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- PublicationThe differences in dietary intake and social support across social frailty categories among older patients in Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM) Kelantan(2026-06)Putra, Putri Balkhis AdiThe ageing population is increasingly exposed to social frailty, a condition characterised by reduced social participation, limited social resources, and decreased engagement in social activities. Social frailty has been associated with adverse health outcomes. However, its relationship with dietary intake and social support among older patients remains insufficiently understood, particularly in Malaysian healthcare settings. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differences in dietary intake and social support across social frailty categories among older patients in Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM), Kelantan. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 older patients attending HPUSM. Social frailty status was assessed by using the Makizako Social Frailty questionnaire, and participants were categorised as robust, pre-frail, or frail. Dietary intake was evaluated using a 3-day diet history, while perceived social support was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study Support (MOS-SSS) across four domains, including emotional support, tangible support, positive social interaction, and affective support. As the data were not normally distributed, results were presented as median and interquartile range (IQR), and differences across social frailty categories were analysed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. A total of 140 older patients participated in this study, of whom the majority were female (63.6%). The result showed that 57.1% of the participants were socially frail, 22.1% were pre-frail, and 20.7% were robust. Dietary intake did not differ significantly across social frailty categories (p > 0.05), although overall energy and nutrient intakes were generally below the recommended levels. In contrast, significant differences were observed in emotional support, positive social interaction, and affective support (p < 0.05 ) with social frailty, while tangible support showed no significant difference. In conclusion, social frailty was highly prevalent among older patients and was associated with differences in selected domains of social support but not dietary intake. These findings showed the importance of addressing psychosocial well-being alongside nutritional care in the management of older patients.
- PublicationThe association between food insecurity, quality of life (QOL), and sociodemographic factors with glycaemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia(2026-06)Sukri, Nur Sabrina Syaninie MohdSuboptimal glycaemic control is a major challenge among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). In addition to clinical factors, food insecurity and quality of life (QoL) also influence diabetes management, especially in states with a high prevalence, such as Kelantan. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between food insecurity, quality of life, and sociodemographic factors with glycaemic control, measured using glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) among T2DM patients at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM). A total of 110 T2DM patients were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Malay version of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (MFIES), and the Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL-19), while glycemic profile were retrieved from medical records. The mean HbA1c level of the participants was 9.33% ± 2.47%, with 82.7% (n=91) experiencing poor glycaemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7.0%). The prevalence of food insecurity among the participants was 18.2% (n=20). The median of Average Weighted Impact (AWI) score for the ADDQoL-19 was -3.62 (IQR= 3.23), indicating that diabetes mellitus had a negative impact on the participants' overall quality of life (QoL). Spearman's correlation analysis showed no significant association between food insecurity and glycaemic control (p = 0.089). However, there was a statistically significant moderate negative correlation between diabetes-specific QoL and HbA1c levels (rs = -0.326, p < 0.001), indicating that that higher HbA1c levels were associated with lower diabetes-specific QoL. Furthermore, there was no significant association between the studied sociodemographic factors and glycaemic control (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of poor glycaemic control is remarkably high in this tertiary institution. Although food insecurity did not show a direct relationship with HbA1c, a decline in quality of life was proven to be closely associated with poor glycaemic control. These findings highlight the need for a holistic diabetes management plan that integrates psychosocial support alongside conventional clinical therapy to optimise treatment outcomes for T2DM patients.
- PublicationThe association between diabetes-self care activites and distress with glycaemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM)(2026-06)Herman, Nur Hanisya HikmahType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health burden in Malaysia, with poor glycaemic control contributing to high rates of complications. Behavioural and psychological factors such as diabetes self-care activities and diabetes-related distress (DRD) are increasingly recognized as important in diabetes management. This study intended to determine the relationship between diabetes self-care activities and DRD with glycaemic control among patients with T2DM at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM). A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was employed, involving 116 patients using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) and the Malay Diabetes Distress Scale-17 (MDDS-17). HbA1c levels in the last 3–6 months were obtained from medical records. Data analysis was conducted using Spearman’s correlation. Overall, 24.1% of patients achieved good glycaemic control (HbA1c < 7%), while 75.9% had poor glycaemic control (HbA1c ≥ 7%). For diabetes self-care activities, the highest level of adherence was observed for general healthful eating (57.9%), with more than half of participants reporting compliance for at least five days per week. In contrast, adherence to specific dietary recommendations such as fruit and vegetable intake was the lowest (<4%). Regarding diabetes-related distress, 94.8% of patients reported no distress, 4.3% reported moderate distress, and 0.9% reported high distress. Findings showed that SDSCA did not have a statistically significant relationship with HbA1c (p = 0.34), while DRD also did not show a significant correlation with HbA1c (p = 0.41). Although no statistical significance was observed, DRD remains clinically relevant as it may indirectly influence adherence behaviours and long-term outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of routine psychosocial screening and patient-centred interventions that emphasize adherence support and emotional management. Such approaches have the potential to improve long-term glycaemic control and reduce complications among patients with T2DM in Malaysia.
- PublicationAssociation between chrononutrition and nutrition quality of life (NQOL) among undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia(2026-06)Khairuzaman, Nur Faqihah MohdChrononutrition refers to the timing, frequency, and regularity of food intake in relation to the body’s circadian rhythm, has gained increasing attention due to its potential influence on health outcomes. However, evidence regarding its relationship with Nutrition Quality of Life (NQoL) among university students remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess chrononutrition profiles, determine NQoL and assess the association between chrononutrition profile parameters and NQoL among undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire-Malay version (CPQ-M) and the Malay version of the Nutrition Quality of Life questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the chrononutrition profiles and NQoL, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the association by comparing mean NQoL scores across the categories of each chrononutrition parameter. The mean overall NQoL score was 3.72 ± 0.43, with 65.0% of participants classified as having good NQoL. Most participants demonstrated good eating window and night eating behaviours, whereas breakfast skipping behaviour was predominantly poor and evening eating behaviour was mainly fair. No significant differences in mean NQoL scores were observed across the categories of all assessed chrononutrition parameters (p > 0.05). In conclusion, no significant association was found between chrononutrition profile parameters and NQoL among undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Further studies involving larger and more diverse populations are recommended to better understand the relationship between chrononutrition and NQoL.
- PublicationEvaluation of digestive vacuole pH in plasmodium falciparum following treatment with ρ-cymene(2026-01)Yee, Chin EnMalaria is a life-threatening disease caused by the Plasmodium spp., and the emergence of resistance to existing antimalarial drugs necessitates the need for alternative or complementary therapeutic agents. Essential oils are complex mixtures of bioactive compounds, the majority of which are small, lipophilic constituents that can readily interact with biological membranes and intracellular targets. ρ-cymene, a naturally occurring monoterpene found in essential oils, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and oxidative stress-modulating properties, suggesting potential antimalarial activity. In addition to the limited research on the antimalarial activity of ρ-cymene, this study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimalarial effect and the alteration of digestive vacuole pH induced by ρ-cymene against a chloroquine-sensitive strain of P. falciparum. Continuous parasite culture was established and synchronised prior to drug exposure. The IC50 of ρ-cymene was determined by calculating parasitaemia from microscopic examination of a Giemsa-stained thin blood smear following 48-hour drug treatment. A further investigation of the pH alteration of ρ-cymene in the digestive vacuole of P. falciparum was conducted using flow cytometry with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) as the pH-ratiometric probe. The ρ-cymene exhibited promising antimalarial activity with an IC50 of 60.70 μM. Flow cytometry results revealed a significant alkalinisation of the digestive vacuole (p < 0.001) following ρ-cymene treatment at different concentrations based on its IC50 value, when compared with untreated parasites. In conclusion, this study provides preliminary evidence that ρ-cymene has in vitro antimalarial activity by potentially disrupting V-type H⁺-ATPase activity, thereby reducing proton translocation and leading to the consequent alkalisation of the digestive vacuole.