Epidemiology of mental disability using Indian Disability Evaluation Assessment Scale among general population in an urban area of Puducherry, India.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of information on epidemiology of mental disability in India. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess mental disability, and to study the association between sociodemographic and comorbid chronic conditions with mental disability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among ≥5 years age group in an urban area attached to a Tertiary Care Medical Institute in Puducherry, India. Mental disability was assessed using Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale. Chronic morbid conditions and other associated factors were collected using pretested questionnaire. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: About 2537 subjects were covered with a response rate of 94.1%. Overall, the prevalence of mental disability was found to be 7.1% (181/2537). Among them, majority had mild mental disability (151, 83.4%), followed by moderate (21, 11.6%), severe (8, 4.4%), and profound (1, 0.6%) mental disability. Univariate analysis showed that age group status, marital status, education level, occupation, family type, religion, hypertension, joint pain, backache, current smoking, current alcohol use, and conflicts were associated with mental disability (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.064), widowed status (AOR = 27.022), separated/divorced status (AOR = 16.674), currently married status (AOR = 18.487), being illiterate (AOR = 4.352), having 1st-10th standard education (AOR = 2.531), being in an unskilled (AOR = 0.287) or semiskilled/skilled occupation (AOR = 0.025), belonging to a nuclear family (AOR = 1.816), and absence of family conflicts (AOR = 0.259) were significantly associated with mental disability compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Mental disability is more common in this area. Males, lesser education level, skilled or unskilled occupation, nuclear family, and conflicts were associated with mental disability after adjusting other variables. Multicentric cross-sectional analytical studies will explore the mental disability burden and its associated factors at regional or country level.

Synthesis of vanillin ethers from 4-(bromomethyl) coumarins as anti-inflammatory agents.

4-(Bromomethyl) coumarins 1 have been reacted with vanillins, 2 and 2A to obtain the corresponding ethers 3 and 5. Ethers 3 have been reacted with ethyl cyanoacetate to obtain the unsaturated esters 4. Ethers 5 have been converted to the corresponding 4-(2'-benzo[b] furanyl) coumarins 6 by an intramolecular aldol condensation. Eight compounds have been screened for their anti-inflammatory activity. Out of these the 5,6-benzo-4-2'-benzo[b]furanyl) coumarin (6c) and the aryloxymethyl coumarin (4) with p-formyl group were found to be most active.