ABSTRACT
Background: Non communicable diseases (NCDS) also referred to as “lifestyle diseases” are the leading cause of death globally. Most of the NCD risk factors are behaviorally acquired which are due to change in lifestyle during adolescent age groups With this in mind the present study was conducted with the following objective to determine the prevalence of risk factors of NCDS among medical undergraduates of a district of West Bengal.Methods: Cross-sectional observational study among 96 medical students of a medical college in a district of West Bengal using WHO STEPS questionnaire. Analysis of results was done by percentage and proportion.Results: A total of 96 students were interviewed and examined. Mean age was 19.3 years.12.5% were current smokers, 8.3% were alcohol users. 53.1% did no exercise. 46.5% female and 37.7% male had mild to moderate risk of high BMI, 51.2% female had abnormal waist circumference. 46.5% girls had abnormal waist hip ratio. 34.8% female and 35.8% males were pre hypertensive while 4% boys were hypertensive. Out of 22 students who had undergone blood test, 4.5% were early diabetic. 13.6% had borderline risk and 4.5% high risk for blood cholesterol.Conclusions: A high prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases was found in the present study which emphasizes the need of interventions to reduce these risk factors among these future doctors.
ABSTRACT
Background: Patient satisfaction is perhaps is a proxy indicator to measure the success of a hospital. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of patient satisfaction among patients attending Otorhinolaryngology outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care teaching hospital in a district.Methods: Cross-sectional observational study among 230 patients attending Otorhinolaryngology outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care teaching hospital in a district using a modified validated Bengali questionnaire. Analysis of results was done by percentage and proportion.Results: Overall satisfaction was above 60% for only 42.6% of patients. Major dissatisfaction was with the registration system. 50.4% were dissatisfied for waiting at the queue of registration counter to get OPD ticket. Other causes of dissatisfaction were infrastructure e.g. non-availability of adequate seating arrangement (39.6%), fans (58.7%), non-availability of drinking water (71.7%). 78.3% were dissatisfied for the available washroom facilities. However 92% were satisfied by attention paid by doctors.Conclusions: The present study was an attempt to assess the level of satisfaction of the patients. It highlights maintaining privacy during history taking examination and improving infrastructure like drinking water and washroom facilities, improving registration system to decrease waiting time can improve patient satisfaction which can be easily done with help of stakeholders.
ABSTRACT
Background: The health of the elderly population and the emergence of noncommunicable diseases have become major public health issues in recent years. Metabolic syndrome is thought to be the main driving force for the global epidemic of cardiovascular diseases, as well as for type 2 diabetes. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its correlates among the residents of care homes for the elderly in Hyderabad city, India. Methods: A total 114 elderly persons (aged ≥60 years) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the 2005 criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Data were collected on selected sociodemographic, behavioural and nutritional variables and cardiometabolic risk factors. Blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were also recorded. Fasting blood samples were collected for measurement of blood glucose and serum lipid levels. Univariable logistic regression was applied to investigate the associations between metabolic syndrome and known risk factors; adjusted analysis was then done by multivariable logistic regression for significant variables. Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 42.1% (48/114) among the study population. A higher prevalence (50.9%; 27/53) was found among women. High blood pressure or taking antihypertensive medication was found to be the most common (95.8%; 46/48) cardiometabolic component. The risk of metabolic syndrome did not differ significantly by age group, sex, caste, religion, type of diet (vegetarian or non-vegetarian), educational status, behavioural factors such as tobacco use and alcohol intake, physical activity (assessed by modified Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] scale), or physical exercise. However, a body mass index ≥23 kg/m2 was associated with metabolic syndrome (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 8.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.78–21.28); adjusted OR: 9.31; 95% CI: 4.12–22.14) Conclusion: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome in this study population of elderly care-home residents in India was more than 40%. Further research on the burden of metabolic syndrome in the elderly population is warranted.
ABSTRACT
Background: Reproductive tract infection (RTI) represents a major public health problem in India. Women are either not aware of the symptoms of RTI or refuse to seek health care due to economic and time constrains unless suffering from alarming symptoms. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of women with suggestive symptoms of RTI; to identify clinical and cytological abnormalities among the symptomatic women and to find out association between socio-demographic profile and risk factors with RTI symptomatic and cytology positive patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 385 married women in reproductive age group residing in Baligori sub-center area in Tarakeswar block of Hooghly district, West Bengal, India, were screened for symptom suggestive of RTI; symptomatic women went through gynecological examination and cancer cervix screening by Pap smear. Analysis of results was done by Odds ratio and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Overall, 23.6% of the study population had symptoms suggestive of RTI. Most of them (68.1%) had abnormal vaginal discharge. Among the symptomatic women, cytology proved that 24.4% were suffering from acute cervicitis, 4.7% from A Squamous Cell of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS) and 2.3% from Low Grade Intra epithelial Lesion (LSIL) Squamous. Statistically significant association was observed for age, number of children, contact history of husband, pond bathing, menstrual hygiene, intra uterine device insertion, non-usage of barrier method, and history of abortion among women symptomatic for RTI and asymptomatic women. Conclusions: Prevalence of suggestive symptoms of RTI in women was found to be high (23.6%), and among them 7% had cervical dysplasia. Therefore, enhancing awareness and organizing screening camps are absolute necessity and must be held at frequent intervals to curb the menace due to cervical cancer.