Focus on psychiatry in Singapore

Abstract

This is an overview of the historical development of psychiatric services and the progress of psychiatric research and training in Singapore. With a population of 4 million, the city is evolving from developing to developed status and the concomitant social implications pose enormous challenges for mental health professionals. The demographic changes in recent years, with an ageing population and with more women (the traditional family caregivers) in the workforce, have had profound consequences for the delivery of health care services. In this cosmopolitan city of Chinese, Indians and Malays, myriad cultures and beliefs influence the health-seeking behaviour and the care of people with mental illness.