A study to assess attitude of nursing students towards suicide attempters - A cross sectional study at Bagalkot

Background: In this era of advanced medicine, significant association between negative attitudes of health workers related to suicide has been found, which may be attributed to inadequate quality of health workers towards patient care. Nursing personnel being first level contacts with regards to suicide prevention, they play an important role in suicide risk assessment and management. However, knowledge about these issues is very limited, especially among nursing students in India. Aims: The present study is aimed to asses attitudes related to suicide among nursing students studying in Sajjalashree Institute of Nursing Sciences, Bagalkot. Methodology: In the Covid-19 era, the study conducted was an online survey, using the Google forms. A survey link was circulated using WhatsApp. The survey questionnaire included of specifically designed socio demographic proforma to collect sociodemographic data and Suicide opinion questionnaire was administered to assess their attitude towards suicidal patients. First 150 responses were recorded and Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Majority of study participants were single females (61.3%) coming from rural locality with mean age of 21 years. Only few had previous exposure to psychiatric posting or suicide prevention programmes. 76.9% of respondents held an uncertain attitude towards patients presenting with deliberate self-harm, 15.3% had a favourable attitude and 7.6% had a negative attitude. Conclusion: Uncertain attitude was seen in two thirds of among most of the statements while favourable attitude was seen only among one third of the attitudinal statement.

Assessment of visual problems in elderly in an urban slum community of Mumbai.

Background: Visual problems in the elderly share a major portion of the disability in the elderly. Visual impairment in the elderly can interfere with daily activities tremendously leading to dependence in many things. It can also lead to accidents and falls. Hence a study was carried out in an urban slum community at Mumbai to assess the various visual problems in the elderly, its causes and the prevalence. Methodology: Community based cross-sectional study of the elderly persons residing in an urban slum of Mumbai. Results: 65.54% (426) people had visual disability. Of 426 people with visual impairment 405(95.07%) people had low vision and 21 (4.93%) were blind. It was observed that errors of refraction (63.85%) and cataract (18.31%) were the most common cause of visual impairment. Conclusion: Visual impairment and disability is a major problem of the elderly. Errors of refraction and Cataract are the major causes for this disability which can be treated, thus preventing visual handicap and dependency.

Plasma zinc levels in early infancy in north India.

The plasma zinc levels at 1 month of age in term babies with birth weight > 2 kg was 107.69 +/- 23.76 micrograms/dL (range 70 to 150 micrograms/dL). Plasma zinc levels were statistically significantly higher in male babies as compared to females (117.56 +/- 23.84 micrograms/dL vs 98.56 +/- 20.04 micrograms/dL: P value =.003). The zinc levels were also similar among those with and without exclusive breast-feeding. Studies on the clinical benefits of zinc supplementation in young infants are needed.

Gastric stromal tumor: treatment by snare polypectomy.

A patient presenting with hematemesis was detected to have a 3 cm sized pedunculated polyp in the gastric antrum. A snare polypectomy was performed. Histopathology of polyp revealed it to be benign submucosal stromal tumor.

Pneumocystis carinii infection in patients of AIDS in India.

This is the first report of Pneumocystis carinii infection seen in patients with AIDS in India. Two of the three patients were of Indian origin while the third was an American tourist. This report indicates that the technical problem of demonstrating P carinii may be an important factor underlying the diagnosis of PCP.