Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Cross-Sectional Study On Bullying And Psychological Disturbances Among Malaysian School Children, Muhammad Lokman Md Isa, Nurfatin Aina Mocktar, Wisam Nabeel Ibrahim, Mohd Said Nurumal, Muhammad Kamil Che Hasan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Bullying is a common violence in school and has become a major public health and global concern. Bullying influences mental health and is identified as a leading factor of depression. Therefore, this study aimed to identify bullying prevalence and its association toward psychological disturbances (stress, anxiety, and depression).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three secondary schools in Kuantan. After obtaining consent from parents/guardians, participants were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire, including School Climate Bullying Survey, Depression Anxiety Stress Questionnaire-21, Patient Depression Questionnaire, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Demographic data were self-reported. Data were analyzed using …

Mothers’ Nutritional Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Practice Of Meal Preparation For School-Age Children In Yangon, Myanmar, Wut Yee Phyo, Ohn Khin Khin, Min Htike Aung

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Childhood malnutrition is a global public health concern. For Myanmar, mothers play a prominent role in improving the nutritional status of children as they prepare meals for children.

Methods: This community-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 367 mother-child pairs (6–10 years). Significantly, systematic random sampling and structured questionnaires were utilized in this study.

Results: The mean age of mothers was 35.73 ± 6.9 years, and a majority had fair nutritional knowledge (52.3%), good self-efficacy (79.8%), and good practice of meal preparation (59.4%). The prevalence of childhood malnutrition was categorized as stunting (18.2%), underweight (18.8%), wasting …

Effect Of The Sims Program On Oral Hygiene Levels Of 5–6-Year-Old Children In The Kampar District, Malaysia: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial, Nurul Hayati Anwar, Nor Azlida Mohd Nor, Zamros Yuzadi Mohd Yusof

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study evaluated the effect of the “Senyuman Indah Milik Semua” program (SIMSP) versus the existing preschool oral healthcare program (POHP) on children’s oral health and parents’ oral health literacy (OHL) in Kampar district, Malaysia.

Methods: This was a cluster-randomized, matched pair, examiner-blind, controlled trial. Using computer-generated random tables, 14 preschools were allocated to the SIMSP intervention over 6 months and another 14 were allocated to the POHP, which was concealed at the cluster level. Healthy 5–6-year-old children and parents who understood the Malay language were recruited. The SIMSP was comprised of preschool visits by dental …

Obesity Is Associated With Depression In Malaysian Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mohd Said Nurumal, Rohulizzat Zainal Abidin, Wisam Nabeel Ibrahim, Muhammad Lokman Md Isa, Muhammad Kamil Che Hasan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Overweight and obesity, which may lead to depression, have become prevalent among children worldwide. Hence, this study aimed to measure obesity and depression among schoolchildren in Kuantan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three different primary schools in Kuantan by purposive sampling. With consent from their parents/guardians, participants were given a self-administered questionnaire. Demographics and anthropometric measurement data were self-reported on the basis of the school records. Furthermore, body mass index was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0, and chi-square and correlation tests were conducted for the variables.

Results: Among the 300 schoolchildren …

Dimensions Of Stress In Parents Of Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Amirah Hazwani Binti Bakri, Noor Aishah Binti Rosli, Zarinah Binti Mohd Kasirun, Mohd Hairul Nizam Bin Md Nasir, Fazidah Binti Othman, Tengku Sarina Aini Binti Tengku Kasim

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Parents of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk for stress and other mental health problems. While treatment is mainly focused on the child, somehow parents’ stress is exacerbated. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to identify the sources of stress in the parents of children with ASD. Methods: The 52 parents of children with ASD who participated in the study completed the child domain (CD) and parent domain (PD) subscales of the Parenting Stress Index Fourth Edition (PSI-4). Subsequently, the scores of the PSI-4 subscales were analyzed and compared. Results: …