Knowledge assessment about hazards of smokeless tobacco use in patients coming to a DHQ Hospital

Background: Smokeless tobacco use is not perceived as an addiction in most South East Asian countries therefore both men and women use it frequently

Objectives: To assess the knowledge of smokeless tobacco users about its hazards in District Head quarter hospital, Thatta

Study design, settings and duration: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in District Head Quarter hospital, Thatta for 06 months duration

Subjects and Methods: The statistically calculated sample size was 325. Participants were enrolled using systematic random sampling technique. Written informed consent was taken and information related to demography and smokeless tobacco use was collected from the patients and their relatives on questionnaire. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS

Results: There were a total of 325 respondents whose mean age was 34 years. Only 4% had higher school certificate or were graduates while 50% had no formal education. The mean age of initiation of Smokeless tobacco [SLT] was 19.3 years. The mean length of use of smokeless tobacco was 13.87 years. The mean number of Smokeless tobacco use was 5.0. Factors influencing SLT use were cultural acceptability, easy access, low price, peer influence and used as mouth freshener. Male respondents were 2.7 times more aware about the hazards of SLT as compared to females [p < 0.001]. Nearly, one-in-three respondents reported trying to give up SLT use in the past

Conclusion: Cultural acceptability, low price and easy access of smokeless tobacco have led to high usage in under privileged uneducated population

Policy message: Tobacco cessation advising and warning should also be placed on smokeless tobacco products and health care providers should advise the smokeless tobacco users to quit it

Frequency of nutritional vitamin D deficiency in children 6 months to 5 years of age presenting with rickets at civil hospital, Karachi

Objective: to determine the frequency of Vitamin D deficiency in children presenting with rickets

Methods: descriptive case series was conducted at the department of Paediatrics Unit III, Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi in children 6 months to 5 years of age presenting with clinical rickets. Children taking vitamin D were excluded. The subjects fulfilling inclusion criteria were enrolled after informed consent. Blood samples were taken from each patient and were sent to the laboratory for vitamin D [25[OH] D] level. Serum level of vitamin D less than 20ng/ml was labeled as vitamin D [25[OH] D] deficiency rickets. The data was collected on pre-designed performa by the principal researcher. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 10

Results: the age of enrolled participants was 1.5 +/- 1 year. Of 159 enrolled participants, 91 [57.2%] were male and 68 [42.8%] were female. Frequency of sun exposure of 2-3 days a week was 97 [61.01%] and using vitamin D fortified foods were 34 [21.38%]. The frequency of vitamin D deficiency was 120 [75.47%] cases

Conclusion: in this study the frequency of vitamin D deficiency in children 6 months to five years with rickets was 75%

Maternal risk factors in preterm neonates

To study the frequency of maternal risk factors in preterm birth. Descriptive - Cross sectional study. This study was carried at Hamdard University Hospital, Karachi from January 2013 to December 2013. All preterm neonates were examined at Hamdard University Hospital. Mothers who delivered neonates before 37 weeks of gestation and their suspected maternal risk factors contributing to preterm labor were registered on a pre-designed proforma. Keeping prevalence of 14.9%[1], bound of error 5%, confidence interval 95%, the calculated sample size is 195. There was Non-probability consecutive sampling. Mothers who delivered live born babies in Hamdard hospital Karachi before 37 weeks of gestation. Babies were born after 37 weeks of gestation and still birth. During the study period, 195 mothers who delivered preterm neonates were included. Out of 195 patients, anemia was found as most common risk factor for preterm delivery in 50.8% mothers, followed by history of previous abortion and premature rupture of membrane with 23.0% and 13.8% respectively. History of previous preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia and antepartum hemorrhage were the least reported risk factors at 4.1% each in our study. Prematurity is still a major problem in Pakistan. Early detection of the most common maternal risk factors as: nutritional status of women [BMI], previous abortions, previous preterm births will reduce the prematurity rate, medical cost and suffering of the parents