1.The Prevalence of Online Natural Health Products Purchase: A Systematic Review
Ju-Ying Ang ; Rhu-Yann Ho ; Seng-Fah Tong ; Fatimatuzzahra&rsquo ; Abd. Aziz ; Guat-See Ooi
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2023;19(No.2):250-258
Aim and design: This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of online natural health products (NHPs)
purchases among consumers. Data Sources: Four databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Sciences)
were searched for articles published up to July 1, 2021. Review Method: Studies included were those reporting the
prevalence of online NHPs purchases, those excluded were case reports, commentaries, letters, editorials, review
articles, theses and non-English studies. The risk of bias of selected studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s checklist, and the pooled prevalence of online NHPs purchases was generated using the random-effect model.
Results: A total of 30 studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing a total of 40,535 respondents. The
pooled prevalence of online NHPs purchases was estimated at 7.60% (95% CI: 5.49, 10.01). Prevalence was higher
in studies conducted in recent years, among physically active populations and when sports nutrition was included
within the scope of NHPs. More than half of the selected studies have a moderate risk of bias, and considerable
heterogeneity was observed across the selected studies. Conclusion and Impact: Online purchases of NHPs are not
common among consumers, but they have become more common in recent years. A wide range of NHPs were investigated across studies, which may have contributed to the considerable heterogeneity reported in this review. It is
suggested that future studies investigating online NHPs purchases consider reporting individual prevalence statistics
specific to each NHP type, to facilitate meaningful comparisons between studies.
2.Perceptions and Beliefs Towards Mental Health and Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study among University Students in Malaysia
Yue Yin Soo ; Yuet Yen Wong ; Siew Chin Ong ; Guat See Ooi
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2024;20(No.1):70-77
Introduction: University students’ perspectives on mental health issues remain scarce despite the growing prevalence of mental illness among this population. Therefore, this study aimed to explore university students’ perceptions
and beliefs about mental health and mental illness. Methods: Virtual in-depth interviews were conducted from December 2021 to March 2022. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic
analysis. Results: Sixteen informants from a Malaysian university were interviewed. Four major themes emerged:
(1) understanding of mental health and mental illness; (2) perceived causes of mental illness; (3) attitudes towards
mental illness; (4) strategies to maintain good mental health. Most informants related mental health to an individual’s
thoughts, emotions and behaviours, while a minority equated ‘mental health’ with ‘mental illness’. The majority of
informants cited socio-environmental factors as the primary cause of mental illness. Unexpectedly, informants did
not view religious factors as a cause of mental illness, although it was thought to be deeply rooted in the older generation. Nearly all informants expressed positive attitudes and willingness to help people with mental illness. However,
some informants decided to cover up their mental health problems to avoid the likelihood of experiencing negative
emotions. Most informants believed that living a fulfilling and balanced life, staying optimistic and being religious
could help them to maintain good mental health. Conclusion: To mitigate the deterioration of students’ mental
health, it is necessary to understand their perceptions and beliefs about mental health and mental illness as these
may influence their help-seeking behaviours. The study findings showed that university students have a basic understanding of mental health and mental illness and most of them are supportive in handling people with mental illness.
3.Comparison of the efficacy and level of adherence for morning versus evening versus before bedtime administration of simvastatin in hypercholesterolemic patients
Wei Kai Heng ; Yen Ping Ng ; Guat See Ooi ; Habshoh Bt. Hat ; Nurazlin Bt. Jamaluddin ; Nor Azah Bt. M. Nawi ; Hasniza Bt. Hasim ; Noriza Bt. Wahab
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2019;74(6):477-482
Background: Simvastatin is usually taken in the evening due
to the circadian rhythm of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis.
The degree of reduction of low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol (LDL-C) and the level of adherence to different
administration time remained unknown in the Malaysian
population. This study aims to investigate the effect of
simvastatin on the percentage changes of lipid profile and
the level of adherence to when simvastatin was instructed to
be taken at different timing.
Methods: Nine primary care health clinics across Malaysia
participated in this study. 147 statin-naive subjects were
selected through convenient sampling and randomised into
one of the three arms (after breakfast, after dinner or before
bedtime). Differences on percentage reduction of LDL-C
from baseline and level of adherence among the three
groups at week-16 were compared. The main outcomes
measured in this study were the percentage change of lipid
parameters and the percentage of high-adherence
(MMAS=8) at week-16.
Results: 59.2% of the patients were male. The mean age of
the study population was 53.93± 10.85 years. Most of the
patients were Malays (69.4%); followed by Indians (22.4%)
and Chinese (8.2%). LDL-C decreased from 4.26 (Standard
Deviation, SD1.01) to 2.36 (SD0.69)mmol/L at week-16 for
patients taking simvastatin before bedtime; an absolute
reduction of 44.95%.The differences of LDL-C percentage
reduction between three arms were significantly different
(p<0.001). The greatest LDL-C reduction was observed when
simvastatin was taken before bedtime and revealed 56.2%
patients with high-adherence at week-16.
Conclusion: Simvastatin showed superior LDL-reduction
and higher level of adherence when being instructed to be
taken before bedtime
4.Reliability and Validity of the Malay Version of the Return and Disposal of Unused Medications (Redium) Questionnaire in Malaysia and the General Public’s Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Unused Medications
Siew Chin Ong ; Irwinder Kaur Chhabra ; Guat See Ooi ; Nur Aizati Athirah Daud ; Asrul Akmal Shafie ; Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2021;17(No.3):22-30
Introduction: In understanding of the general public’s knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on the returning
and disposal of unused medications is imperative towards the designing of better educational materials and policy
development. The objectives of this study was to validate the Malay version of the Return and Disposal of Unused
Medications (ReDiUM) questionnaire for use among Malaysian as well as to gain an understanding on these patterns
of behaviour among Malaysians. Methods: The English version of the ReDiUM was translated into Malay language
according to international guidelines. Content and face validity of the questionnaire was examined by experts.
Subsequently, the questionnaire was pilot tested in 10 native speakers. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s
alpha coefficients. The test-retest reliability was measured with Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient and Cohen’s κ
coefficient. Public were recruited through convenient sampling for the study. Results: The study recruited 319 respondents. For test-retest reliability, all the correlation coefficient values were >0.5 indicating strong reliability (26
respondents). Except few items, most of the kappa coefficients were >0.61 indicating substantial to almost perfect
agreement. Cronbach’s alpha of the KAP domains were 0.585, 0.770 and 0.759, respectively. The median knowledge score was only 50% with some negative attitudes and practices found. Conclusions: The translated questionnaire was valid and reliable for use in Malaysia with acceptable to strong internal consistency and most items with
substantial to almost perfect agreement. The findings from the study provide supporting evidence for policy makers
to develop interventions to help with reducing wastage and optimize healthcare expenditure.