Proper Health Research Articles

Infant and Young Child Feeding Practice among Mothers in Rural Areas of Gazipur District, Bangladesh

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among 599 mothers who had at least one child aged 0–23-month to determine infant and young child feeding practice (IYCF) in rural areas of Bangladesh. The study was conducted between November 2019 and March 2020 in rural areas of Gazipur district. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Out of 599 respondents, the majority (62.93%) were in the 21-30 years age-group. Only 6.67% were illiterate and the rest of the respondents were literate with different levels of education. About one third (33.38%) of the respondents had monthly income between BDT 5001- 15000. 27% of the mothers could not give colostrum to the babies; half of them (50%) mentioned that baby could not suck well, while 43.83% mentioned being advised by the elders (not to give colostrum) and 6.17% mentioned their own illness. Pre-lacteal feeding practice was observed among 27% mothers and common pre-lacteal food was honey (61.25%), sugar water (35.63%) and animal milk (4.32%). Breastfeeding was initiated within the first hour of birth among 73.29% of mothers. 53.26% percent of mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Difficulties faced by mothers for EBF are insufficient secretion of breast milk (46.42%), not having knowledge about EBF (42.51%), and mother’s illness (11.07%). Most of the mothers (81.63%) gave complementary feeding in the correct time (6 months) and predominant complementary food was Khichuri (51.91%); however, most of them (60.77%) gave complementary food ≤3 times in a day. Our data suggests that the practice of IYCF was not optimum among the rural mothers. To improve this condition, it is necessary to motivate mothers through proper health education about the positive impacts of IYCF on child health. CBMJ 2024 January: vol. 13 no. 01 P: 28-34

PENGARUH DISKRIMINASI HARGA RUMAH SAKIT JAKARTA TERHADAP PELAYANAN TENAGA KESEHATAN UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KESEJAHTERAAN KELUARGA MISKIN

This study aims to explore the effect of price discrimination in Jakarta hospitals on health worker services and the welfare of poor families. The research method used is qualitative research with secondary data collection techniques by researching previous research journals. The results of this study show that price discrimination in Jakarta hospitals against poor patients can affect the services of health workers and the welfare of poor families. The price discrimination causes poor patients to not get the same services as rich patients, such as longer waiting times, inadequate care, and lack of attention from health workers. This has an impact on the welfare of poor families who have to spend more money to get proper health care. Therefore, efforts are needed to overcome price discrimination in Jakarta hospitals and improve the services of health workers to improve the welfare of poor families.

Mental health consequences among Sudanese due to the armed conflicts and civil unrest of 2023: a cross-sectional study.

To investigate depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia levels among Sudanese citizens during the 2023 Armed Forces conflict in Sudan. An online survey was distributed. It is composed of five parts, covering the following areas: (a) sociodemographic data; (b) depression assessment; (c) generalized anxiety disorder assessment; (d) post-traumatic stress disorder assessment; and (e) insomnia assessment.Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 was used for data analysis; frequency and percentage were used to describe the qualitative variables. The Pearson correlation coefficient and Chi-square test were used for correlation and association analysis; a p-value equal to or less than .05 was considered statistically significant. The study included 221 participants, whose ages were 35.02 ± 11.83 years. Among the participants, 57.5% were female. The length of stay in the war zone was 39.29 ± 31.71 days. The sound of gunfire, bombs, or explosions was the most frequent war violence personally experienced by participants or their family members, friends, or acquaintances, in 203 (91.8%) and 221 (100%), respectively. Moderate-severe and severe depression were present in 25.3% and 62.0%, respectively. Moderate and severe anxiety were present in 36.2% and 52.9%, respectively. 58.8% had PTSD. Sub-threshold insomnia was present in 57.5%. There was a negative correlation between sex (female) and depression (correlation coefficient = -.183, p-value = .006), which indicates that depression is more likely to be in females. For PTSD, there was a negative correlation between age and PTSD (correlation coefficient = -.150, p-value = 0.026), which indicates that younger age groups were more likely to experience PTSD. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between marital status (married) and PTSD (correlation coefficient = -.175, p-value = .009), which indicates that married participants were more likely to experience PTSD. Exposure to war-related trauma can also lead to mental health issues. These findings emphasize the urgent need for proper mental health support and interventions in war-affected areas to address the prevalent mental disorders.

Sistem Informasi Geografis Pemetaan Penyebaran Penyakit Berbasis Web Di Pekalongan

Indonesia is a country consisting of many islands and isolated areas that have not been reached. These isolated areas have not been supported by health facilities. Therefore, the prevention of disease in the area is difficult to be solved. These problems can lead to the spread of the disease becomes wider and it can increase the number of deaths and physical disabilities. The presence of a web-based geographic information systems is able to help in overcoming the spread of the disease in a particular area. The geographic information systems can be applied to mark an area in determining the points of the transmission. Using the current health facilities, the data can be performed on the information systems and to find the areas that do not have proper health facilities. Geographic information system is produce the spread of diseases that determine how the diseases spread and help the areas that do not have health facilities to receive medical countermeasures from the parties concerned. It can give welfare to people who need help to have a proper health.

Physical Education and Sports for enhancing professional life of engineering students – An initiative towards implementing National Education Policy in Engineering Education

Engineers today need not only intellectual abilities but also physical fitness and proper health which is defined by World Health Organization as the combination of Physical, Mental and Social Wellbeing. In this connection, we made an initiative of introducing Sports and Games as a mandatory course for students. The students of 3rd B.Tech have undergone the course for duration of 3 months and the outcomes of the course were assessed through a customized questionnaire which also accepted suggestions from the students for students pursuing engineering education. The experiment revealed fruitful outcomes in the form of benefits which the students gained by active participation in theory and practical classes. Qualities such as motivation, leadership, concentration, teamwork, relaxation, stress management etc. were found to be developed among the students and the students have expressed the support gained for their professional growth through this course. The academics of students were also taken into consideration which explained that the academics were nowhere disturbed due to participation in physical education and sports activities. Key Words: Life skills, Virtues, extra-curricular, cocurricular.

SPOTTING THE UNSEEN: A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT THROUGH DENTAL AND PSYCHIATRIC LENSES

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define child maltreatment as any act or series of actions, whether through commission or omission, by a caregiver that poses a threat to or harms a child. Child neglect is generally characterized by a continuing failure to fulfill a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, which can significantly impair the child’s development or health. Specifically, dental neglect refers to the willful neglect by a caregiver or legal guardian to prevent the onset of oral diseases and the failure to seek necessary treatment to maintain proper oral health, functionality and freedom from pain and infection. Child maltreatment can be classified into several categories, which may occur independently or in combination. These categories include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse and neglect, physical neglect, human trafficking, medical care and Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Child abuse and neglect are critical issues that extend beyond social contexts to significantly impact healthcare professionals who may encounter abused children. With over half of trauma cases occurring in the head and neck area, dental professionals are uniquely positioned to offer vital insights into instances of abuse and are essential in identifying oral signs indicative of neglect. This makes the detection and reporting of abuse not only a moral duty but also a legal obligation. This review focuses on assessing perioral and intraoral injuries, bite marks, infections, diseases and psychological distress that might indicate potential child abuse or neglect. Additionally, it notes that oral health problems may also be associated with victims of human trafficking.

NLFEA Damage Assessment of RC Framed Buildings Subjected to Column Settlements

The prevention of progressive collapse in buildings caused by different actions, usually not considered in normal design, has attracted increasing interest in recent years. In Reinforced Concrete (RC) frames, a frequent cause of progressive collapse is represented by large settlements of one or more columns, caused e.g., by design or construction errors, underground works, or foundation failure. The focus of this work is to identify significant structural response parameters, which can be used both to assess the reliability level of existing structures subjected to large differential settlements, and to proper design Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems able to detect in real-time the triggering of possible structural issues. To this end, nonlinear finite element analyses are carried out, by considering different settlement scenarios. The applied procedure is first validated against experimental results from the literature, and then applied to the damage assessment of an existing Italian school building.

Proportion and risk factors of low birth weight among neonates delivered at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan.

Low birth weight (LBW) is a major predictor of child mortality and morbidity. The objectives of this study are to determine the proportion and risk factors of LBW. A matched case-control study was conducted at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan. The study population consisted of all babies delivered in August 2016 excluding stillbirths, multiple births, and babies with insufficient data. All LBW neonates were selected using total coverage sampling as cases and matched on babies' gender with randomly selected normal birth weights as controls. The sample size was 350 babies; 175 test cases and 175 control cases. Data were collected from hospital records and six risk factors were tested: mother age, parity, gravidity, mode of delivery, hypertensive disorders, and diabetes mellitus. The proportion of LBW was 10.8% of the total number of delivered neonates which is 2,938. The bivariate analysis identified that younger mother age (p = 0.03) and hypertension (p = 0.02) were significantly associated with LBW while other factors were found statistically insignificant. Multivariable conditional logistic regression revealed that hypertensive disorders in pregnancy increase the risk for LBW almost three times [Adjusted OR = 2.98 (95% CI: 1.23-7.22), p = 0.02]. We found that hypertension is an independent risk factor for LBW. The proportion of LBWcan be reduced if hypertension is controlled by providing simple measures like proper antenatal care and health education for pregnant women.

Financial distress analysis for the prediction of corporate bankruptcy – a case study of a public sector company in India

Purpose: the present study examines the liquidity of the firm and its impact on financial distress, which may or may not increase the chances of bankruptcy. The study also analyzes the profitability, cash position, and solvency of the firm. Design/methodology/approach: we use the data of a listed Government manufacturing company and measure the financial distress and probabilities of bankruptcy to test the chances of financial distress during the period between 2015 and 2019. The financial models used for evaluation in the study are the Altman z-score model, Logit Probability model, and Falmur model. Findings: The study found that there was a chance of bankruptcy in the initial years, but later, it survived the bankruptcy. The study also established that the liquidity and solvency of the firm were not up to the standard. Practical implications: the result of the study extends our theoretical understanding and also provides valuable guidelines to reduce the chance of insolvency, bankruptcy, and financial distress of firms and to maintain the proper financial health of the firm. Originality/value: while many empirical studies investigate the relationship between liquidity position and its impact on financially distressed firms in the industry as a whole, but most do not consider the impact of financial distress in an individual firm or company. Most of the published studies use statistical tools for the evaluation of financial distress. This study uses Multiple Discriminant financial model analysis. Multiple Discriminant financial model Analyses are very useful in deciding remedial actions for financial distress problems

Noonan syndrome: Clinical and molecular profile with review of literature

Background: Noonan syndrome is a rare genetic disorder, characterized by dysmorphic facies, short stature, congenital heart diseases, and delay in development of variable degree. Aims: The aim of this study was to highlight the clinical spectrum, molecular profile, and outcome of Noonan syndrome patients from India. Settings and Design: A retrospective observational study was carried out between 2017 and 2020 in our tertiary care teaching institute. Materials and Methods: The retrospective data of consecutive patients were collected including clinical profile, investigations, and molecular analysis. Results: There were seven pediatric patients with Noonan syndrome. Characteristic facies, broad nose, low-set ears, short stature, and congenital cardiac anomalies (pulmonary stenosis) were present in all 7/7 (100%) patients. Short neck was present in 6 (85.71%), depressed nasal bridge in 5 (71.43%), development was grossly delayed in 5 (71.43%), and chest wall deformities in 4 (57.14%) patients. Cryptorchidism was present in 5 out of 6 (83.33%) male patients. Mutation in protein-tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 11 gene was detected in all 4 out of 7 (57.14%) patients in whom genetic study was performed. Conclusions: A high index of suspicion for Noonan syndrome should be kept in mind in a patient presenting with facial dysmorphism, short stature, and congenital heart diseases with genitourinary abnormalities including cryptorchidism. A proper health education and counseling to the parents about the problem and alternative methods for having a healthy baby should be emphasized. Molecular confirmation is essential for prenatal diagnosis.

Nature and Impact of Family Care in the Life of Elderly People: A Study in Dhaka City

Family care is an important issue that plays a significant role in the life of elderly people since the number of elderly people is increasing and the role of the families is also changing. The family structure reduces the number of caregivers in the family, and it has a crucial implication on the healthy life of older people. The objective of this study is to explore the nature and impact of family care in the life of elderly people in Dhaka city. This study is mainly qualitative in nature and the case study method was followed to understand the in-depth situation of family caregiving. Through a purposive sampling technique, 20 families were selected as cases from the Dhaka South City Corporation area. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect some qualitative data. The study findings indicated that the majority of elderly people get care from spouses and children to perform the basic activities necessary for daily life where women play a vital role. Family members provide both daily living and instrumental support to the elderly people. Moreover, this study found that lack of family attachment, busy urban life, professional stress, involvement of women in the labor market, migration of youth, individualism, limited formal and non-formal caregivers, lack of proper health and disease related information and knowledge, and apathetic attitude are the major challenges for getting adequate and effective elderly care. The findings suggest home-based and community-based care program is needed to support family caregivers and older people to stay in their homes and communities.

Health literacy and diabetic retinopathy.

Health literacy (HL) is defined as a cognitive and social skill that determines the motivation and ability of individuals to understand and use information to promote and maintain proper health. Inadequate HL has been associated with worse outcomes in diabetes control, poor self-care, and higher hospitalization rates for some chronic diseases. We hypothesized that HL influences the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and that inadequate glycemic control would mediate this association. This was a cross-sectional study carried out with 288 participants of the "Brazilian Diabetes Study" cohort. Inclusion criteria were people diagnosed with T2DM aged between 40 and 70 years and ability to read and write. In the adequate HL group, DR was found in 16.5% of participants and in the inadequate HL group, it was found in 32.8% (P=0.0081). Individuals with inadequate HL had a higher risk of having DR, and this association was still statistically significant after adjusting for HbA1c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. In conclusion, HL is related to DR without the mediation of classical clinical variables.

Chronobiology and its Ayurvedic Understanding

Rhythm is an essential component of life. Chronobiology is a branch of biology concerned with biological rhythms i.e., the time related phenomena in living organisms. It is a relatively young and fast evolving research field. Circadian rhythm, ultradian rhythm and infradian rhythm are some examples for biological rhythm. The three important divisions of Chronobiology are chronophysiology, chrono pathology and chrono pharmacology.
 Although chronobiology has been considered as a relatively new branch of human biology, its roots can be traced out in ancient archives and cultural practices. Ancient Ayurvedic scholars observed the chronobiological changes in physiology and pathology giving utmost importance to rhythmicity which in turn signifies Kaala. Physiologic factors such as Tridosha, Agni, Bala, Vega and so many other factors like Artava exhibit rhythmicity. Loss of such rhythmicity affects health. Also, the Hina, Mithya and Atiyoga of Kaala are one among the three main etiological factors for diseases. Hence, proper health needs maintenance of the rhythm. This can be achieved by following Ayurvedic guidelines like Dinacharya, Rithucharya etc. Rhythmic temporal patterns play an important role in the therapeutics also.

Association Between Mental Health Literacy and Stigma: A Review

People with mental illness often do not receive proper mental health services. Lack of knowledge and social stigma are factors contributing to the low prevalence of seeking help for mental health problems. In low- and middle-income countries, only around one-fifth of the population receives adequate treatment, and this situation is similar in South Asian countries. Objective: The main objective of this review is to identify research on mental health literacy and stigma in SAARC countries. Methods: Three databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, and EMBASE) were searched up to September 20, 2022. A total of 47 articles were included in the review, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was conducted to review the articles. Results: The relationship between mental health literacy and stigma was found to be negative, meaning that an increase in literacy decreased stigma and vice versa. The main barriers to treatment were stigma and lack of financial means to afford care. Conclusion: Government planners and policymakers should implement mental health literacy programs to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking behavior among individuals with mental illness. The data highlights the positive effects of anti-stigma campaigns on mental health literacy and help-seeking.

Awareness of Breast Cancer among the Secondary Level Adolescent Girls Student in Kathmandu, Nepal

The study entitled "Views on awareness of breast cancer among the secondary level adolescent girl" was based on descriptive research design and qualitative study with focus group discussion method. Only 8 adolescent girl students from grade XI and XII with in the Janamaitri Multiple Campus, Kathmandu were selected purposively for discussion. The student’s views on awareness of breast cancer were analyzed thematically by FGD guidelines. It is found that the adolescent girls have positive knowledge and perception on breast cancer but diversity of knowledge of basic causes of breast cancer based on scientific as well myth. They had good knowledge on initial sign and symptoms on breast cancer but they do not have their own live experience about it. They were in the favors of breast self-examination practices but still ignorance in what, why and how it can be practices properly. They were not familiar on detection of sign and symptoms of breast cancer properly. Some have faced the live experience of breast cancer in their family members but they do not have their own live experience. They revealed that the proper health education and regular awareness program could prevent the secondary level adolescent girls from early breast cancer.

Quantifying Haze Effect using Air Pollution Index Data

Malaysia has been misfortunate with intermittent haze episodes since 1997 which affect the airquality tremendously.In Malaysia, an instrument named as air pollution index (API) is utilizedin determining the quality of air, which is influenced by the presence of haze. API values arecalculated by considering the concentration of harmful particles in haze. So, any haze episodeheavily affects the API values and can be considered as a determining factor. Since Malaysiais prone to haze, it is crucial to identify and quantify the haze effect on the API values.Therefore, four models– an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), regressionmodel with ARIMA errors (ARIMAX), time series regression and Prophet models areemployed. It is found that ARIMAX (4,0,1) with non-zero mean is the best model in describingthe API data with presence of haze as external regressor based on the smallest adequacy anderror measures for training and test datasets. In conclusion, the effect of haze is significant indescribing the API values and thus, proper health management is required during haze episodes.

Topical Application of Fluoride in Children with Special Needs at RUBELA Panjangrejo Pundong Bantul

Abstract. Children with special needs should get proper dental health care. Children with special needs have a low level of oral hygiene. Dental and oral hygiene can be achieved if parents have sufficient knowledge about dental and oral health. This level of knowledge is then applied to help children clean their teeth. Community service is carried out for children with special needs in the form of dental health education to parents and actions in the form of topical application of fluoride to children. The results of the service show that there is an increase in the knowledge of parents before and after counseling is carried out. Meanwhile, the results of the plaque index assessment in children are high. Children with special needs require directions from their parents to be able to clean their teeth properly.

Analysis of microbiological quality and adulteration of raw milk samples from different areas of Kathmandu Valley

Milk is a highly nutritious product that is susceptible to degradation due to microbial activity. Maintaining milk quality is crucial and can be achieved by monitoring specific parameters. This helps preserve the nutritive value of milk, which is essential for proper growth and health. Adulteration and improper storage can diminish the nutritional quality of milk. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the microbial load and adulteration of milk samples collected from various regions of the Kathmandu Valley. Sixty raw milk samples were gathered from local dairies (45) and cow farms (15) between April 2019 and July 2019. These samples were evaluated for microbial quality (total plate count, total coliform count, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Vibrio spp.) and adulterants (starch, table sugar, soda, soap, and hydrogen peroxide) following standard guidelines. Out of the total samples, 58.3% (35) exhibited coliform growth, while Shigella spp. and Vibrio spp. did not grow on any media. Among coliforms, Enterobacter spp. was the most prevalent at 33.3%, followed by Escherichia coli at 32%. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that the highest proportion of bacteria was sensitive to Ciprofloxacin and Gentamycin, followed by Ceftazidime. Adulteration analysis indicated that 33.3% and 48.3% of samples were adulterated with sugar and soda, respectively. Starch and soap were not detected in any analyzed samples. The highest titratable acidity (0.16%) was observed in cow farms compared to dairy farms. The findings of this study suggest an urgent need for routine quality testing of milk samples available in the market to prevent the spread of milk-borne diseases and preserve the nutritive value of milk.

Frequency of Giarrdia in Acute Watery Diarrhea

Objective: This study was executed to assess the frequency of giardia in acute watery diarrhea among children presented at Ittefaq Hospital, Lahore using the microscopic method. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done at Pediatrics department, Ittefaq Hospital, Lahore. The study was completed in 6 months. Stool samples from 275 patients, aged 6 months to 12 years, having acute watery diarrhea were taken and sent to hospital laboratory for analysis. Giardiasis was confirmed using microscopic assessment of the fecal specimens indicating cysts, trophozites and eggs of the giardia parasite. Numerical data was documented as mean and standard deviation whereas categorical data was presented as frequencies and percentages. To address the effect modifiers, data was stratified for age, gender, residence status, and economics status. Post-stratification Chi-square test was applied and p ? 0.05 was regarded as significant. Results: The mean age of patients was 5.29 ± 2.77 years with minimum and maximum ages as 6 months and 12 years. There were 144(52.36%) male and 131(47.64%) female cases. A total of 97(35.27%) cases had Giardia on microscopic examination of stools. There was no significant association between Giardia infection and different age groups, gender, area of residence, and monthly household income (p>0.05). A very high frequency of Giardia lamblia (35.27%) in children with diarrhea is of serious public health concern. Conclusion: To combat this, adequate precautionary measures should be opted including clean water supply, proper sanitation facilities, health education and promotion of personal and household hygiene, and most importantly regular deworming of pediatric population.

Knowledge, attitude and practices towards consumption of caffeine containing drinks among medical college students in Chennai

Background: Indian population has been accustomed to caffeinated beverages since time immemorial. Globally, they have become the most preferred drink since the bloom of the twentieth century. However, unbridled consumption has been associated with many side effects. The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices among medical students with respect to caffeine containing drinks, and to determine the relationship between caffeine consumption and body mass index (BMI). Methods: It was a cross sectional study. Data was collected through a self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire after getting informed consent. The questionnaire was in a semi-structured format. Results: A total of 372 medical students took part in this present study, out of which 312 (83.6%) students responded to have the habit of taking caffeinated beverages, coffee (58.06%) being the maximum preferred drink and taste (49.1%) being the leading reason. Mean BMI was 22.16 with 50% being normal and, 16%, 17% and 17% being underweight, overweight and obese respectively. Withdrawal effects were experienced by 47.4% of students on stopping them for at least a day. 88.7% of medical students were aware of caffeine addiction and 62.5% were confident that they can stop over drinking them after knowing the ill effects. Conclusions: The study showed that students were not following healthy practises of caffeine consumption, albeit the knowledge of caffeine addiction, in terms of BMI. However, with proper health education and awareness, the students are ready to change their views and practises regarding caffeine consumption.