COVID-19-related mental health challenges and opportunities perceived by mental health providers in the Philippines.

This paper outlines the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by 145 licensed mental health providers in the Philippines in an online survey. Respondents perceived an increase in observed mental health disorders in their beneficiaries and an overall decrease in stigma associated with receiving mental health care services during the pandemic. Respondents further identified specific stigma-related help-seeking barriers during the pandemic. Positive impacts of telehealth and importance of increased public education of mental health were highlighted, with implications for improving the landscape of mental health care for Philippines post-pandemic.

Deconstructing adolescent same-sex attraction and sexual behavior in the twenty-first century: perspectives for the clinician.

The adolescent with same-sex attraction in the twenty-first century straddles ambivalent cultural and religious attitudes regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT) issues; rapid technologic advances that provide easy access to information on sex and sex partners; and the clinician's sensitivity about GLBT issues and his or her awareness of how adolescents can use technology for sex-seeking behavior. It is necessary to deconstruct these factors into defined frameworks. Three checklists, the Clinician's Framework Guide Questions for the GLBT Adolescent, Clinician Reaction to GLBT Issues Checklist, and Global GLBT Checklist for Biopsychosocial Risk Factors, may aid the clinician in acquiring an appreciation of the global dynamics between the gay adolescent, the clinician, and the impact of current social realities.

Prevalence of medication errors in admitted patients at the Philippine General Hospital

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Medication errors are preventable events that can cause or lead to inappropriate drug use. Knowing the prevalence and types of errors can help us institute corrective measures and avoid adverse drug events.<br /><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> This study determined the prevalence of medication errors and its specific types in the four main service wards of a tertiary government training medical center.<br /><strong>METHODS:</strong> This is a retrospective, descriptive chart review study. From the master list of admissions, systematic sampling was done to retrieve the required number of charts. Relevant pages such as order sheets, nurses' notes, therapeutic sheets were photographed. For prolonged admissions, only the first 7 days were reviewed. Each chart was evaluated by two people who then met and agreed on the errors identified.<br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The overall prevalence of medication errors is 97.8%. Pediatrics had the most (63.3/chart), followed by Medicine, OB-Gynecology, and Surgery (7.3/chart). The most common type of errors identified were prescribing, followed by compliance, then administration errors.<br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Medication errors are present in the four main wards in our hospital. We recommend orientation of all incoming first year residents on proper ordering and prescribing of drugs, as well as a prospective observational study to determine true prevalence of all types of medication errors.</p>