Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions of oral health practitioners at Baqai Dental College regarding growth stunting and its prevention. Growth stunting, a significant public health concern in Pakistan, is closely related to nutritional deficiencies and oral health. Dentists, as key health professionals, have an essential role in addressing this issue. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Baqai Medical University, involving 70 dentists with over 2 years of professional experience. Dentists who did not provide valid informed consent were excluded. Data were collected using a questionnaire assessing two dimensions: (1) knowledge of nutrition, growth, development, and health behavior, categorized as good (76–100%), sufficient (56–75%), or poor (<56%), and (2) perceptions of growth stunting and its prevention, classified as positive or negative based on the mean score. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, with quantitative variables summarized as mean ± SD and qualitative data as frequencies and percentages. Descriptive analysis provided insights into knowledge levels and perceptions. Results: The analysis revealed that 83.3% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge of growth stunting and its prevention, 13.9% had moderate knowledge, and 2.8% exhibited poor knowledge. Regarding perception, 40.28% of participants had positive perceptions, while 59.72% had negative perceptions about their role in stunting prevention. Conclusion: These findings highlight a strong foundational knowledge base among dentists but indicate room for improvement in enhancing their perceptions and confidence in addressing stunting prevention in Pakistan.

Oral cancer is a silent threat, lurking in the shadows of dental practices. With rising incidence rates, understanding this disease has never been more crucial. [1] As future dentists, undergraduates hold the power to make a significant impact through early detection. However, diagnosing oral cancer is not always straightforward. Many challenges lie ahead for these budding dental professionals as they navigate their education and training. [2]

Objectives: To assess the relationship between sociodemographic factors and reproductive health indicators, including place and mode of delivery, menstrual hygiene, and past contraceptive use among women attending a local hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 200 women visiting a Jam Ghulam Qadir Government Hospital, Hub. Data were collected on educational background, socio-economic status (SES), mode and place of delivery, use of IUCD/surgery, menstrual hygiene practices (pad/cloth use), and hygiene status. Results: Most participants were either uneducated (42.5%) or had primary to intermediate education (47%). A majority belonged to the poor class (55%). Normal vaginal delivery was reported in 75%, while 25% had cesarean sections. Hospital deliveries were more common (62.5%) than home births (37.5%). IUCD/surgical contraceptive history was reported in 32.5% of participants. Menstrual hygiene practices showed 45% used cloths, while 55% used pads. Hygiene status was reported as satisfactory in 56% of participants. Conclusion: The mode of delivery significantly influences menstrual hygiene practices during the postpartum period. Women who undergo cesarean sections often face greater challenges in maintaining optimal menstrual hygiene due to restricted mobility, postoperative discomfort, and delayed initiation of self-care practices. In contrast, women who deliver vaginally generally resume routine hygiene practices more swiftly.

Objectives: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the most important health concerns in sex workers and the related key population because of the interaction of this community with general population and their spouses, as this group acts as a bridge between themselves and the people they come in intimate contact with. In Pakistan it can impact more profoundly because of lower literacy rate, poor personal and sexual hygiene. The estimated literacy rate of 62.3% for Sindh, 66.25 (both urban and rural) necessitates initiatives that focus public awareness programs research activities to further emphasize upon the magnitude of the problem. Methods: A prospective study was conducted by infection control and prevention society of Pakistan to highlight the fact by evaluating the seroprevalence of HIV, HCV, HBV & VDRL in transgender, male sex workers (TGMSW) from different regions of Sindh and Punjab. Results: During an 11months period a total of 1198 TGMSW were assessed for the presence of HIV, HBV, HCV and VRDL from 1st January 2023 to 30th November 2023. Our findings with the limited data set has revealed a total of 139 (31%) test subjects to be positive for HIV, 113 (25%) individuals were found to be infected with HBV, 54 (12%) infected with HCV and 145 (32%) were found positive with VDRL. In addition to single infections, the study also examined the occurrence of coinfections. Results showed 9 individuals with HBV and HCV, 10 with HIV and Syphilis, and 4 with each combination: HIV-HCV and HIV-Syphilis. Only 1 case of HIV-HBV was observed. Conclusion: The present study reports an overall incidence of HIV 31%, HBV 25%, HCV 12% and VDRL 32% which is suggestive of immediate need to further investigate these infections with large scale population-based study to reveal more accurate magnitude of the problem.

Objectives: Suicidal ideation, a precursor to suicide attempts, poses a significant risk to individuals, particularly among medical students. Despite its importance, research on suicidal ideation among medical students in developing countries, including Pakistan, remains limited. The aim of study is to find prevalence and protective factors of suicidal ideation among medical students in Karachi. Methods: Conducted between 2017 and 2018, this study surveyed undergraduate medical students from three institutions in Karachi, Pakistan. Data were collected through a questionnaire, and analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study assessed the prevalence of suicidal ideation and identified associated factors such as academic pressure, relationship issues, social isolation, and financial difficulties. Additionally, the role of religion, family support, and friend networks in mitigating suicidal ideation was examined. Results: Among 522 undergraduate medical students surveyed, 161 (31.0%) reported experiencing suicidal ideation. Factors contributing to suicidal ideation included academic burden, relationship issues, lack of social engagement, adjustment difficulties, and financial constraints. However, religiosity emerged as a protective factor, with religion serving as a significant deterrent against suicidal thoughts. Moreover, strong familial and social support networks played a crucial role in alleviating suicidal ideation among students. Conclusion: This study identified study burden as a significant risk factor for suicidal ideation. Notably, emotional support from family members and friends was found to be a predominant protective factor, alleviating the suicidal thoughts. In contrast, religious beliefs did not exhibit a substantial impact on coping with suicidal ideation.

Objectives: This study focuses on assessing autism knowledge and societal attitude among medical students in Karachi, who represent the future of healthcare. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in July, 2022. The targeted population was Medical students of Dow Medical College, Karachi. A survey was conducted to obtain information related to demographics, ASD related information, ASD knowledge and societal attitude on ASD symptoms through a questionnaire. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the mean ASD Knowledge and societal attitude score with groups by using SPSS. Level of significance was set on 5% for this study. Results: A total of 431students were invited to participate in this voluntary survey carried out to investigate their knowledge and societal attitude regarding ASD. Among the participants, 68.7% (296) were female, while 31.3% (135) were male. According to our results 425 out of 431 respondents were of the view that both the general public and medical students should be provided with basic knowledge regarding the symptoms and features of ASD. The study results revealed moderate to high awareness regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among participants, with 64.3% recognizing it as a developmental disorder (mean = 3.62 ± 1.09). A majority correctly identified key characteristics, including poor social skills (73.3%), resistance to routine changes (70.3%), and the importance of special education (72.4%). Mean societal attitude score differed significantly (p < 0.001), with those who had an autistic family member 3.91±0.44 and also showed a significant difference (p = 0.005), with those who had attended ASD sessions, were higher mean scores (4.01±0.43) than those who had not (3.83±0.49). Conclusion: The findings of this study strongly support need for mandatory training and awareness programs on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in medical colleges to improve the ability of future practitioners to identify and manage ASD in clinical practice.

Any research project's design needs to incorporate a definition of the sample size required to conduct the investigation. The number of patients needed to achieve the desired study goal is estimated by this sample size. For this purpose, we do sampling to achieve the desire result of research in term of time and money. This article explains how to determine the sample size in the types of studies that are most frequently observed in health research and how to estimate it using the many statistical programs that are included in the commonly utilized sample size calculation software. To ensure reliable and valid result determining an appropriate sample size is crucial. The formula for calculating sample size varies depending on whether you are estimating a mean or a proportion (percentage). It also depends on whether the population is finite or infinite. Similarly, commonly used statistical programs such as G*Power, R software, PASS, and OpenEpi are frequently mentioned.