No abstract available.
Social Workers

Introduction: Depressive disorders are common. As compared to the general population, healthcare personnel are hypothesized to have an above than average risk to develop this condition. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of this condition and its contributing factors amongst primary healthcare personnel. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by universally sampling 179 primary healthcare personnel at nine primary healthcare centers across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in May 2015. Depressive symptoms were screened using self-administered Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) questionnaire. Socio-demographic and work profile data were also assessed. Results: 92.7% of the 179 personnel agreed to participate. Near half of the respondents were staff nurses (49%), followed by doctors (22%), assistant medical officers (10%), attendants (10%) and the remaining were pharmacists, dieticians, and laboratory technicians (9%). Depression was found to be present in 38% of the participants with onethird found to have moderate to severe depression. Bivariate analysis show that males (p=0.043), assistant medical officers (p=0.048), and working more than 10 hours per day (p=0.019) are significant risk factors. Further analysis by logistic regression shows that working more than 10 hours per day increases the odds of depression by 3.1 (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1-8.7, p=0.03). Conclusions: A high prevalence of depression was found within the healthcare personnel population at the primary healthcare centres studied. Being a male, employed as an assistant medical officer, and, prolonged hours at the workplace is a significant risk factor for depression.
Healthcare workers

Study on 5409 female employees who were directly taking part in agricultural production in 3 regions: the North 1794 persons; the Central 1805 persons; the South 1810 persons. 1218 persons were randomized for clinical examination: the North 418 persons, the Central 392 persons and the South 408 persons. 293/1218 persons were selected for examination of worm eggs. Results: the rate of gynecological disease was 19-23%; dermatological disease in the North was rate of 20.11%, the Central 23.97%, the South 37.64%; Muscular disease was 15.5-18.5%. The infection rate of ascaris was 78.5%, the negative rate was only 8.5%. The physical indexes of female employees were in normal limitation of Vietnamese people.
Health ; Agricultural Workers' Diseases

During the long treatment period (from the treatment of early stage to rehabilitation), burn patients have experienced many problems that they cannot handle it. It is very important as to overcome psychosocial problems of burn patient as to get treatment. The social work intervention for burn patients is so necessary for psychosocial problems solving; this intervention require to support by family. Depending on burn treatment procedure, and patient's social status, each burn patients have different symptom of psychosocial problems. Medical social workers work through different method of intervention that included casework, group work, connecting community resource and etc.
Burns ; Humans ; Social Workers

This paper introduced the epidemiological features of corneitis in agricultural injuries including ages, gender, occupation, condition and causes of trauma and clinical features such as progress of injuries and causative agents of corneitis. The study also introduced diagnosis and treatment including first aid, specific treatment, treatment of complication and sequela and guidance of prevention and control of corneitis and agricultural injuries in the community.
Keratitis ; Agricultural Workers' Diseases

Introduction: Infant hepatitis B vaccination was introduced into the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in Malaysia in 1989. This study aimed to investigate seroprevalence of hepatitis B among UKM pre-clinical medical students, born between 1991 and 1995, and had their infant vaccination more than 20 years ago. Materials and Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study involving 352 students, comprising 109 (31.0%) males and 243 (69.0%) females. Blood specimens were tested for anti-HBs, where levels of ≥10 mIU/mL was considered reactive and protective. Students with non-reactive levels were given a 20 µg HBV vaccine booster. Anti-HBs levels were tested six weeks after the first booster dose. Those with anti-HBs <10 mIU/mL were then given another two booster doses, at least one month apart. Anti-HBs levels were tested six weeks after the third dose. Results: Ninety-seven students (27.6%) had anti-HBs ranging from 10 to >1000 mIU/ mL while 255 (72.4%) had anti-HBs <10 mIU/mL. After one booster dose, 208 (59.1%) mounted anti-HBs ≥10 mIU/mL. Among the remaining 47 (13.3%), all except two students (0.6%) responded following completion of three vaccination doses. They were negative for HBsAg and anti-HBcore antibody, thus regarded as non-responders. Conclusions: Anti-HBs levels waned after 20 years post-vaccination, where more than 70% were within non-reactive levels. For healthcare workers, a booster dose followed by documenting anti-HBs levels of ≥10 mIU/mL may be recommended, to guide the management of post-exposure prophylaxis. Pre-booster anti-HBs testing may not be indicated. Serological surveillance is important in long-term assessment of HBV vaccination programs. No HBV carrier was detected.
serological surveillance ; healthcare workers

This article discuss and answers the two questions which have relevance to the Philippine situation - first, the ethics of difficult life-- and- death decisions, and secondly, new and neglected aspects of the moral responsibility of Filipino doctors for the '80's.
BIOETHICS ; COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Background: Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is considered a vital determinant of mental health and has the ability to benefit both individual and public mental health. To thoroughly measure the different aspects of mental health literacy and determine level of knowledge in the community, a MHLS-Filipino version is required. Objective: This study aimed to validate the Mental Health Literacy Scale – Filipino (MHLS-F) version among Community Health Workers in a rural and an urban health center in CaLaBaRZon. Study Design: This is a methodological study that was conducted among rural and urban health workers Patients and Methods: The guidelines provided by Beaton was used as template for the process of translation and crosscultural adaptation. The first phase involved Translation and Cross- cultural Adaptation of the Mental Health Literacy Scale from English to Filipino Version (MHLS-F). The instrument was simultaneously forward translated from English to Filipino by two independent translators from the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino. Back translations into English were done by two independent translators. The expert review committee discussed discrepancies found between the original items and the back-translated version of the questionnaire through a small group discussion and evaluated the content validity. Judgement on each item was made based on the computed i- CVI. The pre-final translated questionnaire was pre-tested on 5 rural and 5 urban community health workers with similar characteristics to the study population. Suggestions or alternative wording were documented and forwarded to Sentro ng Wikang Filipino for editing and proofreading. After synthesis of all reviews, the Mental Health Literacy Scale – Filipino Version was finalized. The final version was administered to 220 Community Health Workers from the Santa Rosa CHO and San Juan MHO. Psychometric properties on internal reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha was used as complementary procedure for determining the final structure of the instrument. Results: All six domains of MHLS were translated into Filipino without any major problems. The Final Mental Health Literacy Scale- Filipino Version has 26 items under 3 subscales. It has an acceptable content validity and satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.730). Conclusion MHLS was successfully cross-culturally adapted into Filipino. The MHLS-F has good validity and reliability in assessing knowledge and attitude in mental health among community healthcare workers
Community Health Workers

Objectives: Community health workers (CHWs) fill in the insufficiency of health professionals in low-income countries. The CHWs’ roles include health education of their constituents whose health they likewise take care. This study aimed to describe the concept and understanding of diabetes among CHWs in the Philippines. Methods: Fifty female CHWs currently working in rural and urban areas participated in six focus group discussions with guidance from Kleinman’s eight questions. With the written informed consent of the participants, discussions were recorded and transcribed by the Research Assistant. A multi-disciplinary team manually analyzed the data. Disagreements were discussed among them and the physicians provided clinical analyses and explanations on the results. Quotations of an important point of view were also presented. Pseudonyms were utilized to uphold anonymity. Results: CHWs were aged 32 to 72 years; older participants reside in rural areas. Majority were married, housekeepers, and high school graduates. Some CHWs and their family were suffering from diabetes or dyabetis, the disease of the rich according to them. Its causes were food and lifestyle, and believed to be hereditary. Complications lead to death. Amputation was feared the most. Diabetes is incurable. Persons with diabetes should take maintenance medicines, and seek physicians’ and family’s help. Together with the patient, the family must decide on its management. Balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, maintenance medicines, food supplements, and herbal plants were perceived treatments. The internist should lower blood sugar level as well as prolong life span. Proper diet and regular check-up prevent diabetes. Conclusions CHWs’ concept and understanding of diabetes reflect some of the biomedical causes, effects, treatment, and prevention of diabetes as well as its social determinants. The efficacy and safety of herbal plants in the treatment of diabetes, however, should be further studied. Training on diabetes care should be provided to address their fears of amputation, insulin injection, and complications.
Community Health Workers ; Philippines

Background: Phu Tho is a mountainous province in the northwest of Vietnam. People here have the habit to eat raw fish; this is the favorable conditions for small liver fluke (clonorchsis sinensis) circulation and development. \r\n', u'Objectives: 1) To determine infection rate and infection intensity in workers of tea companies in Phu Tho province. 2) To evaluate effectiveness of treatment Clonorchis sinensis by Distocid.\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: Across- sectional survey was carried out in September 2007 in the tea companies in Phu Tho province, 400 peoples (200 male, 200 female), were examined stool samples to find helminthic eggs by Kato-Katz technique.\r\n', u'Results: The cumulative infection rate Clonorchis sinensis was 22.25%, of which a significant difference of the infection rate of clonorchis sinensis was found in males: 27.4% and in females: 16.7%, respectively (p< 0.05). The cure rate by Distocid was 97.7%.\r\n', u'Conclusion: The infection rate of workers in the areas was rather high\r\n', u'Therefore, it is necessary to propagandize and educate for workers and the community understanding of the harmful effects of Clonorchis sinensis and how to prevent small liver fluke disease; changing risk behaviors such as not eating raw fish\r\n', u'
Clonnorchis sinensis ; workers ; tea companies