Establishing support groups to support parents of preterm babies with retinopathy of prematurity: A pilot study.

India has the highest number of preterm births in the world, which along with low birth weight, are significant risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). One of the challenges in combating visual loss from ROP is the lack of information and awareness among parents of preterm babies. The objective of establishing ROP parent support groups was to support parents of children with ROP by counseling, information and resource sharing, and general guidance. As part of a major initiative to combat ROP across four states in India, a strategy to develop parent support groups was developed and a pilot project was implemented in three cities. In collaboration with identified eye institutes, five ROP parent support group sessions were conducted in these cities. The concept is still in its initial stages of implementation and data are not yet available on the impact of the support groups. However, the overall turnout for the meetings was low as only 30% of parents invited attended meetings. Initial learning and experiences suggest that parent support groups could have a significant role to play in providing many benefits especially in improving awareness, knowledge, and compliance, alleviating anxiety, and empowering parents

Dementia in developing countries: Does education play the same role in India as in the West?

ABSTRACT Evidence suggests that education protects from dementia by enhancing cognitive reserve. However, this may be influenced by several socio-demographic factors. Rising numbers of dementia in India, high levels of illiteracy and heterogeneity in socio-demographic factors provide an opportunity to explore this relationship. Objective: To study the association between education and age at dementia onset, in relation to socio-demographic factors. Methods: Association between age at dementia onset and literacy was studied in relationship to potential confounding factors such as gender, bilingualism, place of dwelling, occupation, vascular risk factors, stroke, family history of dementia and dementia subtypes. Results: Case records of 648 dementia patients diagnosed in a specialist clinic in a University hospital in Hyderabad, India were examined. All patients were prospectively enrolled as part of an ongoing longitudinal project that aims to evaluate dementia subjects with detailed clinical, etiological, imaging, and follow-up studies. Of the 648 patients, 98 (15.1%) were illiterate. More than half of illiterate skilled workers were engaged in crafts and skilled agriculture unlike literates who were in trade or clerical jobs. Mean age at onset in illiterates was 60.1 years and in literates 64.5 years (p=0.0002). Factors independently associated with age at dementia onset were bilingualism, rural dwelling and stroke, but not education. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that in India, rural dwelling, bilingualism, stroke and occupation modify the relationship between education and dementia