Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health最新文献

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can affect individuals across various professions, including health care workers (HCWs). Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to explore the coping strategies of HCWs experiencing IPV in Malaysia, providing insights to inform workplace support mechanisms. In-depth interviews were conducted among six HCWs in a tertiary hospital who were also the survivors of IPV. The findings revealed that the survivors employed diverse coping strategies, including seeking help, inclining toward spirituality, avoiding abusive situations, engaging in self-harm, and staying or leaving abusive relationships. Survivors primarily relied on coworkers for support and only sought formal support assistance when situations became critical. While some supportive workplace responses were reported, some hesitated to seek help due to misconceptions about IPV, concerns about privacy, and fear of workplace gossip. To address these barriers, workplaces should make efforts to raise IPV awareness among employees and implement dedicated support policies tailored to the IPV survivors' coping needs.

Sexual and reproductive health education in early childhood is still not delivered comprehensively. A pre-experimental study aimed to test the effectiveness of an activity and sound book, "Finally, I Know!" in early childhood knowledge before and after two months of intervention. The study involved 63 purposively sample students aged four to six years from UM Laboratory Kindergarten. The book material contains eight key points adapted from UNESCO International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education. Generalized linear model was used to analyze pre-test, post-test 1, and post-test 2. There was a significant increase in student's knowledge in pre-test and post-test 1 intervention (0.020; P < .05), however, no knowledge increase from pre-test and post-test 2 intervention (0.740; P > .05). The "Finally I Know!"may have the potential as comprehensive sexuality education media. It is suggested the book should be used regularly over a period of less than two months to ensure that children's knowledge continues to improve.

This study investigated the association between periodontal disease and systemic health indicators in Korean adults, based on the hypothesis that shared inflammatory pathways may underlie the link between oral and systemic health. Although numerous studies have investigated the association between periodontal disease and systemic health, few have utilized nationally representative data from Korean adults. This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including 1324 participants aged ≥40 years. Systemic health indicators were obtained through physical measurements and biochemical tests. Periodontal disease was evaluated using the Community Periodontal Index, and associations were examined using logistic regression analysis. The weighted prevalence of periodontal disease was 48.3% in men and 38.1% in women. Among men, fasting blood glucose (OR = 1.20) and glycated hemoglobin (OR = 1.32) were significantly associated with periodontal disease. In women, fasting blood glucose (OR = 1.15) and glycated hemoglobin (OR = 1.21) also showed significant associations. Glucose-related indicators demonstrated the most consistent associations across sexes. These findings highlight the association between glycemic control and periodontal disease, and suggest that sex-specific patterns may exist, which could be explored in future research.

Child and adolescent mental health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is a growing focus of global health policy, yet the evidence for effective intervention remains unclear. We undertook a scoping review of LMICs in the East Asia and Pacific region. We searched four databases between 2010 and 2021 for evaluated interventions targeting child and adolescent mental health. We mapped intervention studies by location, evaluation method, and target of intervention: mental health promotion, prevention, or response. We included 69 unique studies from 12 countries: 32 RCTs, 31 before-after studies, and 6 post-intervention evaluations. There were several promising intervention studies, although these had methodological limitations. Three studies addressed mental health promotion, 46 addressed prevention, and 23 addressed response. There was a disproportionate focus on "individual capacity" prevention and "clinical management" response. There were few studies in mental health promotion (through communities, policies, or legislation), prevention beyond the individual (via parents, peers, or schools), or in longer-term response. Most (62) of these interventions were undertaken in China and four South-East Asian nations. There were few studies in smaller, less wealthy nations, and only three in Pacific nations. Effective progress in global child and adolescent mental health will require greater attention and investment in these programmatic gaps and geographic areas.

This article looked into the memorial lecture delivered by Professor Dr Wah Yun Low in memory of the late Professor Walter K. Patrick, focusing on building resilience within families and communities in the aftermath of COVID-19. This article examined resilience across sociocultural contexts, using case studies to highlight adaptation, psychological flexibility, and coping strategies post-adversity among families and communities. It explored resilience's theoretical and real-world aspects, emphasizing interdisciplinary perspectives, practical applications, sociocultural contexts, and policy implications. This article emphasized themes of unity, strength in adversity, and intergenerational resilience. It highlighted the importance of interventions in three key areas-well-being, mental health, and social capital across different life stages, from childhood to adulthood. Resilience-building requires integrating individual, family, and community strategies, fostering collaboration across sectors, and focusing on long-term sustainability. Investing in resilience strengthens immediate crisis responses and lays a foundation for thriving, adaptable communities in future challenges.

Previous studies speculated that physical activity (PA) at high altitude represents greater actual exercise than when performed at lower altitude. Efforts are needed to validate or reject such speculation. This study explored the relationships between PA changes and weight/body mass index changes in low and high altitudes. According to a previous study and the altitude distribution of our participants, we classified the participants into low altitude (<2500 m) and high altitude (≥2500 m). The relationships between changes in PA and weight/body mass index were assessed through multivariable linear regression. Furthermore, the stratified analyses were conducted to detect whether there was heterogeneity in relationships between PA changes and weight/body mass index changes across low altitude and high altitude. A total of 10 000 individuals were included (9122 in low altitude, 878 in high altitude). PA increases, per MET-h/d, were inversely associated with weight changes in low altitude with a mean change of -0.009 kg (95% CI [-0.015, -0.002] kg), and in high altitude with a mean change of -0.032 kg (95% CI [-0.056, -0.009] kg). The inverse relationship between changes in PA and weight was significantly modified by altitude (P = .016), and it was stronger among participants residing at high altitude. It suggests that future guidelines and interventions should differentiate populations in low and high altitudes. Specifically, PA recommendations for people living at high altitude should be lower than those for people living at low altitude.

Poor dietary intake during young adulthood can increase the risk of chronic diseases, which are rising concerns in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This scoping review examined dietary intake among young adults in LMICs, highlighting their energy and nutrient intakes. Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify observational studies published in English from January 1, 2014 to July 31, 2024. Rayyan.ai was used to remove duplicates and facilitate the selection process, which two researchers independently carried out. Studies that reported on the energy and nutrient intake of healthy young adults aged 18 to 30 years in LMICs were included. A total of 14 studies were included (nine from upper-middle-income countries, five from lower-middle-income countries, zero from low-income countries). Most of the studies are cross-sectional studies (71.4%). The energy intake of young adults from upper-middle-income countries ranges from 1700 to 2400 kcal/day, while young adult women in lower-middle-income countries showed trends of low-energy intake and insufficient micronutrient intake. Most of the energy intake reported came from carbohydrates, followed by fat and protein. The findings highlighted a significant gap in data from low-income countries, underscoring the need for further research to inform policies and design effective interventions.

This study aimed to develop machine learning (ML) models to predict diabetic complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Malaysia. Data from the Malaysian National Diabetes Registry and Death Register were used to develop predictive models for five complications: all-cause mortality, retinopathy, nephropathy, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and cerebrovascular disease (CeVD). Accurate predictions may enable targeted preventive intervention and optimal disease management. The cohort comprised 90 933 T2D patients treated at public health clinics in southern Malaysia from 2011 to 2021. Seven ML algorithms were tested, with the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) demonstrating the best performance. LGBM models achieved ROC-AUC scores of 0.84 for all-cause mortality, 0.71 for retinopathy, 0.71 for nephropathy, 0.66 for IHD, and 0.74 for CeVD. These findings support integrating ML models, particularly LGBM, into clinical practice for predicting diabetes complications. Further optimization and validation are necessary to enhance applicability across diverse populations.