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Context: Postpartum depression (PPD) is onset of depressive symptoms in postpartum period from 2 weeks to 1 year. It causes maternal morbidity and long?term negative effects on growth and development of infant and child. It is often unreported and underdiagnosed. Aims: (1) To estimate the prevalence of PPD,(2) To determine socio?demographic, clinical, and obstetric correlates of the same. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was done in urban and rural areas of District Aligarh. Methods: A total of 304 females between 6 weeks and 6 months’ postpartum period giving consent were included in this study. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and clinico-social factors were recorded using predesigned, pretested questionnaire. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ?10 was used to screen for PPD and International Classification of Disease (ICD?10) criteria for confirmation. Statistical Analysis Used: Correlates of PPD were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of PPD was 9.5% using EPDS and was confirmed by ICD?10 criteria. History of abortion (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 6.0, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 2.2–16.5), poor relationship with in?laws(AOR: 5.1; 95% CI 1.3–20.5), marital conflict (AOR: 13.3; 95% CI 2.2–77.6), and substance abuse in husband (AOR: 3.1; 95% CI 1.1–9.0) were found to be significant correlates for PPD. Conclusions: About one in every 10 postpartum females suffered from depression but did not seek health care for the same. Women facing social pathologies such as substance abuse in husband, marital conflict, and poor relationship with in?laws are more at risk of PPD. Screening for PPD should be included in the maternal and child health care programs to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.
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Background: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is second only to cataracts as the most common cause of blindness overall. In the developing world, the prevalence of glaucoma is expected to rise even more dramatically as the population of adults has doubled within a span of few decades. So this study was done with an objective of finding out the prevalence of glaucoma among adults aged 40 years and above in the field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out for the duration of one year. A total of 680 persons were interviewed and examined by a trained ophthalmologist for detailed eye examination including visual acuity, refraction and slit-lamp bio-microscopy, intraocular pressure (IOP) by Keeler Pulsair non-contact tonometer confirm by applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and dilated fundus examination after ruling out the risk of angle closure. Anderson criteria were used to diagnose glaucomatous visual field defect.Results: In our study population, the IOP of the majority of population lied in 11-15 mm Hg with a mean IOP of 13.42±4.09 mmHg. In regard to optic disc examination, a cup to disc ratio of >0.6 was found in 35 eyes. According to the predefined criteria, a total of 31 subjects were diagnosed as glaucoma in either one or both eyes. The overall prevalence of glaucoma was found to be 4.6% (31/680), with the prevalence of primary open angle glaucoma, primary angle closure glaucoma, normotensive glaucoma and secondary glaucoma as 1.3%, 1.2%, 1.2% and 0.9% respectively.Conclusions: The prevalence of glaucoma is quite high in an elder population of Aligarh. This should warrant more intensive activities, focusing not only on early diagnosis and management of glaucoma but also include strengthening preventive ophthalmic care.
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Background & Objectives: Old age is associated with decline in physical, physiological & cognitive function affecting the quality of life of the elderly population. The robust increase in proportion of elderly has resulted in demographic burden in a developing country like India. To cope up with this burden appropriate & timely intervention is required based on the situational analysis of the health problems faced by the aged population. Objective is to determine the pattern of health problems among geriatric population and to find out the rural- urban difference in health problems, if any. Methodology: The cross- sectional study was done among 450 individuals aged 60 years & above residing at field practice area of Urban Health Training Centre & Rural Health Training Centre, JN Medical College, AMU, Aligarh. The data was obtained through pretested & predesigned questionnaire by selecting individuals using systematic random sampling with PPS. Data was entered & analyzed by SPSS 20. Tests of proportion & Chi square test were applied. P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The present study revealed that the most prevalent problem was cataract (79.6%), followed by depression (36.2%), refractive error (31.3%), locomotor problems (23.6%) and hearing loss (16%). No significant rural- urban difference was found among the prevalence of health problems. Conclusion: The study concluded that the magnitude of health problems faced by elderly ranges from low (hearing loss) to high (cataract) that warrants strengthening of the available health care services to tackle the burden of health problems.
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Background: Neonatal mortality in developing countries is one of the most important problems that need immediate attention in order to achieve Millennium Development Goals. Aims & Objective: To assess the knowledge and practices of pregnant women regarding good and harmful neonatal practices. Material and Methods: Study Design: A community based study. Setting: Field practice areas of Urban Health Training Center Department of Community Medicine, JNMCH, AMU Aligarh. Participants: 200 pregnant women. Sampling: Purposive sampling. Study Period: one year. Statistical Analysis: Data analysed with Epi Info version 3.5.1. Percentages, and Chi Square Test used. Results: Initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hour was done only in 16% of babies. Colostrum was given by 41% mothers. 20% babies were exclusively breastfed. Witch craft in neonatal illness was noticed in 70% babies. Majority of babies (97%) were applied kajal in the eyes. Prelacteal feeds were given in 80% and pacifiers in 72.5% babies. All the home deliveries except one were conducted by untrained dais. Untrained Dai did not wash their hands with soap and water in 64.5% of home deliveries. Dark and ill-ventilated room for conducting the delivery was used in 82% deliveries. The cord was cut with a used blade, or any unsterile scissors, knife, or sickle, broken cup in 68.8% of deliveries. Application of ghee/ cow dung on the cord was done in 93.5% deliveries. 100% newborns were given bath soon after birth. Delivery room was not warm in 54.6% of deliveries. Conclusion: It was concluded that harmful newborn care practices were common. This can be attributed largely to dais because most of deliveries were conducted at home. Some good practices were prevalent in the community like new blade, delivery in a warm room, practice of rooming-in.
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India has a great wealth of various naturally occurring plant drugs which have great potential pharmacological activities. Datura stramonium (D. stramonium) is one of the widely well known folklore medicinal herbs. The troublesome weed, D. stramonium is a plant with both poisonous and medicinal properties and has been proven to have great pharmacological potential with a great utility and usage in folklore medicine. D. stromonium has been scientifically proven to contain alkaloids, tannins, carbohydrates and proteins. This plant has contributed various pharmacological actions in the scientific field of Indian systems of medicines like analgesic and antiasthmatic activities. The present paper presents an exclusive review work on the ethnomedical, phytochemical, pharmacological activities of this plant.
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Background : The significance of staging the sexual development becomes apparent on observing a group of adolescents of similar age but with great variability in size, shape and level of pubertal maturation. Objectives: To study the pattern of sexual maturation and anthropometry in adolescent males. Methods: The cross-sectional study was done in school having a total of 2347 male adolescents, out of which 390 students cooperated in the study. Probability proportionate to size sampling was used. Sexual Maturity Rating (SMR) was done by showing pictorial representation to the adolescents. The data obtained were tested statistically by percentages and Chi-square Test using SPSS version 10.0 for windows. Results: SMR-1 ranged from age 10 – 13 yrs, SMR-2 ranged from 10-16yrs, SMR-3 started from age 11yrs and ended gradually at 18yrs. Similarly SMR-4 started from 13 yrs and SMR-5 at 14 yrs. The mean weight and height increased from lower age groups to higher age groups within the same stage of sexual development. Within the same age group the mean weight as well as height also increased according to the current stage of sexual development. Conclusion: There is great variability in the timings of onset of puberty and the progression of the sexual maturity among the adolescents. The anthropometry indices for somatic growth in adolescent are influenced by both the chronological age and the sexual maturity of the adolescents. Thus calculating the anthropometric indices in adolescent according to the age alone will not be of much use as the somatic growth also depends on the sexual maturity of the adolescents.