A Study on Psychosomatic Problems Related to the Problematic Internet Use among Adolescents at Selected Schools of Aspur Block, Dungarpur, Rajasthan.

Adolescents' scholastic and social life has become increasingly reliant on the internet and mobile technology in recent years. Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a growing problem in Indian adolescents. However, in many cases, this use has become obsessive, causing them to neglect other elements of their lives. Adolescents account for over 35% of internet users in India. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychosomatic problems related to internet overuse among school going adolescent students. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 348 students in selected schools of Aspur block in Dungarpur-district, Rajasthan, India in the month of February 2016. Problematic internet use (PIU) was assessed by Young's twenty question internet addiction test. The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-42) and self structured questionnaire check list was used to measure psychosomatic problems among adolescents. Approximately 5.17% adolescents showed Problematic internet use (PIU). Adolescents with PIU were associated with age between 14-16 year, males,10th class of study, using internet since more than 3 years, being at home, mobile as a source of internet use, purpose of internet use with online gaming. Compared with normal internet users, there were significant correlation between Problematic Internet Use and Somatic Complaints r=0.3660, p<0.05, Depression r=0.3982, p<0.05. Anxiety r=0.2512, p<0.05 and Stress r=0.2886, p<0.05. Problematic internet use (PIU) is an increasing problem among teenagers and it has been linked to psychosomatic issues. Timely Effective measures are needed to prevent the spread of this problem.

Vitamin D insufficiency and hyperparathyroidism in a low income, multiracial, elderly population.

This report examines the wintertime vitamin D and PTH status of 308 participants in the Boston Low Income Elderly Osteoporosis Study of noninstitutionalized low income elderly men and women (age, 64-100 yr) living in subsidized housing in Boston, MA. Twenty-one percent of the 136 black subjects and 11% of the 110 whites had very low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations (<25 nmol/L), and 73% of the blacks and 35% of the whites had 25OHD concentrations less than 50 nmol/L. The mean 25OHD levels of the smaller Hispanic and Asian subsets were generally similar to those of the white subjects. In addition to race, significant predictors of 25OHD included vitamin D intake (positive association) and smoking (inverse association), but not sex or age. Low 25OHD concentrations were associated with increased PTH and reduced serum calcium. The PTH level in the black subjects was substantially higher than that in the white subjects, and this difference was only partially explained by the racial difference in 25OHD. Elderly individuals who live in northern areas, particularly African-Americans, should be strongly encouraged to increase their vitamin D intake, especially in winter.