ABSTRACT
To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of safety belt use and the reasons for its non use among army personnel. A cross-sectional descriptive study. The study was carried out at Rawalpindi Cantonment from Jan 2013 to June 2013. The study was carried out among two different categories of Army Personnel i.e. officers and soldiers through a structured questionnaire. Mean age of officers and soldiers was 38 and 29 years respectively. A total of 146 [97.3%] officers and 128 [85.3%] soldiers were in favor of using seat belt while driving whereas 4 [2.7%] officers and 22 [14.7%] soldiers were against it. The study depicted that 147 [98%] officers and 133 [88.7%] soldiers had sufficient knowledge about the significance of safety belt use but the results regarding its use were not encouraging as 56 [37.3%] officers and 40 [26.7%] soldiers did not use safety belt while driving, although 146 [97.3%] officers and 128 [85.3%] soldiers were in favor of using safety belt. Army personnel had sufficient knowledge about the significance of safety belt; similarly attitude towards its use was also satisfactorily positive however, a significant percentage was indeed not putting their knowledge of significance into practice. Inattention and inconvenience along with inadequate law was the main reason for not using safety seat belt
ABSTRACT
To determine the frequency of hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies in the remote villages of district Skardu. A prospective study in a field setting. 123 Medical Battalion [Civil Hospital Tolti] Oct 2010 to Oct 2011. The study was carried out during establishment of free medical camps at five villages of district Skardu; all above 2600 meters of sea level. They were tested for HBsAg and volunteer an anti HCV with rapid, one step immunochromatic essay. All positive samples were confirmed by a third generation ELISA. Of 3145 volunteers were tested for both viruses; 54 [1.71%] were found positive for HBsAg and 34[1.08%] for anti HCV. This 54[1.71%] were positive for HBsAg and 34[1.08%] for anti HCV. The frequency of HBsAg and anti HCV in these remote villages of Skardu is lesser than more developed areas of Pakistan.