Epidemiological features of dog bite and its awareness among victims: report from abbasi shaheed hospital karachi

Objective: To estimate the burden of recently reported cases of dog bite in a tertiary care center of Karachi and to analyze the awareness of these victims or their attendants about dog bite or rabies

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted during January to June 2008 at Emergency department of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Our sample was comprised of 393 patients, reporting first time after stray dog bite incident. The relevant information was obtained regarding patients' age, gender, details of injury, management and patients' knowledge about dog bite and rabies. SPSS 13 was used to manage data and perform analysis

Results: It was found that 83% of the victims were males and 52.4% were of less than 15 years of age. In our data, 26.7% victims reported within twenty-four hours of the dog bite. Mapping of dog bite cases revealed that 24% belonged to Orangi town while 14% each from North Karachi and Nazimabad. Knowledge of people related to rabies was very poor and 91% did not know that rabies could result after dog bite. Only 7% knew that rabies is a fatal disease and 0.7% responded that it can be prevented by vaccines

Conclusion: Dog bite is a significant public health problem among young males with preponderance in certain areas of Karachi. Lack of education of people and lack of health communication reflected well through carefree practices and attitude of victims of dog bite

Morbidity due to stress in postgraduate trainee doctors of Karachi

To find out stress level and its related morbidity among Postgraduate Medical Trainees. This Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Dow University of Health Sciences and Agha Khan University Hospital Karachi during January to December 2008. Postgraduate Medical trainees who were pursuing FCPS, MCPS and DCPS were included. Self administered Questioner were distributed and doctors were selected by non-probability convenience sampling technique. Trainee doctors were found stressed 62.3%. A large no of trainees [34%] complained of Indigestion. Palpitation, tearfulness, waking at night, poor appetite found in [24 - 25%]. Complain of minor psychiatric illnesses, tiredness and lack of energy, having more responsibility than can handle, in ability to stop thinking about problem, difficulty in taking decisions, feeling of being trapped or cornered in 45- 50% doctors. The stress level of Postgraduate trainees was found to be high There were high prevalence of physical morbidities as well as minor psychiatric illnesses

Stress in postgraduate trainee doctors of public and private Universities of Karachi

To evaluate and compare stress level of Postgraduate trainee doctors in public and private sector Medical Universities. A comparative cross sectional study was conducted at Dow University of Health Sciences and Agha Khan University Hospital Karachi among Postgraduate Medical trainee who are doing FCPS, MCPS, and DCPS from Jan. 2008-Dec. 2008. A total of 207 doctors were selected by non-probability convenience sampling technique. Main outcome was major stress level of Medical trainees or resident. Out of the total 207 trainee doctors 62.3% were found to be under stress. Proportion of females with stress was 66.3%. Most of the married PGs 67.2% had high stress level. A large proportion almost 69.7% of doctors who were in stress belongeds to low income group. This study did not find any statistical significance of stress with respect to different demographic and socioeconomic variable that were age, gender, monthly income, specialty and university. The stress level of Postgraduate trainees in both the universities was found to be high. The stress was found to be high among female trainees but no risk factor showed significant association with stress. Every effort should be made to help the future healers in understanding the symptoms of stress and ways to deal with it effectively and safely

Effectiveness of aripiprazole in schizophrenia

The study was aimed to see the effectiveness of a new antipsychotic drug, Aripiprazole in reducing symptoms of schizophrenia. It was an interventional quasi experimental study. Data was collected from Institute of Psychiatry Baqai Medical University, Department of Psychiatry Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Department of Psychiatry Pakistan Air Force Hospital Masroor, during July-December 2006 Forty schizophrenic patients, diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria, of both genders between 15 -50 years of age were included in this study. Patients with co-morbidity were excluded. After initial assessment, patients were switched over to aripiprazole 15-30 mg. Clinical Global Impression Scale, was used to measure the treatment response. Patients were followed fortnightly for a period of three months. Twenty-two patients [55%] showed a significant clinical improvement initially. Eighteen patients [45%] did not show the improvement sufficient to decide about continuation of medicine. Four patients were dropped as they did not turn up. A statistically significant difference was observed in baseline and at 12th week CGI- scale with a P value of <0.01. The drug was as effective as Haloperidol. Effective dose was 30 mg daily

Determinants of acute otitis media in infants

To describe the relationship of acute otitis media with mode of feeding [bottle-or breast-fed] and with different positions of infant during feeding. Study dcsign:Case control study. Babies aged up to 24 months [62 cases, 66 controls] were selected from the OPD of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and the Aga Khan Hospital, Karachi. The variables considered were the gender of the infant, mother's educational level and occupation, mode of feeding and the different positions during feeding. SPSS version 11.5 was used for descriptive and inferential analysis. There was a significant association of otitis media with lying position of baby during feeding [OR 37.7, 95% CII 3,34106.43, p< 0.001]. bottle feeding [OR 3.0. 95%CI I .43-6.25, p=0.003], working mother [OR 3.8, 95% Cl 1.3810.34. p=0.007] and education of mother [OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.01.4.24, p=0.044]. Babies with acute otitis media were more likely to be bottle fed and having a lying posture during the feeding than babies without having acute otitis media

Evaluation of undergraduate curriculum and future career choices of medical students at Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi

This study designed to assess the curriculum of medical teaching and to explore the future career choices of the medical under-graduates. It is a descriptive and cross-sectional survey, carried out at the department of community medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was distributed to 292 fourth year medical students. Data was analysed by calculating the proportions of the students' responses. Sixty eight percent medical students were females. A substantial proportion i.e 32.6% of students had not decided their future choices. Among 153 students 'who decided their career choices, most of them [28.5%] intended to choose medicine, 24.7% to surgery, 11.7% to pediatrics and 7.9% to obstetrics and gynecology as their future career profession. Only two students showed interest in basic sciences and five in medical education. Medical students favoured small group discussions and problem-based learning as the teaching strategy. Most of the medical students were not satisfied with the teaching program. A substantial proportion of medical students could not decide their future path

survey of hepatitis B infection awareness and prevalence of vaccinated dental students in teaching institutions of Karachi

The Hepatitis B virus [HBV] is an extremely infectious blood borne pathogen. There are estimated 350 million chronic carriers worldwide. 1 In comparison to other viruses, HBV differs mainly in its higher infectivity and preventability. Several published reports have raised concerns over the risk of medical students related to occupational blood exposures during the clinical medical training. 27, 29 It is important to emphasize that the training period in dentistry is associated with a greater frequency of exposure to blood borne pathogens than in medicine. 30 Such hazardous exposures are not infrequent among local health care workers. Further the training of undergraduates is also not well structured to prepare and prevent them from occupational exposures of infections. We conducted a survey to determine the awareness of hepatitis B virus infection and prevalence of vaccinated dental students in the teaching institutions of Karachi. A questionnaire survey was conducted about awareness, prevention, transmission of hepatitis B infection and vaccination against hepatitis B, from students of all five dental institutes in Karachi. Total of 590 students replied, with 243 [42%] students from pre-clinical and 347 [58%] from the clinical years. Frequency of vaccinated dental students was 86.16% in clinical whereas 74.89 among pre clinical students [p-value 0.01]. Knowledge of transmission and awareness was high amongst the clinical students as compared with pre-clinical [p-value 0.01]. Preclinical students were more aware about the prevention of HBV infection than clinical students [p-value 0.01]. A considerable proportion of students is not vaccinated against hepatitis B. In our sample clinical dental students had inadequate knowledge regarding prevention of HBV infection. Strategies need to be developed by the concerned authorities for prevention HBV infection in dental professional during their training and education