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Abstract Background Promoting healthy behaviours is crucial for improving health outcomes. However, empirical research on the interplay between self-efficacy and health activation in primary school children is limited. This study investigated their association to inform strategies for health educators, healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers in developing tailored interventions for this population. Methods A cross-sectional survey with 597 children from four primary schools was conducted. Health confidence, self-efficacy, and health activation were measured using the Health Confidence Scale (HCS), the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (HEPASEQ-C), and the Health Activation Scale for Children (HAS-C), respectively. Healthy behaviours, including vegetable and fruit consumption and physical activity, were collected as dependent variables. Multiple logistic regression models and mediation analyses were employed to examine the associations. Results Participants were aged between 8 and 12 years, with 50.1% being boys and 64.8% of Chinese ethnicity. Higher levels of health confidence, self-efficacy and health activation were independently associated with vegetables and fruits consumption and physical activity. The associations of self-efficacy with both vegetable consumption and physical activity were mediated by health activation, with indirect effect coefficients of 0.33 and 0.23, respectively (both p

Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming systematic reviews (SRs) in health research by automating processes such as study screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. This perspective highlights recent advancements in AI tools that enhance efficiency and accuracy in SRs. It discusses the benefits, challenges, and future directions of AI integration, emphasising the need for human oversight to ensure the reliability of AI outputs in evidence synthesis and decision-making in healthcare.

IntroductionResilience measures generally are not health specific, nor do they account for the multiple dimensions required for individuals to overcome health challenges. To bridge this gap, we developed and validated a multi-dimensional Health Resilience Scale (HRS) for community-dwelling adults in Singapore.MethodsWe followed standard procedures to develop health resilience construct, identify dimensions, and generate potential items. Expert review and cognitive interviews were conducted to assess content validity and item clarity. The refined 35-item HRS was administered to 650 eligible community-dwelling adults in a cross-sectional survey, along with validation measures, to assess construct validity (including factorial, concurrent, convergent, and divergent validity) and internal consistency reliability.ResultsExploratory factor analysis revealed five factors with 22 items, each factor containing 3 to 5 items. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the five-factor structure with good model fit. The five factors identified in the analysis were conceptualised as the following dimensions of the HRS: “Health mindset,” “Perceived health access,” “Social resourcefulness,” “Relational support,” and “Adaptive adjustment.” The dimensions of “Health mindset,” “Perceived health access,” and “Adaptive adjustment” exhibited moderate and positive correlations with psychological resilience (concurrent validity) as well as hope and self-efficacy (convergent validity). All dimensions had weak or no correlation with maladaptive coping, depression, and anxiety measures (divergent validity). Individuals with better health status scored higher, while those with recent health adversity scored lower on the HRS, confirming divergent validity. Internal consistency reliability was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha exceeding 0.80 for the total scale and ranging from 0.73 to 0.88 for individual dimensions.ConclusionThe 22-item multi-dimensional HRS demonstrated good reliability and validity, making it an effective tool for assessing health resilience and guiding initiatives aimed to enhance well-being among community members.

Introduction To compare the clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization of patients enrolled in the multidisciplinary Diabetic Foot in Primary and Tertiary (DEFINITE) Care program with a matched historical cohort and estimate the program’s long-term cost-effectiveness using simulation.Research design and methods This study consisted of two components: a 1-year observational outcome evaluation and a long-term simulation-based cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). We conducted an observational study to analyze 2798 patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) enrolled in the program between June 2020 and June 2021 (DEFINITE Care group) and 5462 patients with DFUs from June 2016 to December 2017 as historical controls. One-to-one propensity score matching (PSM) with replacement was conducted to estimate the treatment effect of the program on clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization over 1 year. For the simulation component, a long-term CEA was performed using a Markov state transition model on a simulated cohort of 10 000 patients with DFUs over a 20-year period, assessing transitions between health states, including minor and major amputations and death. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated for the DEFINITE Care program relative to routine care.Results The estimation of average treatment effects based on propensity scores showed that the DEFINITE Care group exhibited a 9% lower mortality, 5% higher lower extremity amputation (LEA)-free survival, yet a 5% higher minor LEA rate compared with the matched historical controls. Additionally, they experienced fewer inpatient admissions (0.98 fewer episodes) and shorter hospital stays (5.5 fewer days) within 1 year (p-value

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes mellitus, with a lifetime risk estimated to be between 19% and 34%.1 Without timely prevention and management, DFUs can lead to lower extremity amputations (LEAs) and premature death.2,3 DFUs also impose significant healthcare and societal costs, especially in Southeast Asia.4,5 Regular foot screenings are essential for preventing these complications.

Abstract Background Valid and reliable measures for assessing health activation in school-aged children are currently lacking. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure health activation and evaluate its psychometric properties among English-speaking primary school children in Singapore. Methods The development of the Health Activation Scale for Children (HAS-C) involved an extensive literature review, expert consultations, cognitive interviews with primary school children, and thorough discussions for dimension and item refinement. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 597 children aged 8 to 12 years, recruited from four mainstream primary schools, comprising 50.1% boys and 64.8% Chinese students. The potential scale, along with other measures, was independently completed by the children. Descriptive statistics were provided for individual scale items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to assess factorial validity. Convergent validity was examined by correlating the scale scores with scores of health confidence and self-efficacy measures. Hypothesis-testing validity was evaluated by assessing the scale’s correlation with self-reported health behaviours, including daily consumption of vegetables and fruits, time spent on sedentary activities and physical activities. Internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. Results EFA suggested a three-factor structure for the 12-item HAS-C, which was subsequently confirmed by CFA with a good model fit. All three HAS-C dimension scores demonstrated moderate correlations (rho = 0.34–0.52) with health confidence and self-efficacy measures, indicating good convergent validity. They were positively correlated with more vegetable and fruit intakes, more time spent on exercises, and negatively correlated with time spent on sedentary activities, supporting hypothesis-testing validity. Internal consistency reliability for individual HAS-C dimensions was generally acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.70 or above. Conclusion The 12-item multi-dimensional HAS-C exhibited good validity and reliability, making it a valuable tool for assessing health activation in primary school-aged children.

Abstract The association of health-related productivity loss (HRPL) with social isolation and depressive symptoms is not well studied. We aimed to examine the association of social isolation and depressive symptoms with productivity loss. Data on employed adults aged 21 years and above were derived from the Population Health Index (PHI) study conducted by the National Healthcare Group (NHG) on community-dwelling adults, residing in the Central and Northern residential areas of Singapore. The severity of depressive symptoms and social isolation were assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6) respectively. Productivity loss was assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). We used Generalised Linear Models, with family gamma, log link for the analysis. Models were adjusted for socio-demographic variables (including age, gender, ethnicity, employment status, housing type) and self-reported chronic conditions (including the presence of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia). There were 2,605 working (2,143 full-time) adults in this study. The median reported percentage of unadjusted productivity loss was 0.0%, 10.0% and 20.0% for participants with social isolation, depressive symptoms, and both, respectively. In the regression analysis, mean productivity loss scores were 2.81 times (95% Confidence Interval: 2.12, 3.72) higher in participants with depressive symptoms than those without. On the other hand, social isolation was not found to be associated with productivity loss scores (1.17, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.96, 1.42). The interaction term of depressive symptoms with social isolation was statistically significant, with an effect size of 1.89 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.04, 3.44). It appeared that productivity loss was amplified when social isolation and depressive symptoms were concomitant. Our results suggested significant associations of social isolation and depressive symptoms with productivity loss. These findings highlighted the potential impact of social isolation and depressive symptoms on work performance and drew attention to the importance of having a holistic work support system that promotes social connectedness, mental wellbeing and work productivity.

Abstract Background Medication non-adherence has become a striking problem among patients with chronic diseases worldwide. However, literature on prevalence, reasons and factors associated with medication non-adherence in Singapore general population is still lacking. This study aimed to (1) estimate the prevalence of intentional and unintentional medication non-adherence in young (aged 21–64 years) and older adults (aged ≥ 65 years), respectively; (2) identify and compare the main reasons for non-adherence; and (3) examine the association between potential factors and non-adherence in each group. Methods This study sampled 1,528 community-dwelling adults on medications (young adults:766, older adults: 762) from a cross-sectional population health survey conducted in the northern and central regions of Singapore in 2018/2019. Self-reported medication non-adherence and its reasons were collected using a modified questionnaire and compared between the two groups. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between potential factors (e.g., social-demographic factors, smoking and drinking status, presence of diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia, and presence of depressive symptoms) and medication non-adherence in each group. Results The prevalence of non-adherence was 38.4% and 22.3% in young and older adults, respectively, with young adults reporting higher unintentional and intentional non-adherence rates than older adults. “Afraid of developing drug dependence” was the most common reason in both groups (young:74.8% vs. old:73.5%). Compared to young adults (3.7%), “Not understanding medication labels” was more prevalent in older adults (8.8%). Presence of depressive symptoms was associated with non-adherence in both young (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 3.00 [1.79, 5.05]) and older adults (4.16 [2.31, 7.51]). Being employed (2.92 [1.76, 4.84]) and taking ≥ 2 medications (1.42 [1.04, 1.95]) had positive association while personal income of SGD1,000–4,000 (0.53 [0.36, 0.77]) and current smoking (0.61 [0.39, 0.95]) had inverse association with non-compliance in young adults. Diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension, or dyslipidaemia (2.63 [1.25, 5.53]) was associated with higher odds of non-compliance in older adults. Conclusions Young adults had higher prevalence of medication non-adherence than older adults. The main reasons for non-adherence reported by young and older adults were generally comparable. Presence of depressive symptoms was a risk factor of medication non-adherence in both groups.

Abstract Chronic low back pain, defined as low back pain lasting more than 3 months, is a globally prevalent health problem with significantly high medical and economic burden on individuals and the society. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of chronic low back pain and examine its association with health outcomes including physical function, mental health, and quality of life among adult population in Singapore. Cross-sectional secondary data analysis was performed using baseline data of the 1941 adults (mean age: 52.6 years, range: 21–97 years) from a representative population health survey conducted in the Central region of Singapore. Those with self-reported chronic low back pain in past six months were identified. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and EQ-5D-5L were used to measure physical function and limitation, mental health, and health-related quality of life, respectively. Generalized Linear Regressions were used to examine the association of chronic low back pain with physical function, limitation, depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life. There were 8.1% (n = 180) participants reporting having chronic low back pain in past six months, among whom 80.5% sought treatments at either primary care, specialist outpatient, or Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics. Individuals with chronic low back pain reported poorer physical function, more limitations in performing major life tasks and social activities, more depressive symptoms, and lower health-related quality of life (all p

Abstract Background There is a shortage of research evidence about how social isolation, social participation, and loneliness were longitudinally associated with frailty. This study was to 1) examine the associations of social isolation, social participation, and loneliness with level of frailty among community-dwelling older adults using panel data, and 2) explore the moderating effect of gender on the association of social isolation, social participation and loneliness with frailty. Methods The study included 606 participants aged 60 years and above from the longitudinal Population Health Index Survey conducted in Singapore. At each timepoint, level of frailty was determined using the Clinical Frailty Scale. Social isolation was assessed by the Lubben Social Network Scale-6, and loneliness was assessed using the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Fixed-effects ordinal logistic regressions were conducted with level of frailty as the dependent variable and social isolation and loneliness as the independent variables, adjusting for time-varying socio-demographic, lifestyle, and health-related factors. Results Increase in social participation was associated with lower level of frailty (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.93–0.99) and feeling lonely was associated with higher level of frailty (odds ratio: 2.90, 95% confidence interval: 1.44–5.84). Social isolation was not associated with frailty. Gender did not have moderating effect on these associations. Conclusions This study observed that social isolation and loneliness had differential longitudinal association with level of frailty among community-dwelling older adults and suggested that loneliness and frailty should be measured and addressed concurrently among community-dwelling older adults.

Objectives Our study aimed to identify the risk factors of incident falls between men and women.Design Prospective cohort study.Setting The study recruited participants from the Central region of Singapore. Baseline and follow-up data were collected via a face-to-face survey.Participants Community-dwelling adults aged 40 years and above from the Population Health Index Survey.Outcome measure Incident falls were defined as the experience of a fall between the baseline and 1-year follow-up but having no falls 1 year prior to baseline. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to determine the association of sociodemographic factors, medical history and lifestyle with incident falls. Sex subgroup analyses were conducted to examine sex-specific risk factors for incident falls.Results 1056 participants were included in the analysis. At 1-year follow-up, 9.6% of the participants experienced an incident fall. Incidence of falls in women was 9.8% compared with 7.4% in men. In the multivariable analysis for the overall sample, older age (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.86), being pre-frail (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.12 to 4.00) and having depression or feeling depressed/anxious (OR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.10 to 4.99) were associated with higher odds for incident falls. In subgroup analyses, older age was a risk factor for incident falls in men (OR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.21 to 5.90) and pre-frail was a risk factor for incident falls in women (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.28 to 6.20). There was no significant interaction effect between sex and age group (p value=0.341) and sex and frailty status (p value=0.181).Conclusion Older age, presence of pre-frailty and having depression or feeling depressed/anxious were associated with higher odds of incident falls. In our subgroup analyses, older age was a risk factor for incident falls in men and being pre-frail was a risk factor for incident falls in women. These findings provide useful information for community health services in designing falls prevention programmes for community-dwelling adults in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

Introduction: As healthcare systems increasingly embrace population health management, the integration of health and social care to improve the health and well-being of individuals is crucial. Thus, we conducted a qualitative study in Singapore to understand health and social care professionals’ (HCPs and SCPs) perception of the roles they played in delivering community-based care. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological research design was adopted. HCPs and SCPs (n = 53) providing services in community settings were recruited purposefully and interviewed through eleven focus group discussions. Each session was recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was applied. Results: Our results revealed eight themes in three main categories describing the roles played by HCPs and SCPs, including: (1) delivering needs-based care in community settings; (2) activating and empowering clients in health care, and (3) fostering community-based sustainable support networks. Six barriers encountered while performing these roles were also identified. Discussion and Conclusion: Our results highlight that the roles of HCPs and SCPs go beyond the provision of direct medical and social care. They were involved in activating and empowering clients to take care of their health, and importantly, fostering community-based sustainable support networks to better empower individuals in coping with health challenges. The identified barriers shed light on areas for potential improvements for integrated community care.

Abstract Background A valid and reliable measure is essential to assess patient engagement and its impact on health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the 8-item Altarum Consumer Engagement Measure™ (ACE Measure) among English-speaking community-dwelling adults in Singapore. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 400 randomly selected community-dwelling adults (mean age: 49.7 years, 50.0% were female, 72.3% were Chinese) who completed the English version of the 8-item ACE Measure independently. The item-level statistics were described. The internal consistency of the measure was measured by Cronbach alpha and item-rest correlations. Validity of the tool was assessed by 1) factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), 2) hypothesis-testing validity by correlating ACE subscales (Commitment and Navigation) with health-related outcomes, and 3) criterion validity against the Patient Activation Measure and Health Confidence Measure. Results There was no floor or ceiling effect for Commitment and Navigation subscales, and the Cronbach alpha for each subscale was 0.76 and 0.54, respectively. The two-factor structure was confirmed by CFA. In general, Commitment and Navigation subscales were positively correlated with frequency of activity participation (rho = 0.30 - 0.33) and EQ-5D visual analog scale (rho = 0.15 - 0.30). Individuals who perceived better health than peers had higher subscale scores (p

Abstract Lower extremity muscle strength, and functional limitations are important modifiable predictors of falls, but are often examined using performance based measures. We examined the association between self-reported physical function limitations, determined using Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument(LLFDI) and incident falls in community-dwelling elderly individuals. 283 older adults participants were included in this analysis. Physical function limitations were defined as a person’s difficulty in completing items of the lower extremity function domain and composite scores of the LLFDI. Information on falls was obtained through a standardised questionnaire. At one-year follow-up, 15.2% (43) of the participants experienced their first fall. In the multivariable analysis, individuals who reported difficulties in items of lower extremity function domain were more likely to experience a fall (incidence rate ratio[IRR]: ranging between 2.43 and 7.01; all P ≤ 0.046). In addition, decreasing advanced lower extremity function scores (IRR: 1.70, 95% confidence interval[CI]): 1.04, 2.78) and overall function component score (IRR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.22, 3.44) were associated with higher risk of incident falls. Physical function limitations, determined using LLFDI, were associated with incident falls. Our findings provide further evidence that the LLFDI function component has the potential to be used as a self-assessment tool for fall risk.

Abstract Background Frailty is frequently found to be associated with increased healthcare utilisation in western countries, but little is known in Asian population. This study was conducted to investigate the association between frailty and healthcare utilisation in different care settings among community-dwelling older adults in Singapore. Methods Data from a population health survey among community-dwelling adults were linked with an administrative database to retrieve data of healthcare utilisation (including government primary care clinic visits, specialised outpatient clinic visits, emergency department visits, day surgery and hospitalisations) occurred during a six-month look-back period and six-month post-baseline respectively. Baseline frailty status was measured using the five-item FRAIL scale, which was categorised into three groups: robust (0), pre-frail (1–2), and frail (3–5). Negative binomial regression was applied to examine the association between frailty with respective healthcare utilisation (dependent variables), controlling for other confounding variables. Results In our sample of 701 older adults, 64.8% were of robust health, 27.7% were pre-frail, and 7.6% were frail. Compared to the robust group, frail individuals had a higher rate of specialised outpatient clinic visits (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–6.5), emergency department visits (IRR: 3.1, 95%CI: 1.1–8.1), day surgery attendances (IRR: 6.4, 95%CI: 1.3–30.9), and hospitalisations (IRR: 6.7, 95%CI: 2.1–21.1) in the six-month period prior to the baseline and in subsequent 6 months (IRR: 3.3, 95%CI: 1.6–7.1; 6.4, 2.4–17.2; 5.8, 1.3–25.8; 13.1, 4.9–35.0; respectively), controlling for covariates. Conclusions Frailty was positively associated with the number of specialised outpatient clinic visits, emergency department visits, day surgeries and hospitalisations occurred during 6 months prior to and after the baseline. As frailty is a potentially reversible health state with early screening and intervention, providing preventive activities that delay the onset or progression of frailty should have potential effect on delaying secondary and tertiary care utilisation.

Introduction Measuring health activation in general population using valid instruments is needed to facilitate the evaluation of health education and behavioral programs in community. The 13-item Patient Activation Measure was well validated in patients with different chronic diseases but rarely validated in general population. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Patient Activation Measure among community-dwelling adults in Singapore. Methods Data of participants having valid responses to the English-version measure (N = 824) were analyzed. The psychometric properties were assessed by demonstrating evidence for uni-dimensionality using Rasch Principal Component Analysis of Residuals, known-group validity, convergent and divergent validity, and internal consistency reliability using Cronbach’s alpha. Results The uni-dimensionality of the Patient Activation Measure was supported by the Rasch Principal Component Analysis of Residuals results. Participants having multimorbidity or polypharmacy and being inactive in physical activity had significantly lower activation scores. The activation score was positively and moderately correlated with health confidence measured by the Health Confidence Measure (r = .38, P < .001), and negatively and weakly correlated with depressive symptoms measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (r = − .13, P < .001). The internal reliability was good with a Cronbach’s alpha of .82. Conclusion The 13-item Patient Activation Measure has acceptable construct validity and good internal consistency among community-dwelling adults. It is a potential instrument to measure health activation in this population. Further research is required to investigate the expansion of response options, validate the cut-off scores for the activation levels and examine the test-retest reliability and responsiveness.

BackgroundFor population health management, it is important to have health indices that can monitor prevailing health trends in the population. Traditional health indices are generally measurable at different geographical levels with varied number of health dimensions. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a scalable and extendable multi-dimensional health index based on individual data.MethodsWe defined health to be made up of five different domains: Physical, Mental, Social, Risk, and Healthcare utilization. Item response theory was used to develop models to compute domain scores and a health index. These were normalized to represent an individual's health percentile relative to the population (0 = worst health, 100 = best health). Data for the models came from a longitudinal health survey on 1,942 participants. The health index was validated using age, frailty, post-survey one-year healthcare utilization and one-year mortality.ResultsThe Spearman rho between the health index and age, frailty and post-survey one-year healthcare utilization were -0.571, -0.561 and -0.435, respectively, with all pConclusionThe health index can be used at the individual, program, local, regional or national level to track the state of health of the population. When used together with the domain scores, it can identify regions with poor health and deficiencies within each of the five health domains.

BackgroundWhile it is well established that skin disease places significant psychosocial burden on a patient's wellbeing, its effects have rarely been examined in Asian populations.ObjectiveEvaluate the psychosocial burden of skin disease among community-dwelling adults in Singapore.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 1510 participants interviewed on their history of thirteen skin diseases. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale, and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions- 5 Level (EQ-5D-5L) were used as measures for depressive symptoms, social isolation, loneliness and quality of life respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the association of skin diseases with each of the four measured outcomes.ResultsParticipants with skin diseases reported significantly higher PHQ-9 and UCLA Loneliness scale scores, and lower LSNS-6 and EQ-5D-5L scores when compared to their healthy counterparts. The presence of skin disease was positively associated with depressive symptoms (B = 0.40, SE = 0.11), and negatively associated with quality of life (B = -0.03, SE = 0.01). As disease severity was not evaluated in this study, we were unable to ascertain the associations between disease severity and measured outcomes.ConclusionParticipants with skin diseases were more likely to have depressive symptoms, social isolation, loneliness and lower quality of life. Unemployed, single and elderly patients were at higher risk of developing depressive symptoms. More emphasis should be placed on the psychosocial aspect of care to reduce the burden of skin disease. Some considerations include monitoring patients for mood-related changes and implementing early psychosocial interventions.

OBJECTIVES:The aims of the study were to identify the associations between multimorbidity and specific physical function domains among community-dwelling adults in Singapore, and to examine sex differences in the associations. METHODS:This study was conducted using baseline data of 1,940 participants in the Population Health Index Survey conducted in the Central Region of Singapore from November 2015 to November 2016. Physical function was assessed using the Function Component of the Late-life Function and Disability Instrument and compared between men and women. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to examine associations between multimorbidity and different physical function domains for all participants, and in men and women separately. RESULTS:The prevalence of multimorbidity in the study population was 35.0% for adults aged 21 years and above, with no differences between men and women. Multimorbidity was associated with reduced upper extremity function, basic and advanced lower extremity function, and overall function in men and women after adjusting for demographic factors. Multimorbidity had a stronger association with advanced lower extremity function and overall physical function in women than in men. CONCLUSIONS:The findings of this study indicate that multimorbidity is associated with physical function domains in men and women, and in particular advanced lower extremity for women. Effective community-based interventions need to be implemented to preserve physical function in individuals with multimorbidity to keep them functionally independent and physically active in the community. Additional focus on advanced lower extremity function for women is needed.

To assess the relationship between various social isolation indicators and loneliness, and to examine the differential associations that social isolation indicators, loneliness have with depressive symptoms.Baseline data for 1,919 adults (aged 21 years and above) from a representative health survey in the Central region of Singapore was used for this study. The association between social isolation indicators (marital status, living arrangement, social connectedness with relatives and friends) and loneliness (the three-item UCLA Loneliness) were assessed, and their differential associations with depressive symptoms (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) were examined using multiple linear regression, controling for relevant covariates.There was significant overlap between loneliness and social isolation. Social connectedness with relatives and friends were mildly correlated with loneliness score (|r| = 0.14~0.16). Social isolation in terms of weak connectedness with relatives and with friends and loneliness were associated with depressive symptoms even after controling for age, gender, employment status and other covariates. The association of loneliness with depressive symptoms (β = 0.33) was independent of and stronger than that of any social isolation indicators (|β| = 0.00~0.07).The results of the study establishes a significant and unique association of different social isolation indicators and loneliness with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling adults aged 21 and above.