Health care service quality: a comparison of public and private hospitals in karachi

The objective of the study was to compare the levels of patient satisfaction with the health service quality between the public and private hospitals in Karachi, so that their gaps, if any, may be identified and incorporated in future programs and policies. Cross sectional comparative study. This study was conducted in one public and one private hospitals in Karachi from May 2013 to July 2013. A random sample of 400 patients, 200 each from both public and private hospitals was drawn. Data was collected, on a pre-tested and pre coded questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 level of satisfaction between patients in both the public and private health care settings were compared. The results of the study revealed that 75% of the patients availing health care services at the public hospital were not satisfied with the overall hygiene and cleanliness. 58.5% of the patients at public hospital were not involved in decision making regarding their own treatment. As for the patients availing services at the private hospital, 83.5% mentioned that they were provided with adequate privacy by their physician and hospital staff;however, 51% of the respondents replied that they had to pay huge medical bills which were beyond their affordability. Significant difference was found in the patients' satisfaction level with the quality of health care services provided in the private and public hospitals, with private hospitals performing better in most of the aspects of health care service delivery

Cardiovascular and renal protection in type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients. the role of calcium channel blockers

To study the effects of Calcium Channel Blocker [Amlodipine] as monotherapy in diagnosed hypertensive, non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] patients. Prospective study. This study was conducted at Jinnah post graduate medical centre [JPMC] Karachi, in collaboration with the department of medicine JPMC, Karachi from July 2010 to January 2011. This study is to examine the effects of Amlodipine in type 2 diabetic hypertensive patients with base line proteinuria. 20 normal subjects were also selected as a control group with CCB [Amlodipine] baseline to final change for SBP as well as DBP was significantly reduced i.e.24.70 % [p<0.001] and 16.20% [p<0.001] respectively. CCB showed 44% [p<0.001] reduction in FBS, creatinine clearance reduced by 8.10% [p<0.5], serum potassium reduced by 4.50%, non significant increase in serum urea i.e.3.70% and serum creatinine i.e. 3.8% was observed. Aim of treating hypertension is to control or limit its cardiovascular complications; CCB and are the drug of choice in controlling blood pressure and to prevent the progress of cardiovascular events in patients without diabetic nephropathy as well as reserves for add-on therapy in hypertensive patients complicated with diabetic nephropathy

cross sectional survey to determine the effect of consuming regular breakfast on BMI in medical students of Jinnah medical and dental college

The objective of this cross sectional survey was to determine the effect of consuming regular breakfast on BMI in medical students of Jinnah Medical and Dental College. Cross sectional study. This study was conducted among the medical students of Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, from April 2014 to August 2014. The sample comprised of all the students of first to fourth year MBBS students. 374 students actually became the part of our study. The data was collected using a pre tested and pre coded questionnaire. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20.0. Our study reveals that 43% [n=161] were the regular breakfast consumers compared to 57% [n=213] who were irregular breakfast eaters. From this regular breakfast consumers 63.2% [n=102] had normal BMI and 36.8% [n=59] had deviant BMI. From this deviant BMI group 64 % [n=38] of the students were underweight and 36 % [n=21] were obese. The findings of our study support earlier research which suggests that regular breakfast consumption helps to keep our BMI within normal range

observational study done to determine the contrast in stress levels between medical and non-medical students conducted in different institutes in Karachi

To compare the stress level of Medical Students and their Non Medical counterparts in different Institutes of Karachi. Retrospective / observational study. This study was carried in various professional institutes i.e. AKMU, JMDC, LNMC,NUST, Bahria University, FAST, at various engineering schools, i.e. Karachi school of Arts, Iqra University and Indus Valley School of Arts, loBM, Bahria University, SZABIST from April -August 2014. With the help of Convenient Sampling Method, 12 different colleges were shortlisted. A total of 571 students were chosen with the help of Simple Random Sampling Method. For the purpose of data collection, a questionnaire was developed which was pre tested and pre coded. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS version 20.0. Average age of students came out to be 20 +/- 6 years. 76.3% [n= 113] of the medical students studied long hours at night in comparision to students of engineering 53.2% [n=77], arts 19.2% [n=26] and commerce/MBA/accounts 64.8% [n=92]. 60.1% [n=89] of the medical students complained of constant tiredness and exhaustion. 68.3% [n=101] medical students complained of deadlines that were difficult to meet, as compared to 62.8% [n=91] of engineering students, 58% [n=79] of arts students and 60.6% [n=86] of commerce/MBA /accounts. it is concluded from our study that the medical students are more prone to get stressed as compared to other non medical students

Sleep patterns of medical students; their relationship with academic performance: a cross sectional survey

To identify sleep patterns of medical students and determine the relationship between sleep habits and academic performance. Human beings adopt three different sleeping patterns; monophasic, biphasic and polyphasic. Sleep allows synaptic molding to return by developing faster memory union. When such memory processing is not present, memory keeping is reduced which can have an adverse effect on the academic performance of students. Professional education in the field of medicine requires learning a greater amount and variety of syllabi to practice as a satisfactory medical graduate. Among medical students, the burden of the extensive curriculum often results in the development of non-recuperative sleeping patterns, which can, in turn, affect their overall academic performance. This study strives to deduce the sleeping patterns of students and the connection between those sleeping patterns and academic performance. A cross-sectional questionnaire based survey. Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi. 2013. Sleep patterns of 347 medical students from year 1 -4. The results of the midterm examinations were cross-tabulated with the sleep patterns to determine the relationship between them. Our study showed that out of 347 medical students, 38.9% [n=135] had monophasic, 46.7% [n = 162] had biphasic and 14.4% [n=50] had a polyphasic sleep pattern. 67.4% of monophasics, 87.0% of biphasics and 66.0% of polyphasics passed their midterm examination. Biphasic students performed the best in their midterm examinations. This is in agreement with scientific proof that sleeping in two phases matches the body's instinctive circadian rhythm, hormonal regulation and memory creation. These two phases are sleeping once at night and having one shorter period during the day. Professional colleges should advise and educate students in order to encourage them to acquire adequate sleep through appropriate sleeping patterns by which they may support their academic learning

Type II Diabetic patients; use of camel milk in Karachi: a cross sectional survey

Objectives: To determine the frequency of camel milk users as a dietary adjunct therapy in Diabetes Type 2

Study Design. A cross sectional questionnaire based survey

Period: May to August 2013

Setting: Liaquat National Hospital and Jinnah Medical College Hospital] and one public sector hospital [Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre] in Karachi

Methods: Minimum sample size using 11.1% prevalence of type II diabetes mellitus, confidence interval of 95% and 5% margin of error and finite population correction for large population was calculated to be 152. Using purposive sampling, type II diabetes patients [taking oral hypoglycemic medication or insulin to control serum blood glucose] visiting outpatient departments for diabetes management at two private and one public sector hospital in Karachi, were requested to participate. After obtaining informed consent, a structured pre-coded questionnaire was filled by trained interviewer. Two laboratory assessed fasting blood [FBG] readings from previous three months were also recorded from their files. Those who affirmed the use of camel milk were asked further questions on reasons and consumption pattern. All responses were entered into SPSS version 17.0 and descriptive frequencies and statistics were obtained for camel milk users and non-users

Results: 300 patients consented to participate and filled the questionnaire. 36 forms did not have two FBG lab reports from previous three months and were excluded. In the remaining sample size of n = 264, camel milk use frequency was 35.98% [n=95]. In the preceding three months, the median FBG of users was 121.0 mg/dl as compared to median FBS of non-users [64.01%;n = 169] of 202.06 mg/dl. 90.5% [n=86] of all users considered oral medications as main modality for control and only 15.8% of these patients attributed blood glucose control solely to use of camel milk. Camel milk users were found to use more of home remedies [13.7%, n = 13], homeopathic medicine [15.8%, n = 15] and exercise [45.3%, n=43] as adjunct modalities to control their blood glucose as compared to 6.5%, 8.9% and 31.4% of non-users. 71.6% [n= 121] of non- users used dietary modification to manage diabetes as compared to 47.4% [n = 45] users. 71% [n = 121] non-users were regularly measuring their blood glucose levels as compared to 56.8% [n=54] users of camel milk

Conclusions: Diabetics drinking camel milk showed a marked decrease in mean Fasting Blood Sugar values as compared to non-users. More experimental studies should be conducted on a larger scale and on different regions so as to ascertain the biological plausibility