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Effect Of Relaxation Intervention On Stress Levels And Cognitive Skills In Professional Students
Get PDFBackground: Medical Professional training is likely to encounter a variety of hassles and stress in relation to the developmental tasks associated with transition from school life to professional college life. The vast syllabus, peer competition for academic performance, continuous evaluation, and long duration of the training makes medical education stressful. Many students feel a need to relieve stress and it is a necessity to equip students with proven techniques to reduce stress and cope up with the situation. Proper cognitive functioning has been found to be an important factor for academic performance.
Methods: The present study is a cross sectional comparative study done for 60 medical students in the age group of 18-23 years. The subjects who were interested to practice relaxation techniques (JPMR, slow paced breathing and yoga nidra) for forty five days for 40 minutes were placed in the study group and 30 age and gender matched student were randomly selected for control group who were not willing to practice relaxation techniques. The stress level was assessed using stress questionnaires recommended by International stress management association UK before and after the relaxation intervention in the study group.
Results: The Study revealed that stress was significantly reduced in the study group and also showed improvement in cognitive skills after intervention.
Conclusions: The study concludes that progressive muscle relaxation technique is very effective in reducing stress among medical students
REDEFINING THE ROLE OF ASHA WORKERS IN INDIAN HEALTHCARE
Get PDFCommunity health professionals are critical in filling the gap between traditional healthcare systems and marginalized populations. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers have been an important workforce in providing essential healthcare services to rural and marginalized communities. ASHA workers have emerged as a cornerstone of India\u27s healthcare system, playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between rural and marginalized communities and formal healthcare services. There is a need for expansion of the working of ASHAs to utilize them more efficiently. Through enhanced training, technological integration, and policy support, ASHA workers can transform into empowered agents of change, ensuring equitable healthcare access for all. Mobile applications for data collection, telemedicine for remote consultations, and AI-powered tools for diagnosis can enhance their capabilities and improve the accuracy of healthcare services. Reimagining the role of ASHA workers requires supportive policies and increased advocacy efforts. Adequate compensation, formal recognition, and regular skill upgradation should be integral to their roles. Engaging with policymakers and stakeholders can ensure that their voices are heard at the policy level. This review article aims to critically examine the existing role of ASHA workers, analyze their challenges and successes, and propose innovative strategies to reimagine their role in the Indian healthcare sector. By synthesizing current literature and drawing insights from various sources, this article highlights the potential for ASHA workers to contribute significantly to community-based healthcare delivery, health education, and disease prevention
Risk Assessment in Discharge Process using PFMEA Tool in a Multi-Specialty Hospital
Get PDFIntroduction: ‘Quality’ is an inseparable component of healthcare. It focuses not only on care parameters but also in identifying the potential failures/ risks associated with the care process; thereby addressing them pro-actively before the occurrence of the loss. There are several quality tools available such as Process Failure Mode Effect Analysis (PFMEA) that helps in analyzing a process for identification of possible failures. This helps to find ways to avoid the occurrence of the failure or have a strategy to eliminate or minimize the risk. Thus, the current study was undertaken on identifying the risks involved in the discharge process using PFMEA tool. Objectives: To identify the potential risks in patient discharge process and suggest measures to address the failures. Methodology: The study was conducted for a period of 2 months in a multi-specialty hospital. In-patient discharge process was observed in detail and potential failures in the process were identified with the help of a multidisciplinary team constituted for the same purpose. Brainstorming sessions were conducted with the team members to identify possible failures, its causes and effects. Basing on the severity, occurrence and detectability, failure was ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 and Risk Priority Numbers (RPN) were assigned to each of the potential risks in the process. Results: A total of 23 possible failures were identified which included inadequate explanation of discharge summary, missing diagnostic reports, delay in discharge medication initiation and unattended patient queries. RPN values have ranged from 60-320; depicting severity, occurrence and detectability of respective failures. Conclusion: Identifying the potential failures in the patient care process is very crucial for patient, provider and healthcare facility as it helps in the optimization of resources, adds value to patient care, leads to patient satisfaction thereby enhancing quality
Awareness of the Role of Nutrition in Cancer Causation and Prevention among Rural Adult Population: A Cross-sectional Study
Get PDFBackground
In recent years, nutrition has received an increasingly important role in the aetiology of cancer. Thus, public education about dietary factors associated with cancer risk or prevention could be an important intervention for cancer prevention, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burden of cancer is increasing rapidly and access to care is limited. This study aimed to assess the awareness among rural adults about the role of nutrition in cancer development and its prevention.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 individuals in the adult population (\u3e 18 years) in rural field practice area of a Medical College in South Karnataka for 3 months (June-August 2023) using a convenient sampling technique. Nutritional knowledge on cancer prevention was assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire which included sociodemographic details and multiple-choice questions. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS V.26. Those who scored \u3e mean correct answer were considered as having good knowledge.
Results
Out of 300 study participants, 98% were aware of the disease of cancer, and 93% believed that nutrition played a role in cancer causation. 216 (72%) participants had good knowledge about role of nutrition in cancer causation and prevention whereas 84 (28%) had poor knowledge. A statistically significant association was observed between the participant’s age, religion and occupation with the knowledge level.
Conclusion
Majority of the participants had good knowledge about nutrition’s role in cancer causation and prevention
COVID-19: An impetus to reform paediatrics curriculum for undergraduate medical students in Iraq
Get PDFThe beginning of COVID-19 infection in late 2019 in China and its global spread represent one of the stressful events of recent times. Apart from posing risks to the health, living, society, and economy, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated various aspects of medical education. In this article, we have highlighted the journey of paediatrics curricular reform in Iraq with a special emphasis on the need to reform in the era of the pandemic. The reform is essential to arm undergraduate medical students with the necessary competency to deliver adequate paediatric healthcare to the community should COVID-19 infection comes roaring back
A Clinical Profile of 50 cases of Hypoglycemia in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Get PDFHypoglycemia is defined as a blood glucose level/dl. It is usually seen in Diabetics due to an improper balance between blood glucose-lowering drugs and food. Patients can have various symptoms, ranging from headaches and palpitations to coma and death. Patients are typically treated with oral carbohydrates and IV carbohydrates/Glucagon if needed. It is essential to understand the presenting complaints of Hypoglycemia as it often complicates the management of Diabetic patients, and sometimes non-Diabetic patients. The symptoms may frequently be mild but can cause significant long-term complications. It is also essential to understand the cause of Hypoglycemia in order to prevent future episodes.
In this case series, we describe 50 cases – their presenting complaints, Capillary Blood Glucose (CBG) values, and likely causes for the events. We also describe the management as done in our hospital
Perceptual and Acoustical assessment of voice in children with cleft lip and palate
Get PDFBACKGROUND: The speech of individuals with cleft lip and palate is primarily characterized by nasality of oral speech because of cleft and or velopharyngeal dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to investigate the acoustical assessment and perceptual rating measurements in cleft lip and palate children. METHODS: The study participants included 30 children with cleft lip and palate in the age range of 4 to 12 years. Prior parental consent was obtained for the inclusion of their children in the study. Speech samples of all the l the participants were recorded. Prerecorded speech samples of the individuals of the CLP groups were mixed and randomized and played,using headphone conditions in a quiet room. The SLPs speech language pathologists rated the nasality of the participant. Samples given for perceptual evaluation are 15 phonation samples of /ă/, /ɪ/ and /ŭ/ vowels vowel, 15 conversation samples and 30 subjects (3 oral sentences each so total 90 sentences). RESULTS: For the Phonation sample, SLP must evaluate the presence of hypernasality by Wilcoksons nasality scale. Acoustic analysis was done using PRAAT software. The spectral and temporal parameters were measured. The Kappa coefficient was 0.88 for inter-rater reliability for nasality rating scale, 0.82 for speech intelligibility,1.02 for speech understandability,1.00 for speech acceptability, which suggests substantial agreement between the raters for four different rating scales. CONCLUSION: Thus, to conclude in children with cleft lip and palate both acoustical and perceptual evaluation plays an important role while assessing the speech domain by using different kinds of speech stimuli
Impact of Virtual Patient Education on Medication Adherence among Geriatric Patients
Get PDFContext: Virtual patient education for medication adherence can improve the health outcomes and reduce the hospital readmission. Aims: The study aim was to at assess the impact of virtual patient education on medication adherence. Settings and Design: A longitudinal interventional study was conducted in tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months to assess the medication adherence amongst elderly using the medication adherence rating scale questionnaire.
Methods and Material: The impact of pharmacist-assisted patient counseling on medication adherence was assessed by reassessing the medication adherence with medication adherence rating scale questionnaire after educational intervention performed at selected time-intervals. Data thus collected were statistically analyzed using descriptive analysis and presented in n (%) format.
Results: Total of 401 patients were enrolled in the study, of which, majority [220 (54.86%)] were adherent to their medications. Virtual patient counseling showed a positive impact in increasing medication adherence [113 (28.1%) vs 177 (46.4%)]. At the end of the 2nd follow up in the test group the good adherence had increased up to 18.23% while in the control group there was only 3.48% increase in good adherence.
Conclusions: This study reveals with the implementation of patient education and medication counseling, the patient’s adherence to medication can be improved. Clinical pharmacists can play an important role in improving medication adherence especially in geriatric patients
Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on blood glucose in euglycemic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino Wistar rats
Get PDFBackground: Diabetes mellitus is one of the serious health concerns around the globe, characterized by hyperglycemia. It is also linked with several other disorders including neuropathy. One of the most typical diabetes-related comorbidities is depression. Objectives: In this investigation, euglycemic albino rats and streptozotocin-induced diabetic albino Wistar rats were used to assess the effects of fluoxetine, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine on blood glucose levels. Method: To measure euglycemic index, the three medications were given to several groups. After administering glucose, the blood glucose level was checked at 0, 60, and 150 minutes. Additionally, starting on the third day following the induction of diabetes, the test medications were given for a total of 28 days. The CBG (Capillary blood glucose) levels were assessed on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 Results: According to the study, fluoxetine, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine have a hyperglycemic effect because the CBG values were significantly higher (p \u3c 0.05) in the test groups at all time points in both euglycemic albino Wistar rats after glucose challenge and in rats with diabetes mellitus caused by streptozotocin. Conclusion: Based on the findings it can be suggested that the three anti-depressant drugs also possess hyperglycemic effects. The percentage of increase of CBG level was maximum with fluoxetine followed by fluvoxamine group and less with escitalopram at the all-time interval of OGTT. This indicates that the tendency of induction of hyperglycemia due to glucose challenge was more with fluoxetine & and fluvoxamine compared to escitalopram which may depict the relative safety of escitalopram as compared to fluoxetine & fluvoxamine as antidepressants in diabetic conditions. To ascertain this, further studies need to be performed to assess the mechanism of action of the drugs in bringing about hyperglycemic effects