Current Articles

PJAHS- the Philippine Journal of Allied Health Sciences is a peer-reviewed Open Access journal publishing original research, systematic reviews and meta-synthesis, short reports, and letters to the editor.

Preface

Preface

Editorial

Ivan Neil Gomez

The State of the Journal 2024

Article 1 | Innovation Hubs at the Heart of the Healthcare Ecosystem

Donald Manlapaz, Agnes Castillo

Article 2 | Perception of the Educational Environment Among Occupational Therapy Students at University of Santo Tomas: A Study Based on the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM)

Kathlene Anne Hernandez, Justine Anne Cua, Jean Christine Libo-on, Roselle Pauline Lim, Anton Johann Muncada, Lauren Tyler Que, Marian Kim Reyes, Martin John Ronquillo, Priyanka Shelly Thakur

Background: Students’ perceptions of their educational environment have been determined to influence their educational performance, behavior, and well-being. Assessing the students’ educational environment enables stakeholders to recognize limitations and opportunities for ensuring optimal learning experiences. However, no studies have yet explored the perceived educational environment of occupational therapy (OT) students in the Philippines. Objective: Using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) instrument, this study assesses how occupational therapy students perceive their educational environment. Additionally, this study aims to identify strengths and weaknesses in the current educational environment. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study utilized a records review of anonymized secondary responses from the Student Life Survey 2021. The DREEM questionnaire was employed to evaluate the perspectives of occupational therapy students in five domains, namely: students’ perception of learning, students’ perceptions of academic self-perceptions, students’ perceptions of atmosphere, and students’ social self-perceptions . Individual item and subscale scores were summarized as mean and standard deviation (SD). Results: With a total mean score of 124.12 ± 26.79 in the five domains, the OT students positively perceive their educational environment. Data analysis revealed the scores for the DREEM domains of Students' Perception of Teachers (30.50 ± 6.08), Students' Perception of Learning (31.11 ± 5.94), Students' Academic Self-Perceptions (20.37 ± 4.26), Students’ Social Self-Perceptions (15.58 ± 4.00), and Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere (26.56 ± 6.51). Interpretation for each domain indicates that the educational environment is moving in the right direction, has a more positive approach, is feeling more on the positive side, is not too bad, and has a more positive atmosphere, respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed a positive perception of the educational environment among OT students. However, there needed improvement in the areas of authoritarian teachers, the demanding program environment, and the overemphasis on factual learning. To guarantee that OT education in the country is of high quality, these findings can be utilized to inform the institution’s stakeholders regarding policy development, curriculum review, and future OT program development and implementation.

Article 3 | Development, Validation and Reliability of a Short Questionnaire on Awareness of the Availability, Perception of Health Benefits, and Intent to Purchase Pigmented Rice ​

Diane Mendoza-Sarmiento, Alison Hill, Emmanuele Mistades, Elizabeth Arenas

Background: Polyphenol intake is associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and obesity. Pigmented rice varieties such as red, purple, and black rice contain polyphenols; however, are not commonly consumed. Apart from price and sensory properties, awareness of its availability, perception of health benefits, and intent to purchase may influence consumer preference and consumption. Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a short questionnaire designed to determine awareness of the availability, perception of health benefits, and intent to purchase pigmented rice. Methodology: The study included three phases: (1) tool development, (2) expert validation, and (3) reliability testing. Questions were initially evaluated for clarity and relevance by two Nutritionist-Dietitians and then by seven lay individuals through a focus group discussion. Following the revision, seven food and nutrition experts evaluated the face and content validity of the questionnaire. Validity was assessed via computation of Item and scale content validity indices and kappa statistics. The validated tool was then tested for internal consistency and parallel form reliability of English and Filipino versions among lay individuals (n=31) and then evaluated for reliability based on Cronbach’s alpha and Intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: The questionnaire was found to have an acceptable face (I-CVI: 1.00; S-CVI/UA: 1.00; K=1.00) and content validity (I-CVI: 0.86-1.00; S-CVI/UA: 0.96-1.00; K= 0.85-1.00) and reliability (α= 0.96-1.00). Conclusion: The developed questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for assessing awareness of the availability, perception of health benefits, and intent to purchase pigmented rice

Article 4 | Neuropathic Pain in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review

Mary Monica Bernardo-Bueno, Consuelo Gonzalez-Suarez, Steve Milanese

Pain secondary to knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of medical consultation in patients 55 years old and above. Knee OA pain is complex and involves both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Recent management options have been focused on targeting the nerves of the knee, and to effectively investigate the mechanism and effect of these procedures, it is important to review the types of pain associated with knee OA, specifically neuropathic pain (NP). This article specifically focuses on the available evidence on NP, its prevalence in patients with knee osteoarthritis, outcome measures to determine the presence of NP, and their impact on the present and future management of knee OA pain. The information from this narrative review may potentially help clinicians identify the presence of NP in their patients and further guide them in providing a more appropriate and comprehensive management plan. The outcome measures presented in this review may also be used in future research exploring the management of knee OA pain.

Article 5 | Effectiveness of Curcumin in Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review Protocol

Maria Grace De Guzman, Jojo Evangelista, Steve Milanese, Raymond Rosales

Background: Sarcopenia is a multifactorial disease with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Curcumin is a nutraceutical investigated for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is inexpensive, accessible, and considered a safe and practical approach to help alleviate symptoms of sarcopenia and improve muscle mass and function. Objective: This systematic review aims to obtain more conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of curcumin among adults 40 years and above with sarcopenia in improving muscle pain, strength, performance, and muscle morphology. Methodology: The review will be conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement. It will focus on any interventional studies on curcumin for adults diagnosed with sarcopenia, with the following outcomes: clinically significant improvement in pain, muscle strength and performance, quality of life, and improvement in muscle morphology. Studies completed until 2024 will be included. The databases to be searched include PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL Plus (EBSCOhost), Embase, and Web of Science. The identified citations will be collated in Zotero and uploaded to Covidence© to be assessed using the eligibility criteria and systematically reviewed by two independent reviewers. The CASP Randomised Controlled Trial Checklist will be utilized to assess the quality of the included studies. Expected Results: The results will serve as a groundwork for future sarcopenia research among allied health specialists, particularly those in the field of physiotherapy - students, healthcare practitioners, and academicians (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023448750)

Article 6 | Describing the Sleep Health of Amateur Boxing, Wushu-Sanda, and Pencak Silat Philippine National Teams, and its association with Socio-demographic Variables using the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Correlational Study Protocol

Raymond Kenneth Ramos, Ken Erbvin Sosa, Karen Leslie Pineda, Julian Sebastian Rivera, Carl Daniel Aguilar, Shane Matthew Domingo, Florence Mae Grana, Liana Margarita Manlutac, Flynn Andrei Sacdalan

Background: Sleep is crucial for performance, overall health, and well-being. However, suboptimal sleep exists, particularly in the athletic population, due to factors that come with the responsibility of an athlete. The sleep health of athletes from combat sports like Amateur Boxing (AB), Wushu-Sanda (WS), and Pencak Silat (PS) have not received enough attention, even more so with the usage of Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) to discover the presence of possible clinical sleeping problems. Such sports use the anaerobic energy system which produces their quick and explosive movements, but is afflicted by disturbed sleep. Objective: The primary objective of the study is to describe the sleep health of AB, WS, and PS Philippine National Athletes using the ASSQ. This study is a continuation of predecessor research which instead focused on combat sports Judo and Taekwondo. The secondary objective is to correlate socio-demographic variables, which include: age, gender, current level of education, years of training in sport, years of training as a national athlete, weekly training hours, and current phase of the season to sleep health without identifying causation. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study will utilize the total enumeration sampling method from 41 Philippine National Athletes from three sports. The data gathering will utilize (1) the socio-demographic questionnaire and (2) ASSQ on mobile devices during face-to-face procedures. The study will employ descriptive statistics to outline the characteristics of the data, while Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient will be used to examine the relationship. Expected Results: The study expects to identify the sleep health of combat sports athletes competing in AB, PS, and WS using the ASSQ. It also determines an association between sleep health and sociodemographic variables.

Article 7 | The Association Between Kinesiophobia and Self-Esteem Among Collegiate Athletes with Chronic Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries in Greater Manila: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study Protocol

Ken Erbvin Sosa, Charles Nicolei Nermal, Paul Daniel Ravarra, Angelo Jim Aniceto, Johann Mari Belgica, Maria Therese Chua, Emilio Jericho Dela Cruz, Matthew Neil Flor, Nixie Maureen Guzman, Rodolfo Lacsamana Jr.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries are common in collegiate athletes and can be linked to having elevated levels of kinesiophobia. Kinesiophobia, the fear of re-injury or movement, can be related to an athlete’s self-esteem, as studies have shown that both variables may influence an athlete’s rehabilitation. High athletic identity and low levels of kinesiophobia were seen in athletes who successfully returned to their pre-injury level of competition after rehabilitation. The working theory of this research is if an athlete has an elevated level of kinesiophobia, it decreases one’s self-esteem. Objective: This study aims to determine the association between kinesiophobia and self-esteem among collegiateathletes in Greater Manila who have chronic lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries. The secondary objective of this study is to determine the association of kinesiophobia with demographic variables (sex, sport, and type of injury). Methodology: The study will be conducted from January 2023 to April 2024. The researchers will utilize online platforms and/or onsite data collection to disseminate their publication materials and questionnaires. The target participants of this study are collegiate athletes, ages 18-26, representing universities/colleges in Greater Manila, who currently have a lower extremity musculoskeletal injury lasting for 3 months or more and are not receiving physical therapy or other forms of professional treatment. The questionnaire includes the participant’s name, age, sex, university, sport, type of injury, and measuring tools: Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Numerical Pain Rating Scale. The results gathered will be analyzed using the Spearman Correlation Test to associate the variable and the Shapiro-Wilk Test to determine the normality of data. Expected Results: The results of the study are expected to determine the association between kinesiophobia and self-esteem among collegiate athletes with chronic lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries. The study is also expected to determine if demographic variables such as sex, type of sport, and type of injury are linked to the athletes’ kinesiophobia levels. Thus, this study will aid in establishing the importance of psychological aspects in injury rehabilitation, thereby assisting healthcare professionals in determining the appropriate interventions for an athlete recovering from an injury.

Article 8 | Advancing Evidence-Based Practice with Evidence Summaries

Valentin Dones III

Article 9 | Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children: Sensory Integration in Occupational Therapy

Joseph Mary Balbuena, Charis Honeylet Lim, Kym Sambo, Valentin Dones III

Article 10 | Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Nadine Frances Reyes, Jehieli Pamintuan, Camille Abigail Vivo, Valentin Dones III

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The Philippine Journal of Allied health Sciences [ISSN: 1908-5044 (Print); 2984-9667 (Online] is an Open Access, peer reviewed journal published by the University of Santo Tomas-College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Manila, Philippines.

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