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Introduction: Community health workers (CHW) or volunteers are health workers who are trained but do not possess a professional certificate. They are community members who live and work in that particular community. The Ministry of Health Malaysia had initiated a community-based intervention programme, Healthy Community Empowers the Nation or ‘Komuniti Sihat Pembina Negara’ (KOSPEN) in October 2013. In this programme, CHWs main task is to conduct non-communicable diseases (NCD) risk factor screening. Methods: Data from the “Evaluation of the implementation of KOSPEN programme in Malaysia 2016” was used. It is a cross-sectional study which was carried out in randomly selected KOSPEN localities throughout Malaysia. Logistic regression analysis was applied to determine factors associated with not performing KOSPEN screening activities by the volunteers. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: A total of 700 volunteers were included in this study. Most of the volunteers were female (65.7%) and were aged 50-59 years (30.9%), followed by those aged 40-49 (27.1%). Majority had secondary education (65.3%), employed (55.7%.) and were married (80.4%). Multivariate logistic regression showed that volunteers who never attended training (aOR 2.79; 95% CI:1.66, 4.67) and who felt the content of the training module was inadequate (aOR 2.693; 95% CI: 1.46, 4.98) were more likely to not perform screening activities in the community. Conclusion: Attendance of the training should be a pre-requisite to qualify as a volunteer. Improvement to the training module should done to increase comprehensibility of the modules among the volunteers. Keywords: KOSPEN-community health workers-NCD screening-community-based intervention Word count (249)

Aim The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of self-reported diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia among older persons in Malaysia and their associated factors. Methods The study used data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2018. It was a cross-sectional study with two-staged stratified cluster sampling design. In total, 3977 adults aged ≥60 years were selected for this study. Respondents were interviewed face to face using a structured questionnaire. Self-reported diabetes, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia was defined as having ever been told they have these diseases by a medical doctor or paramedic. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. The multiple logistic regression model was used to examine the factors associated with the prevalence of self-reporting. Results The prevalence of self-reported diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia among older persons in Malaysia were 27.7%, 51.1% and 41.8% respectively. Presence of other comorbidities and being obese showed higher odds for all three diseases. Indians, unemployed, inactive had higher odds for diabetes. Other Bumiputras, unemployed, non-smoker, obese and inactive had higher odds for hypertension. Non-smoker had higher odds for hypercholesterolemia. Conclusions Health promotion, vigilance, attention and services targeting on the associated factors should be strengthened for older persons in Malaysia to ensure healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 79-84.

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. Data were collected through a self-administered approach using a pre-validated standard questionnaire. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data, and results are presented as adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results SHS exposure for the past seven days was higher outside the home (51.2%; 95% CI: 49.2-53.2) compared to at home (37.8%; 95% CI: 35.8-39.9) while 27.3% (95% CI: 25.1-29.5) of school-going adolescents reported exposure to SHS inside the school in the past one month. In the regression analyses, older adolescents, those of Malay and Bumiputra Sarawak ethnicities, adolescents from rural areas and current smokers had higher likelihood of exposure to SHS at home, outside home and inside the school. Our study also found that adolescents who were current smokers had higher odds of being exposed to SHS at home (AOR=2.87; 95% CI: 2.57-3.21), outside the home (AOR=3.46; 95% CI: 3.05-3.92) and in the school (AOR=2.25; 95% CI: 2.01-2.51). Conclusions Health promotion measures should target parents/guardians and household members to reduce SHS exposure among adolescents. In addition, smoke-free regulation should be fully enforced in school. Furthermore, more public places should be designated non-smoking areas to reduce SHS exposure and denormalize smoking behavior.

Background Small/kiddie cigarette packs consist of less than 20 cigarette sticks. Kiddie packs were recently proposed to be reintroduced by the tobacco industry with an excuse to prevent consumers from buying illicit cigarettes. By reintroducing kiddie packs, cigarettes will inevitably be more affordable and this would appeal to lower-income consumers especially teens. In this systematic review, we aimed to identify the impact of kiddie packs on smoking, specifically on smoking initiation, the urge/tendency to buy cigarettes and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption. Methods This systematic review will be based on the review of original articles on the impact of kiddie packs on smoking. There is no restriction on the publication dates. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus will be searched to retrieve potential original articles. Additional records identified through other sources: Google Scholar, as well as Journal of Substance Use and Tobacco Control, are also to be searched. These will include original articles in any language which included all study designs (randomised controlled trials, quasi experimental and experimental studies, observational cross-sectional and cohort studies) comparing kiddie packs with regular cigarette packs. The primary outcomes of interest will be initiation of smoking and urge/tendency to buy cigarettes in the general population and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption among current smokers. Secondary outcomes will be the prevalence of smoking using kiddie packs among the current smokers. Discussion This systematic review will provide evidence to support the impact of kiddie packs on smoking in terms of smoking initiation, smoking prevalence, urge/tendency to purchase cigarettes and attempts to reduce cigarette consumption. The findings from this review could be helpful to policymakers in regulating kiddie packs to control the consumption of tobacco. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42018102325

Aim Falls are a common problem among older people, leading to major morbidity and increased mortality. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of falls among older persons in Malaysia and its associated factors. Methods Data were obtained from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018 (NHMS 2018), a cross-sectional study using stratified cluster sampling design. Older persons were defined as aged ≥60 years in this study. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Results Overall, 14.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.46, 15.84) of older persons reported having experienced at least one fall during the past 12 months. Univariate analyses revealed an association between the history of falls with not being employed (odds ratio [OR]: 1.35 [95% CI: 1.03, 1.77]), diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.65 [95% CI: 1.33, 2.04]), limitation in activities of daily living (ADL) (OR: 1.90 [95% CI: 1.43, 2.54]) or instrumental ADL (OR: 1.47 [95% CI: 1.16, 1.84]). Multiple logistic regression revealed that falls were positively associated with those who had diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.55 [95% CI: 1.23, 1.94]) and limitation in ADL (OR: 1.56 [95% CI: 1.14, 2.15]); 43.9% of falls occurred outdoors. Conclusion One in six older Malaysian people experience at least one fall over a 12-month period. Diabetes mellitus and limitation in ADL were the factors associated with falls among older persons. A comprehensive and targeted program designed to reduce risk of falls is urgently needed. Future research should identify suitable programs for our setting to reduce the potential society burden of falls in older Malaysians. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 33-37.

Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the proportion of hypertension and its associated factors among current drinkers in Malaysia.Methodology: The data were obtained from the Nationa...

Novels were first introduced in the 20th century and they have grown rapidly ever since. Various novel themes are presented according to the current situations and among them are social, political, economic, war, community and humanity. Novels have secured a special place in the printed and electronic media. Indie novels are becoming popular especially among youngsters. This work is relatively free and relaxed and it is not tied to a strict writing structure. Its publishing is solely based on authors? own initiative thus it is not restricted by any publishing policy. This work, however, is full of implicit and explicit elements and meanings.

In the article “Hypercholesterolemia Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control Among Adults in Malaysia: The 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey, Malaysia” which appeared in Volume 10, No. 7(2018), a sentence in the abstract under results section, “Only a mere 12.7% (95% CI:12.4 -13.1) among those who were aware were on treatment and out of which only 53.7% (95% CI: 50.1-57.2) had their cholesterol levels controlled” appeared incorrect and should have appeared as “Only a mere 12.7% (95% CI:12.4 -13.1) were on treatment and out of which only 53.7% (95% CI: 50.1-57.2) had their cholesterol levels controlled”. We apologise to the readers of Global Journal of Health Science for this error.

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of illicit drug use and its associated factors among male adolescents in Malaysia. Data of 13 135 adolescents were extracted from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017, a cross-sectional survey among school-going adolescents in Malaysia aged between 13 and 17 years, using a 2-stage stratified cluster sampling. A complex sample design analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied. The overall prevalence of lifetime illicit drug use among male adolescents was 6.6%. The multivariable model showed that illicit drug use among male adolescents were associated with younger age, rural school area, marital status of parent, current smoker, ever having sex, truancy, involved in physical fight, and lack of peer support. The findings from this study can assist community and relevant authorities in their efforts to combat illicit drug usage among adolescents using intervention programs that diminishes risk factors and enhances the protective factors.

We assessed the prevalence of cessation of e-cigarette and its associated factors among adolescents in Malaysia. This study analyzed data from the Tobacco and E-Cigarette Survey among Malaysian Adolescent (TECMA) in 2016, a cross-sectional study with 2-stage stratification cluster sampling. A total of 14 832 school-going adolescents aged 10 to 19 years participated in this survey. A complex sampling design and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied. Nearly half of the adolescents (49.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 44.9-55.0) who had ever used e-cigarette ceased the usage. Based on multivariate analysis, adolescents were more likely to quit e-cigarette because they could not afford the e-cigarette (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.78-3.20), if they are aged 13 year and older (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.25-2.61), and those who claimed their e-cigarette does not contain nicotine (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.03-1.78). E-cigarette prevention efforts among adolescents could consider the cessation factors described in this study.

BACKGROUND 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. This study revealed that the overall smoking prevalence was 19.0% with a significantly higher proportion of male smokers (35.8%) as compared to females (3.15%). Adolescents who were male (aOR 6.6, 95%CI 2.61-16.4), those who had peer/s who smoked (aOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.31-12.4), and those who studied in rural areas and Felda Settlements ( aOR 4.59, 95 CI 1.11-18.0; aOR 9.42, 95%CI 3.91-29.1) were more likely to smoke in the past one week. On the other hand, adolescents with better knowledge on the hazards of smoking and negative attitudes towards smoking were less likely to smoke (aOR 0.51, 95%CI 0.37-0.72; aOR 0.67, 95%CI 0.46-0.99). Future promotional and interventional programmes on smoking should be considered and the above identified risk factors integrated to reduce smoking prevalence among students of school-going ages in Kota Tinggi. Johor.

Diabetes mellitus is a public health problem and has become a concern to all levels of society. In Malaysia, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus had increased, from about 0.65% in early 1960s to 2 – 4% in 1980s and 14% in early 21st century. Studies had showed that glucose control is effective in preventing complications from diabetes mellitus. Level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is an accepted indicator of glycaemic control. A cross- sectional study was carried out to determine the level of control of HbA1c among 307 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending the health clinic in Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur using validated structured questionnaires, while secondary data were obtained from patients’ medical reports. Response rate for this study was 89%. Majority of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending the health clinic in Bandar Tun Razak were Malays (79.5%), women (61.9%) and married (77.2%), and with secondary education (49.5%). The mean age of respondents was 56.9 ± 9.5 years, median Body Mass Index (BMI) was 28.5 (IQR: 6.0) and median HbA1c was 7.4% (IQR: 2.7). About three quarter of the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients studied had poor controlled level of HbA1c (≥6.5%). Age (p=0.047), blood pressure (systolic blood pressure p=0.049, and diastolic blood pressure p=0.011) and low density lipid level (p=0.039) had significant relationship with the level of HbA1c. Other risk factors studied had no significant relationship with the level of HbA1c. The study concluded that, there was poor glycaemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus studied, this exposed them to complications of diabetes mellitus. It is recommended that health education activities, counselling and prevention activities are intensified and targeted to this group of patients.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increase trend of dietary supplements intake among Malaysians over the last decade. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristic of dietary supplements users among adults in Malaysia. METHODS: Data of 3000 respondents aged 18–59 years from the Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) 2014 were utilized. A multi-stage stratified sampling method was employed and eligible respondent from each household was selected using Kish method. Validated questionnaire was used to gather information on vitamin/mineral supplements (VMS) and food supplements (FS). Descriptive analysis and multiple logistic regressions were conducted using SPSS version 20.0. RESULTS: The prevalence of VMS and FS intakes among adults in Malaysian were 28.1% and 34.0% respectively. Women, older aged adults with higher education level and monthly income were more likely to consume dietary supplements. Vitamin C and multivitamin/ multimineral, were the commonest VMS consumed by the respondents. The most common FS taken were fish oil and royal jelly. The main causes for dietary supplements intake include for health reasons, doctor’s prescription, to increase energy level and for beauty. CONCLUSIONS: About one third of the Malaysian adults took variety of dietary supplements. Thus, information based on the scientific evidences of health benefits for each type of the dietary supplements is needed to enable consumers to make informed choices on the dietary supplements.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes has increased dramatically in the last decade. Compounding the problem are undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus. These respondents are those who do not know that they have the disease. Undiagnosed cases have substantial implications as they are at more risk to develope fatal complications. This study aims to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and to identify its associated factors in Malaysia.METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted involving 19,935 respondents. Two-stage stratified sampling design was used to select a representative sample of the Malaysian adult population. Face-to-face interviews using structured, validated questionnaires were used to obtain data from the respondents. Respondents who claimed that they were not diagnosed with diabetes before were asked to undergo a finger-prick test.RESULTS: The overall prevalence of T2DM was 17.5% while the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM was 9.2% (n=2103). Respondents aged 60 years old & above had the highest percentage of undiagnosed T2DM at about 13.6 %, followed by those with no formal educational at 12.9%, among Indians were 11.9%, among female at 9.2%, among non-working citizen at 9.8%, widowed/divorced (12.0%), smokers (9.5%), obesity (13.6%) and hypertensive (12.8%). Multivariable analyses revealed that age group, ethnicity, education level, marital status, obesity and hypertensive were more likely to have undiagnosed T2DM.CONCLUSION: This study showed a high prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM in Malaysia. Factors associated with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus were obesity, age, ethnicity, educational level and hypertension. Screening is essential among adults aged 30 to 60 year old to enable early intervention and prevent development of serious complications of this disease.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Dyslipidaemia is one of the main modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, it is crucial to examine the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypercholesterolemia and its associated factors among adults in Malaysia.METHODS: We used data from 19,935 respondents aged 18 years and above who responded to the cholesterol module in the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015. The survey employed a two-stage stratified sampling to select a representative sample of Malaysian adults. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyse the data.RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 47.7%. Among those who were diagnosed to have hypercholesterolemia, only 19.2% were aware of their hypercholesterolemia status. Only a mere 12.7% (95% CI: 12.4 -13.1) among those who were aware were on treatment and out of which only 53.7% (95% CI: 50.1-57.2) had their cholesterol levels controlled. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was associated with gender, age, ethnicity, education level, occupation, marital status, obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Awareness and treatment of hypercholesterolemia saw a similar pattern (except for gender and locality). For control of hypercholesterolemia, the female gender and secondary education levels were the only significant associated factors.CONCLUSION: The overall high prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in addition to poor awareness, treatment and control are significant public health problems. Intensified health campaigns and programmes especially among high-risk groups should be implemented in order to reduce or prevent complications of hypercholesterolemia in the near future.

This study aimed to identify risk and protective factors associated with sexual activity among Malaysian adolescents. Data from the World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey 2012 were analyzed. A total of 23 645 students aged 12 to 17 years responded using self-administered validated questionnaire. The overall prevalence of reported ever-had sex was 8.3%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that ever-had sex was positively significantly associated with ever-used drugs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.51-9.13), and to a lesser extent, ever-smoked (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.62-2.07) and ever-consumed alcohol (aOR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.15-2.53). Protective factors against ever-had sex were having a close friend (aOR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.50-0.81), parental bonding (aOR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.65-0.81), supportive peers (aOR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.69-0.86), and parental connectedness (aOR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.78-0.99). Although the prevalence of sexual activity among school-going adolescents in Malaysia is relatively low, identifying the risk and protective factors is crucial toward developing an integrated multiple approach to preventing sexual-related problems.

This paper is about designing a robot which is controlled using a mobile phone that is connected to the robot through GSM network as a remote controller. The mobile phone's keypad is used to control the robot movement toward a desired location. The present robot is not an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), the user should provide extra caution for the robot movement to avoid collisions with static fixed objects as well as moving objects.