Female Filipino Research Articles

Systemic Mastocytosis in a 70-Year-Old Female Filipino With Cutaneous, Bone Marrow, and Gastrointestinal Manifestations: A Case Report

Systemic Mastocytosis in a 70-Year-Old Female Filipino With Cutaneous, Bone Marrow, and Gastrointestinal Manifestations: A Case Report

MPN-263 Systemic Mastocytosis in a 70-Year-Old Female Filipino With Cutaneous, Bone Marrow, and Gastrointestinal Manifestations: A Case Report

MPN-263 Systemic Mastocytosis in a 70-Year-Old Female Filipino With Cutaneous, Bone Marrow, and Gastrointestinal Manifestations: A Case Report

Dr. Fe Del Mundo: The Pioneer Who Transformed Pediatrics and Child Healthcare in the Philippines.

Dr. Fe del Mundo was a female Filipino pediatrician, humanitarian, and advocate of Filipino children, dedicating her life to seven decades of service. Her programs on maternal and child health, preventive medicine, nutrition, vaccination, and family planning transformed the healthcare landscape in the Philippines. Overcoming adversity, she pursued a road less traveled for women of her time. After training in the United States of America, she returned to the Philippines to take care of sick children during the Second World War and later opened the first pediatric hospital in the country. Her research, inventions, and health programs set the groundwork for the improvement of pediatric and childhood outcomes in the country and the world. She is a woman of many firsts, being a beacon for generations of physicians and women. Her legacy endures through the programs she started, the lives she has saved, the doctors she trained, and the institutions she has founded for the welfare of the children she dearly cared for.

A dermoscopy case series of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer in Filipino females

AbstractThere is a limited number of dermoscopic images of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer. We report three cases of cutaneous metastases in Filipino females with breast cancer. They were referred to the Dermatology outpatient clinic with round, firm, nontender, erythematous nodules on the chest and trunk. Dermoscopic findings noted were linear, irregular, arborizing and polymorphic vessels, bright white lines at the periphery and white areas, homogenous yellow to yellow‐orange structureless areas with linear fissure‐like structures and irregular diffuse blue‐black pigmentation, multiple brown dots and globules, and pink homogeneous areas. The clinical presentation, dermoscopy, histopathology and immunohistochemistry findings were consistent with cutaneous metastases from breast cancer. Familiarity and knowledge of dermoscopic patterns will improve diagnostic accuracy and early recognition of cutaneous metastases.

Fear of COVID-19 as mediator in the relationship between at-risk Filipino women’s health belief and intention to have pap smear test

Despite being one of the most preventable and curable types of cancer, cervical cancer still causes death among Filipino women yearly. The pandemic created new obstacles for women to overcome, but some of the obstacles that existed before COVID-19 may now be worsened and will seriously affect women's self-care management, limiting their access to the necessary procedures needed for the screening of cervical cancer. This study aimed to determine the relationship of at-risk Filipino women’s health beliefs towards their intention to have Pap Smear test and the mediating role of fear of COVID-19. A causal predictive approach was conducted and 572 female Filipino currently residing in the Philippines participated in the study. Data were gathered utilizing the Health Belief Model Scale for Cervical Cancer and the Pap Smear Test and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale with the Intention to Screen assessed by a structured question. With p-values of < .05 which is considered statistically significant in this study, the outcome of the mediation analysis shows that the mediated effect of fear of COVID-19 is not particularly (partial mediation) significant. There is still a significant direct association between health beliefs particularly on the benefits of Pap Smear test and health motivation and barriers to Pap Smear test with the intention to screen even without the presence of fear. In conclusion, the fear of COVID-19 plays a minor effect in the association between Filipino women's health beliefs and their intention to attend Pap smear testing.

MHC-DRB alleles with amino acids Val11, Phe13, and the shared epitopes promote collagen-induced arthritis and a rapid IgG1 response in Filipino cynomolgus macaques.

Macaques are useful animal models for studying the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the development of anti-rheumatic drugs. The purpose of this study was to identify the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphisms associated with the pathology of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and anti-collagen IgG induction in a cynomolgus macaque model, as MHC polymorphisms affect the onset of CIA in other animal models. Nine female Filipino cynomolgus macaques were immunized with bovine type II collagen (b-CII) to induce CIA, which was diagnosed clinically by scoring the symptoms of joint swelling over 9 weeks. MHC polymorphisms and anti-b-CII antibody titers were compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic macaques. Four of 9 (44%) macaques were defined as the CIA-affected group. Anti-b-CII IgG in the affected group increased in titer approximately 3 weeks earlier compared with the asymptomatic group. The mean plasma IgG1 titer in the CIA-affected group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the asymptomatic group. Furthermore, the cynomolgus macaque MHC (Mafa)-DRB1*10:05 or Mafa-DRB1*10:07 alleles, which contain the well-documented RA-susceptibility five amino acid sequence known as the shared epitope (SE) in positions 70 to 74, with valine at position 11 (Val11, V11) and phenylalanine at position 13 (Phe13, F13), were detected in the affected group. In contrast, no MHC polymorphisms specific to the asymptomatic group were identified. In conclusion, the presence of V11 and F13 along with SE in the MHC-DRB1 alleles seems essential for the production of IgG1 and the rapid induction of severe CIA in female Filipino cynomolgus macaques.

Child Sexual Abuse History and Adult Promiscuity Among Female Filipino Survivors

Child Sexual Abuse History and Adult Promiscuity Among Female Filipino Survivors

The association between posttraumatic disorder symptoms and addictive behaviours in Macao within a sample of female Filipino migrant workers: a network analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Filipino migrant workers in Macao are vulnerable to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and addictive behaviours due to trauma histories, postmigration stressors, and access to alcohol and gambling venues. While PTSD addiction comorbidity is well-established in the existing literature, such research among migrant workers is lacking. Objective: The current study investigated differential relations between PTSD symptoms and addictive behaviours in a polytrauma exposed sample of Filipino domestic workers in Macao (SAR), China. Methods: Data were collected from 1375 Filipino migrant workers; data from a subsample of 1200 participants who reported an index traumatic event and PTSD symptoms were used in the analyses. Participants responded to the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, gambling disorder symptoms checklist from DSM-5, and The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. We estimated a regularized partial correlation network structure of PTSD symptoms and addictive behaviours employing graphical LASSO and extended Bayesian information criterion. Results: PTSD symptoms of arousal and negative emotions had bridge connections with gambling disorder symptoms; while PTSD symptoms of arousal, restricted affect, negative emotions, and emotional reactivity had bridge connections with alcohol misuse. Conclusions: PTSD's arousal and negative emotion symptoms were common in the networks of PTSD and addictive behaviours, while PTSD's restricted affect and emotional reactivity symptoms were unique to the network of PTSD and alcohol misuse. Treatment of the comorbidity of PTSD and addictive behaviours may yield optimal effects when tailored to these symptoms.

Fertility of Female Filipino and Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong

The relationship between migrant workers’ migratory moves and their fertility is complex. The literature on international migration contains three main explanations of the relationship—the disruption hypothesis, the adaptation hypothesis, and the selectivity hypothesis. The research reported in the literature has so far focused on international migrants, many of whom have the prospect of becoming legal immigrants, while there is little research on the relation between migration and fertility for Southeast Asian labor migrants who are on employment contracts and cannot gain permanent residency. Of the three hypotheses, only the disruption hypothesis is relevant for temporary migrant workers, yet its findings have been mixed. This research note aims to fill in the gap by focusing on the disruption hypothesis in an examination of Filipina and Indonesian migrant domestic workers’ migration and fertility trajectories, using the 2017 survey of Filipina and Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. The findings from the analysis suggest a disruptive effect of migration on fertility for the women in their earlier reproductive years from both Indonesia and the Philippines but not for the women in their later childbearing ages, thus shedding light on the divergent disruptive mechanism of migration on fertility.

Mental health, stressors and resources in migrant domestic workers in Singapore: A thematic analysis of in-depth interviews

Past research with migrant domestic workers (MDWs) has elucidated their vulnerability, stressors they face, as well as coping and resilience. However, they tend to be conducted through surveys, prioritising breadth over depth. To understand the individual experience of being an MDW, more in-depth exploration of these factors is required. An in-depth qualitative approach was used to explore the challenges faced by MDWs, how these challenges impact mental health, and the coping strategies they use to manage them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 female Filipino and Indonesian MDWs recruited from community settings. Reflexive thematic analysis generated three broad themes of challenges (migration-, work- and human rights-related), two themes for mental health (distress and well-being) and four themes for coping strategies (engaging with problems, managing emotions, avoiding problems and emotions and future-focused). Results are explored through the lenses of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, resilience-based stress-appraisal-coping model and Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping, focusing on the connections between unmet needs, mental health, and coping. Our findings elucidate potential factors contributing to the well-being of MDWs, which could inform MDWs, their employers, policy makers and other service providers on ways to maximise well-being of MDWs.

Filipino Migrant Women in Domestic Work: A Comparative Evaluation Among Turkiye, East Asian, and Middle Eastern Countries

This study examines the work experiences of female Filipino domestic workers in some countries and presents comparative evaluations between Turkiye and selected countries in the Middle East and East Asia. From this point of view, the data used in the study were collected from different country cases, including Turkiye and selected countries in East Asia and the Middle East. The evaluations were revealed through descriptive analysis with comparison. Several studies, reports, and news about female Filipino domestic workers from these countries were reviewed throughout this research. By comparing the working conditions and their experiences in said countries, it is understood that workers are alone in bearing the consequences of the lack of protection between the walls of private homes. Therefore, this study stresses that immigrant workers’ rights are violated at domestic-related work in many ways. They face severe abuses and human rights violations in some regions where slave-like conditions still exist. As a result, reviewing the existing migration and labour laws should be the first step to be taken by the host countries. As such, sustainable policies should be introduced immediately to reduce the vulnerability of migrant domestic workers and provide adequate protection.

Discriminant function analysis of craniometric data for distinguishing Japanese and Filipino crania

ABSTRACT Given their similar morphology and gene-flow histories, determining whether an unidentified cranium found in the Philippines is Japanese or Filipino presents a challenge. Two different analyses are undertaken. First, discriminant function (DF) analyses are applied to 295 crania using 22 measurements for distinguishing between: 1) males and females, 2) Japanese and Filipino males, and 3) Japanese and Filipino females, and 4) among four groups (Japanese males, Filipino males, Japanese females, and Filipino females). Second, a DF equation for distinguishing Japanese males and Filipino males using 173 crania and 29 measurements is introduced. In addition to being able to distinguish between Japanese and Filipino crania, this study found that seldom used cranial measurements such as simonic chord (least nasal breadth -WNB), inferior malar length (IML), and maximum malar length (XML) are influential for distinguishing between these two Asian groups. The predicted classification accuracy of DF equations from both analyses ranged from 82.0% to 93.6%. Sixty test crania for the first study and 40 for the second study maintains classification success rates between 82.0% and 93.3%. The DF equations reported in this study can be a useful initial screening tool for identifying Japanese war dead in the Philippines.

Filipino nurses’ perspectives of the clinical and language competency requirements for nursing registration in England: A qualitative exploration

AimTo understand Filipino nurses’ experiences of the ‘Test of Competence’ process, alongside the additional competency requirements of their sponsor Trust. BackgroundThe Philippines has been a significant and sustained source of foreign trained nurses to the UK over the past twenty years. Since October 2014, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has required that all non-UK nurses pass a ‘Test of Competence’ prior to acquiring registration. However, there is limited evidence exploring how overseas nurses experience this process and the tests which comprise it. DesignA qualitative study informed by pragmatism, using focus group discussions. MethodsFocus groups were held with pre-departure nurses in Manila, the Philippines and with post-arrival Filipino nurses in the Southeast of England. A total of 21 male and female Filipino nurses participated. Qualitative data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. ResultsThree themes were generated in relation to the competency process. Firstly, inappropriate preparation, Second, a competency/practice disparity and finally intergenerational and intra-professional support. ConclusionSome aspects of the ‘Test of Competence’ process were seen as unnecessarily difficult, contradictory, repetitious and/or of little relevance to practice. Lack of support and insufficient information relating to how best prepare for the tests were mitigated to some extent by individual learning and informal support mechanisms. An evaluation of the impact that repeated changes to the Test of Competence process may have on the quality of support offered by NHS Trusts to overseas nurses is recommended.

A network analysis investigation of the comorbidity between sleep dysfunction and PTSD symptomatology among Filipino domestic workers in Macao (SAR) China

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with sleep dysfunction. This association was previously explained based on cognitive and emotional dysfunction. The current study extends this literature by investigating the symptom level comorbidity of sleep dysfunction and DSM-5 PTSD utilizing a network approach. Participants were trauma-exposed female Filipino domestic workers (N = 1241). Network analysis was applied to 23 items: 18 items from PCL-5 measuring PTSD (Community 1) and 5 items from PSQI assessing sleep dysfunction (Community 2). The results showed that the symptoms within each community had the strongest correlations. Bridge connections were identified between the sleep dysfunction and PTSD symptom communities. Symptoms with the highest bridge strength were concentration difficulties, recklessness, irritability, and sleep disturbance. This is among the first studies investigating the comorbidity between PTSD and sleep dysfunction from the network approach. Future interventions may be developed that emphasize the bridge symptoms to address comorbidity among trauma exposed migrants.

Filipinos FrontToo! A Sociophonetic Analysis of Toronto English /u/-Fronting

The fronting of the back vowel /u/is an ongoing sound change in many varieties of English. While /u/-fronting is argued to be primarily phonetically constrained, many studies report the significant role of various social factors, including ethnicity. This article investigates the linguistic and social conditioning of /u/-fronting in Toronto English. A sociophonetic analysis of /u/, extracted from spontaneous speech data of second-generation Filipinos and age-matched Anglos, was conducted to determine whether Filipinos exhibit /u/-fronting and to what extent coarticulatory and social factors affect degree of fronting. Results of a multivariate analysis show that male and female Filipinos produce fronted realizations of /u/as often as their Anglo peers. However, Filipinos exhibit greater fronting than Anglos in coronal and palatal contexts, which may be explained by cross-language influence from Tagalog. Taken together, this study suggests that, although Filipinos join other Torontonians in /u/-fronting, they nonetheless exhibit finer-grained differences when phonetic conditioning is taken into account.

Vitamin D Status and Usual Nutrient Intake of Filipino Children Aged 6–12 Years in Selected Areas in the Philippines: A 2018 National Nutrition Survey

Background. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, usual nutrient intake, and food sources of vitamin D of Filipino children aged 6–12 years in selected areas in the Philippines. Methods. The National Nutrition Survey (NNS) collected blood samples of children aged 6–12 years from selected study sites: Manila City and Quezon City in the National Capital Region (NCR); Cagayan Province and Baguio City in Luzon; Northern Samar and Siquijor in Visayas; and Butuan City and Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao. About 789 children aged 6–12 years participated in this study. Serum vitamin D was determined by electrochemiluminescence binding assay (ECLIA). Food intake data were collected using two-day nonconsecutive 24 h food recall. Usual nutrient intakes were estimated using Personal Computer Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (PC-SIDE) program. Results. The mean serum vitamin D of 25 (OH)D was 72.7 ± 0.67 μmol/L. The overall prevalence of combined vitamin D deficiency (&lt;50 μmol/L) and insufficiency (51–74 μmol/L) among children aged 6–12 years was 60.6%. Females had a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency compared to males. NCR (57.9%) had a higher deficiency compared to the other areas. The usual intake of vitamin D (2 μg/day) among children was below the adequate intake of 5 μg/day. The main food sources of vitamin D are coming from fish (53%), pork (19%), and egg/egg dishes (16%). Conclusion. This study revealed that there is a significantly high level of vitamin D insufficiency in children aged 6–12 years. Filipino females had higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency compared to males. Among the areas, NCR has the highest prevalence of deficiency/insufficiency.

Filipino Children and Adolescents' Stories of Sexual Abuse: Narrative Types and Consequences.

There is a paucity of qualitative research on children's and adolescents' perceptions of their sexual abuse experiences. This paper aims to describe the narrative types and consequences of sexual abuse stories among ten female Filipino children and adolescents. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using dialogical narrative analysis. Results show that three narrative types appear in the stories of the survivors. These are the tragic resistance narrative, rescued slave narrative, and heroic saga narrative, and each of these narratives has idiosyncratic effects on the identities, affiliations, disclosure, and adjustment processes of the participants. The results show how symbolic cultural structures can have far-reaching consequences on sexually abused children and adolescents.

Bioaccumulation and human health risk assessment of chromium and nickel in paddy rice grown in serpentine soils

The natural abundance of Cr and Ni in serpentine soils is well-known, but the food safety of rice grown in these hazardous paddy soils is poorly understood. The study evaluated the bioaccumulation of chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) in rice (Oryza sativa) grown in serpentine-derived paddy soils in the Philippines. Surface soil (0-20 cm) samples were collected and characterized across three (i.e., Masinloc, Candelaria, and Sta. Cruz) paddy areas in Luzon Island, Philippines. At least 3 to 4 whole rice plants at mature stage were uprooted manually in each sampling point where the soil samples were collected. The total Cr and Ni concentrations in rice (i.e., roots, shoots, and grains) and soil, soil physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation factor (BAF), translocation factor (TF), and the hazard quotients (HQ) were determined. Results revealed that Cr and Ni in rice were accumulated mostly in the roots. Although paddy soils had elevated total Cr and Ni concentrations, the BAF and soil-to-root TF values for Cr and Ni were < 1. In terms of human health risks, results further revealed low risk for both male and female Filipino adults as HQ values for Cr and Ni were < 1. While it is safe to consume rice grown in the area in terms of Cr and Ni dietary intake, more studies are necessary to understand the dynamics and bioavailability of these heavy metals in other crops and drinking water from tube wells in these areas in order to provide a more holistic human health-based assessments and to ensure consumer safety in serpentine areas. In addition, a more reliable data on Cr and Ni speciation in serpentine soils and crops is critically important. Further studies are also needed to understand the contribution of bioavailable heavy metals in improving the soil health to achieve food safety.

Anthropometric measurements for assessing the diabetes mellitus risk status in the filipino cohort population

The measurement of anthropometric indices can be used to promote early prevention of Diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Filipino population. This study aims to compare the recommended anthropometric measurements namely body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHR), skin fold thickness, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of two groups, those with diabetes and those without (control), to predict the health risk status of the Filipino adult population. The results suggest that the parameters such as BMI, waist circumference, and WHR in females proved to be the most accurate to predict the diabetes risk among Filipino females. On the other hand, using the logistic regression model, the BMI, MUAC, and waist circumference indices collectively were found to have significant bearings with regard to the risk of acquiring DM. The Asian cut-off values of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 for BMI, and < 90cm and < 80cm for waist circumference of male and female respectively, as recommended according to Taiwanese standards, are also said to apply to the Filipino population. This study is perhaps the first study in the Philippines that has relied on actual data gathering instead of using meta-analysis as done in earlier studies. In the wake of higher mortality in the diabetic COVID 19 positive patients, the gathering of baseline data of potential DM patients will help the government/stakeholders to efficiently strategize public health policies related to future preparedness for such pandemics.

A Study on the Association of Perceived Spiritual Beliefs, Practices, and Well-Being of Breast Cancer Patients in a Tertiary General Hospital

Background. Among Filipino females, breast cancer is the leading malignancy which warrants palliative care that includes spiritual care to help improve quality of life and well-being. Objective. Determine the associations of perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual practices with perceived spiritual well-being among breast cancer patients consulting at the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH). Methods. This was an analytical cross-sectional study using non-probability convenience sampling of adult females with breast cancer at the UP-PGH Breast Cancer Clinic (BCC). The survey utilized a self-administered questionnaire with sections on general demographics, spiritual beliefs, spiritual practices, and spiritual well-being. Descriptive statistics were used and analysis of associations was done through Fisher’s exact test at a 5% level of significance. Results. Among 219 study participants, almost all reported having perceptions of strong spiritual beliefs, adequate spiritual practices, and good spiritual well-being. Associations were found between perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual well-being (F=51.2, p<0.001; R=0.4, p<0.001) and between perceived spiritual practices and spiritual well-being (F=62.0, p<0.001; R=0.4, p<0.001). Conclusion. The associations found of perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual practices with perceived spiritual well-being should be considered in providing spiritual care as part of the comprehensive management and palliative care for Filipino breast cancer patients.