Background: A rare angioproliferative condition of the larynx, Kaposhi sarcoma typically affects the skin. Immunosuppressive treatment following organ transplantation and human immunodeficiency virus infection are the causes. Every type of Kaposi sarcoma has human herpesvirus-8. Laryngeal kaposi sarcoma is uncommon in immunocompromised patients; since its initial identification in 1965, 18 cases have been documented globally. A CO2 laser-assisted laryngeal microsurgery is performed through the mouth cavity to remove tumor when kaposi sarcoma of the larynx obstructs the airway. Case report: A 77-year-old woman complained of hoarseness, dry mouth, odynophagia, and dysphagia three months prior when she arrived at the Mongolian-Japan Hospital. Two years ago, she acquired hard, sensitive lumps that were palpable on her right arm, left ankle, and right thigh. At that time, she was diagnosed with Kaposiform hemangiodermatitis and treated at the National Center for Dermatology. HIV test results were negative. Immunohistochemistry: CD31 +/-, CD34 /+/. Using flexible nasopharyngeal endoscopy to get the diagnosis: There was a mass that was about 1.5–2–5 cm in diameter, bluish in color, smooth and movable, and spongy and vascular on the larynx, on the nasopharynx, behind the palatine tonsills, and supraglottic. Surgery: Through the use of Kleinsasser laryngoscopy and a 0-degree endoscope, pathological tissues were extracted under general anesthesia using a laryngeal microsurgical instrument and a laparoscopic bipolar coagulator. The tissues were then sent for histological evaluation, which revealed Kaposi sarcoma, sarcoma grade 1. Results of treatment Pain decreased and quality of life increased following surgery. Upon nasopharyngeal endoscopy, the vocal cord mobility was normal and the surgical incision was clean. Conclusion: Kaposi sarcoma is an extremely uncommon illness. A lower quality of life and further issues can be avoided with an early diagnosis and suitable therapy. It also needs to be continuously monitored because it is a potentially repeatable disease.

Background: The physiology and intellectual traits of individuals are interrelated and should be studied comprehensively. In traditional medicine, the teachings of wind (khi), bile (shar), and phlegm (badgan) are considered an integrated system for maintaining health, preventing diseases, diagnosing, and treating illnesses. Aim: Our research is to study students’ physical indicators, body composition, innate characteristics and the relationship between physique and psychological factors. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on relatively healthy individuals, did clinical observations and used a cross-sectional study design. (defined as those experiencing internal physiological changes that do not impair their work capacity or active lifestyle) Results: Participants were aged 19-25 years, with an average age of 21.5. Heights ranged from 149 cm to 198 cm, with an average of 165.7 cm. Weights ranged from 37 kg to 111 kg, with an average of 61.55 kg. The Body Mass Index (BMI) varied between 15.3 and 36.3, with an average of 22.36. The majority of participants were female (76.4%), while male participants accounted for 23.6%. Regarding individual constitutional types, the most common were: predominantly bile with wind characteristics (21.2%), predominantly bile with phlegm characteristics (30.8%), predominantly wind with bile characteristics (19.6%). Stress survey results ranged from a minimum score of 0 to a maximum of 50, with an average score of 20.6, indicating slightly below-average psychological well-being. The correlation between physiological traits and psychological survey scores was R=0.323** (p=0.001), showing a weak but positive correlation. This suggests that below-average psychological well-being is only minimally influenced by physiological traits. Conclusion The stress survey results indicated an average score of 20.6, slightly below the normal psychological index. The correlation between constitutional traits and psychological well-being was weak but positive (R=0.323**, p=0.001). This implies that individual constitutional characteristics have a minimal effect on psychological well-being. In the study of intrinsic unique characteristics, it has been found that certain physical constitution metrics of the participants demonstrate both positive and negative correlations with the majority of body types, indicating that individuals exhibit varying physical constitution characteristics. Additionally, there exists a positive but weak correlation between intrinsic unique characteristics and stress levels, warranting further investigation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Primary care providers are key players in providing quality care to patients and advancing Universal Health Care (UHC). However, effective and quality healthcare delivery may be affected by inadequate knowledge and failure to adhere to evidence-based guidelines among providers. The Philippine Primary Care Studies (PPCS) is a five-year program that pilot tested interventions aimed at strengthening the primary care system in the country. Evidence-based training modules for healthcare providers were administered in Sorsogon and Bataan from the years 2018 to 2021. Module topics were selected based on common health conditions encountered by providers in rural and remote settings. This program aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of training in increasing provider knowledge.

A series of training workshops were conducted among 184 remote- and 210 rural-based primary care providers [nurses, midwives, barangay or village health workers (BHWs)]. They covered four modules: essential intrapartum and newborn care (EINC), integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI), non-communicable diseases (NCD), and geriatrics. A decision support system (UpToDate) was provided as a supplementary resource for all participants. We administered pre-tests and post-tests consisting of multiple-choice questions on common health conditions. Data was analyzed using paired one-tailed t-test, with an alpha of 0.05.

The knowledge of nurses, midwives, and BHWs improved after the training workshops were conducted. The largest increase from pre-test to post-test scores were observed among the midwives, with a mean difference (MD) of 32.9% (95% CI 23.9 to 41.9) on the EINC module, MD of 25.0% (95% CI 16.6 to 33.4) in the geriatrics module, and MD of 13.5% (95% CI 6.9 to 20.1) in the NCDs module. The nurses had the greatest improvement in the IMCI module (MD 10.8%, 95% CI 2.5 to 19.1). The knowledge of BHWs improved in all participated modules, with greatest improvement in the NCD module (MD 9.0%, 95% CI 5.77 to 12.14).

Primary care workshops, even if conducted as single-sessions and on a short-term basis, are effective in improving short-term knowledge of providers. However, this may not translate to long-term knowledge and application in practice. Furthermore, comparisons across provider categories cannot be made as participant composition for each training workshop varied. Ultimately, this study shows enhancing provider knowledge and competence in primary care will therefore require regular and diverse learning interventions and access to clinical decision support tools.

OBJECTIVE

Given that rabies remains endemic in the Philippines despite government interventions and the pandemicrelated restrictions have hampered its surveillance, this study aimed to estimate the effect of human population, anti-rabies vaccination efforts, and COVID-19 situation on the spread of rabies cases in the districts of Davao City, Philippines.

A retrospective study of the canine records at Davao City Veterinarians’ Office was done from January 2018 to June 2021. Monthly rabies cases were ascertained, and the effect of the human population, COVID-19 season, and vaccination ratio on rabies cases was estimated using panel regression models adjusting for confounding factors.

The reporting of rabies cases was lower during COVID-19 than during the non-COVID-19 season, with an IRR of 0.52 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33–0.82]. Furthermore, rabies cases increased by 2.23% (95% CI: 0.60–3.89) per 1% increase in vaccination ratio. Additionally, high-population districts recorded more rabies cases than low-population districts.

Consistency in monitoring rabies cases during the pandemic is suggested as a roadmap for future program initiatives. Vaccination efforts should be reinforced to increase rabies awareness and ensure early response to emerging diseases. Moreover, highpopulated districts should be prioritized in implementing rabies control interventions to gain optimal development.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Rabies continues to be a challenge in Davao City despite the efforts of the city’s local government to vaccinate primarily the non-stray dog population. Meanwhile, studies have shown that time-dependent vaccination strategy is considered a prime factor for a cost-effective rabies control strategy. Hence, this study aims to provide information that will determine the optimal vaccination strategy targeted to the stray dog population that minimizes the rabies-infected dog population and vaccination costs using optimal control theory (OCT).

OCT is used to identify the optimal level of key rabies control, i.e., vaccination. Here, OCT was applied to a modified Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Vaccinated (SEIV) compartmental model. The study's key parameters were derived from published articles on rabies in Davao City and similar regions, along with the city's rabies reports.

The findings revealed that while rabies remains endemic in the city, it is possible to reduce the number of cases through consistent implementation of vaccination programs to the exposed and susceptible dog populations. Nevertheless, the feasibility of these findings relies to the effective targeting of vaccine coverage for the dog population. From the simulations performed, the exposed dog population (i.e., pre-rabid dogs) was able to reach zero observation when the transmission rate (?) is 0.001 for all values of anti-rabies vaccine coverages for exposed (?) and susceptible (b) dog populations and ? = 0.01 only when ? = 0.7 and b = 0.7, ? = 0.7 and b = 0.5, and ? = 0.5 and b = 0.7. Consequently, the number of infectious dogs will thereby decrease. Moreover, a nonlinear correspondence was also observed in all scenarios between the vaccination rate and the number of rabies-exposed dogs such that the reduction in the incidence of rabies cases becomes apparent only when the vaccination rate is at least 0.9995.

In high rabies transmissibility scenarios, a time-dependent vaccination strategy demonstrated a reduction in the number of rabies-infected dogs. However, this approach involves a trade-off, limiting the period during which monthly vaccinations can be relaxed. Consequently, a robust and timely vaccination program for dogs is crucial to manage high rabies transmission rates. Lastly, the model simulation underscores the importance of initiating monthly vaccinations.

BACKGROUND

Blood pressure (BP) is a vital sign that is essential in the management of hypertension, thus, there is a need for accurate measurement of BP. This will allow for proper diagnosis and management of hypertension preventing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among Filipino patients.

This validation study utilized the US Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) protocol for BP monitors. A total of eighty-five (85) participants had their BP measured using both the HEM 7156 and a validated aneroid sphygmomanometer. The same-sequential BP measurement was recommended to be used and a total of nine readings were collected per individual. The mean average of BP and standard deviation were extracted from the measurements. The AAMI/ESH/ISO recommends the use of certain criteria for individual BP readings (criterion 1) and individual participants (criterion 2). Appropriate statistical analysis was used for other demographic data.

The participants had an average age of 34 years, more than half were females, and not diagnosed with hypertension. Individuals who were diagnosed with hypertension had no other comorbidities and were on single pill only. The average arm circumference was 26.9 cm. Blood Pressure (BP) readings were adequate based on the protocol. Validity results showed that for criterion 1, systolic blood pressure (SBP) difference was 3.4 ± 7.4 mmHg, while diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 2.0 ± 8.0 mmHg. The results for criterion 2 showed for SBP was 3.3 ± 5.3 mmHg, while DBP was 1.9 ± 6.6 mmHg. The results satisfied a passing grade on the validation protocol set by the AAMI/ESH/ISO.

This study showed that OMRON HEM 7156 is validated as a BP apparatus and may be recommended for Philippine use.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to produce a Transfemoral residual limb model as an alternative learning material for the education of the Physical Therapy and Prosthetics and Orthotics students.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Pelvic-Femoral Learning Model, the researchers utilized an instructional sheet comprising an "Effectiveness-Survey Questionnaire" and a Measurement Chart. The former captured responses from PT-PO evaluators, while the latter collected measurements from PO evaluators. Every participant received an individual copy of the instructional sheet.

An overall score of 3.25 out of 5.00 (65%, Neutral Attitude) was achieved by both the PT and PO evaluators, indicating a passing grade for the model. Moreover, comparing the data analysis from the PO evaluators' measurements to the Baseline Measurements reveals that the discrepancies are not statistically significant, confirming the model's consistency in measurements. Lastly, most participants found the model highly beneficial, observing that the tissue consistency and bony prominences closely resemble those of a real transfemoral residual limb.

Through the results of the study, the Pelvic-Femoral Learning Model was deemed as an effective, alternative educational tool for students in Physical Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics programs in the UERMMMCI.

Background: Turnaround time is an integral component of primary healthcare and is a key performance indicator of healthcare delivery. It is defined as the time patients spend during a healthcare facility visit. In this study, turnaround time is defined as the time elapsed from registration to the end of consultation. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the turnaround time of consults in the primary care system in a rural site in the Philippines, and compare turnaround time during the pre-pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic periods. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients seen at the primary care facility under the Philippine Primary Care Studies (PPCS) rural site from April 2019 to March 2021. Patients included in this study were chosen through random sampling. Electronic medical records (EMR) of these patients were reviewed. Turnaround time was computed electronically from time of registration to end of consultation. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize data and report turnaround time. The turnaround time before and during the pandemic was compared using an independent sample t-test (if normally distributed) or Mann Whitney U test (if not normally distributed). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A random sample of 342 patients out of the total 45,501 patient consults seen at the rural primary healthcare facility from April 2019 to March 2021 were included in this study. The median turnaround time was 29.0 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 68.3), with range of 0.9 to 437.2 minutes. During the pre-pandemic period, the median turnaround time of consults is 29.3 minutes (IQR 70.4) which is 1.8 minutes longer than the pandemic period which showed median turnaround time of 27.5 minutes (IQR 72.7). The difference between the two time periods was not statistically significant (P = 0.39). Conclusion The study showed that the median turnaround time of medical consults was 29.0 minutes, which was shorter by 80 minutes compared to other published Philippine studies. The turnaround time did not differ significantly in the pandemic and prepandemic period, despite new policies and systems that were implemented during the pandemic.
primary care ; electronic medical records ; pandemic ; Philippines

OBJECTIVE

This study compared the demographics, clinical profile, treatment, and outcomes of retinoblastoma patients seen at medical institutions in the Philippines between two time periods: 2010 to 2015 and 2016 to 2020.

This was a multicenter, analytical, cohort study using review of medical charts and databases of retinoblastoma patients seen in 11 medical institutions from 2010 to 2020.

There were 636 patients (821 eyes) included in this study: 330 patients were seen in 2010 to 2015 while 306 in 2016 to 2020. More cases per annum were seen in the latter timeline. The number of patients with unilateral disease was not significantly different between the two time periods (p=0.51). Age at onset of symptom, age at initial consultation, and delay in consult were also not significantly different between the two time periods (p > 0.05). Patients had significantly different distributions of intraocular grades (p < 0.0001) and systemic staging (p < 0.0001) between the two time periods. Enucleation was the most common surgical treatment performed in both timelines. There was significant difference in the status of patients based on the need for systemic chemotherapy (p < 0.01). There was significant difference in outcome between the two time periods, including the proportions of living and deceased patients.

This study compared the most comprehensive data on retinoblastoma patients in the country. There was no improvement in early health seeking behavior based on similar age at initial consult and delay in consult. Enucleation remained the most common treatment mode as opposed to chemotherapy due to similar percentage of patients with unilateral disease, an indication for enucleation rather than chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Microplastics pose a significant environmental and health threat, yet the understanding and response of young adults to this issue remain underexplored. There is an increasing amount of microplastics in our environment and as the numbers grow, the danger that comes with it is still not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of young adults in Muntinlupa, particularly students of a public university regarding microplastics and their health implications. METHODS: Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, the research targeted college students aged 18 and older. RESULTS: Findings revealed that while students were knowledgeable about microplastics—particularly their harmful effects on health—attitudes and practices related to plastic disposal and recycling could be improved. Although the majority engaged in proper garbage disposal, only 41.5% consistently separated plastic waste from biodegradable materials. However, a weak positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes was observed, suggesting that increased awareness may enhance positive attitudes toward reducing microplastic pollution. CONCLUSION These results suggest that while students are aware of microplastics and generally responded positively, there remains a gap in the translation of knowledge into practices, highlighting the need for enhanced educational interventions.
Microplastics ; knowledge ; attitudes ; young adult