OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the relationships between disease activity, functional capacity,  and  health-related  quality  of  life   (HRQoL) in   Filipino   patients   with   ankylosing   spondylitis (AS).
METHODS: Filipino AS patients gathered from the Rheumatology Clinic of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and from selected tertiary hospitals  in Metro Manila who have been  diagnosed  via  the  Revised New  York  Criteria  were  included.  Disease   activity  was measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), while functional capacity and HRQoL were measured using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional  Index  (BASFI)  and Short Form (SF)-36, respectively.  Pearson's  correlation  was used to analyze  the  relationship  between  BASDAI and   BASFI,   and   between   BASDAI   and  SF-36.
RESULTS: Twenty-four patients entered the study.  Mean age was 38.75 ± 12.7  years  and  mean  age  at  diagnosis  was  31 ±  12.29  years.   Symptoms  occurred for  a   mean  of   9.0  ±   6.97  years  with  mean      duration of symptom onset to  diagnosis  of  3.38  ±  5.14  years.  Study subjects had mild to moderate disease activity. Functional  capacity  was most   impaired  in   performing a full day's activities at home or at work.  HRQoL  was highest in vitality and lowest in emotional role,  with  mental health components generally showing higher scores than physical health components. Pearson's correlation showed moderate positive correlation between BASDAI and BASFI (r=0.6016, p=0.0012) and moderate negative correlation between BASDAI  and  the  physical  health  domain  (r=  -0.6916,  p=0.0001)  and mental health domain (r= -0.3575, p=0.0863)  of SF-36. However, only the first two correlations were statistically  significant.
CONCLUSION: Filipino AS patients with higher disease activity have more functional disability and poorer physical  HRQoL.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; Mental Health ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Quality Of Life ; Rheumatology ; Physical Examination

INTRODUCTION: COVID 19 has become the most important public health issue today. It has the potential to significantly affect the mental health of frontline healthcare workers (HCW) putting them at a higher risk of developing psychological problems especially to those who acquired COVID19 infection. OBJECTIVES: To determine the level of depression, stress, anxiety and coping strategies among Filipino HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 infection and its association with demographic and clinical profiles. STUDY DESIGN: Single center Descriptive study materials and methods consisted of 114 Filipino HCW with COVID 19 infection. Data were collected utilizing the Filipino translation of DASS 21 and Filipino Coping Strategy scale. RESULTS: There was a significant increase of HCWs with moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. A large proportion of the HCWs were also severely depressed, severely anxious and severely stress. Majority of the COVID19 positive HCWs were nurses accounting to 35%. More likely, the occupation was significantly associated with their degree of depression and stress. Hypertension associated significantly with elevated stress while having diabetes was instrumental for the depression, anxiety and stress. Moreover, appreciation was more felt at the workplace, then at home. While discrimination was prevalent in the community, workplace and social media. Religiosity ranked the most sought coping strategy. CONCLUSION: The study has found that a large percentage of HCWs had moderate level and a notable portion of respondents had severe to extremely severe level in each of the psychological domains in which factors such as gender, occupation, comorbidities, area of assignment and disease severity have brought significant impact. Discrimination is prevalent in the community and surprisingly in the workplace. In contrast, appreciation was felt more at home and in the workplace. Religiosity was shown to be the top coping strategy among HCWs who tested positive.
COVID-19 ; Adaptation, Psychological