Medical Files
Health survey fills in the blanks
By Rafael Castillo, MD
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:09:00 07/05/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Dr. Dante Morales, who was recently awarded as a “Most Distinguished Scientist” by the Philippine Heart Association, is doing a part 2 of his team’s landmark research project—the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHeS) 2003-2004.
The first NNHeS research really helped fill in the blanks of many vital information which we lacked in the past. It determined the national prevalence of 38 diseases and risk factors which impact strongly on the Filipino’s health. It produced separate reports on three atherosclerotic diseases which cause narrowing of the blood vessels (coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and five risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and smoking).
Access to necessary stat
Because of it, local health experts now have access to necessary statistics, specifically the prevalence and clinical presentation of these common medical problems and risk factors such as heart attack, enlarged heart, irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia, bangungot syndrome, diseases of blood vessels in the legs (peripheral arterial disease), chronic kidney disease, kidney stones, high uric acid, abnormal urine with blood, pus cells and protein, dementia (senility), migraine, Parkinson’s Disease, muscle and bone diseases, asthma, food allergies and several others.
The NNHeS 2003-2004 was conducted through a multiorganizational effort, with donated services and financial support coming from 14 medical specialty associations, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST).
The well-organized research teams doing the nationwide survey really went down up to the barangay level, from which the representative households were randomly chosen. Households totaling 2,636 were sampled from 17 regions and 79 provinces. The survey covered all the members of the randomly selected households consisting of 2,735 children aged 0-19 years and 4,753 adults aged 20 years and over.
The researchers did face-to-face interviews using validated structured questionnaires, followed by measurements of height, weight, waist hip and mid-upper arm circumference, skinfold thickness and percent body fat. Blood tests and urine analysis were also done.
Prevalence
Based on the survey results, the five risk factors have these estimated prevalence: 34 percent for smoking, 8 percent for high cholesterol, 4.6 percent for diabetes, 5 percent for obesity and 17.4 percent for hypertension. These atherosclerotic diseases have the following prevalence: 12.5 percent for coronary heart disease, 1.4 percent for stroke and 1.6 percent for peripheral arterial disease.
According to Dr. Morales, the NNHeS data provide valuable information that will help formulate appropriate intervention programs such as lifestyle modification, nutrition labeling and healthy diet campaigns. “This is important in the control and management of nutrition-related lifestyle risk factors and diseases,” says Dr. Morales, who is also the medical director of the Manila Doctors’ Hospital.
Encouraged by the meaningful outcome of the first NNHeS, Dr. Morales and his team are embarking on this follow-up NNHeS project called “Philippines Health Survey Component or NNHeS II: 2008.” This survey will follow up the prevalence of many of the conditions done in 2003 and in addition, determine the prevalence of abnormal heart functions through a special examination (2D-echocardiogram), abdominal aneurysm, liver enzyme abnormality, thyroid problems and others.
Big problem
Being another ambitious research project, raising the needed funds is again a big problem. The Department of Health, the Food and Nutrition Institute of the Department of Science and Technology, and medical organizations which realize the value of the project have all generously contributed, but the funds are still not sufficient.
“This is a mammoth undertaking for which we have the professional and technical capability but lack financial resources,” Dr. Morales says.
The steering and technical committees of the project have organized a gathering of key officers of the participating medical organizations, friends and other supporters to disseminate the 2003 data and present the details of the 2008 plans. Executives from the pharmaceutical industry have also been invited to get inputs from them on other survey items which they can use in their business, such as in planning the product portfolio of their respective companies or their strategic directions based on disease prevalence of various diseases in the country. Contributions from them to support the project will also be most welcome.
The event is slated on July 26, Saturday, 10 a.m. at the San Lazaro Leisure Park. Interested parties may call or text 0917-8995697 for reservations to the meeting.
This is one research project which deserves the support of everyone. “This undertaking is an excellent example of a productive collaboration between the government and the private sector,” Dr. Morales says.
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