Address
1, Jln Taylors, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Publications
1st International Conference of Medical Goes Public (ICON-MEGOPIC2021)
27 February 2021
ICON-MEGOPIC 2021 – Best Papers
Association between depression, anxiety, stress and perceived quality of life in a Malaysian B40 urban community during the COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study
Abstract
Background: In Malaysia, B40 communities are those with a median monthly household earning of under RM 3166. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the livelihoods of those in these areas has been severely impacted. This has increased their vulnerability to psychological afflictions and has led to a poorer perception of their quality of life (QoL) in comparison to the rest of the population. We investigated the association between perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress and their impact on quality of life (QoL) among B40 residents in a low-cost urban housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Background: In Malaysia, B40 communities are those with a median monthly household earning of under RM 3166. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the livelihoods of those in these areas has been severely impacted. This has increased their vulnerability to psychological afflictions and has led to a poorer perception of their quality of life (QoL) in comparison to the rest of the population. We investigated the association between perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress and their impact on quality of life (QoL) among B40 residents in a low-cost urban housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and February 2021 in the Seri Pantai housing settlement. The validated Malay versions of the depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21 (DASS-21) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life, brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were distributed to the participants using Google forms. The statistical significance of the association between subscales of depression, anxiety, stress and QoL domains were assessed using the Pearson’s correlation test.
Results: Of the 180 participants,the majority were Malays (87.2%) and females (82.2%). The average scores were the highest for stress (5.66 ± 4.59) and the score in the environment domain of QoL (59.27 ± 17.23) was the lowest. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the subscales of DASS-21 and the four domains of the QoL, with the social relationships and psychological domains showing a highly significant association (p < 0.001). The strongest correlation was observed between the psychological domain and depression (r= -.520) followed by psychological domain and stress (r= -.496).
Conclusion: The strongest correlation was observed between psychological domain and depression. This suggests a need to address potential devastating mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the QoL of residents in B40 communities.
Formulation and characterisation of alginate hydrocolloid film dressing loaded with gallic acid for potential chronic wound healing
Abstract
Background: In Malaysia, B40 communities are those with a median monthly household earning of under RM 3166. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the livelihoods of those in these areas has been severely impacted. This has increased their vulnerability to psychological afflictions and has led to a poorer perception of their quality of life (QoL) in comparison to the rest of the population. We investigated the association between perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress and their impact on quality of life (QoL) among B40 residents in a low-cost urban housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Background: In Malaysia, B40 communities are those with a median monthly household earning of under RM 3166. With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the livelihoods of those in these areas has been severely impacted. This has increased their vulnerability to psychological afflictions and has led to a poorer perception of their quality of life (QoL) in comparison to the rest of the population. We investigated the association between perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress and their impact on quality of life (QoL) among B40 residents in a low-cost urban housing area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and February 2021 in the Seri Pantai housing settlement. The validated Malay versions of the depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21 (DASS-21) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life, brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were distributed to the participants using Google forms. The statistical significance of the association between subscales of depression, anxiety, stress and QoL domains were assessed using the Pearson’s correlation test.
Results:Of the 180 participants,the majority were Malays (87.2%) and females (82.2%). The average scores were the highest for stress (5.66 ± 4.59) and the score in the environment domain of QoL (59.27 ± 17.23) was the lowest. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the subscales of DASS-21 and the four domains of the QoL, with the social relationships and psychological domains showing a highly significant association (p < 0.001). The strongest correlation was observed between the psychological domain and depression (r= -.520) followed by psychological domain and stress (r= -.496).
Conclusion: The strongest correlation was observed between psychological domain and depression. This suggests a need to address potential devastating mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the QoL of residents in B40 communities.
Publication From The Previous Research Presentation Event Organised By Taylor’s University School of Medicine
Income and obesity in an urban poor community: a cross-sectional study
Abstract
Background: Recent studies have shown that higher income is associated with a higher risk for subsequent obesity in low- and middle-income countries, while in high-income countries there is a reversal of the association – higher-income individuals have a lower risk of obesity. The concept of being able to afford to overeat is no longer a predictor of obesity in developed countries. In Malaysia, a trend has been observed that the prevalence of obesity increases with an increase in income among the low-income (B40) group. This trend, however, was not further investigated. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the association of income and other sociodemographic factors with obesity among residents within the B40 income group in an urban community.
Background: Recent studies have shown that higher income is associated with a higher risk for subsequent obesity in low- and middle-income countries, while in high-income countries there is a reversal of the association – higher-income individuals have a lower risk of obesity. The concept of being able to afford to overeat is no longer a predictor of obesity in developed countries. In Malaysia, a trend has been observed that the prevalence of obesity increases with an increase in income among the low-income (B40) group. This trend, however, was not further investigated. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the association of income and other sociodemographic factors with obesity among residents within the B40 income group in an urban community.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used a systematic sampling technique to recruit participants residing in a Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The sociodemographic characteristics were investigated through face-to-face interviews. Weight and height were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated and coded as underweight, normal, overweight and obese according to the cut-off points for the Asian population. A chi-squared test was used to compare the prevalence of obesity in this study with the national prevalence. A generalized linear model was introduced to identify BMI predictors.
Results: Among the 341 participants, 25 (7.3%) were underweight, 94 (27.6%) had normal weight, 87 (25.5%) were overweight, and 135 (39.6%) were obese. The proportion of obese adults (45.8%) was significantly higher than the national prevalence of 30.6% (p<0.001). Among all the tested variables, only income was significantly associated with BMI (p=0.046).
Conclusion: The proportion of obesity in this urban poor community was higher compared with the national average. BMI increased as the average monthly household income decreased.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of the Severity of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Low-Income Community-Dwelling Adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Abstract
Growing prevalence of mental illnesses and the role they play in the global disease burden is an emerging public health issue. The prevalence of depression and anxiety is on the rise in Malaysia. Low-income urban communities are among the key affected populations with regards to mental health problems. This cross-sectional study was aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety and stress, and their associated factors among adults in the low-income community of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Growing prevalence of mental illnesses and the role they play in the global disease burden is an emerging public health issue. The prevalence of depression and anxiety is on the rise in Malaysia. Low-income urban communities are among the key affected populations with regards to mental health problems. This cross-sectional study was aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of depression, anxiety and stress, and their associated factors among adults in the low-income community of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 248 participants aged 18–60years old were recruited. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale—21 Items (DASS-21). Chi-squared test was used to examine the association between the variables. Multiple ordinal regression model was introduced to identify the predictors of depression, anxiety and stress. The proportions of participants with depression, anxiety and stress were 24.2% (95% CI: 19.6–30.4), 36.3% (95% CI: 29.9–43.0), and 20.6% (95% CI: 15.4–26.5), respectively. There was a statistically significant association of ethnicity (p = 0.002) and age (p = 0.014) with the severity of depression, ethnicity (p = 0.001) and age (p = 0.024) with the severity of anxiety, and ethnicity (p < 0.001) and marital status (p = 0.006) with the severity of stress. In a multivariable analysis, only non-Malay ethnicity was an independent predictor of the severity of depression [OR = 2.43, 95% CI (1.25, 4.72), p = 0.009], anxiety [OR = 2.55, 95% CI (1.41, 4.62), p = 0.002] and stress [OR = 4.28, 95% CI (2.06, 8.89), p = <0.001]. Mental health interventions should target low-income communities to address social inequalities of mental health within economically disadvantaged populations.
