Selected sociodemographic and psychosocial variables related to mothers' preference for childbirth setting in a barangay in Rosario, Cavite

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe selected sociodemographic and psychosocial factors that are related to mothers' preference for childbirth setting in a barangay in Rosario, Cavite. METHODS: This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. An interview guide was developed, pretested, and used in interviewing mothers who had given birth from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2010. Data collected was encoded and analyzed using Epi-info 3.5.1 to compute for the means and proportions of relevant variables. RESULTS: A total of 271 mothers were interviewed, of whom 53.5% gave birth at health facilities. Mothers who were young adults, had at least graduated from high school, and/or had a family income of greater than Php 10,000 tended to prefer facility-based delivery. Those who had adequate knowledge of child delivery and postpartum complications, as well as those with a positive attitude towards facility-based delivery, gave birth in health facilities. Among the family members, the spouses had greater influence on the decisions of mothers regarding their preference. Whereas doctors appeared to have influenced the decisions of mothers who had facility-based deliveries, midwives influenced those who had home-based deliveries. CONCLUSION: The maternal mortality ratio in Rosario, Cavite and the facility-based delivery rate in the sampled barangay remain higher than the targeted rates. This necessitates more efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No 5. The findings of this study can serve as a guide in developing health promotion and education intervention focusing on specific age group, significant others, and health providers in order to achieve the desired outcomes.

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth infections in school children in the Lake Mainit area in Northeastern Mindanao: An opportunity for integrated helminth control in the school setting

OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to determine the epidemiologic status of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Lake Mainit area in Northeastern Mindanao. METHODS: School children from the municipalities of Alegria and Mainit in Surigao del Norte, and Jabonga and Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte were targeted as participants. Stools were collected, processed through Kata Katz method, and examined. Data gathered were double-encoded and processed to derive parasitologic parameters that were used to categorize the municipalities based on the World Health Organization guidelines. RESULTS:The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 10.9%, while the prevalence of heavy intensity infections was 0.1%. Alegria and Mainit were classified as moderate-risk communities, while Jabonga and Kitcharao were classified as low-risk communities. The overall cumulative prevalence of STH infections was 43.9%, while prevalence of heavy intensity infection was 12.7% Jabonga and Kitcharao were classified as Category I communities, while the reset were classified as Category III. CONCLUSION:There is a need to consider implementation of school-based Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for schistosomiasis control in the same manner as in the implementation of MDA for STH control. Multisectoral involvement is necessary for integration of efforts in addressing the parasitic diseases as public health concerns in the area.