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Fulltext Incidence and demographical characteristics of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder due to motor vehicle accidents

Bahari R, Mohamad Alwi MN, Ahmad MR, Mohd Saiboon I

Malays Fam Physician, 2017;12(3):2-7.
PMID: 29527273 MyJurnal

Introduction: Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are daily occurrences in Malaysia but the extent to which victims are psychologically affected is not well known. The objective of this study is to determine the incidence and demographic characteristics of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to MVAs at a university hospital in Malaysia.
Methods: Patients presenting to the emergency department from August to October 2014 due to MVA-related injuries were recruited. After a period of at least one month, they were followed-up and screened using the validated Malay Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist Civilian version. A score of 30 was chosen as the cut-off point for PTSD.
Results: In total, 112 patients presented to the emergency department following MVAs during the study period. Of these, 60.7% agreed for the follow-up. Among the respondents, the mean age was 26 years, 91.2% were males, 66.2% were married, 85.3% were Malays and 88.3% were Muslims. The calculated incidence of PTSD was 7.4%. There was no significant difference noted between the PTSD and non-PTSD groups.
Conclusion: A considerable number of MVA victims in Malaysia may develop PTSD after the accident. Further research is needed to explore the factors that contribute or protect to develop the condition.
Fulltext Anticipated difficulties in house-officership for graduating medical students of the school of medical sciences, universiti sains malaysia kubang kerian, kelantan, malaysia

Rahim AF, Hitam WH, Alwi MN, Ghazali G, Rahim SZ

Malays J Med Sci, 2000 Jul;7(2):9-12.
PMID: 22977384

To aid future curriculum revision and planning, a batch of newly graduated medical students were surveyed using a questionnaire containing items representing possible areas of concern during house-officership. Students rated items representing communication issues as areas of concern. They did not agree that areas concerning responsibilities as a doctor, continuing medical education, theoretical and practical skills and potentially stressful working conditions were problem areas. Communication skills should remain among the priority areas for undergraduate training. Students should also be given more information about the house-officership period prior to graduation. Further study is needed to confirm perceived strengths of the USM curriculum suggested by the study, which are skills in finding resources for further learning and skills in leadership. A task-analysis of the house-officership period is also needed.
Religious commitment, attitudes toward suicide, and suicidal behaviors among college students of different ethnic and religious groups in Malaysia

Foo XY, Alwi MN, Ismail SI, Ibrahim N, Osman ZJ

J Relig Health, 2014 Jun;53(3):731-46.
PMID: 23196328 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-012-9667-9

The variation in suicide patterns across ethnic groups with different religious background is a puzzling social phenomenon. This study sought to examine the impact of religious commitment and attitudes toward suicide on suicidal behaviors of college students across major ethnic and religious groups in a multicultural society of Malaysia. A total of 139 college students completed Religious Commitment Inventory-10, Attitudes Toward Suicide Scale, and Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. Findings showed significant discrepancies in attitudes toward suicide, but not suicidal behaviors across ethnic and religious groups. Suicide acceptance significantly affected suicidal behaviors as well. Although religious commitment is not associated with suicidal behaviors, its deviation is reflected in students' acceptance of suicide. Additionally, college students' suicide risk, lifetime, and recent suicide ideation, as well as their likelihood of future suicide attempt can be associated with their acceptance of suicide. The influence of attitudes toward suicide and religion, therefore, should be taken into consideration while implementing suicide prevention programs as it helps shape the norms about suicide among youths.
Fulltext Teaching evidence based medicine to fourth year medical students at Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences, Malaysia

Ab Manan N, Jahan N, Mohamad Alwi MN, Qureshi AM, Abdul Rahman AR

Education in Medicine Journal, 2017;9(3):55-62.
MyJurnal

Background: Recently many medical schools have incorporated Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) as part of their undergraduate teaching. The aim is to provide a firm base of EBM to the medical students early on, so that they can understand the importance of EBM. Medical schools are encouraged to teach EBM to students but yet the education setting, learner level, modes of instruction, skills covered and teaching methods are not standardised and varies worldwide. In Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS), EBM was incorporated in the curriculum since 2009. EBM concepts was taught formally to the MBBS students during four weeks Research and Evidence Based Medicine Course (REBM). Students were exposed to the various thinking processes, formulation of clinical questions, searching evidence, intermediate biostatistics, research methodology and critical appraisal. Besides that, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and research proposal development also include in the course. The objective of this paper is to describe
CUCMS experience of teaching EBM for undergraduate medical students.
Methods: This report analysed students feedback using a questionnaire which included a Likert scale and open-ended questions.
Result: Overall, three batches of students gave positive feedbacks regarding the course with constructive suggestions on room for improvement.
Conclusion: From our first three years’ experience in conducting the course, we concluded that the four-week EBM course offered was practical in instilling EBM principles.
Fulltext Effect of vitamin D3-fortified fruit juice supplementation of 4000 IU daily on the recovery of iron status in childbearing-aged women with marginally low iron stores: Protocol for an 8-week, parallel group, double-blind randomized controlled trial

Ahmad Fuzi SF, Su Peng L, Zabaha Zalbahar N, Ab Manan N, Mohamad Alwi MN

PLoS One, 2022;17(3):e0265772.
PMID: 35333885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265772

BACKGROUND: In recent years, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of vitamin D as an iron absorption enhancer by suppressing hepcidin concentration, albeit with an unclear underlying mechanism. Dietary-based approach in improving iron status has been widely practised, however, there is a scarcity in randomized controlled trials (RCT) to elucidate the effect of vitamin D-fortified juice on iron status recovery. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effect of an 8-week vitamin D3-fortified fruit juice supplementation on iron status indicators in childbearing-aged women with marginally low iron stores.
METHODS: In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, RCT, a total of 120 women aged between 19-40 with serum ferritin < 20 μg/l and fulfilled the eligibility criteria will be randomized into consuming either vitamin D3-fortified fruit juices containing 4000 IU (100 mcg) (vitamin D) or placebo-fruit juices (placebo) daily for eight weeks. At every 4-week interval, 10 ml fasting blood sample, information on dietary habit and anthropometric measurement will be collected. A mixed model repeated-measures analysis of variance will be performed to determine the effect of the intervention and the interaction with time points for all iron and vitamin D status blood biomarkers.
DISCUSSION: Vitamin D supplementation in food fortification as a novel iron absorption enhancer might be a future and relevant alternative management of iron deficiency as opposed to the oral iron therapy that has poor adherence.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: registration number NCT04618289, registration date October 28, 2020, protocol ID JKEUPM-2020-033.
An 8-Week Vitamin D3-Fortified Fruit Drink Supplementation Increases Serum Ferritin Concentration: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Malaysian Women With Low Iron Stores

Suhaimi NA, Loh SP, Ab Manan N, Zalbahar N, Mohamad Alwi MN, Ahmad Fuzi SF

J Acad Nutr Diet, 2024 Nov;124(11):1440-1450.e1.
PMID: 38408566 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2024.02.013

BACKGROUND: There is limited randomized controlled trial evidence to support the association between vitamin D deficiency and anemia risk, highlighting the necessity for further investigations into the role of vitamin D in influencing iron status.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin D3-fortified fruit drink consumption (4,000 IU) on vitamin D and iron status biomarkers among iron-deficient women (serum ferritin of <20 μg/L [to convert μg/L ferritin to ng/mL, multiply by 1]).
DESIGN: An 8-week double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted.
SUBJECTS/SETTING: A total of 45 healthy, nonpregnant, nonlactating subjects aged 18 through 40 years (mean [SD] 25.3 [4.6] years) were included in the study, excluding those who donated blood 6 months prior, regularly consumed nutritional supplements, or had gastrointestinal or iron metabolic disorders.
INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either vitamin D3-fortified fruit drink or a placebo.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurements of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), serum ferritin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and full blood count concentrations were obtained at baseline, interim, and post intervention.
STATISTICAL ANALYSES: A mixed model, repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the intervention effect.
RESULTS: Attrition rate for the study was 13%, with 6 dropouts, and 39 subjects completed the study. Daily consumption of vitamin D3-fortified fruit drink in the intervention group resulted in significant increases in 25(OH)D and serum ferritin concentrations compared with the placebo group. The intervention group showed significantly higher mean (SD) changes (Δ) in both 25(OH)D (Δ 76.4 [30.2] nmol/L [to convert nmol/L 25(OH)D to ng/mL, multiply by .4] vs Δ -1.3 [10.7] nmol/L; P = .001) and serum ferritin concentrations (Δ 2.2 [4.2] μg/L vs Δ -0.3 [3.4] μg/L; P = .048) between baseline and post intervention. The other iron status biomarkers were not affected by the intervention.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that daily vitamin D3-fortified fruit drink supplementation for 8 weeks effectively improved 25(OH)D and iron stores, indicated by increased serum ferritin concentrations, in iron-deficient women. Further research is needed to evaluate its safety, efficacy, feasibility, and optimal food fortification in diverse populations.
Fulltext Targeted Primary and Secondary Preventive Strategies for Depression among Malaysian Pharmacy Students

A Wahab I, Goh KW, Zainal ZA, Mohamed Yusof NS, Huri HZ, Jacob SA, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Aug 05;19(15).
PMID: 35954990 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159629

The global depression burden has remained a challenge throughout the pre- and post-pandemic era. The pandemic effect has led to the spiraling of mental disorders among young people who will be the next generation of leaders. This study aims to identify university students’ sociodemographic, psychosocial and academic backgrounds and performance associated with depression symptoms for the development of primary and secondary preventive strategies for mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to 19 institutions in Malaysia offering a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree program. The self-rated Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to assess depression symptoms. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the investigated variables with depression symptoms. Independent T-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare means of depression score across variables. Binary logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between the investigated variables and depression symptoms. A total of 610 pharmacy students participated, of which 47% (n = 289/610) were having depression symptoms. Students who smoke nicotine and those who have separated parents, family history of mental illness, and poor academic performance were associated with depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Differences in geographical areas, race and religion also showed significant associations with depression symptoms. Parental marital status, poor academic performance, history of mental illness and comorbidities were statistically predicting depression symptoms (p < 0.05). Primary preventive strategies allowing students to harness healthy coping skills for stress, nicotine-free campaigns and a holistic curriculum are warranted. Secondary measures on mindfulness and compassion skills activities to benefit students who experienced early life crises are highly recommended. Enforcing these targeted strategies in collaboration with health and social sectors should be the primary agenda of universities to ensure their uptake.