Aniza Abd Aziz

Perceptions of students in different phases of medical education of the educational environment: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin.

Background The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was planned and designed to quantify the educational environment precisely for medical schools and health-related professional schools. DREEM is now considered a valid and reliable tool, which is globally accepted for measuring the medical educational environment. The educational environment encountered by students has an impact on satisfaction with the course of study, perceived sense of well-being, aspirations, and academic achievement. In addition to being measurable, the educational environment can also be changed, thus enhancing the quality of medical education and the environment, and the medical education process. The objective of this study was to assess the educational environment of the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) undergraduate medical program from the students’ perspective. The study expected to explore UniSZA medical students’ overall perceptions, perceptions of learning, teachers, atmosphere, academic self-perception, and social self-perception using the DREEM questionnaire. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the perceptions of the students toward the educational environment of UniSZA as a new medical school, using the DREEM questionnaire. All medical students of UniSZA from Years I–V enrolled in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programs were the target population (n=270). Therefore, the universal sampling technique was used. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20 software. This study obtained ethical clearance from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UniSZA. Results A total of 195 out of 270 students responded. Respondents included 31% males and 69% females. The overall DREEM scores were significantly higher (P<0.001) for females than males. Conclusion The medical students at UniSZA showed a positive perception of their educational environment. The new medical faculty, established for only a few years, has achieved an above-average, conducive educational environment for students. Most of the students showed a positive perception for the entire five domains tested in the DREEM survey. Females were consistently satisfied with UniSZA’s educational environment, and self-perception was high, as compared to male undergraduates.

Antifungal Properties of Malaysian Tualang Honey and Stingless Bee Propolis against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans

1 Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Medical Campus, Jalan Sultan Mahmud, 20400 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia 2 Faculty of Health Sciences, UniSZA, Gong Badak Campus, 21300, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia. 3 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.

Associated Factors for Relapse in Opioid Addicts undergoing Therapy

Substance abuse is both a social and public health problem with a substantial burden to society. Opioid dependence results in unemployment, crimes, family disruption, and transmission of diseases. In Malaysia, Methadone Maintanence Therapy (MMT) has been introduced as a harm-reduction method. However, relapse during treatment remains an issue to be resolved that hinders successful outcome in the therapy. This study aims to determine the prevalence of relapse in opioid addicts undergoing MMT and its associated potential risk factors. This is a cross-sectional study done from June-July 2016. All patients with MMT in primary care therapy centres in Kuala Nerus district, Terengganu, Malaysia who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria was included. A semi-structured questionnaire was filled via face-to-face interview and reference to the case records was done. 122 questionnaires were assessed. All respondents were males of Malay race. Mean age was 36.2. Mean duration in MMT was 1.4 years. Current relapse, defined as any episode of intake of heroine for the past one month after a period of abstinence was 34.4%. The significant factors found in our study for relapse were: the patients’ goal for treatment (p<0.001), status of parents prior to addiction (p<0.038), duration of therapy (p<0.001), and taking of amphetamine during therapy (p<0.013), respectively. Relapse in opioid addiction remains high in those receiving MMT. Clients need to be properly educated regarding reasonable goals for treatment, which may contribute towards achieving more successful therapy outcomes.

The Effect of Strength Training Programme in the Enhancement of Trunk and Hip Muscles Activations among Healthy Females Subject

Research has illustrated that the risk of lower back pain (LBP) among women population is signi?cantly higher owing to the hormonal and reproductive factors such as irregular or prolonged menstrual cycle and hysterectomy. The trunk and hip muscles are regarded as the most affected muscles in LBP patients and as such precise training of these muscles could be of value to the patients. Diverse exercises programmes exist, yet, the appropriate training that could be suitable in stimulating certain groups of muscles for a specified gender remains a challenge. As a result, this study aims to determine the efficacy of a strength training programme (STTP) in improving and stimulating the trunk and hips muscles of female’s subjects. 25 healthy females with normal BMI and ages range from 19 to 24 years performed five sets of strength exercises three times a week for five weeks. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from 5 muscles of rectus abdominis, external oblique, multifidus, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius. The readings from the EMG were compared after the five weeks interventions (pre and post). An independent t-test was administered to the data collected to study the effectiveness of the STTP between pre and post on the trained muscles. A statistically significant difference of muscle activations between the pre and post on all the assessed muscles were obtained p < 0.05. The finding suggests that STTP intervention is effective in stimulating the females’ pelvic muscles activations. STTP could be a viable means for prevention and rehabilitation of LBP.

The Initiation Phase of Warfarin Therapy: Differences of Dose among Patients with Aortic Valve Replacement, Mitral Valve Replacement and Atrial Fibrillation -

Article history: Received on: 01/06/2016 Revised on: 18/08/2016 Accepted on: 05/09/2016 Available online: 29/11/2016 This study was conducted to evaluate the changes in warfarin doses among patients after heart valve surgery and atrial fibrillation. A total of 137 patients having AF, AVR and MVR whom initiate warfarin therapy in year 2008 till 2010 in Penang Hospital were selected as samples for this study. Data collected included patient’s age, race, gender, warfarin initiation date, warfarin indication, warfarin dose and INR value for 1 st till 12 th weeks of warfarin initiation. Heart valve replacement patients (AVR or MVR) showed increasing trend in warfarin doses during the initial phase of warfarin therapy. This trend was not observed in AF patients. The dose of warfarin was significantly different within first 12 weeks of warfarin initiation for AVR and MVR group (p<0.001) but there was no significant difference in AF group. The dose of warfarin was significantly different among AVR and AF patients for first 5 weeks of warfarin initiation. Monitoring should be frequent for patients with heart valve replacement during the initial 3 months period of warfarin therapy.