ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of medical undergraduates regarding potential organ donation. METHODS: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to July 2017 at Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan and comprised medical students of either gender selected from each of the five academic years. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude and practices. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS: Of the 400 subjects, there were 40(10%) male and 40(10%) female students from each of the five academic years. The mean age of the sample was 20.98+/-1.63 years (range: 18-27 years). Overall, 363(90.8%) students had knowledge of organ donation and 96(24%) knew about potential organ donation. Of the 184(46%) subjects willing for live donation, 86(46.7%) were males and 98(53.2%) were females. Of the 245(61.5%) subjects willing for potential organ donation, 62(77.5%) were from the 5th year and 30(37.5%) were from the 1st year. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students were found to have good knowledge regarding live organ donation, but they had very little information about potential organ donation.
Subject(s)
Students, Medical , Tissue and Organ Procurement , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Male , Pakistan , Surveys and Questionnaires , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chikungunya shares many clinical features with dengue fever, but to date, no case has been reported in Rawalpindi and surrounding areas. AIMS: To detect the presence in Rawalpindi of chikungunya masquerading as dengue fever. METHODS: An observational study was conducted at Rawalpindi Medical University from July to December 2017. Patients with clinical features suggestive of dengue fever, but negative for dengue virus NS1 antigen were included and tested at the National Institute of Health Islamabad, Pakistan, for chikungunya using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: We tested 129 patients and 28 were positive for chikungunya. There were 17 (60.7%) men and 11 (39.3%) women, with a mean age of 32.53 years (range 16-60 years). All had fever at presentation. Other clinical features at presentation were noted, such as fever, chills, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhoea. No long-term sequelae or bleeding diatheses were seen and there was no mortality reported. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical features observed and investigated confirmed our reporting of the first case of chikungunya in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
