Insecticide treated bednet strategy in rural settings: can we exploit women's decision making power?

Use of insecticide treated bednets in prevention of malaria is a widely propagated global strategy, however, its use has been reported to be influenced and limited by many variables especially gender bias. A cross sectional field epidemiological study was conducted in a rural setting with two outcome variables, 'Bednet use'(primary outcome variable) and 'Women's Decision Making Power' which were studied in reference to various predictor variables. Analysis reveals a significant effect on the primary outcome variable 'Bednet use' of the predictor variables- age, occupation, bednet purchase decision, women's decision making power, husband's education and knowledge about malaria and its prevention. The study recommends IEC on treated bednets to be disseminated through TV targeting the elderly women who have better decision making power and mobilizing younger women who were found to prefer bednets for prevention of mosquito bites for optimizing the use of treated bednets in similar settings.

Epidemiological study of an outbreak of cholera in Delhi cantonment.

An epidemiological study was undertaken to investigate an outbreak of cholera in Delhi Cantonment during May 1991. The study design was a hybrid design using a retrospective Case-Control method superimposed on a population based cross-sectional approach. A total of 9 cases of cholera, confirmed in the laboratory as Vibrio cholerae, 0-1, Eltor, Ogawa were identified using population based survey and compared with 33 controls from the same source population. The overall Incidence rate was 0.71% and showed a significant rising trend with age. There was no morality. Assessment of water supply, sanitary conditions of cook houses and disposal system of night soil could not provide any clue to the source of infection. Subsequently, all the food handlers were subjected to rectal swab examination. Two of them, working in the same messes from where cases had occurred, were found positive for Vibrio cholerae (0-1, Eltor, Ogawa). Immediate control measures by way of isolation and treatment of carriers promptly abated the outbreak. Role of carriers in outbreak of cholera has been highlighted.

An epidemiological study of malaria in a north-Indian district.

A retrospective epidemiological study was carried out in Gurgaon District of Haryana, wherein data on malaria for a period of more than three decades (1958-1989) obtained from various sources were analysed. The study revealed a rise in the incidence of this disease from midsixties onwards and reached peak in 1976. Subsequently, there has been a gradual and sustained decline, possibly due to better implementation of Modified Plant of Operations (M.P.O.) in a more realistic and rational manner. Various malaria-metric indices like A.P.I., A.B.E.R., S.F.R., etc, have been analysed and attempts made to compare these parameters with that of Haryana State as well as with all India average for last few years. The analysis of the cases according to species, age of patients, seasonal incidence and temporal and spatial distribution have also been discussed.