Knowledge, Problems and Practices of Adolescent Girls During Menstruation.

Background: Menstruation is a normal phenomenon and is almost universal in all females of reproductive age. Adolescence has been recognized as a special period which signifies the transition from girlhood to womanhood with the start of menstruation but there are substantial lacunae in knowledge about menstruation, problems they face and practices they adopt in this period. Objectives: 1.To know the knowledge about menstruation in adolescents, 2.To assess problems of menstruation, 3.To address the special needs regarding maintenance of hygiene during menstruation, 4.To notice impact of socioeconomic status upon them. Material and Method: A descriptive observational (cross sectional) study was carried to assess the knowledge, problems and practices by adolescent girls attending schools in a rural area of Kishanganj district (Bihar). A proforma consisted of predesigned , pretested, structured questionnaire to be filled up by the students and a check-list of height, wt, BP, HC, WC, to be filled up by the researchers , were used. Results: Among 200 adolescents, 70% knew that menstruation is a normal phenomenon; 79% were suffering from menstrual problems and regarding type of absorbats; 70% were using only sanitary napkins, while 30% were using both sanitary napkins and cloth as absorbants. Conclusion: This study shows a lack of understandings of the importance of maintenance of hygiene during menstruation and a lot of gap is present between problems during menstruation in adolescents due to lack of knowledge and proper guidance.

Ventilatory Function of Jute Mill Workers in Border Areas of Bihar.

Aim: To study the effect of jute-dust and further impact of smoking on pulmonary function test parameters in jute mill-workers. Method and Result: With the help of computerized multifunctional spirometer 91 male workers were compared with 90 controls for their PFT-parameters. The study indicated an overall reduction in FVC, FEV1, PEFR, FEF (25-75) % and MVV. FEV1/FVC was within normal range. Further division of workers into smoker and nonsmokers there was a more decline in FEV1 along with FEV1/ FVC in smokers. Conclusion: Exposure of jute-dust lead to combined type of restrictive/obstructive lung diseases.

Effect of Physical Activity on Dyslipidemia in Hypertensives of Rural Areas.

Dyslipidemia with hypertension is associated with atherosclerosis and higher risk of coronary vascular diseases. The study was conducted to find out the effect of physical activity in dyslipidemia pattern in hypertension who visited the medicine OPD in MGM Medical College Kishanganj. Mean value of lipid fractions in physically active hypertensive’s were: T-CH=174mg/dl, HDL-CH = 41.4mg/ dl ,TG = 168mg/dl, VLDL-CH = 34mg/dl, LDL-CH = 111mg/dl and in sedentary hypertensives were: TCH = 266mg/dl, HDLCH = 31mg/dl, TG = 202mg/dl, VLDL-CH = 40mg/dl, LDL-CH = 200mg/dl. There was a significant difference in dyslipedemia pattern between physically active and sedentary hypertensive. The difference between two groups were considered as significant at p<0.05. The study highlighted the emerging importance of physical activity in lipid profiles of hypertensive and due emphasis should be paid by healthcare professionals for educating the patient’s behaviour on physical activity.