ABSTRACT
Background: Selfie’s are self-portrait taken to admire the excessive pride in one’s own appearance. When these selfies are taken persistently in increased numbers with futile efforts to stop taking them is called as “SELFIE ADDICTION”. There is an uncontrollable craving for taking selfie’s which has a great impact on the life style modifications substantially in the adolescent age group. This problem has just commenced but it has disseminated rapidly to a greater magnitude.Methods: This study was done as a community based cross sectional study at Pondicherry, Chennai and Kadaloor district during November 2015 and February 2016 with the objectives of assessing the prevalence and its risk factors of the Selfie addiction among adolescents. Individuals of adolescent age group were randomly selected and the data were collected using direct questionnaire method with proper informed consent. The data was entered in MS excel sheet and analysis was done using SPSS software.Results: A total of 766 college students were interviewed of which 53% were males with the mean age of 19 years. The purposes of taking selfies were time pass (46%), to admire themselves (14.5%), to post in social network sites (23.7%). Among the study participants 87% of them had the habit of taking selfies regularly using mobile phones and the number of selfies per minute varied from 2 to 10 per minute. The prevalence of selfie addiction was present among 111 (14.5%) and it was significantly associated with gender, higher version mobile phone users, early morning selfie takers, chronic mobile users.Conclusions: The prevalence of selfie addiction among adolescent population in our study was moderately high and hence interventions should be made to create cognizance among the general population about the risk factors and its consequences.
ABSTRACT
Medical education in India has undergone innumerable changes in the recent years. However the ultimate goal of Indian medical education system is to produce an “Indian Medical Graduate” who can provide holistic health care to the people of India and the world. Community medicine is a medical science specialty which plays a major role in achieving this goal. However there is a big yawning gap between the curriculum taught and the assessment methods which hinder our way to the goal. Among the various competencies expected out of an undergraduate only few are assessed in the routine internal and summative assessment examinations conducted. The key areas like communication, attitude, professionalism, leadership qualities, working as a team and inclination to scientific research has to be addressed. Formative assessment like 360 degree assessment, experiential assessment, portfolio can help us realize our dream of creating Indian Medical Graduates, the Primary Health Care physicians of India.
ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare workers have a high risk of exposure to various infections like HIV, hepatitis B and C. Among these, the risk of exposure and infectivity is highest with hepatitis B. Sadly, among a majority of healthcare workers, awareness regarding this serious disease which is also preventable by vaccination, is lacking. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the level of awareness and attitudes among medical and dental students regarding hepatitis B infection. Methods: This was a self-reported questionnaire-based study conducted among randomly selected medical and dental college students. The questionnaire included questions regarding hepatitis B infection, modes of transmission, vaccination schedule and attitudes towards hepatitis B patients in clinical practice. Results: A total of 246 students were interviewed of whom 144 (59%) and 102 (41%) were medical and dental students respectively. Overall, awareness levels were higher among medical students than dental students. We also found that female students were more knowledgeable than male students among both medical and dental student groups, with regard to awareness of hepatitis B infection as well as knowing the vaccination schedule, life-threatening complications and treatment and practice aspects. Approximately 60% of the dental students and less than 1% of the medical students were not vaccinated against hepatitis B. Conclusions: This study showed that overall awareness regarding hepatitis B is at a very basic level among the health care providers of the future and measures need to be taken to create complete awareness.
ABSTRACT
Background: Ebola virus disease is a dreadful condition associated with high mortality rate threatening the entire world. Our study was aimed to assess the knowledge and to create awareness about Ebola among undergraduate medical students. Methods: A self-administered, pretested questionnaire with 30 questions focusing on the general information of virus, mode of transmission, clinical features and complications of the infection, diagnosis, treatment, preventive measures, and epidemiological features was given to the study participants. Scoring system was followed, and statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test and comparison between different sections by one-way analysis of variance. Results: Totally, 263 medical students participated in the study. Based on the percentile of scores obtained they were categorized into three groups, better knowledge (18-30), average knowledge (10-17), poor knowledge (0-9). On the whole 70% students had an average level of knowledge 25% students had better knowledge and 5% students had poor knowledge. Female students had better knowledge when compared to male students (p<0.0001). Similarly, second year students had better knowledge than interns and final year students (p<0.0001). Students had less knowledge regarding clinical features, epidemiological features and relatively poor knowledge regarding diagnosis and treatment. Comparatively, knowledge about mode of transmission, preventive measures and general information of virus were better. Conclusion: This study demonstrates apparent lack of knowledge regarding various aspects of Ebola and emphasis to conduct awareness programs to manage the dreadful consequences of the disease if rises.
ABSTRACT
Research question: What extent do we crave for fast foods Background: Fast foods are consumed in larger quantities intended with persistent desire or futile efforts to minimise or to cease the intake of these items; hence it is called as “FAST FOOD ADDICTION”. Nowadays, there is an uncontrollable craving for excess of quick foods that has lead to significant life style modifications in the society regardless of the age group. In spite of quantum of this problem, there are very few studies from India investigating the addiction towards fast foods. Material and methods: This study was done as a community based cross sectional study at the outskirts of Chennai, India during November 2013 to January 2014 with the objectives of assessing the prevalence and its risk factors of the quick food addiction among adults. Individuals of adult age group were randomly selected and the data’s were collected using direct questionnaire method with proper informed consent. The data was entered in MS excel sheet and analysis was done using SPSS software. Results: Total 541 study participants were interviewed of which 58.8% were males with the mean age of 26 years. Among the study population 82.8% belonged to nuclear family and 65.1% were from class I socioeconomic status. The prevalence of quick food addiction was 30% (160). About 49.2% of people liked KFC as their favourite quick food place. Fast food addiction was significantly associated with male gender (p=0.02), professionals (p=0.000), unmarried (p=0.000), who enjoys quick food (p=0.014), KFC (p=0.003). Conclusion: The prevalence of fast food addiction among adult population in our study was moderately high and hence interventions should be made to create cognizance among the general population about the risk factors and consequences in consuming large amount of fast foods.