Among Malaysians, 21% of people aged above 30 have diabetes.Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in people with diabetes. 60 to 70% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease. Since the 1960s, the Orang Asli have lived in settlements at jungle fringes or near towns. This population of about 20,000 people work as traders of aboriginal products, on farms and on oil palm plantations. They are the group most affected by urbanisation with increased risk of overweight and obesity and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.The government provides health services at various facilities with varying levels of expertise. Currently, there are no local health-service facilities serving the Orang Asli and rural Malays.ObjectivesTo address impaired glucose tolerance, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, overweight and obesity, cigarette smoking and physical inactivity in the Orang Asli people and other rural Malays.
The project targets Orang Asli settlements and rural Malays, and the activities include:The development of health education materials (posters and pamphlets), record forms, guidebooks (for health talks and for local resource persons) and checklists by a constituted expert advisory committee consisting of diabetes specialists.The training of local resource persons to counsel, monitor and record (at 1-2 monthly intervals) the health status (BMI, BP and blood glucose) and progress of those people identified as at risk or having diabetes during awareness and screening campaigns (called ‘roadshows’).Implementation of 2-day campaigns to provide free screening and counselling on diabetes, diabetes complications and cardiovascular disease by health care providers. The indigenous groups targeted will be registered according to their health status and those with diabetes complications will be referred to the nearest government health facilities for further care.Organisation of regular health talks (30-50 people per talk) and demonstration of healthy diet/nutrition/cooking and exercise by health providers every 2-3 months.Finally, an assessment of pre- and post-intervention activities will be conducted through KAP surveys, resulting in measurements of clinical outcome indicators.
10 local resource persons trained within basic diabetes care and provided with basic tools 10 roadshows held, 871 screened/counselled of which 89.6% Orang Asli.29 local intervener counselling sessions conducted in 5 sites targeting 1,248 Orang Asli.15 health talks organised, reaching 668 people.