Self-reported bone fracture among Malaysian adults: Baseline findings of PURE Malaysia cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: In Malaysia, studies on self-reported bone fractures are scarce. Due to the fact that bone fractures may serve as an indicator of osteoporosis in the community, this study aimed to identify the factors associated with their occurrence among adults in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Epidemiological data for selfreported bone fractures were obtained through direct interviews using a validated questionnaire from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. RESULTS: Of 15,378 respondents, 6.63% (n=1019) reported bone fractures, with a higher proportion of men (65.8%, n=671) than women (34.2%, n=348). Higher odds of selfreporting bone fractures were seen in males (aOR, 2.12; 95%CI: 1.69, 2.65), those with a history of injury (aOR 5.01; 95%CI: 3.10, 6.32) and those who were obese (aOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.89), highly active (aOR 1.25; 95%CI: 1.02, 1.53), smokers (aOR 1.35; 95%CI: 1.11, 1.65) and alcohol consumers (aOR 1.67; 95%CI: 1.20,2.32). CONCLUSION: Adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and moderate physical activity is critical for weight loss, increased muscle and bone mass and better stability, which reduces the likelihood of fractures following a fall.

Fertility preservation opportunities for cancer patients in Malaysia.

Fertility preservation is significant for oncology patients to maintain their ability to start a family when they are ready. Onco-fertility, as a discipline, exists at the intersection of oncology and reproductive medicine that safeguards and expands the fertility options for cancer survivors, by facilitating early intervention and suitable treatment with favourable outcomes. Successful fertility preservation requires a comprehensive networking among the gynaecologists, oncologists, pathologists, imaging and other specialists, involved in diagnosing and treating cancer in the reproductive age group. There are several ways in which fertility can be preserved, like role of gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues, in vitro maturation, and cryopreservation.

Validity and reliability of the Patient Activation Measure® (PAM®)-13 Malay version among patients with Metabolic Syndrome in primary care.

INTRODUCTION: The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) is one of the most extensively used, widely translated, and tested instruments worldwide in measuring patient activation levels in self-management. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the PAM-13 Malay version among patients with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) attending a primary care clinic. METHODS: This work is a cross-sectional validation study among patients with MetS attending a university primary care clinic in Selangor. The PAM-13 Malay version underwent a validation process and field testing. Psychometric properties were examined using principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation, scree plot, Monte Carlo simulation, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability analyses. RESULTS: The content of the PAM-13 Malay version and the original version were conceptually equivalent. The questionnaire was refined after face validation by 10 patients with MetS. The refined version was then field-tested among 130 participants (response rate 89.7%). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test was 0.767, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was ≤0.001, indicating sampling adequacy. Two factors were identified and labeled as (1) Passive and Building Knowledge, and (2) Taking Action and Maintaining Behavior. These labels were chosen as they were conceptually consistent with the items representing the levels of activation in PAM-13. The validated PAM-13 Malay version consisted of 13 items, framed into two domains. The overall Cronbach's α was 0.79, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.45. CONCLUSIONS: The PAM-13 Malay version is valid, reliable, and fairly stable over time. This questionnaire can be used to evaluate the levels of activation among patients with MetS in primary care in Malaysia.