In this paper, we describe the basic tenets of existentialism. Then we describe the issue of meaning, a construct involving three components: 1) meaning arising from perception of the way the world manifests itself to us; 2) meaning as a sense of "purpose" and 3) meaning deriving from a personal construct, related to one's life story. In addition, meaning involves two perspectives: a global perspective about the world and the self i.e. global meaning, and a perspective related to circumstances, such as trauma or grief (meaning making). In this latter case, it consists in a way of coping often involving spiritual beliefs, and aims to adapt to the situation. Global meaning has been shown to be altered in disorders such as schizophrenia. Concerning meaning-making, many patients with schizophrenia incorporate a spiritual vision of their illness, which entailed positive or negative consequences in terms of coping. Finally we give some examples illustrating how meaning and meaning-making arise in the lives of patients with schizophrenia, followed by some recommendations for the clinicians.

OBJECTIVES: This study described the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adult patients diagnosed with psoriasis. METHODOLOGY: A Knowledge and Belief survey composed of: 1) a questionnaire on medical, psychiatric and psoriasis profile and 2) a knowledge, attitude and belief questionnaire was developed validated and translated to both English and Filipino. The survey questionnaire was uploaded in the internet using a free site Kwiksurvey.com. Psor Phil (an organization of patients with psoriasis) had sent email invitations to 699 members to answer an on line survey, which would be available for 9 days. The data on suicide ideation and attempt were analyzed and presented. RESULTS: A total of 120 entries were included in the study. The response rate of the survey was (120/699) 17.16%. A total of 17/120 (14.17%) reported suicidal ideation and a total of 9 /120 (7.5%) reported suicidal attempt. CONCLUSION The reported prevalence of suicidal ideation was higher compared to other studies. Patients disclosed suicidal ideation to friends rather than family members or doctors.
Humans ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide, Attempted ;

BACKGROUND

Psychodermatology is a field that focuses on the interaction of the skin and the mind. Psychodermatology patients are often challenging to manage because they often lack insight and are not amenable to psychiatric treatment or referral. Therefore, it is important that dermatologists become aware of the psychosocial impact of cutaneous disease and be knowledgeable in the fundamentals of psychodermatologic diagnosis and therapy. However, studies done in several countries report a general lack of perceived knowledge, awareness, and confidence in the management of psychodermatology disorders among dermatologists.

This study aims to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Filipino dermatologists towards psychodermatology using a self-administered questionnaire.

This is a mixed methods study using qualitative and quantitative measures. A self-administered questionnaire was validated and disseminated among the dermatologists in the country. Descriptive analysis was done.

Of the 153 participating dermatologists, majority (70.59%) reported psychodermatologic patients comprised < 10% of their practice. While more than half (56.2%) have a clear understanding of psychodermatology and are comfortable (57.52%) in approaching patients with these conditions, only 58 (37.91%) participants are able to demonstrate adequate knowledge on psychodermatology. Patients with primary psychiatric disorders are less frequently encountered than dermatologic disorders with psychiatric component or secondary psychiatric disorders. Most commonly prescribed medications are anti-histamines. Other psychotropic medications are rarely or never prescribed by the participants. All participants agree that psychodermatology is important in the practice of dermatology; 127 (62.1%) have attended at least one Continuing Medical Education (CME) on psychodermatology and 114 (74.51%) expressed willingness to attend CME training in psychodermatology. One hundred nine (71.24%) participants think that the best practice approach is a multidisciplinary approach to psychodermatology. The top recommendations for better healthcare delivery in psychodermatology were better access to mental health specialists (86.27%), more training opportunities and better training during residency (75.16%), and increase collaboration with psychiatrists (71.9%). The knowledge score was found to be associated with the duration of dermatology practice and attendance in CME proceedings but was not associated with the perceived adequacy of knowledge gained during training. Longer duration of practice may be associated with the knowledge score owing to the greater exposure to cases and more access to training opportunities.

There are many challenges to providing psychodermatologic care in the Philippines but the positive attitude towards psychodermatology, coupled with increased access to education and training opportunities, and the multidisciplinary approach to these cases may improve the quality of dermatologic care that we provide.

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are preventable events that can cause or lead to inappropriate drug use. Knowing the prevalence and types of errors can help us institute corrective measures and avoid adverse drug events.
OBJECTIVE: This study determined the prevalence of medication errors and its specific types in the four main service wards of a tertiary government training medical center.
METHODS: This is a retrospective, descriptive chart review study. From the master list of admissions, systematic sampling was done to retrieve the required number of charts. Relevant pages such as order sheets, nurses' notes, therapeutic sheets were photographed. For prolonged admissions, only the first 7 days were reviewed. Each chart was evaluated by two people who then met and agreed on the errors identified.
RESULTS: The overall prevalence of medication errors is 97.8%. Pediatrics had the most (63.3/chart), followed by Medicine, OB-Gynecology, and Surgery (7.3/chart). The most common type of errors identified were prescribing, followed by compliance, then administration errors.
CONCLUSION: Medication errors are present in the four main wards in our hospital. We recommend orientation of all incoming first year residents on proper ordering and prescribing of drugs, as well as a prospective observational study to determine true prevalence of all types of medication errors.

INTRODUCTION: The NCR had amassed 752,668 cases of COVID-19 as of September 2021, the highest among the regions in the Philippines. This study aimed to determine the correlation between population, population density, age, and sex with the number of cases among local government units (LGU) in the National Capital Region (NCR). METHODS: The data for population, population density, age, and sex distribution of the LGUs of NCR were retrieved from the 2015 Philippine census while the data for cases were from DOH’s COVID-19 Tracker. Pearson correlation coefficient was computed to determine the correlation between population, population density and cases. Phi and Cramer’s V statistic were computed to determine associations between sex, age groups, and cases. RESULTS: There was little or no correlation between population density and number of cases (r = 0.236) but was good (r = 0.905) when Quezon City was excluded for being an outlier. There was good correlation between population and number of cases (r = 964, p < 0.001). There was very weak to no association between sex and number of COVID-19 cases. There was a statistically significant moderate association between age and COVID-19 cases (f = 0.145, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION The study has shown that population density and population have a good correlation with the number of COVID-19 after Quezon City was removed as a data point. There is a moderate association between age and number of COVID-19 cases. There is a very weak to no association between sex and COVID-19 cases.

Background: Teledermatology has been widely used during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to overcome barriers in access to care. The objective of this study was to assess the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding teledermatology among dermatologists in the Philippines. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and analytical study conducted from January 2022 to April 2022, among Filipino dermatologists using a self-administered online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the demographics of the participants. The two-sample t-test, Chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. Results: Out of 113 respondents, 108 (95.5%) had adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward teledermatology. The majority (110/113, 97.35%) practiced teledermatology. The most commonly used platform was instant messaging applications(78/100, 70.91%), and the most common factor that influenced their practice was patient demands or needs(74/110, 67.27%). Those who did not practice teledermatology cited technological difficulties as the main reason. Conclusion Teledermatology was widely used by Filipino dermatologists to provide remote care during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, to fully utilize its potential and limit potential issues associated with its use even after the pandemic, continuous training and education among dermatologists and a more enabling technological environment may be needed.
Knowledge ; Attitude ; Telemedicine

Objectives: This study explores the potential of the HeLe Service Delivery Model, a community-based newborn hearing screening (NHS) program supported by a web-based referral system, in improving provision of hearing care services. Methods: This prospective observational study evaluated the HeLe Service Delivery Model based on records review and user perspectives. We collected system usage logs from July to October 2018 and data on patient outcomes. Semi-structured interviews and review of field reports were conducted to identify implementation challenges and facilitating factors. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results: Six hundred ninety-two (692) babies were screened: 110 in the RHUs and 582 in the Category A NHS hospital. Mean age at screening was 1.4±1.05 months for those screened in the RHU and 0.46±0.74 month for those in the Category A site. 47.3% of babies screened at the RHU were ≤1 month old in contrast to 86.6% in the Category A hospital. A total of 10 babies (1.4%) received a positive NHS result. Eight of these ten patients were referred via the NHS Appointment and Referral System; seven were confirmed to have bilateral profound hearing loss, while one patient missed his confirmatory testing appointment. The average wait time between screening and confirmatory testing was 17.1±14.5 days. Facilitating factors for NHS implementation include the presence of champions, early technology adopters, legislations, and capacity-building programs. Challenges identified include perceived inconvenience in using information systems, cost concerns for the patients, costly hearing screening equipment, and unstable internet connectivity. The lack of nearby facilities providing NHS diagnostic and intervention services remains a major block in ensuring early diagnosis and management of hearing loss in the community. Conclusion The eHealth-enabled HeLe Service Delivery Model for NHS is promising. It addresses the challenges and needs of community-based NHS by establishing a healthcare provider network for NHS in the locale, providing a capacity-building program to train NHS screeners, and deploying health information systems that allows for documentation, web-based referral and tracking of NHS patients. The model has the potential to be implemented on a larger scale — a deliberate step towards universal hearing health for all Filipinos.
Neonatal Screening ; Hearing Loss ; Health Information Systems ; Community Health Services ; Delivery of Health Care