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Context: Head-and-neck cancer (HNC) is a major health problem worldwide and even disproportionately bigger in India. Their diagnosis and treatment create severe impact on the quality of life (QOL). We chose to study such patients because we were already reporting these cancers to the Indian Council of Medical Research as part of project titled “Pattern of care and survival studies.” Aims: The aim of the study is to assess and compare QOL of H and N cancer patients before and after the completion of cancer-directed treatment (CDT). Settings and Design: The present study was a hospital-based study conducted in the tertiary care hospital of Jammu with longitudinal study design. Subjects and Methods: All newly diagnosed HNC patients registered with the Department of Radiotherapy and ENT on inpatient or outpatient basis were included over a period of 6 months. Each patient was followed for 4–6 weeks after the completion of CDT. QOL was assessed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ C30) (general) and EORTC QLQ H and N-35 (specific) questionnaires. Statistical Analysis: Paired t-test was calculated to compare pre- and postmean scores. Pre- and post-Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was also calculated. Results: The most frequent site was larynx followed by the oral cavity. Regarding both EORTC QLQ C-30 questionnaire and Global health status and EORTC H and N-35 specific questionnaires, the mean scores across all domains showed worsening of QoL from their baseline. The worsening was more severe in emotional function (functional scale), while physical, cognitive, and social functions were comparatively less affected. Pain, swallowing, speech, and mouth problems were most worsened. Conclusions: QoL showed worsening after CDT in all domains due to acute and subacute adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treatment course
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Background: Despite more than fifty years of implementation of National Family Planning and Welfare programme, unmet need for family Planning is still high which poses a big challenge for family planning programme. The aim is to reach all women whose reproductive behaviour requires one or the other forms of contraception but for various factors are not practicing them.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out amongst women of reproductive age group in the field practice area of Rural Health Training Centre of Dept. of Community Medicine of a Government Medical College, Jammu during the period of January to June 2018. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics committee prior to the start of the study. Total of 541 eligible couples attending the family welfare section were interviewed by the trained staff using the pre-tested questionnaire. The information about various family planning methods adopted by couple was elicited. Data was analysed by using appropriate test whenever necessary.Results: A total of 541 eligible couples were interviewed. Maximum couples were in the age group of 30-34 years. 300 (55.4%) couples were using one or the other method of family planning. Condoms were most commonly used method by 148 (49.3%) couples followed by oral contraceptive pills (30.6%). Among permanent methods of family planning, tubectomy was adopted by 10 (3.3%) and vasectomy only by 4 (1.3%) couples. No one was practising any miscellaneous method of contraception. The percentage of family planning methods used by Hindus was maximum (65%). Difference was also observed in the context of socio-economic status.Conclusions: Nearly half of eligible couples were not practising any method of contraception. There is need to increase motivation among eligible couples to increase adoption of permanent methods of contraception especially vasectomy.
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Background: Prevalence and spectrum of neural tube defects has undergone seasonal and secular variations in different regions of the world since the turn of last century. However precise etiology inspite of lot of research has not been clearly elucidated.Methods: The study was conducted in Government Medical College Hospital and SMGS Hospital Jammu in patients diagnosed to have a neural tube defect from birth to 19 years. History regarding sociodemographic profile, antenatal history and significant birth history was elicited. Complete general physical examination, Local examination of the lesion was carried out and neural tube defects were classified. All the cases were subjected to ultrasound head to determine ventricular size and rule out hydrocephalus. The data was entered in Microsoft Excel and results were presented in form of percentages and proportions.Results: Maximum children admitted were in the age group of <1 month and belonged to Jammu district. Commonest anomaly seen was lumbosacral meningomyelocele with associated hydrocephalus and neural deficit. Mothers who gave birth to an NTD affected child were commonly in the age group of 20-30 years, with commonest NTD affected sib being 1stborn and most of parents being from very low socio-economic strata of society. Only 7 mothers had received antenatal advice with ultrasound and almost none had received folic acid either before or after conception.Conclusions: Neural tube defects appear to be fairly common anomaly among females of lower socioeconomic strata, living in far flung mountainous regions of the state, devoid of proper health care facilities and education.
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Background: There is increasing concern that vitamin D deficiency may play etiological role in Febrile seizures. Few studies have reported vitamin D deficiency in children with recurrent febrile seizures and hypocalcemia seizures. 'The objective of this study is to explore vitamin D status in children aged 6 months to 5 years with first episode of febrile seizure and to find the association between vitamin D levels and febrile seizure.Methods: A hospital-based case control study was conducted in sub district hospital, Katra over a period of three years. Cases were children of age group 6 months to 5 years presenting with first episode of simple febrile seizure to the casualty or OPD. For each case, a control was selected with similar age group and same sex who came for short duration fever (<2 days) but without seizures. A 5ml of blood sample for measurement of 25 hydroxy vitamin D was taken from the peripheral vein of each participant by trained laboratory technician. In order to categorise various degrees of vitamin D deficiency, Indian Academy of paediatrics criteria was used. Results were presented in the form of percentages and Odds ratio was calculated as measure of association.Results: A total of 75 cases and 75 controls were included in the study. Cases and controls were comparable as per baseline characteristics. Strong and significant (p<0.01) association of febrile seizures with vit D levels was observed.Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among cases of simple febrile seizure.
RESUMO
Background: Delayed umbilical cord clamping is an effective strategy and particularly relevant for infants living in low-resource settings with less access to iron-rich foods and thus are at greater risk of anaemia. Objective: To compare the effect of umbilical cord milking (UCM) and delayed cord clamping (DCC) on haematological parameters (serum ferritin & hemoglobin) at birth and at 72 hours in term neonates. Methods: This was an Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial conducted at Suvidha Mother and Child Nursing Home Talab Tillo Jammu over a period of 6 months. A total of 68 babies born at > 37 weeks of gestation were randomized in three groups, group I UCM alone (n=28) , Group II DCC alone (n=23) and Group III both UCC and DCC (n=17) using simple randomization technique . In milking group, Umbilical cord was milked 4 times towards the baby at a speed of 10 cm / sec . In Delayed Cord Clamping group cord was clamped and cut 2-3 cm distance from the umbilical stump after 3 minutes of birth. In Group III both procedures were done simultaneously. Statistical analysis: ANOVAwas used to compare mean difference of outcome between three intervention arms. Two tailed Pvalue of <0.05 was taken as significant. SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis Results: The baseline characteristics were mostly comparable in the all the groups. Maximum increase in Haemoglobin and PCV was seen in group II i.e delayed cord clamping . Mean haemoglobin and heamatocrit (PCV) levels at 72 hours of life neonates in group II (17.7g% and 55.4 ) and group III (17.3g% and 54) were comparable . Conclusion: Both the interventions i.e Delayed cord clamping performed alone or in combination with umbilical cord milking had comparable effect on hematological status in term neonates