1.Exploring Influence of Food-Related Social Media Content on Eating Habits of Undergraduate Students
Yi Li Tan ; David Joseph Pereira ; Hafzan Yusoff
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2024;20(No.2):51-61
Introduction: Social media has become a ubiquitous part of daily life. However, little is known about the influence
of food-related social media content (FRSMC) on the eating habits of Malaysian undergraduates. This study explored
FRSMC usage of undergraduates enrolled in a non-health program, its influence on eating habits, and how such social media content influences dietary behaviours. Method: This qualitative semi-structured interview study involved
chemical engineering (CE) undergraduates at a university in Penang, Malaysia. The study was carried out from April
2021 to March 2022 during which ten participants were purposively selected. Based on precedent qualitative research sampling rule of thumb, this sample size of ten participants provided sufficient data saturation for an initial
exploratory study. The interview sessions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Results: According to study findings, in terms of usage, food advertising and promotions; cooking tutorials and food and nutrition
information are the most appealing types of FRSMC. With regards to eating habits, FRSMC can lead to healthy and
unhealthy food choices. The study identified several perceived challenges, namely unrealistic and untrustworthy
content, difficult and repetitive content, and algorithm-driven deviations from healthy diets. The effectiveness of
FRSMC can be enhanced by creating trustworthy and engaging content. Conclusion: The study highlights that social media engagement can have both positive and negative impact on food choices among undergraduates. Some
FRSMC are perceived to encourage and motivate undergraduates to adopt healthier dietary habits. Future research
could involve a larger sample, representative of diverse socio-demographic groups in Malaysia.
2.The Relationship of Nurses’ Professional Commitment with Patient Safety and Patient Satisfaction at a Malaysian University Teaching Hospital
Sanaa Al-shlool ; Hasni Embong ; Rami Otoum ; David Joseph Pereira ; Zaid Al-Hamdan ; Weng Kin Wong ; Jayah K. Pubalan
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2022;18(No.2):50-57
Introduction: Professional commitment encompasses affirmation of profession goals and values and a strong sense
of profession loyalty. Nurses’ professional commitment is important as nurses represent the majority of healthcare
professionals. Nurses play an essential role in maintaining patient safety and offering high care quality. This study
aimed to examine the relationship of nurses’ professional commitment with patient safety and patient satisfaction
about care quality in the Malaysian healthcare context. Methods: A cross-sectional design with a questionnaire
was adopted using pairs of nurse and in-patient from a Malaysian university teaching hospital. The questionnaire
measuring nurses’ professional commitment from Meyer and Allen’s organizational commitment scale was used.
The nurses’ questionnaire also incorporated the Teng, Chang and Hsu’s patient safety scale of six adverse actions
to assess the patient safety level among nurses. The questionnaire for patients utilized the Service Quality Scale by
Teng, Shyu and Chang to measure the patient satisfaction about care quality. Using the online survey channel to
administer the questionnaires, 170 questionnaires were filled by nurses and this was matched by 170 questionnaires
being completed by patients. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for the analysis. Results: The results show that
nurses’ professional commitment has a positive relationship with the patient satisfaction (r= 0.225, p= 0.003) while
no significant relationship was found between nurses’ professional commitment and patient safety. Conclusion:
Efforts could be made to incorporate elements of professional commitment into nursing quality training programs.
Managing patient safety and service quality across ward specialties may require tailoring of service provision aspects
in line with different levels of patient care needs and complexity.