Proceeding of the 3rd International Public Health Conference

Published: Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2013, Vol. 13 (Suppl. 1)

Organiser: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) & Malaysian Public Health Physicians’ Association

Last reviewed: March 2026

About the Conference

The International Public Health Conference (IPHC) series has established itself as one of Malaysia’s premier academic gatherings for public health professionals. Organised through collaboration between Malaysian universities and the Malaysian Public Health Physicians’ Association (PPPKAM), the conference provides a structured forum for the presentation and discussion of original research across the full spectrum of public health disciplines. The 3rd IPHC, held in 2013, continued this tradition by convening researchers, clinicians, health administrators, and policymakers to examine both longstanding and emerging public health challenges in Malaysia and the wider region.

The proceedings of the conference were published as a supplementary volume of the Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine (MJPHM Vol. 13, Suppl. 1, 2013), ensuring that the research presented at the event would be accessible to the broader scientific community and preserved in the permanent literature. This publication model—whereby conference abstracts and extended abstracts are published in a peer-reviewed journal—is an important mechanism for enhancing the visibility and impact of public health research conducted in Malaysia.

Scope and Thematic Coverage

The conference programme encompassed a wide range of public health topics, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the field and the diversity of research being conducted across Malaysian institutions. Presentations spanned the core sub-disciplines of public health, including epidemiology and biostatistics, health services research, health economics, environmental and occupational health, nutrition, family health, infectious disease control, health promotion, and public health policy and management.

Among the prominent thematic areas addressed were the epidemiology and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which represent the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Malaysia. Presentations examined the prevalence and determinants of conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, as well as strategies for population-level prevention through lifestyle modification, screening programmes, and health education.

Healthcare financing and health systems research featured prominently, with studies examining the costs of healthcare delivery, the efficiency of resource allocation, and the challenges of maintaining universal health coverage in the context of rising healthcare expenditure. These contributions were particularly timely given the ongoing policy discussions in Malaysia about the sustainability of the public healthcare system and potential models for healthcare reform.

Infectious disease preparedness was another key theme, reflecting the importance of communicable disease control in the Malaysian public health landscape. Presentations addressed topics including dengue vector control, tuberculosis management, foodborne disease surveillance, and pandemic preparedness planning—all areas of enduring relevance to public health practice in the tropics.

The Role of MJPHM in Conference Dissemination

The publication of conference proceedings in MJPHM serves multiple important functions. For researchers, it provides a citable record of their work that can contribute to their academic portfolios and facilitate collaboration with colleagues working on similar topics. For the broader public health community, it ensures that research findings are disseminated beyond the limited audience that attends the conference itself. For policymakers and practitioners, it provides a curated collection of evidence that can inform decision-making and programme development.

MJPHM has a long-standing tradition of publishing conference supplements, including proceedings from the National Public Health Conference series and various international conferences co-organised by Malaysian institutions. This practice reflects the journal’s commitment to supporting the Malaysian public health research ecosystem and promoting the translation of evidence into practice.

Significance of International Conferences for Malaysian Public Health

International public health conferences play a vital role in strengthening Malaysia’s research capacity and fostering connections with the global public health community. They provide opportunities for Malaysian researchers to receive feedback on their work from international peers, to learn about methodological innovations and best practices from other countries, and to identify potential collaborators for multi-site or comparative studies. For early-career researchers and postgraduate students, conference participation is an important component of professional development that builds presentation skills, expands professional networks, and stimulates intellectual growth.

The 3rd IPHC contributed to these objectives by attracting participation from institutions across Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region, creating a rich environment for academic exchange and professional networking. The conference proceedings published in this supplement represent a snapshot of the breadth and quality of public health research being conducted in Malaysia at the time, and they continue to serve as a reference for researchers working in the topics covered.

Accessing the Proceedings

The full proceedings of the 3rd International Public Health Conference were published in MJPHM Vol. 13, Suppl. 1 (2013). Individual abstracts and papers can be accessed through the MJPHM journal archives. Researchers interested in the topics covered by the conference are encouraged to consult the proceedings as a starting point for their own investigations, and to explore subsequent volumes of MJPHM for follow-up studies and related research.

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