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The perspectives of the application of biofilm in the prevention of chronic infections

Ali Ahmed AB, Taha RM

Adv. Food Nutr. Res., 2011;64:403-16.
PMID: 22054964 DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-387669-0.00031-4

Biofilms are a natural part of the ecology of the earth. Many biofilms are quite harmful and must be treated or controlled. Other biofilms are beneficial and can be used to help fix serious problems. Biofilms can grow on many different surfaces, including rocks in water, foods, teeth, and various biomedical implants. This bacterial colonization may present the need for additional operations, amputation, or it may even lead to death. The fundamental principles of bacterial cell attachment and biofilm formation are discussed. Biofilms represents a new, wide-open field practice and research that is only going to get hotter with time. Functional organic plasma polymerized coatings are also discussed for their potential as bio-sensitive interfaces, connecting metallic electronic devices with their physiological environments.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control
The Long-Term Public Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

Binns C, Lee M, Low WY

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2016 Jan;28(1):7-14.
PMID: 26792873 DOI: 10.1177/1010539515624964

Breastfeeding has many health benefits, both in the short term and the longer term, to infants and their mothers. There is an increasing number of studies that report on associations between breastfeeding and long-term protection against chronic disease. Recent research evidence is reviewed in this study, building on previous authoritative reviews. The recent World Health Organization reviews of the short- and long-term benefits of breastfeeding concluded that there was strong evidence for many public health benefits of breastfeeding. Cognitive development is improved by breastfeeding, and infants who are breastfed and mothers who breastfeed have lower rates of obesity. Other chronic diseases that are reduced by breastfeeding include diabetes (both type 1 and type 2), obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, and some types of cancer.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control*
Fulltext Addressing non-communicable diseases in Malaysia: an integrative process of systems and community

Mustapha F, Omar Z, Mihat O, Md Noh K, Hassan N, Abu Bakar R, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2014;14 Suppl 2:S4.
PMID: 25080846 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-S2-S4

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and NCD risk factors in Malaysia have risen substantially in the last two decades. The Malaysian Ministry of Health responded by implementing, "The National Strategic Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases (NSP-NCD) 2010-2014", and the "NCD Prevention 1Malaysia" (NCDP-1M) programme. This paper outlines the primary health system context in which the NCDP-1M is framed. We also discuss the role of community in facilitating the integration of this programme, and outline some of the key challenges in addressing the sustainability of the plan over the next few years. The paper thus provides an analysis of an integration of a programme that involved a multi-sectoral approach with the view to contributing to a broader discourse on the development of responsive health systems.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control*
Fulltext The life and health challenges of young Malaysian couples: results from a stakeholder consensus and engagement study to support non-communicable disease prevention

Norris SA, Anuar H, Matzen P, Cheah JC, Jensen BB, Hanson M

BMC Public Health, 2014;14 Suppl 2:S6.
PMID: 25080995 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-S2-S6

BACKGROUND: Malaysia faces burgeoning obesity and diabetes epidemics with a 250% and 88% increase respectively between 1996 and 2006. Identifying the health challenges of young adults in Malaysia, who constitute 27.5 % of the population, is critical for NCD prevention. The aim of the study was two-fold: (1) to achieve consensus amongst stakeholders on the most important challenge impacting the health of young adults, and (2) to engage with stakeholders to formulate a NCD prevention framework.
METHODS: The Delphi Technique was utilised to achieve group consensus around the most important life and health challenges that young adults face in Malaysia. Subsequently, the results of the consensus component were shared with the stakeholders in an engagement workshop to obtain input on a NCD prevention framework.
RESULTS: We found that life stress was a significant concern. It would seem that the apathy towards pursuing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle among young adults may be significantly influenced by the broader distal determinant of life stress. The high cost of living is suggested to be the main push factor for young working adults towards attaining better financial security to improve their livelihood. In turn, this leads to a more stressful lifestyle with less time to focus on healthier lifestyle choices.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight a pivotal barrier to healthier lifestyles. By assisting young adults to cope with daily living coupled with realistic opportunities to make healthier dietary choices, be more active, and less sedentary could assist in the development of NCD health promotion strategies.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control*
Profile of travelers with preexisting medical conditions attending a specialist travel medicine clinic in Ireland

Han CT, Flaherty G

J Travel Med, 2015 Sep-Oct;22(5):312-7.
PMID: 26095866 DOI: 10.1111/jtm.12221

BACKGROUND: Patients with complex medical comorbidities travel for protracted periods to remote destinations, often with limited access to medical care. Few descriptions are available of their preexisting health burden. This study aimed to characterize preexisting medical conditions and medications of travelers seeking pre-travel health advice at a specialized travel medicine clinic.
METHODS: Records of travelers attending the Galway Tropical Medical Bureau clinic between 2008 and 2014 were examined and information relating to past medical history was entered into a database. Data were recorded only where the traveler had a documented medical history and/or was taking medications.
RESULTS: Of the 4,817 records available, 56% had a documented medical history and 24% listed medications. The majority of travelers with preexisting conditions were female. The mean age of the cohort was 31.68 years. The mean period remaining before the planned trip was 40 days. Southeast Asia was the most popular single destination, and 17% of travelers with medical conditions were traveling alone. The most frequently reported conditions were allergies (20%), insect bite sensitivity (15%), asthma (11%), psychiatric conditions (4%), and hypertension (3%). Of the 30 diabetic travelers, 14 required insulin; 4.5% of travelers were taking immunosuppressant drugs, including corticosteroids. Half of the female travelers were taking the oral contraceptive pill while 11 travelers were pregnant at the time of their pre-travel consultation.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an insight into the medical profile of travelers attending a travel health clinic. The diverse range of diseases reported highlights the importance of educating physicians and nurses about the specific travel health risks associated with particular conditions. Knowledge of the effects of travel on underlying medical conditions will inform the pre-travel health consultation.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control
Symposium on Plant Polyphenols: Nutrition, Health and Innovations, June 2009

Chang AS, Yeong BY, Koh WP

Nutr Rev, 2010 Apr;68(4):246-52.
PMID: 20416020 DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00283.x

Reported here is a summary of the proceedings of the Symposium on Plant Polyphenols: Nutrition, Health and Innovations, which was cosponsored by the Southeast Asia Region branch of the International Life Sciences Institute and the Nutrition Society of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 22-23, 2009. The symposium provided a timely update of research regarding the protective effects of polyphenols in chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as the development of innovative polyphenol-containing food products with enhanced nutritive and health properties. Presentations covered polyphenols from a wide range of food sources such as tea, coffee, nuts and seeds, cocoa and chocolate, soy, and Asian fruits, vegetables, and spices. The symposium was attended by a large and diverse group of nutritionists, dietitians, researchers and allied health professionals, as well as management, research and development, and marketing personnel from the food and beverage industry. Their enthusiastic participation was a testament to the increasing awareness and interest in polyphenols in the prevention and control of chronic diseases. Presented here are some of the highlights and important information from the symposium.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control
An action research on promotion of healthy ageing and risk reduction of chronic disease: a need assessment study among rural elderly Malays, care givers and health professionals

Nur Asyura Adznam S, Shahar S, Rahman SA, Yusof NA, Arshad F, Yassin Z, et al.

J Nutr Health Aging, 2009 Dec;13(10):925-30.
PMID: 19924355

OBJECTIVE: Prior to the development of a healthy ageing and risk reduction of chronic diseases intervention package for older people in Malaysia, a need assessment study was conducted to identify nutritional knowledge status and information needs, as part of an action research process.
DESIGN: A cross sectional study was conducted among 267 elderly people, 54 care givers and 66 health professionals in two rural areas of Peninsular of Malaysia (i.e Sabak Bernam, Selangor and Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan). Information on nutritional knowledge was obtained from an interview based questionnaire for older subjects and caregiver and through self administered questionnaire from the health professionals. Anthropometric and functional measurements were also conducted among elderly subjects.
RESULTS: It was found that the elderly subjects had poor nutritional knowledge with 43.8% of them classified as having unsatisfactory nutritional knowledge, followed by moderately satisfactory (33.7%), very unsatisfactory (15.7%) and good (6.7%). Talks, counselling sessions with health professionals and electronic media such as television and radio were the most preferred nutrition education sources among elderly subjects and their care givers. The majority of health professionals studied (98.5%) had good nutritional knowledge. Although most of them (93.6%) were involved in management of the elderly, only 45.5% incorporated nutritional information component in this activity. Most of the health professionals used the guidelines for management of elderly patients (63.6%). However, nutritional knowledge was very minimal in these guidelines. Multiple regression analysis indicated that 'level education', involvement in 'social activities', presence of 'hearing problems', the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score, having previous 'nutritional information' and 'participation in healthy eating programme' were the major predictors of nutritional knowledge score among elderly subjects.
CONCLUSION: Based on the above findings it is thus, imperative that an appropriate nutritional intervention package and programme be developed so as to help improve nutritional knowledge and subsequently the nutritional status of the rural elderly Malays.

Matched MeSH terms: Chronic Disease/prevention & control