Health Status of Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia: An Overview of Methodology and General Findings of OAHS 2022

This study elaborates on the methodology and general findings of the Orang Asli Health Survey (OAHS), a nationwide cross-sectional study using stratified random sampling. Conducted in 68 villages, the survey achieved a response rate of 89.8%. Comprehensive health data were collected, with rigorous data cleaning and weighting to ensure accuracy and representativeness. Most Orang Asli resided in fringe (45.5%) and remote -(45.9%) areas, with Senoi (41.3%), Proto-Malay (33.8%), and Negrito (24.9%) as the main tribal groups. Nearly half (49.0%) of respondents aged 7 and above had no formal education, and 86.6% of employed adults held low-skilled jobs. In addition, 64.6% earned below RM1000 monthly. Major health indicators were incorporated. Lower prevalence of complete vaccination (60.7%) and child malnutrition remained concern, with 43.8% stunting, 12.3% wasting, and 6.7% overweight. Among adults, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were the most prevalent. While the cross-sectional design limits causality, the findings highlight persistent disparities and the need for longitudinal research and culturally sensitive interventions to improve Orang Asli's health.