ABSTRACT
This study was done to find the pattern of drug abuse and its associated factors among the patients admitted in addiction rehabilitation centers. This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 150 drug addicted patients at the central drug addiction cure center at Tejgaon, Dhaka. Data were collected with a pre tested structured questionnaire. The study was conducted under the department of community medicine, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM), Mohakhali, Dhaka during March to May 2008. Among the 150 respondents, males constituted 87%, females 12.7%. Most of the respondents (49.3%) were in the age group twenty five to thirty five years. Ninety two percent (92%) of respondents were Muslims, 78.62% urban dwellers, 14.0% from rural areas and 7.33% came from nearby slums. Literacy rate of drug abusers was 81.3%. 33.3% were unemployed, mean family monthly income was ten thousand taka. Drug of initiation was ganja/cannabis in 48.0% and finally addicted to heroin. Inhalation was the route of choice (56.6%), oral route 30.9% and intravenous drug users (IDU's) 12.5% were remarkable. Peer pressure was a major contributing factor 55.5% for drug initiation. Black market (illegal spot) 77.3% was mainly the source of procurement of drug. Mean duration of drug intake was 4.2 years. Significant association was found between male sex and drug intake (p<0.05), and between age group 25-35 years and drug intake (P< 0.05). Drug dependence is highly prevalent among educated people. Familial confliction and peer pressure lead to different drug abuse.
ABSTRACT
Unmet need for family planning is the key indicator to achieve Millennium Development Goal by the year 2015. Bangladesh Government has a great success in family planning sector but population has almost doubled in recent years. This study was carried out among married women to compare the determinants of unmet need for family planning among rural and urban communities during the period from July 2010 to June 2011. Unmet need for family planning in rural community was found 18(12%) and in urban community it was 38(25.3%). Among rural women unmet need for limiter was 13(8.6%) and spacer was 5(3.4%) while limiter 29(19.4%) and spacer 9(5.9%) found among urban women. Mean age at marriage was found 17.97(SD±2.66) years and mean age at first child birth was 19.91(SD±2.71) years among rural women. Among urban women mean age at marriage was found 20.43(SD±4.08) years and mean age at first child birth was 22.55(SD±4.3) years. Current contraceptive users among rural women was 79(52.7%) while it was 61(40.7%) among urban women. In this study, association between unmet need for family planning and freedom of choice of contraceptives was highly significant (p=0.001). To increase contraceptive prevalence rate and reduction of unplanned pregnancy, more emphasis should be given on unmet need for family planning.
ABSTRACT
In the absence of an effective treatment in modern medicine, efforts are being made to find suitable herbal remedies for hepatitis. This prospective experimental study was conducted in the department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka from July 2006 to June 2007 to evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of Carica papaya against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxicity and compared it with that of vitamin-E. Total 36 adult rats were used and they were divided into six equal groups namely A, B, C, D, E and F. All the rats were fed with normal diet and 2ml distilled water orally for 7 days. In addition, Group D received Carica papaya extract, Group E received olive oil and Group F received vitamin E orally per day for 7 days. On the seventh day CCl4 was administered to all the rats except Group A and was sacrificed on 8th day of experiment. Serum bilirubin, alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase and hepatic histopathology were done thereafter. Carica papaya and vitamin E showed significant hepatoprotection against CCL4 induced hepatotoxicity but Carica papaya showed more significant changes in ALP level than vitamin E. Prevention of hepatic necrosis and fatty degeneration were also observed in Carica papaya and vitamin E pretreated rats but there is no significant difference.