Clinical trials

The aim of this study is to evaluate usual care versus biomarker-directed care (using blood eosinophil counts) for the management of asthma patients in primary care setting. The study hypothesizes that BEC is a valuable biomarker that can guide asthma treatment, and result in reduction in asthma exacerbations, better symptom control and improvement in quality of life compared to usual arm in mild to moderate asthma patients in the primary care setting. Researchers would compare using blood eosinophil count guided to usual care to see if biomarker-directed asthma treatment and management

This study is conducted to assess the effectiveness of a community intervention programme on improving well-being, levels of distress, and loneliness in older adults (aged 55 years old and above), who have symptoms of depression. Social Service Agencies (SSAs) will conduct focal talks on well-being for the community. As part of the focal talks, the Public Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) will be conducted. Attendees with a PHQ-9 score of 1-9 will be invited to take part in the study. Up to 300 participants will be recruited and randomised into 2 arms: control arm (150 participants) and intervention arm (150 participants). Participants in the intervention arm will undergo 8-week community intervention programme which includes 4 sessions on well-being and continuous follow-up with a Health Companion. Participants in the control arm will be offered to join a programme conducted by the SSAs 8 weeks after recruitment into the study. The programmes offered to the control group are independent of the study.

Primary objective of the study is to determine the extent that offering of self-sampling in addition to clinician-sampling Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing will increase detection of HPV DNA through an increase in uptake rates of cervical cancer screening as compared to offering clinician-sampling HPV DNA testing alone. The hypothesis is that offering additional self-sampling will increase the detection of high-risk HPV DNA by at least 7.7%.

The PACT Study is a cluster randomised trial of a health coach-led patient activation program in type 2 diabetes. The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a health coaching intervention (PACT program) led by Care Coaches (trained lay persons), in adult participants with sub-optimally controlled Diabetes Mellitus, as compared to participants undergoing routine care for diabetes (Usual Care). The primary outcome of interest is change in Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels over 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Secondary outcomes include changes in blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, body mass index (BMI), self-reported diabetes self-care behaviours, self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, and diabetes-related distress, over 3, 6 and 12 months. Participants in the Intervention arm will undergo the PACT Program, which is a 3-month long health coaching program led by a care coach. Participants review their motivators, health parameters, self-care behaviours, and set goals for improving their diabetes using a PACT report. Subsequently, they will receive fortnightly motivational and problem solving support via telephone or WhatsApp messaging over a 3-month duration, and will return to routine care after 3 months. Participants in the Usual Care arm will have routine care of their diabetes treatment.