Screening for Fragile X Syndrome Among Filipino Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder present with difficulties in social communication, restricted interests or behaviors and other co-morbidities. About 2 to 10% of cases of autism have a genetic cause, and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is reported in 0 to 6.5% of individuals with autism. However, the FXS and premutation prevalence among Filipino children has never been reported. The aim of the study was to establish the presence of FXS or premutation carriers among Filipino children with autism and to describe the phenotypic characteristic of cases identified. Blood was collected from 235 children aged 2-6 years old and diagnosed with autism. Samples were analyzed using PCR methods to amplify CGG repeats in the FMRI gene. The diagnosis of autism was confirmed through the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2. Additional characteristics were documented from a physical examination, Griffiths Scales of Child Development assessment and a parent-answered questionnaire using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Fragile X testing through PCR methods in 235 children with diagnosed autism showed 220 (93.6%) were negative, no full mutations, 1 (0.436%) premutation carrier and 14 (5.95%) cases contained intermediate alleles. The FXS testing was limited to confirmed cases of autism, which is considered a high-risk group and does not provide prevalence for the general Filipino population. Subjects were self-referred or referred by clinicians, which may not represent the Filipino autism population with a bias towards those with means for clinical consultations and ability to travel to the place of testing. Samples were not measured for mosaicism, DNA methylation or AGG interspersion patterns. These may have effects on the CGG repeat expansion and overall presentation of FXS. Findings from a single premutation carrier cannot characterize features distinctly present in Filipinos with the mutation. Nevertheless, these results support the data that the prevalence of FXS in Asian populations may be lower than non-Asian populations. This can contribute to a better understanding of FXS and genetic causes of autism in the Philippines and other Asian populations.

Exposure to family planning messages and teenage pregnancy: results from the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Teenage pregnancy is known to have physical, emotional, and psychosocial effects. Because of these risks, family planning and contraception messages have been disseminated in various forms of media, but their association with teenage pregnancy has not been studied previously in the Philippines. This study aims to examine the association between exposure to various family planning and contraception messages disseminated in various media channels and pregnancy among Filipino women aged 15-19. The study also intended to examine interactions between the different media channels where these family planning and contraception messages are being disseminated on their effect on teenage pregnancy. METHODS: We used data from the individual recode of the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey. We used logistic regression for survey data to  study the association between exposure to family planning and contraception messages and teenage pregnancy. RESULTS: Out of 5120 respondents, 44% of respondents have accessed information on contraception from the internet, 25% have heard information about contraception through the radio, 55% of respondents have heard about contraception via television, 15% have read about contraception in the newspapers and magazines, and only 6% have received information on contraception via short messaging service (SMS). There were 420 (8.56%) who have ever been pregnant. After adjusting for confounding variables, those who were exposed to family planning/contraceptive messages via the internet (aOR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.35) and newspapers/magazines (aOR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.44, 1.41) have lower odds of teenage pregnancy, but no strong evidence of their effectiveness. On the other hand, exposure to family planning messages through the radio (aOR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.59), television (aOR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.65), and short messaging service (aOR: 1.29; 95% CI: 0.51, 3.22) marginally increase the risk of teenage pregnancy. We did not find any pairwise interactions between the different exposure variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the need to improve the content and key messages of contraceptive and family planning messages in the Philippines, especially those that are broadcasted online and in print media. There is also a need to increase the reach of these different family planning and contraception messages, especially by utilizing social media and other print and online media platforms commonly used by the youth.

Adolescent pregnancy is associated with adverse health, psychosocial, and economic outcomes. As of 2017, the proportion of women aged 15­19 who have begun childbearing in the Philippines is 9%. To counter this, the Philippine government and its partners in the private sector disseminate family planning and contraception information to the general population. Thus, we studied the effect of being exposed to these family planning and contraception information in different forms of media and their effect of teenage pregnancy. We analysed the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey. After controlling for the effect of other variables, we found that these family planning and contraception information had little effect on teenage pregnancy in the country. These findings highlight the need to improve the content and key messages of contraceptive and family planning messages, and improve their coverage in the general population.

Determinants of consistent condom use among Filipino women: Results from the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Consistent condom use in women, defined as the self-reported usage of male condom in every sexual encounter of the respondent with her most recent partner in the last 12 months, had been perennially low in the Philippines. This is despite consistent condom use being a tested and proven public health intervention to prevent unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Considering the high fertility rate, teenage pregnancy rate, and the rapidly increasing incidence of HIV in the country, we identified the determinants of consistent condom use in the Philippines. METHODS: We used data from the individual recode of the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey. We used logistic regression for survey data to identify factors associated with consistent condom use. RESULTS: Out of 25,074 respondents, only 261 (1.13%) have used condoms consistently with their most recent partner. Reach of information and education campaigns on contraceptive use via different media ranged from 62% via television to 7% via short messaging service. After adjusting for confounders, those who were able to ask their partners to use condoms during sexual intercourse have 6.18 times (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 6.18; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 2.02. 18.94) greater odds of consistent condom use than those who were unable to ask their partners to use condoms during sexual intercourse. Meanwhile, HIV knowledge (aOR: 1.16; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.38) and hearing about contraception in television (aOR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.38) have weaker associations with consistent condom use. CONCLUSIONS: The low percentage of those who use condoms consistently, together with the low reach of information and education campaigns, highlight the need to implement multi-faceted and context-specific interventions to promote sexual agency and/or consistent condom use to address the burden of unwanted pregnancies and HIV in the Philippines.