ABSTRACT
Background: Needle stick injuries remains potential source of transmission of infections
Objective: To determine the prevalence of needle stick injuries among doctors and nurses working in Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan
Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted from 1[st] June to 31[st] December 2014. All the nurses and medical officers who were listed in the medical superintendent office of the Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan were included in the study. A structured, self administered questionnaire was designed to describe the occurrence of needle-stick injuries among respondents. The questionnaire sought information about socio-demographic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status and years of experience. The questionnaire also included information about the frequency of being stuck by a needle or a sharp instrument while at work during the last six months. A yes/no response were used to assess whether the doctor/nurse reported the injury. The participants were asked about the reasons of needle stick injuries and how they managed the incident. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, version 17. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between duration of service and needle stick injuries
Results: Total of 308 health care workers [HCWs] participated in this study which included 173 medical officers and 135 nurses. About half of the medical officers were in the age category of 30 to 39 years while half of the nurses in 20 to 29 years of age. Among these HCWs 27.8% medical officers and 25.2% nurses had above 10 years of work experience. Needle stick injury was reported by 22.54% doctors and 37.78% nurses in the past six months and it was found significantly higher among nurses as compared to doctors [p=0.001]. Among perceived reasons of needle stick injuries the most frequently reported reason was workload [48.7% doctors, 56.9% nurses] followed by Recapping of needle [30,8% doctors, 21.6% nurses], hurriedness [12.8% doctors, 13.7% nurses] and non-cooperation of patient [7.7% doctors, 7.8% nurses]. After needle stick injury only 38.5% doctors and 25.5% nurses washed it with disinfectant. Duration of service was significantly associated with needle stick injury among doctors [p=0.000] and nurses [p=0.000]
Conclusion: In summary, we conclude that the frequency of Needle stick injury among Health Care Workers is high and duration of service was significantly associated with needle stilck injuries
ABSTRACT
Background: Premenstrual syndrome [PMS] is one of the disorders associated with onset of menstruation causing physical, psychological and behavioral symptoms
Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of premenstrual syndrome among female population of Rahim Yar Khan
Methodology: Study Design: Cross sectional study. Study subjects: Females of reproductive age from 16 to 40 years. Place and duration of study: Research was conducted from 16[th] to 29[th] March 2015 that was carried out in OPD and Gynecology ward of Sheikh Zayed Medical College/Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Performa was designed and pretested. Before commencing with the data collection, informed verbal consent was taken from all the 300 study subjects. The performa contained information on age, marital status, occupation, educational level of subjects and signs/symptoms of premenstrual syndrome among females. The data was entered on SPSS version 16 and results of various variables were presented as percentage and mean +/- standard deviation
Results: Study subjects has mean age of 22 +/- 4.9 years. Age distribution of subjects was 16-20 years [47%], 21-25 years [38.3%], 26-30 years [7%], 31-35 years [4.3%] and 36-40 years [4.3%]. In this study, 5.7% were illiterate, 3% primary, 3% middle, 7% secondary and 81% were highly educated. In this study, 74% were students, 14% housewives, 10% has government job and 2.3% has private job. In this study, 74.7% were unmarried. Out of 300 females 251 [83.7%] were found to have PMS. Frequency of PMS symptoms in study subjects were anxiety [57.7%], depression [57.7%], mood swing [71.7%], irritability [73.3%], pain [86.7%], fatigue [79.7%], discomfort [83.7%], abdominal cramps [47.7%], breast tenderness [25%], bloating [27.7%] and acne [32.3%]. The frequency of most common risk factor was low cheese/butter intake [87.7%], high tea/coffee intake [74.7%], high salty / junk food intake [66.3%], Low yogurt intake [61%], daily exercise [48%], low milk intake [39%], low egg intake [35.5%], low vegetable intake [13.7%], sedentary life style [33.3%], stressed state [30.3%], and eating spicy/cold food [7.3%]
Conclusion: Premenstrual syndrome was high in study subjects and high in young females. Majority of the women having PMS were unmarried, students and education level above bachelors and has low cheese/ butter intake, high tea/coffee and junk food intake
ABSTRACT
Violence against women is an important public health problem. It has global significance regarding violation of human rights. Violence is an important risk factor related to ill health of women, having far reaching consequences affecting physical, social, mental and reproductive health of the victims. To study the various types of interpersonal violence against women and find out the magnitude of physical violence and sexual assault among the victims. A descriptive hospital record based study. The study was conducted from January to December 2005 in casualty out patient department of Allied Hospital, Punjab Medical College [PMC], Faisalabad. Total 286 cases of violence, who reported for medico-legal examination during calendar year 2005, were included in the study. The cases of physical violence / sexual assault were examined in detail. Findings were tabulated and analyzed. Among total 286 cases, 221 [77%] victims were married, and commonly involved age group was 21-30 years accounting for 82 [28.68%] victims. Blunt trauma was sustained by 193 [67.50%] victims, sharp edged weapon affected 17 [6.0%] cases, firearm bears the responsibility in 13 [4.54%] victims, a mix pattern of injuries by sharp / blunt objects was observed in 8[2.80%] females and [1.75%] women were said to be burnt. Forty-three [15%] cases were reported as victims of alleged sexual assault with peak incidence during 2nd decade of life in age group 11-20 years involving 23 [53.5%] cases. Among total 43 cases of sexual assault, 27 [63%] victims belonged to rural areas. Twenty Eight [65%] unmarried girls were subjected to sexual assault. In 43 sexual assault victims, semen was detected in 28 [65%] cases, 13 [30%] cases were negative; whereas reports of 2 [5%] cases were not available in the record. The cases of physical violence are common in Faisalabad and incidence of sexual assault is higher in rural areas more commonly affecting the unmarried young girls. There is need to attend this public health problem with concrete efforts to stop the violence against women and reduce the incidence of sexual assaults
ABSTRACT
To compare Aminosidine as a single agent in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis with antimony compounds. Open non-randomized, interventional study of three drugs used in Pakistan for visceral leishmaniasis. Military hospitals at Muzaffarabad Azad-Kashmir and Rawalpindi [reservoir for visceral leishmaniasis in Pakistan] over a period of five years. Children up-to 12 years of age diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis [LD-bodies positive]. Patients were divided into three groups of 30 patients each. Every patient received either sodium stibogluconate or meglumine antimonate @ 20 mg/kg/day for 28 days or the trial agent Aminosidine @15mg/kg/day for 21 days. Most patients were less than 36 months of age [82.2%] while there was male predilection [1.2:1]. Fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia were seen in 100% cases with malnutrition in 71%, cough in 51%, lymphadenopathy in 23.3% and bleeding diathesis 40% being the other common features. Three agents were found to be effective [to a different degree] as regards defervesence, reduction in size of enlarged organs, recovery of bone-marrow function manifested by improvement in hematological parameters. No major side effects were detected clinically or by laboratory studies. Cost of therapy was also remarkably lower for aminosidine as compared to the antimonials. Aminosidine as a single agent is much cheaper, effective and a safe drug suitable for treatment of visceral Leishmaniasis in Pakistan