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At least 973 records · Page 54Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Relationships between cigarette smoking, blood pressure and serum lipids in the Singapore general population.

In a cross-sectional random survey of the whole of Singapore (2143 subjects aged 18-69 years), cardiovascular risk factors were measured by standardized techniques. For the analysis in the 18-69 year age group there was adjustment for ethnic group, age, body mass index, alcohol consumption and physical activity. Among serum lipids, high density lipoprotein (HDL-) cholesterol and fasting triglyceride were inversely related with partial correlation coefficients (r) of males -0.34 (P < 0.001) and females -0.26 (P < 0.001). There were no relationships between blood pressure and serum lipids except for direct ones with fasting triglyceride, being males (systolic r = 0.06, P = 0.066 and diastolic r = 0.12, P < 0.001) and females (systolic r = 0.11, P < 0.001 and diastolic r = 0.13, P < 0.001). Cigarette smoking, in males, was related to systolic blood pressure (inversely), with, compared to non-smokers, a reduction of 1.3 mm Hg (1.1%) in light smokers, 3.8 mm Hg (3.1%) in moderate smokers and 4.6 mm Hg (3.7%) in heavy smokers; there was no clear relation with diastolic blood pressure. Cigarette smoking, in males, was related to HDL-cholesterol (inversely), even after further adjustment for fasting triglyceride, with compared to non-smokers reductions of 0.03 mmol/l (3.4%) in light smokers, 0.09 mmol/l (10.3%) in moderate smokers and 0.12 mmol/l (13.8%) in heavy smokers. Cigarette smoking was related to fasting triglyceride (directly) but this was removed by further adjustment for HDL-cholesterol. Cigarette smoking was not related to low density lipoprotein cholesterol. These results are compared to those of other surveys.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Development and implementation of a clinical pathway programme in an acute care general hospital in Singapore.

A critical or clinical pathway defines the optimal care process, sequencing and timing of interventions by doctors, nurses and other health care professionals for a particular diagnosis or procedure. Clinical pathways are developed through collaborative efforts of clinicians, case managers, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other allied health care professionals with the aim of improving the quality of patient care, while minimizing cost to the patient. The use of clinical pathways has increased over the past decade in the USA, the UK, Australia, and many other developed countries. However, its use in the developing nations and Asia has been sporadic. To the author's knowledge, there is to date, no published literature on the use and impact of clinical pathways on the quality and cost of patient care in the Asian health care setting. This paper provides a qualitative account of the development and implementation of a clinical pathway programme (using the example of patients with uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction) in an acute care general hospital in Singapore. The paper concludes that clinical pathways, when implemented in the context of an acute care hospital, can result in improvements in the care delivery process.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1990

Statutory medical examinations and designated factory doctors in Singapore.

This paper describes the system of statutory medical examinations introduced in Singapore since 1985 and the role of designated factory doctors, as well as the progress of the system, problems and issues involved. The basic objective of the system is to ensure that workers in special risk occupations are fit for such work. Factory workers exposed to any of 14 prescribed hazards must undergo specific medical examinations and tests by designated factory doctors who are trained and registered with the Labour Ministry. Abnormal work-related cases are notified to the Ministry for further investigation. Currently there are 330 designated factory doctors and each year, over 38,000 workers are examined, 88 per cent for noise exposure. The system provides opportunities for early detection of both occupational and non work-related abnormalities, individual counselling and timely preventive action. It also complements industrial hygiene monitoring activities in the evaluation of health hazards and promotes self-regulation. To enhance the effectiveness of the system, the doctors must be properly trained and some degree of supervision is needed, particularly with regard to accuracy and interpretation of laboratory results, emphasis on counselling and re-orientation and updating of knowledge.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed1993

Exposure to neurotoxic metals among workers in Singapore: an overview.

The extent of occupational exposure to inorganic lead, manganese, arsenic and inorganic mercury in Singapore was determined from the results of Statutory Medical Examinations and environmental monitoring carried out by the Department of Industrial Health in 1989. There were 786 workers exposed to lead. Of these, 7.8 per cent had blood levels greater than 40 micrograms/dl. There were 67 workers exposed to mercury, 11.9 per cent of whom had urinary mercury levels greater than 50 micrograms/l. There were 101 and 144 workers exposed to arsenic and manganese respectively. None of the biological samples exceeded the health-based limits. A review of local studies showed that some of the exposed workers had neurophysiological and neurobehavioural changes.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1994

Urinary beta 2- and alpha 1-microglobulin levels in normal subjects in Singapore.

Differing normal values for urinary beta 2-microglobulin have been reported for different countries. In this study, we have attempted to establish the urinary beta 2- and alpha 1-microglobulin levels of apparently healthy subjects in Singapore. Urine samples collected from 271 subjects were analysed. The subjects ranged from 19 to 62 years old, with a mean age of 36.8 years. The majority (84.5%) were non-smokers. Urine samples with a pH level < 5.5 were excluded from the analysis. The urinary beta 2- and alpha 1-microglobulin values followed log normal distributions. Their 95th percentiles were 288 micrograms/g creatinine and 7.35 mg/g creatinine, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between sexes and ethnic groups for urinary beta 2-microglobulin values. Both alpha 1- and beta 2-microglobulin values increased significantly with age. Smokers had significantly higher urinary alpha 1-microglobulin values.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Assess workers' needs and preferences first before planning a physical fitness programme: findings from a polytechnic institute in Singapore.

Workplace physical fitness programmes are usually poorly attended because the activities do not meet workers' needs. We investigated leisure-time physical activity and its relation to sociodemographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors in a polytechnic institute in Singapore before planning a physical fitness programme. Low leisure-time physical activity (defined as no activity or engaging in physical activity less than once per week) was more prevalent among older women, married workers, smokers and men with unhealthy dietary habits. The type of physical activity varied with age and gender, with a preference for walking by women and older men and jogging by younger men. Low physical activity was significantly associated with sickness absence and self-reported stress in women and higher values of triglycerides and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in men. This survey helps to identify target groups for physical fitness programmes and determine leisure-time physical activities specific to workers' preferences by age and gender.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1994

From colony to city state: changes in health needs in Singapore from 1950 to 1990.

The disease patterns and health needs of Singaporeans have altered dramatically over the last half-century as a result of both economic progress and socio-demographic change. This is reflected by improvements in the universal indices of health status such as the infant mortality rate and life expectancy at birth. At the same time, chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease have replaced infectious diseases as the major causes of death, as is the pattern in industrialized countries throughout the world. The challenge for public health in Singapore today is to find cost-effective means to control these diseases, and in this regard, the country has embarked on a strategy of disease prevention and health promotion for the next decade, aimed at reducing the levels of major lifestyle-related risk factors by providing a supportive environment for behavioural change.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of Hae-III-generated VNTR profiles of Chinese in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Some statistical analysis and experiments have been carried out on the single-locus VNTR reference databases collected separately from the Chinese in Hong Kong and Singapore to assess the issues of sample size and representativeness in the context of forensic science. We employed the bootstrap method and the Pearson chi-squared test for independence, and found that the different reference databases have very little effect in assessing the frequencies of occurrence of variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) profiles. The results of random match probability assessment also indicate that the sample sizes studied appeared adequate to provide representative data. It has been found that a battery of four loci was enough to distinguish the 458 individuals under study.

Asian People↗
PubMed2004

Long-term effects of condom promotion programmes for vaginal and oral sex on sexually transmitted infections among sex workers in Singapore.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term impact of condom promotion programmes for vaginal and oral sex among female brothel-based sex workers in Singapore. DESIGN: A pre-test/post-test comparison group followed by a time series design was used to compare trends in condom use for vaginal sex and cervical gonorrhoea incidence from 1990 to 2002 across cross-sectional samples of sex workers before and after programme implementation in 1995. The subsequent condom promotion programme for oral sex was evaluated using the interrupted time series with a retrospective pre-test to post-test matched control group design. METHODS: Sex workers completed a questionnaire before and 6 months after participation in educational sessions. Cervical and pharyngeal swabs were taken monthly for cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. RESULTS: Consistent condom use for vaginal sex increased significantly from < 45.0% before 1995 (pre-intervention period) to 95.1% in 2002, with a corresponding decline in cervical gonorrhoea incidence from > 30 to 2/1000 person-months. Adjustment for temporal changes in sociodemographic characteristics did not materially alter the trends. Consistent oral condom use increased significantly from < 50% before 1996 to 97.2% in 2002, with a corresponding decline in pharyngeal gonorrhoea from > 12 to 4.7/1000 person-months. CONCLUSION: The interventions produced sustained high levels of condom use for vaginal and oral sex with corresponding declines in cervical and pharyngeal gonorrhoea incidence.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Spinal injury rehabilitation in Singapore.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) are often preventable. In order to determine the characteristics and rehabilitation outcome of our spinal injured, we carried out a retrospective study of SCI patients admitted between January 1990 and December 1995 to the only spinal rehabilitation centre in Singapore. There was a total of 231 patients with ages between 14 and 82 years. The majority (73.6%) were below the age of 50. There was a male preponderance (83.1%) and a significant proportion of foreigners (20.3%). The most common causes of injuries were falls (50.7%) and road traffic accidents (37.2%). Damage to the cervical spine predominated (53.7%), followed by the thoracolumbar junction (23.4%). At the end of rehabilitation, the number of patients who were Frankel D/E improved significantly from 61 to 136. Sixty-eight patients were able to ambulate independently without aid and total independence in activities of daily living was achieved in 45 patients. The majority (87.9%) were discharged to their own homes. Of those who returned for follow-up, 86.3% were gainfully employed at the time of injury but only 21.6% had returned to some form of vocation within 1 year.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1998

The Singapore Youth Coronary Risk and Physical Activity Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine coronary risk factors and physical activity patterns of primary and secondary school children in Singapore. Children 6-18 yr (730 boys, 849 girls) were evaluated for anthropometry, percent body fat, resting blood pressure, fasting plasma lipids and lipoproteins and glucose. A physical activity and leisure pursuits self-reported survey was used to group children into five categories ranging from "inactive" to "vigorous" activity. The self-reported questionnaire also recorded individual responses to exercise behaviors, leisure activities, and participation in organized games and sports. Body weight, body mass index (BMI; kg x m[-2]), and percent body fat were compared by age and gender. The blood analysis showed no significant differences in boys' and girls' plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. Physical activity was significantly correlated with total cholesterol (rs = -0.13, P = 0.018) and triglycerides (rs = -0.18, P = 0.001) for boys and between physical activity with body fat (rs = -0.22, P = 0.0001) and BMI (rs = -0.16, P = 0.01) for girls. Height, weight, BMI, percent body fat, and blood pressure were greater for each age to 14 yr, after which there was less recorded body fat for boys. Girls' body fat remained about the same after 14 yr. Comparing by gender and age, significant differences were found between physical activity groups and total cholesterol and body fat. Although few children were at risk for heart disease, this study provides baseline coronary risk and physical activity data for further longitudinal analysis in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Relation between work and myopia in Singapore women.

BACKGROUND: Work and related activities may be connected to myopia development and progression. We investigated the relationship between working activities and the onset as well as worsening of myopia. METHODS: Information on the working status of the mothers of 374 children, the number of hours of close-up work activity, and whether the mother was short-sighted, was obtained by a face-to-face interview. In addition, a subsample of 84 mothers was interviewed over the telephone and asked whether the myopia occurred in adulthood and, if so, the age of cessation of myopia. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratio for myopia in working women was 1.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 3.2] and the adjusted odds ratio for high myopia (> -6.0 D) was 1.6 (95% CI 0.8 to 3.0). Women who were working also had higher rates of adult-onset myopia, odds ratio 4.4 (95% CI 0.9 to 21.2), and a later age of cessation of myopia than nonworking women. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, work was related to myopia in Singapore women. Work may be a surrogate for another risk factor, close-up work activities such as reading, writing, and computer use.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anger, harassment, and cardiovascular reactivity among Chinese and Indian men in Singapore.

OBJECTIVE: This experiment examined psychological and cardiovascular responses to experimental harassment among Chinese and Indian men in Singapore who differed in levels of dispositional anger. METHODS: Eighty-four Chinese and Indian men participated in a laboratory experiment on cardiovascular reactivity in which mood was rated and heart rate and blood pressure were measured during computer tasks in which they were either harassed or allowed to complete the tasks without interruption. RESULTS: Comparison of systolic reactivity to harassment and nonharassment indicated, as expected, that reactivity was greater after harassment. Furthermore, a significant race by dispositional anger by harassment effect was obtained for systolic reactivity that indicated different patterns of reactivity for Chinese and Indian participants. In the absence of harassment, Chinese participants showed low systolic reactivity regardless of their level of dispositional anger, whereas systolic reactivity increased as a function of dispositional anger when they were harassed. For Indians, however, systolic reactivity was a positive function of dispositional anger both when they were harassed and not harassed. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest stronger cardiovascular reactivity to stress among Indian than among Chinese men. This seems to be particularly true for Indians high in dispositional anger.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Sexually transmitted diseases and condom use among female freelance and brothel-based sex workers in Singapore.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Most studies in Asia exclude freelance female sex workers because of difficulties in access and the illegality of their work. Data are lacking on their risk behaviors. GOAL: To compare sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates, condom use, and health screening behavior between freelance and brothel-based sex workers in Singapore. STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional survey of 111 free-lance sex workers arrested from November 1996 to March 1997 for illicit prostitution and 333 randomly selected brothel-based sex workers. All were tested for STDs. RESULTS: STDs were significantly more prevalent among freelance than brothel-based sex workers (34.8% vs. 24.0%). Inconsistent condom use was significantly higher among freelance than brothel-based sex workers and was significantly associated with younger age, decreasing number of clients, and perception of non-condom use among peers. CONCLUSION: Educational programs to promote condom use should target freelance sex workers and their clients.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Factors associated with condom use for oral sex among female brothel-based sex workers in Singapore.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of oral sex increased from 27.1% in 1992 to 81.1% in 1997, with a concomitant increase in pharyngeal gonorrhea, among female sex workers in Singapore. The extent of condom use for oral sex among them is unknown. GOAL: To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with consistent condom use during oral sex. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 225 women randomly selected from the surveillance scheme register of female brothel-based sex workers with a history of oral sex documented in their medical records. RESULTS: Slightly more than half (56.9%) consistently used condoms for oral sex compared to 97% for vaginal sex. Condom use was significantly higher among middle than high class sex workers (adjusted rate ratio: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.01-2.29) and those with negotiation skills (adjusted rate ratio: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.32-2.07). CONCLUSION: Sex workers should be taught skills to negotiate condom use for oral sex.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A prospective study on condom slippage and breakage among female brothel-based sex workers in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Concerns about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing sexually transmitted diseases have been raised. Data are lacking on condom failure and its associated factors among sex workers in Southeast Asia. GOAL: To assess factors associated with condom breakage and slippage. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study on condom breakage and slippage over a 1-day period was conducted among 219 female brothel-based sex workers in Singapore in 1997. RESULTS: Condom breakage and slippage rates among 1,885 episodes of condom use were 1.2% (95% CI, 0.7-1.8) and 2.1% (95% CI, 1.2-3.0), respectively. After adjusting for intracluster effects and confounders, condom breakage and slippage were significantly associated with duration of sex work and spontaneity of clients to use condoms. CONCLUSION: Condom use among sex workers should be promoted in view of the low failure rates. Strategies to reduce condom breakage and slippage should be directed at sex workers with increased risk of condom failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Glutathione S transferase-theta (GSTT1) genetic polymorphism among Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore.

Glutathione S-transferase-theta (GSTT1) is subject to a genetic polymorphism where approximately 50% of a Caucasian population are homozygous for the null allele. Because of the possible association of the polymorphism with increased cancer risk in individuals, we genotyped by polymerase chain reaction 187 normal Chinese, 167 normal Malays and 152 normal Indians from Singapore and Malaysia. The proportion of Chinese, Malays and Indians with the null genotype were 58%, 38% and 16% respectively and mirrored previously reported frequencies of the GSTM1 null genotype in these populations. The frequency of the combined GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes among Chinese, Malays and Indians were 37%, 22% and 5% respectively. The similarity with predicted frequencies indicated no interaction between the two genetic polymorphisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Identifying information technology competencies needed in Singapore nursing education.

The purpose of the study was to identify Singapore's healthcare industry's minimum information technology (IT) performance standard expectations for nurses' competencies. A needs assessment was conducted with a panel representing nursing education, nursing management and nursing practice. The findings in this study would provide suggestions to improve the current diploma and advanced diploma nursing programs curricula to meet the present workforce demands. The experts agreed that information technology is necessary and there were two main categories of IT skills identified, basic IT skills and work-related IT skills.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗