Assessment of prevalence of domestic violence and mental health profile of adolescents exposed to domestic violence in an urban slum in Mumbai

Background: Domestic violence in adolescent age group with prevalence of 22.5% is a major cause for causing depression and other behavioral changes. These changes caused due to domestic violence in adolescent age group may persist or worsen in later life as adult resulting in substance abuse or criminal mentality or depression or phobias. Purpose of current study was to assess the prevalence of domestic violence among the adolescents and to compare the mental health in terms of behavior, self-identity & depression among those with and without domestic violence and assessment of the contributory factors fueling domestic violence in the family.Methods: The study was conducted in Cheetah camp, an urban slum of Mumbai during Jan-March, 13. Study population includes subjects aged from 15-19 years fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria, a sample size of 74 (99% CL) was derived, using EPI Info software. Subjects were selected by random sampling & 7 households were visited for data collection from each sector. Scales such as AAMR-ABS, Hamilton depression scale and memory recall of the subjects were used in the study. Results: The prevalence of domestic violence in adolescence in cheetah camp urban slum was found to be 38.15% with various reasons. As the maladaptive behavior in the adolescent population increased the emotional violence against them also increased and was found to be statistically significant.Conclusions: Domestic violence is a major causal factor for causing depression of varying degree from mild to severe in adolescents. This depression or behavioural changes occurred during adolescent age group may persist life long and affects their life as adult resulting in failure for social and economic growth of them and of their family.

Over the counter (OTC) sell of sex enhancer drugs: an emerging public health issue in India

Background: As a result of lack of skilled service providers/doctors, there is increasing trend of over the counter (OTC) sell of medicine in India. Among these OTC drugs, sell of sex enhancer medicine is an emerging problem as these medicines are being advertised on large scale using mass media like Television, newspapers and Radio without any approval from drug controlling authority ‘Central Drugs and Standards Control Organization’. Purpose of current study was to study the trend of over the counter sell of sex enhancer drugs in India & to study health seeking behavior of patients with self-diagnosed ED in terms of self-medication.Methods: This cross-sectional study include interview schedule of 74 patients coming on 10 medical stores selected randomly in Jodhpur city in September 2013.Results: So 10% were found to buying sex enhancer drugs. Thirty eight percent among those buying sex enhancer medicines were Unmarried and 62% were married.92% buying sex enhancer medicine were Hindu and 8% were Muslim patients. Only 9.46% patients had consulted allopathic doctors and 12.16% consulted to Ayurveda Vaidya, 4.05% consulted local Quack and 8.11% consulted to friends but 66.22 % patients had not consulted anybody for Medication; but they are buying by self for self-diagnosed EDConclusions: This study therefor confirms that there is significant association between self-diagnosed ED and OTC sell of sex enhancer medicine in India. TV & newspapers, poster/banners are significantly important in providing information of sex enhancer medicines to self-diagnosed patients of ED.