Health & Living

Men’s mental health struggles often go unnoticed, due to societal and cultural norms about masculinity and male behaviours. On Counsellor’s Corner, we draw back the curtains on men’s mental health issues, and get licensed counsellor Justin Yap to answer all your questions. Image credit: Shutterstock

The PsychEncode Consortium was started back in 2015 in the United States because scientists wanted to pool together their resources and expertise to study the genetics of neuropsychiatric diseases like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and more, especially in the earlier stages of these conditions. Neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar joins us to discuss why these projects matter and if the results are relevant for everyone across the globe. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Whether you’re a man or a woman has a significant impact on your health and well-being, due to both biological and gender-related differences. In fact, many areas of women’s health tend to be under-researched and lack support, which has knock-on implications not just on individuals but communities and populations as well. In a world where we are seeing inequality and inequity deepen as we grapple with geopolitical, economic, environmental and social crises, how is women’s health faring? We find out from Dr Johanna Riha, Research Lead for the Gender Equality and Intersectionality Package, United Nations University’s International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH). Image credit: Shutterstock

Tobacco companies have had decades of experience marketing their products to appeal to a wider consumer base, including the youths, and these strategies have seemed to only grow more aggressive as companies pivot to selling vapes and e-cigarettes. In conjunction with World No Tobacco Day (commemorated yearly on 31st May) and this year’s theme, we discuss how we can protect our youths from tobacco industry interference and ultimately where the responsibility to do so lies. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Pneumococcal disease remains a pressing public health issue in Malaysia, especially among very young children and older adults. What progress have we seen in reducing the burden of pneumococcal disease with the introduction of the vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme in 2020, and what are the emerging threats that could arise to increase the burden? Consultant paediatrician Prof Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail joins us to share more. Image credit: Shutterstock

Motherhood has been a series of curveballs for Desiree Kaur, and raising an autistic child is just one of many challenges she juggles daily. On this episode of Because Feelings Matter, Desiree opens up about the emotions that come with the journey of raising a neurodivergent child, and how she’s learned to acknowledge the “not OK” days, even as she tries to plan everything else to a ‘T’. Desiree is the Founder of Project Haans, a website that provides resources and support for parents, caregivers, self-advocates and allies of neurodiversity. ‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental health issues. These stories aim to normalise conversations about mental health, and to show that it’s okay to struggle emotionally and psychologically, but more importantly, to reach out for help. This series is produced in collaboration with Thrive Well.

When you search for “heart scans” on Google, you’re spoilt for choice with numerous private health centres advertising the availability of their heart screening packages. But options aside, what do you need to know about preventive heart scans before you sign up for one? Dr Yee Kok Meng, Consultant Cardiologist from Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, joins us to ensure that you’re armed with all the information you need so that you make the right choice for yourself and your family members.

When we hear the word “dementia”, what many of us picture is often the last stages of the condition where the individual has lost much of their cognitive ability and memory. But that’s only a small picture of what dementia really is. What are the lived realities of people living with milder forms of dementia and how can we support their ability to still be independent? On this episode of NCD Chronicles, we feature Vanetha Ramiah’s journey of living with vascular dementia and the stigma she’s had to battle along the way. We also hear from consultant geriatrician Dr Khor Hui Min. NCD Chronicles is a series about people living with NCDs, going beyond the diagnosis to explore their personal experiences, their challenges, as well as the impact of their health condition on their loved ones. These stories reveal the importance of understanding the unique struggles and needs of the individuals behind the disease, in our response to the NCD epidemic.

Breast cancer can be screened through a mammogram while cervical cancer has HPV tests, but what about ovarian cancer? While ovarian cancer is rare, it is often diagnosed in the late stages because of the challenges with picking it up early. We speak to specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology Dr Yogeeta Gunasagran to find out whether screening and treatment for ovarian cancer has improved, and we also hear from Joselyn Pang about her journey with ovarian cancer.

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty affecting reading and writing skills. If you have dyslexia, you may not read these sentences in the same way that a typical person would. Some letters might be missing, appear in reverse, or even seem to move around on the screen. But having dyslexia doesn’t mean you can’t read, learn, work or even thrive, with the right support and acceptance within your environment. Amani Amrullah, an advocate for neurodiversity, joins consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, to share her journey of growing up with dyslexia (and ADHD), and the challenges she has faced, especially in the workplace.

It is said that it “takes a village to raise a child”, but mothers living in urban, low-income communities, may lack such a “village” or support system, as well as access to services and resources for physical, mental and social support. Mothers are especially vulnerable in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which spans from pregnancy to the time a child turns two. How do socioeconomic and health inequities affect mothers’ mental health? Benjamin Looi, Clinical Psychologist & Manager of Community Development, Thrive Well, and Melissa Ngiam, CEO of Yayasan Generasi Gemilang, share about their programmes for mothers in PPR communities, and how they connect these programmes with maternal mental health. Image credit: Thrive Well

In the 1980s, a diagnosis of HIV was almost like a death sentence, but today with effective and accessible treatment, it no longer is. What this means is that we are seeing an increase in the population of older adults who are living with HIV. In fact, UNAIDS estimates that the number of people aged 50 years or older with HIV infection globally has increased from 5.4 million in 2015 to 8.1 million in 2020. But what are the challenges and stigma that older adults living with HIV still face today? Are we adequately considering their experiences and their needs as we implement policies to support older adults living with HIV? Image credit: Shutterstock

Dr George Lee, Consultant Urologist; Prof Dr Saw Aik, Programme Director, Silent Mentor Description: Medical students rely on cadavers during their years in medical school to learn the fundamentals of human anatomy but how often do they know the person behind the body? The Silent Mentor programme at Universiti Malaya aims to change that through its unique body donation programme. Here to tell us more about it is Prof Dr Saw Aik, its programme director. Image Credit: Silent Mentor Program by Universiti Malaya, Facebook

Medicine - the most coveted profession, especially in Asian cultures, where the social stature and financial rewards of being a doctor are, arguably, the height of parents’ aspirations for their children. Yet, it is also a profession fraught with uncertainties, unrealistic expectations, and enormous sacrifices. On Heart of Medicine, consultant cardiologist Dr Kannan Pasamanickam is joined by fellow doctors Prof Florence Wang and Dr Raveendran Ramachandran, to explore the question of what it takes to become a doctor, and what is life like in their profession? Image credit: Shutterstock

Older adults were often perceived as being less tech-savvy, but with the ubiquity of smartphones these days, it seems like some of them even surpass us in how easy they navigate the online world. But is that the case across Malaysia? How does building digital literacy help create a sense of community as well as independence among seniors? We speak to Dr Tan Yun Yi, founder of Bengkel Teknologi Senior about the work that they do in the community. You can follow Bengkel Teknologi Senior on Facebook or on Instagram. Image credit: Facebook/Bengkel Teknologi Senior

The eyes are the window to the soul but what happens when we can’t see that well? On this monthly episode of Ask A Doctor, we speak to consultant ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon Dr Kenneth Fong about maintaining good vision and healthy eyes from childhood to your golden years. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems all around the world, and yet they are often one of the most underappreciated healthcare workers. In conjunction with International Nurses Day - observed annually on 12th May - on this episode of Humans of Healthcare, we’ll find out what it takes to become a nurse, both professionally and personally, from Jeovelyn Samoya, a community outreach nurse currently with the Breast Cancer Welfare Association Malaysia.

A urinary tract infection is one of the most common infections to affect humans; in fact, if you’re a woman, you’re even more likely to have a UTI at some point in your life. But despite how common and treatable it is, it can also be very uncomfortable and painful to deal with. On this episode of Doctor in the House, we put consultant urologist Dr George Lee in the hot seat to answer all our questions about UTIs and whether something can be done to prevent UTIs from happening at all. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Our planet is sick - and we don’t just mean melting glaciers and rising ocean levels too distant from our daily realities. In Malaysia, we see the effect of climate changes and the inexorable destruction of Earth every day, and more startlingly, we are experiencing the health effects of our planet’s problems. Tan Sri Prof Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Sunway University, and Hazami Habib, CEO of Akademi Sains Malaysia, join us to draw the parallels between the planet’s, and the people’s, ill health. Image credit: 123rf

Children with special needs are often left behind in education, due to societal stigma, as well as lack of resources and capacity in our community. How is the Kiwanis Malaysia Academy hoping to close this gap? Dato’ Fatimah Saad, Chairman, Kiwanis Malaysia Academy, joins us to share more about their initiatives in ensuring that inclusive education is accessible to all children, to enable them to thrive. In the second part of the show, Dato’ Fatimah is joined by Hanizan bt Hussin, one of the award recipients of Anugerah Ibu Kiwanis 2024, and a mother to an adult child with Down Syndrome. Hanizan is also the president of Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia.