Department Of Community Medicine Research Articles

Immunization Status of Children in Urban Slums of Rawalpindi and Barriers to Immunization

Objective: To determine immunization status of children residing in urban slums of Rawalpindi and identify the barriers to immunization. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Slums of Takht Pari, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Mar 2020. Methodology: Children, aged 12-23 months, residing at Takht Pari were enrolled. Two sessions of a free medical camp were arranged at Takht Pari by Department of Community Medicine, Foundation University, Islamabad. Data was collected from parents visiting the medical camp with the mother labelled as the primary respondent. Immunization cards and mother’s recall were used to assess the immunization status of children. Results: Two hundred ninety-one (72.9%) children were completely immunized, partially immunized were 106(26.6%) while 2(0.5%) were unimmunized. Three hundred eighty-eight (97.2%) children were vaccinated through government centers while those who received vaccination through private clinics were 9(2.3%). Factors associated with incomplete immunization were education of parents (p<0.001), number of children (p<0.001), gender of child (p=0.001), access to TV or Radio (p<0.001), and site of immunization (government/private) (p<0.001). Conclusion: Immunization status of 73% shows that unremitting efforts are essential for attaining universal coverage of immunization with extra attention to underprivileged areas. Planning and placement of public facilities for preventive services needs to be an urgent priority improving service utilization and enhancing coverage as people tend to follow ease of accessibility for using immunization services.

Implementing virtual primary care: experiences, perspectives and identification of improvement opportunities in an academic primary care setting

BackgroundOne of the biggest changes to primary care triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic was the rapid integration of virtual care (VC). VC offers benefits to patients and providers but implementation...

Patterns of caffeine consumption among medical undergraduates in Secunderabad, Telangana, India

BACKGROUND: Caffeine products are increasingly found in a wide range of products that abuse of the substance may be unnoticed. Introduction of new energy drinks has led to an increase in consumption of caffeine in the last few decades. Caffeine is a cognitive booster and has physically enhancing effects, leading to its higher consumption across various age groups. The objective of this study was to determine patterns of caffeine consumption and to determine the knowledge and awareness of side effects and safety limits of caffeine consumption among medical undergraduate students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to February 2022 in the Department of Community Medicine at a tertiary care institute, Secunderabad, Telangana, India, among 560 medical undergraduate students of all academic years. A predesigned, pretested, semistructured questionnaire was administered. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 19.09 years, and female preponderance (61.2%) was noted. The average self-reported caffeine consumption was 151.3 mg/day. The average caffeine consumption was found to be higher among males (174 mg/day) as compared to females (137 mg/day). The average consumption of caffeine during exam time was higher than the daily ceiling limit, >300 mg/day, in 38.1% of students, which was statistically significant (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine consumption during times of stress increased among medical students, which is an unfavorable sign as the majority of the times, medical students in future have to deal with physically and emotionally stressful situations during work hours.

Qualitative Study to Identify Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Challenges of Family Adoption Programs among Students

Background: National Medical Commission (NMC) in their recent notification included Family Adoption Program (FAP) in the undergraduate curriculum to provide a learning opportunity towards community-based health care to Indian medical graduates. This study is carried out to explore and know strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of FAP. Materials and Methods: FAP were used to gather data using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and in-depth interviews of the stakeholders of the program. FGD of students was conducted. In-depth interviews of families, Sarpanch, Panchayat members, ASHA workers of the village, faculties, and Head of the Department of Community Medicine were conducted. Data analysis was done by using deductive–inductive content analysis method using computer software NVivo. Results: Four main categories or themes were formed: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. Strengths include increased understanding about Community Medicine subject, beneficence to students, and community. Weakness includes difficulties in field with respect to time and availability and implementation of programs. Opportunities include early field exposure and FAP as a platform for primary healthcare. Challenges include competencies not aligned with phasewise curriculum and difficulties in adopting five families per student. Conclusions: The family adoption program needs to be adopted and implemented as a part of curriculum for MBBS students as there are many strengths and opportunities, while weaknesses and challenges need to be addressed.

Exploring the Relationship between Knowledge of Fast Food and Junk Food Consumption and Sociodemographic Characteristics among High School Students in Bogura Town, Bangladesh

Background: The increasing consumption of fast food and junk food among adolescents is a growing public health concern, particularly in urban areas of developing countries like Bangladesh. This study aims to explore the relationship between knowledge of fast food and junk food consumption and sociodemographic characteristics among high school students in Bogura Town, Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, Rajshahi Medical College, from January 2023 to December 2023. A total of 384 high school students from various schools in Bogura were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to assess associations between variables. Result: The majority of participants were aged 14-16 years (58.07%) and female (66.15%). Most students resided in urban areas (95.31%) and came from nuclear families (87.24%). Parental education levels were high, with 56.77% of fathers and 37.76% of mothers being graduates or having higher education. Despite this, only 23.70% of students had complete knowledge about the nutritional value of fast food and junk food. Significant associations were found between knowledge levels and gender, parental education, economic status, and BMI (p < 0.05). Fast food consumption was prevalent, with 74.48% consuming it at school and 78.13% consuming instant foods at home. Knowledge gaps were notable in areas such as the effects of saturated fats, metabolism, and chronic disease risks. Conclusion: The findings highlight significant gaps in nutritional knowledge among adolescents, despite high rates of fast food consumption. Sociodemographic factors play a crucial role in influencing nutritional knowledge. There is an urgent need for targeted educational programs to address these gaps and promote healthier eating habits among adolescents to improve long-term health outcomes.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE PREVALENCE OF STUNTING AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LAHORE

Objective: Our study aims to determine the prevalence of obesity and stunting in Pakistani children between the ages of03 to 12 years.Study design : A Cross-Sectional StudyDuration and place of study: Community Medicine Department University College of Medicine and Dentistry,UOL, Lahore from jan 2022 to jan 2023Method: The study included 65 children between the ages of 3 to 12 years. Age, sex, weight, and height were recordedfor each enrolled patient after obtaining the parents of any minors’ informed written permission. The demographicstatus of mothers was also noted. In relation to the weight of the patients that were included, the frequency of stuntingwas noted. The whole set of data was analyzed using SPSS 28.0.Results: In this research, out of 65 youngsters, 40 (60.4%) were male and 25 (39.6%) were female. The childreninvolved in the study had a mean age of 04.08±13.38 years and a mean weight of 16.15±11.49 kg. Childrenmeasured 104.05 +/- 1.18 cm on average.n-38 (56.4%) of the patients were underweight, n-43 (33.6%) werefat children, and 05 (06.2%) of the patients were very underweight. According to maternal status, the majority ofthem came from low-income families. There were 10 (12.2%) stunted children, of whom 04 (5.4%) were fat andthe remaining 07 (12%) were underweight. Of the ten children with stunting, five (54.6%) were female and four(37.3%) were male.Conclusion: This study highlights a exceptional occurrence of stunting amongst number one school youngsters inLahore, with a great proportion being underweight. Addressing maternal socioeconomic status and imposing focusedinterventions are crucial to mitigate the weight of stunting and promote healthful increase and development in thispopulation.Keywords: Stunting, Children, Lahore, Socioeconomic Status

Development of a structured validated module to inculcate research skills in medical undergraduates.

Background Evidence-based research aids in decision-making in the health sector for developing health policies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Medical research is not taught in the undergraduate curriculum. Studies show that attributes of research knowledge, awareness and practical involvement in research are low among undergraduate students. We developed and validated a module and trained undergraduate students in research skills through an inter-ventional workshop using the structured module. Methods We did this participatory action research with a mixed-methods approach in the Department of Community Medicine at Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, Punjab. A structured module was developed by the core committee and validated internally and externally. Pilot testing of the module was done by delivering it in the form of a workshop to 46 students. For statistical analysis, percentage agreements, validity indices, median (interquartile range), satisfaction percentages and Wilcoxon sign test were used. Results The structured and validated module was established to have high face validity (>90%) and content validity (CVI=0.975). The module was successfully pilot tested for delivery through both onsite and online modes. The satisfaction percentage with the workshop was 91% and 100% and overall rating of the module was 74% and 91% by interns and MBBS students, and 100% by faculty. The scores of knowledge and skills were found to be significantly higher on all variables post workshop with p<0.001. All students scored satisfactory grades for research skills. Conclusions Teaching research using a structured validated module improved the knowledge and skills related to research among students. Both students and faculty were satisfied with the use of the structured module.

Evaluation of trend and mortality pattern of communicable diseases in a teaching institution in Kerala.

Even in this era of epidemiologic transition communicable disease is still a major public health problem. Surveillance and timely prevention and control activities are the key to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of communicable diseases. Identifying the trend in communicable diseases and pattern of mortality for a period of ten years will be an insight into the ongoing surveillance. In this study we have analysed data from 2013 to 2022 to evaluate the trend and mortality pattern of communicable diseases in a teaching institution in Kerala. A retrospective record-based cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Kottayam. All confirmed communicable disease cases reported from 2013 to 2022 were included in this study except COVID-19-positive cases. The communicable diseases were grouped as: airborne, waterborne, vector-borne, zoonosis, bloodborne diseases and others. SPSS version 20.0 software, Microsoft Word, and Excel were used in data handling and analysis. Total cases reported were 48124. The majority of the morbidity was due to airborne diseases (17585,37%) followed by waterborne diseases (6381, 13%). The total number of deaths reported was 1842. Airborne and zoonotic diseases together accounted for more than 50% of the mortality. Case fatality rate of zoonosis (20.2%) was the highest followed by bloodborne diseases (10.2%). Communicable diseases still continue as a public health problem contributing to morbidity and mortality. Airborne diseases and zoonotic diseases constitute the maximum mortality.

Assessing the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in the Urban Areas of Ankuli in Southern Odisha.

Background Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex mix of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes that happen in some women after giving birth. Objectives The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and evaluate the predisposing factors for PPD. Methodology The present observational study was conducted in the Department of Community Medicine, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital, Brahmapur, Odisha, India from May 2022 to November 2022. Using the EPDS, participants were assessed for postnatal depression. Every subject additionally filled out a risk factor questionnaire covering important sociodemographic and obstetric parameters. The prevalence of an EPDS score of 12 or above is the primary outcome measure. Results The study encompassed 121 mothers, with 8.26% scoring above the depression cutoff of 12 and 6.61% falling within the borderline range. Notably, all mothers surpassing the cutoff were from joint families, contrasting with those from nuclear families. A predominant portion of the depressive group was in their 20s, while the borderline group primarily consisted of mothers in their 30s. Urban residency and government hospital care were universal among the samples. Mode of delivery showed significance, with a higher prevalence of PPD observed among those who underwent a lower segment cesarean section. Additionally, maternal age, anemia, mode of delivery, educational status, adverse life events, and lack of partner support significantly correlated with depression scores. Notably, maternal age emerged as the most influential factor, followed by anemia and mode of delivery. Spearman correlation analysis revealed moderate negative associations between various aspects of maternal depression and the ages of their babies, indicating that younger infants were associated with greater maternal distress. However, the correlation between feeling sad or miserable and the baby's age was negligible. These findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of PPD, highlighting the interplay between sociodemographic factors, maternal well-being, and infant age.

Husband's involvement in utilization of maternal health services by their spouse in district Rohtak, Haryana.

Husband and wife as a couple are fully responsible for their current and future. In our society, the husband is mostly responsible for making the decision regarding any expenses. In India, there is a need to reduce the maternal mortality rate, and Husband's involvement in antenatal care could be a key to success as it will enable them to support their partner in adequate preparation for birth and to utilize emergency obstetric care early if complications arise. To find out about male involvement in the utilization of maternal healthcare services by their spouse and various factors affecting male involvement in the utilization of maternal healthcare services. This study was conducted in urban and rural field practice areas attached to the Department of Community Medicine, PGIMS, Rohtak. The study included 400 couples where 200 each were recruited from rural and urban areas. Out of 17 subcenters under CHC Chiri eight, subcenters were selected randomly by lottery method. A line list of these couples was prepared at each subcenter using ANC and birth register. Couples were enrolled from this line list till a sample size of 25 was reached at each of these eight subcenters. In this way, a total of 200 couples were enrolled from rural areas in which women delivered and availed maternal health services in the last 6 months. In urban areas, an equal number of couples were enrolled from each of these three urban health posts till the sample size of 200 was reached in an urban area. The majority of the husbands (73%) reported that they participated in their wives' utilization of maternal health services. Twenty-seven percent did not participate in their wives' utilization of maternal health services. It also showed that 71.0% of the husbands did not know about the investigations that needed to be performed during a woman's pregnancy. Only 29% were aware of it. On analysis, it was observed that 73% of the husbands had good participation in their spouses' maternal and child health (MCH) care, while the rest had poor participation (27%). It also showed that as the education level of the participants' husbands increased, their participation in their spouses' MCH care increased, with the highest being observed among graduates (91.3%) and the lowest among those with primary schooling level education (66.7%) which were statistically significant.

Association of Physical Activity with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Pregnant Women in a Rural Area of Maharashtra: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Objective: Our objective was to determine the association of physical activity with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women in a rural area of Maharashtra. Methods: The current community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 965 pregnant women from 3 primary health centers of the field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, MGIMS, Sevagram, who were included in the ICMR-funded Central India Rural Pregnancy Cohort Project from October 2016 to May 2018. After assuring informed written consent, a pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered. The Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India criteria were used for screening. The level of 2-h plasma glucose &gt;140 mg/dL with 75 g oral glucose load was used to diagnose GDM irrespective of the duration of the last meal. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) was administered to assess the association of physical activity and GDM among the participants. Results: Among all participants, 5.39% were GDM positive; 24.45% of pregnant women had metabolic equivalent of task (MET) score &lt;8.5 MET-h/day, and 75.54% had MET-h/day score &gt;8.5 MET-h/day. The odds of having GDM in participants with physical activity &lt; 8.5 MET-h/day was 22% more than that of participants with &gt;8.5 MET-h/day. Two hundred and thirty-six participants (24.45%) reported to have sedentary levels of physical activity, 437 (45.28%) had light-level physical activity, 255 (26.42%) had moderate physical activity, and only 37 (3.83%) had heavy physical activity. With respect to participants with sedentary lifestyle, participants performing light (odds ratio [OR]: 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21–2.79), moderate (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.15–1.92), and heavy physical activities (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.17–2.41) had 24%, 46%, and 35% lesser odds of having GDM, respectively. Conclusions: The current study documented the inverse relationship of physical activity during pregnancy and the risk of developing GDM. With an increase in the intensity of exercise the risk of GDM became lesser respectively. It is advised to all the women to perform regular physical activity during family planning, as early as possible, and to continue during the span of pregnancy to avoid the risk of developing GDM.

Addressing Psychosocial Challenges through Action: A Fieldwork Experience in Community Medicine Department, Aligarh Muslim University

This research article explores the psychosocial challenges faced by patients in the community. The study draws on firsthand experiences as a social work intern in the Community Medicine department. It delves into the intricacies of psychosocial issues prevalent among community members, including substance abuse, family problems, depression, and financial instability. The article emphasises the importance of targeted interventions to address the multifaceted needs of individuals in the community. To tackle these psychosocial challenges, the research outlines community workshops, counselling services, mental health awareness campaigns, and support groups. The interventions aimed to empower individuals, foster resilience, and promote overall well-being within the community. After implementing these initiatives, the article analyses the observed changes in individuals, highlighting improvements in coping mechanisms, enhanced social support networks, and increased awareness of mental health issues. Moreover the study also provides insights into the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in community medicine.The study highlights the importance of holistic healthcare approaches that prioritize the psychosocial dimensions of well-being

Pattern of Fast Food and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Consumption among Students of Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore

Objective: To assess fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption patterns among medical studentsalong with associated factors and to determine the association between intake of these items and body massindex.Study Design: Cross-sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, LahoreMedical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan from May 2023 to September 2023.Methods: A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit 146 MBBS students. Using a structuredquestionnaire, information was obtained on the background of participants, fast food and sugar-sweetenedbeverages consumption, and their body mass index. Chi-square test was applied to find an association betweenvariables with p ≤ 0.05 taken as significant.Results: The study included 60% females and 52% boarders. Mothers of 6% of students and fathers of 12% ofstudents were doctors. The mean body mass index was 22.43±3.51. Frequent consumption of fast food was36% and of sugar-sweetened beverages was 12%. The most frequently consumed items were salty snacks (77%)and regular soda (67%). A significant relationship was found between fast food consumption with residence,the mother's profession, and awareness about nutritional information. Consumption of sugar-sweetenedbeverages was significantly related to gender and knowledge about the harmful effects of these beverages. Thebody mass index of students significantly increased with an increase in the use of sugar-sweetened beveragesand was inversely associated with fast food consumption.Conclusion: Consumption of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages was high among study participants.Salty snacks and soda drinks were frequently consumed items. There is an immediate need for national policiesand strategies to create a healthy dietary environment among students. How to cite this: Maqbool S, Daud S, Saad KAD, Ahmad MS, Idress B, Ejaz K. Pattern of Fast Food and Sugar Sweetened Beverages Consumption Among Students of Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 172-180. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.621

Prevalence of Obesity with its Associated Modifiable Risk Factors among Adolescents of Aged 17-24 Years: Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study aims to point out the association of modifiable risk factors and the prevalence and riskfactors of overweight and obesity among adolescents aged 17-24 years.Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, CombinedMilitary Hospital (CMH) College Lahore, Pakistan from April 2022 to May 2022.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample size of 108 adult males through nonprobabilityconvenient sampling in CMH Lahore Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan. HbA1c tests were conducted to checkblood sugar. A questionnaire was distributed to collect data. SPSS software was used for the analysis of datausing the Chi-square test.Results: A total of 108 male cadets participated in the study. Mean age was 20.20 years ±1.4 SD. The majority ofparticipants were involved in physical activity and had healthy eating habits. Eighty-nine percent ofrespondents fall in the category of normal body mass index &amp; 6.5% in the category of overweight &amp; obese &amp; 3.7% were underweight. Forty-seven percent of subjects were physically active for ≤ 3 days/week &amp; 57.4% wereengaged for &gt; 3 days/week. Fifty-seven percent of respondents had a screen time of 5-7 hours/day &amp; 11.1% has&gt; 7 hours/day. Among 108 respondents, 37% had snacking habits in between meals 1-2 times/week &amp; 20.4%has 3-4 times/week.Conclusion: This study concludes that apart from non-modifiable risk factors, modifiable risk factors also have a major influence on the prevalence of overweight &amp; obesity. Those who exercise &amp; eat healthy have less risk ofdeveloping obesity as compared to those who have poor physical activity &amp; unhealthy eating habits. How to cite this: Zaib S, Raza T, Ahmad A, Anwar S, Tariq SMH, Mubashar T. Prevalence of Obesity with its Associated Modifiable Risk Factors Among Adolescents of Aged 17-24 Years: Cross Sectional Study. Life and Science. 2024; 5(2): 210-215. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.362

A study on the price variability of branded medicines and Jan aushadi versions of selected commonly prescribed psychiatric medications in India using a cost-comparative approach and a passive evaluation of the Jan aushadhi scheme in India.

The cost of medications poses a significant financial burden on patients. It limits access and adherence to treatment. Psychiatric disease burden is rising and it needs treatment for long durations. The high cost of branded medicines and lack of access to medicines at affordable prices can limit adherence. A cost comparison study was done to investigate the price difference between branded and Jan aushadhi versions of 20 selected psychiatric drugs was done at the Department of Community Medicine of a Government medical college in Southern India. The average (mean) price of branded medicines of each drug was calculated with minimum, and maximum using online data, and comparison was done by calculating the percentage price difference between branded and Jan aushadhi medicines. The overall percentage price difference between branded and Jan aushadhi medicines was calculated. The overall percentage price difference between the mean price of branded medicine and Jan aushadhi medicine was + 252% for antipsychotics, indicating that the mean branded price was 252% (2.52 times) Jan aushadhi price. Similarly, the overall percentage price difference between the mean branded price and Jan aushadhi price among antidepressants was +277.54%, and the overall percentage price difference between mean branded price and Jan aushadhi was +227.73% for anticonvulsants. Similarly, price differences of maximum and minimum branded prices and Jan aushadhi were high. The study was able to estimate variation in the price of branded drugs and compare the price of branded medicines with Jan aushadhi by estimating price differences. The results of the study are useful in further reference regarding the subject for public, policy makers and healthcare providers. It gives valuable evidence into medication costs in India.

Prevalence and Association of Stress with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Pregnant Women in a Rural Area of Maharashtra: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

Aim: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major public health problem. There is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the association of stress with GDM. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and association of stress with GDM among pregnant women in a rural area of Maharashtra. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 965 pregnant women from the rural field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, MGIMS, Sevagram. After taking written informed consent, a pretested semistructured questionnaire was administered. Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India recommendation was used (2-h plasma glucose &gt; 140 mg/dL with 75 g oral glucose load to diagnose GDM irrespective of the duration of the last meal). Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) was administered to assess the stress (anxiety and depression). Results: The K10 scale showed that 3.11% of participants were moderately affected, and 3.01% had mild symptoms of anxiety and depression. Only 1.14% of pregnant women had severe mental disorders. The participants with normal to mild depression (K10 score &lt; 25) had 90% less chance (odds ratio: 0.10; 95% confidence interval: 0.05–0.23) of becoming GDM than participants with moderate to severe depression (K10 score &gt; 25), which was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: Our study highlighted that normal to mild stress had a lesser chance of getting GDM than moderate to severe stress during pregnancy, indicating that stress is a positive risk factor of GDM. Hence, it is advisable to screen for stress during pregnancy.

Organizing the Unorganized: A Long Road Home for India’s Road-Makers

A team from the Department of Community Medicine observed and photographed the dwelling of a road construction worker’s family residing in a temporary house near a construction site (1). This photographic panel sheds light on the plight of the unorganized sector of migrant workers in India. Working for the bare minimum wages with the uncertainty of stable employment, they suffer from various issues,

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Multimorbidity among Elderly People of Bangladesh

Background: Human aging is a dynamic and progressive natural process which is depends on interacting hereditary, biological, social, environmental, historical and cultural factors that determine the quality of life of an older individual. Multimorbidity was defined as the co‐occurrence of at least two chronic diseases in a person whether as a coincidence or not. Little attention has been paid to the study of the prevalence of multimorbidity among the elderly in Bangladesh. The study aimed to find out the prevalence and associated factors of multimorbidity among elderly people of Bangladesh. Methods: It was a hospital-based cross-sectional study, conducted in Department of Community Medicine, International Nursing College, Tongi, Bangladesh from January to December 2022. Data were collected from 250 participants. Categorical data were presented as proportion, and continuous data were presented as mean (SD). The Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to find out the association between frailty and other variables. Results: Total Two hundred fifty eligible elderly persons were approached for the study. So, were analysed (response rate = 85%). The mean age (SD) of the participants was 70 (7.0) years. About half (55.2%) of them were female, 48% were living in a rural areas, and 68% were Muslim by religion. About two-thirds (58%) of participants were married (currently in union), and were living with either their spouses or children. Nearly one-third (64.4%) of participants were illiterate. The prevalence of multimorbidity was significantly higher among women than among men, among illiterate than among literate persons, among persons who belonged to the non-poorest quintiles than among the poorest quintile, and also significantly higher among single than among married persons. The most common disorders were arthritis (57.2%) and hypertension (38.4%). The prevalence of arthritis was significantly higher among the illiterate than among the ..........

IJCM_93A: Anthropometric profile of under five children attending Pediatric at rural health training centre in Aligarh (U.P.)

Background: Child undernutrition is a global health concern. Malnutrition continues to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries like India. As per the NFHS-V, the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight in under-five children stands at 35.5%, 19.3% and 32.1% respectively. Anthropometry has become a practical tool for evaluating the nutritional status of populations, particularly of children in developing countries &amp; the nutritional status is the best indicator of global well-being of children. Objective: To describe the anthropometric profile and assess malnutrition using anthropometric measurements of under-five children attending pediatric OPD at Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), Jawan under Department of Community Medicine, JNMCH, A.M.U., Aligarh (U.P.). Methodology: This is a retrospective study with secondary analysis of anthropometric data of 255 under five children attending pediatric clinic for the first time at RHTC, Jawan, under Department of Community Medicine from January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023. Collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed by using the software SPSS, version 20.0. Results: The median age of the children was 24 months. 52.2% of them were boys and 47.8% were girls. Severe wasting (weight-for-height&lt;-3SD) and severe stunting (height-for-age&lt;-3SD) was present in 4.3% and 10.2% of all children respectively and there was no significant difference among different age groups. Prevalence of underweight and stunting was highest in children less than 6 months. Conclusion: Undernutrition is common in under-five children and 10.2% of children had severe wasting. In order to prevent severe forms of undernutrition health education to caregivers on various forms of undernutrition is crucial. IEC activities and health education regarding infant and young child feeding (IYCF) should be strengthened, especially to caregivers of children less than 6 months.

IJCM_137A: A cross-sectional study to find out prevalence of alcohol, smoking and other substance abuse among adolescent in Raipur city, Chhattisgarh

Background: The use of various psychoactive substances such as alcohol, cannabis and opioids has been observed in India for centuries, the current dimension of the extent and pattern of psychoactive substance use and the problems associated with their use are not well-documented. Substance use estimates from 2004 indicate that tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs account for 8.7%, 3.8% and 0.4% of all deaths respectively, and 3.7%, 4.5% and 0.9% of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost respectively. National-level prevalence has been calculated for many substances of abuse, but regional variations are quite evident. Rapid assessment surveys have facilitated the understanding of changing patterns of use. Substance use among women and children are increasing cause of concern. Objective: To find out the prevalence of substance use among adolescentsat Raipur City C.G. Methodology: Study design: Community-based cross-sectional observational study. Study centre: Department of Community Medicine, Pt. JNM Medical College, Raipur Study area: Raipur city Study technique: Interview method Sample size: 300 Results: In the present study among 664 adolescents, 301 (45.3%) have a lifetime history of any type of substance abuse other than their medicinal use. The majority 53.5% and 26.8% belong to class II &amp; III socioeconomic status as per the revised modified Prasad classification 2023. 39.5%, 17.6% and 5.7% of adolescents have a lifetime exposure to any form of Tobacco, alcohol &amp; cannabis abuse respectively. Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of substance abuse is very high among adolescents and we found that 39.5% of adolescents are exposed to tobacco products while the Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4 (2019) estimates it was 18.1%.