Exploring intention to seek formal healthcare amid COVID-19: Trends and predictors among the youth in Metro Manila

Background@#The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rise in lockdowns, fear, and anxiety. Analyzing the attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls in seeking formal healthcare is vital due to its manifestation in their intention. Determining the factors that affect this intention would see which factors encourage one's willingness to seek formal healthcare, especially due to the various dynamics introduced by the pandemic. @*Objective@#The study sought to determine how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls influence intention in seeking formal healthcare of the youth in Metro Manila during the pandemic. @*Methodology@#A cross-sectional study involving a survey of the youth in Metro Manila was conducted. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression were used to see the relationships of the variables, and how these affect each other. @*Results@#One hundred sixty youth respondents from Metro Manila were included in the study. Subjective norms had the highest correlation and effect on one's intention to seek formal healthcare during the pandemic. Perceived behavioral controls followed subjective norms in their degree of correlation and were a predictor of intention. Lastly, attitudes had a significantly weak correlation with intention and were not a significant predictor of intention. @*Conclusion@#The youth gives more bearing to the concern of others regarding their well-being, as well as the challenges perceived in seeking formal healthcare in their intention to seek it. Giving more emphasis on lowering perceived barriers, alleviating concerns, and promoting seeking health during the pandemic would help encourage the youth's intention.

Discrimination of species and populations of the genus Cichla (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) in rivers of the Amazon basin using otolithic morphometry

ABSTRACT The genus Cichla is a highly diverse group, with 16 species already described. Externally, some species are very similar and discriminating between them may be very difficult. Nevertheless, discrimination of fish stocks is essential for management purposes. Morphometric analyses of otoliths have been successfully used to distinguish species and fish stocks, especially in marine environments. This study evaluated whether sagittal otolith shape can be used to discriminate among the species Cichla temensis, C. monoculus, and C. orinocensis, as well as within populations of C. temensis in rivers of the Amazon. Shape indices and Fourier coefficients were used to describe the shape of the otoliths. Among the groups of species, the morphology of the sagittal otolith of C. temensis was totally distinct from the species C. monoculus and C. orinocensis. While among populations of C. temensis, individuals from the Negro and Jatapú Rivers were different, regardless of the methods used. These results confirm the ability to differentiate species and populations by using the morphology of otoliths. However, more research is needed to verify the role of genetic versus environmental and biotic effects, and thus be able to explain the discrimination observed in otoliths.

RESUMO O gênero Cichla é bastante diverso, com 16 espécies descritas. Algumas espécies são externamente muito similares e sua discriminação pode ser bastante difícil. Ao mesmo tempo, a discriminação de estoques pesqueiros é essencial para propostas de manejo. Análises morfométricas em otólitos têm sido utilizadas com sucesso para a distinção de espécies e estoques pesqueiros, principalmente em ambientes marinhos. Este estudo avaliou se o formato do otólito sagittal pode ser utilizado para discriminar entre espécies Cichla temensis, C. monoculus e C. orinocensis, bem como dentro de populações de C. temensis em diferentes rios amazônicos. Índices de forma e coeficientes de Fourier foram utilizados para descrever a forma dos otólitos. Dentre as espécies, a morfologia do otólito sagittal do C. temensis mostrou ser totalmente distinta das espécies C. monoculus e C. orinocensis. Enquanto no grupo das populações de C. temensis, os indivíduos dos rios Negro e Jatapú mostraram-se diferentes independente dos métodos utilizados. Esses resultados confirmam a capacidade de diferenciação de espécies e populações através da morfologia dos otólitos. No entanto, são necessárias mais pesquisas para verificar o papel dos efeitos genéticos em comparação aos efeitos ambientais e bióticos para explicar a discriminação observada nos otólitos.

Comparison of feeding habits and physical activity between eutrophic and overweight/obese children and adolescents: a cross sectional study / Comparação de hábitos alimentares e atividade física entre crianças e adolescentes eutróficos e portadores de sobrepeso/ obesidade: estudo transversal.

Summary Objective: it is broadly accepted, but little explored, that obese children practice less physical activity and eat more. This study has the objective of comparing feeding habits and physical activity between eutrophic and overweight/obese children and adolescents. Methods: 126 students with ages ranging from 6 to 18 years were evaluated. Eutrophic and overweight/obese students were compared according to calorie intake, macro and micronutrients, prevalence of physical inactivity and ingestion of micronutrients. Results: differences were observed in the amount of calories ingested per unit of BMI (eutrophic, 97.6, and overweight/obese, 70.5, p=0.0061), as well as in calcium intake (eutrophic, 546.2, and overweight/obese, 440.7, p=0.0366). Both groups presented sedentarism, as well as a high prevalence of micronutrient intake deficiency, especially calcium and vitamins A, E, and C, but with no difference observed between eutrophic and overweight/obese subjects. Conclusion: energy and macronutrients consumption, as well as physical activity, were similar between eutrophic and overweight/obese. Calcium intake was lower in the overweight/obese group and the ingestion of vitamin C was lower in the eutrophic group. These results demonstrate the importance of considering all etiologic factors that may lead to obesity, so that new strategies for prevention and control may be added to traditional interventions. .

Resumo Objetivos: considera-se, em geral, que crianças obesas praticam menos atividade física e consomem mais alimentos, mas esse aspecto tem sido muito pouco explorado. O presente estudo objetivou comparar a alimentação e o padrão de atividade física de crianças e adolescentes eutróficos e portadores de sobrepeso/obesidade. Métodos: 126 estudantes com idades entre 6 e 18 anos foram avaliados por meio de antropometria, registro alimentar e grau de atividade física. Eutróficos e portadores de sobrepeso/obesidade foram comparados de acordo com a ingestão de calorias, macro e micronutrientes e de acordo com as prevalências de inatividade física e de ingestão deficiente de micronutrientes. Resultados: observou-se diferença na quantidade de calorias ingeridas por unidade de IMC (eutróficos 97,6 [92,2 - 112,5] e sobrepeso/obesidade 70,5 [72,2 - 90,8], p = 0,0061) e na ingestão de cálcio (eutróficos 546,2 [517,2 - 673,9] e sobrepeso/obesidade 440,7 [404,4 - 523,4], p = 0,0366). Os dois grupos apresentaram sedentarismo e elevada prevalência de deficiência na ingestão de micronutrientes, especialmente cálcio e vitaminas A, E e C, mas sem diferença entre eutróficos e portadores de sobrepeso/obesidade. Conclusões: consumo de energia e de macronutrientes e grau de atividade física foram semelhantes, quando comparados indivíduos eutróficos com portadores de sobrepeso/obesidade. O consumo de cálcio foi menor no grupo sobrepeso/obesidade e o de vitamina C menor no grupo eutróficos. Esses resultados mostram a importância de considerar todos os fatores etiológicos que podem levar à obesidade a fim de que possam associar-se novas estratégias de prevenção e controle às intervenções tradicionais. .

Hospital reputation and perceptions of patient safety

The objective of this study was to explore the theoretical relationship between the social reputation and the perceived safety of a hospital. A random sample of 316 patients and 27 relatives of patients who were unable to respond themselves at four public hospitals in Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante were interviewed to establish a measure of reputation and perceived safety. There were no different perceptions between patients and relatives regarding hospital reputation or safety perception [p > 0.05]. The perception of patients or relatives of health professionals' competence [Beta = 0.07, 95% CI 0.01-0.12], the perception of a positive treatment output of surgical or medical treatment [Beta = 0.35, 95% CI 0.22-0.49] and hospital reputation [Beta = 0.08, 95% CI 0.02-0.14] were directly and positively associated with their perception that the hospital was a safe clinical environment in which few clinical errors are committed. The data suggested that the social reputation of these hospitals and the perceptions of patients or relatives of patient safety were indeed correlated. Future research should assess whether efforts to enhance hospital reputation, by improving patients' perceptions of clinical safety, may contribute to reducing the frequency of litigation cases

Experiencia de 30 meses en screening de diabetes gestacional en 3293 pacientes / Thirty-month experience in the screening of gestational diabetes in 3293 patients

El presente estudio, describe la experiencia realizada en screening de diabetes gestacional con las nuevas pautas de la A.L.A.D a 3293 pacientes que fueron asistidas en las Policlínicas del Departamento de Ginecología y Obstetricia del Hospital Militar en el período comprendido entre el 1/1/'98 y el 30/6/'00. Se diagnosticaron 167 pacientes con diabetes gestacional, 164 fueron controladas en la Policlínica de Alto Riesgo Obstétrico; 160 habían finalizado su embarazo, naciendo 164 niños. El factor de riesgo más frecuentemente encontrado fue la obesidad; destacándose una relación directa entre el incremento del riesgo relativo en función del peso, así como también de la edad materna. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto a vías de finalización del embarazo, la edad gestacional de finalización y el puntaje del Apgar del recién nacido con relación al resto de la población. Se observó una frecuencia doble en pequeños y grandes para la edad gestacional. El 76 por ciento de los recién nacidos fueron sanos. El 48 por ciento de las pacientes se reclasificaron