Occupational Exposure to Needle Stick Injuries among Health Care Workers in a Tertiary care hospital: A KAP study

Background: Needle stick injuries (NSIs) are serious occupational health problem related to accidental exposure of health care workers (HCWs) while involved in patient care services. The percutaneous exposure to potentially contaminated blood and body fluids with blood borne pathogens are responsible for significant prevalence of Hepatitis B, C & HIV infections amongst HCWs. Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study conducted in hospital settings over a period of one year. 178 HCWs were selected for study using systematic random sampling after proportional allocation for each professional category in the hospital. Collected data was processed on SPSS ver 24. The association between needle stick and associated factors were measured using the odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval. The statistical significance was made at a p-value of less than 0.05. Results Total of 62 incidences of sustaining a needle stick injury in a year was recorded amongst 178 HCWs. In this study, statistically significant results with p value less than 0.05 was obtained with association with variables like gender [AOR=1.36 (0.64 - 2.68)], experience in years as HCWs [AOR=1.23 (0.32 - 2.12)], profession [AOR=0.063 (0.001- 0.43)], observance of universal precautions as wearing gloves [AOR=0.33 (0.169 – 0.631)] or any training on PEP or universal precautions [AOR=2.29 (1.320 - 4.696)]. Conclusion: NSIs have the potential to affect the health system both directly and indirectly. To lessen the dangers and impacts of NSIs stringent training should coordinate the endeavors toward preparing of health care workers, utilization of wellbeing designed gadgets, and diminishing patient burden per health care workers.

Postpartum and Newborn Care - A Qualitative study

Community-based postpartum care of mothers and newborns is vital to achieve mortality reduction. This qualitative study explored cultural beliefs and practices regarding postpartum care of mothers and newborns in rural Karnataka. Focus group discussions with newly delivered mothers and their caregivers in a rural maternity hospital, and in-depth interviews with community level health workers revealed cessation of the practice of withholding colostrum and the barbaric practice of branding, but found persisting harmful cultural beliefs and practices like withholding nutritious foods considered “hot” or “cold”, inadequate postpartum ambulation, separating husband and wife for up to a year or more after the birth, application of various substances to the umbilical stump and eyes of the newborn and giving pre-lacteal feeds. Antenatal and postpartum mothers, their caregivers, including elders in the family should be targeted by community level health workers for counseling and behavior change.

Prevalence of probable mental illness among college students in a select university in Bangalore rural district.

Background: Mental health is an important aspect in defining the “health status” of a person. Mental health of young adults plays an important role in shaping one’s life, social relationships, career and ultimately a country’s economy. Aims & Objective: (1) To assess the prevalence of probable mental illness among college students in a select university in Bangalore rural district; (2) To find the risk factors associated with probable mental illness. Material and Methods: This study was a cross sectional study undertaken at a private university (having colleges dealing with various academic streams under it) in Bangalore rural district. 404 students under the university were taken for the study considering the sample size required was 300. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used to screen each participant for mental illness. Data was analyzed using measures of central tendency, frequencies & Chi square test. Results: A total of 404 students participated in the study. Males were 265 (65.6%) and females were 139 (34.4%). The mean age of the participants was 20.37 years with SD 1.7 years. Age of the participants ranged between 18- 26 years. A total of 152 (38%) participants were screened positive for mental illness. Probable mental illness was significantly higher among: (a) females; (b) those who reported abuse by parents; (c) those who reported gender bias at home; (d) whose parents were separated/ divorced/ one parent had died; (e) those who were day scholars. Whereas no significant association was found between probable mental illness and (a) age; (b) academic streams; (c) parental marital disharmony; (d) absence of siblings; (e) father being alcoholic. About 50 (12%) participants reported to have had definite suicidal thoughts. Conclusion: The prevalence of probable mental illness is 38% in this study which is high. We recommend screening programmes for mental illness among college students which can go long way in preventing severe forms of mental illness and dire consequences like suicide among young adults

The changing spectrum of severe falciparum malaria: a clinical study from Bikaner (northwest India).

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Recently there were reports from all over India about changing spectrum of clinical presentation of severe malaria. The present study was planned to study the same in the northwest India. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on patients of severe malaria admitted in a classified malaria ward of a tertiary care hospital in Bikaner, Rajasthan (northwest India) during 1994 and 2001. It included adult patients of both sexes belonging to all age groups. The diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum was confirmed by demonstrating asexual form of parasites in peripheral blood smear. All patients were treated with i.v./oral quinine. The specific complications were treated by standard WHO protocol. The data for individual complications for both the years were analysed by applying chi-square test. RESULTS: In a prospective study in 1994 the spectrum of complication was dominated by cerebral malaria (25.75%) followed by jaundice (11.47%), bleeding tendencies (9.59%), severe anaemia (5.83%), shock (5.26%), Acute respiratory distress syndrome-ARDS (3.01%), renal failure (2.07%) and hypoglycemia (2.07%) whereas in 2001 it was dominated by jaundice (58.85%) followed by severe anaemia (26.04%), bleeding tendencies (25.52%), shock (10.94%), cerebral malaria (10.94%), renal failure (6.25%), ARDS (2.08%) and hypoglycemia (1.56%). The sharp difference for presence of jaundice and severe anaemia in 2001 and cerebral malaria in 1994 was statistically significant. Similarly, the important cause of mortality in 2001 was multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (71.10%) with predominant presentation of jaundice and renal failure, whereas in 1994, it was cerebral malaria (77.96%). INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The observation of changing spectrum of severe malaria in this study and a significant increase in presentation with jaundice as an important manifestation is highly essential for primary, secondary and tertiary level health care providers for proper diagnosis and management.

Unilateral frosted branch angiitis with vitreous haemorrhage.

Idiopathic retinal frosted branch angiitis is a rare bilateral condition and presents with an acute reduction of vision. Unilateral affection is rare. We report an unusual case of unilateral frosted branch angiitis where the patient developed total vitreous haemorrhage.