Periodic Checkups Research Articles

FACTORS RELATED TO EYE FATIGUE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEES 2022

Background: Eye fatigue is a symptom caused by excessive efforts of the visual system, which is in less than perfect condition to obtain visual acuity. This is influenced by gender, duration, and distance of viewing the monitor. Purpose: Analyze the factors and images related to eye fatigue in customer service employees at PT X in 2021. Method: Descriptive study with cross-sectional design with the total sampling method. The sample in this study was 50 people. The population in this study was 50. This research was conducted on December 27 – January 5, 2022. Data collection was obtained by collecting primary data and secondary data. Data were analyzed by univariate and bivariate using the Chi-square test. Result: That the highest proportion is found in employees who experience eye fatigue complaints as many as 44 people (88%), in employees aged ≤40 years as many as 42 people (84%), employees who have female sex as many as 32 people (64% ), employees who have a working period of >3 years as many as 45 people (90%), had computer use >8 hours a day as many as 46 people (92%), saw a monitor distance of 50 cm as many as 38 people (76%), and there was a relationship between gender (p-value = 0.001), duration of computer use (p-value = 0.004), monitor viewing distance (p-value = 0.002) with the incidence of eye fatigue in customer service employees at PT X in 2022. Conclusion: The results show that eye fatigue does not get worse by placing the computer in such a way that there is no light reflection, conducting periodic medical check-up, and educating employees to intersperse computer use time.

Associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with serum folate, cobalanin, and homocysteine concentrations and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms in healthy adults.

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with various demographic, anthropometric, and genetic characteristics and biochemical parameters in healthy Greek adults. Demographic (age and sex), anthropometric (body mass index/BMI), and genetic (MTHFR gene polymorphisms) characteristics and biochemical parameters (serum folate, cobalamin/Cbl, and total homocysteine/tHcy concentrations), which had been recorded and measured, among others, in the framework of periodic medical examination (military personnel) or check-up (non-military personnel) of 383 healthy Greek adults (199 men and 184 women) were analyzed. Serum 25(OH)D, tHcy, folate, and Cbl levels were determined using immunoassay methods. The MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and reverse hybridization. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were correlated with Cbl levels and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism, while they had a reverse correlation with serum tHcy levels, age, and BMI. There was no significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and sex, serum folate levels, and smoking status. Individuals with the 677TT genotype had statistically significantly lower serum 25(OH)D levels than those with the 677CC or 677CT genotype, while individuals with the 1298CC genotype had statistically significantly higher serum 25(OH)D levels than those with 1298AA or 1298AC genotype. Moreover, the reverse correlation between the serum 25(OH)D and tHcy levels was statistically significant in all six MTHFR genotypes. Serum 25(OH)D levels are associated with age, BMI, serum tHcy, and Cbl levels and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism. The most significant finding of our study is the observed reverse correlation of serum 25(OH)D levels with serum tHcy levels. Considering that vitamin D deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), we suggest that individuals with high serum tHcy levels should be further investigated for, inter alia, their serum 25(OH)D levels.

#4209 A COMPARATIVE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH ADPKD: FIRST RESULTS RELATING TO THE USE OF TOLVAPTAN

Abstract Background and Aims Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Disease (APKD) is the fourth leading cause of End Stage Renal Failure (ESRD). Since 2015, the administration of Tolvaptan has been approved in patients with APKD at high risk of progression to ESRD (Mayo classification system, classes 1C-D). Method In this study we compare the characteristics of APKD patients who received Tolvaptan (45/15 mg) in relation to those who did not receive but followed the periodic check-up. These are 33 people with an average age of 44.17± 13.6 years. Tolvaptan was administered to 9 (27.3%) patients who met the Mayo classification criteria for its administration. The mean follow-up time for all the patients was 11.41±7.4 months and for those taking tolvaptan it was 10.6±3.9 months. Values ​​of urea, creatinine, plasma sodium, specific gravity and urine osmolarity were determined at the start of follow-up and compared with those at the last visit. Results A significant reduction was observed in the values ​​of urea, osmolality and specific gravity of urine after one year of tolvaptan use compared to the group that did not receive the treatment and thus no titration of the drug dose was needed. In the same group, marginally higher values ​​of the plasma sodium were observed, but within normal limits. The indicators of renal function in both groups did not show any change. Conclusion At one year of follow-up, APKD patients who received Tolvaptan did not exhibit worsening of the kidney function. We observed changes in the values of urea, urine specific gravity and urine osmolarity associated with our instructions to drink more water, showing good compliance with the treatment.

Periodic Medical Checkup Among Health Workers at A Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Introduction: Periodic medical checkup is an essential component of preventive medicine and health promotion. Assessing the knowledge, perception and practice of health care professional on routine medical checkup set the tone for the general public. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 health care personnel, nurses, doctors and medical laboratory scientist, using a convenience sampling method, to assess their practice of periodic medical checkup. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire, with questions classified under demographics, knowledge, perception and practice. Data processing was carried out using Microsoft excel. Data was checked, cleaned and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS version 21. Results: The study found a high prevalence of knowledge among the participants. There was, at least, above 90% on all questionnaire items assessing knowledge. Similarly, participants exhibited a positive perception towards medical checkups. 98.7% said medical checkups are important whilst 99.0% said they would encourage the practice of periodic medical checkup. Prevalence of periodic medical checkup was 91.0%. Most of the participants recommended medical checkups be covered by health insurance whilst health facilities should also ensure an annual examination of its staffs. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of medical checkup among health care personnel at the teaching hospital under study, positive attitude as well as a high level of knowledge regarding the practice.

Spirometric Lung Functions in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Hospital-Based Study.

Objective This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted with the aim to analyzespirometric lung functions in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and to correlate the spirometric dysfunction with (a) duration of diabetes, b) metabolic control of diabetes, and c) microvascular complications of diabetes. Methods Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed in 50 T2DM patients and 50 normal healthy controls aged <80 years by using an electronic spirometer. The PFTs recorded were as follows: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1%, forced expiratory flow 25 (FEF25), forced expiratory flow 25-75 (FEF25-75), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of all the patients was measured by affinity chromatography using the NycoCard HbA1C kit. The assessment of diabetic microvascular complications was performed as follows: peripheral neuropathy was done using Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI), diabetic retinopathy using fundus examination, and diabetic nephropathy using solid phase/sandwich-format/immunometric assay using NycoCard U-albumin kit.PFTs of diabetic patients and controls were compared by applying an independent sample t-test. The correlation between FVC and FEV1, and HbA1c and duration of illness in diabetic patients was analyzed by applying the Pearsoncoefficient. Results The cases had low FVC (103.82 ±24.43 vs. 116.08 ±13.66), FEV1 (101.36 ±24.23 vs. 110.26 ±14.39), FEV1%(97.56 ±8.64 vs. 103.84 ±5.06),PEFR (101.52 ±27.18 vs. 116.96 ±14.96), and FEF 25-75 (73.56 ±29.19 vs. 98.40 ±14.45) compared to controls, and the difference was statistically significant. Asignificant negativecorrelation was found between spirometry parameters and duration of illness as well as HbA1c. Spirometric lung dysfunction also negatively correlated with microvascular complications of diabetes. Among various microvascular complications, retinopathy correlated best with various spirometric parameters. Conclusion Based on our findings, T2DM patients had a significant decrease in their spirometric indices. The pattern of spirometric dysfunction was suggestive of "mixedventilatory dysfunction". The studyresultshighlight the need to include PFTs in the periodic check-up as part of thecomprehensive management of diabetic patients. Hence, pulmonary function should be included in the periodic comprehensive diabetic check for the holistic management of these patients.

Assessment of the Health Complaints among White-Collar and Blue-Collar Workers Using the Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records (EHRs) are a useful tool to determine the causes and trends of work-related diseases in terms of periodic check-ups or emergency interventions at the workplace. To detect and prevent work-related diseases, EHRs could be important determinants for assessing interactions between health complaints and work-related factors. This study aimed to address the prevalence of diseases that cause potentially work-related diseases and the relationship between blue-collar/white-collar work status, by using EHRs. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and demographic data from EHRs (46 white-collar and 94 blue-collar) by using descriptive and correlation statistic tests. We found that type 2 diabetes, influenza, acute pharyngitis, and liver fat had a higher prevalence among blue-collar workers while urinary infection and myalgia had a higher prevalence among white-collar workers. The work status had a very weak positive correlation with type 2 diabetes (r=0.236, p=0.005) and had a very weak negative correlation with myalgia (r=-0.167, p=0.048) and urinary infection (r= -0.248, p= 0.003). Consequently, the present study provided that the work status and EHRs are important determinants for assessing interactions between health complaints and work-related factors that were attributable to specific work status such as blue-collar and white-collar.

The Importance of Periodic Dental Control in the Oral Health Status of Elderly Patients

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the status of the elderly patient with oral pathology, comparing two groups of elderly patients, from the point of view of presentation for periodic dental control (regular and irregular). In carrying out the study, the following parameters were analyzed: the epidemiological profile of the group of patients; associated chronic diseases; dental hygiene; the accessibility of, and attendance at, dental health services; quality of life; and dental clinical diagnosis. Of the 120 elderly patients included in the study, only 25% present regularly for dental checkups. Increasing age leads to a reduction in the share of patients who regularly present themselves for dental checkups, and patients with higher education and those with higher incomes regularly visit the dentist. Associated chronic diseases are found in both groups; patients with regular checkups have a statistically significantly lower drug consumption for dental pain in the last month compared to those who present irregularly for checkups. A better achievement of dental hygiene is observed in patients who regularly see the dentist. It is alarming that we find patients (10% among those who do not visit the dentist regularly) who do not use a toothbrush and toothpaste, and approximately 40% of the patients enrolled in the study do not know which toothpaste they use. Approximately 40% of the interviewed patients indicate a lack of money as the main reason for attending the dentist only when necessary. Difficult access is mentioned by 10% of the group of patients who regularly visit the dentist and who come from rural areas. The reasons for visiting the dentist are different in the two groups: patients who regularly visit the dentist request caries treatment or prosthetic work, or they present with dental bleeding; patients with irregular checkups especially request emergency services such as toothache treatment, assistance with denture problems, and tooth extractions. When undergoing odontal and endodontic examination, 60% of the respondents who go to the dentist as required suffer from periodontal disease, and 50% of them suffer from class I and II edentation. The results of the study demonstrated that elderly patients who regularly attend periodic dental checkups have better self-reported and dentist-confirmed oral health status.

Association between height loss and mortality in the general population

Height loss is caused by osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, disc reduction, postural changes, and kyphosis. Marked long-term height loss is reportedly associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality in the elderly. The present study investigated the relationship between short-term height loss and the risk of mortality using the longitudinal cohort data of the Japan Specific Health Checkup Study (J-SHC). Included individuals were aged 40 years or older and received periodic health checkups in 2008 and 2010. The exposure of interest was height loss over the 2 years, and the outcome was all-cause mortality over subsequent follow up. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between height loss and all-cause mortality. Of the 222,392 individuals (88,285 men, 134,107 women) included in this study, 1436 died during the observation period (mean 4.8 ± 1.1 years). The subjects were divided into two groups based on a cut-off value of height loss of 0.5 cm over 2 years. The adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.26 (1.13–1.41) for exposure to height loss ≥ 0.5 cm compared to height loss < 0.5 cm. Height loss ≥ 0.5 cm correlated significantly with an increased risk of mortality compared to height loss < 0.5 cm in both men and women. Even a small decrease in height over 2 years was associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and might be a helpful marker for stratifying mortality risk.

Intestinal parasite infection and associated factors among food handlers in Feres Bet town, North West Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021

IntroductionIntestinal parasite infections are one of the most serious public health issues in the globe. Individuals' health is harmed by a high prevalence of intestinal parasite infections, which primarily affect physical and mental growth, resulting in malnutrition, anemia, stunting, cognitive impairment, reduced educational achievement, and inefficiency. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasite infection and associated factors among food handlers in Feres Bet town, North West Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021. MethodsFrom March to April 2021, a facility-based cross-sectionalstudy was undertaken in Feres Bet town among food handlers and drinking establishments. A total of 370 study participants were enrolled in the study utilizing a basic random sampling procedure. Epi data version 3.1 was used to enter the data, and statistical product service solution version 25 was used to clean and analyze it. To show the relationship between dependent and independent variables, a binary logistic regression statistical model was built. Adjested odd ratios with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of less than 0.05 were declared statistically significant. Tables and graphs were used to convey the report. ResultThe study included 370 food handlers out of a total of 399. Approximately 166 (44.9%) of food workers tested positive for at least one intestinal parasite. Hand washing practice after toilet [(AOR: 6.25, 95% CI: 2.05–19.02)], hand washing practice after touching dirty materials [(AOR: 3.71, 95% CI: 1.72–8.03)], hand washing practice before meal (AOR = 12.49, 95% CI = 4.92–31.72), periodic medical checkup [(AOR = 3.42, 95% CI = 1.29–9.06)], were variables significantly associated with intestinal parasite. ConclusionsThe prevalence of intestinal parasite infection among food and drink handlers was found to be 44.9% in this investigation.

Dental Malocclusion in Mixed Dentition Children and Its Relation to Podal System and Gait Parameters.

Dental malocclusion is an increasingly frequent stomatognathic disorder in children and adolescents nowadays. The purpose of this study was to confirm or deny the correlations between body posture and malocclusion. In the study, gait, distribution of foot pressure on the ground, and body balance were examined. The research group consisted of 76 patients aged 12-15 years. The research group was obtained from patients attending periodic dental check-ups at Healthcare Center Your Health EL who agreed to participate in the study. The patients were divided into two groups without malocclusion and with malocclusion, using Angle classification, which enabled determination of the anteroposterior relationship of the first molars. The pedobarographic mat was used to analyze the distribution of foot forces on the ground, the diagnostic system Wiva® Science was used for gait analysis, and Kineod 3D was used for posture analysis. The Shapiro-Wilk test used for analysis showed inconsistency with normal distribution for all measurement parameters. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the analysis, and the significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Examination of the relationship between stabilometric and gait parameters showed that the position of the mandible in relation to maxilla has an important effect on gait rhythm, gait cycle duration, and right step duration time. Patients diagnosed with malocclusion showed high-speed walking rhythm in comparison to patients with Angle's class I (p = 0.010). The duration of the whole gait cycle (p = 0.007) and the duration of right step (p = 0.027) were prolonged in students without orthodontic disorders compared to the other. The conducted study proved that there is correlation between the presence of a stomatognathic disorder and gait cycle parameters. There is a statistically noticeable correspondence between the position of the mandible in relation to maxilla and walking rhythm, gait cycle duration, and right step duration time. Namely, students who presented malocclusion had a high-speed walking rhythm and decreased duration of the gait cycle and of the right step. On the other hand, students without disorders (Angle's class I) showed low-speed rhythm and increased duration of the gait cycle and of the right step in comparison to Angle's classes II and III.

Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor Type 1: A Case Report

33-year-old patient who is referred to Endocrinology Outpatient Consultation in March 2021 due to the finding in gastric polyp biopsy 9 mm sessile located in greater curvature, of low-grade neuroendocrine tumor (ki-67 &lt; 3%) without infiltration of the muscularis layer own. It is followed jointly with the Digestive Service, performing mucosectomy in April 2021 on carcinoid in major curvature of the stomach, where there is no evidence of residual tumor in the anatomo-pathological study (A-P). After completing the study with other complementary tests, gastric neuroendocrine tumor type 1 is diagnosed against the background of chronic atrophic gastritis. At present, the patient continues with periodic gastroscopic check-ups scheduled by the Digestive Service.

Influence of gender and oral health knowledge on DMFT index: a cross sectional study among school children in Kaski District, Nepal

BackgroundOral health problems are highly prevalent among school children in Nepal. Poor oral health condition may be influenced by various factors. However, little is known about the sociodemographic and awareness related factors on oral health problems among school children in Nepal. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association of gender and knowledge on DMFT index among school children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among school children of Grade Seven in 12 schools of Kaski district in Nepal. Schools were randomly selected from the urban and semi-urban areas in the district. Data were collected covering oral health knowledge, socio-demographic characteristics, oral health condition and practices. The factors of poor oral health condition and practices were examined using t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.ResultsOf the total participants (n = 669), 54.9% were females and their mean DMFT score was 1.82 (SD = 1.07). Total decayed score was higher among those who did not have knowledge that fluoride prevents decay compared to those who had knowledge about it (Being aware of fluoride prevents decay: Mean = 1.21 (SD = 1.54) versus not being aware of that: mean = 2.13 (SD = 2.13); p = 0.029). Females were more likely to have higher DMFT scores compared to males (β-coefficient = 0.43, 95% CI 0.13, 0.73, p = 0.005). In addition, higher knowledge score was negatively associated with higher DMFT score (β-coefficient = − 0.09, 95% CI − 0.20, -0.01, p = 0.047).ConclusionBeing female students and those having lower level of knowledge on oral health attributed to higher DMFT index. Periodic dental check-up coupled with oral health education on regular brushing, use of fluoridated paste, tongue cleaning and care of gum diseases are recommended in schools.

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein as a Prognostic Indicator of Cardiovascular Disease in Severe Non-Diabetic COVID-19 Patients.

The long-term extrapulmonary sequelae of COVID-19 after recovery from the critical stage at the intensive care unit (ICU) are still unclear. Some post-COVID symptoms are prevalent even after a one-year follow-up. To explore the relationship between high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and hyperglycemia with cardiovascular diseases in non-diabetic COVID-19 patients. To determine whether increased fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels are associated with elevated hs-CRP and to explore whether hs-CRP can serve as a prognostic indicator to predict cardiovascular outcome. FBS and hs-CRP values of 26 non-diabetic COVID-19 patients were collected from their medical records at JIPMER hospital. In one-year follow-up of these 26 patients, 2mL of blood sample was collected for the analysis of FBS, HbA1c, and hs-CRP. hs-CRP increased in 23% of follow-up patients who were at high risk, and 42.3% of participants were at average risk for cardiovascular disease. High and average-risk groups of survivors showed a positive correlation of hs-CRP with FBS and HbA1c levels, and these patients should be carefully monitored. ICU survivors with elevated hs-CRP need periodic check-ups for cardiovascular diseases. We suggest that hs-CRP could be used as an early prognostic indicator of cardiovascular diseases and can reduce the risk.

Periodic health checkups reduce the risk of hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Periodic health checkups (PHCs) represent a unique system in Japan that is useful for the early detection of lifestyle-related diseases and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study aims to investigate the association of PHCs with the hospitalization risk of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A retrospective cohort study was conducted from April 2013 to December 2015 and included participant information such as CVD history, lifestyle, and whether PHC was conducted in addition to regular medical examinations. Difference in clinical data between patients with and without PHC was examined. Furthermore, Cox regression analysis was performed to investigate the independent association of PHCs with hospitalization. Herein, 1,256 patients were selected and followed up for 2.35 ± 0.73 years. In the PHC group, body mass index, waist circumference, proportion of patients with a history of CVD, and number of hospitalizations were lower than those in the non-PHC group. Furthermore, the PHC group exhibited a significant association with lower hospitalization risk (hazard ratio = 0.825; 95% confidence interval, 0.684 to 0.997; p = 0.046) in the Cox model. This study revealed that PHCs minimized the risk of hospitalization in patients with T2DM. Furthermore, we discussed the effectiveness of PHCs in enhancing health outcomes and reducing health care costs in such patients.

Experimental degradation study of a commercial lithium-ion battery

In this study, we analyze data collected during the aging of 196 commercial lithium-ion cells with a silicon-doped graphite anode and nickel-rich NCA cathode. The cells are aged over a large range of calendar and cycle aging conditions. For different cells, these conditions are constant, alternating or randomly changing. The total test time and reached cycles are 697 days and 1500 equivalent full cycles for the calendar and cyclic aging tests respectively. A periodic check-up procedure was consistently performed at 20°C controlled temperature, which allows for good comparability between different aging scenarios. In addition to capacity fade and resistance increase, we provide data of the degradation modes LLI, LAMNE, and LAMPE obtained from half-cell fitting of the full cell’s and both electrode’s differential voltage. During calendar aging, we quantify the influence of the check-up procedure, which significantly increases the aging observed after 697 days. For certain conditions, the degradation induced by the check-up even exceeds the pure calendar aging, which reveals that the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries was underestimated in previous studies and models. Fitting of the Arrhenius equation on calendar aging at four temperatures at different SOCs shows a varying activation energy, which lies between 23.6kJmol−1 and 29.9kJmol−1 for the capacity. The activation energy of resistance increase is almost twice as high. The influence of SOC on the calendar aging is highest at about 85% SOC, presumable due to a cathode-driven shuttle mechanism. Next to current rates, temperature and mean SOC, the depth-of-discharge has the highest impact on cycle aging. Additionally it is shown that lower charging rates favor the onset of accelerated aging in certain conditions. For all tests, the raw data is made publicly available, which fosters the development of data-based aging models or state-estimation algorithms.

Could Hypertension in Radiographers Associated with Low Ionizing Radiation Exposure? An Evidence-Based Case Report

Low-dose ionizing radiation exposure (<0.5 Gy) may give rise to circulation disorders. Nevertheless, it is not yet known whether low-dose ionizing radiation exposure can cause hypertension. A 27-year-old male patient, who is a radiographer, consulted regarding the result of his periodic check-up with the result of hypertension. He also said that his electrocardiogram (ECG) examination in the previous year's periodic check-up suggested a poor result, but he couldn't remember what the cardiologist told him. Could hypertension in radiographers be associated with ionizing radiation exposure at work? The literature was searched via PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane. One relevant article was found that met the inclusion criteria. A cohort study by Preetha R, et al (2015) showed no relationship between the risk of hypertension with fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures (FGIP) exposure. The selected article is quite valid but not in importance. Therefore, it did not apply to the case patient. Since research about this matter is still rare, there was only one suitable article found, so the causal relationship still cannot be proven. Further research is recommended using better exposure and outcome measures.

A Monitoring Application for Screening or Early Detection of High-Risk Pregnant Women Using Spring Boot and Flutter Frameworks

Pregnancy is still a major health issue at present. Statistics demonstrate an annual increase in pregnancies. Monitoring pregnant women involves undergoing regular checkups to verify the fetus’s health. However, many midwives still manually enter data in ledgers. Therefore, this study designed an application to assist midwives in saving and displaying data to monitor the health of pregnant women, allowing the stored data to be easily obtained and saving midwife storage space. This application is exclusively accessible to midwives due to the restricted periodic health checkups for pregnant women. This application was developed using the spring boot and flutter frameworks. In the final stage, testing was performed on the designed features.Keywords: .

Periodic Medical Checkup among Health Workers at a Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Introduction: Periodic medical checkup is an essential component of preventive medicine and health promotion. Assessing the knowledge, perception and practice of health care professional on routine medical checkup set the tone for the general public. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 health care personnel, nurses, doctors and medical laboratory scientist, using a convenience sampling method, to assess their practice of periodic medical checkup. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaire, with questions classified under demographics, knowledge, perception and practice. Data processing was carried out using Microsoft excel. Data was checked, cleaned and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS version 21. Results: The study found a high prevalence of knowledge among the participants. There was, at least, above 90% on all questionnaire items assessing knowledge. Similarly, participants exhibited a positive perception towards medical checkups. 98.7% said medical checkups are important whilst 99.0% said they would encourage the practice of periodic medical checkup. Prevalence of periodic medical checkup was 91.0%. Most of the participants recommended medical checkups be covered by health insurance whilst health facilities should also ensure an annual examination of its staffs. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of medical checkup among health care personnel at the teaching hospital under study, positive attitude as well as a high level of knowledge regarding the practice.

Long-term incompatibility of nutritional status and early childhood caries-A call to revamp perinatal and early childhood dietary care and follow-up.

Dietary pattern and diet quality can influence the incidence of dental caries and can be indicated by decay missing filled (Dmf) scores in the primary dentition. This study aims to find the relationship of nutritional status and oral hygiene practices on Dmf scores of preschool children. Semi-structured and self-administered questionnaires, distributed among 60 preschoolers' parents, were used to assess the demographic and diet related data. Anthropometric measurements of the preschoolers were taken following universally accepted protocols. The relationship between dietary supplement consumption and the presence of dental caries was evaluated by chi-square test employing SPSS 22. The anthropometric measurements among 4-year-old children were on par with the standard values and that of 5-year-olds were below the reference range. All the measurements except head to chest circumference were higher than normal range among 3-year-old subjects. Regular and periodic dental check-ups significantly influenced dental caries prevention (p = 0.030). Statistically, there was no significant association between Dmf scores and thumb-sucking habits (p = 0.568), brushing teeth and usage of tooth floss (p = 0.96), consumption of nutrient supplements (p = 0.744), and BMI (p = 0.564) of the subjects. Furthermore, the correlation between z scores and Dmf scores was found insignificant. Long-term as well as short-term malnutrition initiated 2 years after the start of the pre-schooling. With severity of undernutrition there was a trend to have high Dmf scores.

Structural Relationships Between Cognitive Function, Depressive Symptoms, Self-Care Confidence, and Maintenance in Patients With Heart Failure.

In order to promote self-care maintenance behavior in patients with heart failure (HF), it is necessary to identify the direct and indirect effects of major latent variables. This study aimed to identify structural relationships between different domains of cognitive function, depression and self-care confidence, and self-care maintenance. This descriptive study involved a secondary analysis using data of 201 patients with HF from two observational studies in three hospitals in Korea. The structural equation model using AMOS version 24.0 was constructed to assess the relationships among the variables. The Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery was used to assess global cognition, immediate/delayed memory, and executive function, and the Self-Care of HF Index v.6.2. was used for self-care confidence and maintenance. Self-care maintenance was affected by memory function with a significant direct effect (β=.43, p = .006), as well as self-care confidence (β=.70, p < .001). Memory function and global function indirectly affected self-care maintenance through self-care confidence (β = -.37, p = .002; β = .14, p = .030). Depressive symptoms also had an indirect effect through self-care confidence on self-care maintenance (β = -.21, p = .005). This study confirmed that it is important to increase self-care confidence through supportive care and to maintain memory function for maintaining self-care in the chronic course of HF patients. In particular, this study suggests that it is necessary to perform periodic memory check-ups for chronic HF patients on an outpatient basis, and counseling and education are needed to improve memory and increase confidence in self-care.