Lived Experiences of Patients with Filariasis: A Phenomenology

Abstract

Filariasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by a thread-like filarial worm transmitted to humans through a mosquito's bite. This debilitating disease continues to be a public health problem in endemic areas in the Philippines, including Iligan City (Department of Health, 2018). The study was undertaken to determine the feelings and experiences of diagnosed individuals in Iligan City. The study used phenomenological design in qualitative research to gather themes and meanings of the experiences of individuals who are diagnosed with filariasis in Iligan City. The six participants of the study were identified employing purposive sampling. A researchers-made structured interview protocol guided the researchers during the conduct of face-to-face interviews with the participants. The responses of the participants were recorded on an audio device. The coded transcripts were analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) six-step data analysis. The themes that emerged in the study were (1) awareness to susceptibility, (2) compliance to management, (3) social stigma, and (4) anxiety and depression. The results reflect the struggles of participants having the disease. The researchers emphasize recommendations to the health authorities that manage filariasis to address anxiety, depression, and social stigma felt by patients diagnosed with filariasis and all individuals taking the mass drug administration in endemic areas. Keywords : compliance, mosquito bite, public health, social stigma, tropical disease