ABSTRACT
Background: High levels of stress and psychological morbidity occur in health-care professional students. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate psychological well-being, perceived stress level, and coping abilities among medical and paramedical students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study carried out in a tertiary care hospital, West Uttar Pradesh, India. The total study period was from September 2019 to November 2019 with a sample of 145 medical students aged 17–25 years and 81 paramedical students aged 19–33 years. Ethical clearance was obtained from the College Ethical Committee. We used self-administered, three different types of validated tools for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Results: The median age of paramedical and medical trainees was 22 and 21 years, respectively. Family history of mental illness was 21% and 5.5%, respectively. On general health questionnaire-12 scale, 9% of paramedical trainees reported evidence of distress and 91% of severe problem and psychological distress while 19% of medical trainees having evidence of distress and 81% of severe problem and psychological distress. On perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10) scale, 15% of paramedical trainees reported average level, 27% moderate level, and 55% high level of perceived stress while 2% of medical trainees having average, 19% moderate level, and 79% high level of perceived stress, respectively. The difference in mean score on PSS-10 and Brief COPE scale between paramedics and medical trainees group was found statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: We concluded the higher level of severe problem and psychological distress in the paramedical and high level of perceived stress in medical trainees. Paramedical trainees practice a better coping mechanism than medical trainees.
ABSTRACT
Background: Unhealthy food handlers have been implicated in occurrence of various foodborne illnesses (FBIs). The benefits acquired by routine medical examination of food handlers are as a strong preventive tool in hands of public health experts in reducing the episodes of FBI. Medical examination of handlers is complementary toward the World Health Day theme of the WHO 2015 “food safety” and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Objective: The objective of this study was as follows: (i) To study the sociodemographic profile of the food handlers working in food establishment of tertiary care hospital and (ii) to estimate the parasite load among food handlers working in food establishments of a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study carried over a period of 3 months. Sampling method employed was Simple Random Sampling. The total number of subjects was 86. The Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained. They were interviewed face to face using a semi-structured questionnaire and were assessed clinically for personal hygiene and head-to-toe examination. Stool examination was done for all using simple floatation technique. Results: Mean age of food handlers was 29 ± 2 years. Two-thirds (75%) of food handlers were educated <12th standard. Majority (61%) of them had up to 5 years of experience. The overall personal hygiene of subjects was good except for long hair. At the time of study, 59% had symptoms of infectious disease and had not reported. They had not received typhoid vaccination. The prevalence of Ascariasis, Giardia, and Taenia was 22.5%, 2.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The overall health and personal hygiene of food handlers was good. However, the prevalence of enteropathogenic infections was high. Hence, periodic medical examination of food handlers should be taken seriously.
ABSTRACT
Background: Visceral fat or intra-abdominal fat is the adipose tissue surrounding mesenteries and omentum. This has been linked to lifestyle diseases like heart diseases, arthritis, stroke and even cancer. At present we have three tools to measure visceral fat area (VFA) – Bio impedance analysis, Magnetic resonance analyser and DEXA scan. Neck circumference measurement is a simple, easy to do and a quantifiable method of measuring visceral fat. Aim & Objective: This study aims to find correlation of visceral body fat with Neck Circumference (NC) and Body Mass Index. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in a medical college of western Maharashtra, wherein 290 healthy males (>18 years) were selected by simple random sampling over a period of 7 months from (February 2018 – August 2018). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Visceral body fat was measured using Body Space 720 and neck circumference using measuring tape. Results: We found a significant association between neck circumference and VFA. There is a strong association between NC of >35cm and VFA >100cm2. NC can be useful in field settings as it can be used easily by health care workers in predicting risk of lifestyle diseases.
ABSTRACT
Background: Anemia is an important public health problem all over the world, both in rich and poor countries. The present study is a cross-sectional multicentric study where data from 10 different stations by 16 different medical establishments were collected. Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anemia in female spouses of army personnel in an Army’s Corps zone. Materials and Methods: The total size of the sample was 14,273 which covered female spouses of army personnel of five different formations under an Army’s Corps zone. All the non-pregnant female spouses of army personnel were screened for anemia using hemoglobin level estimation. Uniform instructions for screening were given from the medical branch of Army’s Corps Headquarters to medical units. Results: The prevalence of anemia found in this study was 21.54% which is much below the national prevalence of 55% as per National Family Health Survey-3 data. Conclusions: Our study with a large sample size demonstrates that the prevalence of anemia in female spouses of army personnel is almost half of national prevalence. This is indeed a landmark achievement of the Army Medical Corps where success was achieved in reducing the burden of anemia.
ABSTRACT
Background: In Maharashtra the elderly population is 9.9 % of the total state population (Census 2011). There is a need to highlight the nutritional problems being faced by the elderly in India. Early detection of malnutrition and timely interventions can help to reduce morbidity in the long run. Aims &Objectives: To find the prevalence of malnutrition in elderly and compare nutritional status of elderly residing in an urban area and urban slum. Material & Methods: This was a cross sectional hospital-based study. Data was collected from the civil OPD and ex-service men OPD of the hospital each having a catchment population from urban slum and urban area respectively. A total of 331 patients > 60 years of age were included. Nutritional status was assessed using the MNA, MUST and GNRI. Serum albumin levels were measured using colorimetric method. Results: The overall prevalence of malnutrition and at risk as per MNA score was 168 (50.7%). Out of 331 subjects, 209 belonged to urban slums and remaining 122 were from urban area. The gender and age distribution were comparable in both groups. The mean BMI of subjects from slum area was significantly lower as compared to urban group (22.3+ 5.3 vs 26.3+ 4.5) p<0.001. Proportion of elderly who had MNA score below 24 was significantly higher in the slum area (p<0.05). Proportion of elderly with mid arm circumference and calf circumference below the cut off of 22 cm and 31 cm respectively was significantly higher in slum area (p<0.05). Serum albumin levels were comparable in both groups. Mean BMI of elderly in urban area was >25Kg/m2. Conclusion: The overall prevalence of malnutrition was high. The nutritional status of elderly in urban slum was significantly worse than that of elderly in urban area.