Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol
Introduction Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk is influenced by environmental factors that are highly variable worldwide, yet prior research has focused mainly on high-income countries where most people are exposed to relatively homogeneous and static environments. Understanding the scope and comp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e058660.full |
| _version_ | 1828326457090244608 |
|---|---|
| author | Ian J Wallace Amanda J Lea Yvonne A L Lim Steven K W Chow Izandis bin Mohd Sayed Romano Ngui Mohd Tajudin Haji Shaffee Kee-Seong Ng Colin Nicholas Vivek V Venkataraman Thomas S Kraft |
| author_facet | Ian J Wallace Amanda J Lea Yvonne A L Lim Steven K W Chow Izandis bin Mohd Sayed Romano Ngui Mohd Tajudin Haji Shaffee Kee-Seong Ng Colin Nicholas Vivek V Venkataraman Thomas S Kraft |
| author_sort | Ian J Wallace |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk is influenced by environmental factors that are highly variable worldwide, yet prior research has focused mainly on high-income countries where most people are exposed to relatively homogeneous and static environments. Understanding the scope and complexity of environmental influences on NCD risk around the globe requires more data from people living in diverse and changing environments. Our project will investigate the prevalence and environmental causes of NCDs among the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, known collectively as the Orang Asli, who are currently undergoing varying degrees of lifestyle and sociocultural changes that are predicted to increase vulnerability to NCDs, particularly metabolic disorders and musculoskeletal degenerative diseases.Methods and analysis Biospecimen sampling and screening for a suite of NCDs (eg, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis), combined with detailed ethnographic work to assess key lifestyle and sociocultural variables (eg, diet, physical activity and wealth), will take place in Orang Asli communities spanning a gradient from remote, traditional villages to acculturated, market-integrated urban areas. Analyses will first test for relationships between environmental variables, NCD risk factors and NCD occurrence to investigate how environmental changes are affecting NCD susceptibility among the Orang Asli. Second, we will examine potential molecular and physiological mechanisms (eg, epigenetics and systemic inflammation) that mediate environmental effects on health. Third, we will identify intrinsic (eg, age and sex) and extrinsic (eg, early-life experiences) factors that predispose certain people to NCDs in the face of environmental change to better understand which Orang Asli are at greatest risk of NCDs.Ethics and dissemination Approval was obtained from multiple ethical review boards including the Malaysian Ministry of Health. This study follows established principles for ethical biomedical research among vulnerable indigenous communities, including fostering collaboration, building cultural competency, enhancing transparency, supporting capacity building and disseminating research findings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:40:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a67ea8fe9564987aa8e3191c7e1a6e4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:40:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a67ea8fe9564987aa8e3191c7e1a6e42022-12-22T02:32:54ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-09-0112910.1136/bmjopen-2021-058660Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocolIan J Wallace0Amanda J Lea1Yvonne A L Lim2Steven K W Chow3Izandis bin Mohd Sayed4Romano Ngui5Mohd Tajudin Haji Shaffee6Kee-Seong Ng7Colin Nicholas8Vivek V Venkataraman9Thomas S Kraft10Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USADepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaFederation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaHospital Orang Asli, Gombak, MalaysiaDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaFederation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCenter for Orang Asli Concerns, Subang Jaya, MalaysiaDepartment of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USAIntroduction Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk is influenced by environmental factors that are highly variable worldwide, yet prior research has focused mainly on high-income countries where most people are exposed to relatively homogeneous and static environments. Understanding the scope and complexity of environmental influences on NCD risk around the globe requires more data from people living in diverse and changing environments. Our project will investigate the prevalence and environmental causes of NCDs among the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, known collectively as the Orang Asli, who are currently undergoing varying degrees of lifestyle and sociocultural changes that are predicted to increase vulnerability to NCDs, particularly metabolic disorders and musculoskeletal degenerative diseases.Methods and analysis Biospecimen sampling and screening for a suite of NCDs (eg, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis), combined with detailed ethnographic work to assess key lifestyle and sociocultural variables (eg, diet, physical activity and wealth), will take place in Orang Asli communities spanning a gradient from remote, traditional villages to acculturated, market-integrated urban areas. Analyses will first test for relationships between environmental variables, NCD risk factors and NCD occurrence to investigate how environmental changes are affecting NCD susceptibility among the Orang Asli. Second, we will examine potential molecular and physiological mechanisms (eg, epigenetics and systemic inflammation) that mediate environmental effects on health. Third, we will identify intrinsic (eg, age and sex) and extrinsic (eg, early-life experiences) factors that predispose certain people to NCDs in the face of environmental change to better understand which Orang Asli are at greatest risk of NCDs.Ethics and dissemination Approval was obtained from multiple ethical review boards including the Malaysian Ministry of Health. This study follows established principles for ethical biomedical research among vulnerable indigenous communities, including fostering collaboration, building cultural competency, enhancing transparency, supporting capacity building and disseminating research findings.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e058660.full |
| spellingShingle | Ian J Wallace Amanda J Lea Yvonne A L Lim Steven K W Chow Izandis bin Mohd Sayed Romano Ngui Mohd Tajudin Haji Shaffee Kee-Seong Ng Colin Nicholas Vivek V Venkataraman Thomas S Kraft Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol BMJ Open |
| title | Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol |
| title_full | Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol |
| title_fullStr | Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol |
| title_short | Orang Asli Health and Lifeways Project (OA HeLP): a cross-sectional cohort study protocol |
| title_sort | orang asli health and lifeways project oa help a cross sectional cohort study protocol |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/9/e058660.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ianjwallace orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT amandajlea orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT yvonneallim orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT stevenkwchow orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT izandisbinmohdsayed orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT romanongui orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT mohdtajudinhajishaffee orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT keeseongng orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT colinnicholas orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT vivekvvenkataraman orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol AT thomasskraft orangaslihealthandlifewaysprojectoahelpacrosssectionalcohortstudyprotocol |