Bhutan Health Journal
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Average birth weight of term newborn babies: a hospital based study in Thimphu, Bhutan
Get PDFIntroduction: The birth weight of every new born is a key predictor of its immediate outcome and indirect indicator for later development. There were no studies done in Bhutan to look at the average term birth weight. This study was under taken to estimate the average term birth weight of new born in Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu and to study its correlation with maternal factors and sex of the new born.
Methods: This was a retrospective study with data collected from the birthing center record for those delivered between January 2011 to December 2014. A total of 13,647 singleton babies were included. Other variables studied maternal age, parity, education level, family income, antenatal booking visits, sex of baby and maternal ethnic origins. Data were analysed for correlations.
Results: From the 13,647 singleton cases, the overall average term birth weight for new born was 3,177± 435 g with boys (mean weight 3,228± 435g) being heavier than girls (mean weight 3,121 ± 429 g). This study also proved the expectation that birth weight will improve with improvements in economic situation and female literacy level. The term birth weight was positively correlated with parity, number of antenatal visits, family income, maternal education level and age.
Conclusions: The average term birth weight of new born in JDWNRH is 3,177± 435 g. The mean birth of North Bhutanese (mean as 3,260 ± 436g) is heavier by 200g than the South Bhutanese (mean as 3,060 ± 411 g)
Prevalence and socio-cultural determinants of domestic violence among married women in Thimphu, Bhutan
Get PDFIntroduction: Domestic violence is a public health problem all over the world, yet its prevalence is under-reported in a pervasive “culture of silence”. Bhutan is not likely to be an exception; however, data on the prevalence, forms and determinants of domestic violence are scant. The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence and characterize factors associated with domestic violence among women in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital.
Methods: A population-based, household cross-sectional survey was conducted in January-May, 2012. A multistage sampling method was used to obtain a representative sample of 300 married women. The chi-square test was used to identify factors associated with increased likelihood of experiencing the four forms of domestic violence.
Results: The overall prevalence of any domestic violence was 44%. By type of violence, the most common was emotional (36%), followed by control (30%), physical (20%) and sexual (14%). Sexual violence was reported more often by young adolescent women. Women from urban areas reported more emotional violence compared to women from rural areas. Women agreed with many situations in which force might be used by their husbands and with many of the traditional roles of women in society. Nonetheless, many women objected to the use of force in many situations and rejected certain constraining roles of women.
Conclusions: This study supports the importance of advocacy for education and programs to prevent and mitigate harm from domestic abuse experienced by women in Bhutan
Etiology of illness in traditional Bhutanese medicine
Get PDFAccording to the philosophy of traditional Bhutanese medicine, ignorance (Ma-Rig-Pa) is considered as the main causeof all diseases of mankind. However, other factors such as seasons, psychiatric emotions, behaviour and dietary habitsalso acts as the triggering agents. This paper is a narrative review based on the medical text of traditional medicine(Sowarigpa) and religious text available in the country. All the medical text states that our defective mind (ignorance)is the main source of all kinds of ailments in the living beings. Due to ignorance, we the human beings are unable tosee the real phenomenon and therefore leading to enclosed knowledge of oneself, which in turn gives rise to the threemental poisons; attachment, anger and delusion. Ignorance is the ultimate source of these three mental poisons whichcompel people to follow wrong lifestyle that disturb the balance of the three humours – wind, bile and phlegm. Thus,in turn gives rise to the four hundred and four different types of diseases as described in gSo-ba Rig-pa