Effectiveness of different methods of health education: A comparative assessment in a scientific conference

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Every individual mode of health education has its own merits, drawbacks as well as their own sphere of effectiveness. A specific mode of communication is more useful in a specific setting on a specific group than others. To search for optimum mode of communication for a specific audience is a major area of research in health education. The issue of imparting health education to a gathering of educated people, representing different fields of knowledge has remained a relatively less lighted aspect of health education research. In this backdrop this study was initiated for making a comparative assessment of different methods of dissemination of health education among educated people. METHODS: A cross-sectional interviewer administered questionnaire survey was conducted involving 142 randomly selected subjects during the last session of a five-day conference having health as main theme when the opinion of the delegates regarding different communication methods was asked for. Collected data was analyzed not only to find out the optimum mode of education dissemination in such a setting but also to find the contribution of different factors in the preferences of the study subjects. RESULTS: The participants opted more (60%) for focused programs of smaller audience (sectional program). In both broad area (main program) and focused area programs (sectional), the participants preferred lectures (62% and 65.7% respectively). Specific topics were preferred both in lectures (67.6%) and symposia (57.7%). In the exhibition, exhibits seemed to be more attractive (62%) than the posters. Qualification has emerged to be a contributing factor in peoples' choice towards sectional programme and also in their affinity to symposia. Increased age was a significant contributor in participants' preference towards specific topics. Physical barriers of communication appeared to be a problem in the main program as well as in the exhibition. Lack of coherence among the speakers was reported (69%) to be a major reason for which symposia was not preferred. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that while planning for health education dissemination in an educated group a focused programme should be formulated in small groups preferably in the form of lectures on specific topics, more so while dealing with participants of higher age group having higher educational qualification

Inflation targeting policy in Papua New Guinea: an econometric model analysis

Papua New Guinea has not explicitly endorsed inflation targeting (IT) policy but it continues to pursue a policy framework that enables maintenance of low and stable inflation. A simple econometric model of inflation in Papua New Guinea is developed and analysed to identify the appropriate policy option to manage inflation. The model provides the basic structure to study the determinants and process of inflation and to analyse how inflation responds to macroeconomic movements in the economy. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that in the medium term, Papua New Guinea should probably continue to rely on a simpler and less demanding monetary policy framework than venturing into IT policy

The Effect of Blanket Thickness on Extraction Energy in Sugarcane Rolling Mills: a Finite Element Investigation

Extraction of juice from shredded sugar cane is commonly performed using sets of counter-rotating rolls. Increases in crushing rate through factory mills have traditionally been achieved by increasing blanket thickness rather than roll surface speed due to concerns regarding loss of extraction efficiency at higher rolling speeds. Recent factory experience has shown that good extraction performance can be achieved at higher speeds than previously thought, provided that adequate drainage of expressed juice away from the rolls is provided. This study uses finite element methods to predict internal energy dissipation levels due to solid matrix deformation and liquid flow during rolling of prepared sugarcane, and to compare milling parameters for thick blanket, low speed rolling versus thin blanket, high speed rolling. The finite element results suggest that higher roll speeds and thinner blankets (than those currently used in industry practice) would maintain crushing rates and juice extraction levels while reducing roll load, torque, and power consumption, and decreasing frictional sliding between rolls and cane blanket

Neopterin as a marker for cell-mediated immunity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

S E T T I N G : Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) involves macrophage activation and T cell proliferation. These two parameters are compared in this study. O B J E C T I V E: To ascertain the role of neopterin as a biochemical marker for CMI in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. D E S I G N : We measured neopterin levels in serum and the culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) after stimulation with purified protein derivative (PPD) in 11 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 10 healthy individuals. Lymphocyte proliferative response to PPD was carried out in these two groups. R E S U L T S : The mean concentration of serum neopterin was significantly higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.01). The spontaneous release of neopterin was significantly higher in culture supernatants of MNC from patients when compared with those of healthy controls (P < 0.05). Release of neopterin from MNC stimulated with PPD, however, was similar in both groups. The neopterin release and the stimulation index (SI) in lymphocyte proliferation assay were not comparable, suggesting that these two parameters do not run in parallel for measuring the status of CMI. However, serum concentration of neopterin was inversely related to the SI in a large proportion of subjects (66%). CONCLUSION: Measurement of neopterin, a soluble product of immune cells (macrophage), may provide information on the state of CMI