Dakshina Kannada Research Articles

A study to analyze the correlation between nutritional dermatoses with socioeconomic status, dietary fallacies and growth in children 1 to 5 years of age, in and around rural area

Background: Little information is available about the prevalence of skin conditions among the children in general population. Skin conditions vary in frequencies and severity in different age groups, different geographical locations and under different definitions of skin diseases. Low socioeconomic status, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor standards of hygiene are important factors accounting for development of nutritional dermatoses in developing countries such as India. The objective of the present research was to study the association between nutritional dermatoses with Socioeconomic status, dietary fallacies and growth in children 1 to 5 years of age. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in a rural based medical college of Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka among the one to five years age children, who were attending the Pediatric out patient with nutritional skin lesions from the month of November 2012 to October 2013. The sample size was estimated as 150 children.Results: In present study, 76.00% (114) of children fall in the group of under nutrition and 73.33% (110) children is having the causative factor as Dietary Fallacies. Majority of children 60.66% (91) with nutritional dermatoses belongs to class IV socio-economic status according to B.G Prasad classification, 27.33% (41) belongs to class III and 12.00% (18) children belongs to class V. 64.66% (97) of children with nutritional dermatoses were underweight, 47.33% (71) of children showed wasting and 35.30% (53) children were stunted.Conclusions: Lower socioeconomic condition and dietary fallacies were the two most causative factors which had an adverse effect on nutritional status of child causing dermatoses. Nutrition deficiency had an impact of early transitional growth failure and delay in the achieving mile stone.

Effect of Soil Parameters on Resilient Modulus Using Cyclic Tri-Axial Tests on Lateritic Subgrade Soils from Dakshina Kannada, India

Resilient modulus (Mr) of a soil is used as a basic input in the analysis of sub-grade and sub-base in the mechanistic empirical design approaches. The present work focuses on evolving a cost effective approach for the determination of resilient modulus in the laboratory based on tests performed using the CBR method, and the DCP. Lateritic sub-grades in India exhibit wide-ranging variations in strength and stiffness due to varying fines content, and other characteristics. Additionally, soils of lateritic origin with a higher proportion of fines, also called as lithomargic soils, pose difficulties to pavement engineers due to the poor supporting strength. In order to investigate the strength and stiffness of a wide variety of lateritic soils, it was proposed to perform tests on lateritic soils blended with lithomargic fines in this study. The study focuses on correlating the effect of grain-size, maximum dry-density (MDD), and optimum moisture content (OMC) on the resilient modulus (Mr) measured using the cyclic tri-axial test for various blends of lateritic soils. Tests were performed on soil samples compacted to MDD for molding water contents set to the OMC, dry-side of OMC, and the wet-side of OMC. The results indicated that an increase in the fines-content resulted in an increase in the OMC, and a decrease in the MDD and Mr values. Regressions were developed correlating the fines content to the resilient modulus. This study is expected to provide the necessary basis for estimating the strength of a wide variety of lateritic sub-grades based on the fines content.

Medication adherence among hypertensive adults residing in a rural area of Dakshina Kannada district

Background: Medication adherence is regarded as a critical determinant of control of hypertension. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with medication adherence among hypertensive adults, residing in a rural area of Dakshina Kannada district.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2015. A pre-designed, pre-tested proforma was used to collect information. The study participants were enquired about the medication adherence using the Morisky medication adherence scale (MMAS-8). Medication adherence was graded as high (zero score), medium (1-2 score) and low (3-8 score).Results: A total of 193 hypertensive adults fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included. Low medication adherence was observed in 56 (29.01%) of the study participants. Majority (67.88%), had medium adherence, while a very low percentage (3.11%) had high medication adherence, as per the MMAS-8. Low adherence was found to be higher among participants belonging to low socio-economic status (39.44%) when compared to other classes. This association was statistically significant (p=0.0025). Those having diabetes had higher rates of poor adherence (66.67%) when compared to non-diabetics (13.24%), which was statistically significant (p<0.0001). Consuming ≥3 medications was another factor found to be significantly associated with low medication adherence (p<0.0001).Conclusions: We conclude that 29.01% of the study participants had low medication adherence. Low socio-economic status (Class IV+V), presence of diabetes mellitus and number of medications were the factors found to be significantly associated with low medication adherence.

Assessing Financial Literacy Level among Teaching Faculty – A Study with Reference to Dakshina Kannada District

Assessing Financial Literacy Level among Teaching Faculty – A Study with Reference to Dakshina Kannada District

Efficacy of training and development in technological colleges in DakshinaKannada district

Training and development are the vital steps and indicators in an incessant process of improving the quality of human resources. It is an endeavor to advance their existing and prospective performance. The institute should also keep a track on faculty’s achievements after imparting the indoctrination. It means that the training requires systematic evaluation. Training refers to a methodical procedure of shifting the actions/ behaviors of faculty’s in a path to attain the institution’s missions. An instruction courses is an exercise by the management to provide occasion for the faculty’s to acquire ability and inter-related dexterity, approach and information. In order to meet the end goals of education, the training segment has to become vibrant and refreshed updated in contemporary scenario. In order to take this training area to heights of intercontinental distinction, there is a requirement for the paramount amalgamation of new knowledge and dexterous capable labor pool. An investigation is explored through this research paper to learn the methodology of training and development in technological institutions in Dakshina Kannada District and its impact on generating efficiency among teachers to cater to the need of the students.

Utilization of granulated blast furnace slag and cement in the manufacture of compressed stabilized earth blocks

This study involves the investigation on utilization of granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and cement in the manufacture of compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEB). Two locally available soils from Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India were tested for their index and strength properties with replacement of granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS). An optimum percentage of replacement of GBFS was established and then varying percentages of cement was added for the production of compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEBs). This stabilized soil was used for the manufacture of blocks of size 305 mm × 143 mm × 105 mm. All the blocks were cast to a target density, followed by the curing for 28 days. The blocks were subjected to compression test and water absorption test according to Indian Standard (IS) specifications. The test results showed that the CSEBs prepared with GBFS and cement can be utilized in masonry for load bearing wall construction. A small percentage of cement is sufficient for manufacturing the CSEBs when optimum GBFS content is replaced with that of soil, thereby reducing the energy consumption.

A Study on the Problems of Elected Women Gram Panchayat Members before Contesting Election in Dakshina Kannada District, India

<p>Women representation in Gram Panchayat plays very important role in contemporary Society.Reseration is one of the legislative efforts to empower women especially for the political participation. This article mainly dealt with the problems faced by elected women Gram Panchayat members before contesting Gram Panchayat election. The youngsters were participating in politics and majority of them were also educated .The family head and also political parties were preparing women to contest in the Gram Panchayat elections. Interestingly few respondents were also spent their own money to contest in the Gram Panchayat election.. Some respondents were actively participating in Gram Panchayat activities. But before the elections even if they are not interested to contest election also, either they were forced or prepared to contest in the election. </p>

Knowledge, attitude, and behavior of nurses toward delivery of Primary Oral Health Care in Dakshina Kannada, India.

The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Total of 170 medical nurses working in the Institutional Hospital and who provided care for paediatric patients and pregnant mothers participated in the study. Chi-Square test was used to analyse the data using SPSS version 17.0 with a significance value of P < 0.05. All the nurses were aware that good oral health is important for overall health of the child. About 70% of the respondents had poor knowledge regarding dental caries. Good response was obtained regarding importance of oral hygiene maintenance for both the child and mother for prevention of caries. Majority of the nurses showed positive attitudes toward preventive OHC and the role of medical nurses. Routinely the nurses do not refer pregnant mothers and children for dental check up nor do they counsel them regarding oral hygiene and its importance. Appropriate training and encouragement for promotion of oral health and to provide suitable care for the prevention of dental diseases should be included in the curriculum of nurses training.

Knowledge of Postnatal Mothers on Breast Milk Expression and Storage in a Selected Hospital of Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada

Breastfeeding has many advantages for mother and the baby. Sucessful initiation of breast feeding is the first step towards good nutrition. Breast feeding is thenatural step after the childbirth and it is a very special gift from mother to her baby. The use of expressed breast milk has been advocated as an effective way of propsepcts of storage of expressed breast milk for any considerable period of time is unavoidable in neonatal units and in many households, especially among working mothers who need to report back to work soon after delivery.

Study on effects of physicochemical parameters on natural radionuclides concentration and assessment of radiological parameters in the soil samples of Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada

The paper deals with the distribution and enrichment of natural radionuclides 232Th, 226Ra, and 40K in the soil samples of Mangalore. The soil samples collected from the region were analyzed for the activity of natural radionuclides using NaI (Tl) gamma-ray spectrometer. The activity of 232Th varies in the range 40.5–95.2 Bq/kg with a mean value of 64.9 Bq/kg; the activity of 226Ra varies in the range 54.9–77.8 Bq/kg with a mean value of 65.1 Bq/kg; and that of 40K varies in the range 308.7–486.5 Bq/kg with a mean value of 368.9 Bq/kg. The calculated values of radiological parameters were found to be below the world recommended level. The results of these systematic studies are presented and discussed in this paper.

Physical accessibility audit of primary health centers for people with disabilities: An on-site assessment from Dakshina Kannada district in Southern India.

Background:Access to health care is important for persons with disability (PwD). The Government of India has launched the “Accessible India Campaign” (AIC) as a nationwide campaign for achieving universal accessibility for PwDs.Objective:To conduct an on-site assessment for physical accessibility of all primary health care centers (PHCs) of Dakshina Kannada (DK) district in Karnataka using the AIC checklist.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional facility-based assessment of all 67 PHCs under the administrative control of the District Health and Family Welfare Office of the district was done using Physical Accessibility Audit Checklist prepared by the AIC. Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee and written permission was obtained from the District Health and Family Welfare Officer. Data were analyzed for frequencies and percentages.Results:The Accessible India Physical Accessibility Audit Checklist consists of more than116 numbers of items. Out of 67 PHCs, 57 (85%) PHCs had an accessible pathway and 60 (90%) PHCs had a ramp for wheelchair. Only 25 (36%) PHCs had accessible doors. No PHCs had height-adjustable examination table, disable friendly toilets and only two PHCs had accessible weighing scales.Conclusion:This unique on-site assessment finds that our PHCs are not well equipped for catering to PwD. To realize AIC in terms of health care access for the PwD, there is much that remains desirable at primary health care level, a point of first contact in the public health system.

A Study to Assess Awareness and Attitudes of Teachers towards Primary School Children with Stuttering in Dakshina Kannada District, India

Introduction: Stuttering, a fluency disorder causes a negative impact on an individual’s educational, occupational, and social experiences. Based on the review of the previous literatures it was found that the school population exhibited 5% lifetime incidence and 1% stuttering prevalence. Aim: To assess the awareness and attitude of teachers towards primary school children with stuttering. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in primary schools in Dakshina Kannada, Mangalore, Karnataka, India, using Convenient sampling. A total of 70 teachers who are currently teaching primary school children were selected. A questionnaire was developed which had three sections. For the purpose of validation, the developed questionnaire was given to seven experienced speech language pathologists. Later, these speech language pathologists were asked to rate the relevance of each section and questions on a 5-point rating scale. Based on the average ratings, content validity index was calculated. Later each of the participants was given a copy of the questionnaire and was asked to rate it based on the response format provided. On the basis of obtained scores, internal consistency and test-retest reliability was estimated by using the statistical test Cronbach’s alpha and analysis was conducted by using SPSS version 20.0. R esults: Questions regarding the teachers’ awareness towards stuttering received an average score of 63.16%. For teachers’ attitude, a score of 55.7% and a score of 48.5% for the teacher’s perception regarding the students’ interaction with the children who stutter were obtained. C onclusion: The present study indicates that teachers are aware about the development of speech and language patterns, the common errors that can occur during the developmental period which in turn helps them to differentiate stuttering from normal non-fluency. Therefore, understanding teacher’s attitudes resolve them in mounting special consideration and making appropriate referral for intervention of the children.

Association of frequency of toothbrushing to periodontal findings in elderly subjects of Dakshina Kannada District

Association of frequency of toothbrushing to periodontal findings in elderly subjects of Dakshina Kannada District

Comparison of Modified Alvarado Score with Ultrasonogram in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis at a Tertiary Care Center of Dakshina Kannada

Comparison of Modified Alvarado Score with Ultrasonogram in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis at a Tertiary Care Center of Dakshina Kannada

Gender Determination of an Individual by Scapula using Multi Detector Computed Tomography Scan in Dakshina Kannada Population-A Forensic Study

Gender Determination of an Individual by Scapula using Multi Detector Computed Tomography Scan in Dakshina Kannada Population-A Forensic Study

Employee Engagement in the Insurance Sector in Mangalore City of Dakshina Kannada

Employee Engagement in the Insurance Sector in Mangalore City of Dakshina Kannada

Health Care Seeking Behaviour and Expenditure for Childhood Illness in Coastal District of India-A Community Based Study

Introduction: Delay in access to health care involves problem in disease recognition, decision making and availability of health services. Health Care Seeking Behaviour (HCSB) is an important component of Health Systems Research (HSR) which is necessary for planning child health policies. Escalating health care expenditure and inaccessibility to health care facilities have been identified as major deterrent to seek health. Aim: To study: 1) HCSB of mothers for childhood illness; 2) Source of healthcare sought and expenditure incurred. Materials and Methods: Cross sectional community based study among representative sample of mothers of under 5 (U5), 1980 mothers from Dakshina Kannada district were interviewed and 431 reported illness. HCSB was predefined by 'Appropriate care', 'Appropriate and prompt care' and 'prompt care'. Health expenditure incurred was studied in various income groups. Results: Illness episodes were reported in 431 (22.6%) out of 1903 mothers. 'Appropriate and Prompt care’ was given by 388 (90.02%) and most mothers interviewed were aware of danger signs. Private Health Care System (PHCS) was preferred by most, but expensive (Rs. 514.5) than Public Health System (PHS) (Rs. 236) per illness episode. Of 262 people with income less than 1000, 32(12.2%) did not have BPL card. Conclusion: Significant percentage of families with monthly income < Rs.1000 do not have BPL cards thereby deprived of benefits, contributing to “impoverished care”. Most mothers were aware of danger signs and health services were available within short distances, indicating good accessibility to healthcare. Most mothers (90.02%) sought prompt and appropriate care irrespective of economic status, literacy, occupation, parity and distance from health provider.

Evaluation of Utility of Alvarado Scoring System in Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis at a Tertiary Care Centre of Dakshina Kannada

Evaluation of Utility of Alvarado Scoring System in Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis at a Tertiary Care Centre of Dakshina Kannada

Women Empowerment through NGO Intervention: An Empirical Investigation

The present study makes an attempt to evaluate the performance of SHGs and sustaining the reduction in poverty through empowerment. The study is designed with objectives of examining the impact of Self Help Groups on economic empowerment of women and offer policy suggestions for sustaining women's empowerment through self help groups. The primary data were collected by canvassing the structured interview schedule for the sample households of 200 in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka State. It is found that a larger proportion of SHG members have actively taken part in economic domains of their life. In spite several intricacies in the process, NGO has been more successful in mobilizing the women members and building their economic and social empowerment of them and thereby bringing them on to mainstream development of the rural economy.

The prevalence and impact of teeth wear on oral health related quality of life among rural adult population of Sullia taluk, D.K

Introduction: Teeth wear (TW) an otherwise physiological process if present above acceptable level might cause a debilitating effect on the quality of life (QoL). With increasing life expectancy and people retaining their natural teeth into old age, the problem of wearing off of teeth over time poses a major public health concern. Aim: The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence of TW and its effects on individual QoL and satisfaction with their dentition. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 650 individuals selected from Sullia Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India, to assess the prevalence of TW as determined by teeth wear index (Smith and Knight, 1984) and impact of the same on oral health-related QoL on 240 individuals with TW (39.15 ± 3.05 years) measured using a translated version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questionnaire. Results: Analysis revealed that 39.97% of the study individuals had a TW severity of score 2 and TW severity of score 3 were observed among 20% of the study participants. The overall mean OHIP-14 score of the study population was 16.91 ± 8.07 with 36.7% moderately and 0.8% severely affected impact on OHRQoL. Physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, and psychological disability with respective mean values of 1.47 ± 1.3, 1.18 ± 1.07, 1.85 ± 1.5, and 1.53 ± 1.3 were the main affected domains in oral health QoL. Conclusion: The severity of TW in the study population was score 2 having moderate impact on the QoL with physical disability, physical pain, psychological discomfort, and disability as the contributing factors.