BACKGROUND: Typhoon Haiyan made landfall over the Visayas Region in 2013, affecting 15 million people. At least 4 million people were displaced, including hundreds of University of the Philippines students and teachers who had to deal with the consequences of such displacement not only on their personal lives but also on their academic lives.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the experiences and needs of students and teachers of the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College (UP VTC), University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences (UPM SHS), and University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) who were either directly affected by Typhoon Haiyan or served as responders to the typhoon survivors. The study specifically looked at experiences of displacement in an academic setting, from the perspective of those who were academically displaced and those who hosted them.

METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was designed involving a total of 17 student and teacher survivors and responders (ten survivors or survivor-responders and seven responders), who were purposively sampled and participated in an online open-ended questionnaire that elicited narrative experiences post-Typhoon Haiyan. Archived group process notes during the Haiyan response were also included as data. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify salient themes among and within groups.

RESULTS: Salient themes of student and teacher survivors, survivor-responders, (i.e. survivors who also had the additional role of being responders for others), and responders that emerged included: (1) provision of basic needs (food, water, safety) including academic resources, (2) lack of deliberate psychosocial processing of the disaster experience for both survivor and responder, (3) unequal access to help, (4) communication and organizational problems, and (5) victimhood.

CONCLUSION: Student and teacher survivors and survivor-responders cited needs that go beyond basic survival needs that require a more contextual approach. Given the university context of student and teacher survivors, survivor-responders, and responders, recommendations included the need for (1) efficient dissemination of existing postdisaster school policies and programs to increase access to address communication and organizational issues, (2) equal access to school-based basic, financial, educational, and psychological support and services, and (3) proper sensitivity training for host students, teachers, and staff to decrease experiences of victimhood and discrimination.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Disaster Victims ; Mental Health ; Philippines

BACKGROUND: Despite existing disaster preparedness policies in the Philippines, there has not been any validated assessment of the quality of disaster medical response, which would require reliable aggregate data on patient diagnoses and management.

OBJECTIVE: This mixed-methods study documented the diagnoses, triage classification and case management of patients seen by Philippine EMS groups who responded to the Typhoon Haiyan disaster in the Philippines in November and December 2013, as well as difficulties associated in gathering these data, using the Utstein-style Template for Uniform Data Reporting of Acute Medical Response in Disasters as framework.

METHODS: Three hundred (300) individuals vetted by EMS organizations were invited to answer a survey modeled after the Utstein-style template, and submit tallies of patients seen. Out of 52 responses received, policy recommendations were subsequently generated on concerns assessed by the template using the nominal group technique.

RESULTS: The submitted data yielded a total of 41,202 patients with information on age, sex, and diagnosis; 19,193 with triage classification; and 27,523 with information on case management. The focus group discussion underlined the absence of a standard communication and information management system. Participants recommended establishing such a system and highlighted the role of the Department of Health - Health Emergency Management Bureau in coordinating disaster medical response efforts and information management.

CONCLUSION: This study underlines the importance of effective communication, and multisectoral coordination, to generate reliable data and thus, facilitate resource allocation for disaster medical response.

Human ; Cyclonic Storms ; Disaster Medicine ; Emergency Medical Services ; Relief Work

BACKGROUND: Despite the implementation of policies related to disaster risk reduction and management in the Philippines, the response after Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013 was hampered by operational challenges.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to document disaster response experiences of Typhoon Haiyan from field level emergency medical service (EMS) responders, a key component of the disaster response, specifically the enabling factors and hindrances to disaster medical response activities, including their self-perceived level of preparedness in these activities.

METHODS: In this mixed-methods study, 52 respondents identified enabling factors and hindrances to their disaster response and their corresponding self-perceived level of preparedness. In a subsequent focus group discussion, the researchers used the nominal group technique to process the respondents' experiences.

RESULTS: The respondents identified factors that enabled or hindered their response activities such as coordination, stress debriefing, infrastructure, and preparedness. Furthermore, an average of 33% of the respondents said they were adequately prepared to deliver the necessary medical services during the disaster response, thus validating previous studies on preparedness and disaster response operations.

CONCLUSION: The government should critically examine its cluster approach to disaster response and consider an integrated, inclusive, and proactive approach in disaster planning.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Disasters ; Emergency Medical Services

BACKGROUND

The Philippines faces a challenge in addressing the mental health needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs) following disasters. The lack of an integrated mental health triage system within evacuation centers and the shortage of specialists trained in post-traumatic stress triaging have hindered effective emergency response. Existing interventions primarily focus on traditional trauma and psychiatric symptoms, often lacking standardized mental health triage classifications and leading to data gaps, complicating resource allocation decisions.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a culturally relevant mental health triage system, this study proposes the "Unahon Tool" to meet the needs of Filipino IDPs. Integrating with existing medical triage protocols equips frontline responders to identify stress-related concerns, enables informed decision-making for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) allocation, and optimizes resource utilization.

METHODS

The study involved key informants, including disaster responders, mental health specialists, and government officials, who participated in interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to identify behavioral aspects affecting IDP communities. The Unahon Tool development incorporated disaster response frameworks, mental health interventions, and other existing triage tools. A red-yellow-green categorization system was employed based on the severity and urgency of observed behaviors. Stakeholder consultations and expert reviews guided tool refinement.

RESULTS

The final Unahon Tool includes 17 behaviors categorized into red (urgent), yellow (moderate), and green (low) severity levels. It provides corresponding recommended interventions to aid responders. During direct observations, yellow-category behaviors like shouting and cursing were prevalent. Responders focused on reminders for peace and order in response to these behaviors. The tool's "Notes" section was identified as a potential area for contextual information inclusion.

CONCLUSION

The Unahon Tool fills a crucial gap in the Philippine disaster response infrastructure by offering a behavior-based mental health triage system. It enables responders to prioritize mental health resources effectively, reducing the burden on specialists and enhancing overall disaster response effectiveness. Future directions   include expanding tool adoption beyond Metro Manila, translating it into regional languages, and developing a version for children and teenagers. Collaboration with other regions and age groups will ensure broader applicability and effectiveness in addressing mental health needs among diverse IDP populations.

Human ; Mental Health ; Disasters ; Philippines

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

First responders must be physically and mentally healthy to ensure effective emergency response. However, literature showed that Filipino first responders continue to have elevated levels of stress and increased risk for post-traumatic stress and other mental health problems months after their deployment. The “Mi Salud” app was created to help Filipino first responders, their team leaders, and their agencies monitor and manage the responders’ real-time stress levels before, during, and after their deployment more effectively.

METHODS

The “Mi Salud” app was pretested with Filipino first responders (n=30) to establish convergent validity using existing validated scales measuring the same construct. Participants also completed a Likert scale and questionnaire to assess user experience and app recommendations. During the rollout, first responders (n=32) tested the app and completed a survey on user experience and app recommendations. A focus group discussion (n=11; FGD) was conducted to further explore their experiences with the app. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, while FGD data were examined through thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Results from the online survey showed that the app was generally found to be helpful and that the recommendations within the app were useful. The emerging themes from the FGD corroborated many of the themes from the survey, particularly the benefits of using the app and the app’s ease of use. Positive effects were observed both on the responders and on the responders’ team leader and teammates, which further established the value of the “Mi Salud” app.

CONCLUSION

The findings show that the “Mi Salud” stress check-app may serve as a useful tool for monitoring and managing the stress levels, a critical aspect for Filipino first responders to maintain optimal functioning during deployments and daily activities.

Human ; Emergency Responders ; Mental Health ; Mobile Applications ; Philippines