Page 69 - JOURNAL OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT SUPPLEMENT: SEPTEMBER 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021, SUPPLEMENT, JOURNAL OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT
SEPTEMBER 2021, SUPPLEMENT, JOURNAL OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT
e-­‐poster
BM108 e-­‐Poster
PH013
Abstract Category: Biomedical Science
Abstract Category: Public Health
Islamic Fasting Approach on Weight Loss Intervention – Experience Through the Lens of Participants
2
2
1
2
2
Johari, M. Z. , Sulaiman, N. S. , Abdullah, S. R. , Khalil, M. K. N. , Wan Mohd Zin, R. M. , Mohd Yunus, S.
Gender Distribution and Differences Among Healthcare Workers
1
1
1
2
N. N. , Kamaruddin, H. , Norshamsul, N. I. , Azizul, N. H.
1
1
1
Jia, N. K. , Hong, C. L. , Heoy, T. L. , Looi, I. 1,2
1 Centre for Health Communications and Informatics Research, Institute for Health Behaviour Research, National
1
Institutes of Health
Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Seberang Jaya
2
Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of
2Medical Department, Hospital Seberang Jaya
Health
Introduction
Introduction
According to the Human Resources of Health Country Profiles 2015, women predominated in the
Weight loss is a natural process of weight management in life but the process and effectiveness varies
majority categories of healthcare personnel in Malaysia. Our study aimed to determine gender
from individual to individual. This study attempts to assess the effectiveness of an Islamic approach of
distribution in the healthcare workforce and identify any disparities that exist between the genders
the sunnah fasting (Mondays and Thursday) combined with healthy plating as part of a weight loss
at Hospital Seberang Jaya, a lead cluster hospital in Penang.
intervention through the views of the participants.
Method
Method
An online survey was conducted from November 2020 to December 2020 to assess the total
This qualitative study takes on exploratory approach in obtaining feedback from selected participants
monthly household income and other characteristics of healthcare workers at Hospital Seberang
of the intervention. Four groups of participants (two successful and two unsuccessful) were invited in
Jaya.
separate Focus Group Discussions (FGD) to give their experiential feedback after completing the
intervention. FGDs were recorded verbatim and transcribed. Data was blind and axial coded before
Result
thematically analyzed.
Among 804 healthcare workers, males had a slightly younger mean [SD] age than females, (32.9[7.3]
years versus 34.3[7.6], p=0.119). There were significant differences between genders in education
Result
level (p<0.001), designation (p<0.001) as well as total monthly household income (p<0.001).
In total 21 participants were interviewed. Four themes emerged -­‐ efficacy towards intervention,
Approximately 40% of male respondents attained a bachelor’s degree, followed by pre-­‐university
barriers and facilitators to success, support and sustainability. Participants who were success attributed
(32.9%). For females, more than half of them studied up to a pre-­‐university level and one-­‐fifth had a
having a strong support system at home or at work and the sense of competitiveness as the main key
bachelor’s degree. Less than 10% of both the male and female respondents acquired only secondary
to who were successful. Similarly, the same attributes are also the reason to those who did not
education. Nurses (75.3%) predominated in the female group, followed by pharmacists (11.4%). In
succeed in losing the prescribed weight. Most suffered difficulty of at least one month to adapt to the
the male group, 20% to 30% of them were either pharmacists or nurses. Clinical specialists were the
intervention. Sporadically in both groups stated the intervention is sustainable for a long period.
least represented in both male (8.9%) and female (1.0%) groups. Male healthcare workers had an
Individual motivation plays a strong role in the success or failure in weight loss.
approximately equal distribution among the total monthly household income group. The majority of
Discussion
the female healthcare workers had total monthly household income ranging from less than RM4,850
Islamic fasting is perceived to be a viable intervention to weight loss and its success is driven both by
(45.4%) to between RM4,850 and RM10,949 (48.8%).
individual motivation and a strong support system to be sustainable.
Discussion
Keywords: weight loss, Islamic fasting, qualitative, effectiveness, sustainability
There were significant gender differences in education level, designation, and total monthly
household income. We suggest a future study to determine the magnitude and cause of these
differences.

Keywords: gender, healthcare, income

140 | Page

68 | Page
68 | Page