NHG conducting survey to understand general health status of people in central Singapore

The National Healthcare Group has started a survey to better understand the state of health of residents living in central Singapore. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

SINGAPORE - The National Healthcare Group (NHG) has started a survey to better understand the state of health of more than 7,200 residents living in central Singapore.

The first phase of the three-year Population Health Survey started in November (2015), and the second phase will be conducted in 2017.

Researchers from NHG's Health Services and Outcomes Research (HSOR) unit will use data collected to create an index that will be an indicator of the physical, mental and social health status of the population.

The survey, led by Dr Heng Bee Hoon, HSOR director, will establish baseline data about the general health status of an average Singaporean in the central region. NHG, which is funding the study, is the regional health system (RHS) for central Singapore.

Under the RHS model, a general hospital works closely with its cluster of community hospitals, nursing homes, home- and day-care providers and private clinics in the area.

In a statement on Thursday, NHG group chief executive Philip Choo said that a sustainable healthcare system "is built on the basic principles of population health which emphasise prevention, education and early detection of diseases".

Home addresses in the central area, in estates such as Geylang, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio, have been selected randomly from the national database. Those selected will receive an invitation letter from NHG with the interviewer's name and contact number.

Face-to-face interviews - expected to last 45 to 60 minutes - will be conducted.

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