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Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) is commonly used in epidemiological surveys due to its various advantages, such as portability and immediate test results. The CardioChek® PA analyser 3-in-1 lipid panel measures total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This study tested the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the CardioChek® PA analyser using a 3-in-1 lipid panel. Methods: A cross-sectional study design with quota sampling was used. A total of 203 respondents aged 18 years and above from a research centre in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, were recruited. Venous blood was sent to the laboratory and tested with Siemens Atellica CH, while a POCT analyser was used for capillary blood measurements. Intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC) analysis was employed to determine the agreement between capillary and venous blood parameters. The diagnostic performance of the evaluated tests was evaluated using STATA version 12. Results: The agreement between capillary and laboratory venous blood was moderate (0.64–0.67) for TC and HDL, good (0.75) for LDL and excellent (0.91) for TG). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were as follows: TC, 57.1%, 94.3%, 92.3% and 64.8%; TG, 76.0%, 100%, 100%, and 96.6%; HDL, 96.2%, 83.2%, 47.2% and 99.3%; and LDL, 81.0%, 100%, 100% and 68.3%, respectively. Conclusions: The CardioChek® PA analyser showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy for screening high-risk individuals more often in places where laboratories are inaccessible. It could also be used in clinical settings where patients would benefit from swift treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Community health workers/volunteers (CHW) are health workers who are trained but do not possess a formal professional certificate. They are members of the community who live and work in that particular community. This study aimed to determine factors associated with not performing health screening activities by volunteers under KOSPEN; a community-based intervention programme, initiated by Ministry of Health Malaysia in October 2013. Methods Data from the "Evaluation of the implementation of KOSPEN programme in Malaysia 2016" was used, a cross-sectional study which was carried out in randomly selected KOSPEN localities throughout Malaysia. The response rate was 94.9%. A pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was used. Descriptive statistics andlogistic regression analysis was applied using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results 700 volunteers were included in this study. Majority were female (65.7%), aged 50-59 years (30.9%), had secondary education (65.3%), employed (55.7%.) and married (80.4%). Several issues were identified by the volunteers; funding (47.2%), module content and comprehensibility (11.4% respectively), submitting returns (17%). 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 did not perform screening activities in the community. Conclusions Volunteers who were not trained and those who felt the content of the training module was inadequate did not carry out screening activities. These findings will be useful for stakeholders to make improvements to the programme for a more successful implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The Ministry of Health, Malaysia had introduced the community based action programme (KOSPEN) to improve the early detection of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the population. This study aims to identify factors associated with non-participation in screening activities and its barriers. Methods This cross sectional study was conducted from May to June 2016 in KOSPEN localities. A total of 2354 adults aged 18 years and above were selected using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling design. The data were obtained through face-to-face interviews using validated questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with non-participation in health screening. Results Out of 2156 respondents interviewed (response rate of 91.6%), approximately 75% (n=1624) of the respondents did not participate in the KOSPEN health screening programme. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that, males (aOR: 2.35, 95% CI 1.21, 4.55) and those working in private sector (aOR: 2.11, 95% CI 1.21, 3.67) were more likely to not participate in health screening. While, age, ethnicity, level of education, marital status and household income were not significantly associated with non-participation in health screening. The barrier for not participated were "did not know health screening was conducted in their localities" (39.3%) and had no time to attend the programme (18.2%). Conclusions The study findings are of public health concern as about three quarters of the respondents failed to participate in this programme because they didn't know that there were health screening activities conducted in their localities beside the time constraint problems. Thus, KOSPEN health screening activities should be made known to the community especially males who are mostly working in the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) during pregnancy may impair the neurological development of the fetus. The aim of this study is to determine the iodine status among pregnant women (PW) in Sarawak after introduction of mandatory universal salt iodisation (USI) for seven years. Methods: A total of 508 first trimester PW attending government Maternal and Child Health Care clinics in all 11 divisions in Sarawak between 1st April and 15th June 2015 were recruited. Urine samples were obtained and analysed for urinary iodine concentration (UIC) using the modified Sandell-Kolthoff reaction method. For pregnant women, an adequate iodine intake was defined as a median UIC between 150-249 µg/L according to the WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD's criterion. For further analyses, the 11 divisions were then combined into 3 regions, namely Northern (Miri, Bintulu, Limbang), Central (Kapit, Mukah, Sibu, Sarikei, Betong) and Southern (Kota Samarahan, Kuching, Sri Aman). Results: The median UIC of the PW in Sarawak was 105.6 µg/L, indicating iodine deficiency. A total of 330 (65.0%) PW had UIC<150 µg/L. In terms of urinary iodine levels by region, the median UIC in Northern, Central and Southern regions were 136.3 µg/L, 85.5 µg/L and 97.4 µg/L respectively. The differences in median UIC between regions were significant. In addition, the Northern region (p = 0.001), Malay/Melanau ethnicity (p = 0.015) and parous parity (p = 0.014) were significantly associated with higher median UIC. No significant association was found for locality, age nor gravida. Conclusions: This study indicates inadequate iodine status among PW in Sarawak despite seven years of mandatory USI. In fact, the majority of PW appear not to be protected against IDD and its consequences. In future, a comprehensive study should be carried out to determine the levels of iodine in salt at the retail outlets, villages and households in Sarawak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing worldwide and many of these affected individuals remain unidentified. Undiagnosed T2DM may impose substantial public health implications because these individuals remain untreated and at risk for complications. The objective of this study was to determine the national prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted involving 17,783 respondents. Two-stage stratified sampling design was used to select a representative sample of the Malaysian adult population. Structured validated questionnaires with face toface interviews were used to obtain data. Respondents, who claimed that they were not having diabetes, were then asked to perform a fasting blood glucose finger-prick test by Accutrend GC machine. Results The prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM was 8.9% (n=1587). The highest percentage of undiagnosed T2DM was found among males (10.2%), 55-59 years old (13.4%), highest education attainers of primary school (11.1%), Indians (10.3%), married (10.3%), working (8.9%) and living in the urban areas (9.2%). Multivariate analyses showed that factors associated with undiagnosed T2DM were gender, age group, ethnicity, marital status, obesity and hypertension. Conclusion This study found an increasing trend of undiagnosed T2DM in Malaysia compared to 2006. This finding is alarming as risk factors associated with undiagnosed diabetes were related to most of the socio-demographic factors studied. Therefore, early diabetic screening is crucial especially among adults aged 30 and above to prevent more serious complications of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Following the reveal of borderline iodine sufficiency among the Sarawakians from the 2008 National Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDDs) survey, a mandatory universal salt iodization (USI) was implemented in Sarawak thereafter. This study aimed to determine the current status of USI in Sarawak after a 3-year implementation of USI from 2008 to 2011. Methods: The IDD survey was conducted between Jun 2011 to July 2011 involving six districts in Sarawak (Sarikei, Mukah, Kapit, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri). The schools were selected via multistage proportionate-to-population size sampling technique and the children were randomly selected via systematic sampling. A total of 19 schools and 661 children were recruited into the survey. Thyroid size was determined by palpation and was and graded according to the classification of the World Health Organization (grade 0-2). The iodine excretion level in spot morning urine was measured using inhouse microplate method. The urinary iodine concentration (UIC) values were compared by Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-square tests were used to compare categorical variables. Results: A total of 610 school children were participated in the study (92.3%). The TGR of grade 1 and 2 was found to be 0.3% (n = 2). Overall the median UIC level was 154.2 (IQR, 92.7 - 229.8) μg/L, with the highest median UIC been observed in Sarikei [178.0 (IQR, 117.6 - 308.9) μg/L], followed by Mukah [174.8 (IQR, 99.0 - 224.3) μg/L)], Miri [158.6 (IQR, 92.3 - 235.4) μg/L], Sibu [147.0 (IQR, 89.8 - 221.4) μg/L], Bintulu [142.3 (IQR, 52.8 - 245.1) μg/L] and Kapit [131.0 (IQR, 88.6 - 201.9) μg/L]. One in every ten child was of iodine deficient (UIC < 50μg/L) while a third of the child (32%) were of adequate level of UIC. Conclusion: The present findings indicate that the mandatory USI successfully improves the iodine level of children in Sarawak. However, regular and proper monitoring of the UIC level in the communities is needed to prevent excessive iodine intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Point-of-care testing (POCT) is commonly used in epidemiological surveys due to its various advantages, such as portability and immediate test results. The CardioChek ® PA analyser 3-in-1 lipid panel measures total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This study tested the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the CardioChek ® PA analyser using a 3-in-1 lipid panel., Methods: A cross-sectional study design with quota sampling was used. A total of 203 respondents aged 18 years and above from a research centre in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, were recruited. Venous blood was sent to the laboratory and tested with Siemens Atellica CH, while a POCT analyser was used for capillary blood measurements. Intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC) analysis was employed to determine the agreement between capillary and venous blood parameters. The diagnostic performance of the evaluated tests was evaluated using STATA version 12., Results: The agreement between capillary and laboratory venous blood was moderate (0.64-0.67) for TC and HDL, good (0.75) for LDL and excellent (0.91) for TG). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were as follows: TC, 57.1%, 94.3%, 92.3% and 64.8%; TG, 76.0%, 100%, 100%, and 96.6%; HDL, 96.2%, 83.2%, 47.2% and 99.3%; and LDL, 81.0%, 100%, 100% and 68.3%, respectively., Conclusions: The CardioChek ® PA analyser showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy for screening high-risk individuals more often in places where laboratories are inaccessible. It could also be used in clinical settings where patients would benefit from swift treatment decisions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

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.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are handheld devices that deliver an aerosol by heating a solution made up of propylene glycol and/or glycerol with or without flavoring agents and nicotine. This nationwide cross-sectional survey examined factors associated with e-cigarette usage and reasons for its initiation among 13 162 Malaysian adolescents. Data from TECMA (Tobacco and E-Cigarette Survey among Malaysian Adolescents) were used. Nine percent of adolescents had used e-cigarettes in the past month. Males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.36-4.95), 16 to 19 year olds (aOR = 2.64; 95% CI = 2.13-3.26), Malays (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.79-2.83), Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.61-3.15), and cigarette smokers (aOR = 13.16; 95% CI = 11.14-15.54) were more likely to use e-cigarettes. Three main reasons for e-cigarette initiation among adolescents were its taste and smell, experimentation, and popularity. Sale of e-cigarettes with or without nicotine to people aged younger than 18 years should be banned. Flavored e-cigarettes should also be banned since there is evidence suggesting increased appeal among the younger generation.

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., (© 2014 APJPH.)