Female Entertainers Program 1

Program on Self-medication of Antibiotics among Female Entertainers:

Establishment of Social Hygiene Clinic
By: Juan Miguel Dy Talens

1.1 Introduction: Public Health Issue

For many years now, antibiotics have been widely used in the treatment of bacterial
infection. However, there is an increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance, which is becoming a
worldwide public health problem. The aforementioned problem is said to be due to inappropriate
use of the said drugs (1). Moreover, another related study revealed that those who engage in
self-medication were unaware of the development of antibiotic resistance (2). Because of these
trends, antibiotic resistance may increase in time and can be a burden in health care as there
will eventually be a need to develop newer antibiotics (3). The irrational use of medicines leads
to loss of resources and causes harm to both the individual and the community. Apparent
misuse of antibiotics results in antibiotic resistance with an observable increasing trend and
causes significant mortality and morbidity worldwide (4).

Self-medication is the utilization of a certain drug that is not advised or prescribed by a

licensed medical doctor or practitioner. According to Widayati, A., et al, 2011, knowledge and
attitude towards self-medication, together with variables such as age, marital status, income and
educational attainment are factors that can affect self-medication(1).

1.2. Objectives
The objective of this paper were to create a program to prevent self-medication of
antibiotics among female entertainers. Subsequently, decrease the risk of Antibiotics resistance
among Female Entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Lastly, to find a solution for the Female
Entertainers to find new opportunities for work. As a result, decrease the number of high risk
communities to develop antibiotic resistance.

1.3 Analysis of the problem

The technique for the analysis of the problem of our community was based on
algorithms such as Naïve Bayes, J48 and Association. All the algorithms were applied to Self-
medication of Antibiotics among Female Entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines data set, to
determine the problem and to associate the problem to risk factors. Thereafter, based the health
projects and programs from the results of the algorithms used.
1.4 Decision tree
 Female Entertainers Program 2

Figure 1 shows that the tendency of doctors to prescribe the same antibiotics is a related
factor to antibiotic self-medication. Most of the Female Entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines
who are single and with a live-in partner, high school graduate and with a sexually transmitted
infection were the ones who have the tendency to self-medicate antibiotics.

1.5 Data set: Female Entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines

There were six times increased in likelihood of self-medication with middle income (500
to 1000 pesos per day) (5.67), twice who have live-in partners (2.08), two-hundred ninety-five
times who are married (295), and thrice who are widow (3.37).

The significant health problems that predispose the female entertainers in Nueva Ecija,
Philippines to use antibiotics were as follows: 1) ear pain (34084.91); 2) sexually transmitted
infection (539.16); 3) headache (62.22); 4) toothache (4.77); 5) stomach pain (3.31); and 6)
common colds (2.20).

It was found that most of female entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines engage in the
use of non-prescribed antibiotics due to previous successful experience with the drug (131019)
and three times likely due to the reason of saving money (2.85). Some female entertainers
identified friends (4.86) to be the source of information but most decided to self-medicate with
antibiotics on their own volition (74.55).

2. Solutions

Issue 1: The tendency of doctors to prescribe the same antibiotics is a related factor to
antibiotic self-medication should be addressed.

Project 1. Health Promotion and Education Project among Health Professionals

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Predisposing Lack of Information -Letter for health
Objective: To awareness of dissemination to health professionals, attached
inform the health health professionals about the with the results of the
professionals about professionals on reasons of the female study conducted among
the result of the the reason of entertainers on self- female entertainers
study among female medication -Local Newspaper
Female entertainers to publication about the
Entertainers in self-medicate health seeking behaviors
Nueva Ecija antibiotics of female entertainers

Issue 2: Most of the Female Entertainers who are single and with a live-in partner, high
school graduate and with a sexually transmitted infection were the ones who have the tendency
to self-medicate antibiotics for the following reasons 1) ear pain; 2) sexually transmitted infection
3) headache 4) toothache; 5) stomach pain; 6) and common colds.
 Female Entertainers Program 3

Project 2. Health Promotion and Education on Female Entertainers

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Predisposing Lack of Health education -Develop an IEC material
Objective: To gain awareness of among female -Pre-test and post-test
additional health entertainers on specific IEC
knowledge on the professionals on diseases and correct -Conduct health
right approach of the reason of management. education among female
the female workers female Concept: antibiotics is entertainers during their
on their health entertainers to not a wonder drug for renewal of the health
concerns. self-medicate all disease in the certificate
antibiotics context of the rational - Pre-test and post-test
drug use. among female
entertainers
Enabling Commitment in the No attendance of health
project: guidelines in education will be a
renewal of health ground for non-renewal.
certificate
Reinforcement Ordinance and Indicating sanctions/fine
resolution for lapses in renewal of
health certificate

Project 3. Alternative Learning System for Female Entertainers

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Predisposing Majority of the Scholarship programs -Memorandum of
Objective: To Female for Female Entertainers Agreement between
provide an Entertainers are LGU and Neuva Ecija
alternative learning high school University of Science
pathway among graduate and Technology,
Female Department of Education
Entertainers in - Financial Assistance
Nueva Ecija, Program
Philippines - Monthly Monitoring and
Evaluation of the LGU
project head and NEUST
To provide a For Female Scholarship programs -Memorandum of
learning system for Entertainers who for Female Entertainers Agreement between
female entertainers have not LGU and Department of
outside the formal completed their Education
school system basic education
 Female Entertainers Program 4

Project 4. Alternative Learning System for Children of Female Entertainers

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Predisposing Some of the Scholarship programs -Memorandum of
Objective: To Female for the children of the Agreement between
provide an Entertainers female entertainers LGU and Department of
alternative learning Children were Education, TESDA
System for the being matched by - Financial Assistance
children of female their parents to Program
entertainers in people who will - Monthly Monitoring and
Nueva Ecija, avail the services Evaluation of the LGU
Philippines of their children project head and
DEPED

Project 5. Livelihood Program for Female Entertainers and their children

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Predisposing Majority of the Scholarship programs -Memorandum of
Objective: To Female for Female Entertainers Agreement between
provide a livelihood Entertainers will LGU, TESDA, Ugnayan
program to the earn 500 to 1000 ng Pahinungod
Female pesos per day livelihood program
Entertainers in project coordinator
Nueva Ecija, - Monthly Monitoring and
Philippines Evaluation

Project 6. Establishment of Social Hygiene Clinic

Community Factors Strategy Activities

Diagnosis
Enabling No Social Establishment of -Established the need for
Objective: To Hygiene Clinic Social Hygiene Clinic a social hygiene clinic
establish a - Health ordinance and
functional social resolution on
hygiene clinic establishment of social
hygiene clinic
No Trained Social Training of social - Training of social
Hygiene Clinic hygiene clinic staff hygiene clinic staff
Staff - Pre-test and post test
Reinforcement Formation of social -Advocacy
hygiene clinic workers -Monitoring and
evaluation of projects
and activities

Factors that prompt people to self-medicate with antibiotics have been identified in
researches but inconsistencies are noted due to differences in culture, societal structure, and
governing laws in the community. Thus, the project head had use the data among Female
 Female Entertainers Program 5

Entertainers in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, to identify the root cause of self-medication of

antibiotics of female entertainers. Then, device a solution which targets the root cause of self-
medication. If this project push through, it may have a great impact on rational drug use, in the
incidence of sexually transmitted infection and the development of antibiotic resistance. The
program head, selected the Female Entertainers as the community of choice for the project
because this group of people is considered to be a high risk group for developing antibiotics
resistance due to their health seeking behaviors.
The program head envisions the eradication of social stigma for the female entertainers
in Nueva Ecija, Philippines by acknowledging the socio-economic and educational status of the
female Entertainers. Moreover, to present their status to the key stakeholders and hopefully to
the public so people of the community will understand the female entertainers where they are
coming from. The program head imagines that this project will provide an opportunity for the
female entertainers to be removed from the shackles of poverty and their status quo. Also, the
project head hopes that this project will be replicated by other communities of Nueva Ecija and
hopefully, in the Philippines.

The program head, choice of profession – as a nurse, medical doctor, public health
practitioner and researcher reflects the real nature, of a professional nurturing life saver who,
provides medical assistance to communities most in need of services. To help people to the
best of his capacity, and encourage the people to fight for what is right and just.

“Being a public health doctor is work only if it takes much of your energy, time, and
effort, to the point it tires you; yet you are happy doing it.”

For someone to take on as much as the demands of physical work, intellectual stress,
emotional attachments, and still has the drive to do more, and is genuinely happy, he is either
one with superpowers or one whose life depended on it.

4. References

1. Widiyati, A., Suryawati, S. Crespigny, C., and Hilleri, J. E., (2011). Self-medication
with antibiotics in Yogyakarta City Indonesia: a cross sectional population-based survey.
BMC Research Notes, 4, 491.
2. Mainous III, A. G., Diaz, V. A., Carnemello, M. (2008). Factors Affecting Latino Adults’
Use of Antibiotics for Self- Medication.Journal of the American Board of Family
Medicine, 21, 128-134.
3. Hassali, M. A., Shafie, A. A., Al-Qazaz, H., Tamyappa, J., Palaian, S., Hariraj, V.
(2011). Self-medication practices among adult population attending community
pharmacies in Malaysia: an exploratory study. International Journal of Clinical
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 6, 794-799.
4. Figueras, A., Caamano, F., Gestal-Otero, J. J. (2000).Sociodemographic factors
related to self-medication in Spain. European Journal of Epidemiology, 16, 19-26.
5. Yousef, A.M., Al-Bakri, A. G., Bustanji, Y., Wazaify, M., (2008). Self-medication
patterns in Amman, Jordan, Pharm World Sci, Volume 30,24-3.