Are unhygienic practices during the menstrual, partum and postpartum periods risk factors for secondary infertility?

This study was aimed at identifying practices during the menstrual, partum and postpartum periods posing possible risk factors contributing towards secondary infertility in women of a selected population in Karachi, Pakistan. A matched case-control study was conducted from April 2003 to March 2004. Four hundred cases were selected from five infertility clinics affiliated with tertiary-care hospitals, and 400 age-matched controls were recruited from the neighbourhood of each case. After taking written consents, trained interviewers conducted interviews using a pretested structured questionnaire. Factors found to be independently associated with secondary infertility were: previous delivery' at an unclean place (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-2.6), delivery by a birth attendant without washing hands with soap (AOR=4.2, 95% CI 2.36-7.47), use of unclean material for absorption of lochia (AOR=3.1, 95% CI 1.5-6.5), non-washing of perineal area after urination/defaecation (AOR=7.1, 95% CI 1.4-35.7), and insertion of home-made vaginal medications (AOR=2.5, 95% CI 1.3-4.7). Since these factors are preventable/modifiable to a great extent, public-health interventions are, thus, recommended to address these risk factors at various levels.

Evaluation of a cancer awareness campaign: experience with a selected population in Karachi.

The incidence and prevalence of cancer is rapidly increasing in both developed and developing countries. The most common cancers reported in Pakistan are breast and cervical cancers in females, and lung and oral cancers in males. Public awareness of cancer can play a vital role in its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. A pilot survey conducted by the Cancer Support Group (CSG) of Aga Khan University Hospital from 2001 till 2004 to gauge the public awareness of cancer in Pakistan revealed that people were afraid of cancer and had little knowledge about its prevention and early detection. The survey also identified several social, religious and cultural misconceptions which hinder cancer screening and treatment. In order to create awareness amongst the general public, especially the young generation, members of the CSG also organized fifteen health education sessions in schools, colleges, hospitals and communities in Karachi which were attended by more than 1,500 people. With the help of the results generated in the pilot project, education material was designed and developed for these health education sessions. Ten percent of the participants contacted CSG members for some unusual finding after administering a self screening tests taught in these sessions. This indicates the importance of holding cancer awareness sessions and the positive feedback obtained suggests that people would like to have cancer awareness sessions continued.

Evaluation of efficacy of self breast examination for breast cancer prevention: a cost effective screening tool.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent neoplasm among females and every year the number of associated deaths increases so that there is a dire need for implementation of cancer screening and early detection. A survey conducted by various locally organised cancer registries indicated breast cancer to be the most prevalent cancer among females and the second most common cause of cancer deaths among Pakistani women. Since Pakistani females do not generally engage in screening practices we argue that nurses and lady health workers should team up to educate women for the possible early detection of cancer using Self Breast Examination as a screening tool. In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the primary efficacy of self breast examination as an early and cost effective cancer screening measure, and to discuss the relation of community health nurses as well as the lady health workers to education of females of low income countries such as Pakistan to possibly lower the cancer burden.