BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

With the global population aging, there is an emerging need for access to quality longterm care (LTC) services. Many countries have developed LTC systems while others are at the infancy stage. This paper aimed to provide an overview of the country’s readiness for LTC based on the perspectives of relevant stakeholders. Specifically, it described the roles, initiatives, and challenges of relevant organizations and community leaders for LTC provision. It also described the older persons (OPs) and carers’ perspectives towards LTC including their awareness, capacity, and preferences.

The study utilized a descriptive design using qualitative methods of data collection namely key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Participating institutions and their designated representatives were purposively sampled as key informants. OPs and carers from select barangays in NCR and Region IVA participated in the FGDs. Guided by the interpretivism approach, thematic analysis was performed. A trained research assistant coded the FGD and KII transcripts through the Nvivo PRO plus software and verified by the first author. Themes were reviewed and validated by the multidisciplinary team.

A total of 15 KIIs and two FGDs were conducted. The participating institutions and organizations were found to have varied roles and initiatives relevant to LTC; from strategic planning, development of policies and standards of care, training and capacity-building, and up to the actual implementation of LTC services. Identified challenges include implementation issues, financial issues, lack of political and stakeholder support, OPs and familial issues, and lack of knowledge on LTC.

Participants shared their description on what LTC is, an LTC facility, and the conditions of those in LTC facility. OPs expressed their willingness to utilize LTC services and identified several factors related to their preferred LTC arrangements. Carers identified various topics related to taking care of OPs that they would like to learn.

The roles, initiatives, and awareness of relevant stakeholders, older persons, and carers towards LTC were found to greatly vary. Policy makers, health workforce, families, communities, and the older persons themselves should have a better understanding of longterm care before they can provide or utilize the system. With the current landscape of LTC provision, the country still has a long way to go in achieving the integrated continuum of LTC appropriate to promote healthy aging. Promoting awareness, integrating LTC in the current programs and services for older persons in the country, capacitating the formal and non-formal caregivers, and strengthening collaborations are recommended.

Further research on quantitative measures of readiness for long-term care with focus on the health system and in-depth studies on the varieties or models of long-term care are recommended.

BACKGROUND

Community pharmacists are strategically positioned to dispense Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) products as part of their innate roles in the provision of accurate drug information to patients. This unique position of the pharmacist could be best realized if equipped with good knowledge and skills in regard to CAM products.

This study aimed to assess the readiness of community pharmacists in the provision of CAM productrelated information to patients by assessing the knowledge and determined the attitudes and practices of community pharmacists regarding CAM products in Eastern Visayas, Philippines.

A descriptive mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) survey design was utilized in this study. Community pharmacists (n=58) in Eastern Visayas, Philippines were the research participants in the study. The survey questionnaire constituted four sections: socio-demographic profile, attitudes, practices, and knowledge of community pharmacists on CAM products. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version 20.

Results revealed that the majority of respondents are female (87.93%), age range in between 21-30 (62.07%), working full-time (79.31%), and bachelor’s degree holder (98.28%). More than half of the participants (53.45%) did not receive any education or training on CAM products during undergraduate studies. Community pharmacists displayed strong positive attitudes (mean=3.74) and had a moderate frequency of practice on CAM products (mean=3.20). The knowledge test revealed that only a few of the community pharmacists (31.03%) were considered knowledgeable. A significant relationship between years of work experience in community pharmacy and knowledge was found in this study.

Despite having strong attitude and moderate level of practice, community pharmacists in Eastern Visayas showed a low level of knowledge on CAM products. Demand for CAM products by patients encouraged community pharmacists to dispense and provide information. Readiness of community pharmacists in terms of knowledge provision of CAM product-related information to patients were found to be insufficient while a moderate level of practice towards CAM products was reported. Community pharmacists displayed a strong positive attitude towards CAM products. Overall, the community pharmacists are not ready to provide CAM information service in the context of the knowledge, attitude, and practices.

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcal vaccination has been widely used for the prevention of pneumococcal disease, with two types of vaccines available since 2009. With the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of incorporating pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in National Immunization Programs (NIPs) worldwide, a ten-valent PCV (PHiD-CV) was initially introduced in the Philippines in 2012. This, however, transitioned to the use of the 13-valent PCV (Prevnar) subsequent to the recommendation of the Formulary Executive Council in 2014.

This review aimed to present evidence on pneumococcal disease and vaccine inclusion in the Philippine NIP from 2005 - 2021.

This narrative review compiled articles on Pneumococcus from January 2005 to October 2021, sourcing literature from databases such as BIOSIS Preview, CAB Direct, Embase, Google Scholar, and others.

In the Philippines, there was a shift in prevalent serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae among children under five following the introduction of PCV13 in the National Immunization Program in 2014, with serotype 14 becoming the most common by 2018, and a significant reduction in isolates reported in 2020, where only serotypes 5, 19A, and 23F were identified among invasive strains. The immunogenicity results of a potential vaccine candidate should be factored into the overall evidence when conducting a reassessment of PCV.

As part of the decision making about the inclusion of the PCVs in the NIP of the Philippines, various factors such as local epidemiology, vaccine supply, cost, and programmatic characteristics must be careful weighed. Enhancing laboratory and surveillance capacity are essential to provide evidencebased decision-making in terms of existing serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile in the country. With the introduction of a new affordable formulation of a 10-valent PCV offering a comparable serotype coverage, the reassessment of choice of PCV with the consideration of all three formulations, namely PCV13, PHiD-CV, and SIIPL-PCV, may be warranted.

BACKGROUND

High-risk areas in the Philippines still experience a high prevalence of undernutrition. The efforts of the governments are not enough to reach those who are in need; hence, the presence of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) is crucial. One CSO has implemented health and nutrition technical programs to increase the number of well-fed children in four selected areas in the Philippines.

This study aims to shed light on the differences in the nutritional status of the children when they are characterized according to their sociodemographic and economic covariates.

An analytical cross-sectional design was used to survey 692 households, including 764 children aged 0–5 years old. Descriptive analysis and the Chi-Square test of difference were used to answer the objectives.

The study results show that no significant differences were observed when the nutritional status of the children was characterized according to the sociodemographic of the caregiver, food consumption score (FCS) and food security status, water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) practices, and economic indicators, except weight-for-height and marital status of caregivers, and weight-for-age and livelihood and economic support received by their caregivers (P = 0.02).

The majority of children, regardless of their nutritional status, share the same experience and resources in terms of sociodemographics of caregivers, FCS and food security status, WASH practices, and economic indicators. CSO can boost the impact of their health and nutrition interventions by harmonizing their efforts with government programs, leading to better-targeted and more efficient outcomes.

Climate change is increasingly affecting public health and safety, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and aggravating existing health inequities. Recognizing the urgency of this challenge, the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH), College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, convened the Seventh EOH Forum on November 21–22, 2024, with the theme Resilient Futures: Enhancing Health and Safety in Communities and Workplaces Amid Climate Challenges. This commentary highlights key points raised during the forum, with a focus on community-and workplace-level initiatives that address climate-related health risks. These efforts include the improvement of heat-health early warning systems, integration of climate resilience in occupational health and safety programs, and hospital-based interventions for environmental footprint reduction. The presentations also emphasized the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, localized mitigation and adaptation strategies, and climate-informed health promotion activities. The forum highlighted that building resilient communities and workplaces requires not only policy alignment and institutional support but also interventions on the ground that are inclusive and equitable.

Rabies remains a persistent public health issue in the Philippines, despite the existence of national and local policies and programs aimed at addressing its eradication. The viral disease, which elicits fatality yet is preventable, disproportionately affects rural areas, especially geographically isolated and disadvantaged area due to the junction of socio-cultural and technical challenges. This commentary article explores the myriad of barriers to rabies prevention and control, including poverty, cultural beliefs, limited health literacy, health delivery, and access inequity. However, the implementation of Rabies Act of 2007, which mandates mass vaccination, education, and the establishment of Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTCs), has gaps in the implementation that compromises the program’s sustainability and effectiveness. Deep-rooted cultural practices and beliefs delay or, more so replace evidence-informed medical practices, while geographic isolation and underfunded healthcare facilities hinder optimal provision of care. Moreover, interagency coordination and fragmented reporting surveillance systems further complicate effective rabies control. To address the gaps, this paper advocates for a culturally tailored and community-centered One Health approach that addresses both social and technical aspects of rabies prevention. Important recommendations include decentralizing ABTCs, sustaining vaccination programs with local government support and funding, integrating rabies education into schools and community outreach, and intensifying through multisectoral collaboration both government and nongovernment institutions. Achieving a rabies-free country requires not only biomedical interventions but also a holistic approach – equitable access to healthcare, trust building in communities, and long-term political commitment. In this manner, regardless of location and socioeconomic status, it ensures that this viral disease will be controlled and prevented.

BACKGROUND

While wearing face shields and other gears to protect the facial mucous membranes not covered by face masks are proven to decrease the odds of infection in the hospital setting, there is no concrete evidence of its efficacy in the general public.

To determine the effectiveness of face shield use in the general public in the local setting.

This study utilized an ecological study design, with the weeks when the policy was implemented serving as the exposure variable while the weeks when the policy was not in effect, whether prior to or after, serving as control. Primary outcomes were mean incidence of COVID-19 and case fatality rate (CFR) per week.

When the mandatory face shield use was implemented, the mean incidence of COVID-19 per week was higher compared to weeks when it was not implemented [93 cases per 1000 population per week (ptpw) vs 65 cases, relative risk:1.43, z=-3.79, p=0.0001]. Moreover, during weeks when only less than 50% of the population was vaccinated with first dose (93 cases ptpw vs 52 cases, RR: 1.79, z=-4.3, pCONCLUSIONS

In general, although face shield use increased susceptibility to COVID-19, it decreased case fatality rate in the Philippines. However, a more robust and controlled study in the future may be needed to truly justify its recommendation for the public.

BACKGROUND

Long-term treatment and medication compliance are critical for managing conditions like hypertension, yet only 20% of cases are well-controlled, mainly due to socioeconomic factors. The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 offers a 20% discount on medications to improve compliance, but many seniors need to be made aware of these benefits. Evaluating satisfaction with the Act, specifically regarding its medication-related provisions, is essential for enhancing compliance and health outcomes among senior citizens.

This study examined the association between satisfaction with the medication provisions of the Senior Citizens Act, the frequency of senior identification card usage, and medication compliance among hypertensive patients.

We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study with 458 hypertensive senior citizens in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, Philippines. Senior citizens were randomly selected and completed a survey using a validated, self-developed questionnaire and the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure (HB-HBP) compliance scale. We performed linear regression analysis to examine the association between their satisfaction and the use of senior citizens’ benefits on their medication compliance.

Senior citizens were 60-88 years old (mean 69; standard deviation [SD] 5.9). Thirty-eight percent were satisfied with the Senior Citizens Act and 49% regularly used their senior citizen card. Senior citizens scored an average of 46.82 (SD 4.96) on the HB-HBP compliance scale (possible range = 14-56), indicating high compliance. Those dissatisfied with the Senior Citizens Act were less compliant with their antihypertensive medications [B (unstandardized beta) = -1.65, 95% CI (Confidence Interval) = -2.70, -0.61]. Similarly, those who rarely or never used their senior identification cards (B = -1.54, 95% CI = -2.61, -0.48) and those who used them occasionally (B = -1.43, 95% CI = -2.57, -0.29) showed lower medication compliance compared to those who used them regularly.

Senior citizens who are satisfied with the medication provisions of the Act and regularly use their senior identification cards exhibit higher compliance with their antihypertensive medications than those with lower satisfaction and infrequent card usage. Interventions should prioritize educational sessions to inform senior citizens about the benefits of the Senior Citizens Act, including how to use their identification cards to access medication discounts effectively.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Tuberculosis (TB) remains to be prevalent in the Philippines and globally. Female genital tuberculosis has devastating and permanent consequences, hence, timely and adequate treatment is needed. Since more data regarding optimal duration of treatment of genital tuberculosis are needed, this study compares the treatment response at six months and after at least nine months of treatment, with the intention of determining the most practical management for genital tuberculosis.

A retrospective chart review was conducted for newly diagnosed cases of genital tuberculosis who met the inclusion criteria. Treatment response was categorized into clinical, microbiologic, histologic, radiologic, and sonographic responses. Responses to treatment were evaluated as either partial or complete at the 6th month and after at least 9 months of treatment, and the proportions were compared.

Out of 140 charts retrieved, only 43 were included. Statistically significant difference was found only in clinical response, primarily due to patients who did not achieve resumption of menstruation within the f irst six months of treatment. The rest of the treatment responses and adverse drug events are equally the same for both time periods.

Results of this study show that the proportion of patients with microbiologic, histologic, radiologic, and sonographic response to treatment at the 6th month did not significantly differ to the proportion of patients who responded at the 9th or 12th month of treatment. This leads to a conclusion that the 6-month treatment regimen will be more practical in treating genital tuberculosis, except in amenorrheic premenopausal women who may warrant extension of treatment. Further studies on post-treatment rates of relapse and sonographic resolution are needed.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Transient congenital hypothyroidism (TCH) refers to temporary deficiency of thyroid hormone identified after birth which later recovers to improved thyroxine production. Its prevalence in the Philippines has not been reported in a large-scale study. Its diagnosis remains difficult due to its numerous possible etiologies. Identifying the predictive factors of TCH may aid in earlier diagnosis and decreased risk of overtreatment. This study aimed to determine the predictive factors for TCH in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) detected by newborn screening (NBS) in the Philippines from January 2010 to December 2017.

In this multicenter retrospective cohort study involving 15 NBS continuity clinics in the Philippines, medical records were reviewed, and clinical and laboratory factors were compared between children with TCH and those with permanent congenital hypothyroidism (PCH). Of the 2,913 children diagnosed with CH in the Philippines from 2010 to 2017, 1,163 (39.92%) were excluded from the study due to an unrecalled or lost to follow-up status, or a concomitant diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

Among the 1,750 patients included in analysis, 6.97% were diagnosed with TCH, 60.80% were female, mean gestational age at birth was 38 weeks, and mean birth weight was 2,841 grams. Confirmatory thyrotropin (TSH) was lower and confirmatory free thyroxine (FT4) was higher in the TCH group compared to those with PCH (TSH 32.80 vs 86.65 µIU/mL [pCONCLUSION

Of all the patients with confirmed congenital hypothyroidism via the newborn screening, 6.97% were diagnosed with transient CH. Factors associated with TCH are confirmatory TSH and FT4, L-thyroxine dose requirements, thyroid ultrasound findings, gestational age at birth, and a maternal history of thyroid illness.