Biederman and Colleague Submit Duke/Duke-NUS Collaborative Research Application

Kudos to Donna Biederman, associate professor, and her Multi-PI partner Sungwon Yoon, Duke National University of Singapore (Duke-NUS), and their entire team for the submission of their Duke/Duke-NUS collaborative research application entitled “Housing Instability and Utilization of Preventive Health Services in the US and Singapore: A Mixed Methods Study”. This proposal requests funding for a one-year period with a project start date of July 1, 2019.

Despite being advanced economies, persistent wealth inequalities and associated health disparities remain in both Singapore and the US. The proposed study aims to compare the utilization of preventive health services between the poor and the non-poor in Singapore and the US. Specifically, we aim to (1) investigate the extent to which housing status is associated with utilization of preventive health services (quantitative); and (2) explore lived experiences and perceived barriers to early access to and use of preventive health services (qualitative). The larger goal of this collaborative effort is to collect foundational data to develop an evidence-based intervention for these understudied (and generally underserved) populations in Singapore and Durham. Understanding the distinct nature of preventive health-seeking behaviors and access to services in these two settings will enable us to address modifiable factors to reduce progression from pre-chronic conditions to chronic disease.