Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

26 Jan 2024

UP Diliman

Study introduces an easy physics experiment for students to do at home, providing learning opportunities with minimal teacher involvement

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge for laboratory classes to keep students engaged amidst the limitations of a fully remote...

Read More

24 Jan 2024

UP Manila

People who are new patients or seeking clearance or referral for endocrine-related symptoms are more likely to opt for teleconsultation

Telemedicine employs the use of technology to increase access to health care. This is especially relevant in developing countries where...

Read More

23 Jan 2024

UP Diliman

While Visayan women were depicted as “most civilized” in colonial photography, the photos still upheld a gender ideology promoting male superiority

Significant works have been published on American colonial photography in the Philippines, which primarily focus on the depiction of Filipinos...

Read More

22 Jan 2024

UP Manila

To improve how we diagnose, prevent and treat allergies, it is crucial to better understand how different factors interact with each other

Allergies are overreactions of the body to harmless allergens and are one of the most chronic conditions worldwide. Atopy or...

Read More

18 Jan 2024

UP Los Baños

A majority of world’s largest flowers teeter on the edge of extinction

The genus Rafflesia, which includes the world’s largest flowers, has aroused curiosity among scientists for centuries and features prominently in local...

Read More

17 Jan 2024

UP Mindanao

Utilizing chitosan as an edible coating presents a promising solution for prolonging the shelf life of fresh produce

The development of diseases and decay in vegetables after harvest limits their shelf life and saleability. To control this, proper...

Read More

16 Jan 2024

UP Diliman

An easy-to-build computer-based spellchecker designed to help foreign language learners in writing provides error-specific feedback with explanations and examples

In second language (L2) acquisition, writing is no longer perceived as a mere consequence of learning, but is now treated...

Read More

15 Jan 2024

UP Manila, UP Open University

A novel method has the capability to precisely identify the author of unknown texts, particularly news articles

This study tackles the challenge of figuring out who wrote anonymous text, like online articles, in an age when there...

Read More

11 Jan 2024

UP Manila

The main obstacles to a “good death” during the Covid-19 pandemic were strict limitations on comforting and communicating with patients

Dying is not a medical experience but also a social and psychological one. We would like to ease the suffering...

Read More

10 Jan 2024

UP Manila, UP Open University

Researchers build a smart computer system that can accurately predict issues when two drugs are taken together

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can be a serious problem in healthcare, causing around 30% of unexpected and dangerous medication issues. Over...

Read More

10 Jan 2024

UP Diliman

There is a clear correlation between planktonic foraminifera fluxes and seasonally changing environmental conditions

Planktonic foraminifera are calcareous zooplankton inhibiting the water column. They are sensitive to hydrographic stresses, and variations in their population...

Read More

09 Jan 2024

UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP System

Replacing gravel with coconut shell aggregates does not make concrete harder and less prone to corrosion

Utilizing coconut shell aggregates (CSA) in concrete benefits agricultural waste management and reduces the demand for mineral resources. Several studies...

Read More

Research

The study aimed to identify various issues related to the Dengvaxia® (a dengue vaccine) controversy and link these issues with the social perspective of measles vaccine hesitancy and refusal. Guided by Victor Turner’s Social Drama Theory, we conducted a series of semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion with 41 parents and healthcare workers in a poor urban community in Pasay City, Philippines. Misinformation about the failed implementation of the Dengvaxia® rollout has challenged the fundamental understanding of the importance of immunization programs. In addition, the findings on measles vaccine hesitancy in the community showed a complex problem with compounded factors, including medical populism, moral panics, and other social views. The study suggests that the Dengvaxia® controversy may directly reduce measles vaccination confidence in the Philippines. The lack of transparency played a crucial role in this dilemma, producing a cascading effect on the other vaccines’ safety.

Our study suggests that poorly managed situations could lead to moral panic. Moral panic contributed to a populist response that resulted in vaccine distrust and developed into a measles epidemic. Our study has shown the severe need to combat silence and misinformation which should emanate from synergistic cooperation among the government and private sectors such as the media and pharmaceutical companies. This would improve public understanding of essential lifesaving vaccines’ critical importance and safety. In a given health crisis like the measles epidemic that brought broader political conflicts and social polarization, it is necessary to avoid silent strategies and be transparent in communicating that vaccines remain safe and essential for public health, especially in low-income countries like the Philippines.

Authors: Alejandro Perez Miras (Department of Social and Political Sciences, College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, Brunel University London), Zypher Jude G. Regencia (Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila), and Emmanuel S. Baja (Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila)

Read the full paper: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdad091/7203812