RÉSUMÉ
A survey was conducted to document and bring attention to the use of smokeless tobacco among rural Kadazan women in Sabah, East Malaysia. Of the 472 women interviewed, 59.5% had used tobacco among the ingredients that they habitually chewed. Women with low education were more likely to be chewers. The chewing habit was usually acquired during the teenage years and the practice was perceived mainly as a cultural norm. 73.3% of these smokeless tobacco users were unaware of any adverse health effect of this type of tobacco use as compared to 53.9% of the non-tobacco users. The high prevalence of smokeless tobacco use is easily maintained as tobacco is cheap, locally produced and its use is socially accepted. The low level educational status of the women compounds the problem and intervention programs to curb this form of tobacco use is warranted.
Sujet(s)
Adulte , Sujet âgé , Sujet âgé de 80 ans ou plus , Bornéo/épidémiologie , Études transversales , Femelle , Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques en santé , Humains , Modèles linéaires , Adulte d'âge moyen , Végétaux toxiques , Prévalence , Santé en zone rurale , Facteurs socioéconomiques , Trouble lié au tabagisme/prévention et contrôle , Tabac sans fumée/effets indésirables , Santé des femmesRÉSUMÉ
A survey was conducted to document the blood pressures of two indigenous groups (Kadazans and Bajaus) who reside in rural Sabah in East Malaysia. Their health knowledge status is also recorded. Fifty percent of those surveyed were unable to associate high blood pressure with a risk factor and as high as 38% were unaware of the consequences of high blood pressure. A total of 16.2% had blood pressures > or = 140/or 90mm Hg while 3.9% had blood pressures > or = 160/or 95mm Hg. While these figures are low compared to those of developed countries, lifestyle changes associated with rapid urbanization in Malaysia may be expected to increase hypertension prevalence. The strengthening of health education programs is timely as health knowledge is limited and many hypertensives default treatment.
Sujet(s)
Adulte , Sujet âgé , Pression sanguine , Bornéo/épidémiologie , Pays en voie de développement , Ethnies , Femelle , Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques en santé , Planification en santé , Besoins et demandes de services de santé , Humains , Hypertension artérielle/diagnostic , Mode de vie , Mâle , Adulte d'âge moyen , Surveillance de la population , Prévalence , Facteurs de risque , Population rurale , UrbanisationRÉSUMÉ
The prevalence of antibody to human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigens (VCA) were analysed in sera from Kadazans of Sabah, North Borneo. At a serum dilution of 10, about 34% were positive for HHV-6 antibody but in contrast all 95 individuals studied were positive for EBV VCA antibody. The study shows that HHV-6 and EBV infection occur independently. The low frequency of seropositive individuals in this community suggests that other than socioeconomic factors are responsible for the spread of the virus.