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Background: HIV illness and its related problems were significantly and positively correlated with both caregiver’s burden and caregiver’s adjustment. As there were limited studies on HIV caregiver’s stress, present study was conducted to estimate the magnitude and level of perceived stress among the predominant informal care giver of the PLHIV and to find out its correlates.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive epidemiological study conducted on informal primary caregiver of PLHIV who was receiving ART since more than 2 months and attending the FIART centre of Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, Bankura between July 2018 to December 2018. PLHIV who were severely ill and informal caregivers having a psychological illness, disability, a severe form of chronic diseases except for HIV, were excluded. Data were collected using predesigned, pretested, semi-structured interviewer administered anonymous questionnaire including 10 points Sheldon Cohen’s perceived stress scale (PSS) following simple random sampling method. Multivariate logistic regression was done to find out the predictors of higher stress using SPSS software version 22.0.Results: Ultimately 108 caregivers were included. Mean score of PSS was 19.93±11.44 and score ranges from 0 to 40. In multivariate linear regression, it was found that caregiver who were belonging to lowest socio economic status were 3.9 times more perceive moderate to high stress than others. If HIV patients were suffering from other co-morbidities their primary caregiver perceived moderate to high stress 6.2 times more than others.Conclusions: Support group interaction among caregivers can alleviate the stress
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Background: Depression is the leading cause of disease burden ranked as third worldwide and also common among elderly people. The study was conducted to find out the prevalence of depression and its correlates among geriatric slum dwellers.Methods: This community based cross-sectional, an observational analytical epidemiological study was conducted from January 2018 to April 2018 among geriatric people residing in the urban slums of Bankura town. Out of 295 slums, 30 slums were selected by cluster sampling method. From each cluster 7 geriatric people were selected by systematic random sampling method and data were collected by interview method using interviewer-administered both close and open-ended, the predesigned pretested questionnaire which included 15 items Geriatric depression scale short form (GDS-SF). To reveal the ultimate predictor variables, bivariate analysis and followed by logistic regression was done.Results: Out of 210 people 59.1% was suffering from depression. In multiple logistic regression, we found that people who were suffering from chronic illness were 10.3 times more depressed. Married people were 6 times more depressed than others and 60 to 69 years people were found 4.4 times more depressed than elder geriatrics. People who belonged to poor socio-economic status (IV+V), were found as 2.7 times more depressed. Decision maker within the family was observed more depressed 1.8 times than others.Conclusions: Chronic illness, economic insecurity due to lower socio-economic status, over-thinking of marital people for their spouse’s security and health and newer identity as ‘senior citizen’ attributed to depression among geriatrics people.
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Background: As adolescents are in transit from childhood to adulthood, they are vulnerable to stress and related complications. Measuring stress and its influencing factors is a prerequisite for developing strategy for this age-group. Objective of the study was to assess the level of perceived stress among school going late adolescents and to find out its predictors.Methods: This cross-sectional analytical epidemiological study was conducted among the school going Bengali late adolescents (15-17 years) of a rural block of West Bengal, India within July 2017 to December 2017. Finally, 102 students of class IX and XI were selected via two stage simple random sampling method. Data were collected by interview using pre-designed, pre-tested, semi structured questionnaire including 10 points Cohen’s perceived stress scale (PSS-10). Independent ‘t’ test, ANOVA, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H test were utilized to establish the association between independent variables and PSS score. Independent variables found to be associated (p≤0.05) were considered in multiple linear regression to identify the predictors of stress.Results: Mean perceived stress score of participants were 16.8±3.7 (mean±2 SD) out of 40 (highest PSS score) with minimum and maximum score 8 and 26, respectively. In multiple linear regression, de-motivating comment, sibling pattern and love affair were found as predictors of stress perception among Bengali late adolescents. These factors collectively explained 15.6% variations of PSS score and individually contributed 3.8%, 5.6% and 6.2%, respectively.Conclusions: Stress can be alleviated by arranging motivational programme, counselling, and life skill education.
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Background: This study was started in the aim of determining the pattern of meningitis and their clinico-laboratorial presentation among HIV infected patients.Methods: This secondary data based cross-sectional study was conducted on 2010 in a tertiary care institute of eastern India among HIV infected meningitis patients. From June 2009 to May 2010, 92 patients were included in our study. Bed head tickets, laboratory reports and registers were used for data collection. Chi square test was applied for the test of significance.Results: 70.7% cryptococcal and 29.3% tubercular meningitis cases were found. Mean CD4 cell count, CSF protein, CSF glucose, WBC cell count of TB and cryptococcal meningitis patients were 143 cells/cumm, 546.1 mg/dl, 26.8 mg/dl, 550 cells/ cumm and 175 cells/ cumm, 189.1 mg/dl, 30.1 mg/dl, 36 cells/ cumm respectively. 29.2% patients of Cryptococcal meningitis were presented with mental change, confusion or psychological disorders, but these symptoms were not observed among TB meningitis patients.Conclusions: This study provided a baseline data about epidemiology and clino-laboratorial features of HIV meningitis patients of eastern India and will help for further investigation in this field.
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Background & objectives: Information on predictors of quitting behaviour in adult tobacco users is scarce in Indian context. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess the intention of tobacco-users towards quitting and its predictors with reference to nicotine dependence. Methods: A community-based observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 128 adult tobacco-users (89.8% male) with mean age of 41.1 ± 15.7 yr selected by complete enumeration method. Data were collected by interview using pre-designed, pre-tested schedule. Nicotine dependence was assessed by Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) questionnaire. Result: Of the 128 users, 63.3 per cent had intention to quit. Majority of the tobacco users who did not intend to quit belonged to the age group of >40 yr (66.0%), were illiterate (55.3%), started tobacco use at 11 – 15 yr of age (57.4%), had been using tobacco for 20 yr or more (70.2%), were daily tobacco users (91.5%), and highly dependent on nicotine (80.9%). Tobacco users having high FTND score and who started tobacco use early in life were 1.83 and 3.30 times more unintended to quit, respectively. Interpretation & conclusions: Suitable plan for quitting should be developed depending on the FTND score of an individual, the most important determinant of quitting that would be beneficial for categorization of the treatment leading to successful quitting.