In the United States, nursing is the largest healthcare profession, with over 3.2 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide and comprised of mostly women. Foreigntrained RNs make up 15 percent of the RN workforce. For over half a century, the U.S. healthcare industry has recruited these RNs in response to nurse shortages in hospitals and nursing homes. Philippines-trained RNs make up 1 out of 20 RNs in this country and continue to be the largest group of foreign-trained nurses today. Recently, the news media has publicized the many deaths of Filipino RNs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Given the imperial historical ties between these two countries in the context of the nursing profession and the enduring labor inequities that persist, this nationally representative study is one of the few to our knowledge to not only quantitatively examine the current work differences in characteristics and experiences of Philippinestrained RNs and U.S.-trained white RNs practicing in the United States today, but to also do so from an intersectionality lens. The overall aim of this paper is to illuminate how these differences may serve as potential factors contributing to the disproportionate number of Filipino nurses' COVID-19 related vulnerability and deaths in the workplace.

BackgroundThe Philippines is experiencing one of the fastest growing epidemics globally. Evidence-based public health policies are needed. To describe the public health literature on HIV risk groups and prevention approaches in the Philippines, we reviewed published empirical studies with HIV-related outcomes.MethodsBased on an a priori systematic review protocol, we searched PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases for quantitative studies conducted in the Philippines that reported on HIV risk groups factors and interventions to prevent HIV. The search included studies published as of April 2018.ResultsWe identified 755 records, screened 699 unique titles and abstracts, and conducted full text review of 122 full reports of which 51 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority were cross-sectional studies describing HIV and STI prevalence and risk factors in samples recruited from the Philippines. Four HIV prevention programs conducted in the Philippines were identified, all of which reported improvements on HIV knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Overall, female sex workers (FSWs) constituted the primary study population, and few studies reported data from men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWIDs), and youth. No studies reported on transgender populations. Most studies were focused on examining condom use-related outcomes and STI history, few had biomarkers for HIV, and none addressed biomedical HIV prevention strategies.ConclusionThis review identifies an agenda for future HIV research that is needed to address the growing and shifting nature of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines.

This study examined the prevalence of intimate partner violence (Intimate Partner Violence) and its associations with sexual agency among women and adolescent girls in the Philippines. Data came from the 2017 Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of women and girls ages 15–49. Participants included 11,727 women and girls who reported having a current male partner. Survey measures included three indicators of Intimate Partner Violence (physical, sexual, emotional), ability to refuse sex, ability to insist on condom use, perception that a husband/boyfriend can be justified in hitting or beating his wife/girlfriend, and sociodemographic characteristics. Descriptive and multivariable statistical analyses were conducted, with survey weightings used to account for the complex survey design. Overall, 23.9% reported Intimate Partner Violence in their current partnership (10.1% physical violence, 3.4% sexual violence, 19.0% emotional violence), 11.2% believed a husband or partner could be justified in hitting or beating their wife, 10.5% reported being unable to refuse sex with their partner, and 20.4% were unable to ask their partner to use a condom. In multivariable analyses, experiences of sexual (OR .68; 95% CI .50, .92), physical (OR .83; 95% CI .68, 1.02), and emotional violence (OR .69; 95% CI .58, .81) were associated with lower adjusted odds of being able to ask a partner to use a condom. When placed in the same model, emotional violence had the strongest association with lower odds of negotiating condom use with partner (OR .70; 95% CI .57, .85). Perception that a husband/boyfriend can be justified in hitting or beating his wife/girlfriend was associated with lower ability to refuse sex and ask a partner to use a condom. Findings indicate a need for further investment in interventions to prevent Intimate Partner Violence and support the sexual health and agency of women and girls who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence in the Philippines.