The story of asthma in Singapore over the past 50 years mirrors the history of Singapore as it progressed from a third world to a first world country. In 1965, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and cholera were the main challenges to public health as a consequence of...

Advance care planning (ACP) involves discussions between healthcare professionals, patients and their families or carers about the patient’s wishes and future healthcare plans. ACP is a significant aspect of end-of-life care that is associated with improved physical and emotional outcomes for both the patient as well as their loved...

Data from studies across the world suggest that diabetes mellitus (DM) is common among those belonging to the older age group. According to a recent consensus report, the prevalence of DM among those aged ≥65 years varies from 22% to 33% in the United States (US), depending on the...

Traumatic events and the way in which people cope with them play a crucial role in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Due to considerable differences in assessment strategies, sampling and other design features, there is significant variation in the prevalence of PTSD, ranging from 3% to 58%. This...

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a treatment for achalasia which can potentially obviate the need for intra- abdominal surgery, whilst at the same time, deliver the same effective treatment as the current standard of care – surgical myotomy. Although POEM has shown encouraging 1-year success rates of more than...