Aging and liver health: liver chemistries and associated factors in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Liver chemistries are used to measure liver function or damage, and it is vital to differentiate between the changes due to aging versus other causes. The literature has also reported a decline in serum alanine transaminase (ALT) in older age independent of other factors. In this study, we seek to (1) evaluate liver chemistries in healthy community-dwelling older adults, and (2) investigate the associations with age, sex, use of statins, and other factors.

Evaluation of a Digital Media Campaign to Promote Knowledge and Awareness of the GPFirst Program for Nonurgent Conditions: Repeated Survey Study.

Background: GPFirst is a primary care partnership program designed to encourage patients with nonurgent conditions to seek care at participating general practitioner clinics instead of visiting the emergency department. In 2019, a digital media campaign (DMC) was launched to raise awareness and knowledge about GPFirst among residents in eastern Singapore.

Objective: This study aims to assess the DMC's impact on awareness and knowledge of GPFirst across different age groups, and the acceptability and satisfaction of GPFirst.

Prevalence and associations of problematic smartphone use with smartphone activities, psychological well-being, and sleep quality in a household survey of Singapore adults.

Introduction: Despite the many benefits of smartphones, researchers have raised concerns over problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its negative effects on physical and psychological well-being. Studies examining PSU and its impact among adults remain limited. Hence, we aim to examine the prevalence of PSU among adults in Singapore, and explore its associations with smartphone activities, sleep quality, and psychological well-being, as well as age and gender-related differences in these associations.

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.

Frameworks for measuring population health: A scoping review.

Introduction: Many regions in the world are using the population health approach and require a means to measure the health of their population of interest. Population health frameworks provide a theoretical grounding for conceptualization of population health and therefore a logical basis for selection of indicators. The aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview and summary of the characteristics of existing population health frameworks that have been used to conceptualize the measurement of population health.

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.

Rostered Routine Testing: A Necessary Evil?

We report our institution's experience of detecting a staff member who was infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 while he was asymptomatic, as part of a rostered routine testing program, and how the institution was able to undertake measures to curb the spread, hence reducing the impact on the daily operations of our institution.

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.