ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Gastrointestinal infection is a major cause of diarrhea, anemia, malnutrition and responsible for reducing physical and mental development especially in children. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the intestinal pathogens in the slum-dwelling population in Kaski, Nepal.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in August-September 2012 in slum-dwelling community. Overall 166 human faecal samples were collected and examined using formal ether sedimentation method.Results: The prevalence of gastrointestinal infections in slum-dwelling population was found to be 24.1%. The magnitude of infection was higher (26.9%) among females compared to males. The difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The prevalence of infection was higher (37.0%, P > 0.05) in Dalit group. Children (≤10 years) had higher rate of infection than older people. 22% subjects had single and 2.4% had multiple infections. In the overall population, 12.7% had G. lamblia followed by 5.4% Ascaris lumbricoides, 4.8% Hymenolepsis nana and 3.6% Trichuris trichuria. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal infections were common in the slum-dwelling populations. Lack of health education and safe drinking water contributed higher infection rate in the community. Increased exposure time to the contaminated water and gender disparity had influenced the rate of infection. Due to the semi-urban area with absence of moist soil, protozoan infection was prevalent than helminth infections.
ABSTRACT
A cross-sectional, community based study was undertaken in Patpur slum of Bankura to determine the prevalence of chest symptomatics, their health care seeking Behavior and its correlates. Prevalence of chest symptomatics (cough for 3 weeks or more) was found to be 5.5%, three fourths of whom sought relief from a health care provider. Among them, 70.8% did so within 2 weeks, median being 7 days. No preference for either government or private health care provider was seen in first visit, where the major reason for choosing facilities was advice by family & friends (43.8%). Most of the chest symptomatics (75%) were retained in the same facility. Shift from private to government facility for subsequent visits (33.3%) was higher than from government to private facility (16.7%). The main reason (50%) for changing health facility was expectation for better service.
ABSTRACT
Introdução: o objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever a situação epidemiológica da tuberculose em área favelada (complexo da Manguinho), através de um estudo retrospectivo dos casos de tuberculose atendidos no Centro de Saúde Escola Germano Sinval Faria (CSEGSF), da Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (ENSP), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) no Rio de Janeiro. Material e Métodos: no período entre 1986 a 1994 foram registrados 274 casos, com aumento anual do número de casos concentrados na duas comunidades mais pobres da área estudada. Resultados: houve predominância das formas pulmonares (240/274, 87,6%), a doença foi prevalente em indivíduos do sexo masculino e da faixa etária produtiva (21 a 40 anos, 49,6 %). A baciloscopia do escarro foi positiva em 63 % dos pacientes submetidos a este exame. Foi observado que 33 % dos pacientes que receberam tuberculostáticos e abandonaram o tratamento, dentre estes, 22% tinham baciloscopia inicial positiva. O risco de recaída entre os pacientes que abandonaram o tratamento foi três vezes maior que entre os que tiveram alta por cura. Conclusões: estes dados mostram que apesar da área de Manguinhos estar localizada em uma zona urbana provida de serviço assintencial de saúde, a tuberculose permanece como um problema de saúde pública. Estratégias mais eficazes de controle da tuberculose, tais como busca ativa, tratamento supervisionado e melhorias das condições sócio-econômico-sanitárias da população, necessitam ser urgentemente consideradas.