The Impact of Beliefs on Health in Singapore

The belief in ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ dates back many generations in Chinese belief and health is said to be the balance of both Yin and Yang in the body. Similarly, the beliefs of many Malays (25%) and Indians (11%) in the community in indigenous medicine such as traditional Malay and Ayurveda believe that natural elements like temperature and weather impact health the most. However, the belief and association in religion and spirituality may have negative impacts on health as well.The Impact of Beliefs on Health in Singapore

For example, the practice and the use of Traditional Chinese Medication (TCM), acupuncture, or self-medicating by Buddhists or Taoist that represents 33% and 9% of the population respectively, can result in adverse effects and can often be fatal especially when inaccurately. Nonetheless, the greater 61% of the Woodlands population that are Chinese in Chart 3 engage in the use of TCM and this is evident through the many available TCM clinics in Woodlands such as Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Instituition, and Ma Kuang TCM clinic. Socio-economic Status (SES): It has been established that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with poor health.