Objective: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are increasingly used globally and the implications of their smoking are being debated. The aim of this study is to identify awareness, use and perceptions of e-cigarettes among young smokers and parents of youths in Singapore. Methods: A total of 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among youths (aged 15-29 years) who smoke and parents of youths, from diverse social contexts. Participants were recruited using a mix of network and purposive sampling. Youth FGDs were conducted in English language while the parent FGDs were conducted in Chinese and English language. FGDs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Awareness about e-cigarettes was perceived more among youth as compared to parents in terms of structure, mechanism and use of the device. Parents considered e-cigarettes to be a healthy substitute for conventional smoking. However, youth expressed the failure of e-cigarettes to provide satiety level same as conventional cigarette smoking. Participants endorsed e-cigarettes as a tool for smoking cessation. Conclusion: It was evident from the study that though there was knowledge of e-cigarettes, both parents and youths were ill- informed about them, owing to varied and inconsistent information on e-cigarettes along with its legal implications in Singapore. Future research is required to assess safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes as well as the association of their use with smoking cessation.

INTRODUCTIONHoarding is defined as the acquisition of, and inability to discard items even though they appear to others to have no value. The objectives of the study were to establish the prevalence of hoarding behaviour among the general population and among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a cross-sectional study conducted in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe Singapore Mental Health Study was a cross-sectional epidemiological survey of a nationally representative sample of residents aged 18 years or older, living in households. The diagnoses of mental disorders were established using Version 3.0 of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Differences between 3 groups i.e. those diagnosed with lifetime/12-month Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) OCD with hoarding, those diagnosed with lifetime/12-month DSM-IV OCD without hoarding and those with lifetime hoarding behaviour without diagnosis of DSM-IV OCD were determined.

RESULTSThe weighted prevalence of lifetime hoarding behaviour was 2% and that of hoarding among those with OCD was 22.6%. Those who met the criteria for hoarding behaviour alone were associated with lower odds of having obsessions of contamination, harming, ordering as well as compulsions of ordering and other compulsions than those who met criteria for both OCD and hoarding.

CONCLUSIONHoarders without OCD were less impaired, in terms of comorbid psychopathology, than those with OCD with and without hoarding, and had a higher quality of life versus those with both OCD and hoarding, though still lower than that of the general population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Hoarding Disorder ; complications ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ; complications ; diagnosis ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONPositive Mental Health (PMH) instrument is a self-administered multidimensional measure that is validated in the adult multi-ethnic Asian population in Singapore and comprises General Coping (GC), Emotional Support (ES), Spirituality, Interpersonal Skills (IS), Personal Growth and Autonomy (PGA) and Global Affect (GA) domains. This paper aimed to (i) examine socio-demographic differences and identify correlates for the total PMH and domain-specific scores in the sample, and (ii) compare the PMH total score for respondents with and without depression or anxiety.

MATERIALS AND METHODSSingapore residents aged 21 to 65 years, of Chinese, Malay or Indian ethnicity and residing in households across Singapore (n = 404) completed the 47-item PMH instrument in an anonymous survey. Socio-demographic information was obtained during the survey and respondents also completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8 and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 scale to establish depression and anxiety. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine for differences in PMH scores by socio-demographic groups and between those with and without depression and anxiety.

RESULTSThe total PMH score was significantly different across ethnicity and marital status in the bivariate analysis. After multivariate analysis, ethnicity remained a significant correlate for total PMH and the 6 domain-specific PMH scores, marital status correlated with Spirituality, educational level was associated with IS; while gender was associated with ES and PGA. Significantly lower PMH total scores were observed for those with depression and anxiety as compared to those without.

CONCLUSIONSocio-demographic correlates of PMH were identified in an Asian community sample. PMH scores were significantly lower among those with depression and anxiety.

Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Demography ; Depression ; Humans ; Mental Health

INTRODUCTIONThe aims of the study were to identify the prevalence and sociodemographic and clinical correlates of suicidal behaviours using data from a cross-sectional survey among those with major depressive disorder (MDD) in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) was a cross-sectional epidemiological study that surveyed Singapore residents (Singapore citizens and permanent residents) aged 18 years and above. The assessment of mental disorders was established using version 3.0 of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). For the purposes of this study, suicidal behaviour was assessed by questions which were asked to respondents who answered positively to the screening questions in the CIDI 3.0 "Depression" module.

RESULTSThe prevalence of suicidal ideation, plan and attempt among those with lifetime MDD was 43.6%, 13.7% and 12.3%, respectively. We found that suicidal ideation, plan and attempt were significantly associated with ethnicity, education and income. The rate of those who had sought some professional help was higher among those with suicidal plan (71.7%) and attempt (72.3%) as compared to those with suicidal ideation (48.7%) and those with MDD but no suicidal behaviour (29%).

CONCLUSIONIndividuals with MDD and suicidal behaviour do differ from their non-suicidal counterparts as they have a different sociodemographic and clinical profile. There is a need for more research and a better understanding of this population which in turn could lead to the development and implementation of relevant interventions.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; complications ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Singapore ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide, Attempted ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONThis study assessed occupational differences in the prevalence of mental and physical disorders in an employed general population sample in Singapore and investigated the impact of these disorders on work productivity losses in terms of work-loss days and work-cutback days. The association of occupation with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and nicotine dependence (ND) was also investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData from a population-based mental health survey of a representative sample of multi-ethnic residents aged 18 years and above were used. The World Health Organization's (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was administered to establish the lifetime diagnosis of key mental disorders. Self-report on sociodemographic characteristics, productivity loss, ND, and lifetime physical conditions were obtained. Nine occupational groups were included in this analysis.

RESULTSThe sample comprised 4361 participants with a mean (SD) age of 42.2 (11.9) years, ranging between 19 to 80 years. 'Associate professionals and technicians' (26.2%), 'Services and sales workers' (17.7%) and 'Professionals' (15.4%) were the 3 predominant occupational categories. Sociodemographic characteristics differed significantly across occupations (P <0.001). The lifetime prevalences of having 'any mental disorder' and 'any physical disorder' were 13.0% and 37.9%, respectively; major depressive disorder was the most prevalent mental disorder (5.9%) and hypertension was the most common physical disorder (15.6%). There were no significant differences in work productivity loss across occupations. Sociodemographic and occupational correlates for AUD and ND were identified.

CONCLUSIONSociodemographic and health disparities exist in the major occupational categories in Singapore. The strength of the associations between occupation and AUD and ND are significant, indicating the need for preventative measures in select occupations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol-Related Disorders ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; epidemiology ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Tobacco Use Disorder ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONCurrently very little is known about the prevalence or magnitude of caregiver dependence in Singapore and thus, there is a need to fill this gap in this multiethnic ageing population. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors of caregiver dependence among older adults in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData were used from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey among Singapore residents aged 60 years and above. Caregiver dependence was ascertained by asking the informant (the person who knows the older person best) a series of open-ended questions about the older person's care needs.

RESULTSThe older adult sample comprised 57.1% females and the majority were aged 60 to 74 years (74.8%), while 19.5% were 75 to 84 years, and 5.7% were 85 years and above. The prevalence of caregiver dependence was 17.2% among older adults. Significant sociodemographic risk factors of caregiver dependence included older age (75 to 84 years, and 85 years and above,<0.001), Malay and Indian ethnicity (<0.001), those who have never been married (= 0.048) or have no education (= 0.035), as well as being homemakers or retired (<0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic variables and all health conditions in multiple logistic regression analyses, dementia (<0.001), depression (= 0.011), stroke (= 0.002), eyesight problems (= 0.003), persistent cough (= 0.016), paralysis (<0.001), asthma (= 0.016) and cancer (= 0.026) were significantly associated with caregiver dependence.

CONCLUSIONVarious sociodemographic and health-related conditions were significantly associated with caregiver dependence. Dependent older adults will put greater demands on health and social services, resulting in greater healthcare expenditures. Hence, effective planning, services and support are crucial to meet the needs of dependent older adults and their caregivers.

Activities of Daily Living ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; Caregivers ; Cough ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dementia ; epidemiology ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Educational Status ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Humans ; India ; Logistic Models ; Malaysia ; Male ; Marital Status ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Occupations ; statistics & numerical data ; Paralysis ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Retirement ; statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; Vision Disorders ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONFunctioning and quality of life (QOL) are negatively impacted as a result of mental illness. This study aimed to determine the: i) socio-demographic and clinical correlates of functioning and; ii) associations between functioning and QOL in a multiethnic sample of psychiatric outpatients.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study of outpatients receiving treatment from a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Functioning was assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale, while QOL was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) which comprises 4 domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment.

RESULTSVarious socio-demographic and clinical correlates were associated with functioning including employment and marital status, education and diagnosis. Depression was the only clinical characteristic which negatively correlated with functioning (= 0.035). Amongst the whole sample, multiple linear regressions revealed that functioning was positively associated with all 4 QOL domains (physical health [<0.001], psychological health [<0.001], social relationships [<0.001] and environment [<0.001]). Further analysis of each diagnostic group revealed that functioning was positively associated with all 4 QOL domains in the anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder subsamples, while in the schizophrenia subsample, functioning was only significantly associated with all environment domain.

CONCLUSIONFunctional impairments were associated with different socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, which should be addressed when planning tailored treatment and interventions. Given that functioning is significantly associated with QOL, it is crucial to regularly assess and monitor them (in addition to symptomatic outcomes and adopting a more holistic and biopsychosocial approach).

INTRODUCTIONSmoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death throughout the world and can lead to nicotine dependence, particularly when initiated at a young age. This paper describes the prevalence of smoking and nicotine dependence in the adult Singapore resident population, whilst also exploring rates among the major ethnic groups (Chinese, Malay and Indian), different education levels and those with chronic psychiatric and physical comorbidities.

MATERIAL AND METHODSThe Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) is a cross-sectional epidemiological study that was conducted between December 2009 and December 2010. Information on smoking status was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0 (CIDI 3.0) and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence measured nicotine dependence. Socio-demographic information was also collected.

RESULTSIn total, 6616 respondents participated in the SMHS giving a response rate of 75.9%. We found that 16% of the population were current smokers and 4.5% had nicotine dependence. Current smokers were more likely to be younger (18 to 34 years old), males, Malay and have lower education, whilst males had a 4.6 times higher risk of nicotine dependence to that of females. The prevalence of nicotine dependence was also higher in those with alcohol abuse and those experiencing chronic pain.

CONCLUSIONThe results from this study highlight the important differences in the prevalence of smoking and nicotine dependence among different age groups, gender and ethnicity in Singapore and are important for developing future health policies and targeted preventive strategies.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; ethnology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Educational Status ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Indonesia ; ethnology ; Malaysia ; ethnology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nicotine ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Smoking Prevention ; Substance-Related Disorders ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; prevention & control ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONGiven that past research on drinking problems has focused primarily on younger samples, the present study sought to examine the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among the elderly in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData were extracted from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study, a cross-sectional, epidemiological survey conducted among a nationally representative sample of Singapore residents (n = 2565) aged 60 years and above. Variables assessed include drinking problems, depression and anxiety symptoms, obesity, smoking status, chronic physical disorders and disability.

RESULTSThe weighted prevalence of drinking problems (CAGE score ≥2) in our sample was 4.2%. Male sex, Indian ethnicity, and being divorced or separated were associated with a significantly higher likelihood of drinking problems. Participants with drinking problems were also more likely to have subthreshold depression. There were no significant differences in disability among those with drinking problems, those without drinking problems and non-drinkers, after adjusting for demographic variables.

CONCLUSIONOur findings contribute to the body of research that indicates an association between drinking problems and depressive symptoms among the elderly. Thus, screening for depressive symptoms in the elderly with drinking problems may be useful in identifying such comorbidities in order to aid treatment planning.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alcohol-Related Disorders ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Alcoholism ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Anxiety ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Divorce ; statistics & numerical data ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Humans ; India ; Male ; Marital Status ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTIONDisability increases an individual's dependence and negatively impacts their physical, mental, and social functioning. The current study aims to establish the prevalence and risk factors of disability in Singapore's population.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData was extracted from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study. This cross-sectional study recruited participants aged 60 years and above (n = 2421) who were representative of Singapore's multiethnic population. We used the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 to assess the severity of disability in our sample while establishing its associations and correlations with cognitive levels, sociodemographic variables, and chronic illness.

RESULTSCognitive deficits, old age, female gender, Malay and Indian ethnicity, lack of education, retired or homemaker status, presence of chronic illness (specifically stroke, heart problems, depression, and dementia) were found to be significantly associated with disability in Singapore's elderly population. As hypothesised, participants with deficits in cognition were more likely to indicate higher WHODAS scores.

CONCLUSIONThe findings highlighted specific factors associated with disability in this multiethnic population. The identification of these factors would lead the way to the development of appropriate interventions.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chronic Disease ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dementia ; epidemiology ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Disabled Persons ; Educational Status ; Ethnic Groups ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; epidemiology ; Humans ; India ; Malassezia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupations ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Retirement ; statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology