ABSTRACT
Background: Due to excess metabolic demand of iodine in pregnancy, pregnant women and lactating mother and their neonates are most vulnerable of iodine deficiency disorder. Urinary iodine excretion is a good marker of recent dietary iodine intake. Thus, present study was conducted to assess the iodine status and median urinary iodine excretion (UIE μg/lit) among pregnant and non-pregnant women of Tripura.Methods: Tribal and Bengali pregnant and non-pregnant women from Bokafa and Jolaibari Block of South Tripura district were included in the study. Urinary iodine excretion was done using simple micro plate method. Salt iodine was estimated using iodometric titration. All the tests were performed at CNRT Lab, ICMR, India.Results: Total number of subjects included in this study was 1071. Total number of urine samples collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women was 538 and 533 respectively. Median value of UIE in pregnant and non-pregnant women of Tripura was 155.0µg/L and 130.0µg/L. In pregnant women percentage prevalence of severe (<20µg/L), moderate (20-49µg/L) and mild iodine deficiency (50-149µg/L) was found in 4.1%, 15.1% and 29.6% subjects. In case of non-pregnant women severe (<20µg/L), moderate (20-49µg/L) and mild iodine deficiency (50-99µg/L) was found in 0.6%, 9.6%, 27.8% subjects respectively. The overall prevalence of iodine deficiency was found in 48.8% pregnant women, compared to 38.0% non-pregnant subjects.Conclusions: Efforts towards universal salt iodization need to be stepped-up in Sub-Himalayan region (NE part of India) and pregnant and lactating mothers may be targeted with alternate iodine supplements (Colloidal Iodine).
ABSTRACT
Background: In developing countries like India, self-medication is a common practice because of costly clinical services and easy availability of medicine from pharmacies. There is an increase trend of self-medication among different health professional students apart from general people. This study aims to assess self-medication practice among medical and nursing students in Tripura, India.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical and nursing students of Tripura Medical College and Tripura College of Nursing, of Tripura for two months (January- February 2018). A pre-tested, semi-structured schedule was used to collect the required information. The collected data was entered in SPSS version 16.0, represented in proportions and p <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Overall 353 (88.3%) students of both courses practiced self-medication; prevalence was more among medical (91.5%) than nursing students (85%). Main source of information among medical students were books (90.2%) while 56.5% nursing students replied friends and/or seniors as primary source. Majority (53%) respondents took self-medication for headache (79.2% medical vs 72.4% nursing students) followed by fever (77.6% medical vs 52.4% nursing). Less than half of the respondents (48.5% medical vs 46.5% nursing students) believed that self-medication was harmful; maximum nursing students (71.5%) believed that self-medication is self-care as compare to medical students (56.5%).Conclusions: The study found wide practice of self-medication among students, inappropriate use of which may cause serious health hazards. Promoting education regarding self-medication and making healthcare system available can reduce self-medication practices substantially.