Case profile, volume analysis, and dropout rate of antirabies vaccination regimens among animal bite victims in Gujarat.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is a preventable neglected public health problem and associated with multiple cultural, religious, and social practices, myths in our country. There is a lack of organized surveillance system to measure the incidence of animal bite and human rabies as well as to evaluate cost-saving of different routes, regimen, and types of antirabies vaccines (ARV)/immunoglobulin available in India. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to know dropout rate in intradermal (i.d.) ARV regimen among animal bite and to analyze the utilized volume of ARV by a different route of vaccine administration. METHODS: A total of 250 animal bite victims were followed up at ARV Clinic (ARVC). Volume utilization of i.d. route over intramuscular (i.m.) route was analyzed among the patients who attended ARVC during the past 2 years. Total dropout and delayed compliance rates of ARV regimen among different group were compared by Chi-square test. RESULTS: The i.d. route was about five times more volume and cost-saving than i.m. route. The majority of victims belonged to 15-30 years (27.60%) and children <15 years (26.40%) and had wound at their lower limbs (85%) mainly bitten by dogs (98%). Thirty-four percent total dropout and 31.5% delayed compliance observed particularly during the last dose of i.d. regimen. There was no significant difference in dropout rates among different demographic groups. Half of the victims practiced wound toilet on the same day of bite. Only 68% received the first dose of ARV within 24 h of the exposure. CONCLUSION: Children and young adults are at higher risk of having dog bite. I.d. ARV regimen is more volume and cost-saving than i.m. one and proper counseling and follow-up should be arranged to complete the vaccination schedule.

Awareness of HIV/AIDS among rural youth in India: a community based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: More than one third of reported cases of HIV/AIDS in India are among youth and 60 percent of these reside in rural areas. Assessment of the awareness of HIV/AIDS in the youth is important for determining the impact of previous and current awareness programs as well as the need for interventions. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of rural youth regarding HIV/AIDS and to explore the epidemiological determinants of awareness among them. METHODOLOGY: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among youths aged 15-24 years in rural areas of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India. A cluster sampling design was used, surveying 50 subjects from each of 30 clusters. Data was collected through house-to-house visits using a semi-structured questionnaire. Proportions and logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1,237 subjects who participated in survey, 60% knew something about HIV. Of those who had heard of HIV, more than 90% subjects knew the modes of transmission and more than 80% were aware of modes of prevention of HIV/AIDS. One fifth of the subjects had misconceptions in relation to HIV/AIDS. On applying multiple logistic regression, age, education, occupation, and mass media exposure were found to be the major determinants of their knowledge with regard to HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSIONS: Basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS is still lacking in two fifths of the rural youth. Literacy and media exposure are factors that determine awareness of HIV among them and can be helpful to raise their knowledge regarding this scourge.