6-12 members only (Maurer and Smith,
Either
2009). Also, its membership is more
homogeneous, that is, persons with similar
sociocultural or health conditions. If used
properly, this method is effective in the
assessment of health needs of specific groups
in the community (Lundy and Janes, 2009).
A good example is a focus group of first-time
pre8nant women.
Secondary data sources
Registry of vital events
/lcl."3753 (Civil Registration Law, Philippine
kgislature), enacted in 1930, established the
civil registry system in the Philippines and
requires the registration of vital events, such as
births, marriages, and deaths. R.A. 7160 (Local
Government Code) assigned the function of
civil registration to local govemments and
mandated the appointment of Local (city/
municipal) Civil Registrars. The NSO serves
as the central repository of civil registries and
the NSO Administrator and the Civil Registrar
General of the Philippines.
Reliable civil registration and vital statistics
provide a realistic basis for program planning
and implementation. The birth and death
registries are of particular importance
to the nurse, since they are sources of
fertility and mortality data. The need for
information dissemination on registration,
especially among the Muslim population
and indigenous cultural communities,
has been noted (Hufana, 2011). The low
compliance rate to registration requirements
among certain Filipino populations has
been attributed to funeral rites, customs, and
practices distinct to particular cultural groups.
The nurse is in a position to increase people's
awareness on civil registration and guide them
through the process.
In facility-based births, the facility
administrator shall be responsible for the
registration of the event. The physician,
nurse, midwife or anybody who attended the
delivery has the responsibility for registering
births that occur outside a facility.
parent may also register the birth. The birth
of a child should be registered within 30 days
from the occurrence of the birth at the Local
Civil Registry Office of city or municipalitysF
where the birth occurred (NSO, 2010a).
Presidential Decree 856 (Sanitation Code;
Office of the President, Republic of the
Philippines, 1975) requires a death certificate
before burial of the deceased. The physician
who last attended the deceased shall be
responsible for preparing the death certificate,
certifying the cause of death, and forwarding
the death certificate to the health officer
within 48 hours. If death occurred without
medical attention, the nearest relative or
any pe$on who has knowledge of the death
shall report to the health officer within 48
hours. The health officer then certifies the
cause of the death and directs its registration.
In the absence of a health officet the death
should be reported to the mayot municipal
secretary or any member of the Sangguniang
Bayan, who shall issue the death certificate for
pu[poses of burial. Registration of death shall
be made within 30 days from the occurrence
of death at the Local Civil Regrstry Office
of the city or municipality where the birth
occurred. Fetal deaths are registered following
the same process (NSO, 2010b).
Health records and repofts
As specified by Executive Order No. 352
(Office of the President, Republic of the
Philippines, 1996), the Field Health Service
Information System (FHSIS) is the official
recording and reporting system of the
Department of Health and is used by the
NSCB to generate health statistics. The FHSIS
is an essential tool in monitoring the health
status of the population at different levels.
It is therefore a basis for (1) priority setting
by local govemments, (2) planning and
decision making at different levels (barangay,
municipality, district, provincial, and
national), and (3) monitoring and evaluating
health program implementation. Detection
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