ABSTRACT
Background: The wide and indiscriminate use of drugs has increased the incidence and the modes of presentation of cutaneous drug reaction. Understanding the nature of ACDRs may help narrow down the search for the offending agent. Aim- The study aimed to evaluate incidence, assessment of causality, severity and preventability of Adverse Cutaneous Drug Reactions as a part of Pharmacovigilance from a rural northern Indian medical school. Material and methods: The current survey was executed by the department of Pharmacology in collaboration with Department of Dermatology, MSDS Medical College, Fatehgarh among 7692 patients attending Dermatology OPD during March-December 2014. CDSCO ADR Reporting Form, WHO causality assessment scale, Hartwig and Siegel’s Assessment scale and Modified Schomock and Thronton’s preventability assessment scale were used as study tools. All the doctors, residents, interns and students were encouraged to notify any suspected ACDRs. Patients were screened and recruited if they presented with visible skin lesions suspected to be drug related. As per Modified Schumock and Thornton Scale, 43.5% of ACDRs were ‘Definitely preventable’ followed by ‘Probably preventable’ (30.4%) and ‘Not preventable’ (26.1%). Results: 23 patients (0.3%) were detected to have one or other type of ACDRs. Fixed drug eruption was most common form (34.8%) of ACDRs followed by Acneform eruption and Urticaria in 21.7% and 13% respectively among study subjects. The most common drugs responsible for ACDRs were prednisolone, betamethasone and isoniazid for Fixed drug eruption, while matronidazole, cotrimoxazole and paracetamol for acneform eruption. Antimicrobials, other steroids and NSAIDs were responsible for other spectrum of ACDRs. On assessment of Causality of ACDRs, it was noted that more than half (52.2%) of them fall under probable category. Severity assessment of ACDRs revealed that majority (65.3%) of them was moderate in nature. Conclusion: Awareness on part of the physician can help in timely detection of cutaneous reactions, thereby restricting damage from them. Pharmacovigilance activity is significantly effective in increasing the reporting of ADRs. Study with long-term follow-up and monitoring of the patients with bigger sample size is warranted.
ABSTRACT
Background: Identification of factors affecting utilization of primary eye health services would help the government and other eye care providers to address inequity issues in their eye care program. Aim: Therefore this study was planned to find out barrier to utilization of eye health services among people living in rural western Uttar Pradesh. Material and methods: The current community based cross-sectional survey which involved both qualitative and quantitative methods, was conducted among the residents. A total of 216 study subjects participated in the study. Factors in the supply side influencing utilization of eye health services by people from the community were sought through Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII). Results: Almost 80% of the respondents had agriculture as their major occupation and > 1/4th were from lower caste community. Regarding the seeking of eye care services, 52.4% respondents who gave a positive history of an eye problem in the family told they attended the nearest health facility; CHC, PHC or SC while 19.2% did actually go to the eye health center. Only 4.8% respondent did not seek any service. Among 112 respondents who were aware of one or other eye diseases, 74.6% identified dirty things fallen into the eyes as the cause of an eye problem followed by 50.3% of the respondents who pointed out injury to the eyes as the culprit. For emergency problem in the eyes 79.2% respondents told that they sought services from health facilities without delay, while 15.4% gave priority to starting household treatment. Conclusion: Raising awareness of the community about eye diseases and the services available together with strengthening of primary eye health services available at the local health facilities could help bring eye health services in closer proximity to the rural population.
ABSTRACT
Background: Voluntary eye donation depends on the awareness levels of various stakeholders in the community. Today’s medical students are tomorrow’s stakeholders of the community. Medical professionals can enhance eye donation rates by educating and motivating the relatives in case of patient's death. Aim: Hence the present study was undertaken with an objective of assessing the promoting factors for eye donation among medical students. Material and methods: The present descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among undergraduate students of a medical college in western Uttar Pradesh in the month of February 2014 using pretested self administered questionnaire. Results: 77% students knew about eye donation. 51% of them were willing to donate their eyes. Only 39% students knew that the ideal time for eye donation is within 6 hours of death. 64% had knowledge about vitamin A’s important role in prevention of childhood blindness. TV, newspaper or other media were the most important channels of getting information for majority (60%) of the students. Regarding perceived promoting factors for eye donation by them, noble cause (57%), pleasure to help the blind (51%) and inspired by advertisement on television (42%) were 3 top most promoting factors. Conclusion: Inclusion of different preventive and promotive aspects of corneal blindness along with basic eye health care into the course curriculum is the need of the hour.