Relationship Between Regular Primary Care Physician Access and Uptake of Preventive Health Services Among Public Rental Housing Residents
Gin Juat TAN, Lacey ANG, Ayush JAYAKRISHNAN, Jovern TEO and Lay Hoon GOH
Preventive services reduce disease burden, yet uptake remains suboptimal among public rental housing residents. Continuous contact with a regular primary care physician may influence preventive services engagement, but this association remains under-characterised in Singapore’s rental-flat communities.To examine associations between having a regular primary care physician and uptake of preventive services, including colorectal screening, mammogram, general health screenings, and glucose and lipid screening.In 2025, the NUS conducted a community screening among Toa Payoh rental housing residents. Data included self-reported regular primary care physician status and preventive services uptake. Descriptive statistics summarised uptake. Logistic regression assessed associations with colorectal screening or glucose and lipid screening, adjusting for age, gender, and number of chronic conditions.Among 116 participants (50.9% female; mean age 64.0±10.8), 47.4% reported having a regular primary care physician. 35.6% of 59 eligible females reported mammogram uptake in the past 2 years, 23.3% of all residents reported general health screenings in the past year, 18.1% reported colorectal screening uptake in the past year, and 10.3% reported glucose and lipid screening. Colorectal screening (30.9% versus 6.6%, p=0.0013) and glucose and lipid screening (18.2% versus 3.3%, p=0.0125) were significantly higher among people with a regular physician as compared to those without. There were no associations found for mammogram and general health screenings. Logistic regression showed a regular physician remained strongly associated with colorectal screening (aOR 16.0, 95% CI 3.36-76.46) and glucose and lipid screening (aOR 6.78, 95% CI 1.32-34.71). Older age increased colorectal screening odds (adjusted OR 1.06 per year, 95% CI 1.002-1.12). Female gender was associated with glucose and lipid screening, while chronic conditions were not associated with either outcome.Regular contact with a primary care physician can reinforce health-seeking behaviours, explaining higher colorectal screening and glucose and lipid screening. Weaker mammogram and general health screening associations may reflect accessibility, gender norms, or perceived relevance.Among public rental housing residents attending a community screening in Singapore, having a regular primary care physician was associated with higher uptake of preventive care.
