Dengue top cause of hospitalization of Filipinos, study says

Dengue is found to be the number one cause of hospitalization among Filipinos, according to the PhilCare Wellness Index 2019.

Lead researcher and University Professor, Dr. Fernando Paragas said in a press briefing on Wednesday that 19% of the study’s respondents have a household member who has been hospitalized in the previous year, with 42.63% of the patients brought in due to dengue.

RELATED: 8 symptoms of the illness we should know about

Other illnesses common among the hospitalized Filipinos are pneumonia (21.51%), heart attack (7.57%), high blood (5.58%), diabetes (4.38%), diarrhea (3.59%), kidney (2.79%), and asthma (1.99%).

The PhilCare Wellness Index, a nationwide study, interviewed 1,350 Filipinos from different sectors and regions.

According to the study, more than half of the respondents have hospital bills that range from P10,001 to 30,000, with only 37.45% of respondents pay using their savings while 25% ask help from others.

Paragas said that although respondents rated themselves in somewhat good health, “Filipinos are just an illness away from bankruptcy.” — LA, GMA News