KAP Study on Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) Among Married women (15-44 years) in rural area of Etawah, Uttar Pradesh

Background: High level of gynaecological morbidity, especially RTIs/STIs, if untreated, it can lead to adverse health outcomes such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy and increases vulnerability to transmission of HIV/AIDS. Sexually transmitted infections are worldwide major concern in developing countries.  The major aspect of the control and prevention of disease and health protection is health education. Since knowledge plays an important role in people attitude and behaviours. Aims & Objectives: To assess the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices about RTIs among married women age 15-44 years in rural Etawah.   Material Methods:  A cross sectional study was done on 370 married women of rural area of Etawah district. Multi stage random sampling was adopted. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, Attitudes and Practices about RTIs among married women. Chi -square test used for analysis. Data collection on morbidity pattern among married women was based only on symptoms. Result: In the present study 42.16 % were aware about RTIs. As per their knowledge about symptoms, mode of transmission and source of infections 35.41 % women told vaginal discharge as commonest symptom of RTIs, 40.0% women perceived sexual contact with multiple partner as the main route of transmission and 29.46% married women gained knowledge about RTIs from health worker followed by doctors 28.10%. Conclusion: Only 42.16% had knowledge of RTIs and only 61 infected women sought treatment out of 173 symptomatic women. There is need to educate women on preventive strategies as women are less likely to seek treatment for symptomatic infections because of stigma associated with RTIs

Dose related efficacy of gabapentin in acute herpetic neuralgia among geriatric patients

Background: Herpes zoster is an intractable painful condition, more severe in elderly patients. The pain during the first 30 days of onset is known as Acute Herpetic Neuralgia. Multiple treatments using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and tricyclic anti-depressants are available, but their side effects limit their use in geriatric patients. Gabapentin is also used in chronic neuropathic pain; however, its role in acute herpetic neuralgia is less explored. Aim : This study was aimed to determine dose related efficacy and safety of gabapentin in reducing pain of acute herpetic neuralgia in geriatric patients. Materials and Methods: In this placebo-controlled, four-week trial including 56 subjects, 42 patients received gabapentin in the dosage of 300 mg (n=15), 600 mg (n=14), and 900 mg(n=13) per day in divided doses and 14 patients received placebo within 72 hours of onset of herpes zoster. Results: Subjects receiving gabapentin had a statistically significant reduction (P0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study show that gabapentin is effective in acute herpetic neuralgia in different doses with 600 mg/day being the more appropriate dose in terms of safety and efficacy

Assessment of knowledge and skills of nursing staff working in a tertiary care hospital of Western Uttar Pradesh

Background: Nurses are the most vital part of the health system. Having adequate knowledge, awareness and desired clinical skills among them can decrease the risk of infection or complications, can shorten the stay of patients in hospital, decrease the morbidity and mortality of patients and decrease the disease burden.Material & Methods- Nursing staff from the wards of a private tertiary care hospital were interviewed for knowledge and observed for skill assessment. Aim & Objective: To assess the knowledge, skills and practices of nursing staff working in a tertiary care hospital. Results: Knowledge of nurses is good regarding routine investigations, universal precautions, work ethics but poor in pharmacovigilance. Nurses are found to be good having skills in patient care, clinical skills but are poor in practice of biomedical waste management and vital monitoring. Nurses are having good communication with patient &doctors but response time on patients’ call is more.Conclusion: Retraining of nursing staff at regular intervals to upgrade their knowledge regarding universal precautions, work ethics, bio medical waste management and improve upon clinical skills should be made mandatory in a hospital setting

Client satisfaction and quality of health care in a rural medical institute of central Uttar Pradesh

Background: Consumer satisfaction is recognized as an important parameter for assessing the quality of patient care services. Satisfaction regarding the attitude of providers toward these services is expected to affect treatment outcome and prognosis. Out Patient Departments (OPDs) need to monitor the quality of care and patient satisfaction for continuous quality improvement. A major component of quality of health care is patient satisfaction. Present study has been conducted to assess consumer satisfaction with regard to clinical care in the Out Patient Department of Rural Medical Institute of Central Uttar Pradesh. Materials and Methods: The present study was an Outpatient- based cross sectional study conducted in Out Patient Department of UP Rural Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Saifai, Etawah (UP) between January- June, 2013. A total of 600 patients were selected at random for exit interviews during Out Patients Department hours. Results: The socio-demographic profile of study subjects showed that 57.17% respondents were male and mostly were Hindu (79.67%). A total of 65% were in the age group between 15-59 years. Respondents were patients themselves (86.17%) and accompanying relatives for pediatric patients younger than 15 years old (13.83%). Forty percent of respondents were house wife by occupation. For most of the patients (58.83%) waiting time for consultation was between 15-30 minutes, in 55.17% patients, doctor spent only 5-10 minutes for consultation. A total of 98.67% of the respondents were satisfied with the outpatient department timings

ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AND INTENDED FAMILY SIZE AMONG MEN OF URBAN SLUM

Objective: To assess the knowledge of contraceptive methods and intended family size among the men of urban slum.Material and Method: Present study conducted in urban slum area of Jaipur. Information from 400 married men of age group 18-49 years collected on semi structured schedule during June to October 2012.House to house survey conducted to achieve defined sample size. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 12 soft ware. Chi square, t test and ANOVA were used for interpretation.Result and Conclusion: Most commonly known methods of family planning were female sterilization (95.2%), condom (94.7%) and Male sterilization (93.5%).  IUCD (57%) was still not popularly known method of contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills (12.2%) and Injectables (25.7%) were least known methods among men. Knowledge of different contraceptive differs according to educational status and caste of men.  TV and radio were main source of information. Only 16% men said that they got information from health personnel. On analysis present family size was 3.125 while desired family size was 2.63, it shows that two child norm is not ideal to all. Men who had already two children 53 % of them still want to expand their family. Approximately half of the men feel that they have larger family size and the main reasons were inappropriate knowledge (37%) and ignorance (21%). Those men who want to expand their family size, son preference was the major reason. Only 3% men show the intention of one child as ideal in family, which indicate that one child norm is too far to reach

NCCP-ICS joint consensus-based clinical practice guidelines on medical thoracoscopy

Medical Thoracoscopy (MT) is commonly performed by respiratory physicians for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. The aim of the study was to provide evidence-based information regarding all aspects of MT, both as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic aid for pulmonologists across India. The consensus-based guidelines were formulated based on a multistep process using a set of 31 questions. A systematic search of published randomized controlled clinical trials, open labelled studies, case reports and guidelines from electronic databases, like PubMed, EmBase and Cochrane, was performed. The modified grade system was used (1, 2, 3 or usual practice point) to classify the quality of available evidence. Then, a multitude of factors were taken into account, such as volume of evidence, applicability and practicality for implementation to the target population and then strength of recommendation was finalized. MT helps to improve diagnosis and patient management, with reduced risk of post procedure complications. Trainees should perform at least 20 medical thoracoscopy procedures. The diagnostic yield of both rigid and semirigid techniques is comparable. Sterile-graded talc is the ideal agent for chemical pleurodesis. The consensus statement will help pulmonologists to adopt best evidence-based practices during MT for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes