Indian Journal of Community Health
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Role of Dietary Management and Physical Activity in Control of Hypertension in Rural Areas of Punjab-A Cross-sectional Study
Get PDFIntroduction: As reported by WHO, hypertension is the third ‘killer’ disease, accounting for one in every eight deaths worldwide.
Many modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors are found to be associated with the disease.
The present study aims to determine the role of dietary management and physical activity in the control of hypertension in a given population.
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted that. Study included all hypertensive patients (290) from the field practice area of a tertiary care institute. A self-constructed, pretested questionnaire was used to enquire about the socio- demographic factors and other risk factors associated with hypertension. The data was analyzed using SPSS 23 and valid conclusions were drawn by using the chi-square test.
Results: Out of 290 patients, 204 (70.3%) were females and 86 (29.7%) were males. Univariate analysis identified decreased salt intake, decreased fatty food consumption, physical activity, stress management, and spiritual help as highly significant factors affecting hypertension. On multivariate analysis, physical activity, stress management and spiritual help were found to be significant.
Conclusion: The study showed that physical activity, stress management and spiritual help were significantly associated with hypertension control among the elderly. Measures should be taken to create awareness about lifestyle modifications in the control of hypertension
Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect on Oral Hygiene and Nutrition in North Indian School Students: A Cohort Study
Get PDFThis study investigated the relationship between dental hygiene and child maltreatment, malnutrition, and overall development. The researchers examined 900 students aged 5-15 years from government schools in Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh. The study observed nutritional status by assessment of the physiological status of the body based on its height and weight and signs of abuse/neglect. The results showed that 260 abused students had poor dental hygiene, and 236 of them were mild to moderately malnourished. In comparison, 362 non-abused students had dental neglect, and 232 were moderately malnourished. These findings highlight a significant association between dental care neglect, child maltreatment, and malnutrition. It is crucial to address the social stigma surrounding this issue, normalize discussions, and encourage dentists to identify signs of abuse and inform relevant authorities about potential discrepancies
Prevalence of Sexually transmitted infections in females attending community health centres in the rural area of Dehradun, India
Get PDFBackground: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are major public health concerns, particularly among women. Aims & Objectives: The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of laboratory-confirmed RTIs/STIs in a sample of 228 self-reported females aged 14-55 visiting community health centers. Additionally, the study sought to explore the correlation between these infections and clinical features. Material & Methods: The study included 228 females aged 14-55 visiting the STI clinic in Doiwala Block, Dehradun. Vaginal/cervical swab and blood specimens were collected after obtaining informed written consent. Specimens were processed at HIMS using standard microbiological methods to diagnose various STDs. Results: The study found that 50% of females attending community health centers had laboratory-confirmed RTIs/STIs. Bacterial vaginosis was the most prevalent infection (25.9%), followed by candidiasis (24.6%), Trichomonas vaginalis (2.6%), and syphilis (1.3%). Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis were not detected. Notably, there was a significant association between the prevalence of RTI/STI and the literacy status, occupation, and socioeconomic status of the respondents. Conclusion: This study highlights a high prevalence of RTIs/STIs among females in a rural area of Doiwala Block, Dehradun. Bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis were the most common infections. The findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions and education to address this public health issue, particularly among women with lower socioeconomic status and literacy levels
Epidemiological Determinants of Depression among the Geriatric Population Residing in a Slum of Urban India: A Cross-sectional Study
Get PDFBackground: Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Worldwide interest in geriatric depression has increased but studies to assess the depression among the elderly population in urban slums has hardly been done. So this study would shed light on the risk factors of depression among geriatrics in urban slums.
Aim & Objective: To study the epidemiological determinants such as age, marital status, education, financial dependency, economic status and chronic illness in relation to of depression among the geriatric population (60–80 years).
Settings and Design: Community-based, cross-sectional study for 24 months with a samplesize of 209.
Methods & Material: Urban slum area represented by one health post was selectedas the study area which caters to around 96,630 slum residents. Pre-tested semi-structuredinterviews were conducted after selecting households by systematic random sampling. Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. A chi-square test was applied.
Result: The present study shows overall prevalence of depression among the elderly above 60 years of age to be 48.6%. Depression is found to been significantly associated with an increase in age, living alone (72.7%), lower class economic status (100%), financial dependency (54%), history of chronic family illness (54.7%) and with no formal education (62.1%) among elderly dwelling in slums.
Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of depression in the community and hence, a need to sensitize Primary level Health Care Services to institute screening tests considering the association of these determinants with depression and link them to specialized services for further management
The Burden and Risk Factors of Reproductive Tract Infections among Married Women Aged 15-49 Years in Urban Slum of Agra Uttar Pradesh
Get PDFIntroduction: In developing countries, reproductive tract infection among women commonly goes undiagnosed and their sequel causes various complications.
Objectives: To find out the prevalence of RTI/STI through a syndromic case approach and its correlates among women of reproductive age group.
Material and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 500 eligible married women residing in urban slums of Agra by using WHO Syndromic case approch for diagnosis of RTIs/STIs.
Results: The overall prevalence of RTI/STD was found to be 32.80% where vaginal discharge (22.60%) and lower abdominal pain (8.20%) were the most common syndromes. On multivariate analysis, religion, caste, type of absorbent used during menses, and history of IUD use were found to be significantly significant.
Conclusion: The result of this study highlights the high prevalence and potential risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of RTI. It also emphasizes the need of training and education session of the participants to identify the early symptoms of RTI
Identifying Pre-hypertensives in the Community: At Risk Approach for Prevention of Hypertension
Get PDFIntroduction: Pre-hypertension is a borderline health state of increased blood pressure (BP) that falls short of the measurable parameters at which surveillance and/or therapy would be required. The approach of identifying people “At Risk” of developing hypertension can be more cost-effective and feasible for applying lifestyle interventions.
Objectives: The objective of the present study is to find the prevalence of pre-hypertensives and associated bio-socio-demographic factors
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1946 participants aged 19 years and more in the Doiwala block of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Multistage sampling was used to arrive at desired sample size. A pre-validated, structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire included information on the socio-demographic profile (age, sex, education etc.), awareness about hypertension and its associated risk factors.
Statistical Analysis: The chi-square test was used to compare proportions and draw inferences.
Results: 958 (49.2%) study participants out of a total 1946 were found to be pre-hypertensives. A statistically significant association was found between pre-hypertension and factors such as male gender, age, education, occupation and waist-hip ratio. (p<0.05) Conclusion: It is recommended that identification on the pre-hypertensive group and subjecting them to lifestyle modification could be a fruitful strategy for preventing them from becoming hypertensive
Environmental Factors Influencing Tobacco Usage among High School Children in Lucknow City: A Cross-sectional Study
Get PDFBackground: Evidence proves that the majority of adult tobacco users begin using tobacco as children or teens. Teenagers are drawn to tobacco products for a variety of reasons. Public health planners are gravely concerned about the current rapid trade and tobacco use among teenagers in a developing nation like India.
Objective: The present paper focuses on the prevalence of tobacco use among children in the eighth to tenth grades and the various environmental factors that contribute to tobacco use among children.
Material and Methods: Following ethical clearance, six government schools in Lucknow were chosen for this cross-sectional study, and data was gathered using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) to examine the relationship between tobacco use in children and other independent influencing factors. Logistic regression analysis was used.
Results: 21.7% of the children used tobacco in some or the other way. Supari with tobacco was the most popular tobacco product consumed by children (48.3%). Statistical analysis showed that family members consuming tobacco at home and adults sending their kid to get tobacco had a high connection with tobacco use among children. The direct relationship between children watching individuals consuming tobacco on television and their arousal of interest for the same was also seen. Similarly, the presence of tobacco vendors outside the school and easy availability of tobacco products to children significantly influenced the tobacco consumption habit.
Conclusion: Tobacco users in families, adults sending children to buy tobacco, children’s arousal of interest on seeing people using tobacco on media, tobacco vendors outside the school, and the easy availability of tobacco products have all been proven to be environmental triggering factors for tobacco consumption amongst high school students
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice related to Tuberculosis among Rural and Urban Community of North India
Get PDFTuberculosis is known as one of the long-standing and dominating health problems affecting people and the extent further escalates in a developing country like India. A pre-evaluated feedback structured questionnaire was validated and adopted to get their quantitative data from 424 respondents. In the present study urban respondents (60.8%) gave affirmative responses regarding awareness of TB, especially with mobile media as their major source of information, followed by information from healthcare workers. Rural respondents were less expressed and deficient on knowledge of TB transmission and preventive methods. Prevention practices toward TB are claimed to be high in urban population because 79.48% believed that early diagnosis, prompt treatment and avoiding poor hygiene and crowded environment are effective strategies to cease the transmission of TB. Effective preventive and informative strategies should be employed in rural border areas to make up for the knowledge gap found among rural and urban populations in this study
Unleashing the power of Virtual Reality to manage LAZY EYE-A silent public health problem: A case study from India
Get PDFAmblyopia, also known as "lazy eye," is a childhood vision disorder characterized by impaired coordination between the brain and the eye, resulting in decreased vision in one eye. It is not caused by any structural abnormalities in the eye but rather by a lack of effective coordination between the eye and brain during the crucial period of visual development in early childhood.(1) Amblyopia is a significant global public health issue, with an estimated prevalence of 1-5% of the global population according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Developing countries face a higher burden of amblyopia due to limited access to early diagnosis and treatment. If left untreated, amblyopia can result in permanent vision loss and impairment, negatively impacting an individual\u27s quality of life, educational achievements, and career prospects.(1) A 2017 study explored the prevalence and impact of amblyopia and strabismus in Indian children. The study found a prevalence rate of 1.67% for amblyopia among children aged 5-15 years, with a higher occurrence in rural areas compared to urban areas.(2) In another study conducted by Gupta et al. found the percentage of amblyopia was 8.6% (n=31) among 5-15 years children in uttrakhand.(3) Another study conducted by Ganekal et al. revealed the prevalence of amblyopia was 1.1% (n?=?44) among 5-15 years of students.(4) The research emphasized the importance of enhanced awareness, early detection, and improved access to suitable treatment options to alleviate the burden of amblyopia in India. Furthermore, the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) conducted a study in 2019 titled "AIOS Guidelines for Amblyopia Management." This study aimed to provide evidence-based guidelines for managing amblyopia in India. It highlighted the lack of awareness and limited availability of eye care services in certain regions, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment of amblyopia. The guidelines emphasized the significance of early screening, timely intervention, and appropriate treatment approaches to prevent long-term visual impairment in children.(5
Electives in Medical Curriculum- An Insight of Medical Students
Get PDFBackground: Electives include courses that are interest based, where the students are free to choose the course content. NMC has introduced electives in medical curriculum and it has been implemented for the first time in various medical colleges. Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the perception of MBBS students regarding Electives program. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the first batch of MBBS students that completed the electives program after taking their consent and approval from ethical committee. Electives Experience scale (EES) and Electives Rating Scale (ERS) were developed, tested, and used for this study. Median, inter quartile range, Cronbach’s alpha and Mann Whitney tests were used for analysis. Results: Most of the students learnt theory, practical, AETCOM (ethics & communication), clinical skills and research in both blocks of posting but research was more focussed in block 1 and practical knowledge and clinical skills in block 2. For the Likert scales (EES-1, EES-2, ERS-1, ERS-2 & ERS), Cronbach’s alpha was found to be quite robust for all the scales. Median and inter quartile range were calculated for EES and ERS scores. Mann Whitney test showed significant gender difference for EES-2. If the student had got elective of his/her choice in block 1, the mean ranks of EES & ERS were significantly higher but if the student had got the elective of his/her choice in block 2, significantly higher scores were seen in overall ERS, ERS-2 and EES-2 only. Conclusion: Electives is a welcome addition to the medical curriculum. However, proactive approach from the student is a must to utilize this opportunity to the fullest