Azizah Othman

Piloting a psycho-education program for parents of pediatric cancer patients in Malaysia

Objective: To evaluate a psycho‐educational program (PeP) for parents of children with cancer (PoCwC) in Malaysia.

A Psychologist-Led Educational Intervention Results in a Sustained Reduction in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Infections

Even though in the corporate world psychological science has been widely used, the formal use of evidence-based psychology in important areas of clinical medicine has been scanty at best. It was the aim of this study to determine the efficacy of a psychologist-led 2-week nurse educator training on the infection rate in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Materials and methods: In 2007, six senior neonatal nurses underwent a training course focusing on the retrieval of evidence and knowledge of psychological principles that would allow them to share the evidence in such a way that evidence is effectively brought into practice. The course was led by a psychologist. The nurses created and delivered their own teaching modules, all focused on infection control. The rates of bacteremia, 2 years prior to intervention were analyzed and compared with the rate following the intervention for 3 years. Results: The immediate output of the course included three teaching modules: hand washing, sterile procedures, and general measures to control infection. These modules were subsequently administered to the NICU nurses in regular structured continuous nursing education sessions. The psychological techniques taught in the course were applied. Bacteremia in the NICU significantly decreased in the year of the course and the subsequent years when compared to previous years (from more than 17 in 2005 and 2006 to less than 10 per 100 admissions to the NICU in 2008 and 2009). Conclusion: This study suggests that a psychologist-led course, followed by a structured CNE can lead to a sustainable reduction in infection rates in a NICU.

Comparative study of landslides susceptibility mapping methods: Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN)

As different approach produces different results, it is crucial to determine the methods that are accurate in order to perform analysis towards the event. This research aim is to compare the Rank Reciprocal (MCDM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis techniques in determining susceptible zones of landslide hazard. The study is based on data obtained from various sources such as local authority; Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) and other agencies. The data were analysed and processed using Arc GIS. The results were compared by quantifying the risk ranking and area differential. It was also compared with the zonation map classified by DBKL. The results suggested that ANN method gives better accuracy compared to MCDM with 18.18% higher accuracy assessment of the MCDM approach. This indicated that ANN provides more reliable results and it is probably due to its ability to learn from the environment thus portraying realistic and accurate result.

Parent-report instruments for assessing feeding difficulties in children with neurological impairments: a systematic review

This study aimed to review the psychometric properties and clinical application of parent‐report instruments that assess feeding difficulties in children with neurological impairments.

Hospitalization, Later Onset of the Disease, and Psychological Problems of Chronically Ill Children

This study examined disease-related variables that are thought to play some role in exacerbating psychological problems among chronically ill children. The participants included 63 parents of children suffering from cancer, epilepsy, and asthma. The parents rated their children’s behavioral and emotional problems and provided information on the frequency of hospitalization, onset, and duration of the illness and the age of the child at the disease onset. The Child Behavior Checklist was used. Multiple-regression analysis and correlations were computed to determine the relationship of disease-related variables to the psychological problems of the children. One-way, between-subject ANOVA was used to analyze the psychological problems of children of different age groups. The results showed positive relationships between the frequency of hospitalization and the later onset of the illness and the psychological problems among children. It also showed that children in the age group of 7 to 11 years had the highest number of problems compared with other age groups. The psychological healing aspects of the family and the culture on the children’s illnesses in the collectivist societies have been discussed.