Demographics, co-morbidities, medications, healthcare service utilisation,
health outcomes and healthcare cost of patients with respiratory diseases seen in the primary care
Main Applicant – Dr Mabel Leow Qi He, Research Fellow I
Research/ SingHealth Polyclinics

Longitudinal outcomes play a crucial role in understanding asthma progression and management over time. Tracking of outcomes such as national step challenge results, diabetes development due to steroid use, hospitalization, stroke occurrences, myocardial infarctions, mortality rates, and cost-billing information can aid clinicians in identifying patterns, thereby making informed treatment decisions, and implementing preventive measures to enhance patient outcomes.

Physical activity is one of the triggers for asthma, by understanding patient’s daily step data plays a vital role in managing asthma symptoms and overall health outcomes. Taking steroid such as prednisolone can lead to insulin resistance, raising blood sugar levels and potentially leading to steroid-induced diabetes. Steroids may also worsen existing diabetes symptoms.

Examining hospitalization and mortality rates provides crucial insights into the severe consequences of asthma and the effectiveness of interventions in preventing these consequences including premature deaths. Tracking stroke and myocardial infarction occurrences helps identify cardiovascular risks in asthma patients, and guides preventive measures and treatment strategies.

Additionally, analyzing cost and billing information sheds light on the economic burden of asthma care, informs resource allocation decisions, and aids in optimizing healthcare delivery for asthma patients over time.