Introduction: An estimated 13% of women in the postnatal period suffer from postnatal depression (PND) worldwide. In addition to underprivileged women, women who are exposed to violence are at higher risk of PND. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and PND in Malaysia. Methods: This survey was conducted as a nationwide cross-sectional study using a cluster sampling design. Probable PND was assessed using a self-administered Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Demographic profiles and IPV were assessed using a locally validated WHO Multicountry Study on Women’s Health and Life Events Questionnaire that was administered in a face-to-face interview. An EPDS total score of 12 or more and/or a positive tendency to self-harm were used to define PND. Results: Out of 6669 women, 5727 respondents were successfully interviewed with a response rate of 85.9%. The prevalence of probable PND was 4.4% (95% CI 2.9 to 6.7). The overall prevalence of IPV was 4.9% (95% CI 3.8 to 6.4). Among the women in this group, 3.7% (95% CI 2.7 to 5.0), 2.6% (95% CI 1.9 to 3.5) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.9 to 1.7) experienced emotional, physical and sexual violence, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that women who were exposed to IPV were at 2.3 times the risk for probable PND, with an adjusted OR (aOR) of 2.34 (95% CI 1.12 to 4.87). Other factors for PND were reported emotional violence (aOR 3.79, 95% CI 1.93 to 7.45), unplanned pregnancy (aOR 3.32, 95% CI 2.35 to 4.69), lack of family support during confinement (aOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.87), partner’s use of alcohol (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.35) or being from a household with a low income (aOR 2.99; 95% CI 1.63 to 5.49). Conclusions: Exposure to IPV was significantly associated with probable PND. Healthcare personnel should be trained to detect and manage both problems. An appropriate referral system and support should be made available.

Background: Unprotected sexual activity predisposes adolescents to serious consequences later in life. This study aimed to identify the risks and protective factors associated with sexual activity in Malaysian adolescents aged 18 to 19 years. Methods: Data from a health screening program among adolescents conducted in 2010 were analyzed. A total of 21,438 unmarried adolescents responded to this topic using a self-administered non-anonymous validated questionnaire. Results: Among the participants, 54.5% were males and 45.5% were females. Ethnicities included 66.2% Malays, 20.7% Chinese, 7.2% Indians and 5.9% other ethnicities. Most of the respondents (97.1%) reported having a secondary level of education. The overall prevalence of sexual activity in older adolescents was 6.4% (8.9% among males and 3.6% among females). In a multivariate logistic regression model, sexual activity was positively associated with pornographic viewing (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01-3.22), risky behavior (aOR: 2.62; 95%CI: 2.11-3.25), anti-social behavior (aOR: 2.44; 95%CI: 2.06-2.90), female (aOR: 2.24; 95%CI: 1.76-2.85), history of abuse (aOR: 1.81; 95%CI: 1.46-2.24), low religiosity (aOR: 1.71; 95%CI: 1.30-2.26) and masturbation (aOR: 1.34; 95%CI: 1.07-1.68). Conclusions: A comprehensive intervention program should be developed to target this at-risk group to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and criminal abortion.

Background: Point-of-care testing, POCT, was widely used to assess hemoglobin status before proceeding with the confirmation test. Our study aimed to assess the validity of Mission® Plus Hb in detecting hemoglobin levels in a general population compared with a standard laboratory hematology analyser as the gold standard. Methods: Two types of samples, capillary and venous blood, were collected from all respondents by trained nurses. Both blood samples were tested using Mission® Plus while the remaining venous blood in EDTA test tubes was sent to the reference laboratory. Results: A total of 622 respondents participated in this study, 75% of them females. The mean Hb tested from capillary blood using Mission® Plus Hb was 11.80±2.02 g/dl. For venous blood, the mean Hb concentrations using Mission® Plus Hb and Sysmex XE-2100 hematology analyser were 12.16±1.84 g/dl and 13.07±1.87 g/dl, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity in detecting anemia from venous samples were 98.8% and 73.4% respectively. Positive Predictive Value (PPV) was 58.5%, while Negative Predictive Value (NPV) was 99.4%. Conclusion: The findings of moderate PPV should alert the programme managers to the importance of a confirmatory test following screening using Mission® Plus Hb. Keywords: anemia; point-of-care testing (POCT); Mission® Plus Hb.