Myths and taboos in dentistry

Background: India, a developing country, faces many challenges in rendering health needs to its countrymen. The influence of culture is seen in every discipline of health and medical practices, and dentistry is no exception. This study was performed to investigate the existence of myths and taboos in dentistry, to assess the variation of these myths across various demographic aspects and socio-economic status, to co-relate the existence of myths with the oral health of the subject and to impart education to the people regarding abolishing the myth as that will be a hindrance towards a healthy life in patients.  Methods: The study had a cross-sectional design, used a structured questionnaire and was conducted to assess the existence of dental myths and taboos and to determine its correlation with the OHIS index of the patients. Statistical analysis software SPSS V 16.0 was used. Descriptive & inferential statistical analysis was performed on categorical and continuous data. Chi-square, independent sample T tests and ANOVA test were used to compare the distribution of caries and OHI-S between different groups. P value less than 0.05 (p<0.05) was considered to be significant. Socioeconomic status was also calculated.Results: In the present study it was found that the there was almost an equal distribution of prevalence of myths in the educated as well as uneducated patients .Also the ratio of existence of myths was found higher in females as compared to males.Conclusions: Existence of myths and taboos regarding dental health has started decreasing among the urban population due to the widespread of awareness regarding dentistry.But still there is prevalence of some myths in the patients having primary education as compared to patients having secondary and tertiary education. If community is educated about proper prevention and cure, the myths relating dental concepts will vanish from the society and over all dental health status of the community will improve

Role of ferric carboxymaltose in battle with anemia among north Indian pregnant women

Background: Anemia among pregnant women is a serious global health concern. Anemia is a major hematological, nutritional deficiency but still a manageable health problem among the pregnant women and very common in developing countries like India in under privileged population. Increased morbidity and mortality is seen in pregnant women and their foetuses suffering from anemia. Aim of this study was to study safety and efficacy of injection ferric carboxymaltose in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia. Methods: This is a Prospective interventional comparative randomized study carried among antenatal women in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, S. N. Medical College, Agra from (May 2021-October 2022), comprised of 200 pregnant women divided into two groups. Group A-100 antenatal women were transfused with iron sucrose (IS), Group B-100 antenatal women were transfused with ferric carboxymaltose (FCM). Results: In FCM group after 3 weeks of post transfusion hemoglobin level was 10.5±0.44 and in iron sucrose group it was 9.9±0.59 (p=0.0001). 6 week post transfusion hemoglobin level in FCM group was 11.37±0.62 and in iron sucrose group it was 10.45±0.59 (p=0.0001). Average rise in hemoglobin in FCM group after 3 week post transfusion was 2.9±0.02 and after 6 week it was 3.77±0.16. In iron sucrose group at 3 week it was 2.1±0.06 and at 6 week it was 2.65±0.04. The average rise in hemoglobin level was greater among patients of FCM compared to Iron sucrose group. Conclusions: Ferric carboxymaltose was safe and more effective in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women as compared to iron sucrose with lesser side effect and better patient compliance

The effect of 0.25% levobupivacaine and 0.25% ropivacaine in fascia iliaca block in elderly patients with fracture femur given before positioning for subarachnoid block

Background: Positioning of elderly patients with fracture femur for subarachnoid block (SAB) is a challenging task, both for the patient and anesthesiologist. Severe pain not only adds to the morbidity but also alters the success rate of SAB as appropriate positioning becomes difficult. Fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) is a simple, rapid, effective and safe method for achieving excellent pain relief. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of 0 .25% of levobupivacaine and 0.25% ropivacaine in FICB on reducing preoperative and postoperative pain and analgesic consumption in lower limb surgery.Methods: 60 elderly patients of ASA class I-III scheduled for elective fracture femur surgery were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into two groups. Group L received 30ml 0.25% levobupivacaine in FICB while Group R received 0.25% ropivacaine in FICB 15min before SAB. Parameters recorded were blood pressure, heart rate, visual analogous scale (VAS), quality of positioning and time to first rescue analgesia. VAS was noted before and after performing FICB and at the time of positioning for subarachnoid block (SAB).Results: The VAS score at different time interval and time to first rescue analgesia were comparable (P >0.05). Quality of positioning was also similar in both the groups (P >0.05).Conclusions: The study demonstrates that levobupivacaine and ropivacaine produce comparable preoperative and postoperative analgesia when used for FICB

Optimization of health facility locations in Osh City, Kyrgyzstan

Basic information regarding location of existing facilities, their accessibility and development trends, in relation to socio-economic structure of a city is needed in order to prepare its developmental plan. Re-location of any service may not be feasible economically, but location-allocation models can be used to identify new potential locations. This study is an attempt to simulate new potential locations and evaluate the feasibility of optimization models for planning additional health facility in the Osh city. The result of the study shows the potential of the p-median approach for optimization of the location of various public services. The contribution of GIS to optimization techniques is mainly its use as a method for data gathering and visualization of the result. These two technologies can be fully integrated to provide a powerful tool for spatial decision support

Evidence-based national vaccine policy

India has over a century old tradition of development and production of vaccines. The Government rightly adopted self-sufficiency in vaccine production and self-reliance in vaccine technology as its policy objectives in 1986. However, in the absence of a full-fledged vaccine policy, there have been concerns related to demand and supply, manufacture vs. import, role of public and private sectors, choice of vaccines, new and combination vaccines, universal vs. selective vaccination, routine immunization vs. special drives, cost-benefit aspects, regulatory issues, logistics etc. The need for a comprehensive and evidence based vaccine policy that enables informed decisions on all these aspects from the public health point of view brought together doctors, scientists, policy analysts, lawyers and civil society representatives to formulate this policy paper for the consideration of the Government. This paper evolved out of the first ever ICMR-NISTADS national brainstorming workshop on vaccine policy held during 4-5 June, 2009 in New Delhi, and subsequent discussions over email for several weeks, before being adopted unanimously in the present form