fragmented or ineffective quality improvement.

Design, implementation and usability analysis of patient empowerment in ADLIFE project via patient reported outcome measures and shared decision making.

Introduction: This paper outlines the design, implementation, and usability study results of the patient empowerment process for chronic disease management, using Patient Reported Outcome Measurements and Shared Decision-Making Processes.

Background: The ADLIFE project aims to develop innovative, digital health solutions to support personalized, integrated care for patients with severe long-term conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and/or Chronic Heart Failure. Successful long-term management of patients with chronic conditions requires active patient self-management and a proactive involvement of patients in their healthcare and treatment.

Disentangling the value equation: a step forward in value-based healthcare.

Background: The value equation of value-based healthcare (VBHC) as a single figure remains ambiguous, closer to a theoretical framework than a useful tool for decision making. The challenge lies in the way patient-centred outcomes (PCOs) might be combined to produce a single value of the numerator. This paper aims to estimate the weights of PCOs to provide a single figure in the numerator, which ultimately will allow a VBHC figure to be reached.

Scoping review: Exploring the relationship between chrononutrition and glycemic responses in the adult population.

Chrononutrition, an emerging body of evidence on the relationship between biological rhythms and metabolism, has been established to be associated with glycemic responses. However, the available evidence is inconsistent, due to protocol variations. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the findings on chrononutrition characteristics and their association with glycemic responses among adults.

The impact of long-term care interventions on healthcare utilisation among older persons: a scoping review of reviews.

Background: As the ageing population grows, the demand for long-term care (LTC) services will rise, concurrently amplifying healthcare utilisation. This review aims to examine and consolidate information on LTC interventions that influence healthcare utilisation among older persons.

Methods: A scoping review was performed through a systematic search in PubMed, EBSCO CINAHL, EBM Reviews - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, APA PsycInfo, EBM Reviews - Health Technology Assessment, and EBM Reviews - NHS Economic Evaluation Database.

Social support in maintaining mental health and quality of life among community-dwelling older people with functional limitations in Malaysia: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediation role of perceived social support in the relationship between functional limitations, depressive symptoms and quality of life among older people in Malaysia.

Setting: The Malaysian National Health Morbidity Survey 2018: Elderly Health was a cross-sectional health community survey among adults aged 50 and above.

Participants: 3977 community-dwelling older Malaysians aged 60 and above.

Factors associated with high and low mental well-being in Spanish university students.

Background: Previous studies conducted in various nationally representative samples of the general population show that positive mental health is related to social prosperity. However, specific studies in university populations are scarce. In this study, we set out to explore factors associated with mental well-being (MWB) in a representative sample of first-year university students in Spain.

Study protocol for a mixed methods approach to optimize colorectal cancer screening in Malaysia: Integrating stakeholders insights and knowledge-to-action framework.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is a growing global health concern and the number of reported cases has increased over the years. Early detection through screening is critical to improve outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer. In Malaysia, there is an urgent need to optimize the colorectal cancer screening program as uptake is limited by multiple challenges.

Deprivation as a fundamental cause of morbidity and reduced life expectancy: an observational study using German statutory health insurance data.

Across all developed countries, there is a steep life expectancy gradient with respect to deprivation. This paper provides a theoretical underpinning for this gradient in line with the Grossman model, indicating that deprivation affects morbidity and, consequently, life expectancy in three ways: directly from deprivation to morbidity, and indirectly through lower income and a trade-off between investments in health and social status. Using rich German claims data covering 6.

Exploring community behaviours and stakeholder challenges in engaging communities with dengue prevention behaviour in Malaysia: implementation research for a qualitative study with a community-based participatory research design.

Objectives: To use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) design to explore local community behaviours and stakeholders' challenges in engaging communities in dengue prevention behaviours in Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia.

Design: This CBPR design in implementation comprised in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Themes were identified from the data with inductive and deductive thematic analysis.

Health service and psychotropic medication use for mental health conditions among healthcare workers active during the Spain Covid-19 Pandemic - A prospective cohort study using web-based surveys.

Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCW) use of healthcare services for mental disorders. This study presents data from a 16-month prospective cohort study of Spanish HCW (n = 4,809), recruited shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic onset, and assessed at four timepoints using web-based surveys. Use of health services among HCW with mental health conditions (i.

Modelling cost-effectiveness of replacement strategies for ambulance services in the Ministry of Health Malaysia.

Background: Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is a very crucial aspect of the healthcare system in providing urgent management and transportation of patients during emergencies. The sustainability of the services is however greatly impacted by the quality and age of ambulances. While this has led to numerous replacement policy recommendations, the implementations are often limited due to a lack of evidence and financial constraints.