The evolving role of social media in enhancing quality of life: a global perspective across 10 countries.

BACKGROUND: Excessive or inappropriate use of social media has been linked to disruptions in regular work, well-being, mental health, and overall reduction of quality of life. However, a limited number of studies documenting the impact of social media on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are available globally. AIM: This study aimed to explore the perceived social media needs and their impact on the quality of life among the adult population of various selected countries. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional, quantitative design and analytical study utilized an online survey disseminated from November to December 2021. RESULTS: A total of 6689 respondents from ten countries participated in the study. The largest number of respondents was from Malaysia (23.9%), followed by Bangladesh (15.5%), Georgia (14.8%), and Turkey (12.2%). The prevalence of social media users was over 90% in Austria, Georgia, Myanmar, Nigeria, and the Philippines. The majority of social media users were from the 18-24 age group. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher education level was positively correlated with all four domains of WHOQoL. In addition, the psychological health domain of quality of life was positively associated in all countries. Predictors among Social Media Needs, Affective Needs (ß = -0.07), and Social Integrative Needs (ß = 0.09) were significantly associated with psychological health. CONCLUSION: The study illuminates the positive correlation between higher education levels and improved life quality among social media users, highlighting an opportunity for policymakers to craft education-focused initiatives that enhance well-being. The findings call for strategic interventions to safeguard the mental health of the global social media populace, particularly those at educational and health disadvantages.

Domain and perception on community resilience: comparison between two countries.

The COVID-19 outbreak demonstrates how unprepared the world is for a different type of crisis, especially non-physical calamities. Revitalizing community involvement in disaster management is essential for making a community resilient. Due to differing sociocultural contexts, the resilience perceptions of communities in different parts of the world may vary. This study aims to understand community resilience factors after the COVID-19 disaster in Indonesia and Malaysia. Data from 2034 questionnaires using 5-interrelated domains in the Communities Advancing Resilience (CART) Toolkit Survey were collected. This study was conducted across Indonesia and Malaysia from March to April 2022. A quantitative-based cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling were applied. Respondents for this study were Indonesian and Malaysian citizens above 18 years of age who met the inclusion criteria. A total of 2034 respondents, 715 from Indonesia and 1,315 from Malaysia responded to the survey. The results suggest that Indonesian and Malaysian communities' Transformative Potential and Informative-Communication domains differ significantly. Indonesian communities demonstrated a higher mean value on Transformative Potential domains than Malaysian communities did, while Malaysian communities indicated a higher mean value on Informative-Communication domains. This study concludes that compared to Malaysian communities, Indonesian communities have a more significant potential for transformation because they can frame collective experiences, gather, and analyze pertinent data, evaluate community performance, and develop resilience-building abilities. On the other hand, Malaysian communities are more resilient in providing information and communication. We found the need to develop a community resilience model that incorporates specific cultural and local requirements. Cooperation between the two countries would open many possibilities to emphasize the capability to bounce back sooner after a catastrophe such as the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

Trends in Health Communication: Social Media Needs and Quality of Life among Older Adults in Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: While social media continues to dominate, social media platforms have become powerful health communication tools for older users. However, fulfilling their social media needs can be both detrimental and beneficial to their quality of life (QoL). This study assessed social media needs as they relate to QoL among older adults in Malaysia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study and adopted convenience sampling to recruit participants. The participants were required to self-report their sociodemographic profile, social media use and needs, and QoL. Social media use and needs were assessed using the Social Networking Sites Uses and Needs (SNSUN) scale, and QoL was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify the predictors of QoL. RESULTS: The findings revealed that the fulfilment of social integrative needs was the strongest predictor of higher QoL in all domains. However, those using social media for their affective needs demonstrated lower psychological health quality. CONCLUSIONS: Fulfilling social integrative needs is the key to improving the QoL among older adults. The continuous development of age-friendly applications is essential to keep up with constantly changing social media trends and bridge the gap of social media inequalities. More importantly, it would enable older adults to utilize social media to its fullest potential and enjoy a higher QoL through accessible health communication tools.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans misdiagnosed as sebaceous adenoma and incompletely resected in a child: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is extremely rare in children, making a correct diagnosis by clinicians is usually difficult due to its nonspecific manifestations, the recurrence of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans after resection has always been a perplexing problem for clinicians. Ultrasound plays an irreplaceable role in the assessment of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, although there is a limitation in the diagnosis of the tumor. CASE REPORT: A 10-year-old boy led by his parents sought for surgical treatment because of the growing mass. Physical examination and preoperative ultrasonography showed that the mass was clear, and the routine resection of mass was performed. Six days postoperatively, histopathological examination indicated that the mass was dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, and the peripheral and deep resection margins were positive. The patient was informed that a second extended resection was required. The second postoperative pathology showed a negative margin, and the patient was discharged. Postoperative follow-up was assessed by ultrasound examination, and the patient had no abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans should be included in the differential diagnosis when the wide base subcutaneous lesion has suspicious features with high vascularity on ultrasound. If an ultrasound reveals a mass with abundant blood flow, clinicians should routinely perform the extended resection. Wide surgical excision may reduce the risk of reoperation and recurrence, and long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate postoperative outcomes.

Monkeypox in Pregnancy: Susceptibility, Maternal and Fetal Outcomes, and One Health Concept.

An overlooked endemic zoonosis in Africa, monkeypox infection, which has spread to multiple non-endemic countries since early May 2022, was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization on July 23, 2022. As of August 8, 2022, over 28,000 confirmed and probable monkeypox cases were reported globally, including 6 deaths from the African continent and 4 deaths from the non-endemic regions. Although the current outbreak mostly belongs to the West African clade, which has a lower-case fatality ratio of <1%, there is limited data among immune-weakened individuals infected with monkeypox. It is still unknown if pregnant people are more susceptible to monkeypox. In addition, it is unclear whether having monkeypox increases the risk of birth defects. This commentary addresses reported cases of monkeypox infection in pregnancy and the possible maternal and fetal outcomes, including congenital monkeypox, miscarriage, or stillbirth. Factors behind the escalating global monkeypox outbreak, as well as the prevention and control of monkeypox via the One Health approach, are discussed to shed light on curbing the continuous emergence of monkeypox.

Adapted digital health literacy and health information seeking behavior among lower income groups in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Misinformation has had a negative impact upon the global COVID-19 vaccination program. High-income and middle-income earners typically have better access to technology and health facilities than those in lower-income groups. This creates a rich-poor divide in Digital Health Literacy (DHL), where low-income earners have low DHL resulting in higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the impact of health information seeking behavior on digital health literacy related to COVID-19 among low-income earners in Selangor, Malaysia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted conveniently among 381 individuals from the low-income group in Selangor, Malaysia. The remote data collection (RDC) method was used to gather data. Validated interviewer-rated questionnaires were used to collect data via phone call. Respondents included in the study were 18 years and older. A normality of numerical variables were assessed using Shapiro-Wilk test. Univariate analysis of all variables was performed, and results were presented as means, mean ranks, frequencies, and percentages. Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal Wallis H test was applied for the comparison of DHL and health information seeking behavior with characteristics of the participants. Multivariate linear regression models were applied using DHL as dependent variable and health information seeking behavior as independent factors, adjusting for age, gender, marital status, educational status, employment status, and household income. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 38.16 ± 14.40 years ranging from 18 to 84 years. The vast majority (94.6%) of participants stated that information seeking regarding COVID-19 was easy or very easy. Around 7 percent of the respondents cited reading information about COVID-19 on the internet as very difficult. The higher mean rank of DHL search, content, reliability, relevance, and privacy was found among participants who were widowed, had primary education, or unemployed. An inverse relationship was found between overall DHL and confidence in the accuracy of the information on the internet regarding COVID-19 (ß = -2.01, 95% CI = -2.22 to -1.79). Conclusion: It is important to provide support to lower-income demographics to assist access to high-quality health information, including less educated, unemployed, and widowed populations. This can improve overall DHL.

Dietary Habits, Shopping Behavior and Weight Gain during Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown among Students in a Private University in Selangor, Malaysia.

Background: Due to the global surge in COVID-19 cases, numerous countries have enforced lockdowns of varying stringency. Social isolation and stay-at-home orders have detrimental effects on one's lifestyle and dietary habits. This study aimed to assess the dietary patterns, food preferences, shopping behavior and weight gain during the lockdown among students in a private university in Malaysia. Design and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 426 students using convenience sampling method one-month after initiating the Conditional Movement Control Order (November 15-30, 2020), using a validated self-administered web-based survey. Chi-square test with post-hoc and planned comparison procedures were performed. Results: Of the 426 participants, more than half were females (55.9%). Over half of the surveyed students reported increased eating (51.2%), snacking (55.2%) and online food ordering (71.1%) during the lockdown. Meat products and sweet drinks (both >90%) were the most consumed food among individuals with higher BMI. 45.5% of the participants reported weight gain (mean 3.36, SD 1.61kg) one month after the lockdown. Female, youth (aged 19-24), working remotely, increased eating, snacking, cooking, and online food ordering were positively associated with weight gain. Conclusions: Findings suggested that unintended consequences of lockdown have negative impacts on dietary habits and food preferences among university students. Advocacy and public health measures for nutritional support amidst the pandemic are crucial, especially for at-risk groups such as overweight and obese individuals.