Psychosocial and Behavioral Problems in School Going Adolescents of Urban Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Introduction: Adolescence has been identified as a period in which young people develop abstract thinking abilities, become more aware of their sexuality, develop a clearer sense of psychological identity and increase their independence from parents. Adolescence is a period of immense behavioral, psychological, social changes and challenges.Objectives: To quantify the proportion of different psychosocial and behavioral problems as perceived among adolescents and to find the behavioral problems, psychosocial problems, sexual orientation, drug abuse, physical problems, etc., among them.Materials and Methods: This was a community-based mixed method study conducted in schools situated in the field practice area of Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal.Study Population: The study population consisted of high and higher secondary school adolescents of class 10th, 11th and 12th including those who were present on the days of study.Study Period: Study was undertaken from the month of August 2015 to October 2015 for a period of three months.Sample Size: The total adolescents for selected schools were 615 out of which a sample of 530 was selected using convenient sampling.Statistical Analysis: Data were entered into MS excel; analysis was done with the help of Epi-Info-7 software. The procedures involved were preliminary data inspection, content analysis, and interpretation. Frequency and percentage were calculated.Results: The mean age of all the respondents was 16.42, ranging from 15 to 17 years. Most of the adolescent males perceived stress followed by depression to be the major mental problems in their routine life, while the females faced loneliness followed by anxiety as major psychological problem. The adolescents prefer education (29.81%) as their first priority followed by making career (29.62%) ranked as two. The male respondents admitted body built (38.71%) and beard problems (30.97%) major physical and sexual concern. The female respondents admitted body built and breast size to be their major physical and sexual concern. The various challenges faced by the adolescents include peer pressure (41.12%) which appeared to be the top most challenges faced by them. Among the adolescents, conflicted relationship with parents and generation gap were the biggest reason for problems in their family

Awareness and use of Personal Protective Measures against Mosquito Borne Diseases

Background: The key success of Vector Borne Diseases control depends not only on services provided by health authorities but also on awareness of vector borne diseases and community participation. Objectives: The present study was conducted to assess the knowledge and use of PPMs against MBDs in field practice area of UHTC amongst study participants. Methods: It was a community based Cross-sectional study conducted in the field practice area of UHTC among 245 families. Result: 94.7% respondents were aware that malaria is transmitted by mosquito bite. Maximum 102 families were using citronella stick, followed by 98 families using liquid vaporizer. 7.79% participants were using PPM adequately while 3.21 % were using PPM correctly. Conclusion: The general awareness regarding important parameters of mosquito borne diseases was less amongst respondents. Less cost, easy availability and simplicity in using PPM were the reasons cited by the respondents regarding their preferences for choosing PPM

Diabetes ongoing sustainable care and treatment (DOST): A strategy for informational deliverance through visual dynamic modules sustained by near peer mentoring

Background: The informational continuity for a diabetic patient is of paramount importance. This study on a pilot basis explores the process utility of structured educational modular sessions grounded on the principle of near-peer mentoring. Methodology: Visual modules were prepared for diabetic patients. These modules were instituted to 25 diabetic patients in logical sequences. In the next phase, 4 persons of these 25 patients were designated as diabetic-diabetes ongoing sustainable care and treatment (DOST). Each diabetic-DOST was clubbed with two patients for modular session and informational deliverance during the next 7 days. Process analysis was performed with “proxy-indicators,” namely, monthly glycemic status, knowledge assessment scores, and quality of life. Data were analyzed by interval estimates and through nonparametric analysis. Results: Nonparametric analysis indicated a significant improvement in glycemic status in terms with fasting blood sugar (W = 78 z = 3.04, P = 0.002), 2 h-postprandial blood sugar (W = 54, z = 2.01, P = 0.035), and in knowledge score (c2 = 19.53, df = 3; P = 0.0002). Quality of life score showed significant improvement in 2 out of 7 domains, namely, satisfaction with treatment ([difference in mean score = 1.40 [1.94 to 0.85]) and symptom botherness (difference in mean score = 0.98 [1.3–0.65]). Conclusion: Because of inherent methodological limitations and innate biases, at this juncture no conclusive statement can be drawn. Although, primitive process evidences indicate the promising role of the diabetic-DOST strategy

Visual dynamic e-module as a tool to fulfill informational needs and care continuum for diabetic patients

Introduction: Diabetes can be envisaged as a lifelong phenomenon having the ominous odds for multisystemic involvement in the duration of disease. The probabilities of the occurrence of these events are influenced by the adopted lifestyle. Hence, information about the disease and lifestyle modification are vital from the perspective of prognostics. This study attempts to explore the potential of a "visual dynamic tool" for imparting knowledge and consequently  received acumen by diabetic patients. Objectives: To appraise the effectiveness of a constructed visual dynamic module (encompassing the various dimensions related to and affected by diabetes) by capturing the opinions, perceptions, and experiences of the diabetic patients who underwent intervention through the module. Materials and Methods: A visual e-module with dynamically imposed and animated images in the vernacular (Hindi) was prepared. This module was instituted among the diabetic patients in a logical sequence for consecutive 3 days. All the diabetic patients who underwent this intervention were interviewed in depth in order to ascertain the effectiveness of the module. These interviews were analyzed by thematic and framework analyses. Result: The visual module was perceived by the diabetic patients as an optically engaging tool for receiving, connecting, and synthesizing information about diabetes. They sensed and expressed the ease to connect with the images and labeled the received information as inclusive. Conclusion: Initial evidences suggest that visual e-module is an effective and efficient tool for knowledge management in diabetes. This issue may be further explored at diverse academic and clinical settings for gathering more information for efficacy

Supportive supervision of routine immunization in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh

Background: Immunization coverage in Chhattisgarh has never been abysmal but the improvement is rather insignificant over the years. Some more interventions are essential to strengthen different aspects of immunization services such as micro-planning, cold-chain and logistics management, monitoring/supportive supervision, and community mobilization. The present study was considered as a part of ongoing UNICEF funded Project on Supportive Supervision of Routine Immunization in Rajnandgaon district undertaken by the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, and Rajnandgaon CG with the objectives to observe key quality parameters at Ice Lined Refrigerator (ILR) points and to assess knowledge and practice of Vaccine Cold Chain Handler (VCCH). Methods: A facility-based, cross-sectional study (repeat survey) was conducted from May 2017 to June 2018 in the Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. First phase of the study was conducted from May 2017 to November 2017 and repeat survey was conducted from December 2017 to June 2018. Structured questionnaires as a part of standard tool prescribed by Government of India was used for the collection of required data. Results: The cumulative score status out of all the 50 centres in Rajnandgaon district showed improvement in 35 centres. The score of important components such as vaccine management, equipment maintenance, temperature monitoring, and monitoring and supervision information improved, but that of background information and human resource component decreased. Conclusion: Supportive supervision strategy can be more beneficial in improving the cold chain maintenance process provided that components such as logistic, infrastructure, and manpower are in place to enhance service delivery. Supportive supervision is a continuous process, so regular follow-up and monitoring visits are essential to achieve the targets