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@#Health literacy has shown to have some influence in preventive behaviour, including on colorectal cancer. Such a relationship, however, is not well established in Malaysia, particularly Sarawak. This study is aimed to estimate the level of health literacy and preventive practice against colorectal cancer and factors associated with it. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Sarawak, among adults aged 50 years and above. Data was collected by face to face interviews using a validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the health literacy and preventive behaviour on colorectal cancer. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the factors associated with preventive behaviour on colorectal cancer and also to examine its relationship with health literacy. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. A total of 829 respondents were included in the analysis. Mean age (standard deviation) of the respondents was 55.78 (5.01) years. A large proportion had an educational background of upper secondary school and above (41%) and from Iban ethnicity (32.4%). Only 1.1% of them had a family history of colorectal cancer. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that gender (p<0.01), ethnicity (p<0.05), functional health literacy (p<0.05), and knowledge on colorectal cancer (p<0.05) appeared to be significant predictors for preventive behaviour on colorectal cancer. Health literacy has a positive effect on preventive behaviour on colorectal cancer. The findings assist in designing and developing targeted informational campaigns to promote preventive behaviour, particularly among low health literate group.
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@#Introduction: : Osteoporosis is an important, global public health issue that is expected to become an epidemic by 2050, and particularly affect an increasing number of elderly women worldwide. The current study was designed to measure the current osteoporosis knowledge level among a sample population of women, to assess osteoporosis health beliefs, and assess osteoporosis preventive measures and factors related to those taking preventive measures. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, using multistage sampling. A total of 265 women were randomly selected among those attending outpatient clinics in primary health care units. The study used a questionnaire to assess knowledge, health beliefs, in addition to osteoporosis preventive behaviour. Results: About 59% of the participants showed inadequate knowledge and 70.7% had inadequate osteoporosis preventive behaviour. Inadequate knowledge levels were more common among the younger participants, and those with a lower educational level, absence of osteoporosis in first degree relatives and no history of fractures. Significant differences were observed in the mean score of overall health beliefs and all its sub-scales, except for perceived exercise benefits and perceived health motivation. Sub-optimal calcium intake levels were noted, but were significantly higher among those with adequate osteoporosis preventive behaviour than among those with inadequate osteoporosis preventive behaviour (907.2 ± 187.6 and 810.7 ± 123.3, respectively, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The sample of women under investigation showed unsatisfactory levels of knowledge regarding osteoporosis, substandard health beliefs and sub-optimal levels of calcium consumption. Community-based interventions should be conducted to overcome the barriers to adopting preventive behaviours.
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Introduction: During which HFMD epidemic has kept on recurring worldwide, effective vaccine and specific treatment for HFMD are still not available, calling attention to on preventive practices as the mainstay of the management. Therefore, it is timely to renew the assessment on maternal preventive practices and its predictors in Klang District, Selangor wherein the endemicity and upsurge of HFMD cases has been demonstrated. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st April 2017 until 15th May 2015 among mothers of Community Development Department (KEMAS) preschool children in Klang District. Respondents were selected based on probability proportional to size sampling, whereas data collection was facilitated by validated, and reliable self-administered questionnaire, that examine on the preventive practices towards HFMD. Results: A total of 353 mothers responded to questionnaire, resulting response rate of 80.2%. Most of the respondent were housewife, married and obtained educational level up to secondary school. Insufficient knowledge score (13.61 ± 4.04) was demonstrated, with health belief highlighted on low mean score for perceived severity and perceived barrier, which was 8.30(SD=1.36) and 7.80(SD=2.14) respectively. Simple linear regression revealed significant linear relationship between preventive practices with knowledge and all health belief subscales. Hierarchical multiple linear regression reported predictors of preventive practices towards HFMD, which include knowledge, (perceived susceptibility)2, perceived severity, and perceived barrier, with the group of variables was significantly predicting the (preventive practice)3 and accounted for 13.1% variance in the (preventive practices)3 (F[5,347]=11.588, p value=<0.001, adjusted R2=0.131). Conclusion: The four predictors derived from this study should be given further attention in planning for future HFMD intervention