Adolescent health in Asia: insights from Singapore

Jean-Yin Oh; Kumudhini Rajasegaran

doi:10.1515/ijamh-2016-5015

Article

Adolescent health in Asia: insights from Singapore

Jean-Yin Oh and Kumudhini Rajasegaran

Published/Copyright: June 26, 2015

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From the journal International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health Volume 28 Issue 3

Abstract

The introduction of adolescent medicine as a medical subspecialty in Singapore was a welcome in an evolving health care system that is unique in terms of both efficiency, in financing and the results achieved in community health outcomes. The Ministry of Health (MOH) already recognized the need to accommodate the health care concerns related to adolescent psychosocial health risk behaviors and an increased prevalence of young people living with chronic illness. The challenge for the pioneer team of physicians trained in adolescent medicine was to develop and sustain a model of care that integrated (i) core clinical services that include quality measures of care to adolescents; (ii) professional development and capacity building needing an expansive teaching agenda at every level of health education; (iii) strong inter-sectorial collaborations within hospital and community partners; and (iv) robust research and evaluation strategies that keep clinical practice relevant and evidence based.

Keywords: adolescent; model of care; Singapore; training

Corresponding author: Jean-Yin Oh, MBBChBaO, Assistant Associate Professor MRCPCH(UK), Consultant General Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore, E-mail: oh.jean.yin@kkh.com.sg

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of the MOH Adolescent Health Advisory Committee, the Adolescent Health Steering Committee, Prof Susan Sawyer, and Prof Chay Oh Moh.

Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Received: 2015-1-12

Accepted: 2015-3-2

Published Online: 2015-6-26

Published in Print: 2016-8-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2016-5015

Keywords for this article

adolescent; model of care; Singapore; training