Ethnic differences in quality of life in adolescents among Chinese, Malay and Indians in Singapore.

Background: Health-related quality of life in adolescents and ethnic and cultural differences are not well characterized. We used the Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents (QOLQA) to examine ethnic differences in reported QOL scores among Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities in Singapore.

Methods: The 70-item QOLQA measuring five QOL domains (physical, psychological, independence, social and environmental) was administered to a random sample of 1363 school-children aged 10-15 years, representative of the ethnic composition of Singapore adolescents (Chinese 72%, Malays 20% and Indians 8%).

Genetic analysis of the thermolabile methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase variant in schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Objective: An elevated homocysteine level has been reported for patients with schizophrenia and depression. We investigated the frequency of the common C667 T variant of the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in controls and patients of Chinese descent.

Methods: Controls with no history of mental disorder and patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar and unipolar disorders were recruited.