ABSTRACT
The present cross section-I study was conducted on university students to assess the basic level of knowledge regarding AIDS. Mean score obtained by the Science students related to various aspects of AIDS was significantly higher as compared to Arts and Commerce students 94.4% Science students and 86.7%. Arts and Commerce students expressed their desire to learn more about AIDS. This study has identified considerable extent of knowledge and positive attitudes amongst Science students, but Arts and Commerce students had indequate and poor knowledge. The results of this study show that there is a need of effective health education campaign for this high risk group of individuals which will help them to develop the skills to act on their knowledge and communicate it to others.
PIP: Findings are presented from a study conducted to assess how much university students in Nagpur city, India, know about HIV/AIDS. 345 students from the Arts and Commerce faculties and 275 students from the Science faculties of 2 colleges in the city each responded to 50 questions on a self-administered questionnaire on different aspects of AIDS. No prior information was given to the respondents regarding the test. The survey sample was comprised of 394 men and 226 women aged 18-23 years, of mean age 20.64. Science students were significantly more knowledgeable of AIDS-related issues and, in general, had fairly positive attitudes toward people with AIDS compared to the Arts and Commerce students. 94.9% of Science students and 86.7% of Arts and Commerce students expressed their desire to learn more about AIDS. Most students from both faculties believe that the government should play an important role in fighting HIV/AIDS in India.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/prevention & control , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Adolescent , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , India , Male , Students/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Universities/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and its association with maternal factors. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Urban community. SUBJECTS: Cohort of 210 pregnant women. RESULTS: The LBW prevalence was 30.3%. On multivariate analyses the maternal factors significantly associated with LBW were anemia (OR-4.81), low socioeconomic status (OR-3.96), short birth interval (OR-3.84), tobacco exposure (OR-3.14), height (OR-2.78), maternal age (OR-2.68), body mass index (OR-2.02), and primiparity (OR 1.58). CONCLUSIONS: Anemia, low socioeconomic status, short stature, short birth interval. Tobacco exposure, low maternal age, low body mass index, and primiparity are significantly risk factors for LBW.
PIP: The prevalence of low birth weight and its association with maternal factors was assessed in a 1994 study of 201 pregnant women from an urban area in Nagpur, India. 61 women (30.3%) delivered a low-birth-weight infant. Multivariate analysis identified the following maternal risk factors for a low-birth-weight delivery: anemia (odds ratio [OR], 4.81), low socioeconomic status (OR, 3.96), short birth interval (OR, 3.84), tobacco exposure (OR, 3.14), height (OR, 2.78), maternal age (OR, 2.68), body mass index (OR, 2.02), and primiparity (OR, 1.58). These findings suggest that a greater emphasis should be placed on encouraging adequate birth intervals, weight gain during pregnancy, avoidance of tobacco chewing and exposure to passive smoke, and prevention of adolescent pregnancy.
