Khairi Che Mat

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.

Need for Focus on Personality Dimension Impacting Academics of Medical Students

Personality dimensions known to be associated with achievements in individual lives. The present study focuses on neuroticism that is one of the dimension impacting academics of medical students. This dimension is one of the big five factors of Eysenckian personality model. The Eysenckian personality model was developed to assess a specific theoretical model and is still commonly used in educational settings and research. This research study is a useful in developing awareness among the medical students and they can be educated to prevent the effect of neuroticism by using mental health exercises. The sample group is 60 medical Students of year one UniSZA, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. They were selected by convenient sampling technique. The Eysenckian personality inventory was used to find out the extent of neuroticism among the sample group. These neuroticism scores were matched with academic scores to find the association between the two variables. Carl Pearsons correlation coefficient method was carried out to find the significance of their association. There was high prevalence in extent of neuroticism among medical students. Of the 64 subjects 60 were chosen and 4 were excluded because of invalid answer found in the inventory. High score on Eysenckian personality inventory showed higher extent of neuroticism among the sample population. The tabulated neuroticism score and academic scores were statistically analysed to find their association. The results revealed that there were significant correlation neuroticism and academic scores (r=-0.824, p=<0.001). The study result compatible with the hypothetical assumption. There was a significant correlation between academic scores and neuroticism among study sample group. Conclusion: Neuroticism is a one of the personality dimension that has a negative impact on academic performance of medical students. The hypnotized assumption has been proven in the current study.

Assessing Test Anxiety among the First Year Nursing Students’ of University Sultan Zainal Abidin

Introduction:Test anxiety is known to have an impact on students either negatively or positively. It is normal to have exam anxiety that help the students to be prepared them for facing examination, on the other hand it can also distress the students that can have a negative impact on students’ physically, emotionally, cognitively that paves a way to poor performance in the examination. Objective:The purpose of this study is to find the prevalence and levels of test anxiety in the sample population. Methods:The current study sample includes 60 first year nursing students from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia. Thecross sectional study design was applied and sample population was selected with universal sampling. The data was analysed using SPSS statistics Version 22 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA).The descriptive data analysis was used for the analysis of the prevalence, percentages and mean score. Results:The study results revealed that only 1.7% respondents no anxiety, 36.7% respondents experienced of mild anxiety, more than half 58.3% respondents had moderate anxiety and 3.3% respondents experienced of severe anxiety. Conclusion:Majority of first year nursing students experienced test anxiety. The implications of this study is giving overview of mind-body interventions to get helped to have normal anxiety during their exams; the faculty, lecturer or advisor should find out the main factors contributing test anxiety and also should have some wellness programmes for the students.

Analgesic effect of honey bioactive compounds and its role in reducing morphine tolerance

Honey has been used as a supplement nutrient in human for centuries. It exerts antibacterial, anticancer, antiinflammatory properties as well as analgesic activity. But not many studies have been done to analyse effect of honey on morphine tolerance. Hence, this review is targeting on analgesic effect of honey bioactive compounds and their potential in morphine tolerance study.