ABSTRACT
Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the commonest cause for infant and childhood morbidity and mortality. The majority of low birth weight in developing countries is due to intrauterine growth retardation, while most low birth weight in industrialized countries is due to preterm birth. LBW is the single most important factor determining the survival chances of the child. The objectives of the study were to assess the proportion of low birth weight among babies delivered by mothers at a tertiary care hospital and to analyse the relationship between low birth weight and certain socio-demographic factors.Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care centre for a period of six months.Results: The prevalence of LBW was 23.5%. The proportion of mothers having low birth weight was maximum in women aged less than 18 years (35%) and more than 30 years (26.5%). Muslim women had a higher proportion of LBW (28.8%). LBW was more in women belonging to joint family (30.0%), low per capita income group and illiterates.Conclusions: The prevalence of LBW still continues to be high, almost one fourth of the babies are LBW. Different socio-demographic characteristics of the population are still the important factors determining the occurrence of LBW.
ABSTRACT
Background: Oral health is an integral component of general health. School age, especially younger ages, is a period of overall development. Although enjoying good oral health includes more than just having healthy teeth, many children have inadequate oral and general health because of improper oral hygiene, bad eating habits etc. Oral health affects the general health, well-being, education and development of children and diminishes their quality of life. Objectives were to assess the oral health status and oral hygiene of rural school children and to determine the factors associated with it.Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural field practice area of Rajahmahendravaram for a period of 3 months. All the children between 1st to 5th classes were screened to evaluate the oral health and hygiene status. Findings were documented in a pre-validated proforma and subsequently analyzed.Results: Total 620 students were screened in 4 rural schools. About 165 (26.6%) students were 10 years age and 54.3% were boys. Decayed tooth were present in 294 (47.4%). About 17% had only 1 decayed tooth, six teeth were seen decayed among 4 (0.6%) students. Dental morbidities are seen in 509 (82.1%). Pulp involvement was seen in 11 (1.8%) students, tooth fracture in 4 (0.8%), gingival involvement in 13 (2.1%), calculus in 52 (8.4%) and scaling in 80 (12.9%). Good oral hygiene was seen in 156 (25.2%).Conclusions: Oral health status and oral hygiene among rural school children is not satisfactory and needs attention.
ABSTRACT
Background: The cancer breast is most common malignancy among the rural as well as urban women in India. This study aimed at to correlate tumor size by clinical breast examination (CBE), mammogram and post-operative histopathology examination (HPE) early breast cancer. Methods: The present prospective clinical study was conducted during sept- 2014 to september 2016 among 60 patients of breast cancer in a tertiary care hospital, Andhra Pradesh, India. All these patients were subjected to Clinical examination and mammography pre-operatively and post-operatively, to histopathology examination. All patients with age more than 18 years and less than 70 years, with early breast cancers were included. Results: About 18 (30%) of the patients belonged to 51 – 60 years, 17 (28.3%) to 41 – 50 years, 14 (23.3%) to above 61 years and 11 (18.3%) to 31 – 40 years. Mean age was 51.65±10.79 years. Cancers were more common in the left breast 37 (61.7%) compared to right 23 (38.3%). Tumor was most commonly seen in the upper outer quadrant 35 (58.3%).There was a moderate positive correlation between CBE and HPE (r = 0.674, P 0.000), thus the best predictor of tumor size was CBE next to HPE. Mammography had comparatively lesser correlation with HPE (r = 0.473, P 0.000). The correlation between CBE and Mammogram was also good (r = 0.619, P 0.000). Conclusion: Clinical Breast Examination is in good agreement with Histopathological examination of breast carcinoma, compared to mammogram. Though CBE might not be confirmatory, it can be used for screening of breast cancers to some extent, especially in low socio-economic situations as in India since mammography is a costly procedure