ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess their reproductive health problems and help seeking behaviour among urban school going adolescents. METHOD: A sample of 300 urban school going adolescents between 11-14 years were chosen at random and assessed using four tools namely, self administered questionnaire : provision of adolescent friendly services; medical screening and focus group discussions. RESULTS: Seventy two percent girls and 56% boys reported health problems during survey with an average of 1.93 complaints per girl and 0.5 complaints per boy. However, only 43% girls and 35% boys reported to the clinic voluntarily to seek help and only one fifth the amount of problems were reported at the clinic in comparison to the quantum of problems reported in survey, which probably reflects a poor health seeking behaviour. A medical checkup with emphasis on assessment of reproductive health and nutritional status helped in detecting almost the same number of reproductive health problems as reported by them in survey. This intervention helped to increase the client attendance in subsequent period of next one year from 43% to 60% among girls and from 35% to 42% among boys. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that to increase help seeking behaviour of adolescents, apart from health and life skill education, their medical screening with a focus on reproductive health by trained physicians, parental involvement, supported by adolescent friendly centers (AFC) for counseling, referral and follow up are essential.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Child , Female , Humans , India , Male , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Reproductive Medicine , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based method has been set up for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection in single cervical swab samples. A primer pair specific to the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene common to all serotypes of C. trachomatis was used. This method was validated for its sensitivity as well as specificity. A minimum Ing of DNA could be used for detection of the infection. Specificity of the method was confirmed by carrying out a sample dilution curve. The cervical swab samples analysed in the present study were in coded form for validation of the PCR with an established commercial ELISA (Chlamydiazyme). Both the sensitivity and specificity of PCR was 100% when the ELISA results of these samples were decoded. Thus, this PCR technique could be used for better diagnosis of C. trachomatis infection in comparison to the commercially available ELISA technique.
ABSTRACT
A multicentric evaluation of an indigenously developed pregnancy detection kit (named Preglisa) based on urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) detection was carried out at 12 centres where the outcome of the kit was compared with the existing parameter (e.g., ultrasonography, clinical judgement, serum beta hCG levels) used by the centre for confirmation of the pregnancy. The specificity, sensitivity and accuracy of the kit were 98.05, 98.7 and 98.69 per cent (n = 382) when results of Preglisa were compared with those of non-immunological tests. When compared with commercially available kits, sensitivity was 97.9 per cent, specificity was 97.2 per cent and accuracy was 97.94 per cent (n = 155). The kit is cost effective with a sensitivity of 300 mlU/ml and is recommended for detecting pregnancy 35 days after the last menstrual period thus fulfilling the general requirement in the Indian situation.