Community In Singapore Research Articles

Malay Muslim Worldviews: Some Thoughts for Social Work Practice in Singapore

Singapore is a multicultural society with a population of about 5.1 million comprising mainly of people with Chinese, Malay, and Indian descent. This article focuses on a review of literature on the interface of religion and ethnic worldviews of the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. In addition, it will utilize practice examples to show how these worldviews have implications for social work practice with the Malay-Muslim community particularly in the areas of health and family well-being. Help-seeking and the provision of help must acknowledge and use these worldviews as “strengths” in the delivery of social services. The article ends with an emphasis on the need for training in cultural competence for social workers in multicultural societies such as Singapore.

From prejudice to evidence: the case of rhizoma coptidis in singapore.

Rhizoma Coptidis (RC), commonly known as huanglian, is a herb frequently used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescriptions. Known to have “clearing damp-heat, quenching fire and counteracting poison” properties, it was widely used in the Chinese community in Singapore. Berberine, an alkaloid isolated from RC, is known to have a wide array of therapeutic effects including antimicrobial, antineoplastic, and hepatoprotective effects. In 1978, RC was implicated in causing neonatal jaundice (NNJ) and kernicterus in neonates suffering from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, leading to the banning of RC and berberine in Singapore. More than three decades later, accumulating evidence-based studies pointing to the safety of RC for general public and better understanding of G6PD deficiency, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in Singapore reviewed and lifted the prohibition on RC and berberine, turning a brand new chapter in the history of TCM in Singapore. This paper aims to review the safety of RC and berberine, using the prohibition of use and subsequent lifting of ban on RC and berberine in Singapore as an illustration to highlight the importance of evidence-based studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Accounts of religio-cultural identity in Singapore and Malaysia

Singapore and Malaysia shared a similar history until 1965. They continue to share a similar spread of religions, ethnicities and languages. Even though Chinese are much the largest community in Singapore, and Malays the majority group in Malaysia, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism are widely practised in both, while Malay, English, Tamil and several forms of Chinese are widely spoken – and frequently mixed with each other. To identify the range of perceptions of culture and identity in each society, discussion was observed among an ethnically-diverse focus group of Singaporeans and compared with similar discussion among a group of Malaysians. Discursive analysis was used to examine the construction of religious and ethnic identity emerging from the spoken data. The research focus was not only on the content of the discussions itself but also on the speech strategies employed by the participants. Findings suggest the existence of competing perceptions of what a multicultural society is or should be, not only across different ethnic and religious groups but also between the two countries.

Factors Associated with Nursing Home Placement of All Patients Admitted for Inpatient Rehabilitation in Singapore Community Hospitals from 1996 to 2005: A Disease Stratified Analysis

ObjectivesTo (1) identify social and rehabilitation predictors of nursing home placement, (2) investigate the association between effectiveness and efficiency in rehabilitation and nursing home placement of patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation from 1996 to 2005 by disease in Singapore.DesignNational data were retrospectively extracted from medical records of community hospital.Data SourcesThere were 12,506 first admissions for rehabilitation in four community hospitals. Of which, 8,594 (90.3%) patients were discharged home and 924 (9.7%) patients were discharged to a nursing home. Other discharge destinations such as sheltered home (n = 37), other community hospital (n = 31), death in community hospital (n = 12), acute hospital (n = 1,182) and discharge against doctor’s advice (n = 24) were excluded.Outcome MeasureNursing home placement.ResultsThose who were discharged to nursing home had 33% lower median rehabilitation effectiveness and 29% lower median rehabilitation efficiency compared to those who were discharged to nursing homes. Patients discharged to nursing homes were significantly older (mean age: 77 vs. 73 years), had lower mean Bathel Index scores (40 vs. 48), a longer median length of stay (40 vs. 33 days) and a longer time to rehabilitation (19 vs. 15 days), had a higher proportion without a caregiver (28 vs. 7%), being single (21 vs. 7%) and had dementia (23 vs. 10%). Patients admitted for lower limb amputation or falls had an increased odds of being discharged to a nursing home by 175% (p<0.001) and 65% (p = 0.043) respectively compared to stroke patients.ConclusionsIn our study, the odds of nursing home placement was found to be increased in Chinese, males, single or widowed or separated/divorced, patients in high subsidy wards for hospital care, patients with dementia, without caregivers, lower functional scores at admission, lower rehabilitation effectiveness or efficiency at discharge and primary diagnosis groups such as fractures, lower limb amputation and falls in comparison to strokes.

Recruiting the All-Female Rani of Jhansi Regiment: Subhas Chandra Bose and Dr Lakshmi Swaminadhan

The recruitment of the all-female Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army in Japanese-controlled Singapore and Malaya, with a particular focus on the period between the first female guard of honour on 12 July 1943 through to the opening of the regiment's main camp in Singapore on 22 October 1943, has to date been insufficiently studied. Starting with the conception of the Regiment in an Axis submarine by the Indian nationalist leader Subhas Chandra Bose (1897–1945), this paper examines the ideas and figures that inspired the regiment and the role of Bose and Dr Lakshmi Swaminadhan (1914–2012) in mobilizing recruits. A division of labour can be distinguished, whereby Bose's rallies and speeches awakened a desire and commitment to join the regiment, whereas Dr Lakshmi used a door-to-door approach and access to homes to convince parents and to confirm participation. By 22 October 1943, 156 women and girls from among the Indian communities in Singapore and Malaya from a wide range of ethnic, social, religious and language backgrounds had joined the regiment that was part of Bose's plan to liberate India from British domination. Among the key sources used in this paper are Dr Lakshmi's late-1960s autobiography and the 2007 autobiographical account of one of her then 16-year-old recruits, Rasammah Naomi Navarednam (b 1927).

Choice of primary health care source in an urbanized low-income community in Singapore: a mixed-methods study

Cost and misperceptions may discourage lower income Singaporeans from utilizing primary care. We investigated sources of primary care in a low-income Singaporean community in a mixed-methods study. Residents of a low-income public rental flat neighbourhood were asked for sociodemographic details and preferred source of primary care relative to their higher income neighbours. In the qualitative component, interviewers elicited, from patients and health care providers, barriers/enablers to seeking care from Western-trained doctors. Interviewees were selected via purposive sampling. Transcripts were analyzed thematically, and iterative analysis was carried out using established qualitative method. Participation was 89.8% (359/400). Only 11.1% (40/359) preferred to approach Western-trained doctors, 29.5% (106/359) preferred alternative medicine, 6.7% (24/359) approached family/friends and 52.6% (189/359) preferred self-reliance. Comparing against higher income neighbours, rental flat residents were more likely to turn to alternative medicine and family members but less likely to turn to Western-trained doctors (P < 0.001). For the qualitative component, a total of 20 patients and 9 providers were interviewed before data saturation was reached. Patient and provider comments fell into the following content areas: primary care characteristics, knowledge, costs, priorities, attitudes and information sources. Self-reliance was perceived as acceptable for 'small' illnesses but not for 'big' ones, communal spirit was cited as a reason for consulting family/friends and social distance from primary care practitioners was highlighted as a reason for not consulting Western-trained doctors. Western-trained physicians are not the first choice of lower income Singaporeans for seeking primary care. Knowledge, primary care characteristics and costs were identified as potential barriers/enablers.

Fast-food consumers in Singapore: demographic profile, diet quality and weight status.

To determine the demographic profile of fast-food consumers among adult Singapore residents and ascertain whether fast-food consumption frequency is associated with diet quality and weight status. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey including an FFQ and anthropometric measures. Participants were grouped based on their fast-food consumption frequency as non-consumer, occasional consumer or regular consumer, with regular defined as at least once per week. Individuals living in the community in Singapore. Singapore residents (n 1627) aged 18-69 years of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicity. Proportions of regular fast-food consumers were higher in younger age groups, higher income groups and middle education level groups. Mean daily energy intake was positively associated with fast-food consumption frequency (non-consumers 9636 kJ (2303 kcal); occasional consumers 11 159 kJ (2667 kcal); regular consumers 13 100 kJ (3131 kcal); P for trend < 0·001). Fast-food consumers were more likely to exceed the RDA for energy, fat and saturated fat, and less likely to meet wholegrain and fruit recommendations. Both regular consumers (OR = 1·24; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·51) and occasional consumers (OR = 1·52; 95 % CI 1·32, 1·77) were more likely to have a waist:hip ratio indicating abdominal obesity. Occasional consumers were more likely to have a BMI ≥ 23·0 kg/m2 (OR = 1·19; 95 % CI 1·04, 1·37), whereas regular consumers were less likely (OR = 0·76; 95 % CI 0·64, 0·91) to have an 'at-risk' BMI. Fast-food consumption is most prevalent in young adults, high income and middle education level groups. Frequent fast-food consumption in Singapore is associated with unfavourable dietary and nutrient profiles and abdominal obesity.

STARTING PILOTS IN ADVANCE CARE PLANNING IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SINGAPORE: 1 YEAR REVIEW

BackgroundEngagement with Respecting Choices since 2009 resulted in pilot initiatives in advance care planning (ACP) starting in hospitals and the community in Singapore since 2009. Since December 2011, a dedicated...

Trends in Length of Stay, Functional Outcomes, and Discharge Destination Stratified by Disease Type for Inpatient Rehabilitation in Singapore Community Hospitals From 1996 to 2005

ObjectiveTo determine the trends in length of stay (LOS), rehabilitation functional outcome, and discharge destination of patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation from 1996 to 2005 and stratified by disease in Singapore. DesignRetrospective national data were extracted from medical records of community-based inpatient rehabilitation admissions in Singapore from 1996 to 2005. SettingFour community hospitals. ParticipantsThere were 12,506 first admissions for rehabilitation; 40.6% were for stroke, 30.4% for fracture, 2.9% for lower limb (LL) joint replacement, 2.3% for LL amputation, 1.9% for cancer, 1.8% for falls, 1.6% for pneumonia, and 18.5% for other illnesses. The overall mean age ± SD was 73.2±11.5 years. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresLOS, rehabilitation outcomes (rehabilitation effectiveness [R-effectiveness], rehabilitation efficiency [R-efficiency], relative functional efficiency [Relative-FE]), and discharge destination. ResultsThe overall median LOS for all disease groups decreased by 16.2% (37 to 31d) from 1996 to 2005. The sharpest decline in LOS among the 8 disease groups was observed in the LL amputation group. The overall mean ± SD admission and discharge activities of daily living scores were 45.6±25.7 and 60.3±28.9, respectively; median R-effectiveness was 28.8%, median R-efficiency was 12.9/30d, and median Relative-FE was 27.7%/30d. From 1996 to 2005, mean R-effectiveness increased by 184% (14% to 40%), R-efficiency increased by 104% (9 to 19 units/30d), and Relative-FE increased by 145% (21% to 51%/30d). Among all inpatient admissions, most were discharged home (78.2%), 10.9% were discharged to an acute hospital, and 9.8% were discharged to nursing or sheltered homes, with no significant change during the 10-year period. ConclusionsRehabilitation outcomes of patients admitted to Singapore's community hospitals have improved between 1996 and 2005 despite a decreasing LOS. Discharge destinations have largely remained unchanged over this period.

Solving the 'Malay Problem' in Singapore – A Lesson for Hungary: Focus on change in attitude

The ‘Malay Problem’, an expression often used by Malay leaders, gradually began to spread within the Malay community in Singapore in 1971 when it was first used. This expression refers to and includes educational underachievement, drug abuse, disadvantaged and dysfunctional families, poor socio-economic standing and low skills of Malay workers. After a short introduction of the ‘Roma issue’ in Hungary, the aim of this study is to introduce the joint efforts undertaken by Malay leaders and the government of Singapore to cope with the challenges emerging within the context of the ‘Malay problem’ in Singapore. Lessons to learn from this study are as follows: focusing simultaneously on change in attitude within the underprivileged minority combined with support from the majority of the society can help close the achievement gap. Focusing only on one of these two factors, however, would be insufficient based on the double-looped-vicious-circle concept. This study provides detailed insight on how Singapore narrowed the achievement gap between Malays and non-Malays, and it provides policy advice related to Hungarian efforts based on the success of Singaporean Malays.

Can You Design for Agency?: The Ideological Mediation of an Out-of-School Digital Storytelling Workshop

This article explores an out-of-school digital storytelling workshop at a Singapore community center and how it was shaped by ideological clashes between differing definitions of literacies and learning. We unpack circulating ideologies of language learning in light of our attempts as workshop designers and facilitators to foster openings for youths' creative authoring practices. We develop a framework for examining stakeholders' negotiations of design efforts across what we call intended, authorized, and lived layers of a design dialectic. Our analysis details some of the ideological tensions between our own and institutional ideologies of literacies and language learning, as well as how these competing constructions positioned us as transgressors amidst circulating orientations to school in the workshop. This study has implications for curricular design, exploring and critiquing agendas of agency, and deconstructing discourses of literacies and learning.

Book Review: Beyond the Myth: Indian Business Communities in Singapore

Book Review: Beyond the Myth: Indian Business Communities in Singapore

Irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders: evaluating self-medication in an Asian community setting

Gastrointestinal disorders frequently present symptoms which are often self-treated. To record demographic profile of patients visiting community pharmacies for self-treatment with medications for gastrointestinal disorders, the number of these patients who fulfilled irritable bowel syndrome diagnostic criteria, and to judge the appropriateness of their treatment requests. Singapore community pharmacies. The multicentre study was conducted using ROME III adapted criteria on adults above 18 years who have self-selected medicinal products for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome or gastrointestinal symptoms in the community pharmacy. Among those seeking self-medication, 36.8 % fulfilled criteria for irritable bowel syndrome, with irritable bowel syndrome-mixed (16.3 %) being the most prevalent subtype. For patients not fulfilling criteria for irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis, rates for other functional gastrointestinal disorders were constipation (20.5 %), dyspepsia (16.3 %), gastroesophageal reflux disease (12.1 %), diarrhoea (8.9 %), bloating (4.2 %), and heartburn (3.2 %). There were more females with gastrointestinal complaints. Overall, 21.6 % of the total participants had recently sought medical attention for their gastrointestinal complaint. 20 % of patients selected inappropriate medication for their gastrointestinal complaints, and the antacids class had the highest incidence of inappropriate medication use. Possible co-existing relationships were seen between gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome with dyspepsia, and diarrhoea with constipation. Patients who fulfilled criteria for irritable bowel syndrome had a high tendency to self-treat their gastrointestinal symptoms. Constipation complaints were also common. Around one in five patients self-medicated gastrointestinal symptoms inappropriately, with antacids being the most common.

Antecedents of brand trust in online tertiary education: a tri-nation study

Online education, which is centered on the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web, presents a new generation of educational tools. Its ‘anywhere, any time’ concept frees the student from the constraints of time and place. Because there are no barriers to information flow over the Internet, it holds promise for a ‘curriculum without walls’ where intellectual richness is available to all. To take advantage of the huge number of potential students worldwide, many universities and commercial education providers have moved rapidly to introduce online tertiary programs to get a share of this market. Online programs are now commonplace in many learning institutions. However, Internet-based education has not attracted as many students as had been expected. Specifically, online tertiary education has not attracted as many students as had been expected in Singapore (Gagnon, 2002; Tan & Lambe, 2002; Wong, Gerber, & Toh, 2003); Brunei (Leong, 2006); and Malaysia (Alhabshi, 2002). There is still a lack of confiden...

Synidotea poorei, a new isopod from the fouling community in Singapore waters (Valvifera, Idoteidae)

C ai, Y. and Teo, S.L.M. 2012. Synidotea poorei, a new isopod from the fouling community of Singapore (Valvifera, Idoteidae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 69: 237–243. Synidotea poor ei new species (Idoteidae) is described from fouling community on navigational buoys and jetties in Singapore waters. It belongs to the S. hirtipes species group. The new species is characterized by a smooth uropodal peduncle, sub-parallel pleotelson lateral margins and a moderately excavate pleotelson posterior margin. It represents a new record for the genus in Southeast Asia.

‘LIVING BUDDHA’

This article uses Chinese-language newspapers and other sources to create a comprehensive view of how the Chinese-speaking community in Singapore perceived David Marshall and his government. It draws a contrast with how he was regarded by the English-language press and by the British. It argues that Marshall was an effective and highly regarded Chief Minister who succeeded in passing many reforms that were important to the Chinese community. While Marshall was limited by his own lack of political skill and by a divided minority government, he was able to exploit British fears of a radical Chinese electorate to enable his success. As a result, Marshall was far more successful than anyone predicted, and tremendously popular among the Chinese throughout his term in office. The David Marshall government thus demonstrates how effective Singapore's representative government could be, even in its limited form. This article also illustrates the importance of vernacular sources and multiple perspectives to developing a more complete historical analysis.

Growing and equipping the infection control community in Singapore

Infection Control Association (Singapore), ICAS, founded in 1999, has 153 members of whom 25 are from countries outside Singapore. To facilitate exchange of information and data on infection control principles and practices, ad-hoc seminars and workshops are held to address topics of interest.

The impact of antipsychotic side effects on attitudes towards medication in people with schizophrenia and related disorders

This research aimed to: (i) investigate the prevalence and perceived severity of antipsychotic side effects in people with schizophrenia and related disorders living in communities in Singapore; (ii) examine the relationship between antipsychotic variables (type, dose, route, prescription duration) and side effects; and (iii) examine the relationship between side effects and attitudes towards medication. Antipsychotics are the mainstay treatment in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. However, antipsychotics are associated with a wide range of side effects, which potentially have adverse effects on patients' functioning. A lack of studies comparing the frequency of side effects and their associated levels of distress across multiple antipsychotics and different medication variables has been noted. Additionally, it is essential to assess patients' attitudes towards antipsychotics in relation to their experience of side effects. A cross-sectional, non-experimental research design was used. A convenience sample of 96 adults with schizophrenia and related disorders on antipsychotic treatment and attending the hospital's outpatient clinic was recruited. Variables collected included antipsychotic type, dose, route, prescription duration and side effects, attitudes towards medication and demographic and clinical variables. They were analysed with descriptive statistics and correlational analyses. Many participants experienced psychic (80·2%), extrapyramidal (69·8%) and miscellaneous side effects (61·5%). Side effects positively correlated with dose (p = 0·016) and negatively correlated with prescription duration (p = 0·014). Negative attitudes towards medication were positively correlated with side effects in general (p = 0·023), along with hormonal (p = 0·013) and psychic side effects (p = 0·008). Findings revealed that majority of the participants experienced and were distressed over psychic, extrapyramidal and weight gain, which may be related to high doses and treatment duration. Additionally, patients experiencing psychic and hormonal side effects are at risk of developing negative attitudes towards medication. Findings guide the development of appropriate nursing interventions that aim to alleviate side effects, reduce negative attitudes towards medication and prevent compliance problems.

Leelumnus radium, a new genus and species of pilumnid crab from marine encrusting communities in Singapore (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pilumnidae)

A new genus and new species of pilumnid crab is described from marine encrusting communities in Singapore. Leelumnus gen. nov. is morphologically similar to Latopilumnus Türkay &amp; Schuhmacher, 1985, and Aniptumnus Ng, 2002, in the general shape of the carapace, chelipeds, ambulatory legs and morphology of the male thoracic sternum, but can be distinguished by the morphologies of the front and anterolateral margin of the carapace, as well as the unique structure of the male first gonopod. Only the type species, L. radium sp. nov. is currently assigned to the new genus.

Living it up: Super-rich enclave and transnational elite urbanism in Singapore

Notwithstanding the burgeoning scholarship on enclave urbanism, urban gating has often been pigeonholed as an intra-urban development that is somewhat ‘epiphenomenal’ to wider global processes. Overlooked in the literature is how gated communities as globally-oriented spaces are intertwined with the transnational lifeworlds of its elite inhabitants. As key sites where transnational super-rich elites organize their consumption and reproduce their purportedly global lifestyle, gated communities are now emerging as a new ‘meta-geographical form’ that circulates in and around rapidly globalizing cities. Drawing on the case study of Sentosa Cove, an exclusive waterfront gated community in Singapore catering to ‘high net-worth’ residents, this paper critically examines how elite localities and transnationalism are being socially and spatially reproduced in the city-state. To this end, the paper makes a distinct contribution by bringing to bear critical transnationalism perspectives in the understanding of urban gating and the privileged geographies of the global super-rich.