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Straits Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Mental disorders significantly impact youth aged 10-14 in Singapore: Lancet study
The rise of social media and high academic pressure have both been linked to increased mental health issues among young people in Singapore. ST FILE PHOTO SINGAPORE - Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability and death among 10- to 14-year-olds in Singapore, while the impact of mental distress on population health here is the highest in Asean , according to a new paper published in medical journal Lancet Public Health on May 28. In 2021, the prevalence of mental disorders here was estimated at 12.8 per cent among males and 11.7 per cent among females. Altogether, 653,000 diagnoses of mental disorders were made in Singapore that year, including among those above 70 years of age, an age group that experienced a threefold rise from 1990 in the number of cases. Anxiety and depression, triggered in large part by the Covid-19 pandemic, were the most common disorders, affecting approximately 185,000 and 144,000 individuals, respectively, the paper said. The paper was among four studies examining – for the first time – Asean's public health crisis in mental disorders, cardiovascular disease, smoking and injuries. They are part of the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, a large-scale effort examining health trends worldwide. The series of papers is the first joint research collaboration between NUS' Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) and the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which leads the GBD study. Explaining the mental health burden on adolescents and the population here, lead author Marie Ng, an associate professor at NUS Medicine and affiliate associate professor at IHME, said the rise of social media and high academic pressure have both been linked to increased mental health issues among young people. In addition, there are the shifts in the social fabric, including family breakdowns and social isolation, which are becoming more common in developed and Westernised societies, she said. On the other end of the spectrum, as the population ages rapidly and people live longer, the number of older adults with mental disorders has also risen. 'Mental and physical health are closely connected; with weakening physical health, depression is common among the elderly as Singapore's population ages,' Prof Ng said. The pandemic also triggered increased feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and isolation across all age groups. At the same time, however, improved public awareness and decreasing stigma have led to more people recognising symptoms and seeking help, she added. Professor Alina Rodriguez from the psychological medicine department at NUS Medicine, a collaborator on the paper on mental health, said the data reinforces what is seen at schools. Clinically, mental health challenges often emerge early in life and, if unaddressed, can lead to years of lost potential. Asean had an estimated 80.4 million cases of mental disorders in 2021, reflecting an increase of approximately 70 per cent since 1990, and anxiety disorders were the region's most common mental disorder. The actual number does not reflect the true need, as many would be borderline cases, and stigma prevents people from seeking care, said Prof Rodriguez. Meanwhile, self-harm was the leading cause of injury deaths in Singapore, accounting for 47 per cent of all injury deaths, with the highest incidence rate seen among youth aged 20 to 24. Mental disorders are a major contributor. More incidents of self-harm occurred among females in Singapore than males in 2021. The incidence in Singapore was lower, however, than the rates in neighbouring high-income Asian countries Japan and South Korea. Falls were the second-leading cause of injury death after self-harm, accounting for 22 per cent of all deaths from injury here. In the region, the largest number of injury deaths was attributed to road injuries, followed by falls, self-harm, drowning and interpersonal violence. Self-harm was among the top three leading causes of injury-related mortality in Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam. As for cardiovascular diseases, Singapore had the lowest prevalence and mortality in the Asean region, and outperformed trends in global and high-income countries in the reduction of cardiovascular disease mortality. However, cardiovascular diseases are still a major population health issue here, given the ageing population and rising risk factors. It is the second-leading cause of death in Singapore, and the number of cases has increased by nearly 200 per cent in the last 30 years. In 2021, more than 385,000 people in Singapore were affected by cardiovascular diseases. The top five risk factors were high blood pressure, dietary risks (for example, high sodium, low fibre, low fruit), high LDL cholesterol, high fasting plasma glucose and tobacco use. Obesity is the fastest-growing risk factor. In Singapore, the smoking prevalence among males aged 15 and above was 20.2 per cent, significantly lower than the Asean average of 48.4 per cent. Among females, smoking prevalence stood at 6.56 per cent, which is higher than the regional female average of 4.47 per cent, and ranked the fourth-highest in the region. 'The findings present a nuanced picture of Singapore's health progress. While we've made remarkable strides in areas like cardiovascular care and tobacco control, the growing burden of mental health conditions and injuries, particularly self-harm and falls, calls for urgent and sustained attention,' said Prof Ng. Helplines Mental well-being Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 Women's Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) Counselling Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366 We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990 Online resources (for those aged 13 to 25) (for those aged 12 to 25) Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Business Times
South-east Asia sees near 150% rise in heart disease, study shows
THE number of people with cardiovascular disease has surged by 148% in South-east Asia over the past three decades, with the condition becoming the region's leading cause of death, new research has found. In 2021, 37 million people in the region had cardiovascular disease, and 1.7 million died from it. The findings by researchers at Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and the National University of Singapore are based on analysis of health data between 1990 and 2021 drawn from the 10 South-east Asian countries in the Asean bloc. The results, published this week in a special edition of The Lancet Public Health dedicated to the region, throw the spotlight on the growing burden on public health, including cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, smoking and road injuries. The main reasons contributing to cardiovascular disease were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking. The ageing population in the region is also contributing to the big jump in case numbers, said Marie Ng, the lead author and affiliate associate professor at IHME and associate professor at NUS. 'Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen, causing more death and disability across Asean,' said Ng, who has sought proper resource allocation from governments. It is worth noting that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of deaths from cardiovascular disease rose more than predicted, and that a separate study from 2023 flagged the risk of cardiovascular disease in children born to mothers infected with Covid during pregnancy. The new study in The Lancet Public Health also found that more than 80 million people in Asean have major mental disorders – a figure 70 per cent higher than in 1990. Going y age brackets, 15- to 19-year-olds registered the steepest climb in numbers, at nearly 11 per cent. Here are excerpts of other key findings:
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Southeast Asia sees near 150% rise in heart disease, study shows
The number of people with cardiovascular disease surged by 148% in Southeast Asia over the past three decades, with the condition becoming the region's leading cause of mortality and morbidity, according to new research. A total 37 million people in the region suffered from cardiovascular disease in 2021 and 1.7 million died from it. The findings by researchers at Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and the National University of Singapore are based on analysis of health data between 1990 and 2021 from 10 Southeast Asian countries that make up the ASEAN bloc. The results, published this week in a special edition of The Lancet Public Health dedicated to the region, highlight the growing burden of public health, including cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, smoking and road injuries. The main reasons contributing to cardiovascular disease were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and tobacco use. The aging population in the region also contributes to the big jump in case numbers, according to Marie Ng, the lead author and affiliate associate professor at IHME and associate professor at NUS. "Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen causing more death and disability across ASEAN,' said Ng, who sought proper resource allocation from governments. It's worth noting that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of deaths due to cardiovascular disease rose more than predicted and a separate study from 2023 flagged the risk of increase in cardiovascular disease in children born to mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy. The latest study published in The Lancet Public Health found that more than 80 million people in ASEAN suffered from major mental disorders, 70% higher than in 1990. A closer look by age showed 15- to 19-year-olds had the steepest climb in prevalence at nearly 11%.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Heart disease is Southeast Asia's biggest killer after 30-year surge, new research reveals
The number of people with cardiovascular disease surged by 148 per cent in Southeast Asia over the past three decades, with the condition becoming the region's leading cause of mortality and morbidity, according to new research. A total of 37 million people in the region suffered from cardiovascular disease in 2021 and 1.7 million died from it. The findings by researchers at Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and the National University of Singapore are based on analysis of health data between 1990 and 2021 from 10 Southeast Asian countries that make up the Asean bloc. The results, published this week in a special edition of The Lancet Public Health dedicated to the region, highlight the growing burden of public health, including cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, smoking and road injuries. The main reasons contributing to cardiovascular disease were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and tobacco use. Dietary risks and high systolic blood pressure are two of the main contributors to the region's heart disease epidemic. Photo: Shutterstock The ageing population in the region also contributes to the big jump in case numbers, according to Marie Ng, the lead author and affiliate associate professor at IHME and associate professor at NUS. 'Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen causing more death and disability across Asean,' said Ng, who sought proper resource allocation from governments. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the incidence of deaths due to cardiovascular disease rose more than predicted and a separate study from 2023 flagged the risk of increase in cardiovascular disease in children born to mothers infected with Covid during pregnancy. The latest study published in The Lancet Public Health found that more than 80 million people in Association of Southeast Asian Nations' member states suffered from major mental disorders, 70 per cent higher than in 1990. A closer look by age showed 15- to 19-year-olds had the steepest climb in prevalence at nearly 11 per cent.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Lancet study shows mental disorders significantly impact youth aged 10-14 in Singapore
The rise of social media and high academic pressure have both been linked to increased mental health issues among young people in Singapore. ST FILE PHOTO SINGAPORE - Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability and death among 10 to 14-year-olds in Singapore , while the impact of mental distress on population health here is the highest in Asean , according to a new paper published in the medical journal Lancet Public Health on May 28. In 2021, the prevalence of mental disorders here was estimated at 12.8 per cent among males and 11.7 per cent among females. Altogether , 653,000 diagnoses of mental disorders were made in Singapore that year, including among those more than 70 years of age, an age group that experienced a three-fold rise in the number of cases. Anxiety and depression , triggered in large part by the Covid-19 pandemic , were the most common disorders , affecting approximately 185,000 and 144,000 individuals respectively, it said. The paper was among four studies examining, for the first time, Asean's public health crisis in mental disorders, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and injuries. They are part of the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, a large-scale effort examining health trends worldwide. The series of papers is the first joint research collaboration between Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) and the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which leads the GBD study. Explaining the mental health burden on adolescents and the population here, lead author Marie Ng, Associate Professor, NUS Medicine, and Affiliate Associate Professor at IHME, said the rise of social media and high academic pressure have both been linked to increased mental health issues among young people. In addition, there are the shifts in the social fabric, including family breakdowns and social isolation, which are becoming more common in developed and Westernised societies, she said. On the other end of the spectrum, as the population ages rapidly and people live longer, the number of older adults with mental disorders has also risen . 'Mental and physical health are closely connected; with weakening physical health, depression is common among the elderly as Singapore's population ages,' she said. The pandemic also triggered increased feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and isolation across all age groups. At the same time, however, improved public awareness and decreasing stigma have led to more people recognising symptoms and seeking help, Prof Ng added. Professor Alina Rodriguez from the psychological medicine department at NUS Medicine, a collaborator on the paper on mental health, said the data reinforces what they see at schools. Clinically, mental health challenges often emerge early in life and, if unaddressed, can lead to years of lost potential. Asean had an estimated 80.4 million cases of mental disorders in 2021, reflecting an increase of approximately 70 per cent since 1990, and anxiety disorders were the region's most common mental disorder. The actual number does not reflect the true need, as many would be borderline cases, and stigma prevents people from seeking care, said Prof Rodriguez. Meanwhile, self-harm was a leading cause of injury deaths in Singapore, accounting for 47 per cent of all injury deaths, with the highest incidence rate seen among youth aged 20 to 24 years. Mental disorders are a major contributor. More incidents of self-harm occurred among females in Singapore than males in 2021. The incidence in Singapore was lower, however, than the rates in neighbouring high-income Asian countries Japan and South Korea. Falls were the second leading cause of injury death after self-harm, accounting for 22 per cent of all deaths from injury here. In the region, the largest number of injury deaths was attributed to road injuries, followed by falls, self-harm, drowning and interpersonal violence. Self-harm was among the top three leading causes of injury-related mortality in Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, and Vietnam. As for cardiovascular diseases, Singapore had the lowest prevalence and mortality in the Asean region, and outperformed trends in global and high-income countries in the reduction of cardiovascular disease mortality. However, cardiovascular diseases are still a major population health issue here, given the ageing population and rising risk factors. It is the second leading cause of death in Singapore, and the number of cases has increased by nearly 200 per cent in the last 30 years. In 2021, over 385,000 people in Singapore were affected by cardiovascular diseases. The top five risk factors were high blood pressure, dietary risks (e.g., high sodium, low fiber, low fruit), high LDL cholesterol, high fasting plasma glucose, and tobacco use. Obesity is the fastest growing risk factor. In Singapore, the smoking prevalence among males aged 15 and above was 20.2 per cent, significantly lower than the Asean average of 48.4 per cent. Among females, smoking prevalence stood at 6.56 per cent, which is higher than the regional female average of 4.47 per cent, and ranked the fourth highest in the region. 'The findings present a nuanced picture of Singapore's health progress. While we've made remarkable strides in areas like cardiovascular care and tobacco control, the growing burden of mental health conditions and injuries, particularly self-harm and falls, calls for urgent and sustained attention,' said Prof Ng. Helplines Mental well-being Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 Women's Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) Counselling Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366 We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990 Online resources (for those aged 13 to 25) (for those aged 12 to 25) Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
