title: National Health Survey on the prevalence of urinary abnormalities in the population: then and now (1975 to 2012).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper presents the results of a community survey on urinary abnormalities which covered 1/80th of the population of Singapore in 1975. These findings were compared with the data from the Singapore National Service Registrants in 1974 as well as data from a recent survey in Singapore and that of other Asian and Western countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study covered 18,000 persons aged 15 years and above, representing a sampling fraction of 1/80th of the population. A total of 16,808 respondents attended the field examination centres, of whom 16,497 had their urine sample tested representing 92.7% of the sample population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the dipstick urine testing at the field examination centres, 769 subjects (4.6%) were found to have urinary abnormalities. Two hundred and eighty-two (36.7%) of these 769 subjects were found to have urinary abnormalities based on urine microscopy constituting a prevalence of 1.71%. The prevalence of proteinuria was 0.63% and for both haematuria and proteinuria was 0.73%. The prevalence for hypertension was 0.43% and renal insufficiency was 0.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The consensus is that routine screening for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population is not cost effective as the yield is too low. Whilst, most studies showed that screening of the general population was not cost effective, it has been suggested that screening for targeted groups of subjects could help to identify certain risk groups who may benefit from early intervention to prevent or retard the progression of CKD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of urinary abnormalities in Singapore has remained the same, now and three decades ago.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608. woo.keng.thye@sgh.com.sg
authors.forename: Keng Thye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Choong Meng
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Kok Seng
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Hui Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Choong
authors.forename: Han Khim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Marjorie Wy
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Foo
authors.forename: Vathsala
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anantharaman
authors.forename: Evan Jc
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chorh Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Grace Sl
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hui Kim
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Hwee Boon
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yok Mooi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Cheng Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D016482:Urinalysis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult