Based on current data, women outnumber their male counterparts in choosing to go abroad to look for a job. This appears to have a great social impact-just imagine the growing number of mothers leaving their families to work abroad. With this in mind, a group of researchers affiliated with the University of the Philippines Manila-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) conducted a study on the psychosocial factors that influences women to leave the country and work abroad. Professors Merle Mejico and Cora Añonuevo and Dr. Letty Kwan comprised the research team. Mejico presented the results of the study at a research forum organized by the NIH in September.

Three-phase study

    "This is a three-phase study." Prof Mejico explained. "Phase one involves identifying the motivations, problems encountered, and coping strategies that women workers use. Phase two is the utilization of interventions that were produced to address the problems cited in phase one.

    "The respondents were grouped into three: those who attended a predeparture seminar through a government agency; those who attended the seminar in collaboration with [a nongovernment organization] and those coordinated with religious centers.

    "The researchers constructed four interactive modules in which each subgroup would participate. The four modules include getting out of the country, arrival in work, on the job and reintegration with the family. Phase three is the evaluation of the interventions." The study covered the years 2000 to 2005.

    Included in the study were Filipino women who were either single or married, and were working abroad for the first time. Also, respondents were limited to those coming from Metro Manila, for better control and accessibility. The study was primarily descriptive, relying on conducting interviews and making the respondents fill out questionnaires.

    The most common psychosocial problems encountered by the migrant workers were the language barrier, homesickness, and worrying for the families left behind. The long hours spent working and the adjustment to the food, climate, and culture were also noted. However, migrant workers also find a way to cope with the situations they're in through prayer, communicating with their families and fellow migrant workers, and other diversional activities.

The economy

    "Economic reasons were the primary motivation for women to work abroad," said Mejico, citing the results of the study. There was a strong persistence to work abroad regardless of the educational level attained by the female respondents. Most commonly, the children of the married women who decide to work abroad are left with female relatives like the grandmother or aunt. In the workplace, the women presented with readiness to face their jobs, with a fair knowledge of the kinds of documents they must have and the resources at their disposal, should problems arise.

    Because of this, problems encountered upon arrival at the foreign country were generally minimal. In the workplace, most of the respondents adjusted well, learning how to be flexible, systematic, acquiring skills, asserting their rights, and becoming more accepting of their condition. Though some women who had participated stated at the end of the study that they do not wish to go back to work abroad after coming home, a number still believed that this was the best way for them to provide a more comfortable life for their families.

    Prof. Mejico said that assistance programs such as predeparture seminars, orientation, and training for surrogate mothers for children of overseas workers are means to help these women cope with working abroad. And the modules utilized in this study, with further refining, are a means of assessing such factors in order to understand better the needs of overseas Filipino workers. M

LISTEN TO THE ATI

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a major cause of preventable hearing loss in many developing countries. Defined as the persistence of mucopurulent ear discharge from the middle ear resulting from a perforated tympanic membrane, this disease is the underlying cause of hearing loss for 60 percent of those who have the problem of "ringing ears," which ranges from 65 to 330 million. The Philippines is included in the list of countries with a high incidence of this preventable disease. A high rate was particularly noted in certain indigenous groups.

With these data in mind, a team from the University of the Philippines Manila-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) led by otolaryngologist Maria Rina Reyes-Quintos investigated the prevalence of hearing loss and common ear problems among the Ati of Bolabog, Boracay. This study was presented at an NIH research forum in September.

All ears

    Results showed that there was a high prevalence rate of CSOM in the Ati community, with 7.66 percent of the population infected. "This high rate could be attributed to the overcrowding in the homes, poor hygienic practices, and poor nutrition." Quintos pointed out. "The community is also situated far from a health facility, making consultations rare."

    There was also a high prevalence rate of hearing loss in the study population. This should be a major concern, said Quintos, because it could affect the quality of life of these people. Their jobs, education, and relationships could be jeopardized as a result of their ear problems-these could manifest as poor work or school performance, an inability to understand oral communication, and some level of social avoidance (owing to the foul-smelling discharge from their ears).

More studies

    The investigators recommended that other Ati communities be assessed for the problem and that the results be compared across various communities. Further investigation into the impact of CSOM and hearing loss in the lives of these indigenous people was also suggested. Other recommendations cited in the forum include further studies such as on the genetic predisposition of the disease and on the correlation of the living environment with the prevalence of the disease (i.e., the Ati communities outside of Boracay such as Central Luzon).

    The Ati can be found all over the country-from Luzon to Mindanao. They are people who have lived their lives interdependently with the environment. They are usually found in the outskirts of cities and other areas where health care is conspicuously absent or lacking. There are no health officers or volunteers living among these people that could help them deal with such issues as hygiene, nutrition, and the prevention of diseases.

    CSOM is only one of the serious diseases indigenous people like the Ati are silently suffering from. Over time these health problems may have grave consequences in their way of life. Health research that focuses on the health status of the Ati is beneficial in that it will direct the attention of the government and other concerned groups to come up with effective intervention strategies. Also, data from these types of studies can be utilized in improving the condition and quality of life of not only indigenous people but of the general population as well. M