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Fulltext HIV Knowledge and Its Associated Sociodemographic Factors among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia

Cheah YK, Suleiman A, Ramly M

Malays J Med Sci, 2024 Jun;31(3):160-172.
PMID: 38984243 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.3.12

BACKGROUND: Female sex workers (FSWs) have a high risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In spite of the alarming fact that a large proportion of FSWs does not have adequate HIV knowledge, the association between sociodemographic factors and HIV knowledge among FSWs have yet to be thoroughly explored in the context of Malaysia. The aims of this study are the following: i) to determine HIV knowledge and ii) to examine the associated factors of HIV knowledge.
METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted. Data from the Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS) 2017 (n = 630) were used. The survey was carried out in all states in Malaysia and its duration was 4 months (from March 2017 to June 2017). Ordered probit regressions were utilised to shed light on the association between sociodemographic variables and levels of HIV knowledge.
RESULTS: A large proportion of FSWs had middle-level HIV knowledge (44.1%). FSWs with tertiary-level education were 19.5% more likely to have high-level HIV knowledge compared to those without formal education. The probability of having low-level HIV knowledge was 6.8% lower among FSWs with monthly incomes of RM1,500-RM1,999 than those having incomes of ≤ RM499. Being single instead of married was associated with 7.6%-8% lower probabilities of having low- and middle-level HIV knowledge.
CONCLUSION: Public health interventions to improve FSWs' HIV knowledge need to take into consideration the role of sociodemographic factors.
Fulltext Effect of vitamin D supplementation on cardiometabolic risks and health-related quality of life among urban premenopausal women in a tropical country--a randomized controlled trial

Ramly M, Ming MF, Chinna K, Suboh S, Pendek R

PLoS One, 2014;9(10):e110476.
PMID: 25350669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110476

Many observational studies linked vitamin D to cardiometabolic risks besides its pivotal role in musculoskeletal diseases, but evidence from trials is lacking and inconsistent.
Fulltext Use of movement restrictions during an outbreak of COVID-19 in Selangor, Malaysia

Suleiman A, Ngadiman S, Ramly M, Yusoff AF, Yusof MP

Western Pac Surveill Response J, 2021 06 22;12(2):51-56.
PMID: 34540313 DOI: 10.5365/wpsar.2020.11.3.008

Objective: Various public health and social measures have been used during the COVID-19 outbreak, including lockdowns, contact-tracing, isolation and quarantine. The objective of this manuscript is to describe outbreaks of COVID-19 in Selangor, Malaysia, the public health strategies used and the observed impact of the measures on the epidemic curve.
Methods: Information on all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Selangor between 25 January and 28 April 2020 was obtained. Clusters were identified, and cases were disaggregated into linked, unlinked and imported cases. Epidemic curves were constructed, and the timing of movement control orders was compared with the numbers of cases reported.
Results: During the study period, 1395 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported to the Selangor Health Department, of which 15.8% were imported, 79.5% were linked and 4.7% were unlinked cases. For two main clusters, the number of cases decreased after control measures were instituted, by contact-tracing followed by isolation and home quarantine for the first cluster (n = 126), and with the addition of the movement control order for the second, much larger cluster (n = 559).
Discussion: The findings suggest that appropriate, timely public health interventions and movement control measures have a synergistic effect on controlling COVID-19 outbreaks.
Fulltext Study protocol: the effect of vitamin D supplements on cardiometabolic risk factors among urban premenopausal women in a tropical country -- a randomized controlled trial

Ramly M, Moy FM, Pendek R, Suboh S, Tan Tong Boon A

BMC Public Health, 2013 May 01;13:416.
PMID: 23631804 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-416

BACKGROUND: Besides its classical role in musculoskeletal diseases, vitamin D deficiency has recently been found to be associated with cardiometabolic risks such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia. Although Malaysia is a sunshine-abundant country, recent studies found that vitamin D deficiency prevalence was significantly high. However, few published studies that measured its effect on cardiometabolic risk factors were found in Malaysia. There are also limited clinical trials carried out globally that tried to establish the causality of vitamin D and cardiometabolic risks. Therefore, a double blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial on vitamin D and cardiometabolic risks is planned to be carried out.The objective of this study is to investigate whether vitamin D supplements can reduce the cardiometabolic risk and improve the quality of life in urban premenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency.
METHODS/DESIGN: Three hundred and twenty premenopausal women working in a public university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will be randomized to receive either vitamin D supplement (50,000 IU weekly for 8 weeks and 50,000 IU monthly for 10 months) or placebo for 12 months. At baseline, all participants are vitamin D deficient (≤ 20 ng/ml or 50 nmol/l). Both participants and researchers will be blinded. The serum vitamin D levels of all participants collected at various time points will only be analysed at the end of the trial. Outcome measures such as 25(OH) D3, HOMA-IR, blood pressure, full lipid profiles will be taken at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Health related quality of life will be measured at baseline and 12 months. The placebo group will be given delayed treatment for six months after the trial.
DISCUSSION: This trial will be the first study investigating the effect of vitamin D supplements on both the cardiometabolic risk and quality of life among urban premenopausal women in Malaysia. Our findings will contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the role of vitamin D supplements in the primary prevention for cardiometabolic disease.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12612000452897.