ABSTRACT
Introduction: MCH services are not utilized due to unawareness, poverty and lack of scientific knowledge regarding care during the issue. Though all the details are given in the MCPC to follow positive practices, utilization of the card is being done only for recording of the information. Objective: To assess the knowledge about the contents of mother and child protection card (MCPC) among the pregnant and lactating women of a rural area Methodology: This was a cross sectional study conducted on pregnant women and lactating mothers with child less than a year. Knowledge about the contents of MCPC was collected by interview method. Results: In our study, majority of the mothers had good knowledge about tetanus injection (92.5%), consumption of IFA tablets (72.6%), breastfeeding within an hour (92.5%), exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (95.6%), cereals to be included in the complementary food (90.6%) and good perception about complete immunization of the baby (100%). Knowledge was found to be poor with respect to ANC checkups and examination, tracking weight of the baby and growth chart; assessing danger signs in newborn and emergency preparation. Conclusion: The study showed good knowledge about TT, IFA, nutrition, danger signs and immunization. There was poor knowledge about ANC checkups, baby growth, danger sings in newborn and emergency preparation.
ABSTRACT
Assessment is an essential part of any curriculum, including that of dentistry. Assessment of knowledge is currently done through examination and thus examination is an inherent part. Examination and assessment of knowledge is done so as to promote the students to the next level. Currently, two types of methods are used for the assessment and performance of students, subjective and objective. Recently objective methods are preferred over 24 subjective methods. Student’s performance can be accessed via relevant feedback. During summative examinations at the end of course, the assessment now has been supplemented by the formative ones. The skill assessment is subjective in nature as well as lacks possibility for direct assessment of the presentation of skills by the evaluator. METHODS50 students from I BDS class, were selected randomly. These students were subjected to conventional OSVV in the subject of dental anatomy and dental histology. The viva voce was taken using predesigned templates having 10 questions with various difficulty levels - easy, difficult and very difficult. The questions were from must know, desirable to know as well as nice to know areas. Same students were subjected to modified OSVV with prior consent and after IEC clearance was obtained. The scores were obtained from the students after viva voce with modified templates and modified difficulty levels. The study was done during second PCT as well as preliminary examinations. The scores were compared. RESULTSThere were 5 students who scored high in modified OSVV pattern during formative (II PCT) and 6 students who scored high during summative (preliminary) examinations. There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods. CONCLUSIONSStudents who scored high marks when subjected to the modified OSVV were rapid learners and modified pattern of OSVV can be useful to improve the score of students.
ABSTRACT
Background: Germ cell tumors are found primarily in children and young adults usually arising from gonads and rarely from extragonadal sites like mediastinum, retroperitoneum, pineal gland and sacrococcygeal region. Involvement of lymphnodes or bodycavities (pleural/peritoneal cavity) is usually associated with metastatic disease.Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 96 cases of germ cell tumor for which a primary diagnosis of germ cell tumor was given by cytology from primary and metastatic sites. The study period is from January 1993- December 2013. Pap stained and Romanowsky stained smears and cell block sections (10cases) were studied. Serum tumor markers (LDH, BetaHCG and AFP) were correlated in all cases along with histopathology in available cases.Results: Among 96 cases 34 were diagnosed as seminoma/dysgerminoma,10 as embryonal carcinoma,9 as yolk sac tumor,6 as teratoma and 2 as mixed germ ell tumor. In 25 cases the cytology report was suggestive of germ cell tumor and in 10 cases malignant cells favouring germ cell tumor. Among the 10 cases the serum markers were high in six of the cases and the clinician after discussing with the pathologist treated them as germ cell tumors. 47 cases had histopathology and it correlated with cytology except in 14 cases which showed no residual neoplasm after chemotherapy. 15 cases expired immediately after the diagnosis or during the course of treatment 12cases were lost to follow up. Rest of the cases have completed the treatment. In our study the serum tumor markers showed a sensitivity of 92.75% and positive predictive value was 71.11%.Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of picking up the diagnosis of germ cell tumors by fine needle aspiration cytology so that patient can get an early diagnosis, effective treatment and a multidisciplinary approach is essential in diagnosing a difficult case of germ cell tumor. Previous history, radiology, clinical features and serum tumor markers all aid in the cytological diagnosis of germ cell tumor.