Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pediatric Cancers And Family Financial Toxicity In The Philippines: Insights For Southeast Asia And Similarly Resourced Settings, Rod Carlo Columbres, Erin Jay G. Feliciano, Kathleen Joy Taleon-Tampo, Katelyn Edelwina Y. Legaspi, Michelle Ann B. Eala, Kenrick Ng, Fumiko Chino, Frederic Ivan L. Ting, Edward Christopher Dee

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Cancer is a leading cause of death among children in the Philippines, a low-middle-income country of over 110 million people. In this Comment, we describe how financial toxicity affects families of pediatric patients with cancer in the Philippines. We explore direct costs of care, indirect costs such as transportation and lodging, and psychosocial sequelae, in the Filipino medical system and sociocultural contexts. We present examples of successful interventions in the Philippines and in similarly resourced settings, with the goal of galvanizing further research, clinical interventions, and policy-level changes, aimed at mitigating family financial toxicity for pediatric patients with cancer in …

Burden Of Disease Scenarios For 204 Countries And Territories, 2022–2050: A Forecasting Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Stein Emil Vollset, Hazim S. Ababneh, Yohannes Habtegiorgis Abate, Cristiana Abbafati, Rouzbeh Abbasgholizadeh, Mohammadreza Abbasian, Hedayat Abbastabar, Abdallah H.A. Abd Al Magied, Samar Abd Elhafeez, Atef Abdelkader, Michael Abdelmasseh, Sherief Abd-Elsalam, Parsa Abdi, Mohammad Abdollahi, Meriem Abdoun, Auwal Abdullahi, Mesfin Abebe, Olumide Abiodun, Richard Gyan Aboagye, Hassan Abolhassani, Mohamed Abouzid, Girma Beressa Aboye, Lucas Guimarães Abreu, Abdorrahim Absalan, Veincent Christian Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Future trends in disease burden and drivers of health are of great interest to policy makers and the public at large. This information can be used for policy and long-term health investment, planning, and prioritisation. We have expanded and improved upon previous forecasts produced as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) and provide a reference forecast (the most likely future), and alternative scenarios assessing disease burden trajectories if selected sets of risk factors were eliminated from current levels by 2050.

Methods

Using forecasts of major drivers of health such as the Socio-demographic …

Global Age-Sex-Specific Mortality, Life Expectancy, And Population Estimates In 204 Countries And Territories And 811 Subnational Locations, 1950–2021, And The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Demographic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Austin E. Schumacher, Hmwe Hmwe Kyu, Catherine M. Antony, Aleksandr Y. Aravkin, Gulrez Shah Azhar, Catherine Bisignano, Katrin Burkart, Kelly M. Cercy, Eunice Chung, Kaleb Coberly, Haley Comfort, Ewerton Cousin, Garland T. Culbreth, Matthew Cunningham, Nicole Davis Weaver, Louisa Degenhardt, Lee Deitesfeld, M. Ashworth Dirac, Kara Estep, Valery L. Feigin, Abraham D. Flaxman, Luisa S. Flor, Lisa M. Force, John E. Fuller, Veincent Christian Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period.

Methods

22 223 data sources …

Global Fertility In 204 Countries And Territories, 1950–2021, With Forecasts To 2100: A Comprehensive Demographic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Natalia V. Bhattacharjee, Austin E. Schumacher, Amirali Aali, Yohannes Habtegiorgis Abate, Rouzbeh Abbasgholizadeh, Mohammadreza Abbasian, Mohsen Abbasi-Kangevari, Hedayat Abbastabar, Samar Abd Elhafeez, Sherief Abd-Elsalam, Mohammad Abdollahi, Mohammad Amin Abdollahifar, Meriem Abdoun, Auwal Abdullahi, Mesfin Abebe, Samrawit Shawel Abebe, Olumide Abiodun, Hassan Abolhassani, Meysam Abolmaali, Mohamed Abouzid, Girma Beressa Aboye, Lucas Guimarães Abreu, Woldu Aberhe Abrha, Michael R.M. Abrigo, Veincent Christian Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Accurate assessments of current and future fertility—including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions—are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to inform policies involving resource and health-care needs, labour supply, education, gender equality, and family planning and support. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 produced up-to-date and comprehensive demographic assessments of key fertility indicators at global, regional, and national levels from 1950 to 2021 and forecast fertility metrics to 2100 …

The Lipid-Heart Hypothesis And The Keys Equation Defined The Dietary Guidelines But Ignored The Impact Of Trans-Fat And High Linoleic Acid Consumption, Mary T. Newport, Fabian M. Dayrit

Chemistry Faculty Publications

In response to a perceived epidemic of coronary heart disease, Ancel Keys introduced the lipid-heart hypothesis in 1953 which asserted that high intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol lead to atherosclerosis and that consuming less fat and cholesterol, and replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat, would reduce serum cholesterol and consequently the risk of heart disease. Keys proposed an equation that would predict the concentration of serum cholesterol (ΔChol.) from the consumption of saturated fat (ΔS), polyunsaturated fat (ΔP), and cholesterol (ΔZ): ΔChol. = 1.2(2ΔS - ΔP) + 1.5ΔZ. However, the Keys equation conflated natural saturated fat and …

Global Burden Of 288 Causes Of Death And Life Expectancy Decomposition In 204 Countries And Territories And 811 Subnational Locations, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Gbd 2021 Causes Of Death Collaborators, Veincent Christian F. Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Methods

Global Incidence, Prevalence, Years Lived With Disability (Ylds), Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (Dalys), And Healthy Life Expectancy (Hale) For 371 Diseases And Injuries In 204 Countries And Territories And 811 Subnational Locations, 1990–2021: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2021, Gbd 2021 Diseases And Injuries Collaborators, Veincent Christian F. Pepito

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-based interventions that enable public health researchers, policy makers, and other professionals to implement strategies that can mitigate diseases. It can also facilitate more rigorous monitoring of progress towards national and international health targets, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. For three decades, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors …

Incidence And Seasonality Of Kawasaki Disease In Children In The Philippines, And Its Association With Ambient Air Temperature, Aden Kay Celis-Seposo, Lina Madaniyazi, Xerxes Seposo, Masahiro Hashizume, Lay Myint Yoshida, Michiko Toizumi

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Despite an unknown cause, Kawasaki disease (KD) is currently the primary leading cause of acquired heart disease in developed countries in children and has been increasing in recent years. Research efforts have explored environmental factors related to KD, but they are still unclear especially in the tropics. We aimed to describe the incidence of KD in children, assess its seasonality, and determine its association with ambient air temperature in the National Capital Region (NCR), Philippines from January 2009 to December 2019.

Methods

Monthly number of KD cases from the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) disease registry was collected to determine …

Financial Sequelae Of Cancer For Patients' Family Members And Caregivers: A Focus On The Philippines, Rod Carlo Columbres, Erin Jay G. Feliciano, Lance Isidore Catedral, Jose Ma H. Zaldarriaga, Michelle Ann B. Eala, Jerickson Abbie Flores, Enrico D. Tangco, Narjust Florez, Frederic Ivan L. Ting, Edward Christopher Dee

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

No abstract provided.

Non-Coding Rnas Involved In The Molecular Pathology Of Alzheimer’S Disease: A Systematic Review, Reynand Jay Canoy, Jenica Clarisse Sy, Christian Deo Deguit, Caitlin Bridgette Castro, Lyoneil James Dimaapi, Beatrice Gabrielle Panlaqui, Wenzel Perian, Justine Yu, John Mark Velasco, Jesus Emmanuel Sevilleja, Anna Gibson

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia globally, having a pathophysiology that is complex and multifactorial. Recent findings highlight the significant role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in the molecular mechanisms underlying AD. These ncRNAs are involved in critical biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, amyloid-beta aggregation, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and autophagy, which are pivotal in AD development and progression. This systematic review aims to consolidate current scientific knowledge on the role of ncRNAs in AD, making it the first to encompass …

Action Apac: Understanding Perceptions, Attitudes And Behaviours In Obesity And Its Management Across South And Southeast Asia, Kwang Wei Tham, Asma Ahmed, Apussanee Boonyavarakul, Mariana Mercado Garcia, Miroslava Guajardo, Zubaidah Nor Hanipah, Tran Quang Nam, Nemencio A. Nicodemus, Faruque Pathan, Jack Garcia Uranga Romano, Sidartawan Soegonda, Edgardo L. Tolentino, Ambika Gopalakrishnan (A G) Unnikrishnan, Brian J. Oldfield

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

To identify perceptions and attitudes among people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward obesity and its management in nine Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adult PwO with self-reported body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 (≥27 kg/m2, Singapore), and HCPs involved in direct patient care. In total, 10 429 PwO and 1901 HCPs completed the survey. Most PwO (68%) and HCPs (84%) agreed that obesity is a disease; however, a significant proportion of PwO (63%) and HCPs (41%) believed weight loss was the complete responsibility of PwO and only 43% of PwO discussed weight …

Global Burden Of Cardiovascular Diseases And Risks, 1990-2022, George A. Mensah, Valentin Fuster, Christopher J.L. Murray, Gregory A. Roth, Geminn Louis C. Apostol

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

No abstract provided.

Nutrition In Times Of Crisis: A Qualitative Study In Siargao Island, Philippines, During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu, Julie Madelo Compra, Phetdavanh Leuangvilay, Rapeepong Suphanchaimat, Yunting Zhang, Charina Javier

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Objectives

Despite the public-health significance of both malnutrition and crises, little has been done to explore the convergence of the two domains and develop ways to improve policies and practices, especially in rural communities. This article remedies that knowledge gap by focusing on nutrition-related changes, responses, and practices during crisis situations in Siargao Island, Philippines, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop.

Methods

Forty-six (46) semi-structured interviews were conducted among parents, caregivers, local health workers, and local officials of Del Carmen, Siargao Island. Principles of thematic analysis were applied to data analysis using NVivo 12. Afterwards, the preliminary data were …

Disparities In Access To Cancer Diagnostics In Asean Member Countries, Nicole Rose I. Alberto, Isabelle Rose I. Alberto, Corinna Victoria M. Puyat, Maria Alexandra R. Antonio, Frances Dominique V. Ho, Edward Christopher Dee, Brandon A. Mahal, Michelle Ann B. Eala

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Diagnostics, including laboratory tests, medical and nuclear imaging, and molecular testing, are essential in the diagnosis and management of cancer to optimize clinical outcomes. With the continuous rise in cancer mortality and morbidity in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), there exists a critical need to evaluate the accessibility of cancer diagnostics in the region so as to direct multifaceted interventions that will address regional inequities and inadequacies in cancer care. This paper identifies existing gaps in service delivery, health workforce, health information systems, leadership and governance, and financing and how these contribute to disparities in access to cancer …

The Prevalence Of Sars-Cov-2 Antibodies Within The Community Of A Private Tertiary University In The Philippines: A Serial Cross Sectional Study, Lourdes S. Tanchanco, Jenica Clarisse Y. Sy, Angel Belle C. Dy, Myla D. Levantino, Arianna Maever L. Amit, John Wong, Kirsten Angeles, John Paul Vergara

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health emergency in all sectors of society, including universities and other academic institutions. This study determined the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among administrators, faculty, staff, and students of a private tertiary academic institution in the Philippines over a 7 month period. It employed a serial cross-sectional method using qualitative and quantitative COVID-19 antibody test kits. A total of 1,318 participants were tested, showing 47.80% of the study population yielding IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 virus. A general increase in seroprevalence was observed from June to December 2021, which coincided with the vaccine roll-out of …

Three-Heartbeat Multilead Ecg Recognition Method For Arrhythmia Classification, Liang-Hung Wang, Yan-Ting Yu, Wei Liu, Lu Xu, Chao-Xin Xie, Tao Yang, I-Chun Kuo, Xin-Kang Wang, Jie Gao, Patricia Angela R. Abu

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the primary basis for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. However, the amount of ECG data of patients makes manual interpretation time-consuming and onerous. Therefore, the intelligent ECG recognition technology is an important means to decrease the shortage of medical resources. This study proposes a novel classification method for arrhythmia that uses for the very first time a three-heartbeat multi-lead (THML) ECG data in which each fragment contains three complete heartbeat processes of multiple ECG leads. The THML ECG data pre-processing method is formulated which makes use of the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database as training samples. Four arrhythmia classification …

Epidemiological Characteristics Of The Sars-Cov-2 Theta Variant (P.3) In The Central Visayas Region, Philippines, 30 October 2020–16 February 2021, Nel Jason L. Haw, Eugenia Mercedes R. Cañal, Juanito Zuasola Jr., Mary Jean Loreche, Jaime Bernadas

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Global, Regional, And National Sex Differences In The Global Burden Of Tuberculosis By Hiv Status, 1990–2019: Results From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Jorge R. Ledesma, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Gbd 2019 Tuberculosis Collaborators

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Tuberculosis is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, causing more than a million deaths annually. Given an emphasis on equity in access to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in global health targets, evaluations of differences in tuberculosis burden by sex are crucial. We aimed to assess the levels and trends of the global burden of tuberculosis, with an emphasis on investigating differences in sex by HIV status for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

We used a Bayesian hierarchical Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm) platform to analyse 21 505 site-years of vital …

Zoonotic Pathogens From Illegally Traded Wildlife Justify Adopting The One Health Perspective In Disease Response, Marianne Allison G. Lee, Vinyl Joseph S. Valeza, Jonathan Patrick H. Yan, Ronald Allan L. Cruz

Biology Faculty Publications

Recent studies have described a direct relationship between the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in human populations. In the Philippines, the Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) framework outlines the monitoring, response, and management of disease outbreaks, but needs to be updated in the wake of zoonoses from IWT. Here, we identified zoonotic pathogens that may be introduced to human populations through the IWT, pinpointed potential outbreak hotspots, and provided recommendations on how to improve the Philippines’ public health response while considering One Health. Using seizure data from the Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) covering …

Rationalization Of The Laboratory Diagnosis For Good Management Of Malaria: Lessons From Transitional Methods, Neguemadji N. Ngaba, Imteyaz A. Khan, Namrata Hange, Maria Kezia Lourdes Ligsay Pormento, Manoj Kumar Reddy Somagutta, Ajay Kumar, Youssouf Abdelkerim, Alarangue Djindimadje, Samia Jahan

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Introduction. Malaria is an endemic disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In clinical practice, the main concern is the overdiagnosis of malaria leading to inappropriate drug prescription without laboratory confirmation. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate clinical examination reliability compared with translational laboratory methods of malaria diagnosis. Methods. The study was conducted in Goundi Hospital among hospitalized patients over a seven-month period. Patients were interviewed, and malaria tests done included the Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears. Diagnostic accuracy was analysed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. Results. Among 1,874 participants, 674 (35.96%) patients had positive Giemsa-stained …

Prevalence, Determinants And Outcomes Of Traditional, Complementary And Alternative Medicine Use For Hypertension Among Low-Income Households In Malaysia And The Philippines, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Benjamin Palafox, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Fadhlina Ab-Majid, Farnaza Ariffin, Dina Balabanova, Mohamad-Rodi Isa, Nafiza Mat-Nasir, Mazapuspavina My

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) is used to treat a broad range of conditions. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), TCAM use is particularly common among those with low socio-economic status. To better understand the patterns and impact of TCAM use on the management of non-communicable diseases in these populations, this study examines the prevalence and characteristics of TCAM use for hypertension, its determinants, and its association with hypertension management outcomes and wellbeing among low-income adults in two Southeast Asian countries at different levels of economic and health system development, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Methods

We analysed cross-sectional …

Participant Use Of Digital Diaries In Qualitative Research: A Strong Structuration Analysis, Maureen L. Seguin, Jhaki A. Mendoza, Eunice Mallari, Gideon Lasco, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Benjamin Palafox, Alicia Renedo, Martin Mckee, Dina Balabanova

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Lived experiences of chronic conditions are marked by fluidity and change, which should be considered if care is to be truly patient-centered. Seeking to capture this fluidity, we used digital diaries via mobile phones to communicate with hypertensive patients in the Philippines over approximately 12 months. This paper draws on Strong Structuration Theory to conceptualize the complex array of factors shaping participants’ usage (and non-usage) of the diaries, thereby offering a comprehensive understanding of how the diaries were perceived and used. We draw on qualitative data from 42 participants (73 baseline/follow-up interviews and 37 digital diaries), purposively selected from a …

Visualizing Phytochemical-Protein Interaction Networks: Momordica Charantia And Cancer, Yumi L. Briones, Alexander T. Young, Fabian M. Dayrit, Armando Jerome De Jesus, Nina Rosario L. Rojas

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The in silico study of medicinal plants is a rapidly growing field. Techniques such as reverse screening and network pharmacology are used to study the complex cellular action of medicinal plants against disease. However, it is difficult to produce a meaningful visualization of phytochemical-protein interactions (PCPIs) in the cell. This study introduces a novel workflow combining various tools to visualize a PCPI network for a medicinal plant against a disease. The five steps are 1) phytochemical compilation, 2) reverse screening, 3) network building, 4) network visualization, and 5) evaluation. The output is a PCPI network that encodes multiple dimensions of …

(De)Constructing ‘Therapeutic Itineraries’ Of Hypertension Care: A Qualitative Study In The Philippines, Jhaki A. Mendoza, Gideon Lasco, Alicia Renedo, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Maureen L. Seguin, Benjamin Palafox, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Martin Mckee, Dina Balabanova

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Hypertension, a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, remains poorly controlled in many countries. In the Philippines, it is still one of the leading causes of preventable deaths despite the accessibility and availability of essential technologies and medicine to detect and treat hypertension. This paper characterizes the ‘therapeutic itineraries’ of people with hypertension from poor communities in rural and urban settings in the Philippines. We employ longitudinal qualitative methodology comprised of repeat interviews and digital diaries using mobile phones from 40 recruited participants in 12 months. Our findings demonstrate that therapeutic itineraries, rather than being organized according to categories that …

Detection Of Dental Apical Lesions Using Cnns On Periapical Radiograph, Chun-Wei Li, Szu-Yin Lin, He-Sheng Chou, Tsung-Yi Chen, Yu-An Chen, Sheng-Yu Liu, Yu-Lin Liu, Chiung-An Chen, Yen-Cheng Huang, Shih-Lun Chen, Yi-Cheng Mao, Patricia Angela R. Abu, Wei-Yuan Chiang, Wen-Shen Lo

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Apical lesions, the general term for chronic infectious diseases, are very common dental diseases in modern life, and are caused by various factors. The current prevailing endodontic treatment makes use of X-ray photography taken from patients where the lesion area is marked manually, which is therefore time consuming. Additionally, for some images the significant details might not be recognizable due to the different shooting angles or doses. To make the diagnosis process shorter and efficient, repetitive tasks should be performed automatically to allow the dentists to focus more on the technical and medical diagnosis, such as treatment, tooth cleaning, or …

Global, Regional, And National Sex Differences In The Global Burden Of Tuberculosis By Hiv Status, 1990-2019: Results From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Jorge R. Ledesma, Hmwe Hmwe Kyu, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Veincent Christian F. Pepito, Gbd 2019 Tuberculosis Collaborators, 328 Co-Authors

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Tuberculosis is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, causing more than a million deaths annually. Given an emphasis on equity in access to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in global health targets, evaluations of differences in tuberculosis burden by sex are crucial. We aimed to assess the levels and trends of the global burden of tuberculosis, with an emphasis on investigating differences in sex by HIV status for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

We used a Bayesian hierarchical Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODEm) platform to analyse 21 505 site-years of vital …

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Digital Diaries As A Means To Study Patient Pathways: Experiences With A Study Of Hypertension In The Philippines, Jhaki A. Mendoza, Maureen L. Seguin, Gideon Lasco, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Arianna Maever L. Amit, Alicia Renedo, Martin Mckee, Benjamin Palafox, Dina Balabanova

Development Studies Faculty Publications

The rise of digital mobile communications has made possible novel research methods that can provide a better understanding of patients’ experience of non-communicable diseases. This study explores the opportunities and challenges in employing “digital diaries” via mobile phones to track the lived experiences of people with hypertension in the Philippines. Following in-depth interviews, 40 hypertensive adults were invited to submit digital diaries over 12 months. Mobile phones were found to be an efficient way of reaching participants, although it was difficult to collect in-depth narratives about their experiences using the medium beyond nominal responses about symptoms and treatment. Possible explanations …

Communicating Covid-19 Vaccines: Lessons From The Dengue Vaccine Controversy In The Philippines, Gideon Lasco, Vincen Gregory Yu

Development Studies Faculty Publications

As countries around the world begin to roll out COVID-19 vaccines; vaccine safety communication is more relevant than ever. The dengue vaccine controversy in the Philippines offers lessons that can be applied to immunisation programmes being organised today to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective vaccine safety communication entails (re)building relationships of trust between government and the public; upholding the credibility of scientific institutions and maintaining transparency. It also involves viewing health against the broader framework of equity; using an interdisciplinary approach to health communication and putting a premium on public feedback.

Ambient Air Quality And The Risk For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Metro Manila Development Authority Traffic Enforcers In Metro Manila: An Exploratory Study, Xerxes Seposo, Audrey Lynn A. Arcilla, Jose Guillermo N. De Guzman Iii, Enrico Miguel S. Dizon, Andrea Nova R. Figuracion, Christina Micaela M. Morales, Pauleenaa Katriona A. Tugonon, Geminn Louis C. Apostol

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Air pollution and poor ambient air quality are significantly related to multiple health risks. One associated disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a preventable disease with several contributing factors and one of the leading causes of morbidity/mortality locally and globally. A potentially high-risk population are traffic enforcers who are constantly exposed to air pollution. In the Philippines, the MMDA has the widest coverage in traffic management. The study determined the risk of COPD among Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcers in relation to ambient air quality level, as well as identified other factors that increase the risk …

Impact Of Vaccine Supplies And Delays On Optimal Control Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mapping Interventions For The Philippines, Carlo Delfin S. Estadilla, Joshua Uyheng, Elvira P. De Lara-Tuprio, Timothy Robin Y. Teng, Jay Michael R. Macalalag, Ma. Regina Justina E. Estuar

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Background

Around the world, controlling the COVID-19 pandemic requires national coordination of multiple intervention strategies. As vaccinations are globally introduced into the repertoire of available interventions, it is important to consider how changes in the local supply of vaccines, including delays in administration, may be addressed through existing policy levers. This study aims to identify the optimal level of interventions for COVID-19 from 2021 to 2022 in the Philippines, which as a developing country is particularly vulnerable to shifting assumptions around vaccine availability. Furthermore, we explore optimal strategies in scenarios featuring delays in vaccine administration, expansions of vaccine supply, and …