St. Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, Inc.

Impacts of Dengue Fever on the Lifestyle of the Selected Residents of San Sebastian, San
Luis, Pampanga

A Research Paper Presented to the Senior High School Faculty

of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, Inc.

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Senior High School Program

Larin, Aaron C.
May 2024
 Chapter I:

The Problem and Its Background

Introduction

The dengue virus, a member of the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae, is an

arthropod-borne virus that includes four different serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-

4). The World Health Organization (WHO) consider dengue as a major global public health

challenge in the tropic and subtropic nations. Dengue has seen a 30-fold upsurge worldwide

between 1960 and 2010, due to increased population growth rate, global warming, unplanned

urbanization, inefficient mosquito control, frequent air travel, and lack of health care facilities.

Two and a half billion people reside in dengue-endemic regions and roughly 400 million

infections occurring per year, with a mortality rate surpassing 5–20% in some areas. Dengue

infection affects more than 100 countries, including Europe and the United States (USA). The

first reported case of dengue like illness in India was in Madras in 1780, the first virologically

proved epidemic of DF in India occurred in Calcutta and Eastern Coast of India in 1963-1964.

Dengue virus infection presents with a diverse clinical picture that ranges from asymptomatic

illness to DF to the severe illness of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome

(DHF/DSS). Oral mucosal involvement is seen in approximately 30% of patients, although oral

features are more frequently associated with DHF than with DF. Dengue virus infection exhibit

varied clinical presentation, hence, accurate diagnosis is difficult and relies on laboratory

confirmation. The condition is usually self-limiting and antiviral therapy is not currently

available. Supportive care with analgesics, hydration with fluid replacement, and sufficient bed

rest forms the preferred management strategy.

 Dengue virus gains entry into the host organism through the skin following an infected

mosquito bite. Humoral, cellular, and innate host immune responses are implicated in the

progression of the illness and the more severe clinical signs occur following the rapid clearance

of the virus from the host organism. Hence, the most severe clinical presentation during the

infection course does not correlate with a high viral load. Alterations in endothelial

microvascular permeability and thermoregulatory mechanisms lead to an increased loss of

protein and plasma. Proposed theories suggest that endothelial cell activation caused by

monocytes, T-cells, the complement system, and various inflammatory molecules mediate

plasma leakage. Thrombocytopenia may be related to alterations in megakaryocytopoiesis,

manifested by infection of human hematopoietic cells and compromised progenitor cell growth.

This may cause platelet dysfunction, damage, or depletion, leading to significant hemorrhages.

Findings from dengue studies could provide policy-makers with information needed for

rational decision-making regarding dengue preventive and control efforts. The focus of dengue

research may vary widely. This could include basic laboratory research, the estimation of dengue

seroprevalence and incidence; the assessment of risk factors for severe disease; the quantification

of its economic burden; the elucidation of local transmission and epidemiology; the development

of improved diagnostic tests or the evaluation of interventions.

In common with many other tropical countries the risk level of dengue in the Philippines

is considered as frequent or continuous due to regular outbreaks or ongoing transmission. This is

affected by several factors such as seasonal meteorological patterns (mean temperature, average

relative humidity, and total rainfall), increased urbanization and volume of international air travel

that has led to an increase in the viability/reproduction/range of Aedes vector mosquitoes.

Despite the fact that the first published report of a dengue epidemic in southeast Asia is from
1954, dengue outbreaks in the Philippines were documented in hospital records as early as 1926.

During the years 2000–2011 all 17 administrative regions of the Philippines reported increased

incidence of dengue, especially in the most populated urban areas, with all four virus serotypes

co-circulating and exhibiting temporal and spatial variation. It is estimated that 80% of dengue-

related deaths occurred in individuals ≤ 20 years old, with the highest number of cases in

children between 5–14 years of age. Most recently, in 2019 the Philippines Department of Health

(DOH) issued a dengue alert in several regions due to a drastically elevated (85%) clinical case

load over a six-month period. Although the overall incidence of dengue in the Philippines has

risen more than eight-fold between 2000 to 2019, this could be partly due to the altered reporting

and recording system of dengue cases employed by the WHO and the Philippines DOH.

Several measures to prevent or control mosquito behavior and breeding have been

recommended in order to combat the spread of dengue virus. These actions include: personal

protection from mosquito bites; provision of public engagement activities to educate local

communities to improve household participation rates against the mosquito vector; emergency

use of insecticides in outbreaks to achieve reactive vector control; and rolling out a range of local

government-led proactive mosquito control and surveillance initiatives. Similarly, the Philippines

DOH has developed national programs for dengue prevention and control, comprising

surveillance, case management and diagnosis, integrated vector management, outbreak response,

health promotion and advocacy, and research. Moreover, the DOH has implemented a so-called

4S strategy (Search and destroy, Seek early consultation, Self-protection measures, Say yes to

fogging only during outbreaks) to strengthen the policy’s effectiveness. Both the Philippines

Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response and the Department of Virology of the Research

Institute for Tropical Medicine took part in this program, particularly in regard to surveillance.
 Furthermore, the collective scopes have not been discussed previously in the context of

researching a pattern for guidance. In addition, the accuracy of findings from questionnaire-

based studies is a matter of concern, as the accuracy of results depends largely on the reliability

of the questionnaires used in the survey. A comprehensive review of questionnaire-based dengue-

related studies is required to highlight the findings from all relevant previously published work

on the behavioral and practice aspects related to dengue prevention, to assess the validity and

reliability of questionnaires used in such research, as well as to draw broad conclusions. Thus,

this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to summarize existing questionnaire-based studies

conducted in the Philippines, which may help to improve survey design relating to different

domains on the behavioral and practice aspects related to dengue infection. In addition, it

highlights future research needs and serves as a valuable reference for policymaking or health

interventions focusing on the Filipino population.

Furthermore, the researchers will aim to determine the impacts of dengue fever on the

lifestyle of selected residents of San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga. Moreover, the researchers

will analyze and examine both the positive and negative impacts of dengue fever to the way on

how the people in the mentioned locale lives.

Statement of the Problem

General Problem

This study aims to determine the impacts of dengue fever to the selected residents of San

Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga.

Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. How may the demographic profile of the respondents be described in terms of:
 1.1 age;

1.2 sex;

1.3 years of residence; and

1.4 frequency of acquiring dengue.

2. How may the impacts of dengue fever to the selected respondents of San Sebastian, San

Luis, Pampanga be described in terms of:

2.1 physical;

2.2 mental;

2.3 financial; and

2.4 psychological.

3. How may the impacts of dengue fever to the lifestyle of the selected respondents of San

Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga be described in terms of:

3.1 physical;

3.2 mental;

3.3 financial; and

3.4 psychological.

4. Is there a significant relationship between dengue fever and lifestyle of the selected

residents of San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga?

Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Selected  Construction  To provide

residents of San of the survey programs to the

Sebastian, San questionnaire residents on

Luis, Pampanga  Securing a how to maintain

 Survey permission a healthy

questionnaire letter lifestyle amidst

 Floating of dengue fever.

survey

questionnaire

 Gathering and

collection of

data

 Analysis and

interpretation

of data thru

statistical

treatment of

data

Figure 1: Paradigm of the Study

Assumption of the Study

The study focused on the extent of determining the impacts of dengue fever to the

lifestyle of the selected residents of San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga. The following

assumptions were made:

1. The researchers assumed that the respondents would be a reliable source of information

that would make this study a success and a reliable research study.

2. The researchers assumed that the respondents will provide true, honest, and reliable

responses.

3. The researchers assumed that determining impacts of dengue fever to the lifestyle of the

selected residents would be of great help in mitigating such problem and concern.

4. The researchers would be able to deeply explain the purpose of the study to its

respondents.

Hypothesis

H 0 : Dengue fever has no impact to the lifestyle of the selected residents of San Sebastian, San

Luis, Pampanga.

H 1 : Dengue fever has an impact to the lifestyle of the selected residents of San Sebastian, San

Luis, Pampanga.

Significance of the Study

The study’s significance plays a vital role in identifying how significant the study is and

how imperative it is to the significant individuals. The significance of the study is a section in the
introduction of the thesis or paper. Its purpose is to make clear why the study was needed and the

specific contribution of the research made to furthering academic knowledge in the field.

This study is significant in a way that it will provide information and insights to the

individuals who will significantly benefit from this study.

Moreover, this study will be significant to the following individuals:

To the Residents of San Sebastian, San Luis. This study will be significant to the residents of

San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga for it will provide the knowledge on how impactful dengue

fever is towards the lifestyle of the residents. Moreover, this study will enlighten the residents on

what are the possible ways to do to at least lessen the impactful effects of dengue fever towards

the lifestyle of the residents.

To the Local Government Unit. This study will be beneficial to the local government unit

because this study will give and provide information to the officials on how to at least mitigate or

lessen the harmful effects of dengue fever especially on how impactful it is to the lifestyle of the

residents.

To the Department of Health. This study will be beneficial to the mentioned government

agency because it will provide the agency the ideas on how to provide programs and what are the

possible programs that the agency can hold or can conduct that will be of great help to people

who are experiencing dengue fever and to all the people in general.

To the Future Researchers. This study will be beneficial to the future researchers because this

research will provide all the information needed to the future researchers regarding dengue fever

and its impacts towards the lifestyle of the people. Moreover, the future researchers can utilize
and use this research as a guide in further enhancing the growth of knowledge in terms of

expanding the variables and not only focusing in the lifestyle of the residents.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

The study’s scope and delimitations are the sections where the researchers will define the

broader parameters and boundaries of the research. The scope details are what the study will

explore, such as the target population, extent, or study duration. Delimitations are factors and

variables not included in the study.

The study is limited to the residents of San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga, comprising of

5 streets, and 1 village. It is limited to those who have experienced having a dengue already who

are capable of answering a survey and providing reliable responses to the researchers. Moreover,

the respondents will be chosen through purposive or judgmental sampling. Since there is a

particular criterion that the researchers have set, the respondents will be chosen based from the

above-mentioned sampling technique.

The researchers will only assess the impacts of dengue fever to the lifestyle of the

respondents. No other variable will be checked and will be examined by the researchers. The

researchers will just focus on understanding the variables and focus of the study.
 Chapter II:

The Review of Related Literature

This chapter cited researches, articles, and laws relevant to the present study. It comprises

related literature and local and foreign studies containing facts and information on the research

problem. It also explains and makes logical links between the prior research and the current

research.

Foreign Related Literatures

The uncontrolled expansion of urban environments with rapid population growth has

accelerated the prevalence of dengue fever (Delmelle et al., 2016). Many studies attribute the

increasing exposure to the dengue vector to overcrowded households. Aedes mosquitoes feed on

multiple humans per day and crowded conditions make it easy to transmit the virus efficiently.

Several studies also suggested that dengue is associated with several sociological factors

such as poor housing areas, household density, type of housing, multilevel housing, and human

activities (Zellweger et al., 2017).

Currently, there is no available vaccine or any specific drugs for dengue fever, and

control measures are based on the biological and chemical control towards Aedes mosquitoes.

The activities for controlling and preventive measure carried out in Malaysia do not include the

combination factors such as sociological and environmental. Previous studies only focused on

individual impacts of sociological and environmental factors on dengue fever, and less
investigated the interaction between all the factors toward dengue in residential areas. The result

individual factor solely would not portray the overall dengue situation in high-risk areas

especially. Therefore, the dengue control management was challenging and unsuccessful. Thus,

better understanding of factors that lead to the abundance and distribution of Aedes mosquitoes is

crucially needed (Zellweger et al., 2017).

Chen, B., et. al (2016), community-based KAP studies have been done to assess the KAP

of different communities in other countries. However, most of them have included only

community-based samples and investigation on samples with clinical or serologically-confirmed

DF diagnosis remains inadequate. To our knowledge, only two community-based case-control

studies have been done.

Xu, Z., et. al. (2020), in common with many other tropical countries the risk level of

dengue in the Philippines is considered as frequent or continuous due to regular outbreaks or

ongoing transmission. This is affected by several factors such as seasonal meteorological patterns

(mean temperature, average relative humidity, and total rainfall).

Jan, R., et. al., (2020), several measures to prevent or control mosquito behaviour and

breeding have been recommended in order to combat the spread of dengue virus. These actions

include: personal protection from mosquito bites; provision of public engagement activities to

educate local communities to improve household participation rates against the mosquito vector;

emergency use of insecticides in outbreaks to achieve reactive vector control; and rolling out a

range of local government-led proactive mosquito control and surveillance initiatives.

Dengue fever is an epidemiological disease that is closely related to symptoms of yellow

fever (Paul, et al. 2021). Aedes Aegypti virus belongs to the family unit “Flaviviridae” which is
closely related to West Nile virus. Dengue viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes of Aedes

Aegypti species in rural and urban areas of various underdeveloped countries (Nguyen, et

al. 2021).

Guber, et al. (2018) explored the association between seasonal variations, probability of

spreading the chronic Dengue fever and change in socio-economic status of the Dengue

victims family.

Gubler (2018) investigated that Dengue fever is explicable because Dengue fever is

considered as a precarious disease in which a Dengue victim has a nonspecific epidemiological

pattern. Over and above this the Dengue patient can suffer from permanent shocks that escort

towards their life expiration within few days. Dengue victims and their families who

experienced this rapid worsening endure various economic predicaments related with the

expenditures of this disease. In addition to this the researcher revealed the implications

of Dengue fever on financial conditions of the patients and their families.

Rigau- Peraz (2016) demonstrated a major fact about the Dengue fever in this research.

Dengue fever imposed an intricate societal burden for evaluation because this disease has

some imprecise symptoms that become severe with the passage of time. In addition to

this there is lack of easily applied case descriptions for its additional severe signs.

Local Literatures

DOH (2017), dengue disease has risen in an alarming state in the Philippines in recent

years. From January 1st to August 6th of 2016, the Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH)

reported an estimated suspected dengue cases of 84,085 in the country, which is 15.8% higher
compared to the same period of last year in 2015 with only 72,627 reported cases; out of this,

372 resulted to death.

Dizon, R., et. al., (2018), out of the 10 Association of South East Asian Nations

(ASEAN), the Philippines ranked fourth for having the highest number of dengue cases as of

2012. This alarming rate is partly due to several factors such as environmental degradation,

climatic condition, lack of clean water supply, inappropriate waste disposal and management,

rapid urbanization, increasing population, and poor mosquito surveillance and control system all

contributed to the increasing number of dengue cases in the country.

 Chapter III:

Methods of Study and Sources of Data

This chapter focuses on the research design, methods of the researcher's study, the study

participants, the data gathering instrument, the process of gathering data, and the validation of

instruments to execute the researcher's study.

Research Methodology

The researchers will imply the use of Descriptive Research as its research design.

Descriptive research is a type of quantitative research wherein, the variables, factors, are being

described and explained. Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a

population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and how questions, but

not why questions. A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to

investigate one or more variables.

As mentioned by McCombes, S. (2019), Descriptive research aims to accurately and

systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when

and how questions, but not why questions.

A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to investigate

one or more variables. Unlike in experimental research, the researcher does not control or

manipulate any of the variables, but only observes and measures them.
Methods and Techniques of the Study

This study is quantitative research which means, all data that will be presented on this

study are stated in numbers, and mathematical figures. Quantitative research is a type of research

wherein, all data are interpreted numerically through the use of a specific statistical tool.

A research instrument plays a vital role in the data collection procedure. Without the

research instrument, researchers will not be able to collect or gather any data which the

researchers will use to interpret and analyze the results of the study. The researchers will utilize

the use of survey questionnaire.

Population and Sample of the Study

The population or so-called participants of the study are important because the

participants are responsible for providing answers and information to the researchers which is

vital in the analysis of the results of this study.

The population will be coming from the residents of San Sebastian, San Luis, Pampanga.

The sample will bet hose who have experienced having dengue already, regardless of age and sex

and years of residence.

The respondents will be chosen through purposive or judgmental sampling technique.

This sampling technique focuses on checking and getting respondents that have prior experience

and knowledge on the field of the study. Further, the respondents have met the criteria being set

by the researchers.
Research Instrument

As stated by McLeod, S. (2018), A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a

series of questions for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires

can be thought of as a kind of written interview.

Researchers will utilize the use of survey questionnaire in gathering and collecting data.

Utilization of survey questionnaire in gathering quantitative data is vital and imperative. It will

provide you data that are valid and reliable. Furthermore, the researchers have utilized the use of

5-point Likert Scale in the survey questionnaire.

Data Gathering Procedure

Data collection procedure is a process where researchers should state the processes that

the researchers have done in collecting or gathering data which the researchers will be needing in

analyzing and interpreting the results of the study.

First, the researchers will craft a questionnaire that is anchored on the study’s statement

of the problem --- general and specific problems or questions.

After which, the researchers will have the questionnaire validated by a statistician, and

grammarian and have it checked by the research adviser.

Lastly, the researchers need to gather all answered questionnaire, collect and organize all

data, interpret, and present all data. All data will be presented through the use of various

mathematical tools and techniques to assure the validity and reliability of all the results.