Tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke among high school students in Ernakulum district, Kerala: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) in the home setting are major health hazards for adolescents. The objectives of this study were to estimate tobacco use and exposure to SHS among high school students in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India, and to investigate associated factors. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 25 randomly selected high schools from 210 schools in the Ernakulam educational district of Kerala, India. The minimum calculated sample size for ever-use of tobacco and SHS exposure was determined to be 2500, with 95% confidence interval (CI) and 10% relative precision. Data were collected using a semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire from 2585 high school students. Data analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. Results: The ever-use of tobacco was reported to be 3.9% (95% CI 3.16 to 4.54) and the mean age of the participants was 13.97 ± 0.77 years. One-fifth of participants had tried a tobacco product before the age of 10 years. SHS exposure at home was reported by one in every 5 respondents (20.3%). Male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.79; 95% CI 3.16, 24.53), presence of a family member who smokes within the home (aOR 4.28; 95% CI 2.58, 7.12), lack of awareness about the harmful effects of SHS exposure (aOR 2.47; 95% CI 1.41, 5.18) and having seen an advertisement or promotion at point of sale (aOR 2.16; 95% CI 1.29, 3.60) were found to be independent predictors for tobacco use.Participants with respiratory infections were three times more likely to have experienced SHS exposure at home (aOR 2.87; 95% CI 2.21, 3.74), there was an 86% protective effect of SHS exposure for participants with a father in a professional occupation compared with unskilled profession (aOR 0.14; 95% CI 0.02, 0.67; p < 0.15) and participants with ever-use of tobacco were two times more likely to have experienced SHS exposure at home (aOR 1.63; 95% CI 3.13, 8.98). Conclusions: SHS exposure in the home environment continues to be high. Urgent innovative measures are necessary for the implementation of tobacco smoke-free homes and to reduce tobacco use in this vulnerable population. Further studies are necessary to determine ways to reduce smoking within homes and to increase population awareness.

Patient Self-reported quality of life assessment in Type 2 diabetes mellitus: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome measure to assess the diabetic care and is increasingly replacing the traditional indicators of health. AIM: The aim is to evaluate the QoL in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) using a third generation individualized QoL instrument like an audit of diabetes-dependent QoL (ADDQoL) questionnaire and to determine the predictors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited from a tertiary care hospital by convenience sampling. Sociodemographic and other relevant details were collected from the study patients, and ADDQoL questionnaire were administered to them. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients were included in the study among which 66% of patients had uncontrolled type 2 DM as suggested by their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. The mean QoL score was 0.07 (0.91) and diabetes-dependent QoL was -1.33 (0.58). Approximately 38% were associated with poor health-related QoL with a mean average weighted impact score of -0.51 (0.51). Most frequently affected life domain was the freedom to eat. A positive correlation was observed between QoL and gender, age, domicile, education status, occupation, family structure, duration of type 2 DM, HbA1c, insulin treatment, and the presence of comorbidities. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the impact of type 2 DM on QoL. Improving QoL of type 2 diabetic patients is important and knowledge of these preventable risk factors help to implement strategies to better management of type 2 DM and ultimately improve therapeutic outcome.

A mathematical model for Rn sampling by activated C adsorption.

This paper describes a diffusion/adsorption model that has been developed for the transport of Rn in an activated carbon porous bed. It is useful in studying the carbon canister Rn sampling technique used for monitoring Rn levels in air. The model calculates the amount of Rn adsorbed by the canister for various situations. The predictions of the response of the canister to both constant, as well as a periodic varying concentration of Rn in the surroundings, compares very well with experimental data. Based on this model, it is possible to simulate on a computer the response of the canister for an arbitrarily varying surrounding Rn level. Such computer simulations are effective tools in the design of a more accurate carbon canister monitor.

Assessment of airborne hazards in the thorium processing industry.

Airborne thorium thoron and its decay products contribute significantly to the hazards in the thorium industry. These have been assessed and compared with the standards. Assessment also included the unattached fractions of the decay products, the thoron working levels and the aerodynamic particle size distribution of airborne thorium.