HIV/AIDS now gets positive discussions online, but low engagements remain a concern – study
A recent social listening report conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation revealed that the social media presence of HIV/AIDS in the Philippines, in time for the World AIDS Day commemoration, has gotten positive discussions across social and non-social media platforms, with top posts focused on information drives about the topic and the importance of HIV/AIDS awareness. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency. Background The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if not managed. Initially, research argues HIV may have spread from chimpanzees to human beings as early as the late 1800s. The virus in chimps is known as the simian immunodeficiency virus. It was most likely transmitted to humans when humans hunted these chimps for meat and got in touch with their contaminated blood. In the Philippines, the first case of HIV infection was recorded in January 1984. Since then, the case count for the virus has gradually increased, and some remain undiagnosed due to fear of being discriminated against. The Department of Health (DOH) revealed in November that the daily average rate of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the country has grown. According to Secretary of Health Ted Herbosa, there are approximately 50 new HIV infections documented daily, which is greater than the 22 daily case rate in 2022. Despite the growing number of daily new cases, Herbosa claims that the total number of HIV patients is less than one percent of the country’s population. Herbosa further stated that the younger generation is becoming more HIV-positive. Data also shows that as of January 2023, there were a total of 110,736 HIV cases reported in the Philippines, which adds to the growing concern of the national government. In an effort to destigmatize HIV/AIDS across the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) founded World AIDS Day as a “reminder” to end the global stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. Methodology Capstone-Intel examined the online presence of HIV/AIDS in the country as a topic of discussion for one year, from November 30, 2022, to November 30, 2023, by utilizing all publicly accessible posts from social and non-social media platforms in order to gather the sentiments of the public about the topic. Facebook Performance Capstone-Intel found that the topic HIV/AIDS garnered a 56,888.1 engagement score for its 1,838 total post count, which yielded over 115,590 total reaction count. When broken down, “Facebook like” accounts for 49.6 percent of the total reactions, with 57,304. Followed by “Facebook love” with 42,313 reactions (36.6 percent), “Facebook sad” with 13,762 (11.9 percent), “Facebook haha” with 7,047 (1.1 percent), “Facebook wow” with 916 (0.8 percent), and “Facebook angry” with 64 reactions (0.1 percent). Looking at the data, the majority of “Facebook love” and “Facebook like” reactions can be attributed to several Filipino social media users loving and receptive to the idea of discussing HIV/AIDS across Facebook. Online mentions Capstone-Intel likewise revealed that McDonald’s received 50 percent positive mentions, and the remaining 50 percent were negative mentions. This means that the article mentions the brand was angled equally. It is also worth noting that HIV/AIDS received 1,166,065 social media reach, while its non-social media reach yielded over 7,183,525 non-social media reach. Top posts In terms of top posts, the top post for HIV/AIDS was a social media post from Emmylou Lala Taliño-Mendoza about its measures to ensure that facilities and employees are equipped with necessary awareness about teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, mental health problems, bullying, and other pressing concerns, which received a 3,170.0 engagement score. This was followed by a news report from TV Patrol featuring the rising cases of HIV/AIDs in the Philippines. This post yielded a total of 2,907.7 engagement score. The third most engaging post for HIV/AIDS was another social media post from Emmylou Lala Taliño-Mendoza, which also promotes a program that aims to strengthen awareness about pressing issues, including HIV/AIDs among the youth, yielding a total of 2,546.8 engagement score. Despite showing a number of Filipinos loving the idea of talking about HIV/AIDs in a completely positive light, the engagement it generated is small and remains a concern as it did not engage a massive audience.
Survey Reveals Lack of Familiarity Among Filipinos with DOH Programs
The Department of Health plays a crucial role in promoting, protecting, and improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities in the country. Programs run by the DOH are designed to address a wide range of health issues, including infectious diseases, mental health, and more. The importance of these programs cannot be overstated, as they impact the health of individuals, families, and communities across the nation. However, the findings of Capstone-Intel Corporation’s research reflect a different perception of this matter. Based on a nationwide survey conducted by Capstone-Intel, there is a marked lack of awareness among the public about the various DOH initiatives. Notably, this includes programs aimed at improving mental health, national tuberculosis control, universal healthcare, national HIV/AIDS, and the enhancement of healthcare facilities. The research involved a total of 1,205 participants and yielded significant findings. Specifically, the study showed 50% of the respondents had knowledge of the national HIV/AIDS program implemented by the agency. Additionally, 45% of them were aware of the Universal Health Care program, while 44% knew about the national tuberculosis control program. Regarding other initiatives, 42% of participants were familiar with the mental health program, and 28% were aware of the health facility enhancement program. Based on the available data, it appears that the situation may have national implications that warrant the attention of the government. This viewpoint is supported by the observations of Dr. Guido David, Chief Data Expert of Capstone-Intel. “Lack of awareness of the DOH programs can lead to a lack of participation in health promotion and disease prevention activities. For example, if only a small portion of the population is aware of the importance of getting vaccinated, the overall vaccination rate would be low, leading to increased susceptibility to preventable diseases. Similarly, if only a few people are aware of the benefits of regular health check-ups, many individuals may miss out on critical screenings and early detection of illnesses,” explained Dr. David. “One of the DOH’s top priorities should be to implement comprehensive and consistent public education and awareness initiatives. This is essential to ensure that the public is well-informed and engaged in the Department’s programs, even in the most remote regions of the country,” he added. Capstone-Intel aims to deliver objective, non-partisan research on issues of national importance. The DOH survey was conducted from August 1-10, 2023 with strict protocols to ensure data reliability and accurate representation of public opinion across the Philippines’ urban and rural areas.
Public Perception of DOH Performance Rates as “Good”
Survey reveals high awareness of DOH programs but lower satisfaction with healthcare affordability A nationwide study conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation has found that public perception of the Department of Health’s (DOH) performance was “Good.” The survey aimed to gauge public satisfaction with DOH across areas like transparency, timeliness, access to healthcare services, and communication. With 1,205 respondents across the Philippines, the poll found that 83% of respondents were aware of the functions and responsibilities of the DOH. The programs of the DOH with the highest awareness is the National Immunization Program, with 65% awareness, followed by the Family Health Program (59%) and the National HIV/AIDS Program (50%). The survey also showed that 60% were satisfied with DOH’s transparency and accountability in providing public health services and information, 10% were dissatisfied, and 31% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Regarding the timeliness and efficiency of crisis response, 56% expressed satisfaction, 13% were dissatisfied and 31% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Regarding healthcare accessibility and affordability, 52% were satisfied, 18% were dissatisfied, while 31% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. On DOH’s health information dissemination to the public, 59% were satisfied, 12% were dissatisfied, and 29% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Overall, the survey showed 60% were satisfied with the performance of the agency, 13% were dissatisfied, and 27% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. “This survey provides valuable insights that can guide policies towards improving the delivery of health services and strengthening health systems for all Filipinos,” said Dr. Guido David, Chief Data Expert at Capstone-Intel. “While DOH’s ratings are generally positive, increased affordability of care should be a priority to truly achieve universal healthcare.” Capstone-Intel aims to deliver objective, non-partisan research on issues of national importance. The DOH survey was conducted from August 1-10, 2023 with strict protocols to ensure data reliability and accurate representation of public opinion across the Philippines’ urban and rural areas. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency.
DOH Proposes to Recruit Unlicensed Nurses for Public Hospitals, But Execution Remains a Concern
There are many aspects of society that were highlighted or emphasized over the course of the pandemic. One of those aspects—and one that was extremely crucial, especially at the height of COVID—is the situation of the healthcare system in the country. The once-hidden cracks in healthcare due to other more pressing national issues have burst open, and the damages of time have come to light. Less than favorable wages, a lack of hazard pay, and less than ideal workplace environments, among other factors, have caused a number of healthcare workers to leave the country and seek better opportunities elsewhere. In place of understanding and addressing the issue of the less-than-par treatment of the workers, the proposal of utilizing unlicensed nurses was made. For this project, the Department of Health (DOH) has proposed to recruit unlicensed nurses in order to fill vacancies in a number of public hospitals, as well as those who have nearly passed the board exam and may be granted temporary licenses. In a perfect world, this would be a decent proposal, as the idea behind it is logically sound. Giving nursing students an avenue to experience the field that they have yet to enter in an on-the-job training type of way. However, the Philippines is no stranger to having projects with great concepts but terrible execution. If this were to push through, it is important to be extremely meticulous about how it pushes through. A key point in pushing for this is that the students would have improved chances of passing their eventual licensure exam in the future. However, it should be emphasized that this is done through hands-on experience and not through the connections made while participating in this program. Issues such as overworking the students, guaranteeing the quality of work, and the overall safety of all parties involved are also points of contention that need to be thoroughly addressed before this comes to pass. Though the biggest issue in the proposal would be the granting of temporary licenses to those who scored between 70 percent and 74.9 percent in the board exam. This opens another slew of issues involving patients hesitating to accept the care that these individuals can provide due to their inexperience. Additionally, this would set the precedence and have an unexpected ripple effect amongst other professions that require an exam. Should there be a lawyer or engineer shortage in the country, will the same methods apply? The repercussions of such actions should be studied further, as this may reshape the country in ways that no one would expect. At the end of the day, before even considering this proposal and addressing any concerns that come with it, it should never be forgotten that this is a band-aid solution for a historical national issue. Rather than focusing on short-term solutions, the DOH needs to focus its efforts on improving the overall healthcare system and situation in the country. They need to work on ensuring healthcare workers do not have any reason to search for better opportunities abroad. This goes for all band-aid solutions proposed by the government to cover up their inadequacy. No amount of proposals should ever cover the fact that problems should be tackled at the source and never danced around. If the DOH really wants to take steps to address the issue at hand, they must look inward and acknowledge the issue at its core. —The statement is feedback submitted by Iggy Nashor to Capstone-Intel Corporation pertaining to a survey conducted by the agency.
Study Finds 83% of Respondents Believe Hiring Unlicensed Nurses Can Boost Exam Pass Rates; Highlights result-focused approach in the nursing profession – Dr. David
One of the pressing issues facing the country is the insufficiency of manpower in the healthcare sector, specifically the scarcity of nursing professionals. To address this concern, the Department of Health has formulated a plan to fill the vacancies in public hospitals by recruiting a substantial number of unlicensed nurses. This initiative is a response to the immediate need to fill a total of 4,500 nursing positions nationwide. The topic of unlicensed nurses working in the healthcare sector was discussed on the radio program Pintig ng Bayan, which aired on DZMM on August 23. The discussion was centered on the results of a survey conducted by Capstone-Intel Corporation, which was explained by its Chief Data Scientist, Dr. Guido David. The survey found that 83 percent of respondents believed that unlicensed nurses could be employed under the guidance and supervision of licensed nurses. “‘Yung need natin sa nurses, hindi natin nafi-fill itong kakulangan natin. Hindi natin napupuno iyan dahil maraming graduates natin ay nagsisialisan especially ‘yung board passers. Kasi sila rin ang nakakapasa ng licensure (exams) sa ibang bansa,” said Dr. David. During the interview, Dr. David was asked about the results of the survey conducted between August 1, 2023 to August 10, 2023. He was further questioned regarding the competency of the public to assess whether unregistered nurses can provide quality services, mainly if the public is unaware of the nursing student’s curriculum. “Opinion naman nito ng mga kababayan natin. Gusto ko rin i-clarify na hindi naman nila sinasabi na itong nurses ay puwedeng magtrabaho na as nurses, kasi may follow up question na, ‘In your opinion should nursing graduates be given an opportunity to work in healthcare settings under supervisions of a licensed nurse,” explained Dr. David. Legislators may want to consider the findings of this study as a means of addressing the increasing issue faced by the country, as explained by Dr. David. “So klaro ito. Ang context nito ay puwede silang magtrabaho sa hospitals or healthcare service, pero under the supervision ng isang licensed or registered nurse. Sa ibang bansa, ginagawa rin ito, in fairness. May nursing aids at nursing assistants na hindi pa board passers na nakapagtrabaho sa hospitals,” he added. Also, the study is noteworthy and highlights the importance of a result-focused approach in the nursing profession. In his initial statement, Dr. David presented an argument that involving non-licensed nurses in healthcare facilities can contribute positively to their chances of passing the board examination. This, in turn, can enhance the country’s healthcare system. “Working in a healthcare setting would help improve their chances of passing the board exam,” said Dr. David.
