BackgroundPrimary care patients with prediabetes is a priority group in the clinical, organisational and policy contexts. Engaging in regular physical activity is crucial to prevent diabetes for this group. The objectives of the study were to assess factors associated with meeting the recommendation of at least 150 min of moderate/vigorous physical activity weekly, and to explore facilitators and barriers related to the behaviour among primary care patients with prediabetes in Singapore.MethodsThis was a mixed methods study, consisting of a cross-sectional survey involving 433 participants from 8 polyclinics, and in-depth interviews with 48 of them. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were obtained by mixed effects Poisson regression model. The socio-ecological model (SEM) was applied, and thematic analysis performed.ResultsThe prevalence of meeting the recommendation was 65.8%. This was positively associated with being male (aPR 1.21, 95%CI 1.09–1.34), living in 4–5 room public housing (aPR 1.19, 95%CI 1.07–1.31), living in executive flat/private housing (aPR 1.26, 95%CI 1.06–1.50), having family members/friends to exercise with (aPR 1.57, 95%CI 1.38–1.78); and negatively associated with a personal history of osteoarthritis (aPR 0.75, 95%CI 0.59–0.96), as well as time spent sitting or reclining daily (aPR 0.96, 95%CI 0.94–0.98). The recurrent themes for not meeting the recommendation included lacking companionship from family members/friends, medical conditions hindering physical activity (particularly osteoarthritis), lacking knowledge/skills to exercise properly, “no time” to exercise and barriers pertaining to exercise facilities in the neighbourhood. The recurrent themes for meeting the recommendation included family/peer influence, health/well-being concerns and education by healthcare professionals.ConclusionsMuch more remains to be done to promote physical activity among primary care patients with prediabetes in Singapore. Participants reported facilitators and barriers to physical activity at different levels of the SEM. Apart from the individual and interpersonal levels, practitioners and policy makers need to work together to address the organisational, community and policy barriers to physical activity.

3 34 4 P roblem-based learning curricula have been introduced in many medical schools around the world.1,2 However, their adoption was met with some concern, primarily because of the substantial manpower needed. For example, student contact hours are 3-4 times greater for educators in a problem-based learning curriculum than for educators in a traditional curriculum. As a consequence, the economic viability of problem-based learning becomes a major concern when class sizes exceed 100 students.3 Given the limited resources available, 4 evidence-based evaluation of the effects of problem-based learning during medical school on improving physician competency would certainly strengthen any justification for the adoption of such programs. 5-9Past reviews of problem-based learning focused only on its effects during medical school or postgraduate training.10-16 In addition, 4 of those reviews also studied student and educator preferences and indicated that medical students 11,14,15 and educators 16 generally prefer problem-based learning to traditional teaching methods. The reviews did not study the effects of problem-based learning during medical school on the competencies of practising physicians. Colliver emphasized this lack of evidence when he cautioned that student satisfaction cannot be extrapolated as a predictor of physician competency.17 To our knowledge, there has been only one systematic review, published in 1993, that indirectly reported the effects of problembased learning during medical school on physician competency after graduation. The study was based on a small sample of doctors in their early postgraduate years.16 Since then, many rigorous studies have evaluated the effects of problem-based learning during medical school up to 20 years after graduation. We performed a systematic review of controlled studies to determine whether problem-based learning during medical school leads to greater physician competencies after graduation. MethodsIn our study, we used Maudsley's definition of problem-based learning, which she defined as both a method and philosophy involving problem-first learning via work in small groups and independent study. The effects of problem-based learning during medical school on physician competency: a systematic review Background: Systematic reviews on the effects of problembased learning have been limited to knowledge competency either during medical school or postgraduate training. We conducted a systematic review of evidence of the effects that problem-based learning during medical school had on physician competencies after graduation.

Obesity among young people increases lifetime cardiovascular risk. This study assesses the prevalence of overweight/obesity and its associated factors among a random sample of university students from 22 universities in 22 low, middle income and emerging economy countries. This cross-sectional survey comprised of a self-administered questionnaire and collected anthropometric measurements. The study population was 6773 (43.2%) males and 8913 (56.8%) females, aged 16 to 30 years (mean 20.8 years, SD = 2.6). Body mass index (BMI) was used for weight status. Among men, the prevalence of underweight was 10.8%, normal weight 64.4%, overweight 18.9% and obesity 5.8%, while among women, the prevalence of underweight was 17.6%, normal weight 62.1%, overweight 14.1% and obesity 5.2%. Overall, 22% were overweight or obese (24.7% men and 19.3% women). In multivariate regression among men, younger age, coming from a higher income country, consciously avoiding fat and cholesterol, physically inactivity, current tobacco use and childhood physical abuse, and among women older age, coming from a higher income country, frequent organized religious activity, avoiding fat and cholesterol, posttraumatic stress symptoms and physical childhood abuse were associated overweight or obesity. Several gender specific risk factors identified can be utilized in health promotion programmes.

BackgroundColorectal Cancer (CRC) is rapidly rising in Asia, but screening uptake remains poor. Although studies have reported gender differences in screening rates, there have been few studies assessing gender specific perceptions and barriers towards CRC screening, based on behavioral frameworks. We applied the Health Belief Model to identify gender-specific predictors of CRC screening in an Asian population.MethodsA nationwide representative household survey was conducted on 2000 subjects aged 50 years and above in Singapore from 2007 to 2008. Screening behaviour, knowledge and beliefs on CRC screening were assessed by face-to-face structured interviews. The response rate was 88.2%.Results26.7 percent had undergone current CRC screening with no gender difference in rates. Almost all agreed that CRC would lead to suffering (89.8%), death (84.6%) and would pose significant treatment cost and expense (83.1%). The majority (88.5%) agreed that screening aids early detection and cure but only 35.4% felt susceptible to CRC. Nearly three-quarters (74.3%) of the respondents recalled reading or hearing information on CRC in the print or broadcast media. However, only 22.6% were advised by their physicians to undergo screening. Significantly more women than men had feared a positive diagnosis, held embarrassment, pain and risk concerns about colonoscopy and had friends and family members who encouraged screening. On multivariate analysis, screening uptake showed a positive association with worry about contracting CRC and a physician’s recommendation and a negative association with perceived pain about colonoscopy for both genders. For women only, screening was positively associated with having attended a public talk on CRC and having a family member with CRC, and was negatively associated with Malay race and perceived danger of colonoscopy.ConclusionsCRC screening remains poor despite high levels of awareness of its benefits in this Asian population. Race, worry about contracting cancer, psychological barriers, and cues from the doctor and a public talk on CRC were associated with screening with gender specific differences. Strategies to increase CRC screening uptake should consider gender specific approaches to address psychological barriers and increase disease susceptibility through public health education and active promotion by physicians.

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BackgroundForeign workers’ migrant status may hinder their utilisation of health services. This study describes the health-seeking behaviour and beliefs of a group of male migrant workers in Singapore and the barriers limiting their access to primary healthcare.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 525 male migrant workers, ≥21 years old and of Indian, Bangladeshi or Myanmar nationality, was conducted at a dormitory via self-administered questionnaires covering demographics, prevalence of medical conditions and health-seeking behaviours through hypothetical scenarios and personal experience.Results71% (95%CI: 67 to 75%) of participants did not have or were not aware if they had healthcare insurance. 53% (95%CI: 48 to 57%) reported ever having had an illness episode while in Singapore, of whom 87% (95%CI: 82 to 91%) saw a doctor. The number of rest days was significantly associated with higher probability of having consulted a doctor for their last illness episode (p = 0.026), and higher basic monthly salary was associated with seeing a doctor within 3 days of illness (p = 0.002). Of those who saw a doctor, 84% (95%CI: 79 to 89%) responded that they did so because they felt medical care would help them to work better. While 55% (95%CI: 36 to 73%) said they did not see a doctor because the illness was not serious, those with lower salaries were significantly more likely to cite inadequate finances (55% of those earning < S$500/month). In hypothetical injury or illness scenarios, most responded that they would see the doctor, but a sizeable proportion (15% 95%CI: 12 to 18%) said they would continue to work even in a work-related injury scenario that caused severe pain and functional impairment. Those with lower salaries were significantly more likely to believe they would have to pay for their own healthcare or be uncertain about who would pay.ConclusionsThe majority of foreign workers in this study sought healthcare when they fell ill. However, knowledge about health-related insurance was poor and a sizeable minority, in particular those earning < S$500 per month, may face significant issues in accessing care.

Objectives: To determine the social and behavioural factors associated with condom use among direct sex workers in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Methods: Using a structured behavioural questionnaire, interviews were conducted with 140 direct sex workers attending a health centre in Siem Reap for HIV screening. Results: Consistent condom use with their clients was reported by 78% of sex workers compared to only 20% with their non-paying partners. Consistent condom use with clients was significantly higher among higher income than lower income sex workers (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.15 to 3.18) and those with good rather than poor negotiation skills (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.01 to 2.26), after adjustment for age, educational level, marital status, number of sexual encounters per week, and knowledge of AIDS/HIV and sexually transmitted infections. The most frequently reported reason for not using condoms with clients was not being able to persuade them (66.7%), while for non-paying partners, the reason was that they loved them (60.0%). Conclusion: To complement the government's current programme of client education, 100% condom policy and brothel administrative measures, additional strategies to increase condom use among clients and non-paying partners should be directed at (i) the social policy and community levels to address sex workers' economic and cultural barriers to condom use, and (ii) personal level empowerment through developing sex workers' condom negotiation skills.

The aim of this study was to identify occupational risk groups which might usefully be targeted for occupational asthma surveillance and control, using a community-based case-control approach. Data on previous and current occupations held by subjects were analyzed for 787 adult patients with bronchial asthma and 1591 nonasthmatic patient controls, aged 20-54 years, belonging to the three major races (Chinese, Malays, and Indians) in five outpatient primary care polyclinics. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of association were adjusted for sex, age, race, smoking, and clinical atopy. No associated risks of asthma were found for clerical or sales workers in general. Significantly reduced risks of association with asthma were found for professional, technical, administrative, and managerial occupations (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.47-0.82). The associated risks of asthma were generally elevated for service workers (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.04-1.74) and manufacturing production and related workers (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.23-1.81). Among them, increased risks were observed for cleaners, particularly municipal cleaners and sweepers (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.22-2.99), textile workers (OR, 5.83; 95% CI, 1.93-17.57), garment markers (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.01-2.58), electrical and electronic production workers (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.06-1.75), printers (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.17-4.31), and construction/renovation workers (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.30-3.85). The odds ratio of association of asthma with exposures in service and production-related occupations overall, relative to the "nonexposed" reference group of nonmanual professional/technical, administrative/managerial, clerical, and sales occupations, was estimated to be 1.72 (95% CI, 1.36-2.19); the estimated population attributable risk was 0.33 (95% CI, 0.22-0.44).