Step up screening of diabetes among Singaporeans, especially the young
The authorities should not be relying on persuasion to get people to come forward for prediabetes and diabetes screening, says the writer.
We see a lot of outreach by the Health Promotion Board online and in public on diabetes risk assessment, with the agency calling on 18-39 year-olds to do The Diabetes Risk Assessment (DRA) questionnaire and those above 40 to go for screening under the national Screen for Life programme.
One wonders whether such calls would make a dent on the gigantic problem we have on hand.
A projection by the National Healthcare Group showed that from “2010 to 2035, the number of Singapore residents with prediabetes and diabetes is projected to more than double, from 434,685 to 903,596 and from 373,104 to 823,802, respectively”.
The prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes will rise steadily from 15.5 per cent to 24.9 per cent and from 13.3 per cent to 22.7 per cent, respectively, the study showed.
It is fair to ask, how many among the projected hundred thousands of pre-diabetic and diabetic are going to be assessed or screened on their own volition?
Is the business-as-usual approach of more online advertisements, posters or road shows going to work?
Last month, we witnessed the launch of CareShield Life and the proposed hike in MediShield Life premiums.
If we do not come up with game changers on diabetes, this will not be the last time we hear of such premium increases.
Given the magnitude of the problem and the catch-up mode that we are in, we should not be relying on persuasion to get people to come forward for prediabetes and diabetes screening.
The Government can do more to proactively screen Singaporeans at various key catchment points in their lives.
These include enrolment into or graduation from tertiary institutions, National Service enlistment and pre-employment screening.
We must make diabetes blood tests such as fasting blood glucose tests mandatory during these milestones.
In that way, we can cast the net wide and catch the problem preemptively. If we leave the problem till middle age, it will be too late.
For the rest who are non-diabetic, having their blood glucose level measured gives them a useful reminder to keep a lurking enemy away.
Another game changer is to think about channeling resources from the current persuasion campaigns on diabetes screening to actual incentives to get people to be screened.
Such incentivising has already been proven to work in encouraging teenage diabetics to be more regular in monitoring their blood sugar.
So I do not see how an incentive for one-off diabetes screening will not work. Such an incentive — financial or otherwise — should be based on behavioural research and not cost a bomb.
Taking firmer action to get more people screened for diabetes will help us better deal with this serious health threat. The sooner Singapore does that, the better it is.
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