1.Lived experiences of well-being of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 84 student-athletes in bubble training during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative phenomenological study.
Ken Erbvin R. SOSA ; Charles Nicolei M. NERMAL ; Karlos Lorenzo A. REA ; Gabrielle Atasha TANHUECO ; Isaac Miguel M. ANDICO ; Janelle Audre C. CHIU ; Timothy D. LAO ; Ma. Julia Isabelle G. PEÑALOZA ; John Mari R. QUILANG ; Zeuch Ryonin B. SILVA
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(Early Access 2025):1-18
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the sports industry, resulting in the postponement of events worldwide. This posed a significant burden in the mental and emotional well-being of athletes due to uncertainties and diminished training levels. As an adaptation, bubble camps emerged as a new approach to resuming training and tournaments under stringent regulations of the COVID-19 protocols. In the national context, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has adapted the bubble set-up by implementing antigen testing, RTPCR, and other health protocols as a prerequisite to bubble training. However, uncertainties in the future of sports continue to present as a psychological toll to the well-being of student-athletes despite the sense of normalcy instilled by bubble training. Existing literature on bubble training is grounded heavily on the quantitative assessments of an athlete's well-being in a bubble set-up and its effectiveness in mitigating COVID-19 transmission, thereby lacking insights that may be obtained from qualitative data. This study explored the experiences of UAAP Season 84 studentathletes in a bubble set-up by examining personal and contextual factors that impacted their well-being.
METHODSThe study employed a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach based on Seligman's WellBeing Theory. A purposeful sampling technique was used to recruit UAAP student-athletes through online dissemination of Google Forms for recruitment. Only three student-athletes from UAAP fit the eligibility criteria. Data were collected through on-site and online interviews using a semi-structured interview guide to reveal a narrative of the student-athletes' bubble training experiences, common themes, and patterns. The NVivo software program was used for data analysis, utilizing a deductive thematic approach.
RESULTSThe lived experiences of three UAAP studentathletes were classified into six major themes: (1) Availability and Accessibility of Services; (2) Restrictions; (3) Mental Health; (4) Fostering Relationships; (5) Support Systems; and (6) Individual Growth. Accounts of both positive and negative training perceptions and outcomes regarding the bubble set-up were noted from all student-athletes. The set-up provided studentathletes with easy access to training facilities and services, eventual development of mental fortitude and perseverance, improved interpersonal relationships, and opportunities for individual growth. However, the restrictions, isolation, internal and external pressures, and routinary nature of the set-up contributed to the elevated levels of stress and anxiety, eventually leading to fatigue and burnout.
CONCLUSIONThe study elucidates on the multi-faceted experiences of UAAP student-athletes in bubble training, underpinning the essence of the adequacy of training services and facilities, enhanced support systems, and prompt policy development that caters to improving the holistic well-being of student-athletes amidst adverse changes in the trajectory of sports.
Human ; Qualitative Research ; Universities ; College Athletes ; Athletes
2.The current landscape of school health research in the Philippines: A scoping review.
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(7):27-32
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to map the different comprehensive and coordinated school health program (CCSHP) components and topics of published school health research in the Philippines in order to identify gaps and areas with sufficient depth for future research direction.
METHODSDatabases (PubMed and Herdin), and website (https://ejournals.ph) were searched for published studies on school health in context of Philippine school. Identified records were deduplicated, screened, and assessed for eligibility for inclusion. Information on the characteristics of the published studies were extracted and were presented as frequency and percentages. CCSHP components and topics were mapped in a tree map.
RESULTSTwo hundred sixteen (216) studies were included for characterization and mapping. The two most common school health component studied was counselling, psychological and social services, and health services, with the corresponding topics mental health and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. There were gaps on the topic delivery of services, and school-home-community coordination.
CONCLUSIONThere is an abundance of researches about mental health in Philippine school setting. On the other hand, there is paucity of researches in delivery of health services and school-home-community coordination. Mental health, including suicide and bullying, warrants a systematic review to provide evidences for policy creation. Further studies are needed regarding delivery of services, and school-home-community coordination.
Research ; Publications
5.State of the journal 2025.
Philippine Journal of Cardiology 2025;53(1):10-11
7.Exploring the lived experiences of working female nursing students in a private university in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: A phenomenological study.
Luu Nguyen Duc HANH ; Annabelle R. BORROMEO ; Erlinda Castro PALAGANAS
Philippine Journal of Nursing 2025;95(1):17-27
INTRODUCTION
For female nursing students in Vietnam, juggling work, school, and personal obligations can be especially difficult. Research on how these students develop resilience while juggling their multiple roles is still lacking, despite the fact that their numbers in nursing school are increasing. This study explores how the work-life-study balance (WLSB) of female students pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is shaped by their real-life experiences and sociocultural influences.
METHODSA qualitative research design informed by interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used in this study. In September 2024, ten carefully selected female nursing students participated in semi-structured interviews at a private university in Ho Chi Minh City. From October 2024 to February 2025, each 45–60 minute interview was subjected to a thematic analysis using Delve software.
RESULTSThe challenges faced by the participants, along with their support systems, coping strategies, and aspirations, were captured in four key themes, each with its own set of sub-themes. The first theme, Navigating Life's Crossroads: The Struggle for Balance, highlighted the students' struggles to manage competing demands, featuring subthemes, Pulled in All Directions, Time as a Scarce Commodity, and Compromises and Sacrifices. The second theme, Anchors in the Storm: Finding Strength in Support, emphasized the vital role of relational support, showcasing subthemes, Peer Solidarity and Shared Struggles, and Family as a Pillar of Strength. The third theme, Pathways to Resilience: Strategies for Survival, focused on coping strategies and adaptive techniques, incorporating subtheme, Faith and Inner Strength, Embracing the Role of a Working Learner, and Prioritizing and Organizing. Finally, the last theme, Purpose, Aspiration, and Future Orientation, brought attention to the participants' sources of motivation and their optimistic outlook, with subthemes, Motivation Rooted in Family and Self and Hope and Optimism as Sustaining Forces. These findings, grounded in the Transformative Resilience Model, illustrate how students harness their inner drive, familial and social responsibilities, and cultural values to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. To maintain their dedication to education and uplift their families, participants leaned on hope, spiritual insights, and a sense of agency, viewing their struggles as meaningful experiences.
CONCLUSIONThe experiences of Vietnamese female nursing students reveal a remarkable resilience shaped by both heavy social expectations and personal challenges. Drawing from the Transformative Resilience Model, this study highlights how facing and overcoming adversity can lead to significant identity development and personal growth. Institutional support plays a crucial role in enhancing a student's well-being, which can include flexible academic policies, accessible mental health services, and adaptable work-study options. Financial pressures, job-related stress, and academic demands often contribute to burnout. These findings underscore the urgent need for systemic, collaborative efforts to foster inclusive and sustainable learning environments for nursing students who are balancing work and study.
Human ; Students, Nursing ; Vietnam ; Qualitative Research ; Work-life Balance
9.Empty our cups: A reflection on lifelong learning and impactful research in nursing.
Philippine Journal of Nursing 2025;95(1):94-95
This reflective paper explored the philosophical foundations of lifelong learning and impactful research in the field of nursing. Anchored in personal experience and supported by scholarly literature, it illustrated the transformative power of continuous learning, the cultivation of research competence, and the moral responsibility of contributing meaningfully to society. A nurse researcher's journey is not defined by awards or accomplishment but by an unwavering dedication to knowledge creation, community involvement, and evidence-based practice. The "emptying one's cup" metaphor embodies intellectual humility, a mindset that keeps the mind open to learning, self-improvement, and meaningful service throughout one's career.
Human ; Lifelong Learning ; Education, Continuing ; Nursing Research ; Reflective Practice ; Cognitive Reflection
10.Philosophical foundations of nurse research: Advancing knowledge and addressing everyday challenges through reflective praxis.
Philippine Journal of Nursing 2025;95(1):96-97
The philosophical basis of nursing research is simply about increasing our knowledge and addressing everyday challenges through reflective thinking. This article explored the fundamental principles that inform nursing research and stresses nurse researchers' vital role in meeting everyday challenges. By employing classic philosophical concepts and contemporary ways of knowing, this article explained how individual beliefs, conceptions about truth, and reflections on self had contributed to knowledge development. To put it plainly, this article is about the story of a nurse researcher and the illustration of how a nurse's philosophy impacts research and consequently contributes to the development of nursing science. Instead of regarding this process as a quest for the ultimate truth, this article recognized the evolving process of interacting with fluid knowledge to advance nursing practice and do well in society.
Human ; Philosophy, Nursing ; Nursing Research ; Qualitative Research


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