ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Organ donation is considered to be a noble act. Medical and nursing students will be the major healthcare providers in this field in the future. Hence, their knowledge, attitude, and perception toward organ donation are essential to improve this field in the future. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception on organ donation among undergraduate medical and nursing students. This study brings forth the basic understanding level of the medical and nursing students on the concept of organ donation. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among the first 4 academic years of medical and nursing students in a tertiary care teaching hospital using convenient sampling. A total of 620 students participated in this study. They were assessed using a pretested semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package of the Social Sciences version 19. RESULTS: The median score on knowledge, attitude, and perception among the medical students was 16 (14-17), 25 (23-28), and 41 (38-45), respectively, and among the nurses, the scores were 14 (12-16), 25 (22-27), and 39 (33-42), respectively. Almost half (46.9%) of the study participants knew the definition for brain death. Twenty-nine percent of the study participants knew about the existence of law toward organ donation; more than half of those participants (52.7%) mentioned few rules and regulation involved in the laws pertaining to organ donation. CONCLUSION: Media is the major source for information. Only less than half of the study participants were knowledgeable on the definition of brain death and existence of organ donation law. Although they are in favor of organ donation, doubts still exist among few of the participants which could be understood through further research in this field.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: A multipurpose health worker (MPHW) is the key functionary and the first contact person in a subcenter. This study explores the workload of MPHWs in the multifarious domains of their activities and also assesses their time utilization pattern. METHODS: A time and motion study was conducted among 19 auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and 10 HWs male (M) from six selected primary health centers of Puducherry. Participants self-reported their daily activities on a time measurement sheet for 6 days in a week. Data were entered in EpiData software and analyzed using Excel. Calculations are based on a total of 646 and 340 person-hours of observation by ANMs and HWs (M), respectively. RESULTS: Time utilization pattern revealed that ANMs spent half of their time on maternal and child health activities. HWs (M) utilized 45% of their time for vector control programs and 11% for other programs. Documentation constituted nearly 16% and 10% time spent by ANMs and HWs (M), respectively. Other activities that constituted multipurpose workers' time utilization include traveling (8-10%), patient education (5-10%) and personal activities (6-12% ). The proportion of time spent in community activities was around 54% by HWs (M) and 32% by ANMs. Observations on self-reporting were comparable with that of participant observations. CONCLUSIONS: This study reflects the workload in different domains of MPHWs' activities and the "multipurpose" nature of their work, relevance of their job responsibilities in the context of national programs, and changing profile of their job.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Papilledema is defined as an optic disk swelling that is secondary to elevated intracranial pressure. Early diagnosis of papilledema can help in early intervention thus preventing visual loss and even death. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique which can detect and quantify diffuse thickening of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in eyes with optic disk edema. AIMS: To assess the difference in the RNFL thickness in patients with papilledema from controls using OCT and to correlate the RNFL thickness with the degree of papilledema. SETTING AND DESIGN: A case control study was conducted from August 2011 to July 2013 in a tertiary care medical college of south India. METHODS AND MATERIALS: All adult patients diagnosed or suspected to have papilledema were included in the study. Disk photographs were graded according to modified Frisen criteria. Fast RNFL protocol on time-domain OCT was used. Cases and controls were compared. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: RNFL thickness was compared using an independent samples t-test. Correlation between RNFL thickness and modified Frisen scale of papilledema was done using Spearman correlation. GraphPad InStat 3 version was used. RESULTS: A total of 100 cases and 126 controls were studied. Statistically significant thickening of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) was seen in all quadrants in patients with papilledema as compared to controls. A positive correlation was found between Frisen grading of papilledema RNFL thickness measurements. CONCLUSIONS: RNFL thickening was mainly in the inferior and superior peripapillary region and was greater in higher grades of papilledema. A strong positive correlation was found between RNFL thickness and the Frisen scale for grading of papilledema. OCT can be included as a routine non-invasive quantitative tool for detection of early papilledema.
