MANILA, (PNA) — The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) promotes heart health of teachers in time for World Heart Day (WHD) 2013 on September 29 and World Teacher’s Day on October 5.
Started in September 2010, the project called “BP ng Teacher Ko Alaga Ko” has been providing great awareness on the health concerns of the teachers.
This joint project by PHA, Department of Education and Philippine Society of Hypertension, Inc. (PSH) aims to establish awareness and initiate means to counter the increasing condition of hypertension among public school teachers.
WHD 2013 Committee, Dr. Joel Abanilla said, “The goal of the project is to zero in the list of schools that we need to visit. That is why we are going from different schools to another.”
“An ongoing forum and blood pressure screening is done in different schools,” said Abanilla during the WHD 2013 forum.
Dr. Abanilla also mentioned that teachers are prone to hypertension due to nature of their work and the stress of dealing with difficult students.
Based on the findings released by Philippine hearts Association, the ongoing survey on hypertension and CVD or cardiovascular disease risk factor among teachers shows that 31 percent of elementary school teachers have hypertension
“The project objectives are to increase the awareness level of our teachers on blood pressure consciousness and to promote lifestyle modifications and to educate our teachers on the conditions and adverse effects of hypertension,” said Dr. Irma Yape, chairperson for PHA’s Council on Hypertension.
A total of 1,693 respondents (1,452 female and 241 male) were screened from October-November 2010 and from May-December 2011 in 10 divisions composed of Manila, Valenzuela, Caloocan, Pasay, Pasig, Marikina, Quezon City, Pampanga, Cavite (Silang) and Laguna (Calamba).
The survey shows that 34 percent have pre-hypertension and 31 percent have hypertension. Therefore, 65 percent or respondents are at high risk to develop CV complications.
Other findings include: 39 percent of respondents have moderate to excessive salt intake; 42 percent have high total cholesterol (= 200 mg/dl) among teachers in Pampanga, Caloocan, and Valenzuela; while 40 percent have abnormal ECG.