New study finds that family caregivers of Singapore elderly who rely on foreign domestic workers fare better
As the elderly population of Singapore rises at a rapid pace, so does the use of foreign domestic workers as care providers. Researchers from Duke-National University of Singapore and the Duke Global Health Institute have found that 50 percent of disabled elderly in Singapore receive some level of support and caregiving from live-in foreign domestic workers. The study, published this week in The Journals of Gerontology is the first of its kind to document the role and impact of foreign domestic workers in the caregiving of the elderly in Singapore.
The study, led by Truls Ostbye at the Duke Global Health Institute and Rahul Malhotra at Duke-National University of Singapore, found that family caregivers who receive support from a foreign domestic worker report more control over their daily schedule, better health, a stronger financial situation and more family support. Foreign domestic workers are mostly women from Indonesia, the Philippines and other nearby lower-income countries.
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 Duke Endowment Gives $5.74 Million to Study Clergy Health
The Duke Endowment has committed $5.74 million to Duke Divinity School to extend the work of its Clergy Health Initiative, an effort to study and improve the health and well-being of United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, President Richard H. Brodhead recently announced. The Duke Endowment initially funded the project in 2007, and in the past six years, findings have shown a critical need for health programs tailored to clergy. The initiative's research is led by DGHI faculty member Rae Jean Proschold-Bell.
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 Melissa Watt named Associate Director for MSc-GH
Melissa Watt, assistant research professor of global health, has been appointed Associate Director of the Duke Master of Science in Global Health (MSc-GH). Founded in 2009, the MSc-GH is one of the leading graduate-level global health programs in the country. The flagship graduate program offers students a tailored curriculum, the ability to develop a thesis project and funded fieldwork. In her role, Watt will lead a review of the MSc-GH fieldwork and thesis requirements. Watt will work closely with DGHI faculty member Chris Woods, who directs the program.
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