Associations of reading language preference with muscle strength and physical performance: Findings from the Integrated Women's Health Programme (IWHP).

BACKGROUND: The contribution of language preference and ethnicity to muscle strength and physical performance is unclear. We examined the associations of reading language preferences with muscle strength and performance in Chinese women and compared them to other ethnicities. METHODS: The Integrated Women's Health Programme (IWHP) cohort comprised community-dwelling, midlife Singaporean women aged 45-69. Ethnic Chinese women could choose between the English or Chinese versions of the questionnaire. Malay and Indian women were presented with the English version. Sociodemographic, reproductive, anthropometric characteristics were obtained. Hand grip strength and physical performance were objectively assessed. Visceral adiposity (VAT) was determined by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine independent associations of language preference/ethnicity with muscle strength and physical performance. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 1164 women (mean age: 56.3±6.2 years); 84.1% Chinese, 5.6% Malay, and 10.3% Indian. 315 Chinese participants (32.2%) had a Chinese-language reading preference (CLP). CLP women tended to be parous, of a lower socioeconomic status (lower proportions received tertiary education, lower employment rates and lower household income), and engaged in less physical activity compared to Chinese women with an English-language preference (ELP). This translated to a weaker hand grip strength (aOR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.07-2.27), slower repeated chair stand (1.55; 1.12-2.13), poorer balance on tandem stand (2.00; 1.16-3.47), and a slower gait speed (1.62; 1.06-2.47). Compared to ELP women, Malay women had higher odds of poor hand grip strength (1.81; 1.12-2.93) while Indians had a higher odd of poor balance on one-leg stand (2.12; 1.28-3.52) and slow gait speeds on usual (1.88; 1.09-3.25) and narrow walks (1.91; 1.15-3.17). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese language reading preference was associated with inferior muscle strength and physical performance. Such disparities were largest and most consistent in the CLP group, followed by Indian and Malay women compared to the ELP group. Further studies should determine if CLP-associated muscle weakness can predict adverse health outcomes.

Factors associated with deep infiltrating endometriosis, adenomyosis and ovarian endometrioma.

INTRODUCTION: To compare epidemiological features and clinical presentations of deep infiltrating endometriosis with endometrioma and adenomyosis, as well as to identify risk factors for the respective histologically confirmed conditions. METHOD: Patients undergoing index surgery at the National University Hospital, Singapore for endometriosis or adenomyosis over a 7-year period-from 2015 to 2021-were identified from hospital databases using the Table of Surgical Procedures coding. Social and epidemiological features of cases with histologically confirmed diagnoses of endometrioma only, adenomyosis only, and deep infiltrating endometriosis were compared. Significant variables from univariate analysis were entered into 3 binary multivariate logistic regression models to obtain independent risk factors for: deep infiltrating endometriosis versus endometrioma only, deep infiltrating endometriosis versus adenomyosis only, and adenomyosis only versus endometrioma only. RESULTS: A total of 258 patients were included with 59 ovarian endometrioma only, 47 adenomyosis only, and 152 deep infiltrating endometrioses. Compared to endometrioma only, deep infiltrating endometriosis was associated with higher rates of severe dysmenorrhoea (odds ratio [OR] 2.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-7.70) and out-of-pocket private surgical care (OR 4.72, 95% CI 1.85-12.04). Compared to adenomyosis only, deep infiltrating endometriosis was associated with a higher fertility desire (OR 13.47, 95% CI 1.01-180.59) and a lower body mass index (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79-0.99). In contrast, heavy menstrual bleeding was the hallmark of adenomyosis, being less common in patients with endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Deep infiltrating endometriosis is associated with severe dysmenorrhoea, pain related to urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, higher fertility desire and infertility rate. Patients with pain symptomatology and subfertility should be referred early to a tertiary centre with the capability to diagnose and manage deep infiltrating endometriosis.

Factors associated with poor sleep quality in midlife Singaporean women: The Integrated Women's Health program (IWHP).

Objective: To examine factors associated with poor sleep quality in community-dwelling midlife women. Methods: Healthy women (aged 45-69 years) of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities attending well-women clinics at the National University Hospital, Singapore, completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A PQSI score >5 denoted poor sleep quality. The women filled out validated questionnaires covering menopausal and genito-urinary symptoms, and mental health. Physical performance was measured. Bone mineral density and visceral adiposity were assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Binary logistic regression analyses assessed independent factors for poor sleep. Results: Poor sleep quality was reported in 38.2% of women (n = 1094, mean age: 56.4 ± 6.2 years). Indian women had higher sleep disturbance scores than Chinese women (mean ± SD: 1.33 ± 0.58 vs 1.17 ± 0.49). Malays experienced more daytime dysfunction (0.54 ± 0.60 vs 0.33 ± 0.55) and had a higher overall PSQI score (6.00 ± 3.31 vs 5.02 ± 2.97) than the Chinese. A low education level (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.01-3.05), feelings of irritability (2.67, 1.56-4.60) and vaginal dryness (1.62, 1.03-2.54) were associated with poor sleep quality in the adjusted multivariable model. Women with moderate to severe disability were ∼3 times (2.99, 1.20-7.44) more likely to experience less than ideal sleep quality, while urinary incontinence (1.53, 1.08-2.17) and breast cancer history (2.77, 1.36-5.64) were also associates of poor sleep quality. Conclusion: Self-reports of education level, irritability, vaginal dryness, disability, urinary incontinence, and breast cancer history were independently related to poor sleep. Ethnic differences suggest the need for targeted interventions among the ethnic groups.

The Associations between Upper and Lower Body Muscle Strength and Diabetes among Midlife Women.

We hypothesized that a combined index of upper and lower body muscle strength would be more strongly associated with diabetes than either measure alone. Women recruited into the Integrated Women's Health Program had their handgrip strength (HGS) measured using a dynamometer and underwent a timed 5-repetition chair stand (RCS) test. HGS < 18 kg and RCS performance ≥ 12 s assessed upper and lower body strength, respectively, both individually and combined in a muscle strength index (MSI). Diabetes was defined as physician-diagnosed, use of anti-diabetic medication, or fasting blood glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L. Binary logistic regression examined the associations between muscle strength and diabetes. Of 1170 midlife women, 12.1% had diabetes. A low HGS was independently associated with diabetes (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.44). Prolonged RCS was also associated with diabetes (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.30), but this was not independent of visceral adiposity and muscle mass. A poor MSI had higher odds of diabetes (aOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.40, 4.03), independent of age, ethnicity, education level, menopausal status, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, height, visceral adiposity, and muscle mass. The combination of both upper and lower body muscle strength into a composite MSI was more strongly associated with diabetes than either weak HGS or prolonged RCS alone in midlife women.

Transiting Out of Full-Time National Service: A Qualitative Study of Barriers and Motivators of Weight Change in Young Adult Men in Singapore.

Higher prevalence of obesity in men compared with women, particularly among those 18 to 40 years of age, has been observed in Singapore. We explored young men's perceptions of weight change after transiting out of National Service (NS) over a 12-month period and sought to understand the underlying drivers. In-depth interviews, guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM), were conducted with young men 12 months after they had completed full-time NS. Six constructs from the HBM, namely, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and perceived self-efficacy, were utilized to guide the analysis. Thematic analysis revealed that participants generally perceived a gain in body weight after the transition and attributed this to decreased exercise-related physical activity (PA) levels and increased consumption of unhealthy food. However, many did not display immediate concerns nor view leading a healthy lifestyle as priority, citing time constraints, inertia to comply, or lack of access to sports facilities and healthy food options as barriers. Healthy lifestyle behaviors, mainly PA, were mostly pursued for physical health and appearance. Motivators toward a healthy lifestyle tended to be internal factors such as self-motivation, personal preference, and habit, whereas external motivators included peer or familial influence and environmental factors. Our findings align with key concepts of the HBM and suggest a need to educate young men transiting out of NS on lifestyle, weight, and health, in particular addressing their misconceptions.