ABSTRACT
Culture and society always an important factor that contributed to build the stereo types rather positive and negative that affect our everyday life. As with other social issues ageing is also effected the cultural and societal stereo types. Concept of old age was not the only creation of old age rather it was started when they were young and strong concepts were developed and concreted with the passage of time as he get older and older. [1] To explore what Older Persons [OPs] perceived about old age. [2] To find the cross relationship between their concept of old age and their disease status. Statistically calculated sample of 384 OPs were randomly interviewed by taking their verbal consent after introducing them about objective of study. Structured questionnaire was developed for data collection purposes. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS. among 384 respondents 31.3% perceived old age as illness and disease, 15.9% consider it stress and depression, 25.5% were of the view that old age is phase of social isolation and ignorance, increased dependency was also recorded 9.1% and less social participation as 11.7%. Hypertension was reported by 8.1% of the study respondents, Heart problem in 12.8% cases and Diabetes in 15.1% cases. Awareness of religious education along with role of social institution plays the leading role to reduce the intensity of negative stereo types and helps elders to develop positive concepts about their last age will be supplementary measure for active, and healthy and prosperous old age
ABSTRACT
Older age is defined as "the phase of life when someone is socially, economically and culturally dependent on others to pass their life". Loneliness is an important concerns' of researchers especially to study its damaging effects on older persons. Pakistan with 6th largest population of the world facing ageing issues as other nations of rest of the world. Objectives:To explore the existence of loneliness and its effects on elder's health as observed by their disease status. Design: Cross sectional study. Period: Sep 2013 to Dec 2013. Setting: TMA Rawal Town, TMA Potohar Town, Rawalpindi City. Methodology: Research was conducted in urban areas of Rawalpindi city and to collect the data a structured data collection tool was developed and modified with the help of pre-test observation under similar urban environment. After data collection tool responses were converted into code planandthen data was entered in EpiDataandanalyzed in SPSS. Results: These show the participation of males about 70% and females 30%. Among 384 respondents, 88.3% reported feelings of loneliness and only 1.7% not agreed with the question statement. Cross comparison of loneliness and disease ccurrence shows that those OPs who feel loneliness predominantly reported the diseases like Hypertension, Heart problems, Diabetes, Arthritis, AsthmaandTB etc. These findings depicts that loneliness played a key role in the promotion of bad health status among OPs of sample area. Conclusions: Legislative bodies should consider this issue and do practiced efforts to increase OPs participation within a family and their immediate social networks, it will help to reduce bad effects of loneliness and sustain active ageing.
ABSTRACT
Culture is a learned behavior. It is a community's knowledge and set of practices that evolves out of continuous interactions with the outer environment feedback either positive or negative. In a strict sense culture is a man-made nature opposite to physical nature to survive. The objective of the study was to investigate the interrelationship of older persons' [OPs] marital status and mode of living with their medical history. Cross Sectional Study. The study was conducted on behalf of Help Age Pakistan. The data collection was done in various union councils of Rawalpindi city. The study duration was three months and lasted from Sep-2013 to Dec-2013. Structured questionnaire was developed to collect information on Older Persons' health, economic and psychological status. In this regard, an extensive questionnaire was designed and pre-tested vigorously. Questionnaires were filled by the graduates of PMAS-Arid Agriculture University. The respondents who were single were mostly heart patients [n=14, 21.4%]. The married respondents reported other diseases that included mental health, skin problems, paralysis, eye and hearing impairments and TB etc [n=704, 20.7%]. Widows and widowers were in the third category with the same problems reported in second category [n=274, 20.1%]. Results in the category of hypertension explain that elder peoples living in their own houses reported 9.1% hypertension, OPs living in rented houses suffering from hypertension were 10.3%, in case of hired residence percentage recorded was 0.0% and in the other category of living like living with relatives, friends or any other, 14.3% OPs were fighting with hypertension in their lives. The data reveal that OPs living single are likely to catch heart problems, the married OPs were suffering from mental illnesses, dermatological problems, paralysis as well as hearing and visual impairments. The results show that OPs living in their own houses were better off than the ones living in other mode of living. Rented houses reported high percentiles of hypertensions, heart problems, and diabetes
ABSTRACT
Specific objective of the study was to determine the level of information and awareness regarding TB among the urban dwellers of Malikwal. Descriptive study. This study was conducted in UC-Tehsil Malikwal District Mandi Bahauddin. Duration of study lasts from Jan-2013 to March-2013. With the help of structured questionnaire the data of 70 respondents were collected. Quality of questionnaire was improved with the help of recommendations of pretesting activity. After taking verbal consent data was gathered by enumerators. Data was entered in EpiData software and analyzed in SPSS. Data shows the 58.6% participation of age group 20-30 years, 70:30% ratio of male and female representation, 42.9% respondents passed their college level of education, among 70 participants 39 reported cough lasts longer than three weeks as sign and symptom of TB, 61 [n=70] were those who said that through polluted air TB virus effects general population, 59 [n=70] reported that through covering mouth and nose during cough and sneezing is necessary to prevent TB, 66 [n=70] respondents said that anybody will be infected by TB, 77.1% were of the view that by using specific medication TB can be cured by getting the services from government clinic as reported 91.4%, 80% of sample said that TB treatment and diagnosis is free of cost in Pakistan as spread information by TV as reported 64.3%. Government departments along with line departments and private stack holders are required to ensure wider level of implementation of projects about the social awareness on TB containing quality of information while using various means of IC and T tools including media to cover the masses
ABSTRACT
Objective of the study was to explore the Stigma, attitude and practices with special reference to TB in Urban areas. Descriptive study. This study was conducted in UC-49. Tehsil Malikwal District Mandi Bahawaldin from Jan-2013 to March-2013. To gather the data on set objective a structured questionnaire was implemented. To collect the data a sample of 70 was interviewed after verbal consent. Tool was refined as per the highlighted suggestions of pre-testing under similar environment. Data was entered in EpiData software and analyzed in SPSS. Tables show the participation of both male and female as 70:30% respectively. In case of TB symptoms; Doctor or other medical worker was consulted for sharing by 91.4% respondents, 71.4% respondents would like to visit health facility [Government or Private], 14.3% visit the pharmacy for treatment, 30% were those who visit the health facility when they observed TB signs especially duration of cough, 65.7% urban residents visit the care center as soon they realize they had TB, 8.6% hate TB patients, 30% response friendly but avoid TB patients, 40% show sympathy toward TB patients, and 60% were said that the life of Tb patients were poor. In spite of health interventions aimed at awareness, treatment and rehabilitation of TB in Pakistan, the country still stands distinctively among the nations where TB is sky rising. The government and civil society need to move ahead from policy level to practical implementation of measures to prevent TB. At cultural perception level, there is a need to remove misconceptions about TB being the one that severely bars the social life mingling