SINGAPORE – A nationwide survey to gauge the mental health of adults in Singapore will be carried out over the next year.

Led by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), the study aims to reach at least 6,000 people aged 18 and above from a pool of about 15,500 randomly identified. Face-to-face interviews will be conducted in their homes.

The study will find out the prevalence of mental disorders, barriers to mental health treatment here, and the socio-cultural and economic impact of major mental disorders. These include the association with physical illnesses, the effect of mental illness on work productivity and how people here seek help for mental illness.

The survey, known as the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016, is the second of its kind. Findings from the survey will be compared with that of the first one in 2010.

The first survey gauged prevalence of mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and alcohol use. It found that the top three common disorders were major depressive disorder (5.8 per cent), alcohol abuse (3.1 per cent) and OCD (3 per cent).

The second survey will include psychiatric problems not studied in the first survey, such as schizophrenia, sleep disorder, and hoarding.

The latest study is a joint effort by IMH, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and Nanyang Technological University. Its principal investigator is Professor Chong Siow Ann, who is also the vice-chairman of IMH’s medical board of research.

Said Prof Chong: “With the continuous growth of our population which now stands at 5.61 million, there is a need to review the state of the population’s mental health.

“(The latest study) would also give us a good sense of how the mental health landscape has changed in the years since that first landmark study.”

The results can also be used to guide national policies and planning to meet the mental health needs of Singapore, he added.

MOH and the Singapore Millennium Foundation is funding this three-year $4.9 million project, which started in April 2015. The initial phase involved tasks such as the design of the study and training of interviewers. The survey will last for about a year from its launch on Wednesday (Oct 12) and is expected to be completed by December 2017.

At the end of the confidential survey, which will take an average of two hours, participants will be given $60.

IMH director of research Mythily Subramaniam said: “Those who have been selected to participate will be part of an impactful study on the mental well-being of the nation. As the accuracy of the findings will depend on the information they provide, their participation and full support in this exercise are critical.”

This article was first published on October 13, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – While Singapore is ranked above most of its South-east Asian counterparts in a new index on preventing illicit trade, it is still behind economies such as Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong topped the list, which was created by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Called the Illicit Trade Environment Index, it measured 17 economies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Looking at four policy categories, EIU – an arm of The Economist Group – evaluated the extent to which they enable illicit trade. Those with the best environments are taking the most action on the issue while those who do little score worse.

The categories are: intellectual property, transparency and trade, customs environment, and supply and demand.

The index was commissioned by European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (EuroCham), highlighting how global free trade does not only benefit governments and businesses. Increasingly, it also benefits traffickers, terrorists and criminals, said EuroCham.

It added that illicit trade provides funds for transnational crime networks and terrorist organisations, posing a threat to public health, the environment, innovation and tax revenues.

Although Singapore topped the customs environment category, with its clearance and inspection times among the best in the region, said the report, it was ranked fourth from bottom for transparency and trade, being one of the world’s busiest ports.

Overall, it tied for seventh place with Taiwan based on its scores for transparency and Free Trade Zone governance.

Among factors for Australia and New Zealand’s high scores were that they are “geographically distant” from the rest of the world and maintain tight control over imports of wildlife and agricultural goods.

Hong Kong, once a hub for counterfeit goods, ranked third with experts in illicit trade and intellectual property pointing to “great improvements in policies and institutions designed to combat illicit trade”.

Findings of the report suggested that combating illicit trade requires “closer tripartite collaboration” between brand owners, intermediaries and the authorities.

“Fake goods don’t just take away revenue from companies or governments. They threaten the security of nations by supporting transnational crime syndicates and terrorist groups,” said Mr Simon Jim, chairman of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee of EuroCham.

A recommendation paper to combat illicit trade was also commissioned by EuroCham and produced by KPMG on enhancing intellectual property rights protection, public-private partnerships and free trade zone governance.

EuroCham is a non-profit organisation with members including the European National Business Groups in Singapore.

Last month, Singapore was flagged by wildlife monitoring network Traffic for being a transit point for illegal ivory trade from Africa to other Asian countries. This is despite the country’s small domestic ivory market.

This article was first published on October 13, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – A temporary library and a study room for children and teenagers opened in Punggol West this month.

But Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Sun Xueling, who takes care of the area, is pushing for more amenities and activities for her constituents, most of whom are young parents, she said as she outlined her plans for the estate on Wednesday (Oct 12).

On the cards are a toy library for toddlers, as well as children-centric activities such as storytelling sessions run by stay-home mothers.

Ms Sun was speaking to reporters ahead of a community visit by Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu on Oct 23.

She said children and education matters are top concerns of residents, adding that this is “reasonable given the age profile of Punggol West”.

She also said residents wanted the amenities “sooner rather than later”. This was why she has set up the temporary library and study room while a public library and a community club are being built.

Of the 34,700 residents in the estate, 65 per cent are under 40 years old. About 14 per cent of the residents are below 14 years old.

Ms Sun said six in 10 of the Housing Board flats in the estate were built in the last five years, and are mostly owned by young families.

This is why her focus is on introducing initiatives for the young, said Ms Sun.

With the library and study room up and running, efforts are now underway to round up a group of “community mums” – housewives who have experience caring for children – to help look after children using the facilities and lead activities such as story-telling and arts and craft, she added.

The MP is also working with government agencies to ensure sufficient childcare and pre-school places when the number of residents in Punggol West hits the forecast number of 46,000 by 2020.

For a start, two childcare centres with a total of 360 places will open next year.

With the Government encouraging young parents to have children, it is important to ensure the supporting infrastructure is in place, she said.

“Given the demographic in Punggol West, this is something we have to work on,” she added.

Madam Imelda Lock, 36, who has three children, has volunteered for the “community mums” initiative. She lives near the study room at Block 209B, Punggol Place, and heads down to supervise the children when she is free.

Her two older children in Punggol Green Primary use the study room for revision and to complete their homework too.

“I like to socialise and I enjoy volunteering and spending time with kids. Ms Sun said there will be more activities for children coming up and I’m quite excited to help out as a volunteer,” added Madam Lock.

Related: Kids at 2 Punggol childcare centres hit by gastroenteritis

This article was first published on October 13, 2016.
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The Catholic Church has urged the Government to closely monitor its recent move to allow two lottery operators here to offer online betting services.

A statement to the Catholic community issued by Archbishop William Goh yesterday urged it to take “all necessary measures to help those who may fall victim to online gambling”.

It said the Church has also asked for more regular consultations and updates on the consequences of the decision.

Archbishop Goh said the Church shares the concerns of many Singaporeans on the moral and social implications of gambling on society, “especially on the family and in particular on the impending invasion of this potential vice into the sacred space of our homes”.

It is the second statement from a religious body on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA’s) nod in September to allow Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club to run online betting services.

The National Council of Churches Singapore, which represents over 250 churches, called for a review of the decision on Oct 5.

The authorities’ approval followed applications by the Singapore-based lottery operators to be exempted from the Remote Gambling Act passed by Parliament two years ago.

The Act outlaws all online and phone betting activities.

Singapore Pools will launch online betting on Oct 25, and the Turf Club will offer its new Web and mobile platform on Nov 15. Punters can place bets for 4-D, Toto, football, F1 sports and horse racing.

Archbishop Goh said the Church appreciates that the Government has done its due diligence to ensure that stringent measures are put in place to minimise the ill-effects of online gambling.

For instance, the MHA said operators will have to put in place safeguards, such as allowing only those above 21 to open accounts.

Archbishop Goh said the Church has nevertheless urged the Government to continually review these safeguards to ensure they “keep pace with developments in the online and social environment” and remain effective in protecting individuals from falling into financial difficulty.

“Games of chance or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice… (but) they become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others,” he noted.

melodyz@sph.com.sg

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