WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS

Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Students’ Compliance to Health Protocols during the Pandemic: Basis for the Development of a

Health Protocol Campaign Material

An Undergraduate Thesis

Presented to the Education Department

West Visayas State University

Himamaylan City Campus

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor in Secondary Education

(Major in Social Studies)

Rena D. Caballero

Jose S. Calero III

Salva Mae A. Geronca

Salve Mae A. Suelo

 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Chapter 1

The Problem

This chapter consists of five parts: (1) Background of the study, (2) statement of the

problem, (3) Hypothesis, (4) Conceptual Framework, (5) Definition of terms, (6) Significance of

the study, (7) Scope and Delimitation of the study.

The Part One, Background of the study, presents the introduction of the study and its

origin.

The Part Two, Statement of the problem, states the purpose of the problem to be

investigated.

The Part Three, Hypothesis, presents if there is significant difference in the study.

The Part Four, Conceptual Framework, illustrates the input, process and output of the

study.

The Part Five, Definition of terms, presents the definition of the terms used in the study

conceptually and operationally.

The Part Six, Significance of the study, states the contributions of the study to that

person who will benefit its result.

The Part Seven, Scope and Delimitation of the study, presents the scope and coverage

of the study, presents the scope and coverage of the study.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Background of the Study

The operation of the education institutions around the world was severely affected by

the coronavirus disease (COVID) - 19 pandemic which began in December 2019. It became a

worldwide health crisis where everyone was literally affected (Ancheta and Ancheta, 2020).

Many colleges have implemented a multi-pronged approach to controlling coronavirus disease

(COVID-19) transmission on campus (Harris-Lovett et al., 2021) and the present outbreak of

COVID-19 is a serious global natural phenomenon and citizens worldwide are expected to act

and behave appropriately (Saefi et al., 2020).

Institutions of higher education (IHEs) are weighing decisions about when and how to

reopen their campuses. Schools are revisiting their plans to use in-person, online, or blended

modes of course delivery including their safety plans. Similarly, campus planners are balancing

the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff with other competing factors such as the

long-term financial viability and the quality of education of their institutions (Steimle et al.,

2022).

In 2020, it was a tumultuous time as administrators, crisis and public health staff, and

faculty weighed in on how to deliver education to their students in the COVID-19 era (Spradley,

2020). Further, the development of COVID-19 into pandemic has wreaked havoc and

dismantled in the daily activities at the workplace, academia, and in everyday life (Naveed and

Shaukat, 2022). Hence, health communication becomes more important to educate people

about the mechanism of infection transmission, common symptoms, prevention mechanism and

basic treatment (Paakkari and Okan, 2020 as cited Naveed and Shaukat, 2022). Also, the crisis

at this moment is being contained with a response of an adaptive nature, but a transition phase

towards virtual and physical schooling has yet to come (Azorín, 2020).

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

As the COVID-19 crisis becomes more protracted, there is a growing need to ensure that

concerned stakeholders have appropriate mechanisms and capabilities to cope with their

evolving local situations (World Health Organization, 2020). Likewise, as the face-to-face

classes pose higher risk of spread, the most viable solution is through online teaching and

learning. This platform challenges both the teachers and the students as it occurs something

new to them. This calls for an ‘adopt quickly’ response to the new normal in teaching and

learning amidst the pandemic (TanhuecoTumapon, 2020 as cited in Ancheta and Ancheta,

2020).

Thus, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) released a Joint Memorandum Circular

No. 2021-004 on the Guidelines on the Implementation of Limited Face-to-Face Classes for All

Programs of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Areas under Alert Levels System for COVID-

19 Response (ched.gov.ph). While most Filipinos in general still adhere to the health standards

to avoid coronavirus transmissions, there has been a letup in most areas in the two regions

compared to the previous survey done by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in September

2020 (Lalu, 2020). The compliance rate for health protocols in the Visayas and Mindanao each

dropped by 14 points from 86% and 78%, respectively ( SWS: Compliance with COVID-19

protocols down in Visayas, Mindanao, 2021).

It is also observed by the researchers that some of the students fail to adhere to the

minimum health standard imposed by the government and schools. Thus, this study is initiated

to determine the extent of compliance of the college students to the health protocols to develop

a health protocol campaign material beneficial to the school and students in Himamaylan City.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the extent of compliance of the fourth-year students of

West Visayas State University-Himamaylan City Campus (WVSU-HCC) in Negros Occidental to

health protocols during the pandemic.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the extent of compliance of the fourth-year students to health protocols during

pandemic when classified according to:

a. Course?

b. Vaccination Status?

2. Is there a significant difference on the extent of compliance of the fourth-year students

to health protocols during pandemic when classified according to:

a. Course?

b. Vaccination Status?

3. What campaign material can be developed to help improve the compliance of the

fourth-year students to health protocols?

4. What is the acceptability level of the developed health protocol campaign material?

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference on the extent of compliance of the fourth-year

students to health protocols during pandemic when classified according to course and

vaccination status.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Conceptual Framework

The present study is anchored on the CHED-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No.

2021-004: Guidelines on the Implementation of Limited Face-to-face Classes for All Programs of

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which state that this issuance shall serve as a guide for the

HEIs intending to hold limited face-to-face classes during the COBID-19 pandemic and are

willing to assume the responsibilities for the reopening of their campuses based on their ability

to comply with the health and safety protocols, to retrofit their facilities, and to get the support

of their stakeholders (ched.gov.ph).

This study aims to determine the extent of compliance of the fourth-year students of

West Visayas State University-Himamaylan City Campus in Negros Occidental to health

protocols during the pandemic. Further, this study illustrates the Input-Process-Output (IPO)

Model (1987) of Huckman which depicts a process as a set of boxes connected by inputs and

outputs known as processing components. Data or information flows via a sequence of tasks or

activities that are governed by a set of rules or decision points. In the IPO model, flow charts

and process diagrams are often used to present such a process. What goes in is the input, or

the data that influences the process, and what comes out is the output, or the outcome (Ilgen,

Hollenbeck, Johnson and Jundt, 2005).

The researchers use the Input-Process-Output (IPO) System to present the variables of

the study in the schematic diagram. The Input presents the demographic profile of the fourth-

year students of WVSU-Himamaylan City Campus in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, and

the dependent variable of the study, which is the extent of compliance to the health protocols.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

On the other hand, the Process shows the development of the Health Protocol Campaign

Material which will be reflecting on the statements of the survey-questionnaire. Finally, the

Output presents the acceptability level of the Developed Health Protocol Campaign Material that

will be evaluated by the faculty, staff, and students of WVSU-HCC.

Assessment of
Students’
Development of
Compliance to
the Health Protocol
Health Protocols Acceptability Level
Campaign Material
of the of Health
a. Course
Protocol Campaign
b. Vaccination
Material
status

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of the Relationship of the Variables

Definition of Terms

For clarity and better understanding of the terms used in the study, the following terms

were defined conceptuality and operationally.

Acceptability. Acceptability is a multi-faceted construct that reflects the extent to which

people delivering or receiving a healthcare intervention consider it to be appropriate, based on

anticipated or experienced cognitive and emotional responses to the intervention (Sekhon et al.,

2017).

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Operationally, the term refers to what level of acceptability is shown by the faculty,

staff, and students of WVSU-HCC on the develop health protocol campaign material.

Compliance. Compliance is the state of being in accordance with established guidelines

or specifications, or the process of becoming so (www.techtarget.com).

Operationally, the term refers to an act done by the fourth-year students towards the

health protocols imposed by the school.

Course. Course is defined as the academic regulations and structures of a provider

(www.hesa.ac.uk).

Operationally, it refers to the program taken by the respondents of the study at WVSU-

HCC.

Corona Virus Disease. COVID-19 is a new virus found in Wuhan, China at the end of

2019, to be precise in December. This virus spreads very quickly to various parts of the world,

causing access between countries to be closed in anticipation of the transmission of the virus

(Devianti and Michael, 2021).

Health Protocol. Health protocol is defined as an ongoing effort to define measures for a

safe and healthy teaching and learning environment for in-person learning while monitoring the

situation carefully prior to and during school reopening and preparing for possible resurgence

(UNESCO, 2021).

In this study, the term refers to the guidelines set by the school and complied by the

students of WVSU-HCC.

Operationally, the term refers to the material that is developed by the researchers of the

present study reflecting the minimum health standard against the spread of COVID-19.

Vaccination Status

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

In this study, the term refers to one of the independent variables of the study which is

categorized into two: fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated.

WVSU-HCC. Operationally, the term refers to the State University, an extension campus

of WVSU from Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, which is the target locale of the present

study. This University is located at Brgy. Caradio-an of the abovementioned city.

Significance of the Study

This study is beneficial to the following:

Department Of Health. The result of the study is beneficial to the Department of Health

to add up to their information on strengthening their policies in mitigating the spread of COVID-

19 in the country and to lobby the updated guidelines to educational institutions.

Local Government Unit. The result of the study will assist the local government unit of

Himamaylan City to further monitor the implementation of the COVID-19 health protocols and

to provide necessary aid in maintaining a safe community.

School Administrator. The results of the study will provide knowledge to the school

administrators to strictly implement the school policies on safety measures and to craft

programs beneficial to their faculty, staff, and students.

School Nurse. The result of the study is helpful to the school nurse to identify areas that

are failed to comply by the students in school and to provide additional knowledge and

intervention to a stricter compliance of health protocols.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
HIMAMAYLAN CITY CAMPUS
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Students. The result of the study will give an idea to the students to comply seriously to

the set health protocols inside or outside the school premises and to become more

knowledgeable on the possible outcomes of neglecting health minimum standards.

Teachers. The result of the study will give an idea to the teachers to become more

vigilant and stricter as school implementers of the health protocols to the whole school

community especially to the students.

Future Researcher. The result of the study will provide additional ideas to the future

researchers to further explore and conduct studies related to effectiveness of health protocol

campaign materials.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The researchers use the descriptive research utilizing the survey study method. This

study focuses to the extent of compliance of the fourth-year students of West Visayas State

University- Himamaylan City Campus to the health protocols during the pandemic. The

researchers will formulate the researcher-made questionnaire reflecting the statements related

to compliance to health protocols. Moreover, the researchers will focus on the extent of

compliance of health protocols during the pandemic.