Physical inactivity and its associated factors among pre-retirement government healthcare workers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

INTRODUCTION: The rising worldwide concern of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) is alarming as it is associated with 80% of annual global mortality. NCD threat is rising due to, among others, the increasing ageing population, thus putting the efforts to promote health ageing at the forefront of many countries' health agenda. Physical activity has been recognised as one of the significant factors in the pursuit of healthy ageing. Nevertheless, approximately one third of individuals in Malaysia are physically inactive. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity and its associated factors among pre-retirement government healthcare workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2023 among pre-retirement government healthcare workers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The sample size required was 233 and proportionate random sampling was used to recruit potential respondents who answered self-administered online questionnaires. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to measure the level of physical activity and data analysis was performed using SPSS version 29. RESULTS: A total of 214 complete responses were received from the 233 questionnaires distributed, giving a response rate of 91.8%. The prevalence of physical inactivity among pre-retirement healthcare workers was 39.7% as compare only 29.9% in general population. Significant predictors for physical inactivity included higher education levels (SPM, STPM, or certificate holders) (AOR = 13.4, 95% CI: 2.47-72.65), non-Malay ethinicity (AOR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.23-18.38), personal barriers (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI:1.35-1.79), social barriers (AOR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.39), and physical environment barriers (AOR = 1.468, 95% CI: 1.221-1.765). CONCLUSION: This study shows a worrying prevalence of physical inactivity among pre-retirement healthcare workers that is even higher than the general population in Malaysia. The findings highlight the importance of focusing the preventive strategies among non-Malay workers and those with lower education levels. It is also vital to address all the physical, social, and environmental barriers towards physical inactivity. By prioritising these factors, employers and stakeholders will be able to establish better workplace health promotion and address the issue of physical inactivity more efficiently.

Assessing the impact of geopolitical, economic, and institutional factors on China's environmental management in the Russian-Ukraine conflicting era.

In contemporary times, geopolitical risk, and natural resources prices are susceptible due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict. In the meantime, emerging economies are struggling to explore the factors that could reduce ecological challenges and enhance environmental management. This research aims to analyze several economic, environmental, political, and institutional variables to ascertain their influence on greenhouse gas emissions in China. Covering the latest period from 1990 to 2022, various time series tests, including normality, stationarity, and cointegration tests. The results confirm that the variables studied have a stable pattern over time and are connected in the long run. The non-normal distribution of variables leads to opt novel moment quantile regression, where the results are tested for robustness via parametric approaches. The empirical results asserted that economic growth, natural resource prices, and trade significantly enhance ecological challenges (emissions). However, globalization, geopolitical risk, and institutional quality significantly reduce such environmental challenges. The results are robust, and both unidirectional and bidirectional causal associations confirm the importance of these variables in environmental management. Based on the results, this study recommends engagement in environmentally-friendly trading, investment in clean and green energy, and strengthening institutional quality for the region's environmental recovery.

Menopausal hormone therapy and risk of venous thromboembolism: The story so far.

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is known to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and less frequently cerebral vein thrombosis, but the absolute risk for a given patient is very low. After starting MHT, the risk of VTE seems to be at its highest, declining to the non-HRT user baseline level of risk after stopping. Whether estrogen-only or estrogen-progestin HRT combination is linked to a similar risk of VTE is unclear from the available evidence. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risks of developing VTE in relation to different types as well as different modes of administration of MHT through a database search including PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and others in order to provide the women carers with the up-to-date and evidence-based guidelines and recommendations while counseling the post-menopausal women enquiring on use of hormonal therapies either to alleviate the menopausal symptoms or to prevent the long-term sequelae of estrogen deficiency.

On sait que l'hormonothérapie ménopausique (MHT) augmente le risque de thromboembolie veineuse (TEV), qui comprend la thrombose veineuse profonde, l'embolie pulmonaire et, moins fréquemment, la thrombose veineuse cérébrale, mais le risque absolu pour un patient donné est très faible. Après le début du MHT, le risque de TEV semble être à son plus haut niveau, diminuant jusqu'au niveau de risque de base des non-utilisatrices de THS après l'arrêt. Les preuves disponibles ne permettent pas de savoir si un THS à base d'œstrogène seul ou d'association œstroprogestative est lié à un risque similaire de TEV. Le but de cette étude est d'évaluer les risques de développer une TEV par rapport à différents types ainsi qu'à différents modes d'administration du MHT grâce à une recherche dans des bases de données comprenant PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library et autres afin de fournir aux femmes les soignants avec les lignes directrices et recommandations à jour et fondées sur des preuves tout en conseillant les femmes ménopausées qui se renseignent sur l'utilisation de thérapies hormonales, soit pour soulager les symptômes de la ménopause, soit pour prévenir les séquelles à long terme d'une carence en œstrogènes.

Venous thromboembolism and pregnancy: A review of the literature.

This review aims to provide the mother carers with the most recent evidence-based guidelines in the context of managing of pregnancy-associated VTE, where an extensive search through the medical journals addressing the topic including the medical database such as Pubmed, Medline, Sience direct,Embase and others using the title and key-words in order to gather the most concerned as well as the up-to-date publications concerned with the problem under research, the search resulted in recognising pregnancy as a significant risk factor for the development of VTE, both during the prenatal and postnatal periods, with an estimated increased likelihood risk of five and sixty times, respectively and concluded that venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality hence, all pregnant women should be assessed for the risk of developing the condition as early as possible (when scheduling a booking antenatal appointment) or even in the pre-pregnancy clinic.

Revisiting financial development and renewable energy electricity role in attaining China's carbon neutrality target.

During the last few decades, China's transformation from a low-income country to an emerging economy causes carbon emission to rise extensively. Being the largest carbon emitter, China's continuous economic growth may inevitably cause more carbon emissions in the future. To achieve carbon neutrality targets, the country is striving to promote cleaner technologies. However, to finance these environmentally friendly projects, a well-developed financial system is a pre-requisite. This study examines the role of financial development along with output, financial risk index, renewable energy electricity and human capital on carbon emissions. This study uses updated time series data from 1988 to 2018 for China employing novel econometric approaches, i.e., Narayan and Pop unit root test with structural breaks, Maki cointegration and frequency domain causality test for long, short and medium run causality. The empirical outcome shows that improvement in financial development, renewable energy electricity, and human capital index cause to limit carbon emissions. In contrast, gross domestic product, financial risk index and structural break of 2001 increase carbon emissions. Moreover, structural break year of 2008 and financial development index reduces carbon emissions. The negative association between financial development and carbon emissions supports the positive school of thoughts of financial development that promotes a sustainable environment. This study recommends the promotion of quality human capital and green financial development along with increasing the shares of renewable energy in electricity for achieving China 2030 climate targets of reducing pollution.

Zika virus infection in Malaysia: an epidemiological, clinical and virological analysis.

BACKGROUND: A major outbreak of the Zika virus (ZIKV) has been reported in Brazil in 2015. Since then, it spread further to other countries in the Americas and resulted in declaration of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by World Health Organization. In 2016, Singapore reported its first minor ZIKV epidemic. Malaysia shares similar ecological environment as Brazil and Singapore which may also favor ZIKV transmission. However, no ZIKV outbreak has been reported in Malaysia to date. This study aimed to discuss all confirmed ZIKV cases captured under Malaysia ZIKV surveillance system after declaration of the PHEIC; and explore why Malaysia did not suffer a similar ZIKV outbreak as the other two countries. METHODS: This was an observational study reviewing all confirmed ZIKV cases detected in Malaysia through the ZIKV clinical surveillance and Flavivirus laboratory surveillance between June 2015 and December 2017. All basic demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, clinical, laboratory and outcome data of the confirmed ZIKV cases were collected from the source documents. RESULTS: Only eight out of 4043 cases tested positive for ZIKV infection during that period. The median age of infected patients was 48.6 years and majority was Chinese. Two of the subjects were pregnant. The median interval between the onset of disease and the first detection of ZIKV Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) in body fluid was 3 days. Six cases had ZIKV RNA detected in both serum and urine samples. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that isolates from the 7 cases of ZIKV infection came from two clusters, both of which were local circulating strains. CONCLUSION: Despite similar ecological background characteristics, Malaysia was not as affected by the recent ZIKV outbreak compared to Brazil and Singapore. This could be related to pre-existing immunity against ZIKV in this population, which developed after the first introduction of the ZIKV in Malaysia decades ago. A serosurvey to determine the seroprevalence of ZIKV in Malaysia was carried out in 2017. The differences in circulating ZIKV strains could be another reason as to why Malaysia seemed to be protected from an outbreak.

The trends and hotspots of immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer from 2013 to 2022: A bibliometric and visual analysis.

An increasing body of research indicates that immunotherapy has demonstrated substantial effectiveness in the realm of metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC), especially among patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) (dMMR/MSI-H mCRC). This study constitutes the inaugural bibliometric and visual analysis of immunotherapy related to mCRC during the last decade. Between 2013 and the conclusion of 2022, we screened 306 articles from Web of Science and subjected them to analysis using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The United States stood out as the primary contributor in this area, representing 33.33% of the publications, with China following closely at 24.51%. The most prolific institution has the lowest average citation rate. Sorbonne University were the most highly cited institutions. Notably, Frontiers In Oncology published the largest quantity of articles. Andre, Thierry, and Overman, Michael J. were prominent authors known for their prolific output and the high citation rates of their work. The focus areas in this field encompass "tumor microenvironment," "liver metastasis," "tumor-associated macrophages," "combination therapy" and "gut microbiota." Some keywords offer promise as potential biomarkers for evaluating the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic interventions.

Theory-Based Intervention Module on Occupational Safety and Health (TRIMOSH) in improving knowledge, attitude, and practice among food industry workers: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: The significant contribution of the food and beverage industry to Malaysia's Gross Domestic Product is projected to increase in the upcoming years. With the industry's expansion, the demand for workers on food premises would also continuously increase. The food industry workers are exposed to risks arising from physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial hazards while performing their duties. Thus, it is essential for these workers to be equipped with proper knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) in safety and health. AIMS: This study aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of the safety and health programme TRIMOSH (Theory-Based Intervention Module on Occupational Safety and Health) in improving the knowledge, attitude, and practice among food industry workers. METHODS: TRIMOSH intervention study is a two-arm randomised, single-blinded, controlled, parallel trial that will be conducted among food industry workers in Selangor, Malaysia. In a partnership with Food Handler Training Schools in Selangor, 10 pairs of Food Handler Training Schools with 12 participants per group (n = 240) will be recruited for balanced randomisation intervention and control conditions. Furthermore, data collection of all participants was conducted at four time points: baseline (T0), immediately (T1), one month (T2), and three months (T3) post-intervention. Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) will be conducted to determine the effects of intervention within and between study groups. Subsequently, the primary outcomes increase the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of safety and health at food premises. Clinical Trial Registry registration was approved by the ClinicalTrials.gov committee on October 2022 with the ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05571995. This study has also been approved by the Ethics Committee for Research Involving Human Subjects of Universiti Putra Malaysia (JKEUPM-2022-346). All participants are required to provide consent prior to participation. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of the respondents are expected to show no difference between the groups. It is hypothesised that TRIMOSH is effective in improving the knowledge, attitude, and practices of food industry workers in Selangor. The results will be reported and presented in international peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and other platforms. In addition, the TRIMOSH programme will be offered at the national level by the relevant authorities for the benefit of food industry workers.

Association between dietary pattern and Helicobacter pylori infection at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have reported the association between dietary patterns and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Sabah. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between dietary pattern and H. pylori infection among patients aged 18 years and above that went for first esophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGDS) in 2021 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Kota Kinabalu. METHODS: Dietary intake of positive H. pylori was compared with healthy subjects by using questionnaire adapted from Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) 2014. Using logistic regression models, we evaluated the association between dietary pattern and H. pylori infection risk. FINDINGS: Our finding identified four dietary patterns, namely "high carbohydrate pattern", "high fiber pattern", "high fat/cholesterol pattern" and "high salt pattern". After adjustment for potential confounders, the highest quartile of "high salt pattern" showed greater odds of H. pylori infection (OR = 1.26; 95% Cl: 1.032-1.459; P = 0.045) than lowest quartile, while highest quartile of "high fiber pattern" demonstrated lower odd of the infection (OR = 0.69; 95% Cl: 0.537-0.829; P = 0.008) than those in lowest quartile. If compared with Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) 2017, positive H. pylori consumed high carbohydrates and sodium with insufficient fiber intake. CONCLUSION: To conclude, "high fiber pattern" lowers the risk of H. pylori infection while "high salt pattern" increases the infection risk. Our study also highlighted the importance of nutrient intake within daily allowances.

The Global Landscape of Domestic Violence against Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an alarming increase in domestic violence against women owing to lockdown measures and limited access to support services. This article provides insights into the global prevalence of domestic violence, barriers to seeking help, its impact on women and children, and the best practices implemented worldwide. Domestic violence encompasses various forms of abuse; many young women experience partner violence. Barriers to seeking help include fear, financial constraints, lack of awareness of available services, and distrust among stakeholders. The consequences of domestic violence affect the mental health of both mothers and children. Countries have increased shelter funding and developed innovative protocols to reach survivors and address this issue. However, the healthcare sector's involvement in addressing domestic violence has been limited. This review advocates collaboration among healthcare institutions and government bodies. Key recommendations include utilizing telehealth services, implementing comprehensive training programs, establishing effective referral systems, enhancing health education, developing a domestic violence registry, improving the responses of law enforcement and justice systems through healthcare integration, promoting data sharing, and conducting further research. Healthcare systems should recognize domestic violence as a public health concern and detect, prevent, and intervene in cases to support survivors.

Effectiveness of the Integrated Dengue Education and Learning (iDEAL) module in improving the knowledge, attitude, practice, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among schoolchildren: A randomised controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by four distinct, closely related dengue viruses (DENV). Global dengue incidence has markedly increased in the past decades. The World Health Organization reported that cases increased from 505,430 in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019. Similarly, the total dengue cases in Malaysia increased from 7,103 in 2000 to a peak of 130,101 in 2019. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) remain the most effective dengue prevention and control tools. Furthermore, school-based health education is key to enhancing knowledge and raising awareness of the seriousness of dengue among schoolchildren and transferring knowledge and practice from classrooms to homes. Thus, it is necessary to plan an integrated module for the primary prevention of dengue infection, specifically among schoolchildren. AIMS: The present study intends to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a theory-based integrated dengue education and learning (iDEAL) module in improving the KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among schoolchildren in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. METHODS: This study is a single-blinded, cluster randomised controlled trial to be conducted from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2025. The study will involve 20 primary and 20 secondary schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. The 1600 participants will be randomly allocated to intervention and control groups based on selected clusters to avoid contamination. A cluster is a comparable school that fulfils the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The intervention group will receive the iDEAL module, while the control group will receive standard education. The iDEAL module will be developed following a systematic procedure and delivered in-person by trained researchers to the participants. The outcome will be measured using validated, self-administered questionnaires at baseline (T0), immediately (T1), one month (T2), and three months (T3) post-intervention to measure the intervention module effectiveness. The data will be analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 28 and descriptive and inferential statistics. Within-group changes over time will be compared using one-way repeated measure analysis of variance for continuous and normally distributed variables. Within-group analysis of categorical data will use Cochran's Q test. The main effect and interaction between and within the intervention and control groups at T0, T1, T2, and T3 will be tested using the generalised linear mixed model (GLMM). Hypothetically, the KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index among the intervention group will be significantly improved compared to the control group. The hypothesis will be tested using a significance level with a p-value of 0.05 and a confidence interval of 95%. CONCLUSIONS: The study protocol outlines developing and testing an iDEAL module for schoolchildren in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, with no socio-demographic differences expected. The intervention aims to improve KAP, environmental cleanliness index, and dengue index, potentially reducing dengue risk. Results could inform public health policies, emphasizing school-based interventions' importance in combating diseases like dengue.

Exploring the role of economic and institutional indicators for carbon and GHG emissions: policy-based analysis for OECD countries.

Most of the developed countries across the globe have targeted to attain sustainable economic growth. With this focus, the current study evaluated 29 OECD countries over the time period of 1990 to 2018 to analyze the influence of economic and environmental indicators, i.e., export diversification, institutional quality, macrocosmic variables on carbon dioxide, and greenhouse gas emissions. The current study used the quantile regression and generalized method of moments approach on the selected panel. Our comprehensive econometric approach allows us to reveal that export diversification negatively affects carbon emissions but promotes greenhouse gas emissions. Similarly, institutional quality, economic growth, financial development, and economic growth helps to reduce carbon emissions but increase greenhouse emissions. In comparison, trade openness exhibits a positive influence on carbon emissions but a negative on greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, urbanization is found one of the major reasons for environmental degradation. In light of empirical fact findings, this study commends some innovative policy insights for scholars, governors, and policymakers.

Factors associated with occupational asthma among food industry workers: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Occupational asthma (OA) is a type of Work-Related Asthma characterised by variable airflow limitation and/or inflammation due to causes and conditions attributable to a particular occupational environment, and not to stimuli encountered outside the workplace. There is an increasing need to extend the depth of knowledge of OA to better manage this condition, especially among food industry workers who are affected by it. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to determine the factors associated with occupational asthma among food industry workers by electronically collecting articles from two databases (Medline and Scopus). METHODS: This systematic review was prepared in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses) updated guideline. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the collected data, which were then stored in Endnote20 based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The included articles have been critically appraised to assess the quality of the studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULT: The search yielded 82 articles from Medline and 85 from SCOPUS, resulting in 167 unique hits. Only 22 articles have been included in the full-text assessment following a rigorous selection screening. Of the 22 articles identified, five were included in the final review. Several factors were found to have contributed to occupational asthma among food industry workers. They were classified into two categories: (1) work environment-related factors; and (2) individual factors. CONCLUSION: Several work environment and individual-related factors were found to be associated with OA among food industry workers. A better understanding of the development of the disease and its potential risk factors is needed because it can affect worker's quality of life. Pre-employment and periodic medical surveillance should be conducted to assess and detect any possible risk of developing occupational asthma among workers.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: Prevalence, risk factors, and challenges for urinary schistosomiasis in children (USC).

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection that causes significant public health problems in tropical countries. Schistosoma haematobium species are blamable for causing urinary schistosomiasis. The infected person, specifically children, may be carrying the disease. This systematic review aimed to identify the current knowledge of urinary Schistosmiasis in children or USC on its epidemiology, risk factors, and challenges to spread the understanding of controlling the disease and reducing the complications. METHOD: In November 2021, a systematic computer-aided literature review was conducted using PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The results were updated in February 2022. We only used papers that have at least the abstract available in English. Relevant articles were screened, duplicates were deleted, eligibility criteria were applied, and studies that met the criteria were reviewed. The keywords Human Schistosoma infections, prevalence, risk factors and challenges were included. The protocol for the review was registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42022311609). Pooled prevalence rates were calculated using the programme R version 4.2.1. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic and p-value. A narrative approach was used to describe risk factors and challenges. Studies were selected and finalised based on the review question to prioritise. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed-Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULTS: A total of 248 publications met the requirements for inclusion. Fifteen articles were included in this review, with the result showing high heterogeneity. The pooled prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in children is 4% (95% confidence interval (CI)). Age, poor socioeconomic status, education, exposure to river water, and poor sanitation are the risk factors identified in this review. Challenges are faced due to limitations of clean water, lack of water resources, and poor hygiene. CONCLUSION: Modifiable risk factors such as poor knowledge and practices must be addressed immediately. Healthcare providers and schools could accomplish engaging in practical promotional activities. Communicating the intended messages to raise community awareness of urinary schistosomiasis is critical.

Prevalence of recent occupational injury and its associated factors among food industry workers in Selangor.

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia's gross domestic product is heavily influenced by the food and beverage sector and the contribution of the industry to the national economy is expected to increase in the coming years. Thus, the need for employees in the food industry will continue to rise as this sector grows. Nevertheless, employees in the food industry are exposed to various occupational hazards that can lead to occupational injuries, mainly related to kitchen work. Given the increasing number of employees in the food industry and the rising trend of occupational injuries, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of recent occupational injuries and their associated factors and predictors among food industry workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 among food industry workers in Selangor, Malaysia. The respondents were sampled using a multistage random sampling method. Data were collected via online self-administered questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models in the SPSS software, version 25. RESULTS: A total of 250 responses were received from 342 samples, with an overall response rate of 73.0%. The prevalence of recent occupational injuries among food industry workers was 44.8%. Statistically, significant associations were present between occupational injuries and alcohol consumption (p = 0.001), poor knowledge (p = 0.031), poor compliance (p = 0.021), poor safety management (p = 0.021), poor safety training (p = 0.002), poor safety culture (p = 0.003), physical exposure (p < 0.001), and ergonomic exposure (p = 0.009). The predictors for recent occupational injuries among food industry workers were Malay (adjusted Odds Ratio; aOR = 2.60, p = 0.027, 95% Confidence Interval; CI = 1.116, 6.035), alcohol consumption (aOR = 5.31, p = 0.001, 95% CI = 2.042, 13.779), poor knowledge (aOR = 1.98, p = 0.032, 95% CI = 1.059, 3.691), poor safety culture (aOR = 2.44, p = 0.002, 95% CI = 1.372, 4.342), and exposure to physical hazards (aOR = 8.88, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 3.031, 26.014). CONCLUSION: This study has found a high prevalence of occupational injuries among food industry workers, thereby highlighting the importance of addressing alcohol consumption, improving worker knowledge, enhancing work safety culture, and better control measures on exposure to physical hazards, especially among Malay workers. By prioritising these factors, employers can create safer work environments and minimise the risk of occupational injuries.

Correction to: Malay Version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Validity and Reliability.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s11469-020-00355-4.].

Socioecological Challenges of Polio Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) in the Asia-Pacific Region: A Systematic Review.

Background: Polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) are one of the polio eradication pillars in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) that increased the immunization coverage and made progress towards polio eradication. However, socioecological challenges faced during SIAs contribute to suboptimal campaign quality. The aim of this review is to identify the reported challenges during polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) and associated improvement strategies based on the socioecological model (SEM). Methods: Articles were searched from three databases which were WOS, Scopus, and PubMed. The systemic review identified the primary articles related to SIA that focused on the impact of immunization coverage, challenges, and improvement strategies. The inclusion criteria were open access English articles that were published between 2012 and 2021 and conducted in the Asia region. Results: There are nine articles described and explained regarding some form of supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in their findings across Asia region. The majority of studies selected reported on post vaccination coverage and revealed a multifaceted challenge faced during SIAs which are widely diverse range from the microlevel of interpersonal aspects up to the macrolevel of government policy. Upon further analysis, the intervention at community level was the most dominant strategies reported during the SIA program. Conclusions: An effective SIAs program provides the opportunity to increase the national capacity of the polio immunization program, reducing inequities in service delivery and offering additional public health benefits in controlling polio outbreaks in both endemic and nonendemic countries. Strengthening routine immunization (RI) programmes is also important for the sustainability of SIA's programs. Despite the challenges and hurdles, many Asian countries exhibited great political willingness to boost polio immunization coverage through SIA efforts.

Rabies in Southeast Asia: a systematic review of its incidence, risk factors and mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease that can infect all mammals, including humans. We aimed to summarise the current knowledge of the incidence, risk factors and mortality of rabies in Southeast Asia. DESIGN: Systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020. DATA SOURCES: Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed were searched from 1 January 2012 to 21 February 2023. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original English language articles published between 2012 and 2023 were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Nine independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. The quality appraisal of included articles was carried out using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: A total of eight articles were included in this analysis. In Vietnam, the incidence of rabies ranged from 1.7 to 117.2 per 100 000 population. The cumulative incidence in Sarawak was estimated at 1.7 per 100 000 population. In Indonesia, 104 human rabies cases were reported from 2008 to 2010, while in Thailand, a total of 46 rabies cases were reported in Thailand from 2010 to 2015. In the Philippines, the incidence of rabies ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 per 100 000 population. An increased risk of rabies virus infection was associated with a high population density, illiteracy, seasonal patterns and dog butchers. The case fatality rate was 100%. CONCLUSION: This study included research from Southeast Asia, which may not represent rabies infection in other regions or continents. In addition, the role of publication bias should be acknowledged as grey literature was not included. The occurrence of rabies in Southeast Asia is due to the high number of unvaccinated stray and pet dogs, working hazards (dog butchers in Vietnam), the unavailability of the rabies vaccine in rural regions and misinformation about the significance of seeking treatment after dog bites. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022311654.

Improving Tuberculosis Medication Adherence: The Potential of Integrating Digital Technology and Health Belief Model.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health concern. Globally, TB is among the top 10 and the leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent. Providing standard anti-TB therapy for at least 6 months is recommended as one of the crucial strategies to control the TB epidemic. However, the long duration of TB treatment raised the issue of non-adherence. Non-adherence to TB therapy could negatively affect clinical and public health outcomes. Thus, directly observed therapy (DOT) has been introduced as a standard strategy to improve anti-TB medication adherence. Nonetheless, the DOT approach has been criticized due to inconvenience, stigma, reduced economic productivity, and reduced quality of life, which ultimately could complicate adherence issues. Apart from that, its effectiveness in improving anti-TB adherence is debatable. Therefore, digital technology could be an essential tool to enhance the implementation of DOT. Incorporating the health belief model (HBM) into digital technology can further increase its effectiveness in changing behavior and improving medication adherence. This article aimed to review the latest evidence regarding TB medication non-adherence, its associated factors, DOT's efficacy and its alternatives, and the use of digital technology and HBM in improving medication adherence. This paper used the narrative review methodology to analyze related articles to address the study objectives. Conventional DOT has several disadvantages in TB management. Integrating HBM in digital technology development is potentially effective in improving medication adherence. Digital technology provides an opportunity to improve medication adherence to overcome various issues related to DOT implementation.

Psychiatric illness and pregnancy: A literature review.

Background: Women of reproductive age frequently suffer from psychiatric disorders. The risk of developing anxiety, bipolar, and depressive disorders is especially significant during the perinatal period. Objectives: This article aims to identify and discuss the different psychiatric conditions that might affect pregnant women and update the mother's carers about the recent and updated bidirectional relationship between psychiatric disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, As well as the most updates in diagnostic and management strategies. Methods: A thorough analysis of the literature was conducted using database searches in EMBASE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed to obtain the objectives and aim of the study. Results: The presence of maternal mental illness during pregnancy has been linked to preterm delivery, newborn hypoglycemia, poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and disturbed attachment. Placental anomalies, small-for-gestational-age foetuses, foetal discomfort, and stillbirth are among more undesirable perinatal outcomes. Conclusions: Pregnancy-related psychiatric disorders are frequent. The outcomes for pregnant women, infants, and women's health are all improved by proper diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric problems.