Indian Journal of Forensic and Community Medicine

153-156

Authors: Arif Viqar*,Munish Khanna

Stature is one of the important criteria for establishing identification of unknown person/dead body. Evaluation of stature is difficult in mutilated dead bodies which may be burnt or completely skeletonised. In this study on male subjects, stature was determined through the determination of percutaneous measurement of femur length. This study utilized simple linear regression and multiple regression analyses to estimate stature. Regression formulae and multiplication factors were developed for various combinations to reach the best estimate possible.

160-163

Authors: Dhananjaya B. S,Venkatesh P*,Rajesh S.

Introduction: There is gender bias in teaching and learning Obstetrics and gynecology to undergraduates and studies have shown that mostly male students describe educational inequities. We wanted to explore the effect of the students' gender on their perception of quality and quantity of teaching, the amount of experiential learning, and their interest in obstetrics and gynecology. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional mixed method approach wherein 96 internees (both lady interns and male interns) who had completed the OBG posting after taking their written informed consent, were given 18 point anonymous questionnaire comprising items about their learning experience and procedures. Two focus group discussions of 12 internees, who were grouped into girls and boys group, was conducted. The data was analyzed using Fischer exact test at 5% significance level. All the responses of FGD were transcribed, coded, grouped together into different themes and analyzed. Results: Female interns conducted more number of deliveries compared to males. Patients’ refusal to give history was statistically significant for males than females. Male interns were significantly less confident with managing gynecological problems compared to females. FGD revealed that patient factors like religion, better educational status, higher socio-economic level & people around the interns like postgraduates and nurses, sought female preference and also refusal from patients’ side. Conclusion: All these factors led to discrimination for male interns to learn and choose OBG as career.

168-172

Authors: Parul Sharma*,Kajal Srivastava,A Banerjee,Vyas Shaili

Introduction: Ascertaining food safety knowledge, attitude and practice of students have high importance because this eventually will lead to more food-conscious society and more healthy people. Only a handful of studies have been done to evaluate food safety practices among medical students. Aim and Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices regarding food safety practices among medical students.2 To impart health education regarding correct food safety practices to the medical students. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 students were covered after verbal consent. Information was collected on a pre-tested and pre-designed questionnaire on knowledge, safe handling and purchasing practices pertaining to safe food handling. Results: Majority (59%) had good knowledge on food safety practices, greater number had poor purchasing power behaviour and none scored good son safe handling practices score. Conclusion: The target study highlighted that students with good knowledge scores was only 40 percent, majority [77 percent] had poor purchasing power scores whereas none of the students had good safe handling techniques knowledge

177-180

Authors: Ravindranath A. Bhovi,Vijaykumar Mane*

Introduction: Lymphatic Filariasis is one of the most debilitating and disfiguring disease and is a major public health problem in India. Government of India had set the goal of elimination of disease by 2015 and Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is recognized as the main strategy to achieve it. Albendazole in combination with Diethyl carbamazine proved to have both long-term effectiveness in decreasing microfilaraemia and adult filarial worm antigen levels. Objective of Study: To estimate coverage and compliance to Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with Albendazole in Bidar District. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional evaluation survey was conducted in the month of September 2016 in Bidar district using multi-stage cluster sampling technique. A total of 744 subjects were interviewed and information about intake of Albendazole was collected in a predesigned questionnaire after taking an informed consent. Data thus obtained were entered and analyzed using Epi info software version 3.5.4. Results: The coverage, compliance and effective compliance to Albendazole as a part of MDA in Bidar district were 82.5%, 72.2% and 59.6% respectively. Among those who have received, only 39.3% have taken Albendazole by DOTS (Directly observed treatment). Conclusion: The present study demonstrates poor compliance to Albendazole during MDA campaign in Bidar district, emphasizing the need to emphasize on DOT method of drug administration for better compliance.

187-189

Authors: Kunal Mishra,Mohan Kumar Hansda*,Niranjan Sahoo

Introduction: Stress perceived by medical undergraduate students is a matter of concern. Sustained stress can lead to various psychological disorders like; withdrawal behavior, suicidal ideation and constant anxiety. Therefore it is essential that perceived stress must be resolved timely so as to avoid any untoward incidents among the medical students. Objective: To study the correlation of perceived stress and various socio-demographic variables in 2nd year undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods: A cross–sectional study was carried out in 2nd year undergraduate medical students in a medical college, and hospital in Odisha. A total of 107 students participated in the study. The SRQ-20, questionnaire of WHO was used to collect data on stress. Written informed consent was obtained from all the participating students, after ensuring them of the confidentiality, and anonymity of the study. Results: Analysis showed 40.19% of students had stress, the gender distribution of stress being 25.23% for females and 14.96% for males. The stress level as per residence was found in day- scholars to be 52.62% as compared to hostilities to be 37.49%; and students from joint family to be 49.99% as compared to students from Nuclear family as 37.62%. A total of 43.82% of students who are unable to cope with vastness of MBBS course, were stressed compared to 56.15% of students who were not stressed, despite being unable to cope with MBBS syllabus. Conclusion: The fact that a substantial proportion of students are stressed, timely intervention, to prevent any untoward incidents among the students must be carried out

193-196

Authors: Rajesh K Kulkarni,Mallikarjun K Biradar*

Introduction: Substance use patterns are notorious for their ability to change over time. Both licit and illicit substance use cause serious public health problems. While lack of a comprehensive policy has been repeatedly highlighted and various suggestions made to address the range of problems caused by substance use. Objectives: To study the socio-demographic profile and the reasons for substance use among patients admitted at De-addiction centre in Belagavi, North Karnataka. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all the patients admitted at the De-addiction centres during the study period were interviewed. The data was analyzed using Microsoft excel and proportions were used. Result: A total of 43 substance abusers were interviewed. Majority of the substance abusers (39.6%) were in the age group of 31 to 40 years. Most of the abusers had primary education (41.8%).81.4% of abusers were married and 76.7% were having nuclear type of family. Most of abusers were from lower socio economic status III to V (90.8%). History of substance abuse was observed in 58.1% of the family. Most of the abusers started using substance within 20 years (60.4%), 39.5% people used substance for < 20> Recommendation: Our observations point towards the vulnerability of younger age towards substance use and hence, it is proposed that the preventive health policies in this regard should be targeted specifically during teenage years.

202-207

Authors: Megha Luthra,K S Negi,Puneet Ohri*

Introduction: Number of elderly persons is rapidly increasing worldwide, mostly in developing countries. The elderly are at increased risk of nutritional inadequacy which, if detected in time, can be reversed. A comprehensive nutritional assessment tool called Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) has been confirmed to detect malnutrition in the elderly with reasonable accuracy. Aims and Objectives: To detect the prevalence and correlates of malnutrition in the elderly. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in urban field practice area of Department of Community Medicine, SGRRIM&HS, Dehradun using a pre designed, pre tested questionnaire filled by trained health teams. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 23. Result: Prevalence of malnutrition in elderly was found to be 32.2% which is significantly associated with changes in food intake and weight over past three months, mobility, neuropsychological problems, acute disease/psychological stress and BMI. Conclusion: Malnutrition in the elderly can be managed with a multi-disciplinary approach that treats the pathology as well as uses social and dietary interventions.