Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) how many women in Singapore suffer from some form of arthralgia (joint pain) currently; (b) how many women suffered from this condition in 2013 as compared to the number in 2023; (c) whether the Ministry will raise awareness of arthralgia as a symptom of menopause; and (d) whether the Ministry has programmes for the early detection and treatment of arthralgia.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Joint pain, or arthralgia, is a symptom that can be associated with many conditions, such as infections, for example, dengue, injury, gout and menopause. The Ministry does not track the number of women in Singapore suffering from joint pain.
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and National University Hospital have been involved in media outreach efforts to raise awareness of menopause and its associated symptoms, including arthralgia.
The Ministry will await data from future studies to better inform our model of care for menopausal women, such as an upcoming clinical study by the Integrated Women’s Health Programme to explore whether curated exercises and estrogen therapy can alleviate the symptoms of menopausal arthralgia.
Ministry of Health
7 February 2024
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=written-answer-15809
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 