The Journal of Community Health Management

58-63

Authors: Salil Sakalle, A.K. Khatri, Suraj Sirohi, Sanjay Dixit, Anubhuti Kujur

Introduction: Vector borne disease like malaria dengue and Chikungunya are major public health problem in recent years. Objectives: To assess knowledge regarding breeding places of mosquito causing Malaria, dengue and chikungunia. To assess the Knowledge of people towards preventing Mosquito Borne Diseases (Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya). Materials and Method: A cross sectional observational community based study was carried out in different localities of Indore city. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 300 study participants of age group 18-65yr. Written Informed consent taken from the participants and pre designed, pre tested, semi structured questionnaire was used for elicit response from study participants . The data collected were analyzed and presented in table formats, charts which were obtained using excel and SPSS -22. Study duration was 6 Months. Relevant statistical test was applied and p value was calculated where ever required & considered significant when it is < 0> Results: Most of the population has been found to reside near stagnant water source, 73% the people either disagrees or doesn’t know that fumigation occurs in their colony or not, 74% didn’t have indoor residual spray in their houses, 54% clean their water tank within 1 month, 61% have crude knowledge about the symptoms of Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya and they visit doctor for treatment. Conclusion: Measures taken to prevent mosquito bite, Symptom knowledge, and Knowledge of suffering second time with dengue can be hazardous has significant association with the education status of study population.

72-74

Authors: Vikas Deep Mishra, Nikhil Sinha

The ill-effects of environmental air pollution on respiratory and allergic diseases is increasing. The evidence is accumulating that the rise in the incidence of allergic diseases in the developing countries is largely due to the increase in air pollution as a result of rapid and ill-planned urbanization and industrialization. Major source of energy for today’s world is biomass fuel and burning of biomass fuel produces high concentration of respirable particulate matter, toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide and various other organic compounds. These form an important constituent of environmental pollution, capable of worsening respiratory and allergic diseases.

78-83

Authors: Harjot Kaur, Gagandeep Singh, GPI Singh, Anil Sood, Varun MM.

Introduction: Contamination of ground water in Malwa region of Punjab has been in focus for at least last two decades. Higher than national incidence of cancer in Malwa region (107 against a national average of 80 per 100,000 population) is considered due to chemical contamination of ground water in this region . To ensure provision of potable water to rural Punjab, State government installed 1881 Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in affected districts. Although 180 crores of rupees have been spent on installation of these RO plants, no study has been undertaken to evaluate the project. The present study attempts to fill this knowledge gap by quantifying the extent of utilization of Community RO plants, and assessing knowledge and attitude regarding this scheme of government. Materials and Method: One thousand rural households in two districts of Malwa region were randomly selected to study the knowledge, attitude and practices of target population towards Community RO plants and their utilization through a cross-sectional study. Results: The study revealed that 50.7% of households were consuming water from the Community RO plants, although the awareness regarding contaminated non- availability of any family member for fetching the water (32%), un-affordability (18%), distance of RO plant (15%) and disliking the taste of water (17%).ground water in the region, and potential of contaminated water to cause diseases were much higher. The reasons for this knowledge-practice gap are highlighted. Most common of which are Conclusion: The study shows that any health program to fulfill felt-need of community should be piloted, and planned and implemented with community involvement, otherwise it is doomed to fail as the case of Community RO plants in Punjab where the utilization is mere 50% in spite of positive knowledge and attitude of the people.

89-99

Authors: Krishna Kumar Choudhary

Introduction: Despite the advertised impressive economic growth, stunting in children continues to be an important problem in India demanding further exploration of enigma of height. Role of socio-economic factors, environmental variables and genetic factors have been documented. Till recent past it was also argued that Indians are a different genetic pool and would need separate standards for measuring heights. It is important to understand phenomenon of height and its determinants. Objective: The aim of the study is to identify the intergenerational variation in adult height among tribal men and its determinants; to understand the structural changes in the pattern of food composition and adequacy in the neoliberal era, and illness histories along with changes in the health care service accessibility for understanding determinants of the height. Materials and Method: Two groups of villages were selected with different developmental levels as reflected in their backwardness, road connectivity, employment opportunities and poverty levels from Salumber Block in Rajasthan. The social history of these two groups of villages was collected through key person interviews and available records to understand the changes happening in living condition over a period of time. Average heights of adults and its patterns from the selected six villages were assessed through a sample of 573 adult men. The selection of 573men was done through systematic sampling process household. Adult male (20-60 years) of every 3rd household were the part of study for analysis of the intergenerational variation. Childhood history of 120 adult males (10 from each stratum of 20-40 years and 40-60 years) was collected from every 5th household for detailed analysis of determinants of height. The childhood history was corroborated with the parents/guardian/caretaker or elder person of the family member who observed the growing periods of respondents. Women respondents were excluded from the study due to the corroboration issues. Because before and after 20 years women left their parental house due to marriage. So, in that case researcher was unable to track the person who observed the growing age periods of women. The selection of generations is based on the age group division. Age group 20-40 and 40-60 represent current generation and earlier generation, respectively. Results: The average heights of tribal men from six villages are 162.19 cm (95% CI (161.74-162.64, p-0.001). The Meena community from the group two villages showed significant improvement in current height about 2.17 cm (p-0.002) while group one villages showed decline in average height of current generation about 1.05 cm. The days of food shortage and reported hunger in the growing age/years is inversely associated with average height gain (p-0.001). The frequency of pulses and dairy product consumption significantly associated with average height gain (p-0.03 and 0.001, respectively). Occurrence of disease and recurrence of disease in the growing age is significantly and inversely associated with height gain (p-0.001). The episodes of diarrhoea in the growing age were observed to be a major impediment of the height growth (95%CI, 21.48-24.40, p-0.001). The villages where the employment opportunities are frequently available round the year showed improvement in the average height of current generation. Conclusion: The average height of the current generation is marginally improved. Changes in the pattern of food consumption and adequacy affected the average height of current generation in the new globalization era. Adequate nutrition intake, lower exposure to disease environment, and better access to health care services is positively and significantly correlated with height gain of the individual.

106-109

Authors: HS Sndhu, Shishir Jain, Ashish Bahal, Ayyappa G

Objective/Introduction: Tuberculosis is a overwhelming public health worry in India. The Indian Subcontinent accounts for about 25% of the TB burden worldwide. Across the world, India has the highest burden of both TB and MDR-TB. The aim of this study was to study the resistance pattern of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis to first and second line anti-TB drugs among specimens from a hospital in Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Maharashtra. Materials and Method: This record based study was conducted at Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Maharashtra, from January 2017 .Records of Sputum from 2013 to 2017 were obtained from patients with suspected TB. Drug-sensitivity testing was performed by the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) method. Sensitivity to First line and second line drugs and Quinolones were tested. Results: Among 734 patients, 701(95.5%) were males and 33(4.5%) were females. Analysis of our Study result showed that 21.7% of patients were mono-drug resistant. Out of 734 isolates, 56 (7.62 %) showed multi-drug resistance (resistance to INH and RIF at least) and 33 out of 734 (4.5%) whereas 39 (5.6%) out of the 734 samples showed XDR. Conclusion:This study confirms that drug resistance, including MDR, observed against all first-line TB drugs was a real threat in the management of TB infection. The patterns of resistance in this study will assist clinicians in providing the right treatment regimen to TB patients and bring about an improvement in their clinical condition.

116-119

Authors: Niranjan Muralikrishnan, Rajeswaran Thiagesan

Introduction: The clean India initiative named as Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (SBA) is India’s flagship program which provides impetus to sanitation, hygiene and micro environment like our immediate surroundings but it has few evidences about its trickling down (awareness levels) among rural masses. Objective:To find the awareness and knowledge levels on SBA among rural construction workers and to explore impact on respiratory system due to unhealthy environment. Materials and Method:Four villages were selected from Kanchipuram district and one village was selected randomly. To field test the questionnaire fifty construction workers were identified and data was analysed. Frequencies for some variables and association analysis was done between the subject’s year of exposure to dust/occupation and years of exposure to tobacco with lung volume. Results: The term ‘Swachh Bharat’ was known by 53.3% and samples who were knowing the aims of the program was 50%. This study came out with a result that 93.3% of the samples reported they open defecate. There was no association was found between years of exposure and lung volumes. Normal lung volume was only 10% prevalent among the samples. Conclusion:SBA Mission needs to be more rigour in spreading its goals among the rural parts. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) must be supplied and made mandatory to these construction workers in rural areas to make their working environment more efficient.