Exploring the Singapore general population's trust in COVID-19 information from different sources and its association with perceived risk of infection during the pandemic.

Background: The degree of public trust in the government's competence is crucial in preventing the spread of misinformation and reducing psychological distress during a pandemic. The study aimed to (i) explore the trust in COVID-19 information from different sources and trust in the ability of the World Health Organization (WHO), government departments and related institutions in handling the epidemic in Singapore and (ii) its association with perceived risk of infection among Singapore residents. Methods: A total of 1,129 participants (aged 21 and above) were recruited from a cross-sectional study examining the well-being and resilience of Singapore's population between May 2020 to June 2021. Trust in COVID-19 information from different sources was measured on a 10-point scale and an ordinal 7-point scale was used for perceived risk of infection. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression model were conducted. Results: 85.5% reported high trust in COVID-19 information from the government and their ability in handling the pandemic. Participants also reported high trust in COVID-19 information from local public health or infectious disease experts (84.4%) and traditional media (77.2%). Low trust in the ability of government departments and related institutions was associated with higher future (1 month) perceived risk of infection (OR: 5.7, 95% CI 1.02-32.45) and low trust in social media was associated with higher current perceived risk of infection (OR: 2.4, 95% CI 1.09-5.24). Discussion: The present study provided insight on the level of trust on COVID-19 information from different sources and its associated perceived risks of infection. Future qualitative studies are recommended to facilitate better understanding of public trust and identify strategies for how it can be effectively addressed to support future public health responses.

Problematic smartphone use and mental health outcomes among Singapore residents: The health and lifestyle survey.

BACKGROUND: The excessive use of smartphones and its association with adverse outcomes has been widely reported, with several studies showing an association between smartphone overuse, depression, anxiety, and sleep-related problems. METHODS: The study used data from the Health and Lifestyle Survey, a nationwide population survey. It examined the prevalence of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) and its association with mental health outcomes among Singapore residents aged 15-65 years. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were assessed for PSU using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, psychological distress with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalised Anxiety Disorder -7 questionnaire, sleep problems using the Insomnia Severity Index, and positive mental health with Rapid Positive Mental Health Instrument. RESULTS: In all, 6509 participants completed the survey, giving a survey response rate of 73.2 %. The prevalence of PSU was 30.2 % in the population. Individuals with PSU were more likely to have symptoms of moderate or severe depression (OR: 3.2, 95 % CI: 2.4-4.4), anxiety (OR: 3.4, 95 % CI: 2.4-4.8), insomnia (OR: 3.4, 95 % CI: 2.8-4.2), and poorer positive mental health (ß: -0.3, 95 % CI: -0.4 to -0.2). CONCLUSIONS: The study is the first to examine PSU in a national sample of Singaporeans across a wide age range. It provides valuable insights into mental health comorbidities among those with PSU, which is useful for practitioners.

Health care utilization, productivity losses, and burden of adverse childhood experiences in Singapore: Findings from a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: There is poor understanding on health care utilization, productivity losses, and burden of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in multiethnic Asian populations. Part of this research gap stems from the limited epidemiological data on neglect, emotional abuse, bullying, and dysfunctional home environments. This study estimated health care utilization, productivity losses, and burden of ACEs (at least one exposure and multiple exposures) in Singapore. METHOD: A total of 4,441 adult residents were recruited via door-to-door surveys in a nationally representative study in Singapore. All participants were assessed for ACEs, health care utilization, productivity losses, chronic physical disorders, and mental disorders on structured interviews. Approximation formulas were applied to calculate the estimated cost of ACEs in Singapore. RESULTS: ACEs were prevalent (63.9%) in the Singapore population. Individuals exposed to ≥ 3 ACEs (13.1%) utilized more direct medical care (e.g., primary care doctor and accident and emergency visits) and experienced greater productivity losses than those without ACEs (36.1%). The adjusted excess costs associated with ACEs per person were estimated to be S$767.40 (at least one ACE; 63.9%) and S$2167.84 (≥ 3 ACEs; 13.1%). The adjusted incremental costs of ACEs in the Singapore population were estimated to be S$1.18 billion (at least one ACE) and S$680 million (≥ 3 ACEs) per year. CONCLUSIONS: The health and economic burden of ACEs is substantial in Singapore. Our results highlight the importance of investing in novel, population-based ACEs interventions, and the potential return on investment through preventive care and alleviation of the health care burden. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).