ABSTRACT
Child malnutrition estimates for the indicators stunting, wasting, overweight and underweight describe the magnitude and patterns of under- and over-nutrition. India is facing a major malnutrition crisis as shown in NFHS 4 data (2015-2016) that 35.7 per cent children below five years are underweight, 38.4 per cent are stunted and 21 per cent are wasted. Malnutrition is a widely prevalent health problem in Rajasthan also. However, there has been reduction in malnutrition among children from 44% NFHS-3 (2005-06) to 39.1% in NFHS-4 (2015-2016) in Rajasthan.METHODSA cross-sectional study was carried out in 25 randomly selected villages of Jaipur district, Rajasthan for a period of one month during December 2013. The prevalence of under nutrition among the age group of 0 - 6 years in Rajasthan (NFHS-2) was 40%. As per the above assumptions, the sample size calculated was 396. Weight for age criteria of WHO was used to detect the nutritional status of children. Chi square test was used, and a p value <0.05 was considered significant. Associations of nutritional status with factors like antenatal care, birthplace, birth order, birth attendant, immunization status, supplementary nutrition and sociodemographic profile were determined.RESULTSOnly 41.70% of children had normal nutritional status, 47.72% were moderately undernourished and 10.60% were severely undernourished respectively. Mother’s literacy level, mother’s age, mother ANC registration, place of delivery, supplementary nutrition, and immunization status were significantly associated with the nutritional status of the child.CONCLUSIONSEarly nutritional status assessment, identification of potential determinant factors with nutrition-specific interventions are major strategies to prevent childhood morbidity and mortality. Other affordable interventions like adolescent girls’ education and skill development programme, and mother and child health care are required to halt the deteriorating malnutrition situation in India.
ABSTRACT
Background: Anemia is like the tip of an iceberg, as majority of anemic subjects are asymptomatic. Low iron diet for longer period perpetuates an inter-generational cycle of anemia, anemic women giving birth to anemic children. This situation is more acute in rural area due to their dietary habits, illiterate parents, socio-economic status, misconception about food, religions belief, menstruation and physical activity.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in rural field practice area of Rural Heath Training Centre (RHTC) under department of community medicine, Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical college Pune, Maharashtra, India. There are 11 villages under RHTC Lavale: Out of them one village viz. Pirangut village was randomly selected. (by using random sampling method). This study was conducted in 2013. Total 740 senior secondary school girls studying in class 6th to 12th (10-19 age group) were included. Hb level was measured by Sahli′s hemoglobinometer. Chi square was used to test for association between qualitative variables, and p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The Hb level of girls reveal that majority 648 (87.6%) of them were anemic. It was found that 305 (47.06%) and 340 (52.48%) were suffering from mild and moderate anemia while 3 (0.46%) had severe anemia. The significant association was found with BMI for age.Conclusions: Active measures to decrease the prevalence of anemia through educating these girls and their mothers, school diet supplementation, providing low cost diet.
ABSTRACT
Background: Adolescence is a stressful period due to physical, psychological, sexual changes and the presence of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress at this stage of life is a matter of concern. Depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that you normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks. The objective of this study is to find the prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and stress among school going adolescents.Methods: This was a school based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the month of July 2018 in an urban school in New Delhi. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire to assess socio-demographic profile as well as depression anxiety stress scale (DASS)–21 was used to assess depression, stress and anxiety.Results: Overall prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress were found to be 47.9%, 65.3%, and 51.8% respectively. Most of student suffered from moderate depression (46.8%), anxiety (33.3%) and mild stress (60.9%). It was noted that these were more common among female students, late adolescent age group, students alone/ away from family, students from separated/ single parents, consuming alcohol and family pressure to perform well in school.Conclusions: The alarming risk of depression, anxiety and stress among students with low academic satisfaction as well as those who face family pressure to perform better calls for need of parents-student counselling sessions, as well as frequent extracurricular activities to help create a healthier school environment.
ABSTRACT
Background: According to UNICEF, globally 800 million women die due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth; 20% of which occur in India. It is therefore imperative to understand the level of knowledge about danger signs among pregnant women to augment timely redressal of preventive obstetric causes of mortality.Methods: A hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted at the ANC Clinic in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi from 2nd July to 27th July 2018. Convenient sampling was used to identify and interview 354 pregnant women, using a semi structured questionnaire. Data was entered and analysed with SPSSv21. Results were presented as frequencies and proportions. Chi square was used to test for association between qualitative variables, and p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: 48.3%, 35.6%, and 40.1% of pregnant women had knowledge about danger signs during pregnancy, labour and postpartum respectively. Majority of the women had knowledge about abdominal pain (58.4%) and severe fatigue (80.7%) as danger signs of pregnancy, while bleeding (82.5%) was the most common response as danger sign of labour. More than half had knowledge about heavy bleeding (59.9%) as danger sign of postpartum. The women lacked awareness about Convulsions (92.9%) as danger signs of pregnancy and labour, as well as smelly vaginal discharge (79.6%) in postpartum.Conclusions: Knowledge of obstetric danger signs among pregnant women is still lower. It needs further awareness as it can help in early diagnosis and referral of patients thus reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.