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Background: Substance abuse admission to health facilities following the pandemic is often met with challenges. COVID-19 is causing an insurmountable psychosocial impact on the whole of mankind. Marginalized communities, particularly those with substance use disorders (SUDs), are also likely to suffer from greater psychosocial burden. Objectives: This study sought to evaluate substance abuse trends before and during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients attending selected government hospitals in Malaysia. Data from the year 2018 to 2021 was utilized. Results: A total of 9,606 patients consisting of 7881 males and 1725 females were identified. Most of the patients involved with substance abuse from 2018 to 2021 were males, aged between 26 and 44 years old, Malays, high school students, singles, workers of private sectors and those residing in urban areas. The most abused substances over the four years were tobacco (61.8%), followed by amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) (43.1%), alcohol (39.7%), cannabis (17.2%), opioids (13.0%), and kratom (8.8%). Those who worked in the private sector and were self-employed or unemployed were more associated with substance abuse during the pandemic compared to those who worked in the government sector. Those with a history of psychiatric illness were more associated with abuse of substances during the pandemic than those without the history (adjusted OR: 1.18, 95% CI 1.09–1.29, p <0.001). Conclusions: Targeted exploration of factors affecting substance abuse in Malaysia is essential. The results of this study assist in identifying variations in substance abuse treatment characteristics for those admitted to treatment in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aimed to systematically compare and pool the prevalence of all the known evidence on caregiver hesitancy and to describe the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among caregiver worldwide such as COVID-19, MMR, Influenza, HPV and others. We searched article from few electronic databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, ProQuest, and Web of Science) from inception to August 2023 using specific keywords for example caregiver, parents, prevalence, factor, hesitancy, and others. We included population-based studies that reported the prevalence of caregiver hesitancy. We used random-effects meta-analyses for pool prevalence estimates of caregiver hesitancy. A total of 765 studies met our inclusion criteria, containing data on 38,210,589 caregivers from seven regions across the globe. Overall or pool prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among caregiver is 25.0% (95% CI: 0.22–0.27, I2 = 99.91%, p = 0.001). Based on the evidence gathered, vaccine hesitancy was found to be religious sentiments, personal beliefs, perceived safety concerns, and a desire for more information from healthcare providers, along with factors related to availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of vaccinations. Vaccine safety and efficiency have been identified as the main factor for caregiver vaccine hesitancy globally with a prevalence of 91.4%. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022331629. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022331629. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the use of psychoactive substances causes detrimental effects on one's physical and mental well-being. Substance use contributes to crimes and violence and may lead to severe mental illnesses and increase infection vulnerability. The objective of this study was to study the profiles of substance use disorder (SUD) patients diagnosed between 2018 and 2021 in state hospitals in Malaysia. Data from medical records of SUD patients diagnosed between 2018 and 2021 was collected from 15 September 2021 to 31 December 2021. Data on different types of profiles was extracted: (1) sociodemographic, (2) comorbidities, (3) substance use, and (4) other profiles. Descriptive analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22. A total of 9,606 patients with SUD were identified, of which 82% were males and 18% were females. The mean age was 35.4 (SD 12.1), ranging from 10 to 92 years old. The majority of the patients were aged between 26 to 44 years old (56%), Malays (57%), single (46%), had up to a secondary level of education (43%), and worked in the private sector (36%) or unemployed (35%). Among SUD patients, about 63% had psychiatric comorbidities. About 62% of the patients smoked and 40% consumed alcohol. The most used substances were amphetamines (ATS), with 43%, followed by cannabis (17%) and opioids (13%). Almost 60% were poly-substance users. The most common reason for initiation of substance use was peer pressure. The mean duration of substance use was 12.1 years (SD 9.7). Among the SUD patients, about 15% had a history of incarceration (15%). Conclusion: By understanding the profiles of SUD patients, more targeted and specific programs on awareness, prevention and management can be implemented, reducing the percentage of SUD in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic diseases affect around 40% of the pediatric population worldwide. The coexistence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and food allergy renders allergy treatment and prevention challenging. Infant feeding strategies recommend avoiding allergenic foods to prevent allergy development and anaphylaxis. However, recent evidence suggests that early consumption of food allergens during weaning in infants aged 4-6 months could result in food tolerance, thus reducing the risk of developing allergies., Objective: The aim of this study is to systematically review and carry out a meta-analysis of evidence on the outcome of early food introduction for preventing childhood allergic diseases., Methods: We will conduct a systematic review of interventions through a comprehensive search of various databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Google Scholar to identify potential studies. The search will be performed for any eligible articles from the earliest published articles up to the latest available studies in 2023. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, non-RCTs, and other observational studies that assess the effect of early food introduction to prevent childhood allergic diseases., Results: Primary outcomes will include measures related to the effect of childhood allergic diseases (ie, asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and food allergy). PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines will be followed for study selection. All data will be extracted using a standardized data extraction form and the quality of the studies will be assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. A summary of findings table will be generated for the following outcomes: (1) total number of allergic diseases, (2) rate of sensitization, (3) total number of adverse events, (4) improvement of health-related quality of life, and (5) all-cause mortality. Descriptive and meta-analyses will be performed using a random-effects model in Review Manager (Cochrane). Heterogeneity among selected studies will be assessed using the I 2 statistic and explored through meta-regression and subgroup analyses. Data collection is expected to start in June 2023., Conclusions: The results acquired from this study will contribute to the existing literature and harmonize recommendations for infant feeding with regard to the prevention of childhood allergic diseases., Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021256776; https://tinyurl.com/4j272y8a., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/46816., (©Aisha Fadhilah Abang Abdullah, Nor Asiah Muhamad, Rimah Melati Ab Ghani, Nur Hasnah Maamor, Fatin Norhasny Leman, Chun Lai Too, Intan Hakimah Ismail, Nor Afiah Mohd Zulkefli, Ahmad Iqmer Nashriq Mohd Nazan, Salmiah Md Said. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 26.06.2023.)