Objectives: This study aimed to determine the mental health of Filipino healthcare workers (HCWs) in terms of their feelings and ability to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that motivated them to continue their work. Methods and Results: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive survey, single-center study, conducted in Perpetual Succour Hospital, Cebu City, Philippines, within 3 months from the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 215 respondents, almost 50% thought of quitting their job due to fear of getting infected with COVID-19 and transmitting the disease to their families. Ninety-four percent (94%) of HCWs were nervous and scared and 85% were experiencing physical fatigue and emotional exhaustion. Despite all these, 97% of HCWs felt that their service during the pandemic was part of their professional obligation and ethical duty. HCWs coped with the present pandemic by strictly following safety protocols and the assurance of the safety of their families helped reduce their stress. Family support is their most important source of motivation. Conclusion Filipino HCWs experience physical and emotional stress during the COVID-19 pandemic but were motivated to work because of their professional obligation with an assurance of safety and support from their family.
Mental Health ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Health Personnel ; COVID-19

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and the level of perceived stress of the Physician Licensure Exam (PLE) takers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive survey among the Physician Licensure Exam takers using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: Seven hundred thirty-two (732) Physician Licensure Exam takers participated in the survey, 423 (57.8%) were November takers and 309 (42.2%) were March takers who will be completing the exam on September 2020. The prevalence rates of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder among the PLE takers were 44.1% and 50.3%, respectively. November takers have a higher rate of depression (60.1%) and anxiety (52.7%) compared to the March takers (54.4% and 46.6%, respectively). The majority of the takers have moderate levels of depression (26.6%), anxiety (37.8%), and perceived stress (70.2%). There was a significant difference in the prevalence of major depression between the March and November takers (p-value <0.00001) but not with generalized anxiety disorder (p-value: 0.05155). There was also no significant difference in the severity of depression (p value=0.527878), anxiety (p-value=0.883558), and levels of perceived stress (p- value=0.2476) between the March and November takers. Conclusions There was a high prevalence of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder among the PLE takers during the COVID19 pandemic. Majority of the PLE takers experienced moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress.
Covid-19 ; Pandemics

BACKGROUND<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">As smartwatches with atrial fibrillation detection features gain popularity, it is important to assess the accuracy of these devices to guide decision-making.p>OBJECTIVES<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">Our study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the irregular rhythm notification and the electrocardiogram (ECG)–based detection features of a commonly used smart wearable device (Apple Watch) in detecting atrial fibrillation.p>METHODS<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">This was a prospective, pragmatic study conducted in Perpetual Succour Hospital–Cebu Heart Institute from August 2023 to January 2024. To assess the irregular rhythm notification feature, participants were asked to wear an Apple Watch alongside a 24-hour Holter monitor to verify notifications. For the ECG-based detection feature, participants had to tap the crown of the Apple Watch for 30 seconds to get a single-lead ECG similar to a lead I ECG tracing. They were instructed to get manual ECGs hourly, or more often while awake. Irregular rhythm notifications and ECG readings were then compared with that of the 24-hour Holter monitor. Sensitivity and specificity were then computed.p>RESULTS<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">A total of 140 participants consented to join after full study disclosure. The irregular rhythm notification feature of the Apple Watch exhibited a low sensitivity of 21.4% but achieved a high specificity of 100% in detecting atrial fibrillation. Meanwhile, the ECG-based detection feature, analyzed from 1295 manually taken ECGs with interpretable sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation, demonstrated a high level of agreement with the Holter monitor, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99.1%.p>CONCLUSION<p style="text-align: justify;" data-mce-style="text-align: justify;">The low sensitivity of the irregular rhythm notification feature of the Apple Watch in detecting atrial fibrillation cautions against relying on it as a primary screening tool. However, the high concordance of manually taken Apple Watch ECGs positions the device as a robust tool for detecting atrial fibrillation through manual ECG detection.p>
Human ; Atrial Fibrillation