The College of General Practitioners of Malaysia and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners held the first Conjoint Member of the College of General Practitioners (MCGP)/Fellow of Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) examination in 1982, later renamed the Conjoint MAFP/FRACGP examinations. The examination assesses competency for safe independent general practice and as family medicine specialists in Malaysia. Therefore, a defensible standard set pass mark is imperative to separate the competent from the incompetent.

Introduction: The life of an adolescent in a school hostel is well-managed with respect to daily food intake and physical activity. These adolescents are likely to be physically active and are assumed to consume nutritious food. However, little is known about malnutrition and factors related to it. Thus, this study determined the association between malnutrition (thinness & overweight) and socio-demographic characteristics of these adolescents living in day-school hostels. Methods: Data from Program Cara Hidup Sihat (Healthy Lifestyle Program), comprising a total of 4189 13-year-old school-going adolescents were used. A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was applied. Information on socio-demographic characteristics was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Body weights and heights were measured. Body mass index (BMI)-for-age (z-score), or BAZ, was determined using the World Health Organization's (WHO) Growth Reference. Results: The prevalence of overweight (23.3%, 95% CI: 22.1, 24.7) was about six times higher than thinness (4.3%, 95% CI: 3.7, 5.0). Males had higher prevalence of thinness (5.6%, 95% CI: 4.6, 6.9) compared to females (3.4%, 95% CI: 3.7, 4.2). A higher prevalence of overweight was observed in the central zone than in the other five zones. Complex samples logistic regression showed that adolescents from the central zone and those with monthly parental incomes a RM 5000 were 2.5 times (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=2.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6, 3.9) and 2.0 times (adjusted OR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.9), respectively, more likely to be at risk of overweight compared to adolescents from the other five zones and with parents whose monthly incomes were less than RM 5000. Conversely, male adolescents were 1.7 times more likely to be at risk of thinness (adjusted OR=1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.3) compared to female adolescents. Conclusion: The dual forms of malnutrition co-existed, with over-nutrition being more prevalent than under-nutrition. Future healthy body weight intervention programs should consider sex, monthly parental incomes and geographic zones of adolescents living in day-school hostels.

To study the intervention programs on smoking cessation in a general hospital and to evaluate its effects of the programs. Four methods including: a) the intervention through specialists in the smoking cessation clinic, b) short-time intervention in the out-patient department,c) free medical intervention, d) group intervention, were adopted for different smokers, with health counseling, psychological intervention and drug treatment. Intervention effect was evaluated by standard methods. During the 20-month period of the project, we treated 690 cases and 402 completed 6-month follow-up. Preliminary results in 402 cases showed that the three methods of smoking cessation interventions could reduce the amount of cigarette smoking and increase the quitting rate. Motivation to quit smoking, intervention methods and intensity of intervention seemed cessation clinic (31.6%) and in the group intervention (30.9%) was higher than short-time intervention in free medical events (15.1%). The successful rate of smoking cessation depended on the motivation of quitters, and the attitude, methods and intervention skills of the physicians.Therefore, it is necessary to explore and develop smoking cessation service models suitable to national context and individual intervention methods in China.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of bupropion for smoking cessation among Chinese smokers at a smoking cessation clinic. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in a hospital located in Beijing during 2008 and from 28 to 31 October 2014. A total of 287 smokers (265 men and 22 women) were assessed using data from structured questionnaires at baseline and were followed up at 1 and 6 months. Trained physician counselors provided free brief education and individual counseling sessions for all participants at the first visit. A total 131 participants were prescribed bupropion in addition to counseling. The counseling plus bupropion group was compared with the group who underwent counseling without bupropion. Outcomes were self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence rates at 1-and 6-month follow-up and continuous abstinence rates at 6-month follow-up. Smoking reduction rates at 1 and 6 months were also measured. Results By intention-to-treat analysis, the 7-day point prevalence abstinence rate of the bupropion group at 1 and 6 months was higher than for the counseling-only group:at 1-month follow-up, 26.0% (34/131) vs. 15.4% (24/156), with OR (95%CI) 1.93(1.07-3.46); these rates at 6-month follow-up were 27.8% (35/131) vs. 15.4% (24/156), with OR (95%CI) 2.01(1.12-3.59). The 1-month continuous abstinence rate at 6 months was higher in the bupropion group: 26.0% (34/131) vs. 14.7% (23/156), with OR (95%CI) 2.03(1.12-3.66). Participants in the bupropion group also had a higher smoking reduction rate at 1 month than those in the counseling-only group:55.0%(72/131) vs. 38.5%(60/156), with OR (95%CI) 1.95 (1.22-3.13). Conclusion Prescription of bupropion at this smoking cessation clinic was effective in doubling the quitting rates and smoking reduction rates among Chinese smokers.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of bupropion for smoking cessation among Chinese smokers at a smoking cessation clinic. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in a hospital located in Beijing during 2008 and from 28 to 31 October 2014. A total of 287 smokers (265 men and 22 women) were assessed using data from structured questionnaires at baseline and were followed up at 1 and 6 months. Trained physician counselors provided free brief education and individual counseling sessions for all participants at the first visit. A total 131 participants were prescribed bupropion in addition to counseling. The counseling plus bupropion group was compared with the group who underwent counseling without bupropion. Outcomes were self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence rates at 1-and 6-month follow-up and continuous abstinence rates at 6-month follow-up. Smoking reduction rates at 1 and 6 months were also measured. Results By intention-to-treat analysis, the 7-day point prevalence abstinence rate of the bupropion group at 1 and 6 months was higher than for the counseling-only group:at 1-month follow-up, 26.0% (34/131) vs. 15.4% (24/156), with OR (95%CI) 1.93(1.07-3.46); these rates at 6-month follow-up were 27.8% (35/131) vs. 15.4% (24/156), with OR (95%CI) 2.01(1.12-3.59). The 1-month continuous abstinence rate at 6 months was higher in the bupropion group: 26.0% (34/131) vs. 14.7% (23/156), with OR (95%CI) 2.03(1.12-3.66). Participants in the bupropion group also had a higher smoking reduction rate at 1 month than those in the counseling-only group:55.0%(72/131) vs. 38.5%(60/156), with OR (95%CI) 1.95 (1.22-3.13). Conclusion Prescription of bupropion at this smoking cessation clinic was effective in doubling the quitting rates and smoking reduction rates among Chinese smokers.