Chittagong Area Research Articles

Life Stress and Coping Strategies of Chittagong University Students

The purpose of the present study was to investigate life stress and coping strategies of Chittagong university students. The sample of the study consisted of 120 university students of whom 60. students were first year (30 male and 30 female) and remaining 60 was masters (30 male and 30 female). Each group again consisted of 15 science students and 15 arts students. They were selected purposively from Chittagong University and some residential areas of Chittagong. The ·Bengali version of the "Life Stress Questionnaire" (Fahim 2001 ) and "coping scale" (Huque 2004) were used for investigating the life stress and coping strategies ·respectively. ·The obtained data were analyzed by using t-test. Results reveal that the life stress of masters’ students were greater than first year students (t=2.87, df= l 18,· p<0.05); the life stress of female students were more compared to the male students (t=2.07 ; - df= 118;: -p<0.05); the problem focused coping strategies of masters students were more compared to first year students (t=9.24; df=58, p<0.05); whereas the emotion focused coping strategies of first year were more compared to masters' students; the problem focused coping strategies of male students were more compared · to female students ··strategies between male and female students and also there was no significant difference between science and arts faculties students in life stress and coping strategies. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci. 8(1&2):37-50,203

Effect of air pollution on plant life in the city of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces a serious problem with air pollution, which has a negative impact on human health and tree health. Leaf damage, slow development, and decreased photosynthetic activity are just a few of the harmful effects on trees that have been linked to high concentrations of pollutants such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. These consequences affect the aesthetic value of green spaces in addition to interfering with the functions of the ecosystem that trees offer, such as air filtration and carbon sequestration. Given the seriousness of the problem, the present study plan was implemented to evaluate the amount of pollutants such as SOx, NOx, O3, hydrocarbons, particulate matter 2.5, particulate matter 10 and suspended particulate matter in the air in several urban areas of Chittagong and to evaluate the amount of chlorophyll from the leaves of affected and without affected leaves so that it may understand how the photosynthesis process of plants is interrupted by air pollution. 2 Number Gate Circle, Akbarsha Lane Circle, Alongkar Mor Bus Stop, Barik Building Circle, BDR Field Circle, Halishahar Access Road, Artillery Center-North Halishahar, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute and CRB Circle were selected as sampling location based on their heavy traffic and crowdedness. For the analysis of chlorophyll, each plant leaves were collected in three sections such as unaffected, slightly affected, and affected for comparison. The data studied showed that the most polluted zone with particulate matter had a lower chlorophyll concentration in the surrounding tree leaves. This can indicate that particulate matter can hinder photosynthesis reactions.

Unveiling the Wrath of Erosion: Assessing the Impacts of Soil Erosion on the Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Study on soil erosion in the coastal region of Bangladesh is crucial due to its severe environmental and socio-economic impacts. Understanding erosion patterns, identifying vulnerable areas, and developing effective conservation strategies are essential to safeguard agricultural productivity, preserve coastal ecosystems, and protect the livelihoods of coastal communities. This study focuses on soil erosion in the low-lying, flood-prone coastal regions of Bangladesh. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) technique was used to calculate soil erosion rates. The southern section of the study area, characterized by high rainfall erosivity (R) and soil erodibility (K), exhibited the highest erosion rates at 1446 t/ha/year. The region experiences significantly higher rainfall erosivity than other parts of the world. Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Feni, and Patuakhali receive over 3000 mm/yr of precipitation, while Teknaf and Hatiya surpass 4000 mm/yr. The vulnerability of the soft, sand-rich topsoil to water-driven gully and rill erosion contributes to the high erodibility factor. Conversely, the northwest and low-lying marshy areas exhibit low erosion rates due to the flat terrain and deposition of eroded soil mass from the hinterland. The hilly areas of Chittagong, Teknaf, and Cox’s Bazar experience above-average erosion rates. Effective soil conservation and management strategies are essential for reducing soil erosion in Bangladesh’s coastal regions, considering local environmental conditions such as precipitation and soil type. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for future studies and policies on soil erosion management in the coastal districts of Bangladesh. By guiding efficient conservation efforts, this information can help mitigate the adverse impacts of soil erosion on the environment and economy. IUBAT Review, 6(2): 1-24

Stability analysis of rainfall-induced landslides: A case study of a hilly area in Bangladesh

Rainfall-induced landslides stand as the prevailing geohazard in tropical and subtropical regions. The ongoing global climatic changes have introduced a wave of anomalous rainfall events across the world. These abnormal weather patterns have triggered numerous landslide incidents, resulting in significant loss of life and property. To develop early warning systems for such threats to people in mountainous areas of Chittagong, Bangladesh, it requires an in-depth understanding of the geo-environmental properties of soil slopes under heavy rainfall. Historical records reveal that rainfall in total exceeding 150–250 mm has resulted in both localized slope collapses and debris floods. When it rains heavily, rainwater infiltrates initially unsaturated slopes, elevating the degree of saturation while decreasing soil suction. Consequently, the reduced shear strength along the critical slip surface diminishes the factor of safety (FoS), and slope failure occurs. As a result, studies of soil-water characteristics have been conducted, followed by laboratory testing at the impacted sites, and the study found that rainfall and soil type (fine-grained silt) were the most critical factors behind landslides. The mechanism of slope failure is also demonstrated using a simple numerical infiltration model and a slope stability equation. The soil characteristics, the saturated volumetric water content (θs), closely match the field water holding capacity (θf), with a minor difference of 4-8%, and the drainage condition at the bottom of the slope appear to be important factors. Application of these test results to an early warning system for landslides and flash floods is finally demonstrated based on some simplifying assumptions.

Soil erosion susceptibility mapping in Bangladesh

This study aims to draw a scientific framework for plotting soil erosion susceptibility in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh by comparing existing approaches. Data-driven machine learning techniques (including Classification and Regression Tree (CART), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF)) and a knowledge-based approach (AHP) are used in this study to pinpoint areas of Chittagong that are particularly susceptible to soil erosion while taking into account 18 soil erosion-regulating parameters. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the selected data-driven machine learning models and knowledge-based models was assessed by utilizing soil erosion and non-erosion sites. When evaluating the fidelity of each model using the ROC and AUC, the RF model was shown to be the most accurate and predictive. There is no poor performer among these models; all have AUCs greater than 67 % (RF = 0.86, ANN = 0.73, SVM = 0.67, CART = 0.67, and AHP = 0.82). According to the findings of the Random Forest model, approximately 71.55 percent of the area exhibited a moderate level of susceptibility to soil erosion. In relation to the land area, the high and low zones accounted for 16.91 percent and 11.54 percent, respectively. The specific area shares of 2256.25, 9548.08, and 1539.67 square kilometers were attributed to the high, moderate, and low danger zones, respectively. The best models' results after comparing models of data-driven and knowledge-based approaches can help to estimate soil erosion risk zones and provide insight into establishing appropriate policies to minimize this issue. In addition, the methods used in this research might be applicable to assessing the vulnerability and risk of soil erosion events in other areas. As they begin long-term planning to reduce soil erosion, local authorities and policymakers will find the study's results on practical policies and management options quite helpful.

Status of Anxiety Disorders among Elderly People in a Selected Urban Area in Bangladesh

Background: Anxiety disorders are reported in the different age group of people in the urban area.
 Objective: The purpose of the present study was to determine the level of anxiety disorder among urban elderly people.
 Methodology: This cross-sectional community based study was carried out from January to December 2016 at Bakolia, Chawkbazar urban area of Chittagong, Bangladesh.The individuals who were aged 60 years and above were interviewed by using convenient sampling. Face to face interview was done with semi structural questionnaire.
 Results: Out of 300 respondents female respondents were higher in number which was 168(56%) respondents; however, 71.7%, respondents were in 60 to 69 age groups. Majority of respondents did not have any income which was 72(60.0%) subjects. Most of the respondents were suffering from hypertension which was 198(66.0%) respondents. In urban areas 82(27.3%) subjects did not have anxiety disorder, while 133(44.3%) respondents had mild anxiety disorder, 63 (21.0%) respondents had moderate and 22 (7.3%) respondents had severe anxiety disorder. Furthermore, 192 (64.0%) respondents who were concerned about their finance had anxiety disorder. 160 (53.3%) were concerned about their health had anxiety disorder.
 Conclusion: In conclusion majority urban dwelling elderly people are suffering from anxiety disorders.
 Journal of National Institute of Neurosciences Bangladesh, July 2021, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 137-141

Perception of people on climate-induced migration issues in coastal areas of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Climate change impact is one of the major burning issues all over the world where Bangladesh is one of the most affected areas. The aim of this study was to understand the climate-induced migration-related issues in the coastal areas of Chittagong. A total of 120 individual surveys and six key informant interviews were done in six unions of Banshkhali Upazila in Chittagong district. The result showed that agriculture and fishing practices are reducing compared to the past and people are more interested in migrating abroad. Among the six villages, the highest percentage of migration was found to be from the areas closer to the coast compared to others. Despite less awareness on climate change terms, most of the respondents have positively replied to the changes in the frequencies of climatic hazards. Several forms of driver, e.g. environmental, social and political are also discussed. The linear regression showed that the factors which positively influence the peoples’ decision to migrate are average family age and social status. The dependency on agriculture, business near coast and fishing has a coefficient of −0.18, −0.36 and −0.24, respectively. Identification of community-based needs is important to ensure safe migration as an adaptation against climate change.

Radionuclides Transfer from Soil to Tea Leaves and Estimation of Committed Effective Dose to the Bangladesh Populace.

Considering the probable health risks due to radioactivity input via drinking tea, the concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th,40K and 137Cs radionuclides in the soil and the corresponding tea leaves of a large tea plantation were measured using high purity germanium (HPGe) γ-ray spectrometry. Different layers of soil and fresh tea leaf samples were collected from the Udalia Tea Estate (UTE) in the Fatickchari area of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The mean concentrations (in Bq/kg) of radionuclides in the studied soil samples were found to be 34 ± 9 to 45 ± 3 for 226Ra, 50 ± 13 to 63 ± 5 for 232Th, 245 ± 30 to 635 ± 35 for 40K and 3 ± 1 to 10 ± 1 for 137Cs, while the respective values in the corresponding tea leaf samples were 3.6 ± 0.7 to 5.7 ± 1.0, 2.4 ± 0.5 to 5.8 ± 0.9, 132 ± 25 to 258 ± 29 and <0.4. The mean transfer factors for 226Ra, 232Th and 40K from soil to tea leaves were calculated to be 0.12, 0.08 and 0.46, respectively, the complete range being 1.1 × 10−2 to 1.0, in accordance with IAEA values. Additionally, the most popularly consumed tea brands available in the Bangladeshi market were also analyzed and, with the exception of 40K, were found to have similar concentrations to the fresh tea leaves collected from the UTE. The committed effective dose via the consumption of tea was estimated to be low in comparison with the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reference ingestion dose limit of 290 μSv/y. Current indicative tea consumption of 4 g/day/person shows an insignificant radiological risk to public health, while cumulative dietary exposures may not be entirely negligible, because the UNSCEAR reference dose limit is derived from total dietary exposures. This study suggests a periodic monitoring of radiation levels in tea leaves in seeking to ensure the safety of human health.

Determinants of Drug Addiction in Slum and Non-slum Areas of Chittagong, Bangladesh

This research paper is a modest attempt to examine the prevalence and differentials of drug addiction in slum and non-slum areas of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The study revealed that about 53 per cent of males and 47 per cent of females were drug addicted in slum areas while in non-slum areas, the percentages of the addicted males and females are about 73 and 55 respectively. In both the areas, it was observed that the drug addicted peoples were suffering from dyspepsia, pain in lever, declining sexual ability, hepatitis, vomiting and other diseases. From the multivariate analysis, it was observed that respondent’s religion, type of family, number of family members, economic status, occupation, duration of taking drugs, watching TV/LCD, reading newspaper or magazine, habit of smoking, knowledge about drugs, knowledge about the harmful effect of drugs, causes behind taking the drugs and drugs buying spots were found to be positively significant effect on drug addiction in slum areas, while in non-slum areas, respondent’s religion, educational qualifications, number of family members, economic status, occupation, knowledge about drugs, watching TV/LCD, reading newspaper or magazine, suffering from diseases due to drugs, knowledge about the harmful effect of drugs, type of drugs, causes behind taking drugs, drugs buying spots and tendency to come back from drugs were found to be positively significant effect on drug addiction. It was observed that majority of the addicted respondents use cannabis in both the areas compare to other type of drugs.&#x0D; The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 40(1) : 21-38, 2019

Estimating the Environmental Cost of Shrimp Farming in Coastal Areas of Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh

During the last three decades shrimp has remained one of the major export items in Bangladesh. It contributes to the development of this country by enhancing export earnings and promoting employment. Coastal wetlands and agricultural lands are used for shrimp culture, which reduces agricultural opportunity and peasants’ income, and destroys the mangroves and coastal eco-system. These are the external environmental costs which are not reflected in farmers’ price and output decisions. This study has aimed to estimate those external environmental costs through the contingent valuation method. The calculated environmental cost of shrimp farming is $13.66 per acre per year. Findings suggest that once the external costs are internalized, current shrimp production and shrimp price will no longer be optimal. Thus alternative policy recommendations have been proposed so that shrimp farming becomes a sustainable and equitable means of aquaculture.

Accumulation and distribution of heavy metals in soil and food crops around the ship breaking area in southern Bangladesh and associated health risk assessment

Heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils and food crops around the ship breaking area is of great environmental and human health concern. In this work, we have spectroscopically determined the concentrations of Cd, Pb, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cu, and Ni in agricultural soils and commonly consumed vegetables, fruits, and rice grain collected from the Sitakunda ship breaking area of Chittagong, Bangladesh, in order to evaluate their contamination levels and probable human health risk with a multivariate statistical approach. Multivariate analyses such as principal component analysis and cluster analysis of the analytical data indicate a significant metal contamination in the samples which could be attributed to industrial activities such as ship breaking. The results of soil contamination evaluation indices such as enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, and contamination factor demonstrated that the soils around the ship breaking area are mainly contaminated by Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu while food crops were mostly contaminated by Zn, Cr, and Cu. The Pb contaminated the olive and teasle gourd while Cd contamination in rice grain was at the threshold limit for health hazard. Mn was slightly accumulated in banana. Transfer coefficient values of Cd, Zn, and Cu for almost all food crops were higher than other metals, and Cd showed the highest transfer. Estimated daily intake values for Ni exceeded the standard limit (1.3 μg kg−1 day−1). Target hazard quotient values of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd indicate that the local inhabitants who consume the contaminated food crops are being exposed to potential health risks.

A study on the dangerous outbreak of chikungunya in Chittagong, including a limited survey around that city of Bangladesh

Background: The first major outbreak in Bangladesh was reported in 2008 in Rajshahi and Chapainawabgonj. It then re-emerged in 2013, 2014 and 2015 mostly in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh, with a notable outbreak in December 2016 according to a report. It is a statistical report on the data retrieved from chikungunya patients in the Chittagong area, specifically in relation to age, gender, location, symptoms and to assess the magnitude of the outbreak with an interest in identifying the potential socio-environmental factors which may be responsible for chikungunya in respect to Chittagong.Methods: Collection of reports from well-established diagnostic laboratories, as well as, limited survey data during July to December, 2017. There were 188 clinically suspected chikungunya cases in both genders ranging from 2-70 years of age.Results: The total chikungunya cases in the study area it has been found that the highest number of cases were found in the age group of 41-50 years (25%), almost equally distributed in both genders. The least (5.3%) was found in children less than 10 years of age; males having only 3 positive cases and females being 7. Amongst the total present study population, 44.4% were suffering from chikungunya.Conclusions: From our study we found that this outbreak took place in Chittagong due to consciousness. Educating the general population about its causes, effects, treatment and preventive methods should be the main target in the prevention of chikungunya.

Stakeholder analysis matrix for buffer zone management in the peri-urban area of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Buffer zone (BZ) concept has emerged to minimize degradation of natural resources and enhance balanced land use planning for the areas where existing urban and peri-urban landscapes are threatened by rapid land use change. The primary aim of the study is to seek a better understanding of land use planning and governance in BZ surrounding the core zone of the Chittagong Metropolitan Area. Through questionnaires and interviews, the study also identified the key stakeholders’ inclination and influence on land use decisions, i.e., preservation versus urbanization of the BZ. Then, the national and international policies of BZ management were reviewed to check the overall validity and credibility of the analytical results. The results revealed that the respondents in the responsible authorities have demonstrated a positive inclination to urbanization rather than preservation of BZ, whereas non-governmental organizations, practitioners, and academics have supported preservation rather than urbanization. In addition, the study also reported the conflict in interagency and multi-level coordination for urban development. In the national level, core zone development gains more support by containing ‘strategic open space’ and ‘no development zone.’ However, it contradicts the regional plan which allows the reduction of green coverage from 46.20 to 32.56%. Therefore, to achieve BZ management practices in a consistent and sustainable manner, overcoming knowledge and inclination gap, as well as effective coordination of land use governance, is critical.

Monitoring Coastline Changes in the Coastal Belt of Chittagong in Bangladesh Using GIS and Remote Sensing

Coastal zones are the most dynamic feature of earth surface in which lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere gets into contact with each other. Such dynamic process should be monitored with great importance as a large portion of the world’s population is living along the coastal zones. This paper focuses on delineation of the changes in the coastal land areas of Chittagong in Bangladesh through the shifting of coastline. Chittagong coastal area is around 245 km with an unbroken 125 km gently slopped sandy sea beach in Cox’s Bazar. However, due to both the natural phenomenon and human interventions, coastline in these areas has been changing gradually. These changes have occurred in relation to land biomass, erosion and accretion rate. Therefore, shoreline geometry analysis can help understand such dynamic coastal process. Several satellite images from Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) were used for the long term coastline change analysis. The digital shoreline analysis (DSA) using ArcGIS 10.1, and image rectification, atmospheric correction, edge separation techniques between earth surface and water surface using ENVI software were used in this analysis. DSAS was used as a reliable statistical approach for the rate of coastline change. The result shows that changes in dynamic changes due to erosion and accretion have been impacting the morph-dynamics in the study area. The maximum accession rate was 3.6 km and 1.9 km at different section points and on the contrary the maximum erosion at several section points was 0.37 km and 3.3 km at the time interval of 1989 to 2009 and 2009 to 2014, respectively. Overall, it was found that the area was affected with huge rate of accretion and increase in the landmass of the Chittagong area till the year 2009 but later on till the date of 2014 the erosion rate of the area again increased. The findings of this study can help policy makers to make decisions in delineating new islands emerging at the sea boundary of Bangladesh and planning for better coastal management.

Epidemiology of Sub-Clinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows in Urban Areas of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Mastitis is considered to be the most devastating condition for the dairy farms of low and medium income countries due to its alarming impact on production and worldwide has been recognized as one of the most economically significant infectious diseases affecting the welfare of dairy animal. Chittagong is one of the dairy intensive regions of Bangladesh but comprehensive epidemiological studies addressing prevalence of and risk factors for subclinical mastitis (SCM) are scant. Therefore we aimed to approximate the prevalence of SCM in dairy cows along with the associated risk factors in dairy cows of Chittagong Metropolitan Area (CMA), Bangladesh. We included 114 cross breed (Holstein × Local) lactating cows, raised at 6 dairy farms in CMA between February to November, 2015 for this study. California Mastitis Test (CMT) was used to assess SCM at animal level. The overall prevalence of mastitis was 34.2% among the tested cows. Floor type, source of replacement cows, history of previous reproductive disorder, stage of lactation and cleanliness of floor was found significantly associated with SCM in univariate analysis. In random effect multiple logistic regression model, cemented floor was found to increase the odds of SCM by 5.03 times than that of brick floor. Similarly, cows with history of reproductive disorders had more risk of having SCM than that of cows without a history of reproductive disorders. Since the SCM is prevalent in the study area, the intervention strategy should focus on causal agent, improved management, frequent monitoring of SCM in milking cows with CMT and use of teat disinfectants; with minimal or no treatment with antimicrobial agents.

A study on evaluating the status of current occupational training in the ship recycling industry in Bangladesh

Essential to steel production in Bangladesh, the ship recycling industry has become a vital component of the country’s economy. After four decades of growth, Bangladesh continues to compete with India to lead the international ship recycling industry. In the Chittagong area, the ship recycling sector, and related downstream activities, provides employment and resources to nearby communities. Despite its profitability and income generation, poor working practices and low environmental standards tarnish the image of the sector at national and international levels. Numerous accidents and fatalities in ship recycling processes highlight the lack of adequate Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards. Seasonal migrant workers, many of whom unfamiliar with industrial settings, represent the majority of workers in ship recycling yards. Recruited by subcontractors, most of the workers in Bangladesh lack sufficient hazard awareness and basic safety requirements necessary to work in a ship recycling yard. For these reasons, as identified by the Bangladesh High Court and subsequent national rules, training of workers must be addressed in yards in Bangladesh. In this study, associated with the IMO-NORAD SENSREC project, existing conditions, solely about workers’ training, has been addressed, assessed, and compared in accordance with IMO’s Hong Kong Convention and ILO requirements, where detailed recommendations were provided to enhance OHS training in the yards.

Bio-economic analysis of ESBN fishery of Kumira, the coastal area of Chittagong, Bangladesh

The present investigation was conducted from May to December 2005 at Kumira, the representative area of Chittagong coast for bio-socioeconomic analysis of ESBN fishery. In catch composition of Kumira, it was observed that finfish occupied 77.03 %, shrimp 19.82 % and crab 3.15 % and the average catch per boat per day were found 16.6 kg in Kumira. The highest total catch per boat per day (50 kg) was found in October at Kumira. The lowest catch was found (2 kg) in August at Kumira. The average total catch per landing center per month was found 14805 kg at Kumira. The average catch per fishermen per day was found 3.39 kg at Kumira and the average cost per boat per month was about 7,813 Tk in the study area. Average sale per month was found over 18,713 Tk in Kumira. During the month July and August most of the fishermen were engaged in Hilsa fishing with the Hilsa gill net resulting the total catch was with ESBN lowest in those months.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. September 2018, 4(3): 315-322

Effect of Fukushima Accident on Fishes and Fish Like other Foods Collected from the Bay of Bengal and Karnaphuli River, Bangladesh

An experiment was carried out to assess the radiological exposure due to the intake of fishes and fish like foods from some common estuary (Karnaphuli River) and Marine (Bay of Bengal) contaminated by Fukushima Reactor Accident, if any, by using gamma spectroscopy. The analysis was done to estimate the radioactivity concentrations due to natural radionuclides namely 238U, 232Th and 40K and artificial radionuclide 137Cs in Karnaphuli estuary and Chittagong city adjoining Bay of Bengal fish and fish-like samples. The activity concentration for 238U in all the samples ranged from 0.10615 ± 0.0000 to 2.4767 ± 0.0005 Bq.kg-1 with the mean of 0.6109 ± 0.0001 Bq.kg-1. The Activity of 232Th ranged from 0.0009 ± 0.0000 to 0.0273 ± 0.0000 Bq.kg-1 with the mean of 0.0074 ± 0.0000 Bq.kg-1. The activity concentration for 40K was found to be in the range from 1.5516 ± 0.0311 to 74.8658 ± 0.2532 Bq.kg-1 with the mean of 24.9533 ± 0.0702 Bq.kg-1. The artificial radionuclide 137Cs was not found in any of the samples. The specific activity values for most of the sample were within the permissible limits. The average effective dose and internal hazard index due to consumption of those fishes and fish-like foods was found to be 0.1 mSv.y-1 and 0.0085 ± 0.0000 mSv.y-1 respectively. The research work showed that the consumers of concerned fishes and fish-like foods of the Chittagong area have no risk of radioactivity ingestion even though no amount of radiation is assumed to be totally safe.&#x0D; The Chittagong Univ. J. Sci. 40(1) : 75-96, 2018

Association of children immunization coverage with parental characteristics in a rural area of Bangladesh

The purpose of the cross sectional descriptive type of study was to document the childhood immunization coverage and its association with parental socio-demographic characteristics. For this, 160 parents of 160 children from a selected rural area of Chittagong, Bangladesh were selected by purposive sampling technique and data were collected by face to face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire. Immunization coverage of the children was about 82%. Parental age, gender and their decision (governmental or private service from where immunization done) were significantly associated with the children immunization coverage (p &lt; 0.01, p &lt; 0.01 and p &lt; 0.05, respectively). The result may be helpful to policymakers for future planning and implementation of children immunization programme to improve children immunization coverage in Bangladesh.Mediscope Vol. 4, No. 1: Jan 2017, Page 25-29

Knowledge on Oral Hygiene among the Patients Attending Private Dental Clinics in Bangladesh

Oral disease is a common public health problem in Bangladesh. Lack of awareness and improper treatment facilities are the main cause of poor oral health condition in our country. This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge on oral hygiene among the patients attending selected private dental clinics. A descriptive cross-sectional type of study was utilized, among the patients who attended private dental clinics in Chittagong area of Bangladesh. A total of 160 patients were selected purposively and interviewed using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. The mean age of the respondents was 29.20±4.31 years. About 73.1% of the respondents were male and more than half (55.0%) of the respondents had bachelor degree and above, followed by secondary school level of education (19.4%). 73.1% of the participants used to brush their teeth more than twice per day, 55.6% of the respondents used to spent 1-3 minutes while brushing their teeth and the rest spent more than 3 minutes brushing their teeth. The findings revealed that majority of the patients had fair level of knowledge regarding the oral hygiene. The level of knowledge was found to be significantly associated with educational level and monthly income of the respondents.