DIABETES IN MALAYSIA: A SITUATIONAL STUDY ON PREVALENCE FACTORS OF THE DISEASE BASED ON SOCIO-ANTHROPOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS

Background and Objectives: Diabetes has now become an acute health hazard causing illness to many people around the world and as such, Malaysia is not an exception. Although genetics and certain epidemiological factors often contribute much to the development of this disease, there is no denying the fact that certain socio-cultural factors like food habits and lifestyles often accentuate the cause and growth of this disease contributing to further of its deterioration. Diabetes prevalence rate has been found to be increasing at a very alarming rate in Malaysia, almost doubling the number since two decades bringing it 15.2% in 2011.This paper thus provides some empirical data based on a field study conducted among patients living in and around Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Methodology and Data Sources: Based on convenience sampling, the research adopted the snowball technique in identifying a total of 70 diabetic patients at the National Institute of Diabetes and its catchment areas where they were interviewed extensively to generate some basic socio-economic and numerical data. The research also utilized a triangulation of qualitative techniques including in-depth interviews, personal and group discussions and a few focus group discussions (FGDs)through patients' participation. Major Findings: The paper describes the socio-cultural situations of diabetes in Malaysia and contextually depicts the real situation of the disease in the country. Through identifying the significant socio-economic variables, the research relates the life and living styles of the patients from multi-ethnic and multi-cultural backgrounds. In relation to the questions that cover the major causes of diabetes, an overwhelming majority of the respondents however, sweepingly assessed and identified both genetic component and indiscriminate food habits as important susceptible factors for diabetes. It could not however, fully affirm the genetic cause as the most significantly overwhelming factor for Malaysia, as many of the patients' parents and grandparents in the past did not have diabetes in their early and middle periods of their life which leads us to believe that diabetes in Malaysia at large is a recent emergence. Conclusions and Final Comments: In the concluding comments, the paper identified multi-causative factors for diabetes in Malaysia and thus suggests that Malaysian Government and policy planners should take note of all these issues for future protection.