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Background: Pandemic has affected people physically, mentally and economically. India being a growing economic power house, spends only around 1.2% of GDP on health which thereby leads to high OOP spending. This study aims to estimate out of pocket health expenditure and proportion of financial risk protection. Methods: Cross sectional study conducted among Covid-19 affected individuals in Chennai. It was a questionnaire-based study with questions about covid-19 management status, cost and insurance utili-zation. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis was used for analysis. Results: Total of 47 were treated at hospital and 85% of them were treated at private hospital. The mean cost investigations for patients treated at hospital was of Rs. 50000+11547 and for medicines was Rs. 110000+57735. 53% of study participants had health insurance. 29 (54.72%) of them had Covid-19 treatment cost covered under insurance. The multiple regression analysis showed a statistically signifi-cant association between total OOPE incurred and age, religion and socio-economic status. Conclusion: Majority of participants spent for their treatment through savings and borrowing money. OOPE was compensated by reimbursement through health insurance. Provision of quality health care in government hospitals, increase public health spending and creating awareness about health insurance are ways to reduce OOP costs.
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Background: Dengue fever has become one of the major public health problems in all developing countries. It is essential to create awareness among people as it can be prevented by simple practices. The study was conducted to find the awareness among the people thus determining the need to educate the people regarding the preventive measures of dengue fever.Methods: This was a cross-sectional community-based study conducted among the outpatients and their attenders visiting a Rural Health Training Center of private Medical College and Hospital, belonging to Alandur block in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu during January 2019 to March 2019. 260 subjects within the age group of 18 to 82 years were selected by convenient sampling method. The data was collected by interviewing and by using questionnaires. Analysis of the structured data was done using SPSS software version 16.Results: The study included 260 respondents who gave their consent for the study. 60.8% of the study group were males. Mean age of the study group was 35.36 years. 58.1% of the individuals were educated more that 10th standard. Knowledge about the mode of transmission was correctly stated by 85.8%. Around 15% were not aware of breeding places of mosquitoes.Conclusions: From this study it was evident that there is a definite gap in understanding the various aspects of dengue fever. Thus, we conclude that regular awareness programs should be conducted in the form of campaigns and house visits to create awareness among all individuals.
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Background: Oral health is fundamental to general health and well-being. To organize community oriented oral health promotion programs, systematic analysis of oral health is mandatory which includes information on oral health knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP). The study was done with the aim to assess the KAP on oral hygiene among primary school children in an urban area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu.Methods: A sample of 250 primary school children in the age group of 8-10 at Anakaputhur, an urban field practice area of Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Kancheepuram district was chosen by multi-stage sampling technique.Data on oral hygiene was collected by using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire by personal interview method. The data obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 22.Results: Among the study participants, 65.6% of children had good knowledge on oral hygiene with only 33.6% of children with positive attitude and 10.8% of children had good practice of oral hygiene. Around 96 % of the children knew that they should brush their teeth twice daily, 92% of the children knew that having sweets/fizzy drinks causes oral health problems and 96% of the children think that maintaining healthy teeth is an individual responsibility.Conclusions: Health education services at school regarding oral hygiene practices targeting the children, teachers and the parents have to be conducted at regular intervals to empower them on the benefits of the same.
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Background: The use of mobile phones especially smart phones have become an integral part of everyone’s life leading to addiction. Most of the studies conducted earlier were focused on youngsters. Hence this study was conducted to find out the prevalence of smart phone addiction in the study area.Methods: Community based cross sectional study carried out in Anakaputhur, Tamil Nadu from November 2018 to January 2019. Sample size of 400 was calculated using the formula 4PQ/L2. The respondents were selected by systematic random sampling. Subjects 18 years and above who are using mobile phones were included in the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16 version and presented using descriptive and analytical statistics.Results: Out of 405 participants 191 participants were non smart phone users and 214 were smart phone users. Overall prevalence of smart phone addiction was 27.6%. Male respondents were more addicted than the female (OR-1.94, 95%CI: 1.12-3.77, p=0.01). There was a statistically significant association between subjects <45 years of age and smart phone addiction (OR-2.33, 95% CI: 1.31-4.13, p=0.003) compared to older age group. Likewise respondents who were class III (modified BG Prasad Scale) and above were more addicted compared to subjects below class III (OR-2.29, 95% CI: 1.32-3.98, p=0.002).Conclusions: The prevalence of smart phone addiction is high that has to be addressed seriously. This can be tackled by better life style modification, awareness creation and attitudinal changes
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Background: Tuberculosis remains a major global health problem with 10.4 million incident cases in 2016. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent, many environmental factors play a role in disease progression. Several respiratory hazards including smoking and indoor air pollution were suggested to increase the risk of tuberculosis, but only fewer studies has been conducted on the association between ambient air pollution and tuberculosis.Methods: Data on ambient air quality levels (annual mean concentration of particulate matter 2.5 µg/m3) for the year 2016 was collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) data base for 190 countries which comprises of 6 WHO regions. Similarly data on incidence and mortality rate of tuberculosis for the year 2016 was collected for the above countries from the WHO data base. The data were tabulated and statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient model to examine the association of annul mean concentration of particulate matter 2.5 with incidence and mortality rates of tuberculosis.Results: Incidence and mortality rates of tuberculosis were found to be increasing with increasing levels of air pollution. It was correlated using scatter plot. Pearson’s correlation coefficient for air pollution level and incidence of tuberculosis was 0.331 (95% CI: 0.435-0.883), (p<0.001), and for tuberculosis mortality was 0.39 (95% CI: 0.525-0.906) (p<0.001).Conclusions: The study suggests there is a significant positive relationship between ambient air pollution level and tuberculosis incidence and mortality rates.
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Background: Tobacco is the leading global cause of preventable death which kills millions of people and causes huge economic damage every year. Smoking form of tobacco is a major modifiable risk factor for number of chronic non-communicable diseases. In spite of various statutory warnings, smoking still remains a major Public health problem especially in young males. In order to reduce the magnitude and for effective control, the risk factors and distribution should be well known. This study was planned with the objective of assessing the prevalence and determinants of smoking among rural young males of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.Methods: This community based cross sectional study was carried out between March and May 2018 among rural young males aged between 18 to 29 years. Sample size of 431 was calculated by using 4PQ/L2 and the respondents were selected from sampled households using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire, which were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 and presented using descriptive and analytical statistics.Results: Among 422 participants interviewed, the prevalence of smoking was 23%. Factors found to be protective against smoking were employment status and sedentary type of jobs. Factors found to be significantly associated with smoking were individuals with smoking friends and family members, habit of alcoholism, employment and low education status.Conclusions: Since smoking is a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality, efforts should be made to control its use by intensive health education, implementing counsellingfacilities and rigorous enforcement of anti-tobacco legislation
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Background: Menstruation is a normal biological function in females and in the society, the practices followed are highly variable across different regions. This study aimed to determine the practices followed during menstruation by rural women in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.Methods: This community based cross sectional study was carried out between August and October 2018. Sample size of 400 was calculated by using formula 4pq/d2 and female respondents were selected from sampled households using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire, which were analysed using SPSS version 16.0 and presented using descriptive and analytical statistics.Results: A total of 395 women were included in the study. About 54% of females belonged to the age group of 26-35 years and 82.5% were married. Use of sanitary pads during menstruation was reported by 28.6% of the females. Other absorbents used were disposable cloths (46.3%) and reusable cloths (25.1%). About 79% of females practiced some form of restriction during menstruation. Females aged <35 years (OR: 2.55, 95% CI: 1.48-4.39) were more likely to use sanitary pad compared to older females. Females who used sanitary pad as absorbent were less likely to have symptoms of reproductive tract infections compared to those who didn’t (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.94).Conclusions: Menstrual hygiene practices were found be unsatisfactory among the rural women and various restrictions during menstruation were also in practice. Women should be educated about the importance of use of sanitary pads and the harms of using cloths. Awareness also needs to be created to abolish the unnecessary restrictions that are imposed on women to be followed during menstruation.