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Chapter 5SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the summary of findings with the corresponding conclusions drawn from the findings of the study and the recommendations based on the conclusions drawn from the findings of the study.Summary of Findings

The following are the salient findings of the study:

1. The mean age of the health worker-respondents was pegged at 44.93 years old with a standard deviation (SD) of 12.56 years while the mean age of the barangay officials was pegged at 43.35 years old with a SD of 15.67 years and the mean age of the barangay residents was calculated at 45.50 years old with a SD of 17.60 years.

2. The health workers assumed the appointment as health workers while majority of the barangay officials and barangay residents were employed in the different gainful occupations, not listed in the survey questionnaire.

3. The mean income of the health workers was Php18,929.07 with a SD of 2,439.75 while the mean income of the barangay officials was calculated at Php13,333.60 with a SD Php8,383.23, and the mean income earned by the barangay residents was Php12,166.89 with the SD of 8,044.23.

4. The health workers were college graduates which presumably degrees related to their occupation as well as most of the barangay officials and barangay residents.

5. Majority of the health workers, barangay officials and barangay residents expressed opinion that leptospirosis is primarily caused by a bacteria.

6. The three groups of respondents unanimously considered the high risk of being inflected by the disease is during flooding season and leptospirosis organism enters the body through the cuts and cracks of the skin of the feet and hands.7. The three respondents, unanimously knew that fever, body and muscle pains and, yellowing of the skin and eyes are the common signs and symptoms of leptospirosis inflecting an individual.

8. The three groups of respondents considered the avoidance of wading in dirty or muddy water, if not wear boots or protective footwear served as the number one strategy in the prevention and control of leptospirosis disease to inflect an individual.9. News from TV was the common source of information of the health workers, barangay officials and barangay residents that let them gain rich information regarding the leptospirosis. 10. The common reaction that the three groups of respondents do upon learning through hearing or reading the danger of leptospirosis was to share the information learned first to family members and then to friends.

11. The health workers considered themselves as highly concerned towards the issues on leptospirosis being manifested by the grand weighted mean of 3.54 while barangay officials were highly concerned towards the issues on leptospirosis which was supported by the grand weighted mean of 3.53, and the barangay residents were moderately worried towards the issues on leptospirosis being indicated by the grand weighted mean of 3.41.

12. The health workers expressed that they frequently practiced the identified prevention and control strategies which was manifested by the grand mean of 3.33, while the barangay officials frequently practiced also, the identified prevention and control strategies against leptospirosis being supported by the grand weighted mean of 3.48, and the barangay residents expressed that they always practiced the identified prevention and control strategies against leptospirosis.

13. The noted variations among the three groups of respondents were significant. Therefore, the corresponding null hypothesis to this effect was rejected. This meant that the prevailing level of knowledge on leptospirosis among the three groups of respondents was essentially different from each group.

14. The noted variations among the three groups of respondents were not significant. Conclusions

From the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

1. The three groups of respondents were on their mid 40s and at age of maturity. This suggested that they were eligible respondents of the study.

2. The respondents had gainful occupations where they sourced their income to defray the household expenses they incurred monthly. The data further suggested that the respondents represented all sectors of the society.

3. The respondents had regular income which they used to defray the basic and other needs of the household.

4. The respondents are functional literates who are able to read, receive and process information and therefore, potent audiences in any information dissemination program.

5. The three group of respondents were well knowledgeable that leptospirosis is primarily caused by a bacteria. They unanimously affirmed to the statement.

6. The three groups of respondents possessed higher level of knowledge regarding the manner of transmission of leptospirosis and therefore this idea gave them preventive warning.7. The three groups of respondents know very well the signs and symptoms of being inflicted with leptospirosis and therefore, they could immediately refer the matter to medical authorities once they encountered individuals with the signs and symptoms.8. The three groups of respondents bore in mind the number one preventive and control strategy to avoid leptospirosis and this could be one of the information that they could share to members of the family and friends.

9. The primary medium that could be used for wide information dissemination. This could be attributed to the fact that almost all households have TV sets and most often than not tuned in regularly to TV programs.

10. The three groups of respondents could be the best channel for information dissemination since it had been mans nature to preserve human being so that when danger comes, it immediately spread through the word of mouth.

11. The respondents were affected with the issues on leptospirosis and their major concerns were: Awareness of the disease and its severity at the individual level and Ability to protect self and family members. The health workers and barangay officials were highly concerned on these but the barangay residents were moderately concerned only.

12. The common prevention and control strategies practiced by the three groups of respondents were to maintain cleanliness on the surrounding and to keep good hygiene. The health workers and barangay officials frequently practiced them while the barangay residents always practiced them.

13. The significant variation in the prevailing knowledge of the respondents on leptospirosis was traced between barangay officials and barangay residents. This meant that the prevailing knowledge on leptospirosis differed significantly between this group. This suggested that in any information dissemination activities, these two groups should be addressed in the sense that their level of knowledge or information regarding the disease was still low and needs enhancement.

14. The extent to which the three groups of respondents practiced the prevention and control against leptospirosis was essentially similar.Recommendations

Based on the conclusions drawn from the findings of the study, the following are the recommendations of the researcher:1. In as much as the knowledge on the leptospirosis disease was still low among the community residents, massive information dissemination should be conducted by the concern.2. As it appeared that TV was noted as the most common medium for information dissemination, the same should be utilized to raise the level of awareness of the community regarding the leptospirosis disease, its ill-effect, prevention and control.

3. The barangay officials should first be given concrete information dissemination regarding this disease so that they, too, could be a help in the wide-dissemination for the constituents of the community.

4. Information, education and communication materials may be prepared to raise the level of awareness of the people and other concerned.5. Organizing advocates of the prevention and control of the disease may be resorted. They, too, could help in the information campaign. This could be a support to the DOH who enjoins involvement of the stakeholders for the effective implementation of programs affecting health.

6. Another study be conducted in other city/municipality to ascertain the level of awareness and knowledge of the community residents, thereby validating the findings of this study.