Insights into Disaster Management Scenario among Various Health-Care Students in India: A Multi-Institutional, Multi-Professional Study.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of occurrence of disasters is on the rise all over the world. Workforce shortage can be a major impediment toward efficient disaster management. Incorporation of other health-care workers along with conventional medical personnel might be critical for efficient and effective management of disasters. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess various aspects pertaining to disaster management among various health-care students in India. METHODS: Final-year students pursuing medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy, Ayurveda, and homeopathy at various institutions in Mangalore, India, were the study participants. Participants' willingness to partake in disaster management and knowledge, attitude, behavior, and perceived effectiveness pertaining to disaster management was ascertained by a questionnaire method. Their previous history of training and familiarity with standard operating procedures was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 437 students belonging to seven health-care institutions participated in the study. Overall, 98.40% of the participants were willing to partake in disaster management. The mean knowledge, attitude, behavior, and perceived effectiveness scores were 49.19%, 81.75%, 47.28%, and 66.20%, respectively. Step-wise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that course (ß = 0.247, P < 0.001), attitude (ß = 0.154,P = 0.001), and behavior (ß = 0.284, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of perceived effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Participants in the present study revealed that they were willing to partake in disaster management. The participants also reported poor behavior and knowledge scores but appropriate attitude scores. The present study highlights the need for curriculum changes and policy implications for effective integration of various sectors for disaster management, particularly in developing nations such as India, which have a definite scarcity of resources.

Trends in self-medication for dental conditions among patients attending oral health outreach programs in coastal Karnataka, India.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, pattern, and awareness of self-medication practices among patients presenting at oral health outreach programs in coastal Karnataka, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study, based on an interview conducted in randomly selected 400 study subjects from the patients presenting at these oral health outreach programs. Data were collected regarding demographic information and the interview schedule consisting of 14 questions was administered. RESULTS: Prevalence of self-medication was 30%. Respondents' gender (χ(2) = 5.095, P < 0.05), occupation (χ(2) = 10.215, P < 0.05), the time from the last dental visit (χ(2) = 8.108, P < 0.05), recommendation of drug(s) to family members or friends (χ(2) = 75.565, P < 0.001), and the likelihood of self-medication in the next 6 months (χ(2) = 80.999, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with self-medication. Male respondents were less likely to have undertaken self-medication (odds ratio = 0.581 [0.361, 0.933]). The frequently self-medicated drug was analgesics (42.5%) for toothache (69.2%). The regression model explained 39.4% (Nagelkerke R(2)) of the variance in self-medication practices. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of self-medication was 30% with demographic influence. Hence, this study highlights the policy implications for drug control by government agencies and stresses on the need for dental health education to discourage irrational drug use.

Reporting guidelines in health research: A review.

Contemporary health research has come under close scrutiny, exposing alarming flaws in the reporting of research. The reporting guidelines can aid in identification of poorly reported studies and can bring transparency to health research. The guidelines also help journal editors, peer reviewers, funding agencies, and readers to better discern health research. Reporting guidelines encourage accurate and thorough reporting of fundamental aspects of health research so that the results of studies can be replicated by others. Reporting guidelines are potent tools to improve the practice of research and in reducing reporting bias. For the present review, both electronic and manual literature search was carried out. Electronic databases like PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCO host, and Science Direct were searched for extracting relevant articles. Various key words and their combinations were used for literature search like reporting guidelines, checklist, research, publishing standards, study design, medicine, and dentistry. The search results were scrutinized for relevance to the topic and only full text articles in English were incorporated. Various reporting guidelines were identified and grouped under headings based on study design. This review article attempts to highlight the various reporting guidelines in literature relating to health research, its potential applications, and its limitations.

Oral health care availability in health centers of mangalore taluk, India.

BACKGROUND: Community-oriented oral health programs are seldom found in India. When primary health care systems were in the 1980s, dentistry was not adequately included. This has left oral health far behind other health services. OBJECTIVES: To find the availability of dental professionals, infrastructure, equipment, and treatments provided in health centers of Mangalore taluk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical officers and dentists working in all the health centers of Mangalore taluk, using an interview schedule, the oral health care availability inventory (ORAI). RESULTS: Among 23 health centers of Mangalore taluk, dental services were available at six health centers (26%) [two community health centers (CHCs) and four primary health centers (PHCs)]. Mouth mirrors, dental explorers, and extraction instruments were available at six health centers [two CHCs (100%) and four PHCs (19%)]. No health centers provided orthodontic tooth corrections, removal of impacted teeth, oral biopsies, and fabrication of removable dentures. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of dental services was limited in the health centers, and a vast majority of the rural population in Mangalore taluk did not have access to dental care.

Willingness to participate in disaster management among Indian dental graduates.

INTRODUCTION: India has been the focal point of various disasters, and has suffered considerable losses due to the same. Manpower shortage can impede disaster management; hence, including dental professionals in disaster management in India can be crucial. HYPOTHESIS/PROBLEM: To assess willingness to participate in disaster management among Indian dental graduates; to assess the objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge regarding disaster management among Indian dental graduates. METHODS: All the interns in Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka were included in the present study. Their willingness to participate in disaster management and their objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge related to disaster management were assessed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 86 study subjects participated. A majority (98.8%) of respondents were willing to participate in disaster management. Mean objective knowledge, attitude, behavior and perceived knowledge scores were 48.65%, 80.26%, 29.85% and 60.80% respectively. Males reported higher perceived knowledge than females (P = .008), and respondents residing in hostels reported higher perceived knowledge than those not residing in hostels (P = .02). Gender showed significant correlations with attitude (r = 4.076, P = .044) and behavior (r = 3.722, P = .054), and residence with behavior of respondents (r = 5.690, P = .017). CONCLUSIONS: A high degree of willingness to provide assistance during disasters was observed among undergraduate dental students. High attitude coupled with low knowledge and behavior scores regarding disaster management was also observed. Gender was associated with attitude and behavior, and residence with behavior of respondents regarding disaster management. Including disaster management in dental curricula and involvement of dental professionals in disaster management might be crucial for disaster management in India.

Antifungal efficacy of Punica granatum, Acacia nilotica, Cuminum cyminum and Foeniculum vulgare on Candida albicans: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: The establishment and maintenance of oral microbiota is related not only to interbacterial coaggregations but also to interactions of these bacteria with yeasts. Hence, it is important for agents used in the treatment of oral diseases to have antifungal properties for effective therapy. OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antifungal efficacy of Punica granatum, Acacia nilotica, Cuminum cyminum and Foeniculum vulgare on Candida albicans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pomegranate peel is separated, dried and powdered. Fennel, cumin and acacia bark obtained from the tree are powdered. Candida is inoculated at 37˚C and seeded on Sabourauds agar medium. Sterilized filter papers saturated with 30 µl of the extracts are placed on the seeded plates and inoculated at 24 and 48 h. Zones of inhibition on all four sides are measured around the filter paper with a vernier caliper. The experiments were repeated on four plates, with four samples of each extract on one plate for all of the extracts. RESULTS: All the above-mentioned ingredients showed antifungal property, with Punica granatum showing the highest inhibition of Candida albicans with a mean zone of inhibition of 22 mm. P-values <0.05 were obtained for Punica granatum when compared with the other extracts. CONCLUSION: The results showed the potential use of these products as cheap and convenient adjuvants to pharmaceutical antifungal products.