Elderly Malaysians Research Articles

Discursive construction of identities for older people in news: A critical discourse analysis of Malaysian newspapers

This article examines how Malaysian journalists discursively construct identities for older people through the manipulation of language, reporting styles and the prioritization of certain news actors and their voices over others. Based on a critical discourse analysis of newspaper articles published between 2011 and 2021, this study reveals the social, cultural, journalistic and economic forces that affect how the media construct ‘older’ people. We demonstrate that newspapers in Malaysia construct identities through familial discourses, which indicates that the dependence of older people on family plays a significant role in the way they are perceived and constructed by the media. Journalists construct and propagate narratives that place the responsibility for caring for elderly Malaysians on family members. These narratives appear to absolve the government of responsibility for this role.

EXPLORING TYPE OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES AMONG THE ELDERLY IN COMMUNITY: AN IDEOGRAPHIC STUDY OF MALAYSIA CONTEXT

Leisure activities provide elderly individuals with opportunities to pursue their interests and engage in enjoyable and fulfilling activities that align with their values and preferences. This qualitative study aimed to explore the participation and engagement of elderly Malaysians in leisure activities and identify the elements of their daily routines. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 Malay elderly individuals residing in Kelantan and Terengganu, and interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for data analysis. The study revealed three main themes of leisure activities: active leisure, community-based leisure, and relaxed leisure, influenced by cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Collaboration among policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations is necessary to promote leisure activities for the elderly in Malaysia. By working together, these stakeholders can ensure access to a wide range of leisure activities that enhance health, well-being, and social connections, ultimately improving the quality of life for this significant demographic group.

Smoking status and its relationship with depression among the elderly population in Malaysia: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018.

Literature exploring smoking status and its association with depression among the elderly population using nationwide data in Malaysia is limited. Hence, a nationwide survey to determine the prevalence of smoking and depression among the elderly (aged ≥60 years) population was undertaken. This secondary dataset analysis used data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018. Data from 3914 participants were collected on elderly health in the Malaysian population. Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. Smoking status was grouped as current smokers, former smokers, and non-smokers. A validated Malay language version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (M-GDS-14) was used to screen for depression among the elderly. There was a significant association between smoking status with location, gender, employment status, marital status, ethnicity, education level, income, and depression. Current smokers are significantly higher in rural than urban areas. Among depressed participants, 65.7%, 17.1% and 17.2% were non-smokers, former smokers and current smokers, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that single (unmarried/separated/ divorced/widowed) participants were more likely to be depressed compared to married participants (AOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.16-2.43). Whilst unemployed participants were more likely to be depressed than those who were employed (AOR=1.72; 95% CI: 1.22-2.44). Other Bumiputras were more likely to have depression compared to Malay, Chinese and Indian participants. Participants without formal education were more likely to be depressed compared to those having tertiary education. These participants have a 2-fold increased risk of depression (AOR=2.13; 95% CI: 1.02-4.45). Participants whose monthly salaries were <2000 MYR (AOR=3.67; 95% CI: 1.84-7.31) and 1000-1999 MYR (AOR=2.71; 95% CI: 1.23-5.94) were more likely to have depression compared with those who had received ≥3000 MYR. Ever smokers were more likely to be depressed than non-smokers (AOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.23-2.29). Elderly Malaysians are indeed at risk of developing depression particularly if they had ever smoked. Public health awareness and campaigning are pertinent to disseminate these outcomes in order to spread the awareness associated with smoking-related depression.

An exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis among Malaysian elderly

Low awareness and underdeveloped instruments evaluating elderly Malaysians’ well-being, social support, and independence necessitate lubben social network scale (LSNS), social provisions scale (SPS), Katz activities of daily living (ADL), and life satisfaction index (LSI) development and evaluation involving 201 60-year-old males and females (purposive samples) in Kuching and Bintulu participated (June to August 2022). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) examined the construct validity of LSNS, SPS, Katz ADL, and LSI, whereas principal axis factoring (paf) and orthogonal (varimax) rotation with Kaiser Normalisation validated their psychometric properties and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach’s alpha. Social integration (0.94), reassurance of worth (0.91), attachment (0.90), sense of reliable alliance (0.78), and guidance (0.74) have eigenvalues &amp;gt;1 in the SPS-10 EFA; good Cronbach’s alpha reliability values. Family (0.77) and friends (0.73) of LSNS-6 factors have eigenvalues &amp;gt;1, good Cronbach’s alpha reliability values. Acceptance-contentment (0.87) and Achievement-fulfilment (0.72) had eigenvalues &amp;gt;1 in the Life Satisfaction Index-Z EFA, good Cronbach’s alpha reliability values. In the EFA of Katz ADL, single items with factor loadings ≥0.5: bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, and feeding; loadings &amp;lt;0.3: Continence; Cronbach’s alpha reliability value was 0.95. LSNS, SPS, Katz ADL, and LSI were valid and reliable instruments measuring elderly well-being, social support, and independence. Confirmatory factor analyses will revalidate it in different populations.

The Interaction of Ergonomic and Anthropometric Factors in Occasional Chair Design for Elderly Malaysians

This research focuses on furniture ergonomics, specifically the occasional chair for elderly Malaysian. An ergonomics study in furniture design is essential to ensure its full functionality meets user satisfaction. The design must comfort the end user and reduce the risk of injury. Additionally, different ergonomic requirements must be considered depending on the age and environment of the user. As a result, to avoid injury and provide comfort to users, this study prioritises ergonomics chair design for a group of users in Malaysia, the elderly aged 60 and above. This study proposes a new design to meet the ergonomics requirements of elderly users. The vital need to meet comfort and reduce injuries for the elderly can be met through the study of ergonomics for the elderly, which can be applied to products in the future. The researcher has set the design parameter according to the anthropometric data from the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) standards. The assessment outcomes determine the ergonomic dimension requirements to provide comfort and safety. The suggested dimensions when through the simulation ergonomics analysis. The result shows that the new recommended dimensions comply with the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). In conclusion, ergonomic design needs for the elderly due to lacking physical and mental strength.

Health Care Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Payments among Elderly with Cognitive Frailty in Malaysia.

Background: Cognitive frailty (CF) as a potential risk factor for dementia, functional disability, poor quality of life, and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the health care-related utilization and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures, sociodemographic characteristics, and comorbidities among elderly Malaysians with CF. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting elderly Malaysian aged ≥65 years was conducted. The study included all participants of the fourth phase of the Malaysian representative Long-Term-Research-Grant-Scheme Towards-Useful-Aging (LRGS-TUA) community-based study. A structured and validated interview questionnaire was used. Results: In total, 1006 elderly were interviewed, with a 66.18% response rate. Only 730 respondents met the inclusion criteria. Of the eligible respondents, the CF prevalence was 4.5%. Around 60.6% of the participants with CF had utilized outpatient care at government clinics within the past 6 months. The estimated mean total OOP payments for CF during the past 6 months was 84 Malaysian Ringgit (RM) (SD 96.0). Conclusions: CF among elderly Malaysians is within the internationally recognized range of prevalence. The OOP payments for seeking health care among CF elderly are not different from that of other elderly categories. There is a high possibility of underutilization of the health care services of CF cases while they are still needy.

Gender Analyses on Knowledge and Awareness of COVID-19 on Wearing Face Mask Behaviour for Self-Protection among Elderly Malaysians

Gender Analyses on Knowledge and Awareness of COVID-19 on Wearing Face Mask Behaviour for Self-Protection among Elderly Malaysians

Unmet Healthcare Needs Among Elderly Malaysians.

PurposeOlder people often have chronic diseases which require a continuity of care over the long term. Countries undergoing population aging need to ensure that older people are receiving the care they need. This study assesses the prevalence of, reasons for, and factors associated with unmet healthcare needs among older people individuals in Malaysia.Patients and MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data collected during 2018–2020 from 1204 older adults aged 60 and older selected from Selangor state, Malaysia. A comprehensive face-to-face interview based on the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES-BM) questionnaire was administered to gain information on unmet healthcare needs, socioeconomic factors, health-related factors, and measures of function (activities of daily living, depression, visual impairment, hearing impairment, memory impairment, and walking impairment). Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with their unmet healthcare needs.ResultsOverall, the percentage of older people respondents with unmet healthcare needs is 6.6%. The most reported reasons for forgoing or delaying healthcare were lack of knowledge about healthcare and financial barriers to care. The inability to travel alone (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.51), being overweight (aOR 1.88), and having self-reported depression (aOR 2.23) were each associated with a higher likelihood of having unmet healthcare needs in their daily life.ConclusionThe prevalence of unmet healthcare needs among older people in this part of Malaysia is lower than that reported in some other countries. However, it is possible to further reduce unmet healthcare needs by improving people’s knowledge and attitudes about appropriate healthcare utilization, strengthening financial protection measures and providing support to people at high risk of having unmet healthcare needs.

Active aging, psychological well-being and quality of life of elderly and pre-elderly Malaysians during movement control periods

ABSTRACT Little is known about the factors associated with active aging during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. This study aims to examine the perception of Malaysians with regard to active aging during the period of Movement Control Orders (MCOs) in Malaysia. The variables, namely financial planning, daily living activities, social support and networking, psychological well-being and quality of life were investigated. Two hundred and twenty-three individuals took part in this cross-sectional online study, and data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to examine the posited research hypotheses. The results revealed that psychological well-being is the leading factor that positively affects quality of life, followed by social support and networking, daily living activities and financial planning. When a comparison was made between the pre-elderly and elderly participants, some differences were observed. In the pre-elderly, financial planning and daily living activities were positively associated with social support and networking, and financial planning was also associated with quality of life. However, these observations were not apparent in the elderly group. During the economic recovery period, plans made on healthy aging should consider the importance of psychological well-being, as well as financial planning in the pre-elderly.

The Big-Five Personality Traits and Quality of Life in Elderly Malaysian Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study

While diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent in the elderly population with significant impact on quality of life (QOL), we yet to know much about how personality traits affect QOL in this patient population. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre with the aim to determine the relationship between personality traits and QOL among the elderly (aged ≥60 years) with diabetes mellitus. Sociodemographic and clinical information were obtained. QOL was assessed using the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOLBREF) questionnaire and personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI) questionnaire. Depression and anxiety were measured with Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, respectively, and controlled for in all analyses. There were in total 170 study participants (median age=69.0 years; IQR: 65.0-73.0; 51.2% male). In stepwise linear regression models, higher conscientiousness scores (β=0.156; P=0.044) and lower neuroticism scores (β=-0.176; P=0.028) were associated with greater QOL in the physical health domain. Higher extraversion scores (β=0.209; P=0.001) and higher conscientiousness scores (β=0.248; P&lt;0.001) were associated with greater QOL in the psychological health domain. Higher agreeableness scores (β=0.286; P&lt;0.001) were associated with greater QOL in the social relationship domain. Finally, higher agreeableness scores (β=0.327; P&lt;0.001) and lower neuroticism scores (β=-0.223; P=0.001) were associated with greater QOL in the environment domain. Personality traits were closely associated with all domains of QOL among elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Premorbid personality may have important role in moderating the impact of diabetes mellitus on the lives of elderly patients.

Prevalence and factors of T-score discordance between hip and spine among middle-aged and elderly Malaysians.

T-score discordance between hip and spine is a common problem in bone mineral density assessment. A difference ≥ 1 standard deviation (SD) (regardless of diagnostic class) is considered minor, and a difference more than one diagnostic class is considered major discordance. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors of hip and spine T-score discordance in a population aged ≥ 40 years in Klang Valley, Malaysia. In this cross-sectional study, subjects answered a demographic questionnaire and underwent body composition and bone health assessment using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analysis were used to assess the prevalence of T-score discordance among the subjects. A total of 786 Malaysians (382 men, 404 women) subjects were recruited. The prevalence of minor and major discordance was 30.3% and 2.3%, respectively. Overall, factors related to T-score discordance were advanced age, decreased height, and being physically active. Sub-analysis showed that decreased height and being physically active predicted T-score discordance in men, being menopausal and Indian (vs Chinese) were predictors in women. T-score discordance between hip and spine is common among Malaysian middle-aged and elderly population. Diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis should be based on the T-score of more than one skeletal site as per the current recommendations.

Practical Problems of Medication Use in the Elderly Malaysians and Their Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Deprescribing of Medications.

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of practical problems with medications use experienced by elderly patients and the management strategy employed to overcome the problems. This study also aimed to evaluate the belief and attitude of elderly patients toward deprescribing.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly patients that seeking treatment in a primary care clinic in Malaysia from September to November 2018 using a set of researcher-assisted and validated questionnaire on their consent.Findings:A total of 182 elderly patients were included in this study. A majority of participants (n = 87, 47.8%) admitted experiencing practical problems with their medication use. There are varieties of choice of management strategy employed by elderly patients to overcome the problems. For the willingness to deprescribing, there were positive correlation for patients' age (rs (182) =0.183, P < 0.05) and number of medications (rs (182) =0.271, P < 0.01) with the burden factor. There were also a negative correlation of age (rs (182) = −0.174, P < 0.05) and number of medication (rs (182) = −0.176, P < 0.04) with appropriateness of medications.Conclusion:A majority of Malaysian elderly experience practical problems with their medication use. Elderly patients' belief and attitudes toward deprescribing were influenced by age and number of medications.

Probiotic Lactobacillus casei Zhang (LCZ) alleviates respiratory, gastrointestinal & RBC abnormality via immuno-modulatory, anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidative actions

This 12-months randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study aimed at investigating the effects of Lactobacillus casei Zhang (LCZ; 9 log CFU daily) against upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and gastrointestinal disorders in one hundred thirty-seven (n = 137) healthy adult and elderly Malaysians. LCZ alleviated URTI symptoms in adults, with reduced duration for nasal, pharyngeal, general flu and total respiratory illnesses symptoms compared to the placebo (P < 0.05). These were primarily attributed to activation of T-cells and B-cells and anti-inflammatory properties, as observed via reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1), increased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10), and upregulated whole blood expressions for CD4, CD8, CD44, CD27 and CXCR5 compared to the placebo (P < 0.05). In elderly subjects, LCZ reduced the duration of nasal symptoms, increased weekly defecation occurrences, and alleviated abnormality of RBC via stabilizing whole blood MCHC and ESR parameters with significant correlations against antioxidative (TBA) and immuno-modulatory (CD44) properties, as compared to the placebo (P < 0.05). With increasing needs for more evidence on strain- and host-dependent efficacy, our current study has illustrated the specific potentials of LCZ against URTI and gastrointestinal health in the adult and elderly populations.

Estimating Renal Function in the Elderly Malaysian Patients Attending Medical Outpatient Clinic: A Comparison between Creatinine Based and Cystatin-C Based Equations.

Background To assess the performance of different GFR estimating equations, test the diagnostic value of serum cystatin-C, and compare the applicability of cystatin-C based equation with serum creatinine based equation for estimating GFR (eGFR) in comparison with measured GFR in the elderly Malaysian patients. Methods A cross-sectional study recruiting volunteered patients 65 years and older attending medical outpatient clinic. 51 chromium EDTA (51Cr-EDTA) was used as measured GFR. The predictive capabilities of Cockcroft-Gault equation corrected for body surface area (CGBSA), four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (4-MDRD), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations using serum creatinine (CKD-EPIcr) as well as serum cystatin-C (CKD-EPIcys) were calculated. Results A total of 40 patients, 77.5% male, with mean measured GFR 41.2 ± 18.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 were enrolled. Mean bias was the smallest for 4-MDRD; meanwhile, CKD-EPIcr had the highest precision and accuracy with lower limit of agreement among other equations. CKD-EPIcys equation did not show any improvement in GFR estimation in comparison to CKD-EPIcr and MDRD. Conclusion The CKD-EPIcr formula appears to be more accurate and correlates better with measured GFR in this cohort of elderly patients.

131 ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY IN THE ELDERLY IN HOSPITAL SELAYANG: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS

Category: Epidemiology and Outcomes from AKI Presenter: Dr VUI ENG PHUI Keywords: Acute kidney injury; Elderly The aging kidney undergoes important anatomic and physiologic changes that increase the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the elderly. Improvements in life expectancy resulted in aging population in Malaysia. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the elderly are more susceptible to developing AKI but data on elderly Malaysians is lacking. To determine the incidence and risk factors of developing AKI in elderly patients. This single-centre, prospective, observational study was performed on all patients who were admitted from 1st till 31st March 2017. Elderly was defined as individual aged 65 year or more at time of admission while AKI was defined as a raised serum creatinine (SCr) of at least 26.5 umol/L within 48 hours or 1.5 times increment from baseline within 7 days. Laboratory SCr results of all adult patients admitted during the study period were retrieved from the hospital Laboratory Information System (LIS). Demographic, patient characteristics and clinical data were collected for all adult patients. Results were analyzed using SPSS Version 23. Of a total of 4845 adult admissions during the study period, 874 (18.0%) admission involved the elderly. A total of 283 adults had AKI where 126 cases involved the elderly. The incidence rate of AKI among the hospitalized elderly was 14.4% compared to 3.9% in hospitalized adults aged less than 65 (p<0.001). The mean age of elderly AKI was 74.8±6.5 years with a male preponderance [81(64.3%)]. Malay accounted for 55 (43.7%) cases, followed by Chinese 53 (42.1%) and Indian 17 (13.5%). Comorbidities were common with 74(58.7%) having both diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension and 35 (27.8%) had chronic kidney diseases (CKD). The mean baseline SCr was 145.6+95.5 ìmol/L. The two most causes of AKI in the elderly were infection (39.7%) and hypovolemia (33.3%) and this is followed by obstructive uropathy (11.1%), cardiac (7.9%) and others (8%). Compared to elderly without AKI, elderly with AKI were older (74.7yrs vs 72.8yrs, p<0.001) and had a longer duration of hospitalization (10.1 days vs 4.5 days; p<0.001) The incidence of AKI in the hospitalized elderly patients was 3.7 times higher than those aged less 65years. More than half of the elderly AKI had both DM and hypertension and a quarter had CKD. Infections and hypovolemia resulted in AKI in 73% of cases. Older age and longer duration of hospitalization appeared to be associated with AKI in the elderly.

Yaşlı Malezyalılarda hafif kognitif bozukluk tarama prevalansı ve ilişkili faktörler

Objective: This study was aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of mild cognitive impairments (MCIs) in Malaysia. Method: This is a cross-sectional community-based study among elderlies aged 60 years and above in the four states of Malaysia - Perak, Kelantan, Selangor and Johor. A multi-stage stratified random sampling method was used for the data collection. Mini Mental State Examination score ?22 was used to diagnosed MCI and analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 2112 participants were recruited into this study. Mean age of the participants was 69.2±18.8 years, and 51.4% of them were females. The ethnic distribution was 63.4% Malaysian, 31.4% Chinese, 5.0% Indians, and 0.2% others. The overall prevalence of MCI was 68% (n=1436/2112). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, participant who were older (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04), did not receive formal education (OR 6.85, 95% CI 4.58-10.25), had primary education (OR 2.35 95% CI 1.84-3.00), were lonely (OR 1.18 95% CI 1.05-1.32), and had low level of life satisfaction (OR 1.68 95% CI 1.02-2.67), had significant positive correlations with MCI. Conclusion: MCI is present in seven out of ten elderly Malaysians. Aging population, presence of low education level, loneliness and low life satisfaction level seem to facilitate development of MCI.

Assessing the usability and ergonomic considerations on communication technology for older Malaysians

The increasing elderly population and their specific needs have challenged communication technology developers regarding the usability of their devices. The aim of this study was to design a usability assessment method and assess the usability of communication devices in elderly Malaysians. This cross-sectional study was conducted on elderly Malaysians (aged 55---74 years old). A questionnaire was developed to assess the usability issues of mobile phones (MP), home telephones (HT) and Internet/E-mail (I/E) usage. A total of 303 elderly subjects (148 males and 155 females) from urban and rural areas in the state of Selangor participated in this study based on stratified random sampling. I usage was found to be 10 % while the usage of MP and HT were 73 and 50 %, respectively. The main concern of the participants was the "durability of the devices" followed by "ease of use" in MP and "ergonomic features" in HT. Factor analysis was carried out to identify the number of latent factors for MP and HT. The relative weights for the extracted factors were then evaluated by six experts using the GAHP technique. "Adjustability to user needs and abilities" for MP and "ease of operation" for HT was weighted most. A total of ten products including 6 MPs and 4 HTs were assessed by five elderly subjects. The usability index for each MP and HT family of products was then obtained by TOPSIS which was used to select the best product. None of the four common designs of HT complied with the usability factors indicating that the design of current HT products is unsuitable for the elderly, for communication. Moreover, this study revealed that the low usage of I/E might be due to inappropriate design and lack of knowledge. However, the design of communication products should be based on the identified weighted factors to provide more usable products for the elderly population.

Blood glucose screening among elderly Malaysians: Who to target?

Early detection of raised blood glucose can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Despite being a high-risk group, a significant proportion of the elderly population does not undergo blood glucose screening. The aim of the present study was to examine the factors affecting blood glucose screening among the elderly. Data from a sample of 2463 respondents in the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011 were used. Pearson Chi-squared tests were conducted to find factors associated with screening behavior. A logit model was used to analyze the likelihood of screening. Income, age, education, ethnicity, employment status, availability of medical coverage, and smoking behavior were significantly associated with blood glucose screening. The likelihood of blood glucose screening was positively correlated with available monthly income and was higher in those aged 60-69 years, those attaining higher education, Malays, and elderly who are medically covered. The findings of the present study provide insights for health policy formulation for the elderly. As part of their efforts to reduce national health costs, governments should pay particular attention to the elderly, who are likely to be unscreened for blood glucose levels, because they face even larger risk exposure.

The relationship between anthropometry and hand grip strength among elderly Malaysians

It is known that the ageing process will result in a decrease in anthropometric dimensions as well as loss of hand grip strength, which is natural among elderly people. Previous studies have shown that the decrease in anthropometric dimensions may influence hand grip strength of elderly people. Hence, this paper seeks to determine the relationship between anthropometric dimensions and hand grip strength among elderly Malaysians. A total of 112 elderly subjects aged 60 years and above residing in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, are recruited in this study. The subjects comprise 56 males (age range 60–79 years, mean: 66.88, SD: 5.35) and 56 females (age range: 60–82 years, mean: 66.98, SD: 5.16). In this study, 38 anthropometric dimensions are measured, along with hand grip strength. The anthropometric dimensions are measured using a professional standard anthropometry set whereas hand grip strength (in Newtons) is measured using a dynamometer. The mean values, standard deviations and percentiles are determined and the data are analysed by correlation analysis. The results show that there is a significant correlation between the following anthropometric dimensions (stature, sitting hip breadth, wrist circumference, hand circumference and heel ankle circumference) and hand grip strength. These findings of this study are indeed useful for product designers to design and develop ergonomic hand-held products for elderly Malaysians.

The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE): Validity and Reliability Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Malaysia.

Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) is among the frequently used self-reported physical activity assessment for older adults. This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of a Malay version of this scale (PASE-M). A total of 408 community-dwelling older adults were enrolled. Concurrent validity was evaluated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between PASE with physical and psychosocial measures. Test-retest reliability was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The mean PASE-M scores at baseline and follow-up were 94.96 (SD 62.82) and 92.19 (SD 64.02). Fair to moderate correlation were found between PASE-M and physical function scale, IADL (rs = 0.429, P < .001), walking speed (rs = 0.270, P < .001), grip strength (rs = 0.313-0.339, P < .001), and perceived health status (rs = -0.124, P = .016). Test-retest reliability was adequate (ICC = 0.493). The Malay version of PASE was shown to have acceptable validity and reliability. This tool is useful for assessing the physical activity level of elderly Malaysians.