Depression Among Chronic Kidney Diseases Patients Receiving Hemodialysis

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive irreversible loss of renal function over a period of months or years. When kidney disease progresses, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintains life. Hemodialysis is used for patients who require short term dialysis (days to weeks) and for patients with advanced CKD and End Stage renal Disease (ESRD) who require long term or permanent renal replacement therapy. Hemodialysis significantly and adversely affects the lives of patients, both physically and psychologically. Depression is the most common psychological condition among patients with ESRD. Depression in dialysis patients not only effect mortality, but increased rate of hospitalizations and dialysis withdrawal is also very common.  Methods: A descriptive exploratory research design was carried out to identify the depression level of chronic kidney disease patients receiving Hemodialysis in Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara using Beck Depression Inventory among forty six patients.  Results: The study findings revealed that majority of the patients (84.8%) has various degree of depression i.e. mild (21.7%), moderate (30.8%) and severe (32.6%). Only fifteen percent of patient has no depression. There was no statistical association between the level of depression and socio-demographic variables. It can be concluded that the prevalence of depression is high among patients receiving Hemodialysis. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression is high among patients receiving Hemodialysis. It is effective to provide mental health services to the CKD patients receiving Hemodialysis which help them better psychologically adaptation to their disease and improve their quality of life

Hearing our Voices: Pathways from Oppression to Liberation through Community-Based Participatory Research

A number of qualitative-based participatory approaches have been used to analyse and address structural inequalities and intersectional gender oppression. This has been broadly evident in the academic environment and, particularly, in social work education and practice. However, more participatory aspects of social justice research, such as inviting and supporting disenfranchised and vulnerable populations to become more intimately involved in identifying their issues, together with developing remedial strategies and acting upon them, are still generally marginal, leaving both researchers and practitioners travelling on the uneven ground. In an attempt to level these troughs in social work education (and, by extension, practice), the paper will explore the transformative outcomes associated with participatory action research conducted as emancipatory and liberatory tools in research undertaken in collaboration with trafficking survivors in Nepal. The purpose of this paper is to explore the collective experiences of growing critical consciousness around social injustice and structural inequalities that contributed to survivors being “doubly victimisedâ€. Hence, in this paper, their resiliency in the face of that victimisation is not discussed. The goal of the paper is three-fold: (1) share the study process/approaches that supported an increase in the survivors’ critical thinking about their own oppression; (2) consider the impact of survivors’ solidarity in social and political action; and (3) examine the applicability of an emerging model of survivors’ liberatory practice. Overall, this paper will explore new and potentially liberatory ways to address the multiple and complex issues facing survivors upon return, and promote transformative praxis to support healthy individual and collective development

Assessment of knowledge on breast self-examination among female adolescent: a cross-sectional study

Background: Breast self-examination is the most important screening method for early detection and diagnosis of Breast cancer. Females assess their breasts regularly to detect any abnormalities to seek instant medical attention. Objectives: The main objective of the study was to assess the knowledge on breast self-examination among female adolescents of Nepal.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-structured questionnaires among female adolescents of Model Multiple College, Dhanusha. The sample size was 120 participants. Probability proportionate stratified sampling technique was used to collect the data from October 28th to November 12th, 2013. Data were processed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16 and analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: Out of 120 participants 67.5% participants had knowledge about breast cancer and 40% had knowledge of breast self-examination (BSE). Most of them (94.2%) had a poor knowledge of BSE followed by 5.8% of participants with a moderate level of knowledge of BSE. The mean knowledge score was 18.7 ± 3.5. The majority (66.7%) of participants were from science faculties. More than half (51.7%) of participants stated source of information on BSE was health personnel. Only 25% of the respondent had a family history of breast cancer. Conclusion: The study revealed that most (94.2%) of the participants had poor knowledge of breast self-examination. There is further need for awareness and health education on breast self-examination.&nbsp