A study on sexual risk behaviors of long-distance truck drivers in central India

Background: The sexual behavior of trucking populations has been associated with the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV in India and elsewhere in the world. The objective of the study was to describe the Health seeking and sexual risks behaviors among the long distance truck drivers and to estimate the prevalence of STI symptoms in the long distance truck driver. Methods: Cross sectional study conducted on the Long Distance truck drivers plying on national highway passing through Bhopal state Highway, who halted at road side group of “Dhabas” (road side hotels) at 3 exits ways of Bhopal City M.P (India). A total of 309 truck drivers approached over a period of 90 days. Out of these 251 consented for the study. Result: The study revealed that 49 % of the long distance truck driver had CSW exposure in last 6 months. The prevalence of STI symptoms was found to be 21.51 % among the long distance truck drivers. The Truck Driver who had exposure with CSW more than five times in the last 6 months were found to be more careless regarding using condoms while having intercourse with the CSW’s. Conclusion: Effort like availability of condoms in the high risk group settings is required. Dhabas should be made to function as a sentinel centre for promoting awareness for HIV/AIDS and STIs.

A Study to Assess Various Problems Faced by Street Children of Bhopal City

Introduction: Like all other children, although street children have the basic right to develop, survive and thrive, they encounter innumerable problems. To do so, at first it is necessary to address these children interms of what problems they face in their everyday life, what is their survival mechanism and in a broad sense their livelihood process. This research is an attempt to shed light on these cruxes in the context ofBhopal city in Madhya Pradesh. The study was conducted with objectives to observe the lifestyle of street children, to identify the problems faced by them, and to assess their survival and coping mechanism in response to the problems they encounter.Methods and Materials: The study was a cross-sectional study to access various problems faced by street adolescents of Bhopal city. Street children were identified using snowballing techniques and data from these street children was obtained via interview using a checklist having various parameters about street children according to study needs. 100 willing street children were identified and enrolled for the study.Results: According to certain indicators like dwelling condition, income level, food habit, education and health, among the street children who were interviewed, 37% were found to be educated below fifth standard and 73% were uneducated. The respondents were of ages 11 to 15 years. Most of them were Hindus. 51% of the children on street used community toilets, 53% practiced open defecation. Most of them did not get sufficient food to eat. Major work reported was serving in hotels, dhabas and begging. Main problem faced during work was heavy workload and less payment received, poor health andvulnerability and verbal abuse. Major coping mechanism was keeping patience and enduring the problems until finding some solution.Conclusion: The present menace of mushrooming of different categories of disadvantaged, abandoned, vulnerable, destitute street living, working and playing children in the cities has posed an intense threat to humanity and child rights. The livelihood trajectories of the street children entangled with terrific and aggregated predicaments and problems is nothing but the presentation of their endangered and chaotic livelihood that requires very selective and careful choice and application of coping mechanisms to survive on the streets

Self-medication practices of over the counter analgesics among first and third semester undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, Jharkhand

Background: Self-medication is a widely practiced trend in the general Indian population. Among the medical students, self- medication is popular because of awareness about the disease and their treatment. Analgesics are one of the most common drugs used for self-medication. Very few studies are available in Jharkhand regarding this subject. So, the present study aims to delve into the pattern of self-medication practices of analgesics among the 1st and 3rd semester medical students of RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand.Methods: A questionnaire based cross sectional study was done in RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India in March-April 2019 among the undergraduate medical students. The results were expressed as percentage and frequency.Results: Out of total 150 and 142 students in the 1st and 3rd semester respectively, 140 and 130 students practiced self- medication.  Advice from seniors was the biggest source of information in both the groups followed by internet and books. Paracetamol was the most common drug (75%; 60%) and headache was the most common indication (55%; 68%). Quick relief of symptoms was the most common reason for self-medication in both the groups (44%; 48%).Conclusions: In both the groups, the students continued the drug even after experiencing side effects (77%; 60%). Most students were of the view that such practice is not acceptable at all times (75%; 72%)

Economical way to decrease financial burden: anti rabies vaccines by intra dermal administration in developing countries

Background: To prevent deaths due to rabies only remedy available is post exposure prophylaxis. The major constraint is affordability to anti-rabies vaccine for intramuscular administration or intra dermal administration as PEP. So, intra dermal anti rabies vaccination (IDRV) as recommended by WHO in developing countries like India, reduces the quantity and cost of vaccination, although in most of the health facilities still intra muscular anti rabies vaccination is preferred. Objective of our study is to assess the cost benefit of intra dermal anti rabies vaccination and to find out the demographic profile of patients attending ARV clinic.Methods: It is a hospital record-based study done after ethical committee approval, carried out in a tertiary health care facility, Hamidia hospital, Bhopal (M.P.), India.Results: Our study includes 4818 entries of dog bite cases in whom vaccination cost is found to be approximately Rs. 3,90,420 with Intra dermal administration and it reduces vaccine cost by 60-70% compared with mostly preferred intramuscular vaccination. Among them 31.47% were below 14 years of age and majority 75% were male. Category III bite cases are most common 83.6% and commonest site of dog bite was over the lower limb 68.73%.Conclusions: Intra dermal regimen is more cost beneficial compared to intra muscular regimen, which is thus more helpful to reduce financial burden in developing countries like India.</jats:p

Evaluation of knowledge and awareness regarding usage of mcp card amongst health functionaries and beneficiaries

Introduction: Mother and child protection (MCP) card has been developed as a tool to help families to know about various types of services which they need to access for the health and well-being of women and children. The auxiliary nurse-midwife (ANM)/anganwadi worker (AWW) record the desired information in place provided in the card and the beneficiaries are pregnant women and mother/families of children up to 3 years of age. The present study was therefore undertaken with the objectives to assess the knowledge of health functionaries on appropriate usage of MCP card; to study the knowledge of beneficiaries about the MCP card and its importance in maternal and childcare. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted from February 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018 on health functionaries at anganwadi center and beneficiaries of MCP card. One hundred and five anganwadis and 3 beneficiaries per anganwadi were selected using convenience sample consisting of one pregnant female, one mother/family member of child <6 months and one mother/family member of child between 6 months and 3 years. Data regarding sociodemographic details of health functionaries and beneficiaries along with data regarding usage of MCP card were assessed. Results: Overall knowledge regarding immunization was maximum (87.6%) among health functionaries, whereas knowledge regarding five cleans was minimum (10.5%). Only 56.3% and 76.5% AWW and ANM received orientation training regarding MCP card. Out of 315 beneficiaries, only 50.8% beneficiaries knew about correct validity of MCP card, i.e., 0–3 years and 190 (60.3%) beneficiaries found MCP card helpful during referral. Majority of beneficiaries wanted custody of MCP card to be with the mother or beneficiary themselves. Only 8.6% and 4.4% beneficiaries wanted custody of card to be with AWW and ANM, respectively. Conclusion: The MCP cards are being used adequately for keeping the background information, antenatal care provided to the mother, and immunization among both health functionaries and beneficiaries

Unsafe injection practices and its predictors in Government health care facilities of Central India.

Introduction- Irrational and unsafe injection practices are Insidious in developing countries harming the patient and alluring risks to the health care workers. Poor injection practices, including injection overuse and unsafe practices have been reported in many developing and transitional countries Objective - To determine the proportion and predictors of unsafe injections practices in government health facilities. Material and method - It was a descriptive cross-sectional study done in duration of 6 months A sample of 280 was calculated and 83 injection units of 11 government health care facilities were considered for the assessment. Generation of descriptive Statistics was done. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify potential risk factor of unsafe injection practices. Result- 45 % of the injection practices out of total 280 observed injection practice in all the 11 facilities selected in study is found to be unsafe. Primary health care facilities were 2.13 times more likely to exhibit unsafe injection practice while secondary health care facilities were 1.45 times more prone to unsafe injection practice as compare to tertiary health care facilities. Conclusion- High frequency of noncompliance to best injection safety practices are widespread in the government facilities. This Situation is even worse in the primary health center and community health center.</jats:p

Psychosocial and Behavioral Problems in School Going Adolescents of Urban Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Introduction: Adolescence has been identified as a period in which young people develop abstract thinking abilities, become more aware of their sexuality, develop a clearer sense of psychological identity and increase their independence from parents. Adolescence is a period of immense behavioral, psychological, social changes and challenges.Objectives: To quantify the proportion of different psychosocial and behavioral problems as perceived among adolescents and to find the behavioral problems, psychosocial problems, sexual orientation, drug abuse, physical problems, etc., among them.Materials and Methods: This was a community-based mixed method study conducted in schools situated in the field practice area of Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal.Study Population: The study population consisted of high and higher secondary school adolescents of class 10th, 11th and 12th including those who were present on the days of study.Study Period: Study was undertaken from the month of August 2015 to October 2015 for a period of three months.Sample Size: The total adolescents for selected schools were 615 out of which a sample of 530 was selected using convenient sampling.Statistical Analysis: Data were entered into MS excel; analysis was done with the help of Epi-Info-7 software. The procedures involved were preliminary data inspection, content analysis, and interpretation. Frequency and percentage were calculated.Results: The mean age of all the respondents was 16.42, ranging from 15 to 17 years. Most of the adolescent males perceived stress followed by depression to be the major mental problems in their routine life, while the females faced loneliness followed by anxiety as major psychological problem. The adolescents prefer education (29.81%) as their first priority followed by making career (29.62%) ranked as two. The male respondents admitted body built (38.71%) and beard problems (30.97%) major physical and sexual concern. The female respondents admitted body built and breast size to be their major physical and sexual concern. The various challenges faced by the adolescents include peer pressure (41.12%) which appeared to be the top most challenges faced by them. Among the adolescents, conflicted relationship with parents and generation gap were the biggest reason for problems in their family