Attitude Towards Anti-smoking Measures and Its Associated Factors Among Adults in Sub-urban Area, in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

@#Introduction: General population across different countries have shown an overall support for anti-smoking measures that vary significantly by certain population parameters. However, characteristics of the public attitude in a community who has been exposed to prolonged awareness campaigns and smoke-free area legislation is unclear. Consequently, we investigate residents who reside next to Batu Buruk beach in Kuala Terengganu city which has been gazetted as a smoke-free area since 2017. Methods: The cross-sectional study involves self-administered validated questionnaires. Multiple linear regression with forward method was applied to identify significant factors associated with the attitude towards anti-smoking measures. Results: A total of 295 residents participated. Most of them were Malays (96.6%), married (64.4%), attained up to the secondary school level (45.4%) and employed (59.7%). The mean value of the total attitude scores was 181.86 (range: 70-200). Multivariate analyses revealed those having higher monthly income had a higher total attitude scores (adjusted b: 6.91, 95% CI: 2.15, 11.66), while current daily smokers had a lower total attitude scores towards anti-smoking measures than non-smokers (adjusted b: -23.30, 95% CI: -29.55, -17.05). These findings highlight comparatively stronger and more consistent support for anti-smoking measures that may vindicate high-stake investment and legislation against smoking. Conclusion: The novel evidence may also better-inform the strategy to expand the initiatives further through profiling the target population with heightened emphasis on the economic standing and prevalence of current daily smokers. Future research may adopt experimental design to establish causality relationship between predictors and outcomes revealed in this community.

Physical Inactivity Among Adults In A Rural Village Of Kuala Terengganu: Knowledge, Attitude, Social Support And It’s Associated Factors

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity and factors associated with it among adults in a rural village in Kuala Terengganu. A cross-sectional study was conducted among adults age 18 years and above. Data were collected via face to face interview using a set of structured questionnaire. Those who were terminally ill, mentally or physically disabled were excluded. A total of 211 adults were studied. The prevalence of physical inactivity was 46.0%. Being female, not working, having negative attitude towards physical activity and without good environmental support were found to be significantly associated with being physically inactive. Multiple factors of individual characteristic and environmental factor determine one’s physical inactivity.

Coping Among Flood Affected Traditional Village Residents In Kuala Nerus, Terengganu

The communities settled in this traditional flood-prone area are potentially at risk of frequent inundation. This compelled the affected population to cope or adapt some strategy to reduce the negative impacts on their lives. The objective of this study was to explore the coping approach among the residents in a flood affected traditional village in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu and determine its associated factors. A cross sectional study which involved 210 adults who lived in traditional village houses was conducted from April to May 2015. Universal sampling was applied. This community-based study was part of the curriculum requirement for undergraduate medical students of UniSZA. The participants’ background, experience during the recent flood and their coping response were assessed using self-administered validated Malay version Brief COPE inventory that consists of three domains (emotion-focused, problem-focused and less-useful), 14 subscales and 30 items. The mean (SD) age of participants were 46.7(15.54) years with almost equal sex ratio. Most of the participants were married (78.1%) and unemployed (54.8%). The most common coping approach applied by the villagers was emotion-focused followed by problem-focused and less-useful coping. There were four adjusted variables significantly associated with higher total coping score namely awareness on evacuation site (b=5.38, 95%CI:1.68,9.08, p=0.005), knowledge on health risk of flood (b=3.79, 95%CI:0.92,6.66, p=0.010), discussed on flood preparedness with family (b=2.50, 95%CI:0.84,4.16, p=0.003) and stored food before flood (b=4.506, 95%CI 1.67,7.34, p=0.002). The emotion-focused coping was the most preferred coping approach among the villagers. A significant better coping was associated with the villagers who were aware of the gazetted evacuation site and have knowledge on the flood health hazard. The villagers who planned with their family and practiced storage of adequate food as part of household preparedness also demonstrated significant higher coping level.

Prevalence And Perceived Severity Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Flood Victims In Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Floods can lead to direct economic and property losses and result not only in physical injuries and deaths but also in psychological trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a commonly used indicator to evaluate psychological injuries after disaster. This study aimed to determine the relationship between PTSD prevalence and related perceived severity of post flood impact by economical, non-economical and flood status severity domains besides relevant socio-demographic factors according to gender specific analysis. This cross-sectional study was conducted among community in Kampung Hulu Takir, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia in 2015 two weeks after flood. It included a total of 98 males and 110 females aged 18 years and above. Data was collected by interview-guided questionnaire to determine the prevalence of PTSD. SPSS version 21.0 was used for analysis of the relationship between socio demographic factors, perceived economic, non-economic and flood severity with PTSD. Finally chi square test was used to assess the predictors of PTSD according to gender. The prevalence of PTSD was 9.2% in males and 10.9% in females, giving a total of 10.1%. Significantly higher prevalence of PTSD was found in severely perceived economic and flood impact categories (33.3% and 23.8% in males; 23.8 % and 37.5% in females) and giving in overall 44.0% and 31.3 % respectively. Effective PTSD management strategies targeting females post flood victims who severely perceived economically and nature flood impact should be implemented in order to prevent further consequences of PTSD.

The Prevalence Of Family Planning Practice And Associated Factors Among Women In Serdang, Selangor

Family planning is a method of controlling fertility which helps to prevent unwanted pregnancies among couples. Unwanted pregnancy has negative effects for mothers and children. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of family planning practices among women in Serdang area and associated factors with their family planning practices. A cross sectional study was conducted with a systematic random sampling of 349 women of reproductive age, who attended Sri Kembangan Polyclinic. Descriptive analysis with chi-square and multiple regression analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with the family planning practice. The prevalence of family planning practice was 38.4%. Family planning was significantly associated with age (p=0.001), marital status (p=0.001), mode of delivery of the last pregnancy (p=0.001), number of children (p=0.001), source of information (p=0.004), level of knowledge (p=0.001), and the attitude (p=0.004). Using multiple logistic regression, four factors contributed to family planning practice, were identified as statistically significant: marital status (married OR=40, 95% CI: 9.45, 169.8), religion (Muslim OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.4), number of children (children>4 OR=2.98, 95% CI:1. 74, 5.09) and attitude (positive attitude OR=1.88, 95% CI:1.11, 3.18). The prevalence of family planning practice in Serdang was low even though knowledge was sufficient. The use of pamphlets and booklets are still needed to enhance efforts in health education. Currently, practice on family planning will determine the future structure of the community and the economic wellbeing of a country. Future study should focus on family planning practice among teenager and types of methods for women.

Alpha fetoprotein in Myanmar patients with chronic liver diseases

In patients with chromic liver diseases, the measurement of serum alpha fetoprotein level is an invaluable laboratory investigation to assess the disease progress and to detect early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. A total of 150 sera samples were collected from normal individuals, hepatitis B surface antigen carriers, patients with hepatomagaly, fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The sera were examined for serum alpha fetoprotein levels by radia-immunoassay technique, one of the most sensitive methods available. The results showed that the sera alpha fetoprotein levels correlate with the severity of the liver diseases as all of normal individuals, hepatitis-B surface antigen carriers, hepatomegaly and fatty liver patients showed normal levels and 5-17 percent of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis patients were low positive. Also 73 percent of hepatocellular carcinoma patients were positive with 50 percent of them revealing high levels of alpha fetoprotein.

Experimental transmission of Non A, Non B hepatitis to rhesus monkey; (a preliminary report)

Two rhesus monkeys (M.mulatta) were injected intravenously with 10 per cent (wt/wt) pooled-stool suspensions obtained from Non-A, Non-B hepatitis patients in Rangoon. One control monkeys was injected phosphate-buffered saline only. Serial monitoring of transminase levels showed significantly raised SGOT and SGPT levels in one of the stool-injected monkey (CY-2) 4 weeks after injection. Liver biopsy was taken at the peak of transminase levels. Histologic changes suggestive of acute hepatitis were detected. EM and IEM studies for detection of virus like particles are in progress. Non-A, Non-B hepatitis was first recognized as a form of post transfusion hepatitis (Alter, HS et al 1978). However a number of reports from Burma (Khin Maung Tin and Myint Myint Khin 1977, Hla Myint 1985) India (Tandon, BN 1982), Nepal (Kane, MA 1984) and Japan (Yamandi, MA 1983), confirmed the existence of foeco-oral form of epidemic Non-A, Non-B hepatitis. Moreover there are also studies indicating sporadic form of Non-A, Non-B hepatitis (Kuroo, MS et al 1983, Nogato, A et al 1985). In Burma there are both epidemic and sporadic Non-A, Non-B hepatitis. At the present time there are no accepted serologic tests for Non-A, Non-B hepatitis in spite of several supposedly definitive antigenantibldy systems. In this study sporadic Non-A, Non-B hepatitis was transmitted to locally available rhesus monkeys.