Satisfaction with the most recent pueiperium and factors influencing it among low risk mothers in Hulu Langat, 1996

A cross sectional study was conducted in March 1996 to assess mothers' level of satisfaction experienced during their most recent puerperium and the factors influencing it. A total of 211 mothers who attended the Government Health Clinics in Hulu Langat was chosen for this study. The results showed that 30.3% of respondents experienced high satisfaction of their most recent puerperal experience. However,32.3% of the respondents reported having some problems during this period. The most .common problem faced by respondents with problems during puerperium were breast engorgements (35% of all reported problems among mothers) and 67.7% of their babies 67.7% had jaundice. In addition, about 11% of respondents reported being stressed during this period. The results also showed that compared to only 38.2% working respondents among those with low level of satisfaction, 50.8% of respondents with high level of satisfaction were working. High level of satisfaction was reported by respondents who were Malays and l11dians, primiparous, married � 5 years, having higher education and having total family income of > RM 2000. However, the association between these factors and level of satisfaction were not statistically significant except for respondents' ethnicity. The results of this study also showed that there was a statistically significant association between level of satisfaction and social support. This study also showed that among working respondents, 66.7% felt that their maternity leaves should be longer and this was repo11ed more by respondents who were working in public sectors compared to those in private sectors. In conclusion, only 30.3% of respondents reported high level of satisfaction with their most recent puerperium. SUppO11S from closed relatives and spouse should be given to mothers to improve their level of satisfaction with their puerperal experience

Practice of breast sel-examination (BSE) and its relation to knowledge and attitude among female attendees of Out - patient Department, Hospital Kuala Lumpur , 1996

Although the effectiveness of Breast Self Examination (BSE) and its potential use as a screening method for detecting early breast cancer is debatable, its practice is useful in raising women's awareness of changes in their breast and body. The Malaysian Ministry of Health has included BSE as one activity of their Healthy Lifestyle Campaign. Public education efforts on BSE are intensified in the printed and electronic media since early 1994. A cross-sectional survey of randomly sampled female attendees of the outpatient clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, aged 20 to 70, was conducted in March 1996. The main purpose was to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE. Results showed 60.7 % of selected respondents ever practice BSE but only 22.8 % practised it on a monthly basis as recommended. Compared to women who do not practise BSE, women who practised BSE were working, educated to at least secondary education and had family income of more than RM 1001. Total mean score for knowledge was 7.6 ± 2.3 and those with low knowledge consisted only 29.6 % of all respondents. The major sources of knowledge on BSE and breast cancer among these women were television and magazines. Total mean score for attitude among these women was 30 ± 3.1 and 79.4 % of them showed positive attitude towards BSE. The reasons given for not conducting BSE were absence of symptoms and knowledge on how to conduct BSE. This study also showed that BSE practice has a significant relationship with knowledge and attitude of respondents Knowledge was also significantly related with attitude (p values < 0.05 ). Knowledge play an important role in determining the practice of BSE among women. This is evident from logistic regression analysis which showed that knowledge remain significant after controlling selected confounders. In conclusion, despite the high percentage of women exposed to information about BSE and breast cancer, their knowledge and Gonfidence level are still low and only 22.8% respondents practiced BSE monthly as recommended

Smoking among young urban Malaysian women and its risk factors.

This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of cigarette smoking and to determine the individual, family, and environmental factors associated with smoking among young urban women. A cross-sectional study through self-administered questionnaire was conducted on female students enrolled in private higher learning institutions in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Malaysia, between July and October 2005. Analysis on 408 respondents showed that current smoker prevalence rate was 18.6%. Adjusted analyses showed significant association between smoking and individual factors, which are the importance of slim image, average monthly allowance, and car ownership. For family factors, analyses showed significant association between smoking and parental marital status and smoking status of male siblings. Strong associations were seen between female smoking and environmental factors, such as having more smoker friends, having smokers as best friends, keeping cigarette-brand items, being offered free cigarette, and perceiving female smoking as normal. The identified risk factors could be used to develop more effective prevention programs to overcome smoking among young urban women

A comparative cross sectional study on the knowledge, attitude and practice of the community based rehabilitation programme for children with special needs in the district of Kota Bharu, Kelantan, 1998

A comparative cross sectional study was conducted on the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the community towards community based rehabilitation (CBR) programme for children with special needs in the district of Kota Bharu, Kelantan in September 1998. The study samples comprised of 150 respondents from Wakaf Che Yeh Health Centre where CBR programme was available and 150 respondents from Pengkalan Cepa Health Centre where there was no CBR programme. The respondents aged between 18 years to 64 years old. Comparison of the KAP of these two communities is important to improve the CBR programme whereby community participation is an important component. Positive knowledge and attitude as well as active community participation in the CBR programme will ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme. Pretested guided questionnaires were used to measure the KAP of the community towards CBR programme. The hypothesis of the study was that the KAP of the community where CBR programme was available was better than the KAP of the community without the CBR programme. The study revealed that there was significant relationship between the knowledge, attitude and practice of the communities in the two study areas (p0.05). However, risk factors for low knowledge and negative attitudes on CBR were low educational status, housewife and absence of car; women have less negative attitudes toward CBR for children with special needs compared to men. These differences are statistically significant. After controlling for all the other factors it was found that being married is a risk factor for low involvement in rehabilitation activities, where as those with low educational status and having contact with the handicapped were found to be .protective. These differences are statistically significant. Based on these findings, it 1: is hoped that the knowledge, .attitude and community participation in CBR programme for children with Special needs can be further Improved and enhanced by f special emphasis on these positive predictive risk factors

Illness perceptions of Libyans with T2DM and their influence on medication adherence: a study in a diabetes center in Tripoli.

BackgroundThe surrounding environment influences the constitution of illness perceptions. Therefore, local research is needed to examine how Libyan diabetes patients perceive diabetes and how their perceptions influence their medication adherence.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Tripoli, Libya, between October and December 2013. A total of 523 patients with type 2 diabetes participated in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection; this included the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire and the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale.ResultsThe respondents showed moderately high personal control and treatment control perceptions and a moderate consequences perception. They reported a high perception of diabetes timeline as chronic and a moderate perception of the diabetes course as unstable. The most commonly perceived cause of diabetes was Allah's will. The prevalence of low medication adherence was 36.1%. The identified significant predictors of low medication adherence were the low treatment control perception (p=0.044), high diabetes identity perception (p=0.008), being male (p=0.026), and employed (p=0.008).ConclusionDiabetes illness perceptions of type 2 diabetic Libyans play a role in guiding the medication adherence and could be considered in the development of medication adherence promotion plans

Influence of an intervention program promoting voluntary fasting practices and its perceived barriers among overweight or obese Muslim women working in the public sector, Malaysia

Introduction: This article aims to describe the effect of an intervention to promote the practice of voluntary Islamic fasting and its barriers among a group of overweight and obese Muslim women working in the public sector in Malaysia. Materials and methods: In this quasi-experimental study, an intervention to encourage voluntary fasting was delivered in a half day seminar, supported by relevant booklets prepared. A self-administered questionnaire was used to capture data on voluntary fasting practices and its perceived barriers before and four months after the intervention. Data was analysed using Mc Nemar test to compare the proportion before and after the intervention. Significant level was set at p<0.05. Results: A total of 56 women were recruited. Their mean age was 36.65 years, most were married, had formal education up to secondary level and median income of RM 3000 per month. At baseline, 60.7% of them have practiced voluntary fasting. After intervention, the number of participants who practices voluntary fasting increased with a significant increase in three types of voluntary fasting (i.e. Mondays only, Thursdays only and 6 days in Shawal). The highest barrier to practice voluntary fasting was having no motivation to do so, followed by work commitment, health problems and family commitment. Discussion and Conclusion: Most of the respondents could practice voluntary fasting regularly if motivated to do so and backed by social support both at work and at home

The effect of the Malaysian food guideline guidance on a group of overweight and obese women during Ramadan

Objectives: To determine the effect of imparting knowledge of the Malaysian Food Guideline (MFG) on a group of overweight and obese women during Ramadan. Methods: This intervention study was conducted during the months of Ramadan 2011. A group of 84 Malay Muslim women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2 were recruited. Prior to Ramadan, the respondents were educated regarding MFG, and how to monitor and record their daily food intake in a food diary. Their quantity of food intake, BMI, blood pressure (BP), blood lipid profile, and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were measured before Ramadan as a baseline. Their quantity of food intake was then measured again in the third week, whereas their BMI, BP, blood lipid profile, and FBS were determined on the fourth week of Ramadan. Results: At baseline, compared with the MFG recommendations, the intake of protein (107.5%), and milk and dairy products (133%) was higher, whereas the intake of carbohydrates (78.5%), and vegetables and fruits (44.4%) was lower. During Ramadan, carbohydrate intake, BMI, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL)-C (all p=0.000), triglyceride (p=0.005), and FBS (p=0.002) were reduced, but the TC/HDL-C ratio was increased (p=0.000). Conclusion: A month-long Ramadan fast guided by the knowledge of MFG resulted in certain positive changes in this group of respondents. These changes can be a good start for health improvement, provided that they are followed-up after Ramadan

Barriers to food quantity intake control and healthy eating among overweight and obese working Malay women in public service

Introduction: The objective of this study is to look at the barriers faced by a group of working women who are overweight and obese that hinders control of their food quantity intake and healthy eating habit. Methods: 140 respondents were recruited. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The four forms of barriers to ‘food quantity intake control’ assessed were ‘lack of knowledge’, ‘lack of motivation’, ‘difficult when eating out’ and ‘have to attend meetings often’ and the six forms of barriers to ‘eat healthily more frequent’ assessed were ‘lack of knowledge’, ‘lack of motivation’, ‘difficult when eating out’, ‘costly’, ‘work commitment’ and ‘family commitment’. Results: For barrier to ‘food quantity intake control’, 60.0% of respondents agree that it is due to having to ‘attend meetings often’ and this is associated with level of education (P=0.02) while 57.9% agree it is due to ‘difficulty when eating out’ and this is associated with marital status and having children (P=0.01 and P=0.02, respectively). For barriers to ‘eating healthily more frequent’, 79.3% agree it is due to ‘lack of knowledge’ and this is associated with having children (P=0.03), 67.9 % agree it is due to healthy food items being ‘costly’ and this is associated with level of education and employment position (P=0.01 and P=0.02, respectively) while 65.7% agree it is due to ‘work commitment’ and this is associated with education level (P=0.04). Conclusion: Barriers to food quantity intake control and healthy eating are associated with socio demographic and socioeconomic characteristics among this group of overweight and obese women

Work related determinants of breastfeeding discontinuation among employed mothers in Malaysia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This cross-sectional study assesses factors that contribute to discontinuing breastfeeding among employed mothers in Malaysia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A structured questionnaire was used in conducting this study involving all government health clinics in Petaling district between July and September 2006. Respondents were Malaysian women with children between the ages of six to twelve months who were formally employed. Factors studied were selected socio-demographic and work-related characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>From a total of 290 respondents, 51% discontinued breastfeeding. The majority (54%) of mothers who discontinued breastfeeding had breastfed their babies for less than three months. Compared to Malay mothers, the risk of breastfeeding discontinuation were higher among Chinese (AOR 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7, 7.8) and Indian mothers (AOR 7.3, 95% CI 1.9, 27.4). Not having adequate breastfeeding facilities at the workplace was also a risk factor for breastfeeding discontinuation (AOR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.05, 3.1).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is important that workplaces provide adequate breastfeeding facilities such as a room in which to express breast milk and a refrigerator, and allow mothers flexible time to express breast milk.</p

A Pilot Study on the Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients at an Urban Tertiary Hospital in Kuala Lumpur

Background: Family plays an important role in caregiving of cancer patients. There are limited published articles on cancer caregiving in the Malaysian population. The aim of the study was to determine the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patient caregivers and its associated factors. Subjects and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at an urban tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 94 family caregivers of all types of cancer patients completed validated questionnaires in the national language. The dependent variable was theQoL in family caregivers, which was measured by the Malay Caregiver Quality of Life–Cancer (MCQOL-C) questionnaire. It consisted of 35 items, and the domains are burden, positive adaptation, disruptiveness, financial concerns and others. The higher the QoL scores, the better the QoL. The independent variables were socio-demographic factors (age, education level, ethnicity, gender, marital status, relationship with patient, any children less than 18 years old, and employment status). The data were analyzed by a linear regression model. Results: The study population (N= 94) comprised of 73.4% females, 38.8% were spouses to cancer patients. The mean age was 45.02+14.65, ranged from 17-78 years old. Half (56.4%) of the study subjects were Malays, 54.3% obtained secondary education, and 50% were not working. The reliability of the questionnaire was good with Cronbach alpha= 0.87. The mean (SD) score of QoL was 80.57 (21.27), ranged from 25-128. The multivariate analysis showed that being non-Malay had lower quality of life than Malay (b= -18.40; 95% CI= 3.10 to 33.70; p= 0.020). Conclusion: Ethnicity affects the QoL of cancer patient caregiving. This provides invaluable insight for developing health care service. Keywords: quality of life, family caregiver, cance