Data collected on 689 infants, in a study to assess the incidence of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections during infancy, is used here to quantify the extent of under-reporting in diarrhoea morbidity surveys. The study area consisted of two contiguous primary health centres in Villupuram health unit district in Tamil Nadu, South India. Each day of infancy was assigned a recal period and proportion of diarrhoeal days for various recall period computed. The proportion of diarrhoea was 11.3%, 12.0% and 11.2% for zero, one and two days of recall period, respectively, after which the proportion decreased. The under-reporting of diarrhoea was approximately 15%, 26% and 45% with three, six and 7-13 days of recall period, respectively. As there is considerable under-reporting of diarrhoea morbidity when recall period exceeds three days, it would be best to collect information on diarrhoea at least twice a week in diarrhoeal morbidity surveys.

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

A study was conducted in Sunderpur, Varanasi to study the magnitude of the problem of acute Respiratory Infections among under five children in an urban slum and the clinical profile of it in order to understand the pattern of disease presentation for identifying methods of early diagnosis and timely intervention. 150 under five children were selected by stratified random sampling method and were observed for 52 weeks at weekly interval to record the illnesses. In total 661 episodes were observed in 5623 child-weeks of observation giving an episode rate of 6.11 per child per year. ARI accounted for 67% of all morbidities. Mean duration of all the episodes taken together was 8.15 + 5.44 days. Majority of the episodes (88.96%) were confined to the Upper Respiratory Tract only. Most commonly occurring clinical features were rhinorrhea, nasal stuffiness and cough. 61.4% of all the episodes terminated within seven days, and only 26.2% continued for two weeks.

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

The objective of this study was to assess the correlation between waist circumference and waist hip ratio and body mass index. Also to assess if a simple measurement like the waist circumference can be used as an independent indicator for detecting health risk and management. 500 men and 500 women were included in this study from the out patient department and indoor wards of Medical College, Calcutta. Only 7% of the males and 16% of the females had body mass index > or = 25. About 50% of both males and females had waist hip ratio above the desirable range (0.80 for females and 0.95 for males). About 99% of females with, waist circumference > or = 72 cm. had either body mass index > or = 25 or high waist hip ratio > or = 0.80 or both. Similarly 99% of males with waist circumference > or = 80 cm. had either high body mass index > or = 25 or high waist hip ratio > or = 0.90 or both. Waist circumference is simple to assess and can be used as an independent measurement to identify those at risk from either increased body weight or central fat distribution or both.

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

Children attending the anganwadi centres were fed with Ready to eat (RTE) food containing 2g of Red Palm Oil (RPO). Daily children's attendance, their participation in the feeding programme, quantity of food supplement consumed were recorded. Heights, weights, clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency and morbidity pattern of the beneficiary children were assessed. There was increase in attendance of the children in the feeding programme after introduction of RPO. Quantity of the food supplement consumed by the children also increased. An improvement in the nutritional grades of children was observed. Signs of vitamin A deficiency were absent. Anganwadi teachers, helpers and parents accepted the inclusion of RPO in the supplementary feeding programme.

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

Two hundred sixty eight antenatal mothers were observed for the quality of services provided by Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). History taking was found to be satisfactory in only 2.6% women. Obstetric examination was done unsatisfactorily in majority (52.6%) of the mothers. General physical examination was not done in 69% women. ANMs in all 31 sub-centres were not performing investigation like haemoglobin estimation, urine testing, foetal heart sound monitoring and blood pressure recording.

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

In India breast feeding in rural areas appears to be shaped by the health beliefs of a community, which are further influenced by social, cultural and economic factors. One of such tradition is prelacteal feeding which is widely prevalent since ancient times. The present study was aimed to find out the practice of prelacteal feeding and various factors which influence this practice. The study on analysis showed that 45% (90) mothers gave prelacteal feeds to their newborns in the form of sugar water, gur water or cow's milk. Sugar water was common amongst mothers belonging to nuclear family (49%) whereas gur water was given mostly by joint family mothers (75.70%). Parity and family type had no significant effect on this practice, however the effect of literacy was found to be significantly related to the practice.

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

Missed opportunity for immunisation is one of the hurdles in the achievement of 85 percent or more immunisation coverage. It is essential to screen every child for immunisation status and advise necessary immunisation at every opportunity otherwise full immunisation coverage may not be possible. Present survey was carried out at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur to study the sociomedical correlates of missed opportunities for immunisation in children below 2 years of age attending the hospital. Missed opportunities for immunisation in these children was found to be 39.9%. It is mostly for B. C. G. (21.8%) and measles (9.8%) and maximum for booster doses of DPT and polio (43%).

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

The efficacy evaluation of three formulations; wettable powder (W.P.) floating pellet and beads of Bacillus thuringiensis Var israelensis (Bti), revealed a greater susceptibility of the early larval instars of mosquitoes to Bti, sensitivity of anophelines to floating pellet, culicines to bead and equal efficacy and faster kill of W.P. to all the mosquitoes tested. A greater persistence of the slow release formulations, floating pellet and beads for 49 and 28 days against anophelines and culicines respectively was observed in contrast to a maximum persistence for 21 days in case of W.P. formulation.

[ABSTRACT]   Full text not available     [PubMed]