Researchers set out on a study to decipher health trends in ageing Malaysian men.
SCARCITY of data on men’s health has prompted a group of researchers to set out on a 10-year longitudinal study to gain insights into the health trends in ageing, urban Malaysian men in the Klang Valley.
The study, called the Subang Longitudinal Study on the Ageing Men (SAM study), will look at health and social parameters of Malaysian men above the age of 40 who live in Subang Jaya, USJ, Sunway or Kelana Jaya over 10 years to elucidate the causes of health risks associated with men of this age group.
Principal investigator Datuk Dr Tan Hui Ming said that out of the estimated population of 300,000 people who live in those areas, an estimated 90,000 are male adults and about 40,000 are above 40 years old.
The men in the study can get free health screening and have certain aspects of their health looked after. Wives should encourage their hubbies to participate.
The research team hopes to recruit 1,000 adult males above 40 years old to participate in this study.
Over a period of 10 years, men who participate in this study will be followed up on a three-year interval to determine their health status and disease patterns. Baseline data will be collected during a participant’s first visit to the research centre from May to July 2008, with subsequent follow up visits in 2011, 2014 and 2017.
For every three-yearly visit to the research centre, participants are required to fast from 12am the night before. During their visit, they have to undergo a health assessment, do a blood test and complete a questionnaire with the assistance of a trained research worker.
An invitation to have a prostate scan, urine test and flow study will also be extended to participants during the visit. (All blood tests are free and participants will be reimbursed for their travel expenses on the day of visit.)
Dr Tong Seng Fah, a family physician on the research team, said a longitudinal study would enable researchers to observe the new diseases that develop in participants and the causes that contribute to them.
However, the study will focus more on cardiovascular mortalities and also men’s health related problems, including urological conditions such as prostate problems, erectile dysfunction and even hormonal problems.
Dr Tan said although the researchers have factored in the possibility of dropouts, he hoped that participants will continue to participate in the study until it is completed.
”To date we have 900 participants, and we want to close the recruitment at 1,000 (participants). That is why we wish to have more volunteers to participate in our study,” Dr Tan said.
In their earlier studies in 2003 and 2006, the same group of researchers found a high prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart, urinary and sexual problems in men above 40 years old in an urban population. However, they are still unsure of the relationship between the risk factors that led to the development of these medical conditions and the effects of the medical conditions on men’s quality of life.
Therefore, a study that observes the biological changes and behavioural patterns in ageing men would help doctors understand the ageing process and what it entails - physically, mentally and emotionally.
Results from such a study could also be used to develop an effective and pragmatic intervention programme to improve men’s health.
“For example, we want to see whether a prostate disease changes when a man grows older, and whether the prevalence or severity fluctuates over 10 years... There are international data available, but we do not have local data yet,” Dr Tan said.
If you are:
40 years old and above
Live in Subang Jaya, USJ, Sunway or Kelana Jaya (in Selangor)
And willing to spare some time to participate in this study
Please contact Shirley (012-663 9965), Jenny (013-234 1488) or Jeya (016-281 7650/03- 5639 1883) for further details.
This study is approved by the University Malaya Medical Centre Medical Ethics Committee and funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
SCARCITY of data on men’s health has prompted a group of researchers to set out on a 10-year longitudinal study to gain insights into the health trends in ageing, urban Malaysian men in the Klang Valley.
The study, called the Subang Longitudinal Study on the Ageing Men (SAM study), will look at health and social parameters of Malaysian men above the age of 40 who live in Subang Jaya, USJ, Sunway or Kelana Jaya over 10 years to elucidate the causes of health risks associated with men of this age group.
Principal investigator Datuk Dr Tan Hui Ming said that out of the estimated population of 300,000 people who live in those areas, an estimated 90,000 are male adults and about 40,000 are above 40 years old.
The men in the study can get free health screening and have certain aspects of their health looked after. Wives should encourage their hubbies to participate.The research team hopes to recruit 1,000 adult males above 40 years old to participate in this study.
Over a period of 10 years, men who participate in this study will be followed up on a three-year interval to determine their health status and disease patterns. Baseline data will be collected during a participant’s first visit to the research centre from May to July 2008, with subsequent follow up visits in 2011, 2014 and 2017.
For every three-yearly visit to the research centre, participants are required to fast from 12am the night before. During their visit, they have to undergo a health assessment, do a blood test and complete a questionnaire with the assistance of a trained research worker.
An invitation to have a prostate scan, urine test and flow study will also be extended to participants during the visit. (All blood tests are free and participants will be reimbursed for their travel expenses on the day of visit.)
Dr Tong Seng Fah, a family physician on the research team, said a longitudinal study would enable researchers to observe the new diseases that develop in participants and the causes that contribute to them.
However, the study will focus more on cardiovascular mortalities and also men’s health related problems, including urological conditions such as prostate problems, erectile dysfunction and even hormonal problems.
Dr Tan said although the researchers have factored in the possibility of dropouts, he hoped that participants will continue to participate in the study until it is completed.
”To date we have 900 participants, and we want to close the recruitment at 1,000 (participants). That is why we wish to have more volunteers to participate in our study,” Dr Tan said.
In their earlier studies in 2003 and 2006, the same group of researchers found a high prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart, urinary and sexual problems in men above 40 years old in an urban population. However, they are still unsure of the relationship between the risk factors that led to the development of these medical conditions and the effects of the medical conditions on men’s quality of life.
Therefore, a study that observes the biological changes and behavioural patterns in ageing men would help doctors understand the ageing process and what it entails - physically, mentally and emotionally.
Results from such a study could also be used to develop an effective and pragmatic intervention programme to improve men’s health.
“For example, we want to see whether a prostate disease changes when a man grows older, and whether the prevalence or severity fluctuates over 10 years... There are international data available, but we do not have local data yet,” Dr Tan said.
If you are:
40 years old and above
Live in Subang Jaya, USJ, Sunway or Kelana Jaya (in Selangor)
And willing to spare some time to participate in this study
Please contact Shirley (012-663 9965), Jenny (013-234 1488) or Jeya (016-281 7650/03- 5639 1883) for further details.
This study is approved by the University Malaya Medical Centre Medical Ethics Committee and funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
