This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and skills of the barangay health workers (BHW) about diabetes management. A descriptive correlational design that included 121 BHWs in Bustos, Bulacan was utilized in the study. A test and skill demonstration checklist was utilized to determine the knowledge and skills of BHWs about diabetes management. Categorical variables such as the respondents' profile were described using frequencies and percentages. Continuous variables such as level of knowledge and skills were summarized using central tendency measures (mean) with standard deviation. Pearson correlation test for association was used to test for relationship between level of knowledge and skills. Pearson Chi square was used to test association between demographic variables and level of knowledge and skills. Ap value of <0.05 was considered significant in the analysis of the results. Results showed that the overall level of knowledge of the BHWs was satisfactory but varied in many aspects of diabetes management. The BHWs level of knowledge in determining signs and symptoms and diagnosis of diabetes was high but low in determining types of diabetes mellitus. The level of skills of the BHWs was high in blood pressure measurement but low in blood glucose monitoring. BHWs have varied knowledge and skills in diabetes care management. There is a need to train the BHWs further to develop their knowledge and skills. The nurse diabetes educators must provide diabetes education program for BHWs that are focused on competencies to deliver safe and appropriate health teaching activities utilizing the basic concepts and principles of diabetes management
Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Existing literature lacks high-quality evidence regarding the ideal intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to minimize postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). We hypothesized that applying individualized PEEP derived from electrical impedance tomography would reduce the severity of postoperative lung aeration loss, deterioration in oxygenation, and PPC incidence. Methods: A pilot feasibility study was conducted on 36 patients who underwent open abdominal oncologic surgery. The patients were randomized to receive individualized PEEP or conventional PEEP at 4 cmH2O. The primary outcome was the impact of individualized PEEP on changes in the modified lung ultrasound score (MLUS) derived from preoperative and postoperative lung ultrasonography. A higher MLUS indicated greater lung aeration loss. The secondary outcomes were the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and PPC incidence. Results: A significant increase in the postoperative MLUS (12.0 ± 3.6 vs 7.9 ± 2.1, P < 0.001) and a significant difference between the postoperative and preoperative MLUS values (7.0 ± 3.3 vs 3.0 ± 1.6, P < 0.001) were found in the conventional PEEP group, indicating increased lung aeration loss. In the conventional PEEP group, the intraoperative PaO2/FiO2 ratios were significantly lower but not the postoperative ratios. The PPC incidence was not significantly different between the groups. Post-hoc analysis showed the increase in lung aeration loss and deterioration of intraoperative oxygenation correlated with the deviation from the individualized PEEP. Conclusions Individualized PEEP appears to protect against lung aeration loss and intraoperative oxygenation deterioration. The advantage was greater in patients whose individualized PEEP deviated more from the conventional PEEP.

INTRODUCTION: Excessive screen time has been found to be detrimental to a child’s development. Despite its prevalence, there is a dearth of studies relating family dynamics and screen time. This study aimed to determine the association between family dynamics and the length of screen time among preschool children. METHODS: Participants were selected through convenience sampling and interviewed using the Family APGAR questionnaire. Families were classified as functional or dysfunctional. The adult respondents estimated the total screen time and this was classified as low-level or excessive. The association between screen time and APGAR classification was determined using prevalence rate ratio. RESULTS: Majority of 115 families had an APGAR classification of highly functional, with the children having an average screen time of five hours. Children from dysfunctional families were 1.23 times more likely to have an excessive amount of screen time than those with highly functional families and the difference was significant (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION Majority of the families in this study were highly functional and the average screen time of the children included in the study was five hours. Children from dysfunctional families were 1.23 times more likely to have an excessive amount of screen time than those with highly functional families.
child, preschool ; child ; Child development ; screen time ; family relations ;

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), primarily targets the respiratory system. This study describes the characteristics associated with mortality among patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 at a single hospital in Baguio City, Philippines. Methods: We reviewed medical records (including history, laboratory results and treatment regimen) of 280 confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to a single hospital during March–October 2020. Clinical characteristics and outcomes (frequency and type of complication, recovery rate and mortality) were evaluated. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyse factors associated with mortality. Results: The mean age of COVID-19 patients was 48.4 years and the female-to-male ratio was 1.8:1. Hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes were the most frequent comorbidities reported. Common presenting symptoms were respiratory and constitutional, with 41% of patients not reporting symptoms on admission. Patients with moderate, severe and critical disease comprised 45%, 8% and 4%, respectively. A total of 15% had complications, health care-associated pneumonia being the most frequent complication. The recovery rate was 95%; 5% of patients died, with multiorgan failure being the most common cause. The presence of CVD, chronic kidney disease, prolonged prothrombin time and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were associated with mortality. Discussion Most COVID-19 patients in our population had asymptomatic to moderate disease on admission. Mortality from COVID-19 was associated with having CVD, chronic kidney disease, elevated LDH and prolonged prothrombin time. Based on these results, we emphasize that people should take all necessary precautions to avoid infection with SARS-CoV-2.