Factors influencing smoking cessation: Insights from Singapore's nationwide health and lifestyle survey.

Introduction: Singapore has implemented an evidence-based smoking cessation framework to support smokers in quitting. Our study investigated the prevalence and correlates of (1) quit attempts (QA) and quit intentions (QI) among current smokers, and (2) smoking cessation (SC) among ever-smokers in Singapore.

Method: Data was collected from a nationwide survey conducted between 2020 and 2022.

Effects of Oral Nutritional Supplement with β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on Biochemical and Hematological Indices in Community-Dwelling Older Adults at Risk of Malnutrition: Findings from the SHIELD Study.

Malnutrition may result in abnormal biochemical and hematological indices. This planned prespecified analysis investigated the effects of a specialized oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on biochemical and hematological indices in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition. In the Strengthening Health in ELDerly through nutrition (SHIELD) study, 811 older adults aged 65 years and above took part in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study.

Problematic smartphone use and mental health outcomes among Singapore residents: The health and lifestyle survey.

Background: The excessive use of smartphones and its association with adverse outcomes has been widely reported, with several studies showing an association between smartphone overuse, depression, anxiety, and sleep-related problems.

Methods: The study used data from the Health and Lifestyle Survey, a nationwide population survey. It examined the prevalence of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) and its association with mental health outcomes among Singapore residents aged 15-65 years.

Prevalence of consumption of illicit drugs and associated factors from a nationwide epidemiological survey: The Singapore Health and Lifestyle Survey.

Introduction: The primary aims of the current nationwide study were to establish the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of consumption of illicit drugs and its correlates in the general population of Singapore.

Method: A representative sample of 6509 Singapore residents (Singapore citizens and permanent residents) aged between 15 and 65 years were randomly selected for participation. Questionnaires were administered to assess the consumption of illicit drugs and collect information on correlates.

Development and deployment of a nationwide predictive model for chronic kidney disease progression in diabetic patients.

Aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major complication of diabetes and a significant disease burden on the healthcare system. The aim of this work was to apply a predictive model to identify high-risk patients in the early stages of CKD as a means to provide early intervention to avert or delay kidney function deterioration.

Materials And Methods: Using the data from the National Diabetes Database in Singapore, we applied a machine-learning algorithm to develop a predictive model for CKD progression in diabetic patients and to deploy the model nationwide.

The societal cost of modifiable risk factors in Singapore.

Background: Singapore is one of the most rapidly ageing populations in the world. Nearly half of all disease burdens in Singapore are attributable to modifiable risk factors. This indicates that many illnesses are preventable by modifying behaviours such as increasing physical activity levels or maintaining a healthy diet.

Prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition.

Background: There is an increasingly strong association between sarcopenia and malnutrition in research findings. We aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults (≥ 65 years) at risk of malnutrition based on Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 811 participants.

Food insufficiency, adverse childhood experiences and mental health: results of the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of food insufficiency and its association with mental disorders and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in Singapore.

Design: This analysis utilised data from the Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS 2016).

Setting: SMHS 2016 was a population-based, psychiatric epidemiological study conducted among Singapore residents.

Acceptance of healthy lifestyle nudges in the general population of Singapore.

Background: In recent years, behaviourally driven policies such as nudges have been increasingly implemented to steer desired outcomes in public health. This study examines the different nudges and the socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviours that are associated with public acceptance of lifestyle nudges.

Methods: The study used data from the nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices study (KAP) on diabetes in Singapore.

Sleep quality of Singapore residents: findings from the 2016 Singapore mental health study.

Given the importance of sleep for physical and mental wellbeing, it is crucial to understand the extent of insomnia among community dwellers. However, there is a paucity of population wide epidemiological studies to estimate the prevalence of poor sleep quality. This present study aimed to 1) characterize the sleep quality of a nationally representative sample (n = 6126) of Singapore residents using Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and 2) identify the sociodemographic correlates of poor sleep in this population.

Associations between socio-demographics, nutrition knowledge, nutrition competencies and attitudes in community-dwelling healthy older adults in Singapore: findings from the SHIELD study.

Background: Nutrition literacy refers to an individual's knowledge, motivation and competencies to access, process and understand nutrition information to make nutrition-related decisions. It is known to influence dietary habits of individuals including older adults. This cross-sectional study was designed to: (1) understand the nutrition knowledge, competencies and attitudes of community-dwelling older adults in Singapore, (2) examine the differences between their nutrition knowledge, and socio-demographic factors, competencies and attitudes and (3) identify factors associated with better nutrition knowledge in older healthy adults in Singapore.

Prevalence of low muscle mass and associated factors in community-dwelling older adults in Singapore.

The population is rapidly aging worldwide, and there is an age-related decline in muscle mass. Therefore, it is important to examine the prevalence and associated factors of low appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) in older adults. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were (i) to determine the prevalence of low ASMI (ASM/height) and (ii) to identify factors associated with low ASMI.

Nonurgent Patients' Preferences for Emergency Department Versus General Practitioner and Effects of Incentives: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

This study investigates potential of a new financial incentive policy, the GP-referral discount scheme introduced in Singapore, in reducing nonurgent emergency department (ED) visits, and compares it with alternative interventions. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was designed to elicit patients' preferences for ED and general practitioner (GP) under hypothetical nonurgent medical conditions. Through latent class multinomial logistic regression, choice models were estimated to quantify how patients' choices are influenced by GP-referral discount, other ED/GP attributes (waiting time, test facilities, and payment), patient demographics, and their perception of severity.

Association of adverse childhood experiences with diabetes in adulthood: results of a cross-sectional epidemiological survey in Singapore.

Objectives: Several studies have linked diabetes mellitus to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). While a number of studies have examined the association between ACEs and diabetes in Western populations, few have done it in Asian populations. The current study aimed to examine (1) the association between ACEs and diabetes, including the association after age stratification, and (2) the association of comorbid depression, resource use and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among those with diabetes and ACEs in Singapore.

Impact of specialized oral nutritional supplement on clinical, nutritional, and functional outcomes: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition.

Background & Aims: The world's over-65 population is expanding rapidly, and the risk of malnutrition is prevalent in this population. Meeting nutritional needs is a recognized strategy to reduce and address multiple debilitating adverse health outcomes associated with malnutrition. The objective of this randomized, controlled trial was to determine the effects of oral nutritional supplement (ONS) containing beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), along with dietary counseling, on health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition.

Direct Admission from the Emergency Department to a Subacute Care Ward: An Alternative to Acute Hospitalization.

In recent years, subacute care units (SCUs) have emerged as alternatives to acute hospitalization for selected emergency department (ED) patients who might benefit from a short period of inpatient stay within a less acute setting. We developed a new protocol to directly admit selected older patients from our acute hospital's (AH) ED to the SCU of a partner community hospital, making use of our ED's short-stay ward as a transit area to overcome administrative, financial, and clinical barriers. The new protocol has removed the need for intervening stays of longer than 24 hours at our AH, reduced overall length of stay across both institutions, decreased hospital admissions, and reduced the number of patient hand-offs.

Cost Savings and Efficacy in Management of Paracetamol Poisoning in a 23-hours Emergency Department Observation Unit: A Comparison to Inpatient Care.

Introduction Emergency department observation units (EDOU) have been shown to be effective in decreasing hospitalization rates and length of stay (LOS) for various conditions. However, cost savings and efficacy in the management of poisoning in EDOU have not been widely studied. The objective of our study is to compare the costs and effectiveness of managing paracetamol poisoned patients in the EDOU with those treated in the inpatient wards.

Factors associated with muscle mass in community-dwelling older people in Singapore: Findings from the SHIELD study.

Objectives: Aging is associated with low muscle mass and has been linked to adverse health outcomes. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were: (1) to describe anthropometry, body composition, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI; appendicular skeletal muscle mass/height2), and prevalence of low ASMI in older people with normal nutritional status (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool score = 0); (2) to determine factors associated with ASMI, and odds ratios of having low ASMI.

Methods: SHIELD is a study of community-dwelling older people aged 65 years and above in Singapore.

Factors influencing quality of life of Asian breast cancer patients and their caregivers at diagnosis: perceived medical and psychosocial needs.

Introduction: We aimed to examine the relative importance of medical and psychosocial needs of Asian breast cancer patients and their caregivers, and to identify the determinants of quality of life (QoL) at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study of the perceived needs and QoL of 99 dyads of breast cancer patients and their caregivers at diagnosis. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure the perceived importance of medical and psychosocial support needs.

Factors associated with inappropriate attendances at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Singapore.

Introduction: Inappropriate attendances (IAs) at emergency departments (ED) are contributed by patients with mild or moderate medical conditions that can be effectively managed by primary care physicians. IAs strain limited ED resources and have an adverse impact on efficiency. This study aimed to identify factors associated with IA at the ED of a tertiary hospital in Singapore.