International Journal of Research in Health Sciences

875-8

Authors: Shankar Reddy Dudala, K Ashok Kumar Reddy, G Ravi Prabhu

Almost all community- based studies focus on socio-economic stratification, which is the key parameter for proper understanding the affordability of the community of health services, amenities and their purchasing capacity. Prasad’s socioeconomic status scale measures socioeconomic status of both rural and urban community based on per capita monthly income of the family.

1-8

Authors: Trujillo, Elena María 1, Suarez, Daniel Enrique 2, Lema, Mariana 3, Londoño, Alicia 4

Background: The use of alcohol in Colombian adolescents is a widespread phenomenon and public health concern. In order to design effective and culturally sensitive prevention strategies, the variables related to alcohol use by adolescents must be explored. The aim of this study was to explore in detail some of these variables in a population of early adolescents in Bogotá-Colombia. Methods: We used a qualitative methodology conducting sessions of participant observation, semi-structured interviews and focus groups for data collection. The sample size included 160 students between 12 to 14 years of age from two middle schools in Bogota. Data was analyzed using a thematic analyses approach. Results: Our results emphasize the impact of parental example and costumes’ in this age group. It is common practice in these communities to provide alcoholic beverages to minors in their own households as a way of “teaching them how to drink”. Also, pressure to consume alcoholic beverages comes not only from their peers but also from family members like uncles and cousins. The idea that they can control themselves while drinking is prevalent. Finally, these adolescents are more concerned with immediate risks, mostly related to parental scolding and disappointment, rather than long term consequences, and do not appear to be swayed by the actual risks inherent to the behavior in itself. Conclusion: These findings should be taken into consideration when designing and implementing prevention strategies aiming to reduce the use of alcohol in early Colombian adolescents.

41-44

Authors: P. Shakeer kahn 1, G.Raviprabhu 2

Back Ground: Today about one fourth of biomedical waste is considered as hazardous and may affect the health of both medical personnel and general community. As medical students are going to be one of the important components of health care system, they should have proper and sufficient knowledge on biomedical waste management. So awareness about various aspects of biomedical waste management has to be assessed frequently. Objective: To know the existing awareness and knowledge about biomedical waste management among medical students of a tertiary care hospital, Tirupati. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study was done in 127 students of 7th semester from Sri Venkateswara Medical college, Tirupati, by pre-designed questionnaire. The responses were analyzed using epi info software 3.5.1 version. Results: Majority (74.8%) of the students are between 21-22 years. 114(89.8%) students are not aware of BMW legislation. It was found that knowledge regarding handling and safe disposal biomedical waste management among 54(42.5%) medical students was inadequate. Majority has deficient in knowledge and awareness regarding categories of bio medical waste (73.2%) and its disposal in colour bags (71.3%). Conclusions: Frequent awareness campaigns and classes may be conducted to improve the knowledge about safe handling and disposal of bio medical waste among medical students for future practical application.

47-52

Authors: Babita Bansal1, Jaspreet Takkar2, N.D.Soni3, Deepak Kumar Agrawal4, Sonika Agarwal 5

Abstract This study was undertaken in the Department of Physiology in collaboration with Department of Pathology, Dr.S.N.Medical College and Umaid Hospital, Jodhpur (Western Rajasthan) ,India during 2005 to 2006 to compare the severity and distribution of anemia among 500 Pregnant Women aged 18 to 35 years in urban and rural sectors of Western Rajasthan & its association with certain economic factors and religion. A multistage random sample design was used for the purpose of detailed study and World Health Organization (W.H.O) classification was used to define anemia. All the women consulting for the first time excluding those with prior pathology or regular use of medicines were included in the study. In this study anemia was highly prevalent 84% (n=500) in Pregnant women.30-35 years age group women were most affected by anemia. The prevalence of anemia was much more in women belonging to Muslim community (92.3%)as compare to Non-muslim(81.1%)because of less health awareness, extreme poverty, large family size & over crowding leading to recurrent infection in this caste resulting into anemia. Multiparous pregnant women were found 100% anemic. We conclude that anemia is a significant problem of women. It needs new programme strategies, particularly those that control the large family size and improve the overall nutrition status of Pregnant women. This will require tailored programs across the socio-economic groups and within both rural and urban areas, particularly among the urban and rural muslim .Problem of anemia is not difficult to treat but effort must be made to educate women and enhance their level of economic status and management of anemia must be dependant on the identification of the cause of anemia. All these measures would ensure safe motherhood.

62-68

Authors: Singh Ajai 1, Srivastava Rajeshwar Nath 2

Back Ground: Today about one fourth of biomedical waste is considered as hazardous and may affect the health of both medical personnel and general community. As medical students are going to be one of the important components of health care system, they should have proper and sufficient knowledge on biomedical waste management. So awareness about various aspects of biomedical waste management has to be assessed frequently. Objective: To know the existing awareness and knowledge about biomedical waste management among medical students of a tertiary care hospital, Tirupati. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study was done in 127 students of 7th semester from Sri Venkateswara Medical college, Tirupati, by pre-designed questionnaire. The responses were analyzed using epi info software 3.5.1 version. Results: Majority (74.8%) of the students are between 21-22 years. 114(89.8%) students are not aware of BMW legislation. It was found that knowledge regarding handling and safe disposal biomedical waste management among 54(42.5%) medical students was inadequate. Majority has deficient in knowledge and awareness regarding categories of bio medical waste (73.2%) and its disposal in colour bags (71.3%). Conclusions: Frequent awareness campaigns and classes may be conducted to improve the knowledge about safe handling and disposal of bio medical waste among medical students for future practical application.

74-79

Authors: Jaspreet Takkar 1, K.C. Manchanda 2, Babita Bansal 3, Sushila Gahlot 4, Gagandeep Singh Grover 5

Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and among its complications neuropathies are the most common. Central diabetic neuropathy may lead to delayed evoked potentials in the central pathways. To evaluate the auditory neuropathy in diabetes mellitus ,this study was undertaken in the Department of Physiology and Department of Medicine at Govt. Medical College and Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab during 2008-2009.For this, Brainstem auditory evoked potentials were recorded in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus divided into three groups based upon the duration of disease. The parameters recorded were absolute latencies of waves I,III and V & Inter-peak latencies(IPL)I-III and I-V. These were compared with age and sex matched controls. The results showed no statistically significant changes in any of the above parameters. This could be attributed to fairly good glycemic control of the patients included in the study. Thus, we conclude that patients with good glycemic control develop no auditory diabetic neuropathy irrespective of the duration of disease. However more studies are required to substantiate these results.

84-87

Authors: Meeta Jain1, Shubhra Agrawal Gupta2, Dipshikha Maiti3, Pritam Roy4

Recently unsafe sexual practices and adolescent pregnancy has been gaining more focus. Emphasis has been laid upon introduction of sex education in secondary schools to ensure healthy reproductive life. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the understanding of meaning and methods of contraception, the status of unmet need for contraception & the reasons for unmet need of contraception in Raipur city, Chhattisgarh among 204 teachers from 6 schools with pre-designed, pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The current study not only identifies the unmet need among school teachers, but also identifies serious lacunae and prejudices in terms of knowledge and attitude regarding contraception. An urgent need is thus identified for education and training of teachers through seminars and workshops, to equip them properly not only in addressing their unmet needs for contraception but also for the task of providing sex education adequately in schools.

96-102

Authors: A. R. Rao1, Shankar Reddy Dudala2, Chandrasekhar Reddy Bolla3, B. P. Ravi Kumar4

Background: Mortalities associated with tobacco are very high, making it a disease of public health importance. The “Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply, and Distribution) Act (COTPA)” has been formulated to control this epidemic. Information on knowledge, attitudes and practices of population regarding COTPA is necessary to effectively implement the legislation. Hence the present study was undertaken. Material and methods: The present study was a cross-sectional community based survey carried out in Khammam town. Data was collected using a structured schedule by interviewing 322 participants (mean age 37.5 years). Proportions, percentages and Odd’s ratio were calculated for relevant variables. Results: Overall awareness about COTPA was 47.5%. Higher education, higher SES, and increasing age had positive influence on awareness. Awareness regarding any tobacco related health problem was very high at 97.5%, among which it was highest (49.4%) for cancer followed by respiratory disease (37.6%). About two thirds (68.9%) of the participants had a favourable attitude towards COTPA. The positive attitude was more (73.3%) towards display of health warnings on tobacco products. Older participants (OR 7.6), people from higher SES, and more years of education were more likely to have positive attitude towards COTPA (OR 4.5). Current use of any tobacco was reported by 56.2% of the participants. Conclusion: a concerted effort has to be made to increase the awareness of the Act amongst the vulnerable population

2-8

Authors: Raghotham Reddy K1, Sashidhar B2

Background: Television viewing is a boon/bane is an ongoing controversy. Though it is an important current area of research, studies in this aspect are limited. To fill up the lacunae in the current knowledge in this regard, the present study has been undertaken with the following objectives. Aims: To study the television viewing habits among high school children, to know the beneficial and harmful effects of television viewing. Settings and Design: Khammam Town, cross sectional study. Methods and Material: 450 children in between 13 and 15 years of age, of both sex, studying in different schools were selected in Khammam town by simple random technique. Information was collected in a prestructured proforma by interview method. The data thus obtained was subjected for analysis by using appropriate statistical tests. Statistical analysis: Data was statistically analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). P value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Out of 450 children 251 were Male and 199 were Female. Average time for TV viewing was 1.96 hours ± 1.0 /day with a range from 1 to 6 hours /day. Headache (12.6%), eye strains (11.5%), sleep disturbances (10.8%), neck pain (0.4%), nail biting (8.6%), etc were the health disturbances due to Television viewing. Conclusions: Duration of TV viewing had direct role in causing headache and eye strain; but it had no significant effect on sleep disturbances and school performance.

15-22

Authors: Raghotham Reddy K1, Rao AR2, Chandrasekhar Reddy B3

Technological advances have advanced Medicare to new heights. This is both a boon and a bane. It is a boon to those who can pay and a bane for poverty riddled families. The private enterprise has initiated health schemes targeting the white collars and premiums that are beyond the reach of Below Poverty Line (BPL). An innovative and first of its kind program, the state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) having its impetus and focus on BPL families.

28-33

Authors: B.Sidda Naik1, Sushma2, Shankar Reddy Dudala3

The role of ocular injuries in causation of blindness has been a subject of immense importance and will remain so because of the rapid industrialization and mechanized farming which is coining up in our country. Cross-sectional observational study. Patients attending the outpatient Department of Ophthalmology, SVRRGG Hospital, Tirupathi with a history of Ocular Trauma. A total of 187 patients with mechanical eye injuries have been enrolled. In the present study, 73.8% were male and 26.2% were female. 56.1% belonged to 15-45 year age group. In both male (56.5%) and female (55.1%) maximum number of ocular injury cases were from 15-45 year age group. 70.1% were from urban area and 29.9% were from rural area.