Ramadan, Hungry Ghost Month affect heart failure
Fewer Malays, Chinese warded during respective festive period: Study
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During Ramadan and the Hungry Ghost Month, fewer Malays and Chinese respectively are warded in hospital for heart failure, a new study has found.
A possible reason could be how members of these two communities tweak their eating and lifestyle habits during these occasions, say researchers.
The study, led by National University Heart Centre Singapore (NUHCS), looked at 8,000 heart-failure admissions at all major public hospitals from 2008 to 2010. Most of the patients were in their 60s and 70s.
The researchers found that during Ramadan - when Muslims fast - weekly admissions of Malays fell by 24 per cent.
Background story
'During Ramadan, weekly admissions of Malays fell by 24 per cent. During the Hungry Ghost Month, the study found the number of Chinese patients seen per week dropped by 9.6 per cent'.
