Prevalence of obesity among school children of age group 5-10 years

Childhood obesity is a precursor to obesity and other non-communicable diseases in adulthood. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality as well as reduced life expectancy. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of obesity among school children of age group 5-10 years. Methods: The study was conducted among 90 children of age group 5-10 years. Before the commencement of the study informed consents was signed by the parents. Anthropometric measurements were performed by well-trained health professionals. Height without shoes was measured using metal column height-measuring stands to the nearest 0.1 cm. Weight was measured using lever scales to the nearest 0.1 kg while the subjects wore their light clothes. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from their height and weight (kg/m2 ). The BMI cutoff points recommended by the International Obesity Task Force were used to define overweight and obesity.8 Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS, version 22 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL) and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The sample size of 90 patients was selected for the study in which 50 were girls whereas 40 were boys. The children were divided according to different age groups. First age group include children between age of 5 to 7 years whereas in second age group children of age group 8 to 10 years were included. In age group 5- 7 years 24 were boys and 29 were girls. In age group 8-10 years 16 were boys and 21 were girls. The presence of obesity in age group 5-7 years was more in girls i.e., 62.06%. The obesity in age group 8-10 years was prevalent in girls i.e., 47.61%. Conclusion: Health education regarding prevention of obesity should be given to parents to assess healthier lifestyle motivation among their children.

Determinants of Indian physicians’ satisfaction & dissatisfaction from their job.

Background & objectives: Physicians’ satisfaction/dissatisfaction from their job is an important factor associated with health service that deals with human life. This study was conducted to ascertain overall level and proportion of physicians’ satisfaction from their job as well as to identify those components that influenced it. Method: A comprehensive customized questionnaire was used with Section A to assess demographic profile of physicians and Section B to assess satisfaction. Response to each question was devised using Likert scale. Likert scale responses were converted to normal scale so that statistical procedures could be naturally developed. A total of 170 physicians were selected using multistage sampling. Questionnaire was administered on one to one basis to avoid non-response. Precise and contextualized descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were used for analysis. Result: Of the 140 physicians, 103 (74%) were satisfied from their job with average score of 19.15 ± 11.46 while 37 (26%) were dissatisfied with average score -09.27 ± 06.30. Nine out of 15 components were found significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Comparative assessment of the present results with those of other studies revealed that satisfaction percentage of Indian physicians and those of the developed countries were almost the same. Perhaps, magnitude of satisfaction level (average score) of the Indian physicians were towards the lower side. Nine determinants, identified in this study can be used safely to assess any professionals’ satisfaction.

Impact of National Rural Health Mission on Perinatal Mortality in Rural India.

Innovations under National Rural Health Mission have paved the way for increased utilization of hospitals for childbirth. The association of increase in hospital deliveries with decline in the perinatal mortality rate in rural India after the launch of NRHM in 2005 was assessed using the Sample Registration System reports. Relative increase in hospital deliveries was 57% from year 2005 to 2008 but relative decline in the PNMR was only 2.5% in the rural areas of Indian states (r=0.2; 95% confidence interval -0.2-0.6; P=0.3). Hence, quality of care at the time of childbirth needs to be assessed.

Assessment of Implementation of Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness in India.

At the current rate of decline in infant mortality, India is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on child survival. Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI), adapted from the global Integrated Management of Childhood Illness to enhance the focus on newborns and on community health workers, is the central strategy within the National Reproductive and Child Health Programme to address high infant mortality. This paper assessed the progress of IMNCI in India, identified the programme bottlenecks, and also assessed the effect on coverage of key newborn and childcare practices. Programme data were analyzed to ascertain the implementation status; rapid programme assessment was conducted for identifying the programme bottlenecks; and results of analysis of two rounds of district-level household surveys were used for comparing the change in the coverage of child-health interventions in IMNCI and control districts. More than 200,000 community health workers and first-level healthcare providers were trained during 2005-2009 at a variable pace across 223 districts. Of the reported births (n=1,102,573), 65.5% were visited by a trained worker within 24 hours, and 63.1% were visited three times within 10 days. Poor supervision and inadequate essential supplies affected the performance of trained workers. During 2004-2008, 12 early-implementing districts had covered most key newborn and child practice indicators compared to the control districts; however, the difference was significant only for care-seeking for acute respiratory infection (net difference: 17.8%; 95% confidence interval 2.3-33.2, p<0.026). Based on the early experience of IMNCI implementation in different states of India, measures need to be taken to improve supportive supervision, availability of essential supplies, and monitoring of the programme if the strategy has to translate into improved child survival in India.