A Study of Stress among Students of Professional Colleges from an Urban area in India

Objectives: Various studies across the globe have emphasised that students undertaking professional courses, such as medical and dental studies, are subjected to higher stress. Excessive stress could lead to psychological problems like depression and anxiety. The objective of the current study was to assess stress among students of various professional colleges and its association with various academic, social and health-related factors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2011 to February 2012 among students of medical, dental and engineering colleges from the urban area of Sangli district, Maharashtra, India, using a convenience sampling technique. The calculated total sample size was 1,200. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection. Analysis was done using percentage, the chi-square test, binary logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Out of the 1,224 respondents, 299 (24.4%) experienced stress. Among them 115 (38.5%), 102 (34.1%) and 82 (27.4%) were dental, medical and engineering students, respectively. There was a statistically significant association between stress and the field of education. Stress was observed in 187 (27.7%) females and 112 (20.4%) males; the association with gender was statistically significant. By applying binary logistic regression, medical studies, health and lifestyle factors, and academic factors were the significant predictors for stress. Conclusion: Students from all the three fields studied were exposed to stress. Academic factors were one of the most important stressors. The introduction of stress management education into the curriculum could prove useful in combatting this problem

Knowledge about diabetes and relationship between compliance to the management among the diabetic patients from Rural Area of Sangli District, Maharashtra, India

Introduction: Diabetes is an important public health problem of India. Studies have shown that increase in patients′ knowledge regarding the disease results in better compliance to treatment and decrease in complications. This study was planned to assess the knowledge about diabetes and its correlation with pharmacological and non-pharmacological compliance, among the diabetic patients attending rural health center from Sangli District, Maharashtra (India). Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during September to November 2014. The study subjects were all willing adult patients with type II diabetes mellitus attending a selected rural hospital. The study tool was pretested and self-administered questionnaire. Analysis was done using Microsoft Excel and SPSS-22. Results: Total study participants were 307 in number, with the mean age of 55.6 years. The mean morbidity with diabetes was 10.7 years. Only 23.8% had good knowledge regarding diabetes, while 19.2% participants had poor knowledge. Knowledge was significantly associated with the compliance to the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management. Conclusion: Although most of the patients were suffering with diabetes for many years there is lack of knowledge regarding the disease and self care. The compliance to the management of diabetes was better in patients with good knowledge. Seminars, counseling sessions and workshop should be arranged periodically for diabetic patients to increase their awareness

A cross-sectional study of correlation of body image anxiety with social phobia and their association with depression in the adolescents from a rural area of Sangli district in India

Background: Prevailing socio-cultural influences lead females to desire a thin body and males a muscular body, especially in adolescents. This results in body image anxiety which may lead to social phobia. Together they can develop depression. The aim was to study the correlation of body image anxiety with social phobia and their association with depression, among adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in randomly selected colleges from a rural area of Sangli district Maharashtra, India. Stratified random sampling technique used with sample size 805. Pretested self-administered questionnaire used. Percentage, Chi-square test, binary logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence intervals. Results: Of 997 study subjects body image anxiety, social phobia and depression were observed in 232 (23.3%), 193 (19.4%) and 326 (32.7%) participants, respectively. Binary logistic regression showed that body image anxiety (OR = 1.849 [1.22, 2.804]; P = 0.004) and social phobia (OR = 4.575 [2.952-7.09]; P < 0.001) were significant predictors for depression. Conclusions: Body image anxiety and social phobia are linked with the development of depression. This impresses the need for timely counseling and education among adolescents

Parental Use of Antibiotics as Self Medication to Their School Going Children: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics constitutes a major form of irrational use of medicine and it is associated with risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Parents many times use antibiotics as self medication for their children which is hazardous. There is a need to find out such practices if they are happening. Aim and Objectives: to find out the prevalence and practices of antibiotics use as self medication in children amongst the parents and reasons for the same. Material and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Schools from Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Corporation area were the study place. Parents of primary and secondary school students were the study subjects. The sample size was 1407. Cluster sampling method was used. The study duration was of 6 months. The questionnaire was used as a study tool. Results: The prevalence of non prescriptional parental use of antibiotic for school going children was 22.8%. Most common symptom treated was runny nose (41.43%). Majority parents (35.51%) selected antibiotic by using their own experience. Commonest reason was 'convenience' (27.72%). Gender and type of family are the strong predictors for self-medication with antibiotic for children. Conclusion: Parental use of non prescribed antibiotic was high. Risk for parental use of self medication was high with nuclear families and mothers