ABSTRACT
Background: Hand washing with soap is a cost-effective tool of disease prevention, but most of the time it is overlooked. Use of contaminated hands enhances transmission of germs into body causing ill-health. Mothers clean, prepare, serve and feed the food. If this is coupled with poor knowledge and practice of hand washing it increases risk to spread of diseases to self, other family members especially to under-fives. Present study was conducted to address this issue being a critical factor in disease prevention. The objective of the present study was to determine the knowledge and practices of hand washing amongst mothers of under-fives.Methods: Present cross sectional study was conducted at UHTC, field practice area of Community Medicine, GMC, Latur amongst mothers of under-fives visiting UHTC to avail health services. The data was collected in a predesigned, pretested questionnaire by interviewing them.Results: Out of 204 mothers, 38.24% were from the age group of 24-26 and majority i.e., 69.61% were housewives. 99.02% mothers were aware that unwashed hands can transmit the diseases. Most of the mothers told that clean hands reduces food and water contamination. Maximum i.e., 97.57% mothers washed hands before eating and 71.57% washed before cooking. All the mothers washed hands after visiting toilet. Most mothers used soap and water (85.3%) for hand washing. Significant numbers of mothers, under-fives and other members suffered from diarrhea in last six months (p<0.05).Conclusions: Hand washing practices need to be followed at all critical moments for prevention of the faeco-oral infections.
ABSTRACT
Background: Health-care workers are at increased risk of infection with blood borne pathogens because of occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids. Needle stick injuries (NSIs) are major cause of blood borne infections transmitted among health care personnel. More than 90% of these infections occur in developing countries but most of these NSIs remain unreported. It is also found that 37.6% of Hepatitis B, 39% of Hepatitis C and 4.4% of HIV/AIDS in Health-Care Workers (HCWs) around the world are due to needle stick injuries. Aims & Objective: (1) To determine prevalence of needle stick injuries among health care workers. (2) To study circumstances under which they occur among health care workers in tertiary care hospital of Rural India. Material and Methods: A cross- sectional study was conducted among HCWs of rural tertiary care medical college and hospital. A total of 220 health care workers were included in the study. A self-designed, semi- structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. Results: A total 130 (59.09%) HCWs reported having occupational exposure to blood and body fluid in last one year, out of these 108 (49.09%) had NSIs and 22 (10%) had history of splash of blood and body fluid. Maximum exposure of NSIs was found among nurses (50%), followed by resident doctors (25.93%). Conclusion: NSIs were common occurrence among health care workers and they are grossly underreported.
ABSTRACT
Background: Sex ratio, an important social indicator measuring extent of prevailing equity between males and females in society. Aims & Objective: To find out awareness regarding sex determination and attitude towards gender preference among pregnant women. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital-based, descriptive study was undertaken among pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic. Information recorded regarding on the sociodemographic factors viz. education of study subjects, socioeconomic status; residence (rural / urban); religion and type of family etc. Information was also collected on the obstetric details. Socioeconomic status of family was calculated by using modified BG Prasad Classification. Views of pregnant women regarding awareness of sex determination and attitudes toward gender preference and female feticide were also recorded. Results: Total 840 pregnant women were interviewed during study period. It was observed that 622 (74%) pregnant women aware about availability of sex determination facility. Among all 496 (59.05%) had knowledge about the method of sex determination. In our study 294 (35%) of pregnant women gave preference to male child. A preference to male child was significantly associated with education of mother, socioeconomic class and sex of the last child whereas insignificant association with religion and gravida of women. Conclusion: Awareness regarding availability of sex determination facility and different methods of sex determination was found to be raised, but it is still not reflected in attitude and practice. This situation calls for two pronged strategy i.e. by women empowerment and by ensuring effective implementation of PCPNDT Act so that families found it difficult to undertake sex determination and selective abortions.