Background and Objective: Mothers play a significant role as primary caregivers for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) within the family. Given the complex health needs of children with CHD, coping strategies are needed to deal with the challenges associated with caring for their children with the condition. Coping mechanisms encompass fostering resilience, seeking support, and maintaining a positive outlook to navigate stress, uncertainty, and obstacles throughout their child's medical journey with CHD. The objective of this study is to explore the coping strategies employed by mothers of children diagnosed with CHD in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines. Methods: Employing a descriptive qualitative study design, data was gathered through key informant interviews utilizing a semi-structured topic guide, which aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of mothers with children with CHDs. Ethical approval was obtained, and data collection occurred from January to March 2016. Interview transcripts were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and underwent content analysis. Themes derived from the analysis were then validated and confirmed by the study participants. Results: A total of 11 mothers voluntarily participated in the study. These participants expressed utilizing various coping strategies to manage their child's condition, including seeking assistance from both physicians and traditional healers, advocating for their children, receiving support from their family and friends, regulation of emotion, and prayer and faith in God. Conclusion This study sheds light on the coping mechanisms used by mothers in raising thier children with CHD, highlighting the value of spirituality and psychological support in their journey. Enhancing assistance for impacted families and advancing genetic counseling services are two benefits of incorporating these findings into healthcare practice.
Heart Defects, Congenital ; Coping Skills

Introduction: Organizations, including higher education institutions (HEIs), have been mandated to protect employees from the threats of the COVID-19. Objective: This study sought to describe the perceptions of essential school workers (ESWs) of selected HEIs in the southern Manila area in terms of how they were capacitated in compliance with national guidelines, Methods: A total of seven HEIs participated in this qualitative study. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among four sectors of ESWs: security, maintenance, health services, and office staff. Thematic analysis was used to draw insights from the narratives of the FGDs. Results: Three themes emerged from the FGDs: material capacitation, programmatic capacitation, and issues and challenges. Conclusion This study highlights that from the perspective of ESWs, HEIs in the southern Manila area exert efforts to comply with IATF guidelines through various expressions of material and programmatic capacitation to protect them from the threat of COVID-19. However, results also demonstrate challenges that deter full compliance and consistent implementation of the guidelines across institutions.
Qualitative Research

Introduction: Organizations, including higher education institutions (HEIs), have been mandated to protect employees from the threats of the COVID-19. Objective: This study sought to describe the perceptions of essential school workers (ESWs) of selected HEIs in the southern Manila area in terms of how they were capacitated in compliance with national guidelines. Methods: A total of seven HEIs participated in this qualitative study. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among four sectors of ESWs: security, maintenance, health services, and office staff. Thematic analysis was used to draw insights from the narratives of the FGDs. Results: Three themes emerged from the FGDs: material capacitation, programmatic capacitation, and issues and challenges. Conclusion This study highlights that from the perspective of ESWs, HEIs in the southern Manila area exert efforts to comply with IATF guidelines through various expressions of material and programmatic capacitation to protect them from the threat of COVID-19. However, results also demonstrate challenges that deter full compliance and consistent implementation of the guidelines across institutions.
Qualitative Research