ABSTRACT
Fluorosis is an important public health problem in certain parts of India. Nalgonda is one of the fluorosis endemic districts of Andhra Pradesh. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in Panagal, one of the urban slum areas of Nalgonda town of Andhra Pradesh. 265 individuals residing in 92 households of five colonies of Panagal were selected by multi-stage random sampling. Fluorosis was assessed by standard clinical methods and water samples were tested for fluoride level. It was observed that mean fluoride level in ground water samples in the area was 4.01 mg/l and that of Nagarjunsagar water was 0.74 mg/l. The mean age of the study subjects in the area was 34.73 years. The overall prevalence of skeletal fluorosis was 24.9% and that of dental fluorosis was 30.6%. The prevalence increased with age. Skeletal and dental fluorosis is endemic in the study area.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Anemia/diagnosis , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , India/epidemiology , Poverty Areas , Prevalence , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
A household interview survey of 200 households in a semiurban community in Pune Cantonment carried out during 1979 revealed a prevalence rate (persons, 109/1000 of chronic illness. Prevalence rate (No. of illnesses) was 140/1000. Multiple illnesses were found among 23.5 percent of ill persons. The present survey has been found to bring out the nature and extent of the problem of chronic illness as perceived by the community and relationship of chronic illness to social factors. The information, can be useful for public health and further research.