184 research outputs found
Sort by
Poisoning Cases Reported to Poison Information Centre, Ahmedabad, India: A Three Year Observational Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Morbidity and mortality associated with pesticide poisoning is a major public health issue, especially in lower and middle income countries, including India. Timely understanding of poisoning trends is required for improved prevention. The objective of the present study was to analyze the trend of poisoning cases in Ahmedabad, India in the period of 2015-2017.Methods: Detailed history, including demographic data, risk factors, poisoning history, agents involved, and occupational influence were collected for poisoning cases reported to the Poison Information Centre in Ahmedabad. Cholinesterase activity and HPTLC method for detection of sanguinarine in urine were used to investigate the agents of poisoning. Non-parametric tests, such as Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U Test were applied to test statistical significance between the groups. All statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.Results: A total 1373 poisoning cases were investigated. The incidence and fatality rate was found to be higher in males compared to females (M/F ratio 1.89:1). About 91.62% of the poisoning were through the oral route. Erythrocyte cholinesterase activity assay results indicated that 41.29% of the cases were due to organophosphorus/carbamate poisoning. Insecticides were found to be the agent of poisoning in 26.29% cases, and 11.07% of all the cases were agricultural workers. Poisoning with medications, household pesticides and chemicals were also reported. Few cases of food poisoning with sanguinarine were detected.Conclusion: The data presented here suggest that pesticides used for agriculture are the major source of poisonings. Implementation of usage guidelines, educating farmers and vulnerable population, and finding novel alternatives for highly toxic chemicals may be helpful in decreasing the number of poisoning cases.
TRACK Implementation: a Bangladesh Scenario
Get PDFWith the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), biological risk factors, such as hyperglycemia, are a major public health concern in Bangladesh. Optimization of diabetes management by positive lifestyle changes is urgently required for prevention of comorbidities and complications, which in turn will reduce the cost. Diabetes had 2 times more days of inpatient treatment, 1.3 times more outpatient visits, and nearly 10 times more medications than non- diabetes patients, as reported by British Medical Journal. And surprisingly, 80% of people with this so called “Rich Man\u27s Disease” live in low- and middle-income countries. According to a recent study of American Medical Association, China and India collectively are home of nearly 110 million diabetic patients. The prevalence of diabetes in this region is projected to increase by 71% by 2035. Bangladesh was ranked as the 8th highest diabetic populous country in the time period of 2010-2011. In Bangladesh, the estimated prevalence of diabetes among adults was 9.7% in 2011 and the number is projected to be 13.7 million by 2045. The cost of diabetes care is considerably high in Bangladesh, and it is primarily driven by the medicine and hospitalization costs. According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, in 2017 the annual average cost per T2DM was $864.7, which is 52% of per capita GDP of Bangladesh and 9.8 times higher than the general health care cost. Medicine is the highest source of direct cost (around 85%) for patients without hospitalization. The private and public financing of diabetes treatment will be severely constrained in near future, representing a health threat for the Bangladeshi population
Knowledge and Perception of Diabetes and Available Services among Diabetic Patients in the State of Qatar
Get PDFIntroduction: Diabetes is a major public health concern in Qatar. This study examined diabetes knowledge and perception of available services for diabetes control among diabetic patients in Qatar.Methods: Data from 300 diabetic patients were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire between February and May 2015 at Hamad Medical Corporation healthcare facilities in Qatar. Survey responses were represented as frequencies, and Chi-square tests were used to compare proportions across gender. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: 31% of patients had Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) (females 36.6%, males 26.5%) and 54% had Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) (males 56.6%, females 50%). Knowledge about diabetes types did not differ by sex (P=0.16). 32.3% of patients were treated for diabetes-related complications including: high cholesterol (39.2%), vision problems (33.1%), hypertension (30.0%), and foot problems (25.1 %). Most patients were diagnosed at primary care clinics (41.7%). During visits, 78.3% of patients reported that they were fully advised about different diabetes tests. 57.0% of patients had ?4 visits for diabetes checkups in the past 12 months. 66.7% of patients reported that they were confident or very confident in managing their diabetes as a result of their healthcare visits in the past year. The majority of patients reported receiving diabetes-related guidance from physicians (89.7%).Conclusions: Study participants had variable knowledge of diabetes, its complications and risk factors, and services available to diabetics. More comprehensive education and awareness about diabetes is recommended for both patients and family members. At the provider level, further improvement in patient counseling and promotion of available services can be beneficial
Knowledge and Attitudes of Maintaining Bone Health among Post-Menopausal Women in Malaysia
Get PDFIntroduction: Public awareness of osteoporosis is low among women in the developing countries. Health education was shown to be effective in improving knowledge and awareness on maintaining bone health. This study aims to identify the level of knowledge and attitudes among post-menopausal women in Malaysia on achieving bone health throughout the menopausal transition period.Methods: A total of 116 post-menopausal female patients of orthopedic menopause clinic were recruited using a purposive sampling approach. Data on osteoporosis awareness and knowledge were collected using validated structured questionnaires Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Tool and Osteoporosis Attitude Knowledge Test. The chi-square test was used to determine the association between post-menopausal women’s socio-demographic characteristics and their knowledge and attitude towards maintaining bone health.Results: Participants’ age ranged between 49 and 82 years (61.84, SD=7.87). The knowledge of osteoporosis varied significantly by age (p=0.014) and education (p=0.001) among the studied population. No significant diffrences were found for participants’ attitude towards bone health.Conclusion: This study showed that the age and education levels have significantly different knowledge of bone health
Sero-Occurrence of HBV/HCV Co-infection and Levels of Liver Enzymes among Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India: a Pilot Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Hepatitis B and C viral infections share common modes of transmission and account for a large proportion of liver disease burden across the globe. Patients with Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection may have more severe liver disease and are potentially at higher risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to assess the sero-occurrence of HBV/HCV co-infection by examining the medical records of tertiary care hospital patients in Central India and determine the extent of liver damage based on liver function tests (LFTs).Methods: Patients with a positive test for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) over a period of 10 years were identified from laboratory records in a tertiary care facility in central India. Records of 51,075 consecutive non-duplicate blood samples were then screened for a positive HBV and HCV tests. LFT, liver enzymes, and bilirubin data were also extracted. Means and standard deviations were determined for continuous variables, and the difference in means was compared using a independent samples t-test. Associations between HBV/HCV co-infection status and demographic variables were calculated using Pearson’s Chi-squared test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: In this study, 1674 (3.27%) screened patients were positive for HBsAg and the sero-occurrence of co-infection with HCV in HBsAg positive patients was reported in 28 individuals (1.67%). There was no significant gender difference for HBV/HCV co-infection (p>0.05). HBV/HCV co-infection was observed more frequently in the 31-60 year old age group (p=0.001). HBV/HCV co-infected patients had significantly higher levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin than those with HBsAg mono-infection (p=0.001).Conclusion: Liver function tests are potentially important predictors for HBV/HCV coinfection. Screening for HCV co-infection in HBsAg-positive patients is recommended in India. Detection of co-infection may enable timely preventive/therapeutic interventions aimed at preventing progression to hepatocellular carcinoma
Examining Students’ Motivations to Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition
Get PDFIntroduction: With high level of obesity in Mexico, there is a growing need to train more students in nutrition. Understanding what motivates students to choose pursuing degree in nutrition is very important for in post-secondary education. Better understanding of motivating factors may help educators to make sure that students complete their degress. The aim of this paper was to determine factors influencing student motivations for pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nutrition at the University of Guanajuato.Methods: This was a survey study targeting 50 students at the University of Guanajuato. Questions in the survey targeted the following issues: general student characteristics, main reason for the choice of study area, objectives of higher education, university study field, and future plans. The descriptive statistics were calculated for the data obtained. The Z test was applied to analyze the differences between the ages.Results: The mean age of these students was 19 years; 74% were female while 26% were male. The students reported that the main reason for choosing a career in nutrition was personal preference and pointed out that such degree will give them better career options in the future, including better financial renumeration in comparison to other careers. Most of the students stated that their main reason for choosing University of Guanajuato was its prestige at the national and international level.Conclusion: Our study corroborates previously published study suggesting that students pursuing healthcare professions are motivaed by prestige and financial renumeration. With importance of nutrition in tackling obesity epidemic, it is very important to continue research on factors motivating students to choose careers in nutritio
Estimating Maternal Mortality in Remote Rural Regions: an Application of the Sisterhood Method in Tajikistan
Get PDFIntroduction: The sisterhood method of maternal mortality data collection and analysis provides a validated framework for estimating maternal mortality ratios in situations of limited infrastructure. The aim of this study is to assess sub-national maternal mortality in the Badakhshan region of Tajikistan using the sisterhood method as part of a larger ethnographic study on maternal risk.Methods: In 2006-2007, 1004 married women of reproductive age in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan were surveyed using the sisterhood method. Respondents were asked eleven questions about the sex, age and survivorship of all children born to the respondent’s mother.Results: Using a national total fertility rate (TFR) estimate of 4.88, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Tajik Badakhshan was 141 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (95% CI 49-235). The lifetime risk of maternal death was 1 in 141 (95% CI 34-103).Conclusion: Given the inherent time-lag of the sisterhood method, precise estimates of maternal mortality are dependent on accurate TFRs, which may vary based upon regional experiences of demographic transitions. Socio-political instability and the dismantling of Soviet welfare programs and civil war following Tajikistan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 likely impacted TFR in Tajik Badakhshan. Socio-political trends influencing TFR in rural regions compared to urban, and the investigation of factors associated with maternal mortality, require additional investigation
Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus from Oxcutzcab, Yucatán
Get PDFIntroduction: The complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), are the second leading cause of death in Oxcutzcab municipality of Yacatan, Mexico. The objective of the study was to estimate the burden of chronic kidney disease in a sample of patients with T2DM from Oxcutzcab municipality of Yacatan, Mexico, region characterized by high amound of poverty and vulnerabidity.Methods: This is a descriptive study involving 108 adult patients between 26 and 79 years old with T2DM who attended the PROSPERA, social protection program under the direction of Ministry of Social Development of Mexico (88% female and 12% male). Weight, height, BMI, and years of post T2DM diagnosis were measured. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. Results: We found that 39.81% of participants had stage one kidney damage, 34.26% stage two, 24.07% stage three, one case of stage four, and one of stage five. BMI measurements indicated that 40.74% of participants were obese (?30kg/m2), 35.19% were overweight, and 1.85% were underweight. In terms of years since diagnosis, 37.04% of the participants were diagnosed five years ago and less, 29.63% of participants were diagnosed 6-10 years ago, 22.22% between 11-15 years ago, 8.33% between 16-20 years ago, and 2.78% of participants over 20 years ago.Conclusions: Most participants were in stages one to three of kidney damage, where the main objective of the medical team was medical treatment of T2DM and comorbidities, as well as nutritional support to prevent further complications. There was only one case in stage four and five each, where dialysis and kidney transplantation became necessary. Both cases presented had a history of T2DM for over 20 years. It is important to identify early kidney damage to improve quality of life, reduce the treatment costs, and lower mortality
Evaluation of micronuclei in oral mucosa of individuals exposed to ionizing radiation: a pilot study from Celaya, México
Get PDFIntroduction: Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation can potentially lead to adverse health effects, including cancer and genetic defects. Genetic damage caused by radiation can be detected if micronuclei are observed. The objective of this pilot study was to detect the presence of micronuclei in cells of the oral mucosa in inidividuals occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation.Methods: We implemented a pilot case-control study in which we compared oral mucosa micronuclei in 30 medical and nursing personnel in radiology centers in Celaya, Mexico, with 30 volunteers not exposed to ionizing radiation recruited from a public University. The oral mucosa was brushed and the amount of micronuclei was quantified. Chi-square test or t-test for two proportions were used to compared ionizing radiation and genetic damage between exposed and non-exposed groups.Results: The exposed group had an average of 5.37 ± 3.49 micronuclei and the non-exposed had 0.37 ± 0.61 (P<0.01). In the exposed group, 90% of participants exhibited genetic damage compared to 6.67% in the unexposed group (P<0.05).Conclusion: In this pilot study, medical and nursing staff from radiology centers presented with higher genetic damage compared to control group. Further studies are needed to identify the prevalence of genetic damage due to occupational radiation exposure in Mexico
Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and associated risk factors in healthy female adolescents in Tehran, Iran
Get PDFIntroduction: Obesity is an important health concern worldwide and is a growing problem in Iran. Adolescent obesity has a major role in development of adulthood obesity and its complications. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and associated risk factors in female adolescents living in Tehran, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,132 female adolescents aged 14-17 years in Tehran recruited between 2017 and 2018. Weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Underweight, overweight, and obesity were considered as < 5th, ? 85th, and ? 95th percentile, respectively, of CDC BMI-for age and sex criteria. Adolescents and their mothers filled in the questionnaires on physical activity, computer use, duration of breastfeeding, total sleep time, and family socioeconomic status. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0 software. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The overall prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 24.1% and 6.5%, respectively. The prevalences of overweight and obesity were highest in the South District (28.9% and 7.7%, respectively) and were lowest in the North District (19.1% and 5.2%, respectively). There were significant differences in physical activity level (P < 0.001), total sleep time (P < 0.001), duration of breastfeeding (P < 0.01), and daily computer use (P < 0.001) among the four groups (underweight, normal, overweight, and obese). Regarding the socioeconomic status, parental education level and economic status were significantly higher in those who had normal weight compared to other weight groups (in both, P < 0.001).Conclusion: This study showed that overweight and obesity among female adolescents in Tehranhave become a major public health concern. Level of physical activity, computer use, sleep duration, breastfeeding duration, levels of parental education, and economic status were associated with overweight and obesity prevalence