This article analyses the complex factors contributing to rising medical expenses, focusing on the senior citizen demographic in Malaysia. With the global aging population, notably in lower and middle-income countries, the study highlights the escalating medical and health insurance costs, driven by age, income source, modern healthcare, and geographical residence. The research draws on an extensive literature review, demographic analysis, and quantitative methods to examine these determinants. It critically analyzes Malaysia’s healthcare system, which operates on a dual-tier model, and the financial burden placed on senior citizens. The findings indicate that age, source of income, and geographical residence significantly influence medical expenses, whereas modern healthcare’s impact is not statistically significant. The study calls for government intervention, insurance industry adjustments, and private sector support to mitigate the financial strain on senior citizens. Recommendations include tax relief adjustments, National Health Insurance Scheme implementation, and employment sustainability for seniors. This research provides some recommendations to policymaking, the insurance industry, and academia by providing insights into managing the healthcare needs of an aging population sustainably.

This paper aims to explore the impact of V-Girls APP on the improvement of female college students' Health literacy and its mechanism. Using a questionnaire survey method, the survey subjects were female students from a certain university. The results showed that using the V-Girls app can significantly improve the health knowledge level, health behavior habits, and mental health status of female college students. Further analysis reveals that the impact mechanisms of V-Girls APP mainly include cognitive mechanisms, social support mechanisms, and behavioral guidance mechanisms. The results of this study provide new ways and ideas for improving female college students' Health literacy.

This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of telehealth among consumers in Malaysia, aiming to understand the impact of effort expectancy, performance expectancy, computer self-efficacy, and trust on the intention to use telehealth, building on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A quantitative descriptive methodology was used, collecting data from 390 Malaysian consumers via an online survey. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software to evaluate the relationships between the variables. The analysis revealed significant positive relationships between all examined factors and the adoption of telehealth. Performance expectancy was the most influential factor, followed by trust, effort expectancy, and computer self-efficacy. The multiple regression model indicated that these variables collectively explain 82.1% of the variance in telehealth adoption intention. The findings provide valuable insights for providers and marketers, suggesting that telehealth platforms should focus on performance expectancy, trust, and ease of use. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for supportive policies from the Malaysian government to enhance telehealth adoption. The results contribute to the literature on healthcare technology adoption, offering practical implications for improving telehealth implementation in Malaysia.

The prospects of digital infrastructure in promoting rural economic growth and development are by and large immense. The paper found that rural development is considerably important for economic development and for achievement of sustainable livelihoods that increases people’s ability to achieve good health and wellbeing that enable the achievement of sustainable development. The paper found that digital imbalance and digital illiteracy in the rural areas hinder implementation of digital infrastructure to lead to rural economic growth. Digital infrastructure is the source of economic opportunities that enables local people in the rural areas to be more creative in achieving development success. It enables them to have a unique sense of place and fashioning of vibrant economic and financial opportunities that ensure the achievement of sustainable rural economic development. However, the paper found that the application of digital infrastructure to South Africa’s rural areas in the bid to promote rural economic growth has been hindered by factors like the digital divide, financial constraints, digital illiteracy and the failure to own a smart phone. These factors hinder digital infrastructure from leading to sustainable rural economic development and growth. The paper used secondary data gathered from existing literature. The use of qualitative research methodology and document and content analysis techniques became vital in the process of collecting and analyzing collected data.

The effectiveness of frailty intervention programs for older adults in Korean communities has been inconsistent, posing challenges for public health nurses (PHNs). This study aims to develop an evidence-based intervention using the Intervention Mapping (IM) Protocol. The program followed the IM Protocol’s six steps, which provide a systematic method for developing and implementing theory-based health promotion programs. In Step 1, the needs of the subjects were identified through systematic review and interviews. In Step 3, the theme of the program was established as ‘health promotion for frail older adults’, and the components and scope were confirmed. The contents of the program included concepts of social support and social networks. In Step 4, after conducting a pilot test, the results were reflected and modifications were made. In Step 6, the evaluation tool was revised, and an effective evaluation plan was established. The final program was designed based on the program and interview results. The pilot test in Step 4 involved a one-group pretest-posttest and focus group interview with 15 pre-frail older adults. The IM Protocol-based health promotion program effectively addressed the needs of the subjects and improved frailty issues.