ABSTRACT
Background: Dengue fever and its complications have become a nightmare for common people in Asian countries including Pakistan. Besides environmental factors responsible for its transmission, there are many host factors too involved in its rapid spread
Objective: To assess risk factors for dengue fever among patients reporting at Liaquat University Hospital [LUH] Hyderabad. Study Design, Setting and Study duration: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at LUH, Hyderabad for six months i.e. from 15[th] May 2013 to 15[th] November 2013
Methods: 481 patients were registered through convenient sampling after informed verbal consent. Patients' demographic features, clinical presentations and laboratory reports were collected on a preformed proforma
Results: The reporting rate for dengue fever was 18.5% and the mean age of presentation was 28.5 +/- 3.5 years. Males were in majority [72.55%] 3 and the average days of admission were 4.5 days; low platelets count [< 50,000/mm[3]] was recorded in 72% of cases; however 11.64% patients presented with hemorrhagic tendency. Age was strongly associated with thrombocytopenia [p=0.04] and with occurrence of hemorrhage [p=0.03] in both genders; this association was more evident among males [p=0.01]. However among uncomplicated cases no association was evident between gender and length of stay in [p=0.35]
Conclusions: The alarmingly higher reporting rate of dengue fever necessitates contextual preventive interventions. As younger age and male gender are the major risk factors for this disease; therefore age-specific and gender-specific preventive strategies against this disease are recommended
ABSTRACT
The occupational dust leads to various respiratory diseases. It is a major health problem among factory workers and is under reported in everyday scene of medical practice. To assess the frequency of occupation related lung diseases among study population. To seek association of socio-demographic characteristics with occurrence of lung diseases among study population. Descriptive cross sectional study. This study was conducted in the Zeal Pak Cement factory, site area, Hyderabad for a period of one year. Data was collected by filling a questionnaire; subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Frequencies were computed, chi-square test was applied to see any statistical analysis of various categorical variables. Among 100 subjects examined, the frequency of respiratory diseases was found among 83% workers. 70% subjects belonged to labour class who were closely exposed to occupational dusts. 58% of the subjects were earning < rs:4000 /month; however no association of socio-economic status was seen with occurrence of respiratory diseases [p=0.06]. 63% workers belonged to age group 31-40 years. Chronic bronchitis was the most commonly presenting respiratory disease i.e. 37%, while cor pulmonale reported in 4% of the workers. Silicosis along with tuberculosis was reported among workers of age group 40-50 [p=0.01]. The high frequency of occupation dust related respiratory diseases warrants further research in order to design preventive strategies against them