Pediatric Tuberculosis in a Northeast State of Peninsular Malaysia: Diagnostic Classifications and Determinants

Epidemiology of Poor Glycaemic Control among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Terengganu State of Malaysia

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is among the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide and Malaysia. Poor glycaemic control among T2DM patients lead to serious life-long complications. Therefore, it is imperative to study the prevalence of poor glycaemic control and its risk factors to facilitate public health physicians and clinicians in developing the best strategies to optimize glycaemic control among T2DM patients. Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study between groups of good glycaemic control and poor glycaemic control was conducted among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients who fulfilled study criteria in Terengganu state of Malaysia. Eligible samples in the National Diabetes Registry registered from 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2021 were included into the study. Descriptive statistics, simple and multiple logistic regressions were employed for data analysis. Result: A total of 17,165 samples were recruited in the descriptive part of the study. The prevalence of patients with poor glycaemic control in Terengganu state was 65.3% (95% CI: 0.62, 0.67). In the inferential part of the study, a total 3,700 samples were randomly selected. Multivariable analysis using multiple logistic regression revealed age, duration of diabetes, body mass index, cigarette smoking, presence of retinopathy and presence of hypertension were the significant factors associated with poor glycaemic control among T2DM patients in Terengganu state with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 0.95 (95%CI:0.94, 0.96); p<0.001), AOR 1.15 (95%CI:1.13, 1.17; p<0.001), AOR 1.03 (95%CI:1.01, 1.04; p<0.001), AOR 1.45 (95%CI:1.01, 2.10; p=0.047), AOR 1.32 (95%CI:1.01, 1.73; p=0.043) and AOR 1.39 (95%CI:1.16, 1.67; p<0.001) respectively. Conclusion: Strategies focusing on the identified risk factors may improve diabetes mellitus management and avert life-long diabetic complications.

The Effectiveness of Tuberculosis Education Programme in Kelantan, Malaysia on Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Stigma Towards Tuberculosis among Adolescents

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is contagious and the transmission risk is high in congregate settings like school. Incidence of TB among adolescents is significantly high hence an education programme was developed to improve knowledge, attitude, practice and stigma (KAPS) among them.

Methods

This school-based, non-randomised controlled study was conducted among secondary school students with a total of 236 respondents. The KAPS score were assessed before and 1 month after using self-administered validated KAPS questionnaire on TB. Analysis was done using repeated measures ANOVA.

Results

The mean percentage score (SD) for baseline knowledge, attitude, practice and stigma score for the respondents were 54.0 (4.48), 65.6 (1.74), 70.0 (1.43) and 66.0 (6.88), respectively. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the knowledge and stigma score for intervention group compared to control group, adjusted for gender, ethnicity and smoking status 4 weeks post-TB educational programme. However, with regards to attitude and practice score, there was no significant difference (P = 0.210 and P = 0.243, respectively).

Conclusion

TB education programme was effective in improving knowledge and stigma related to TB. This health education programme can be used as one of the strategies for the prevention and control of TB in schools.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis among refugee children in Malaysia

Introduction

Tuberculosis remains one of the top 10 major causes of global mortality, imposing social-economic and medical challenges in Malaysia. Refugees sheltered in Malaysia are a high-risk population but basic health checks upon their arrival, including tuberculosis screening, are not practised. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among refugee children in Malaysia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed in three refugee schools in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, using tuberculin skin tests or interferon-γ release assays. Participants who tested positive were sent for further examination with chest radiography to confirm the tuberculosis diagnosis.

Results

From April 2018 to April 2019, we screened 430 refugee children with a median age of 13.0 years. Most of the children were born in Myanmar (n=274, 63.7%) and Pakistan (n=60, 14.0%). No children were diagnosed with active tuberculosis but 55 of the children (12.8%) were diagnosed with LTBI. Children with LTBI were generally older (OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.71-5.29; p<0.001) than those without LTBI infection. Sex, history of bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination and country of birth were not associated with increased risk of LTBI.

Conclusion

The relatively high LTBI burden among refugee children in this study poses an indication of possible LTBI risk among this population nationwide, and thus would be an important group to target for preventive therapy. This provides a unique opportunity for researchers to further examine and implement well-structured preventive strategies in combating the endemic infectious disease in Malaysia.

Making Health Services Adolescent-Friendly in Northeastern Peninsular Malaysia: A Mixed-Methods Study

A mixed-methods study was conducted in a Malaysian state beginning with a cross-sectional quantitative study to determine the relationship between clinic characteristics and clinic score of adolescent-friendliness. Subsequently, perceptions of healthcare providers on the facilitating factors for the provision of adolescent-friendly health services were explored qualitatively to support the quantitative findings. Availability of trained healthcare providers, adequate privacy, dedicated adolescent health services team, and adolescent health promotional activities were the clinic characteristics that significantly (p < 0.05) related with clinics' scores of adolescent-friendliness. The facilitating factors required for adolescent-friendly health services were (1) healthcare providers' commitment and prioritization towards adolescent-friendly health services; (2) organizational supports; (3) appropriate clinic settings; and (4) external supports for adolescent health promotional activities. The qualitative findings reaffirmed those of the quantitative study on the significant clinic characteristics required for adolescent-friendly health services. This study provides valuable insight for the Ministry of Health to elicit the required facilitating factors to further improve the quality of adolescent health services in Malaysia.