Subject(s)
Accidents, Traffic , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Abdominal Injuries/epidemiology , Adult , Age Factors , Arm Injuries/epidemiology , Craniocerebral Trauma/epidemiology , Economics, Medical , Female , Humans , Leg Injuries/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , Singapore , Spinal Injuries/epidemiology , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiologySubject(s)
Accident Prevention , Child , Child, Preschool , Environment , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Mortality , SingaporeABSTRACT
PIP: As the objective of health services is to satisfy the health needs and demands of the population, the information necessary for planning the delivery of these services must both evaluate the present services and anticipate the future needs and demands of the people. In 1971 it was indicated that the 1st task of a health service is to reach all the people all the time and at the best level of care the country can afford, and this is 1 of the precepts upon which health planning is conducted. Additionally, expenditures for health services are regarded as an investment that will pay economic dividends in the form of decreased invalidity, reduced unemployment caused by illness, and increased industrial productivity. Ashospitals are the most expensive part of any health service, it is considered good economics to do all possible to keep patients out of the hospital. In any program for national development, there must be concomitant development in all sectors if future programs are to be maintained or improved. Consequently, health planning is an integral component of the national development program in Singapore. In Singapore the need for good statistical information has been recognized, and a relevant information system was developed which includes: 1) a decentralized statistical system with an expansion of the Department of Statistics and the establishment of a Research and Statistical Unit in 7 ministries, 2) a scheme of service for statistical personnel in government service, 3) training programs for statistical officers, 4) formation of the National Statistical Commission, and the passage of the Statistics Act by Parliament in 1973. Attention is also given in this report to methods and procedure for health planning; review of the present health information system in the context of existing health planning; required health information for existing or proposed health planning; and identification of problems in the present health information system. The main problems that exist are: 1) problems associated with rapid growth of health services, 2) problems associated with human resources, and 3) problems associated with the production and utilization of information.^ieng