Siti Suhailah Abdullah

Loneliness as a Risk Factor for Hypertension in Later Life

Objective: The present study aims to determine the impact of loneliness on hypertension in later life. Method: Data for this study are derived from a sample of 1,880 older Malaysians via a cross-sectional survey entitled “Patterns of Social Relationships and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Persons in Peninsular Malaysia.” Loneliness is assessed by the PGCMS item, “How much do you feel lonely?” Data analysis is carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0. Results: Nearly one third of respondents report high level of loneliness. The overall prevalence of hypertension is 39% (95% CI = 36.9-41.3). Logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic factors and several chronic medical conditions, shows that loneliness significantly increases likelihood of hypertension in later life (OR = 1.31, p ≤ .05, 95% CI = 1.04-1.66). Discussion: The results show loneliness as a major risk factor for hypertension and call for health care professionals to be aware of the negative physiological effects of loneliness in old age.

Sociodemographic risk factors and correlates of dementia in older Malaysians.

Objective: The rapid expansion of the aged population in Malaysia is expected to greatly increase the number of persons with dementia in the country. However, data on dementia prevalence at the national level is lacking, and little is known about the sociodemographic risk factors and correlates of dementia. This paper describes a nationwide study of dementia prevalence and its sociodemographic risk factors and health correlates among older Malaysians. Methods: In the nationwide study, the Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians, AGECAT-GMS was used to diagnose dementia in a nationally representative sample of 2,980 persons aged 60 and above. Results: The prevalence rate of dementia was 14.3%. Higher dementia prevalences were found in oldest age (26.3%), women (19.7%), no formal education (24.1%), Bumiputeras (32.2%), unmarried (19.4%), unemployed (31.3%) and very poor on self-rated health (33.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that older age, female gender, no formal education, ethnicity and very poor self-rated health were independent risk factors and correlates of dementia. Conclusions: Relatively higher prevalence rates of dementia in older Malaysians were accounted for by greater proportions without education, Malay and Bumiputera ethnicity, and other unknown factors which should be further investigated.

Assessment of factors influencing morale in the elderly.

Background We examined the relationship between morale measured by the Philadelphia Geriatric Morale Scale (PGC) and disability, social support, religiosity, and personality traits. Instruments predicting morale were then tested against PGC domains. Methods The study utilized a cross-sectional survey with a multistage cluster sampling design. Instruments used were disability (disease burden; WHO Disability Score-II, WHODAS-II), social support (Duke Social Support Scale, DUSOCS; Lubben Social Network Scale, LSNS-6; Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey, MOS-SSS), religiosity (Revised Intrinsic-Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale, I/E-R), and personality (Ten-Item Personality Inventory, TIPI). These were plotted as bar charts against PGC, resolved with one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, then corrected for multiple comparisons. This process was repeated with PGC domains. Contribution of factors was modeled using population attributable risk (PAR) and odds ratios. Effect of confounders such as gender, age, and ethnicity were checked using binary logistic regression. Results All instruments showed clear relationships with PGC, with WHODAS-II and DUSOCS performing well (ANOVA p<0.001). For PGC domains, attitude toward aging and lonely dissatisfaction trended together, while agitation did not. PAR, odds ratios, and Exp(β) were disability (WHODAS-II: 28.5%, 3.8, 2.8), social support (DUSOCS: 28.0%, 3.4, 2.2), religiosity (I/E-R: 21.6%, 3.2, 2.1), and personality (TIPI: 27.9%, 3.6, 2.4). Combined PAR was 70.9%. Conclusions Disability, social support, religiosity, and personality strongly influence morale in the elderly. WHODAS-II and DUSOCS perform best in measuring disability and social support respectively.

Moderating effect of Islamic religiosity on the relationship between chronic medical conditions and psychological well-being among elderly Malays.

Background:  Research has found that physical health decline in later life is associated with poor psychological well‐being. This study aimed to examine the possible moderating effect of Islamic religiosity on the relationship between chronic medical conditions and psychological well‐being.

Quality of Life of Older Malaysians Living Alone

According to the 2000 census report, about 7% of the 1.4 million people 60 years and over in Malaysia live alone. This study investigated socioeconomic factors affecting the quality of life of this vulnerable population. Data from a subsample of the study on Mental Health and Quality of Life of Older Malaysians were used in this paper. About 10% of the original sample or 299 older persons aged 60 years and over were living alone. Perceived quality of life was measured by asking “In general, how do you perceive your quality of life?” on a 5-point Likert Scale response. A multinomial regression model was utilized to identify variables associated with perceived quality of life in older person living alone. Results revealed four factors significantly predicted their perceived quality of life, which include self rated health, gender, employment status, and level of education. In conclusion, self rated health and level of education had significant positive effects on perceived quality of life; elderly women and employed older persons were more likely to fall in the poor perceived quality of life group. The findings of this study posited that self-rated health and level of education have significant positive effects on the perceived quality of life; being female and employed are related to lower quality of life of an older person living alone.

Adaptasi penjaga utama dalam penjagaan pesakit demensia

Malaysia akan diwartakan sebagai negara menua apabila populasi warga emas dikatakan terus meningkat dari semasa ke semasa. Ini adalah indikasi yang menunjukkan bahawa semakin ramai warga emas akan menghidap demensia, maka semakin ramai dikalangan kita akan menjadi penjaga kepada warga emas demensia yang memerlukan bantuan. Tujuan kajian kualitatif ini dijalankan ialah untuk memahami dan menghuraikan bagaimana penjaga utama kepada warga emas yang menghidap demensia mengadaptasi diri dengan situasi penjagaan yang mencabar. Kajian kualitatif dengan pendekatan fenomenologi telah dipilih sebagai panduan untuk melaksanakan kajian ini. Kriteria inklusif peserta yang dipilih untuk kajian ini ialah penjaga yang menjaga pesakit demensia tahap ringan ke sederhana, berumur 21 tahun ke atas, dan menjadi penjaga utama kepada pesakit demensia. Sepuluh orang penjaga utama yang menemani pesakit demensia di tahap ringan ke sederhana mendapatkan rawatan di Klinik Memori di Hospital Tuanku Jaafar, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia telah ditemubual. Hasil kajian mendapati penjaga utama mengadaptasi diri dalam penjagaan dengan bertenang, berserah kepada Tuhan, bertindak menyelesaikan masalah, dan mengelak situasi penjagaan. Adaptasi mengelak situasi penjagaan merupakan cara yang paling banyak digunakan oleh penjaga utama dalam penjagaan pesakit demensia bagi mengurangkan tekanan dan meringankan beban yang ditanggung. Cara penjaga utama mengadaptasi diri dalam situasi penjagaan masih kurang berkesan untuk mengurangkan tekanan dan beban penjagaan. Mereka masih memerlukan bantuan dan sokongan dari keluarga dan rakan apabila menghadapi tekanan dalam penjagaan. Oleh sebab itu hasil kajian ini mencadangkan kepada pihak yang memberikan perkhidmatan kesihatan dan pihak lain yang berkenaan supaya menubuhkan satu kumpulan sokongan khas buat penjaga pesakit demensia. Kumpulan sokongan ini boleh dijadikan sebagai tempat untuk penjaga berkongsi pengalaman dalam penjagaan sesama mereka, dan sebagai tempat untuk penjaga meluahkan perasaan dalam penjagaan.