In the present study 625 females above 15 years of age residing in affluent localities of Varanasi city were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. Body Mass Index (BMI) and Skin-Fold Thickness (SFT) were compared as indices of obesity. Prevalence of obesity by BMI and SFT was 30.24 and 49.12 respectively. SFT gave significantly higher prevalence rate of obesity as compared to BMI. It is possible that western population based SFT cut-off points may not be truly applicable to Indian study. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of 'sum of SFT at four sites' were calculated at different cut-off points, and it was observed, that values > or = 90 mm is the best cut-off point instead of 80 mm, for detecting obesity in the Indian context.

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A study on industrial ocular morbidity was carried out in 6 industrial establishments at Saharanpur. The mean age of the respondents was 35.3 years. 58.2% were regular floor staff. 10.6% professed suffering from an industrial ocular injury. 60% of these injuries were sustained by ocular metallic trauma. 51.9% complained of ocular symptoms at the time of the survey. The frequency of ocular complaints increased with age. The point prevalence of ocular morbidity was 746.03/1000 industrial workers. Refractive errors were the commonest ocular condition (56.7%) observed, followed by Trachoma (32.6%). The highest prevalence of morbidity was recorded among workers above 44 years. Clerical and managerial personnel had higher prevalence compared to other jobs. Only 3.6% of the floor workers were using protective devices while on the job.

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A cross sectional study including 110 households covering 630 individuals was carried out in an urban slum community to study the prevalence of practice of self medication by house to house survey. Self medication was practiced by 34.55% respondents and prevalent among all the age groups. Allopathic drugs were commonly used (78.95%). Economic inability in utilizing established medical facilities was the commonest reason for self medication (60.53%). The practice was more prevalent amongst literate but lower soci-economic class.

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Risk factors and some protective factors for pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women were assessed in a case control study. Use of intrauterine device (OR = 3.98, p < 0.0001), sexual activity with multiple partners and younger age (ORs = 3.97, 1.9 and p = 0.0003, 0.0034, respectively), history of previous PID (OR = 4.08, p = 0.004) and history of minor gynecologic operation (OR = 3.07, p = 0.0158) were significant risk factors for PID. Pregnancy was a significant protective factor (OR = 0.25, p = .0074). Sterilisation had a significant protective effect (OR = 0.37, p = 0.0443) on multivariate analysis but not significant on univariate analysis. The results indicated that, almost half of the PID load on the population can be reduced by proper handling of four risk factors namely, use of IUD, sexual activity with multiple partners, history of previous PID and history of minor gynecologic operation (PARP = 0.2146, 0.1101, 0.0824 and 0.0794, respectively).

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A total of 405 cases of fever who were either admitted to the Hospital or attended in paediatric out patient Department or Emergency of Medical College Hospital, Calcutta between January '95 and November '95 were included in the study. Majority of cases presented with usual features of malaria like fever with chill and rigor, hepatosplenomegaly, pallor. Apart from these, complicated manifestations like shock, convulsion D.I.C and jaundice were also observed. Some unusual presentations with severe diarrhoea, dehydration and features like that of acute viral respiratory tract infection were highly confusing in terms of clinical diagnosis. P. falciparum was observed in 35.5% of cases. Overall therapeutic response to chloroquin was good, However, two patients died of cerebral Malaria. Five cases of severe malaria were caused by P. vivax however, other etiological features could not be found to attribute the severe nature of these illnesses.

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The present study revealed that 30.5% of acute infective hepatitis were due to the infection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) however, 8% controls also showed HBV positivity. The possible route of infection of HBV in our country were Parenteral in 51.9%, Sexual in 24% and Unidentified in 24.1% cases. HBV marker positivity was 45.5% amongst health care workers 33.3% in recipients of multiple blood and blood product transfusion, 25% in sexual partners and their children, 20% in S.T.D. clinic attendants and 10% in patients on haemodialysis.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available    [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

Full text not available    [CITATIONS]  [PubMed]

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