ABSTRACT
Background: In the life of a female, menarche denotes the beginning of her reproductive capacity. Menstrual hygiene is an issue that every girl has to deal with in her life, but there is lack of awareness on the process of menstruation, the physical and psychological changes associated with puberty and proper requirement for managing menstruation.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to December 2016 in the urban field practice area of SCB Medical College. One government high school and one private high school were selected purposively. A purposeful convenience sampling was done to select the girls who were studying in 8th, 9th and 10th standard. Data collected from 165 adolescent school girls using a predesigned, pretested and structured questionnaire. The objective of the present study is to assess the knowledge and practices regarding menstrual hygiene among school going adolescent girls and to know about the restrictions imposed upon them during menstruation.Results: Most of the adolescent girls (61.82%) had attained menarche between 13-15 years of age. 59.39% girls were aware about menstruation before menarche. The source of information about menstruation was the mother or elder sister in most of the girls (81.21 %), followed by teachers/friends in case of 18.79 % girls. 84.85% of the girls used only sanitary pad, 4.24% used only cloth and the rest 10.91% used both sanitary pad and cloth during menstruation.Conclusions: Maintenance of menstrual hygiene was better in private school girls as compared to government school girls. Health education sessions about menstrual hygiene should be conducted in the schools for spreading awareness regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene.
ABSTRACT
A prospective study among the patients (n = 301) belonging to the coastal districts of Orissa having complicated falciparum malaria with multiorgan failure fulfilling modified APACHE II criteria, for a period of two years in this hospital setting was carried out with particular emphasis on hepatic involvement. There were 206 males and the rest females. Hepatic involvement in the form of raised serum bilirubin levels > or = 6 mg% and prothombin time > 4 compared to controls was found in 192 cases (63.8%). On analysis out of 192 cases predominantly conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia, mixed patterns and unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia were seen in 115 (59.9%), 64 (33.3%) and 13 (6.8%) cases respectively. Serum bilirubin ranged from 6 to 38 mg%. Aminotransferase aspartate (AST, SGOT) and aminotransferase alkaline (ALT, SGPT) were raised almost two-fold in 98% cases of multiorgan failure with hepatic failure with mean values of 78 +/- 30.4 IU/l and 81 +/- 29.06 IU/l respectively. Nearly three-fold elevation of alkaline phosphatase was observed in 80% cases with mean (315 +/- 39.4 IU/l). Prothombin time was prolonged with mean 7 +/- 3 seconds. Serum proteins and albumin/globulin ratio were normal. There was no difference in glycaemic status over controls. In selected cases, liver histopathological study showed abnormalities in the form of Kupffer cell hyperplasia, mononuclear cell infiltration, hepatocyte necrosis, fatty changes and cholestasis. Majority of patients in multiorgan failure who died, had hepatic failure.