Category: Commentary

Mental health

Move beyond peer support to tackle mental health issues

Posted on by guanyinmiao

Peer support alone is not the panacea to mental health issues among young Singaporeans. In fact, if the panel “has [already] received feedback that the waiting time for young people to see a counsellor can be very long, as there are not enough counsellors” (ST, Jan. 28), then instead of focusing disproportionately on building peer support networks on the ground per se the more impactful and sustainable solutions should revolve around increasing the number of trained counsellors or therapists in Singapore.

Comfort room signage

Singapore’s gender pay gap persists, but has the gap narrowed or grown?

Posted on by guanyinmiao

A study by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and National University of Singapore economist Jessica Pan found that women in Singapore still earn less than men, but whereas ST went with the headline “Singapore women earn 6% less than men, but gap has narrowed: Study” (ST, Jan. 9) (emphasis mine), TODAY chose “MOM’s first nationwide study shows gap growing slightly between median wages of men and women” (TODAY, Jan. 10) (emphasis mine). The difference, related to the two measurement methods, was that ST compared the gap in adjusted median pay (8.8 per cent in 2002 and six in 2018) while TODAY compared the gap in unadjusted median pay (16 per cent in 2002 and 16.3 in 2018).

Detail of two intertwined zippers, with blue and red teeth, like male and female, on white background

Singapore’s married women having less sex than desired: Studying couples and controlling for childbearing preferences

Posted on by guanyinmiao

As a result of stress and fatigue, married women in Singapore between 25 and 34 years old – said to be in their “peak childbearing age” (ST, Jan. 5) – are reported to have less sex than desired, which consequently affects how long they take to get pregnant (a phenomenon with fertility implications). Even though this study of 657 married women is the first in the country to examine the coital frequency or sex lives of this population, it could have studied couples as dyads and could have controlled for childbearing preferences, since sex is not just for procreation and can affect marital quality and satisfaction.

Woman in brown top reading paper

Policy challenges in ageing Singapore: A brief report

Posted on by guanyinmiao

Singapore is an ageing nation. Four key aspects of health and ageing are worth examining: The built environment, healthcare financing, long-term care facilities, and intergenerational support. Elderly Singaporeans may be fortunate to live in a well-connected ecosystem with the necessary facilities, but there are challenges in ensuring that they can consistently afford their needed healthcare. Furthermore, it is increasingly difficult to rely on loved ones for support. This brief report also questions the limits of individual responsibility and family-community support, the two key principles which underpin Singapore’s approach towards ageing.