BACKGROUND

The Philippines has been significantly affected by the HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region, with a notable increase in new cases over the past decade. Despite efforts to promote HIV testing, access to treatment, and awareness campaigns, progress has been slow, particularly among youths. Tangere, a market research application, conducted surveys during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to assess HIV knowledge among Filipinos.

This study aimed to evaluate changes in HIV awareness among young Filipinos during and after the COVID-19 pandemic using data collected via Tangere’s surveys. Specifically, it sought to analyze demographic characteristics, sources of HIV information, and knowledge regarding HIV transmission, prevention, and stigma.

Tangere collaborated with the investigators to develop a questionnaire assessing HIV knowledge among young Filipinos. Surveys were conducted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting subscribers aged 18-35 years, primarily from the National Capital Region and Luzon area. Data analysis involved calculating frequencies and percentages to summarize demographic characteristics and HIV knowledge. An Independent-Samples Proportions procedure was used to compare HIV knowledge during and after the pandemic.

The survey revealed that while respondents generally possessed reasonable knowledge about HIV, there were notable changes in the awareness during and after the pandemic. Social media and television were identified as primary sources of HIV information. Knowledge regarding HIV transmission and prevention increased postpandemic, particularly concerning preventive measures such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) and motherto-child transmission (MTCT). However, persistent misconceptions and stigma surrounding HIV remained, indicating the need for continued education and advocacy efforts.

The study underscores the importance of utilizing social media platforms for HIV awareness campaigns, especially among youths who are disproportionately affected by the epidemic. Despite improvements in knowledge, the Philippines has yet to achieve global HIV prevention goals. Continued efforts to enhance awareness, particularly regarding recent advancements in HIV prevention and treatment, are essential for curbing the epidemic and improving public health outcomes nationwide.

BACKGROUND

A substantial number of COVID-19 recoverees are working-aged individuals, which makes return-towork (RTW) an essential part of rehabilitation. Many COVID-19 recoverees must deal with physical and mental symptoms of post-COVID conditions such as fatigue, dyspnea, difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, and anxiety. These symptoms coupled with often insufficient support from employers and the government can make the RTW process complicated. Although research related to RTW after COVID-19 has begun to emerge over the years, few primary studies have come out from developing countries.

This exploratory study aims to describe perceived work ability and health-related quality of life, lived experiences of the RTW process, and role of rehabilitation in a limited sample of Filipino COVID-19 recoverees. 

Using purposive sampling and a convergent parallel mixed-method design, the study draws on an online survey and group interviews to understand expectations, experiences, and self-rated work ability of working-age adults with post-COVID condition. We report the findings of the questionnaire data using descriptive statistics. From the questionnaire respondents, eight participants were interviewed to explore the RTW experiences from multiple perspectives. The group interview was conducted online, and narrative analysis was used to explore the data. This analytic process involved an iterative and inductive process between data gathering and data analysis.

Findings from our narrative analysis are reported under four themes: 1) The period of liminality; 2) A ‘positive’ problem; 3) Health as a psychosocial and justice issue; and 4) The reimagination of paid work. The narratives gathered document an overview of how selected Filipinos overcame the COVID-19 infection and their recovery and RTW process.

Results call for a re-examination of the concept of health and paid work for individuals undergoing rehabilitation and recovery.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic brought insurmountable changes, leading to work demands and resource limitations that placed additional physical and occupational stress.

This study aimed to determine the change in the occurrence and intensity of musculoskeletal discomfort among selected university faculty members. It also determined the association of sociodemographic and anthropometric factors, workplace conditions, and involvement in physical activity with musculoskeletal pain.

This is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted from June 2022 to May 2023 that surveyed university faculty members from Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. Outcome measures include sociodemographic data, anthropometric measures of weight, height, body mass index, workplace conditions, exercise participation, and musculoskeletal discomfort using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire.

Data from 120 participants, mostly female, with an average BMI of 27.78 ± 12.09 kg/m2 and 11.82 ± 10.39 years of teaching experience revealed increased computer usage and reduced teaching hours during the Pandemic lockdown. There was also prevalent musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD), particularly in the neck, shoulder, and upper back. Factors associated with increased MSD were female gender, longer computer use, and pre pandemic MSD history.

This study underscores the significance of addressing ergonomic factors and work conditions to mitigate MSD risks among educators during challenging situations.

Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest ; Heart Arrest ; Policy ; Covid-19 ; Pandemics

BACKGROUND

Community pharmacists play a strategic and indispensable role as healthcare professionals with direct patient access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, there had been no studies that document the challenges, adaptive measures, and opportunities of community pharmacy practice in the country during such period.

This study aimed to describe the challenges encountered and adaptive measures implemented by community pharmacies, and to explore opportunities of community pharmacy practice brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.

The study employed a qualitative, cross-sectional study design. Convenience sampling was conducted representative of chain and independent drug stores, online and other stores with service variations, and pharmacy organizations. Recruitment was pursued until data saturation with a total of 16 participants. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis using NVivo 12. The study received ethical clearance for implementation from the UP Manila Research Ethics Board.

Results showed there were various challenges that affected both the supply- and demand- side of pharmacy operations in the community pharmacy practice during the pandemic. Due to the adaptive role of the pharmacy profession during the pandemic, there has been an increased relevance of pharmacists in public health. Furthermore, the pandemic has exhibited the need to shift to the use of e-prescriptions. However, there are limitations to its current use, such as ensuring the validity of the prescription when presented in a pharmacy.

There are several challenges encountered by community pharmacists during the pandemic. These challenges led to several adaptive measures being implemented that also became an opportunity to emphasize the vital role community pharmacists play in the healthcare system.

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic placed unprecedented strain on hospital resources and manpower. This study assesses the impact of Malaysia’s nationwide lockdown on the incidence, types, severity, and outcomes of emergency general surgery (EGS) cases at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analysed the data of patients who underwent EGS procedures for the period 2017 and 2021. Results: During the pandemic period, there was a 48.3% reduction in EGS cases (n=889) compared to the pre-pandemic period (n=1720). Significant reductions were observed in surgeries for appendicitis, soft tissue infection, colorectal, urology, peptic ulcer, and vascular disorders in the COVID period. Conversely, procedures for biliary disorders and hernia complications increased by 7.4% and 5.5%, respectively. Length of hospital stay increased by 57.8% for patients with small bowel disorders, while ICU/HDU admissions rose by 43.5% for colorectal cases (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in mortality rates between the two periods. Conclusions The overall reduction in EGS procedures during the COVID-19 period was consistent with global trends. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the outcomes related to duration of stay, ICU/HDU utilisation, and mortality remained comparable to the pre-pandemic period. These findings highlight the adaptability of healthcare professionals in maintaining continuity and quality of emergency surgical care during a crisis.
Acute Care Surgery ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics

BACKGROUND

Vaccine hesitancy among senior citizens remains common in many countries. This was significantly observed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Dauis, Bohol, Philippines. However, there is limited research on the factors influencing this hesitancy.

This study aimed to identify the determinants associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among senior citizens in the municipality of Dauis, Bohol.

This case-control study employed a modified survey questionnaire adapted from relevant literatures. A total of 497 registered senior citizens participated, of whom 331 were vaccinated against COVID-19 and 166 were unvaccinated. The study determined the socio-demographic factors, health status, and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine safety. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with vaccine hesitancy.

The study found that respondents aged 84 and older were significantly more likely to exhibit vaccine hesitancy (p = 0.018, OR = 7.817). In contrast, factors associated with a reduced likelihood of hesitancy included having tertiary education (p = 0.012, OR = 0.239), a low income (p = 0.042, OR = 0.138), receiving an annual flu vaccine (p = 0.020, OR = 0.328), and perceiving the COVID-19 vaccine as safe (p = 0.000, OR = 0.032).

Age is a significant determinant of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Educational attainment, monthly income, receipt of annual influenza vaccine and perception on vaccine safety were found to be influential determinants. These findings offer valuable insights for evidence-based interventions to enhance vaccine acceptance to this vulnerable population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

There are mixed reports on nurses’ satisfaction with electronic medical records (EMR) in literature, and facilitators and barriers to its adoption were reported frequently. A Philippine public tertiary hospital developed an EMR to facilitate remote access to patient charts outside its COVID-designated areas during the pandemic. This study aims to assess nurses’ satisfaction with EMR use in order to improve their user experience. The Delone and McLean Information System (D&M IS) Success Model was used as its framework. This offers a unique perspective to EMR adoption by accounting for the effects of the pandemic.

A descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitatively driven, concurrent mixed-methods design was employed. Nurses from the hospital were recruited for the survey (n=353) and the focus group discussions (n=14). Ethical approval was obtained prior to its conduct. Analysis was done through descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and thematic analysis. Data were integrated to appreciate the differences in their experiences from the point of adoption up to their current experiences.

Nurses initially faced challenges with the EMR when it was introduced, but improvements and continuous use have led to their current high satisfaction. Despite mandatory use and high usage scores, some daily tasks are still done manually. Use, length of service, number of patients handled, designation, and area of assignment were found to be associated with satisfaction. Thematic analysis highlighted several adoption prerequisites in this setup, including assessment of user competence and experience, and the provision of training, structural necessities, and organizational support.

This study found high use and satisfaction scores, aligning with the D&M IS Success Model, despite initial adoption challenges. Recommendations include maintaining high EMR use and improving efficiency, communication, and collaboration. Emphasis was placed on the provisions of better training and continuous feedback gathering.

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is still a problem in our country for the past 2 years. The pandemic severely affected the immunocompromised and high-risk group of patients, such as the pregnant and lactating women. Research shows that this group has higher risk of being critically ill as well as dying. However, there are only a few studies on how COVID-19 vaccine is perceived among this vulnerable group. Hence, this study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices on COVID-19 vaccine among high-risk pregnant and lactating women. Moreover, the results will be used in crafting health policies that affect this specific group of patients.

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on high-risk pregnant and lactating women who sought antenatal consults at the High-Risk Clinic in a tertiary training hospital for a 1-month period. Participants were asked to answer a validated questionnaire assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices on COVID-19 vaccine. They were also asked about their sociodemographic characteristics, co-morbidities, history of COVID-19 infection, and vaccination status, as well as the source of their information regarding the vaccine. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize in this study. In addition, frequency and proportion were used for nominal variables, median and range for ordinal variables, and mean and standard deviation for interval or ratio variables. MINITAB 20 was used for data analysis.

A total of 323 high-risk pregnant and lactating women were enrolled in the study with an average age of 29 years old. Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants showed that they were high-school graduate, single, mostly financially disadvantaged, and resides in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon area. The majority have diabetes mellitus as their co-morbidity, were not infected with COVID-19 and had already been vaccinated. The significant source of information of vaccine information was mainly from social media. The study presented that more than 90% were aware that COVID-19 vaccine was recommended by professional organizations, however, only 55%–59% only agree that it is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The result also conveyed a positive attitude toward vaccination as the pregnancy progresses, as well as during lactation. As to practices, 80% of the participants were told by their health care providers to get vaccinated and 72% of them reported vaccine side effects. Furthermore, 58% of the participants would recommend vaccination during pregnancy while only 54% will recommend it while breastfeeding.

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of COVID-19 vaccine among high-risk pregnant and lactating women gave an understanding on how a vulnerable population perceives vaccination. In general, this research study presented high percentage COVID-19 vaccine awareness and acceptance; however, it can also be seen that there is a mixed perception regarding vaccine safety during pregnancy and lactation. Strategies to improve health literacy which are evidenced based that can be carried out by a health care provider could be established to achieve maximum vaccination coverage among high-risk group of patients.

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to identify the gaps and document the best practices in the response during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also compared how urban and rural sites of local government units (LGUs) implement measures. Hence, the study was conducted to probe into the non-uniform implementation of COVID-19 protocols in two (2) rural and two (2) urban local government units (LGUs), and the best practices that can be done to remedy this gap in disaster risk management.

A case study design was employed and analyzed using a triangulation approach to determine the gaps and best practices of the selected urban and rural LGUs in implementing COVID-19 protocols. The study adopted the WHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (COVID-19) M&E Framework) in monitoring and tracking situations, containment efforts, and the response during the pandemic around the world. The study was tailored for both urban and rural LGUs in the Philippines to identify their approach in implementing their COVID-19 protocols.

Findings showed that best practices include strict border controls and granular lockdowns, conversion of existing buildings into isolation facilities, and extensive information dissemination. The gaps in implementation identified were the lack of human resources and necessary facilities to treat patients, no purpose-built isolation facilities, “inapplicability” of national protocols and ordinances in local settings, misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and uncooperative behavior of the people.

Urban and rural communities are recommended to build risk communication and scenarios, establishing “Botika” and mobile vaccination, and extensive information dissemination as remedy to the misinformation regarding the virus, vaccine, and other pandemic-related information. Additionally, penalizing people who spread false information regarding the pandemic also be implemented. Finally, preventive health assistance should be provided to the first responders such as barangay hall personnel.