Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of poor self-rated health (SRH) in Malaysia and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle behavior, chronic diseases, depression, and functional limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) among older persons. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting, participants, and outcome measures: We used data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018, a nationwide community-based study. This study was conducted using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling design. Older persons were defined as persons aged 60 years and above. SRH was assessed using the question “How do you rate your general health?” and the answers were “very good”, “good”, “moderate”, “not good”, and “very bad”. SRH was then grouped into two categories; “Good” (very good and good) and “Poor” (moderate, not good, and very bad). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.0. Results: The prevalence of poor SRH among older persons was 32.6%. Poor SRH was significantly related to physical inactivity, depression, and limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs). Multiple logistic regression revealed that poor SRH was positively associated with those who had depression (aOR 2.92, 95% CI:2.01,4.24), limitations in ADLs (aOR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.31, 2.54), low individual income (aOR 1.66, 95% CI:1.22, 2.26), physical inactivity (aOR 1.40, 95% CI:1.08, 1.82), and hypertension (aOR 1.23, 95% CI:1.02, 1.49). Conclusions: Older persons with depression, limitations in ADLs, low income, physical inactivity, and hypertension were significantly associated with poor SRH. These findings provide information to aid health personnel and policymakers in the development and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention programs, as well as adequate evidence in planning different levels of care for the older population.

Abstract Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poses substantial health risks to both mothers and infants. Malaysia exhibits a heightened prevalence of GDM. Objective This study aims to examine the changes in the prevalence of GDM between 2016 and 2022 and its determining factors. Methods The data analysed in this study were derived from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2016 and 2022, a nationwide study employing a two-stage stratified random sampling design in Malaysia. Changes in the prevalence were compared between data from NHMS 2016 and 2022, while factors were evaluated based on data from NHMS 2022. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 27.\ Results The prevalence of GDM increased from 12.5% in 2016 to 27.1% in 2022. In both years, the prevalence was highest among those aged 44–49 years, those of Indian ethnicity, those in higher income groups and those with higher education levels. Advanced maternal age, high body mass index (BMI) and hypertension were associated with a greater risk of GDM. Conclusion The prevalence of GDM among the Malaysian population doubled from 2016 to 2022. The findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted programs for expectant mothers in high-risk groups to mitigate the incidence of GDM and its associated morbidities.

Background: Anaemia continues to be a global public health burden affecting all age groups, particularly children. Indigenous people, including the Orang Asli (OA) population in Malaysia, are at risk of anaemia due to the vast disparities in social determinants of health in their population compared to the non-indigenous population. Objectives: This review aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia among OA children in Malaysia and analyse the knowledge gaps. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. This review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Results: This review identified six studies involving the participation of OA children from eight subtribes residing in Peninsular Malaysia. The overall prevalence of anaemia among OA children ranged from 21.6 to 80.0%, with iron deficiency anaemia prevalence at 34.0%. The risk factors of anaemia among OA children reported from one study in this review were being younger than ten years old children (AOR 2.11 (95% CI 1.23, 3.63)) and moderate to heavy Ascaris infections (AOR 2.05 (95% CI 1.12, 3.76)). There was no data from OA children from certain age groups and subtribes. Additionally, there is a paucity of data on risk factors for anaemia among OA children from the currently available evidence. Conclusion: The prevalence of anaemia among OA children poses a moderate to severe public health concern. Therefore, more comprehensive studies in the future are needed to address the gaps identified in this review, primarily regarding anaemia risk factors. This data would encourage policymakers in devising effective national prevention strategies to improve morbidity and mortality among OA children in the future.

Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO), the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents aged 15 -19 years is suicide. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2017 reported that suicidal attempts among school adolescents increased from 6.8%—6.9% as compared to NHMS 2012. Suicide attempts can cause significant negative impacts on health, social and economic status. Bullying is one of the factors for adolescent suicide attempts, and its relationship to suicidality in adolescents has been shown in numerous research. Objectives: This study examined the relationship between suicide attempts and bullying among school adolescents in Malaysia. Methods: Data from the Malaysia NHMS 2017, a nationwide study that adopted a two-stage cluster sampling design, were analysed. The survey used a self-administered questionnaire in bilingual language adapted from GSHS developed by WHO. Participants were secondary school students aged 13 -17 in all states. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 28. Results: A total of 27,497 school adolescents participated in the study. Results showed that 6.9% of school adolescents had attempted suicide. There was 16.2% of adolescents being bullied. Multiple logistic regression revealed that students who were bullied were more likely to have suicide attempts (aOR 4.827, 95% CI: 4.143, 5.624) P0.001. Discussion/conclusion: This study revealed that bullying is associated with suicide attempts among school adolescents in Malaysia. The respective authority should consider and plan effective measures to curb bullying among school adolescents.