Preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Malaysia: An analysis of the under-five mortality surveillance data 2015-2017.

INTRODUCTION: The under-five mortality (U5M) trend in Malaysia significantly declined from 30.0 per 1000 live births (1980) to 8.0 per 1000 live births (2004), and the trend plateaued over the next two decades. Stillbirths and neonatal deaths were the major contributors to U5M. Scarce literature addressing factors associated with preventable U5M in Malaysia. The objective of this study was to describe preventable stillbirths and neonatal mortality, the associated factors and recommendation for improvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The U5M surveillance data from 2015 to 2017 was retrieved for Malaysian cases of stillbirths and neonatal deaths with multiple pregnancies as exclusion. Stillbirth and neonatal death cases were analysed descriptively for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Logistic regressions were performed to identify the associated factors. RESULTS: There were 15,444 cases selected for analysis, of which 55% of stillbirths and 45% of neonatal deaths. There were 21% of preventable deaths (U5M) and the major contributing causes of preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths were classified as perinatal death (82.5%), infectious and parasitic diseases (4.1%) and congenital malformations (3.5%). The birth weight (aOR 6.03, 95% CI: 4.14-8.79), hypertensive mother (aOR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.66-2.12) and instrumental delivery (aOR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.16-2.31) were significantly associated with preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths. Higher household income (>RM3000 per month) was noted as a protective factor (aOR 0.79, 95% CI:0.69,0.89). Mothers with ethnicities other thanBumiputera, single mothers and housewives were identified as the group of mothers with higher odds of poor perinatal services. Among the 3242 cases of preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths with a complete documented level of adequacy and quality of healthcare, the most frequently identified factors were due to insufficient antenatal care (ANC) (20.4%), non-compliance with medical advice (12.3%) and unsuitable place of delivery (8.6%). CONCLUSION: Increasing trend of preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths was noted over 3 years (2015-2017), and one-fifth was related to insufficient ANC service-related factors. Remedial measures in improving the quality of ANC services with an emphasis on the targeted high-risk maternal socio-demographic group (other Bumiputera, older antenatal mothers, nonmarried, poor family income neglected family) and enhancing ANC competency skills among the healthcare provider through adequate training are required to decrease preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Malaysia.

The safe motherhood initiative: The development and implementation of standardized obstetric care bundles in New York.

The medical literature demonstrates that inadequate hospital protocols or the lack of consistent protocols for diagnosis, management, consultation, and/or referral can lead to confusion and unnecessary variation in patient care. Incongruities in clinical settings have been repeatedly shown to compromise quality of patient outcomes. Accordingly, the development and adoption of standardized protocols as the best practice for addressing incidence of adverse events remains a top priority in health care quality and safety initiatives. Among the 127 hospital facilities that provide inpatient obstetrical care in New York State, adoption and uptake of standardized care management plans is sporadic at best. In 2001, to target the incidence of severe maternal outcomes and enhance the state of maternal health in New York, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) District II and the New York State Department of Health developed the Safe Motherhood Initiative. Today, the Initiative demonstrates that maternal care outcomes are well served through an organized culture of obstetric safety. ACOG District II assists hospitals to optimize their delivery of obstetric care via three toolkits containing standardized protocols for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of the leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity: hemorrhage, hypertension, and pulmonary embolus.

Physician involvement in torture: an ethical perspective.

Evidence proves that physician involvement in torture is widely practiced in society. Despite its status as an illegal act as established by multiple international organizations, mandates are routinely unheeded and feebly enforced. Philosophies condemning and condoning torture are examined as well as physicians' professional responsibilities and the manner in which such varying allegiances can be persuasive. Physician involvement in torture has proven detrimental to the core values of medicine and has tainted the field's commitment to individuals' health and well-being. Only when this complex issue is addressed using a multilevel approach will the moral rehabilitation of medicine begin.

Factors affecting commencement and cessation of betel quid chewing behaviour in Malaysian adults.

BACKGROUND: Betel quid chewing is a common habit widely practiced in Southern Asian populations. However, variations are seen in the content of a betel quid across the different countries. Factors associated with commencement and cessation of this habit has been numerously studied. Unfortunately, data on Malaysian population is non-existent. This study aims to determine the factors associated with the inception and also cessation of betel quid chewing behaviour among Malaysian adults. METHOD: This study is part of a nationwide survey on oral mucosal lesions carried out among 11,697 adults in all fourteen states in Malaysia. The questionnaire included sociodemographic information and details on betel quid chewing habit such as duration, type and frequency. The Kaplan-Meier estimates were calculated and plotted to compare the rates for the commencement and cessation of betel quid chewing behaviour. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to calculate the hazard rate ratios for factors related to commencement or cessation of this habit. RESULTS: Of the total subjects, 8.2% were found to be betel quid chewers. This habit was more prevalent among females and, in terms of ethnicity, among the Indians and the Indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak. Cessation of this habit was more commonly seen among males and the Chinese. Females were found to be significantly more likely to start (p < 0.0001) and less likely to stop the quid chewing habit. Females, those over 40 years old, Indians and a history of smoking was found to significantly increase the likelihood of developing a quid chewing habit (p < 0.0001). However, those who had stopped smoking were found to be significantly more likely to promote stopping the habit (p = 0.0064). Cessation was also more likely to be seen among those who chewed less than 5 quids per day (p < 0.05) and less likely to be seen among those who included areca nut and tobacco in their quid (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Factors that influence the development and cessation of this behaviour are gender, age, ethnicity, and also history of smoking habit while frequency and type of quid chewed are important factors for cessation of this habit.