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Background: Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of morbidity as well as mortality worldwide. To combat the increasing trend of this problem, Government of India formulated the COTPA (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act) in 2003. The study aimed to assess the awareness about COTPA and impact of pictorial warnings among smokers attending outpatient services in a tertiary care hospital in Jammu.Method: The present study was conducted among 320 patients attending the outpatient department of Internal Medicine, Government Medical College, Jammu who happened to be cigarette smokers. The questionnaire was developed by authors with the help of literature review and pilot tested before its final use. Information was elicited about demographic details, awareness about COTPA and impact of pictorial warnings on quitting of smoking.Results: More than half of the respondents were in 30-50-year age group and were urban residents. Awareness about COTPA was good on some parameters but was relatively low on other parameters. Despite all, the respondents noticing pictorial warnings on tobacco packages, only 69.37% of them were contemplating to quit. About half of them were of the view that warning statements preferably be written in local languages.Conclusion: Health and pictorial warnings on tobacco packages remain an important pillar in filling the gap of knowledge and communicating the health risks of tobacco use to the consumers. Only 69.3% of the respondents were planning to quit and awareness levels about COTPA were mixed.
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Background: Climate change has emerged as one of the greatest challenges of the present century. The current study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices about climate change of the adults aged 18 years and above in Jammu city of North India.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among attendants of the patients visiting medical OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital. A pilot tested questionnaire eliciting information on knowledge, attitudes and practices about climate change was administered to those who were willing to participate. The data collected was presented in proportions.Results: Majority (95%) of the respondents had heard of the term climate change, and 43.9% of them related it to changes in the weather pattern. Plastic use as a major cause of climate change was agreed upon by 95% of the respondents. About half of the respondents were very much concerned about climate change and 80% of them were very much interested in knowing more about climate change and its impact. Only 24.8% of the respondents read/watch stories on climate change.Conclusions: Knowledge levels of the respondents were found to be reasonably good but the same cannot be said about their attitude and practices. Role of NGOs, social communities and media is of utmost importance to make people aware of the harmful effects of climate change on both the environment as well as the health of the people.
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Background: Fired clay bricks, an important construction material, are manufactured in non-mechanized, labour intensive brick kilns which mostly employ unskilled men and women. The workers, as an occupational hazard, are exposed to dust and air pollution leading to respiratory diseases.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among brick kiln workers in RS Pura block of Jammu district. The workers were assessed regarding respiratory symptoms and illnesses using translated version of American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Disease questionnaire (ATS-DLD-78A).Results: 692 brick kiln workers were interviewed during the course of survey and 58.8%of them were males. 45% of the respondents were working since last less than three years. Among the respiratory symptoms chronic cough, was present in 23.55% and phlegm in 22.83% of the respondents. Chronic bronchitis was present in 20.52% of the respondents. Association of respiratory symptoms in relation to sex of the respondents was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusions: Respiratory symptoms and illness were found to be quite prevalent in the brick kiln workers. More research needs to be conducted to assess other health risks besides respiratory morbidity. Health planners need to plan for their basic sanitation facilities and periodic check ups.
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Background: Cervical cancer is known for its late detection due to a variety of reasons chiefly lack of knowledge, undesirable attitudes and poor practices. Early screening and adequate knowledge about the disease remains the important safe guards against this disease. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the women aged 18 years and above regarding cervical cancer visiting a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: The present cross sectional hospital based study was conducted in Jammu city, Jammu and Kashmir, India. All the women aged 18 years and above visiting OPD of gynaecology-obstetrics department of Government Medical College Jammu and willing to participate were administered a pretested questionnaire to collect the relevant data.Results: It was found that 91.56% of the respondents had heard of cervical cancer with 83% reporting that it was both preventable as well as curable. Multiple sex partners were the most important risk factor identified. Among the attitudes, 62% agreed that screening was harmless to the client. Only one third knew about the availability of preventive vaccine. About 83.6% of them had never been screened by Pap smear. However willingness to get HPV vaccination was found to be high.Conclusions: Though knowledge among the respondents was found to be adequate but it lacked transformation into attitudes and practices. In this connection, authors recommend health promotion campaigns to educate women and the community about cervical cancer and its preventability through screening.