Cheah Yong Kang, Meltzer David
School of Economics, Finance and Banking, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia.
Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Sep;35(9):2680-2686. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-05766-6. Epub 2020 Mar 17.
There were ethnic differences in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases among the elderly in Malaysia.
To examine ethnic differences in participation in medical check-ups among the elderly.
A nationally representative data set was employed. Multiple logistic regressions were utilised to examine the relationship between ethnicity and the likelihood of undergoing medical check-ups. The regressions were stratified by age, income, marital status, gender, household location, insurance access and health status. These variables were also controlled for in the regressions (including stratified regressions).
The respondents were required to be residents of Malaysia and not be institutionalised. Overall, 30,806 individuals were selected to be interviewed, but only 28,650 were actually interviewed, equivalent to a 93% response rate. Of those, only 2248 were used in the analyses, because 26,402 were others or below aged 60.
The dependent variable was participation in a medical check-up. The main independent variables were the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia (Malay, Chinese, Indian).
Among the elderly aged 70-79 years, Chinese (aOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.28, 2.81) and Indians (aOR 2.39; 95% CI 1.20, 4.74) were more likely to undergo medical check-ups than Malays. Among the elderly with monthly incomes of ≤ RM999, Chinese (aOR 1.44; 95% CI 1.12, 1.85) and Indians (aOR 1.50; 95% CI 0.99, 2.28) were more likely to undergo medical check-ups than Malays. Indian males were more likely to undergo medical check-ups than Malay males (aOR 2.32; 95% CI 1.15, 4.67). Chinese with hypercholesterolaemia (aOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07, 1.98) and hypertension (aOR 1.32; 95% CI 1.02, 1.72) were more likely to undergo medical check-ups than Malays.
There were ethnic differences in participation in medical check-ups among the elderly. These ethnic differences varied across age, income, marital status, gender, household location, insurance access and health status.
马来西亚老年人中，非传染性疾病的患病率存在种族差异。
研究老年人参与医学检查的种族差异。
采用具有全国代表性的数据集。运用多元逻辑回归分析来研究种族与接受医学检查可能性之间的关系。回归分析按年龄、收入、婚姻状况、性别、家庭住址、保险覆盖情况和健康状况进行分层。这些变量在回归分析中（包括分层回归）也得到了控制。
受访者须为马来西亚居民且未被机构收容。总体而言，选取了30806人进行访谈，但实际访谈了28650人，回复率为93%。其中，仅2248人被纳入分析，因为另外26402人不符合要求或年龄在60岁以下。
因变量是参与医学检查。主要自变量是马来西亚的三个主要种族群体（马来族、华族、印族）。
在70 - 79岁的老年人中，华族（调整后比值比1.89；95%置信区间1.28，2.81）和印族（调整后比值比2.39；95%置信区间1.20，4.74）比马来族更有可能接受医学检查。在月收入≤999马来西亚林吉特的老年人中，华族（调整后比值比1.44；95%置信区间1.12，1.85）和印族（调整后比值比1.50；95%置信区间0.99，2.28）比马来族更有可能接受医学检查。印度男性比马来男性更有可能接受医学检查（调整后比值比2.32；95%置信区间1.15，4.67）。患有高胆固醇血症的华族（调整后比值比1.45；95%置信区间1.07，1.98）和患有高血压的华族（调整后比值比1.32；95%置信区间1.02，1.72）比马来族更有可能接受医学检查。
老年人参与医学检查存在种族差异。这些种族差异在年龄、收入、婚姻状况、性别、家庭住址、保险覆盖情况和健康状况方面各不相同。
