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Introduction: Nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) is the screening tool for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is a painful procedure that leads people to refuse it. Since there was no pain evaluation conducted, this study is to examine the pain prevalence and its predictors during NPS among COVID-19 suspected cases at Central Malacca drive-through screening centre. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 365 screened respondents, selected through simple random sampling in May 2021. The pain category was divided into clinically significant pain (CSP) and Non-CSP using the Ministry of Health Pain Scale. Independent variables were the sociodemographic factors, frequency of NPS, operators' experience score and swab tip type. Data was collected using validated, self-administered Google form questionnaire, blasted via WhatsApp and the analysis was done using IBM SPSS software version 26. Results: The response rate was 86.4% with 53.5% reported having CSP. Binary Logistic Regression revealed frequent NPS procedures (OR= 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.38, p=0.040) and the nylon-flocked swab tip (OR= 2.08, 95% CI 1.24-3.49, p=0.006) have higher odds of CSP. Operator with more experience score is less likely to cause CSP to respondents (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.99, p <0.048). The predictors of CSP during NPS among COVID-19 suspected cases are of higher frequency of NPS and nylon-flocked swab tip. Increase operators' experience score is the protective factor for CSP. Conclusion: The painless saliva self-testing modality screening for COVID-19 is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite evidence of depression among mothers of children with cancer, there appears to be a lack of studies or concern regarding factors associated with depression among these mothers. Objective: To review the factors associated with depression among mothers of children with cancer. Method: Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, Psychology, and Behavioural Sciences Collection, and Academic Search Complete were searched according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify studies published between 2010 to 2022 on the associated risk factors of depression among mothers of children with cancer. The keywords used included mothers OR maternal' AND 'Child*' AND 'cancer OR tumo*r OR neoplasm' AND 'factors OR facilitators AND barriers OR predictors OR determinants AND 'depression'. Selected studies were evaluated by quality assessment. Result: Five articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The factors associated with depression among mothers of children were socio-demographic risk factors (marital status, education level, annual income, child cancer diagnosis), and stress factors (caregiving stress, cancer-related stress, general stress). There were other factors associated with depression that act as mediators along the process which were emotion-focused coping and perceived social support. Conclusion: Besides the commonly reported socio-demographic risk factors (marital status, education level, and annual income), other factors include stress factors (caregiving stress, cancer-related stress, and general stress). Furthermore, emotion-focused coping and perceived social support act as mediators along the process. More studies are warranted to explore depression among these mothers to ensure the most appropriate and effective preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunization is an effective public health intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality among children and it will become more effective if the child can receive the full course of recommended immunization doses. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood immunization defaulters and its associated factors among children below 5 years attending registered child care centers in Petaling District, Selangor.Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey among mothers with children below 5 years from 60 registered child care centers in District of Petaling, Selangor. Data was collected by a self-administered questionnaire from a total of 1015 mothers. Simple Logistic Regression, Chi-square or Fisher's exact test were performed to determine the association between individual categorical variables and childhood immunization defaulters. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of childhood immunization defaulters.Results: The study showed that the prevalence rate for defaulting immunization was 20.7%. After adjusting all confounders, six statistically significant predictors of childhood immunization defaulters were determined. They were non-Muslims (aOR = 1.669, 95% CI = 1.173, 2.377, p = 0.004), mothers with diploma and below educational background (aOR = 2.296, 95% CI = 1.460, 3.610, p < 0.0001), multiple children of 5 and above in a family (aOR = 2.656, 95% CI = 1.004, 7.029, p = 0.040), mothers with younger children aged 2 years and below (aOR = 1.700, 95% CI = 1.163, 2.486, p = 0.006), long travelling time of more than 30 min to the immunization health facility (aOR = 2.303, 95% CI = 1.474, 3.599, p < 0.0001) and had delayed at least one of the immunization schedule (aOR = 2.747, 95% CI = 1.918, 3.933, p < 0.0001).Conclusion: This study highlights the need of implementation of intervention programs should be intensified to improve the childhood immunization status, focusing on the Non-Muslim community, mothers with low educational level, mothers with multiple children and mothers with children aged 2 years and below. In light of the growing problem of immunization defaulters in Malaysian children, identifying mothers at risk of not completing their children immunization schedule and educating them is an important strategy to recurrent outbreaks of infectious disease in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]