METHODS: A qualitative case study was conducted with medical students who were in the early phases of their training. Purposive sampling was employed to select the study participants. Data collection was carried out using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and they were later analysed using NVivo 10 software and employing open coding, axial coding and selective coding techniques. Nine medical students participated in the study. To ensure trustworthiness of the data, member checks, an audit trail, the Cohen kappa index, and peer checking were utilized.
RESULTS: Based on thematic analysis, four themes and seven categories were identified. Themes include soft skills, an academic overview, social skills and motivation from mentors. Categories include time management, study skills, communication skills, social adjustment, social activities, moral support and personal support.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate that mentoring is essential to medical students in developing their identity and professional maturity. The effectiveness of the mentoring programme is supported by several factors that, as a whole, lead to the development of a professional graduate.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 196 parents who attended primary health care facilities in suburban Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was given to assess decision-making styles and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practices. Systematic random sampling was used for the non-exclusive breastfeeding group, and convenience sampling was used for the exclusive breastfeeding group. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the associated factors for exclusive breastfeeding practices.
Results: We found an association between the mutual decision of parents on exclusive breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding practices. Previous exclusive breastfeeding experience, fathers' ages, mothers' occupations and mutual decisions had significant impact on exclusive breastfeeding practices.
Conclusion: The important determinant for practising exclusive breastfeeding is parents' mutual decisions. Therefore, practitioners need to continuously educate and emphasize the fathers' role in the breastfeeding process.
Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 women, ages 21-56 who were either divorced or currently in the process of getting divorced in Kelantan, Malaysia.
Results: Several themes emerged, indicating the following five reasons for divorce: 1) reaching the point of ultimatum, 2) having adequate support pre- and post-divorce, 3) concern for children's welfare, 4) seeking financial independence, and 5) fear of harm.
Conclusion: The identification of the driving factors for divorce may spark a change in our society's mindset to empower female divorcees and allow them to lead happy, abuse-free lives.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dental academics in Malaysian dental schools were invited to complete a questionnaire by email and post. The survey comprised questions on research activities in the past 12 months, socio-demographic and professional characteristics, and the R&D Culture Index. Principal components factor analysis was carried out to confirm the factor structure of the R&D Culture Index. Chi-square test was used to identify association of research activities with R&D culture, and socio-demographic and professional characteristics. Binary logistic regression was carried to identify predicators of research activities.
RESULTS: Of 256 potential participants contacted, 128 (50%) useable responses were returned. Three R&D Culture factors accounting for 57.4% of variance were extracted. More positive perception of R&D Support was associated with Malaysians (0.025) and those employed in Government schools (0.017). R&D Skills and Aptitude were associated with older respondents (0.050), PhD qualification (0.014) and more years in academia (0.014). R&D Intention was associated with any of the socio-demographic characteristics. Thirty (23.4%) respondents reported a peer-review research publication in the past 12 months, which was associated with having a PhD (OR 12.79, CI 1.28-127.96), after adjustment in regression analyses.
DISCUSSION: Postgraduate research training should be encouraged to promote participation in research activities. R&D culture did not appear to impact on research productivity. Other factors such as individual attitudinal interests should be studied.
Methods: This study involved a total of 300 nursing teams (1436 individual nurses) from seven state hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were collected using two sets of questionnaires which were initially distributed to 320 teams. One set was given to the team members and another set was given to the team leaders. Of the 320 sets sent out, 300 sets were returned. Responses were then combined and aggregated to the team level to get the team's final score. Analyses of the hypotheses were done using Partial Least Squares (PLS) through assessment of the measurement and structural model.
Results: Results from the path analysis revealed that of the three dimensions of team task attributes, only task significance was positively and significantly related to team task performance (β = 0.076, P > 0.05), while task identity (β = 0.076, P > 0.05) and task interdependence (β = -0.037, P > 0.05) were found unrelated to team task performance.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that task significance is important to predict team task performance. Task significance reflects meaningfulness and nobility of tasks, thus elevate the desire to perform better in each assigned task.