Pusat Pengajian Sains Kesihatan - Monograf

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    Eating habits and menstrual problems among female undergraduate students in school of health science, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
    (2026-08)
    Yusri, Nur Syazaliyana
    Eating habits may influence menstrual health among young women, making it important to understand their relationship among university students. This study aimed to identify eating habits and menstrual problems among female undergraduate students in the School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and to examine the relationship between these variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted among female undergraduate students at the School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Data were collected from January to March 2026 using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A total of 182 respondents participated in the study. Most respondents demonstrated relatively healthy eating habits, although some reported unhealthy dietary behaviours, including irregular breakfast consumption, inconsistent meal timing, and frequent intake of fast and fried foods. Most participants had regular menstrual cycles and no diagnosed menstrual disorders. Among those with menstrual problems, dysmenorrhea was the most common condition, followed by irregular menstrual cycles and menorrhagia. Overall, no significant relationship was found between eating habits and menstrual problems. Female undergraduate students generally exhibited healthy eating habits and good menstrual health despite the presence of some unhealthy dietary practices and menstrual problems. Continuous health education programmes promoting balanced nutrition and menstrual health awareness are recommended, and future studies involving larger and more diverse populations are needed to further investigate factors associated with menstrual health.
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    Mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour among communities attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM)
    (2026-08)
    Akhabar, Nur Suhailah
    Mental health literacy (MHL) plays a crucial role in promoting early recognition of mental health problems and encouraging appropriate help-seeking behaviour. However, inadequate mental health literacy remains a significant challenge in many communities, contributing to delayed treatment and poor mental health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the level of mental health literacy, assess help-seeking behaviour, examine the relationship between mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour, and explore the association between gender and mental health literacy among communities attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM). A cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted among 236 community members attending HPUSM. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic information, the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS), and the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire (GHSQ). Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and independent t-test were used to analyse the data. The findings are expected to provide insights into the level of mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviour among the HPUSM community. It is anticipated that individuals with higher mental health literacy will demonstrate greater willingness to seek professional help for mental health problems. The study also contributes to understanding the influence of gender on mental health literacy. The findings of this study may assist healthcare providers and policymakers in developing effective mental health education programmes and interventions aimed at improving mental health literacy and promoting help-seeking behaviour among the community.
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    Mental health awareness and academic motivation among undergraduate students at the school of health sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
    (2026-08)
    Badri, Nur Liyana
    Mental health awareness is an important aspect of students’ well-being and academic motivation. Despite increasing attention to mental health issues, university students continue to experience psychological distress that may affect academic outcomes. This study aimed to determine the relationship between mental health awareness and academic motivation among undergraduate students at the School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 undergraduate students using stratified sampling followed by convenience sampling. Data were collected from January to March 2026 using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic information, mental health awareness, and academic motivation. Data were analysed using SPSS version 29.0. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee (Human), Universiti Sains Malaysia. Among respondents, 418 (99.1%) demonstrated high mental health awareness, while 411 (97.4%) had high academic motivation. A significant positive correlation was found between mental health awareness and academic motivation (r = 0.28, p < 0.001), indicating that higher mental health awareness was associated with higher academic motivation. In conclusion, students demonstrated high levels of mental health awareness and academic motivation. The findings highlight the importance of promoting mental health awareness to support academic motivation. Future studies should involve multiple institutions and longitudinal designs to further explore this relationship.
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    Knowledge, attitude and intention of labour epidural analgesia among married women attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM)
    (2026-08)
    Faizal, Nur Elya Farisha
    Epidural analgesia used during labour is a procedure in which an anaesthetic medication is administered into the epidural space, the area surrounding the spinal cord in the lower back, to relieve pain during childbirth. This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and intention toward labour epidural analgesia among married women attending Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 129 respondents using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding showed the majority of the respondents have poor knowledge, a positive attitude and low intention toward labour epidural analgesia. There was no significant association between the demographic characteristics and the level of knowledge. Also, there is no significant difference between the level of knowledge and the level of attitude toward labour epidural analgesia. In conclusion, although the respondents have poor knowledge and low intention toward epidural analgesia, they have a positive attitude about it. Therefore, more awareness programs and health education should be given to improve understanding about epidural analgesia among married women so they can decide the best pain management method when in labour to prevent trauma to giving birth
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    Association of menstrual cycle pattern with perceived stress among undergraduate female students in the school of health science, USM
    (2026-08)
    Suhaimi, Nur Athirah
    Menstrual patterns and perceived stress are important indicators of women's reproductive and psychological health. This study aimed to examine menstrual patterns, assess perceived stress levels, and determine the association between menstrual characteristics and perceived stress among undergraduate female students in the School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). A cross-sectional study was conducted among 175 undergraduate female students using a self-administered questionnaire comprising sociodemographic characteristics, menstrual pattern questions, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi-Square tests were used for data analysis, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The findings showed that most respondents experienced normal menstrual characteristics. However, dysmenorrhoea (84.0%) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (93.7%) were highly prevalent. The majority of respondents reported moderate perceived stress levels (84.6%). No significant association was found between perceived stress level and age at menarche, menstrual cycle length, duration of menstrual flow, amount of menstrual flow, menstrual cycle pattern, and dysmenorrhoea (p > 0.05). However, a significant association was observed between PMS and perceived stress level (p = 0.01). In addition, age group, year of study, programme of study, and BMI category were not significantly associated with menstrual pattern (p > 0.05). In conclusion, moderate perceived stress was common among undergraduate female students, and PMS was the only menstrual characteristic significantly associated with perceived stress. These findings highlight the importance of promoting menstrual health awareness and stress management among female university students. Keywords: menstrual pattern, perceived stress, premenstrual syndrome, undergraduate female students, PSS-10.