A Cross sectional study of Quality of Life of Cancer patients attending Palliative Care OPD.

Abstracts: Background: In India there are 2-2.5 million estimated cancer patients at any given point of time. ‘Palliative care’ approach improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problem associated with life-threatening illness. Quality of life (QOL) is multidimensional construct. Objectives: To assess their quality of life and factors associated with it. This is an attempt to collect baseline data to help improve palliative care services. Materials and Methods: selected patients for the study (total=108) were interviewed with the help of FACT-G Scale for Measuring the Health-related QOL (Sub scores-Physical, Social, Emotional & Functional well-being). The total scores ranged from 0-108 (0-47 poor, 48-63 average, 64-108 good). Statistical Analysis: Chi square test. Results: Out of total 108 patients, 72.22% were females. Mean age was 50.91 years (SD± 2.02). 78.70% were married, 29.63% illiterate, 43.52% belonged to Middle Socio-economic class, 89.81% had Stage 2 and 3 cancer. Mean total FACT-G scale QOL score was 54.61 (SD ±8.18). Relation between marital status and socio-economic status with total QOL score was statistically significant. Conclusions: The median of all sub-scores worsened with progress of stage of cancer. Patients with better socio-economic status and were married had better QOL scores. Counselling will improve their QOL through palliative care services.

Family planning: views of female non-acceptors in rural India.

A study conducted on eligible rural women who were unwilling to accept family planning methods revealed that many women were concerned about child survival and viewed children as a source of support in old age. Family size was usually decided by in-laws. Pressure from in-laws to have more children was significantly higher in families where the women were less educated or illiterate.

Pattern of leprosy deformities among agricultural labourers in an endemic district: a pilot study.

A study of 1,338 leprosy affected agricultural labourers in an endemic district revealed that 12% had deformities. The patient's sex, type of disease, duration and educational status seemed to influence pattern of leprosy deformities. The patients continued working despite deformities in order to avoid financial dependence on their family members and loss of dignity.

Child-to-parent education: a pilot study.

A controlled study carried out in the hilly Konkan region on the West coast of India showed that school children have the potential for transmitting their newly acquired knowledge to their parents. Though the results indicate that acquisition of knowledge does not mean a change in attitudes concerning leprosy, child-to-parent education may show promising results in leprosy education in developing countries where most parents of school children are illiterate and are not easily reached by conventional methods of health education.

Role of the family in drug abuse.

A simple random survey of 9863 population out of the total 70,000 population is one slum pocket of Bombay revealed drug dependence in 104 persons. Out of 104, 83.65% smoked 'brown sugar' 10.68% used cannabis and 5.77% opium. Most of the addicts (95.2%) belonged to large families. Family history of alcoholism and drug abuse was present in 41.35%. Parental deprivation was additional contributing factor in 30.7%.

Anti-leprosy vaccines: current status and future prospects.

Different types of leprosy vaccines are currently used in field trials in India. The rationale behind their use, the parameters for determining their efficacy, their merits and demerits are discussed and the future prospects are highlighted.

Employment status of leprosy patients with deformities in a suburban slum.

In a poor slum area in suburban Bombay, a study of 129 leprosy patients with deformities revealed that only 46% were employed before the appearance of deformities and most of them had lost their jobs after deformities had appeared. Health education on care of anesthetic extremities did not have the desired impact on the patients, many of them had worsening of their deformities during the phase of their employment because they had to take up any kind of work in order to make a living. They were mostly poorly educated and lacked special skills. The only feasible alternative in this kind of situation appears to be a selective community-based rehabilitation of leprosy patients with deformities.