AIA Group’s Rethink Healthy Study has uncovered that Singaporeans are more likely than their Asian counterparts to equate personal worth with financial success. The study highlights that 98% of Singaporeans feel socially impacted by stereotypes, despite a lower personal agreement with traditional beliefs compared to the rest of Asia.
The study reveals that financial status is uniquely tied to personal identity and masculinity in Singapore, creating an “identity strain.” Many Singaporeans feel pressured by the notion that “wealth determines a person’s worth” and “a man’s worth depends on his financial success.” Irma Hadikusuma, Chief Marketing & Healthcare Officer at AIA Singapore, noted, “When financial success becomes a measure of personal worth, people can become overly focused on finances at the expense of other important areas of life.”
Key findings show that 71.1% of Singaporeans are less likely to discuss issues, 60.3% hide their struggles, 64.8% engage in health-damaging behaviours, and 63.3% doubt expert guidance. This indicates a high level of “social self-censorship” due to stereotype pressure.
Encouragingly, Singaporeans are moving away from rigid physical health stereotypes, with lower agreement on beliefs like “only intense workouts are effective.” This shift aligns with AIA’s ‘Rethink Healthy’ campaign, which aims to redefine health perceptions.
The study, conducted across several Asian countries, analysed over 100 million pieces of online content and surveyed 2,100 respondents to understand the stereotypes shaping health today.
