Articles

Implementation of Evacuation Management Plan of a Rural Barangay in Surigao Del Norte, Philippines

This descriptive quantitative study evaluated the extent of evacuation management plan implementation as experienced by the residents of Brgy. Poblacion, San Francisco, Surigao del Norte. The respondents were 123 residents and were selected through convenient sampling. The data gathered were analyzed and treated using the following descriptive statistical tools: frequency count and percentage distribution, mean and standard deviation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that the camp coordination and management plan was moderately implemented. This suggests that while the plan is being implemented to some extent, there is room for improvement to ensure a more effective and robust evacuation process in the future. In addition, the findings showed a significant degree of difference in the perceived implementation extent of the evacuation phase with respect to the respondents’ years of residency, indicating that length of stay may impact residents’ knowledge, familiarity with the area, and ability to contribute to the community’s resilience during evacuations. Finally, it was recommended that implementing the recommended strategies, actions and proposed enhancement plan can have a transformative impact on the barangay’s camp coordination and management plan.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Paulinian College Students about Diabetes

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the degree of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of Paulinian college students on diabetes for appropriate plans and interventions. The participants were 218 Paulinian college students at St. Paul University Surigao during the academic year 2022-2023. The study employed a quantitative descriptive research design involving the use of a researcher-made survey questionnaire that underwent validation and pilot testing. The data gathered were analyzed and treated by using the following descriptive statistical tools: frequency count and percentage distribution, mean and standard deviation, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Shapiro-Wilk test. Results showed that the college students had a significant degree of difference in the level of respondent’s attitudes and beliefs on Diabetes based on behavior formation and belief generation when grouped according to age, sex, and socio-economic status. Students had significant differences in their attitudes and beliefs when grouped as to their knowledge as there was found to be a correlation between attitudes and beliefs. Generally, the findings showed that there is a significant degree of difference in the level of respondent’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. It was recommended to provide an action plan as a health education strategy according to their knowledge about Diabetes for a continuum favorable attitude of students and change their beliefs on a more scientific approach and analyze deeply the misconceptions regarding the disease.

Perceived Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Clinical Care and Treatment of Tuberculosis-Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (TB-DOTS) Patients

The study determined the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical care and treatment of TB-DOTS patients in Claver, Surigao del Norte, Philippines, from 2020 to 2022. The research utilized a quantitative approach through a descriptive survey, with 150 respondents through purposive sampling. Most respondents were male, and a notable proportion had completed high school. The analysis employed descriptive statistical tools, showing a positive attitude toward the financial aspects of compliance and heightened awareness of COVID-19 preventive measures. Despite challenges introduced by the pandemic, such as difficulties attending medication refill appointments, TB-DOTS patients generally expressed satisfaction with Claver’s healthcare facilities, there are variations based on educational attainment and occupation. These variations suggest the need for tailored interventions to address the specific needs and challenges of different groups of patients. Additionally, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services and medication refill appointments is evident. To mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on TB services, health authorities in the Philippines collaborated with key stakeholders to ramp up and adopt easy-to-implement solutions. One solution was home-visit treatment with the help of health workers.