Of men in Subang Jaya

The Star: MALE. Above 40. Residing in Subang Jaya, Selangor.
If the above description fits you, you may have received a letter from the Malaysian Society of Andrology and The Study of the Aging Male (MSASAM) inviting you to participate in the Subang Men’s Health Research.
Have you tossed the letter aside? Don’t be so quick to dismiss it – this is a very important study that will influence your health, and that of future generations of Malaysian men.

What is the study?
This is a community-based, randomised men’s health study to find out about Malaysian men’s disease burden and their health concerns.
This study is conducted by the MSASAM and the Asia-Pacific Society for the Study of the Ageing Male, together with the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, and endorsed by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
The study will be looking at certain cornerstones of men’s health. The first area of study looks at cardiovascular risk – whether the men have, or at risk of developing, diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.
These conditions are all tied in to the metabolic syndrome, which is now recognised as an important predictor of heart disease risk.
The other important area of the study pertains to specific men’s health problems, including erectile dysfunction and prostate problems.
Datuk Dr Tan Hui Meng, consultant urologist and adjunct professor at University Malaya, understands that some men may be wary of sharing information about their sexual health, which they deem to be a private matter. However, he urges them to overcome their embarrassment, as certain problems may be important clues to their overall health.
For example, two-thirds of men with erectile dysfunction have coronary heart disease – which means that most men may not even be aware that they are ticking time bombs!
Lastly, the study will also look at men’s lifestyle habits, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. “Nobody in this country has ever done this. This is a very important and vital study ? to study a community and their disease burden properly,” says Dr Tan, who is the chief researcher in the study.

Who are they looking for?
The study will be recruiting men between the age of 40 and 80, of all races, from the Subang Jaya community in the Klang Valley.
In explaining why that particular suburb was chosen, Dr Tan says that these men, being fairly affluent and well-educated, will give an indication of what men’s attitudes are towards health and disease.
Dr Tan and his team of investigators are hoping to recruit 4,000 men to participate in this study.
If you are surprised at how the researchers have obtained your name and contact details, do not be alarmed, as all this information is taken from the Subang Jaya electoral roll.
All the information and results collected from this study will be kept strictly confidential and used for research purpose only.

Why should I do this?
You may think that you are only one person, but to Dr Tan and the rest of the researchers, everyone counts.
“You are very important to us,” says Dr Tan. “We need to know your health and what determines your health. Studying the health status of men now can help us know the health status of future generations,” he says.
The results of the study will help doctors understand men’s health problems in Malaysia and provide better quality of care for men. The data will have far-reaching implications and will provide scientific evidence to our policy-makers, health planners and health financiers to make crucial decisions on health policies.
Dr Tan even implores Malaysians to think about what they are doing for their country. “Contribute to science in Malaysia! We need local data. You are helping the community and the progress of science.”
Hopefully, this study and the valuable information obtained from it, will pave the way for more of such studies in Malaysia.

What do I have to do?
If you become a participant in this study, all you have to do is undergo a simple blood test and answer two questionnaires.
You will have to schedule a date and time to visit any of the participating centres (Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Megah Medical Centre or 30 GP clinics around Petaling Jaya, Selangor).
Before your scheduled appointment, you will be required to fast for 10 hours. On the day itself, when you arrive at the clinic or hospital, you will have your blood taken and a simple physical examination comprising: blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference. Then you will be asked to fill up two short questionnaires and personally interviewed by one of the doctors on your health status.
“It just takes a little time, only 10 minutes,” says Dr Tan.
Recognising that most people have busy schedules, Dr Tan and his researchers have taken every effort to ensure that participation in this study will be as easy as possible.
The staff at the participating hospitals and clinics have been trained to carry out the procedures quickly and smoothly when you arrive at your scheduled time.
For the convenience of working people, the 30 participating clinics will also be open on Sundays.
A reminder letter will be sent to all eligible participants in mid-November. If you receive the letter and decide to participate in the study, call 03-79545140.
Alternatively, Dr Tan’s team of volunteers will call or visit you to gauge your response.
Note: As this study is only conducted within the Subang Jaya community, those living outside of Subang Jaya will not be eligible for the study.