Does Dietary Adequacy Reflect the Cognitive Performance of Children? A Study among the Homeless Children in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Introduction: Homeless children are prone to inadequate energy and nutrient intake which may highly influence their cognitive performance. However, few studies have been done in assessing diet adequacy and cognitive performance among homeless children in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study aims to assess the dietary adequacy and cognitive performance of 120 homeless children age 7-12 years living in Klang Valley. The dietary adequacy of these homeless children was assessed through two days of 24 hours of dietary recall. Dietary adequacy achievement was determined by fulfilling at least 50% of Recommended Nutrients Intake (RNI). Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test was used to assess their cognitive performance. Results: The homeless children had an adequate intake of energy, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Seventy percent of homeless children had a poor cognitive performance. This study shows that there was no association between energy, iron, and vitamin B12 adequacy with cognitive performance, whereas there was a significant (p=0.028) association between zinc adequacy and children’s cognitive performance. Conclusion: These findings provide solid evidence-based for dietary adequacy and cognitive performance of the homeless children in Klang Valley. It is clear from the findings that both dietary intake and cognitive of these children require improvement for a better quality of life in the future. This study suggests that dietary adequacy does not relatively reflect the cognitive performance of these homeless children in Malaysia

Patterning the geographies of organ transplantation: corporeality, generosity and justice

publication-status: PublishedThis is the author's post-print version of an article published in Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 2006, Vol. 31, Issue 3 pp. 257 – 271 Copyright © 2006 Institute of British Geographers / Royal Geographical Society. The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.comOrgan transplantation is now an established treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure, yet there are spatial inequalities in access to this procedure. This paper explores the uneven geographies of kidney transplantation in London, arguing that inequalities in access to organ transplantation are created through interlocking spatialities of corporeal difference, enacted through global movements of populations, national organ transplantation protocols and the internal immunological spaces of the body. The combination of these processes, operating at different scales, has produced a distinctive configuration in the embodiment of risk in relation to kidney transplants, particularly born by London's Black and Asian communities. Two ethical dimensions to this geography of organ transplantation are explored here: the ethical responsiveness to others shaping the generous practices of organ donation, and the medical practices categorizing difference through techniques of blood typing, tissue matching and the spatial organization of organ transplantation. In concluding, I argue both are critical to understanding the links between ethics and justice in the geographies of organ exchange in London. Further, I suggest geography is central to political debate about the exchange of biological material elsewhere, for it is only through tracing the intersection of ethical, corporeal and technological practices in situ that we can fully reflect on questions of justice within the developing bioeconomy

Barriers to kidney transplants in Indonesia : a literature review

Background: People living with chronic kidney disease will require renal dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life. Although Indonesia has a developing healthcare industry, Indonesia\u27s kidney transplant rates are lower than comparable nations.Purpose: To explore the healthcare literature to identify barriers to kidney transplants in particular in relation to Indonesia.Methods: Healthcare databases were searched (CINAHL, Medline, EBSCOhostEJS, Blackwell Synergy, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar and Proquest 5000) using the search terms: transplant, kidney disease, renal, dialysis, haemodialysis, Indonesia and nursing. The search was limited to English and Indonesian language data sources from 1997 to 2007. Reference lists of salient academic articles were hand searched.Results: The results of our search identified six articles that met our criteria. Costs are the major barrier to kidney transplant in Indonesia, followed by cultural beliefs, perception of the law, lack of information and lack of infrastructure. In addition, kidney disease prevention strategies are required.Conclusions: There are many complex socio-economic, geographical, legal, cultural and religious factors that contribute to low kidney transplant rates in Indonesia. Although an increase in transplantation rates will require strategies from various agencies, healthcare professionals, including nurses, can play a role in overcoming some barriers. Community education programmes, improving their own education levels and by increasing empowerment in nursing we may contribute to improved kidney transplant rates in Indonesia.<br /