Thiruvananthapuram City Research Articles

Maternal and New-Born Care Practices by Traditional Delivery Care Givers: A Cross Sectional Survey

India is a country of great diversity with 29 states and 6 union territories, all varying in language, culture and social traditions. Tradition is defined as belief, custom or way of doing things, that has existed over a long time among a particular group of people. Maternal and child health is influenced by many customs and beliefs. In India marriage is universal and family is incomplete without a child.Various community data obtained support a strong influence of various cultural practices on mortality and morbidity of the mother and new-born. Aim: 1) To identify the practices of maternal care and new-born care by traditional delivery care givers. 2) To determine the association between maternal and new-born care practices and selected socio-personal variables. 3) To identify the harmful maternal and new-born care practices by traditional delivery care givers and provide remedial teaching to modify them. Material and Methods: A descriptive exploratory study was conducted among 200 traditional delivery care givers, selected by convenient sampling from authorised home nursing agencies in Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation, using a semi structured interview schedule prepared by the researcher. Findings: Majority of subjects (65%) are following beneficial maternal and new-born care practices and 35% are following harmful ones. Conclusion: More than half of traditional delivery care givers followed beneficial maternal and new- born ocare practices. Remedial teachings after identification of practices were given and correct practices reinforced with rationale. The study recommends periodic review of these practices and a cadre of properly trained personnel to take care of mother and baby at home

Hydrogeochemistry and spatio-temporal changes of a tropical coastal wetland system: Veli-Akkulam Lake, Thiruvananthapuram, India

The backwater of Veli-Akkulam, adjoining the Arabian Sea in the south-west part of Indian Peninsula, is a coastal wetland system and forms an integral part of the local ecosystem. In addition to the usual marine interactions, this water body is subjected to anthropogenic interference due to their proximity to the Thiruvananthapuram City urban agglomeration. This paper showcases how an urban agglomeration alters wetland system located within a tropical monsoonal environment. Water samples from this lake together with different feeder streams reveal that the lake is under the threat to eutrophication. A spatio-temporal analysis has shown that the lake and adjacent wetlands are shrinking in a fast pace. Over a period of about seven decades, the lake has shrunk by 28.05 % and the wetlands by 37.81 %. And hence, there is a pressing requirement of eco-management practices to be adopted to protect this lake.

English

AIM: To evaluate the hearing thresholds in individuals aged above 65 years attending the Government General Hospital and among the people attending the hearing screening done in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. The study also includes the review of the literature on ARHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 185 individuals aged above 65 years are evaluated for hearing thresholds with the help of pure tone audiometry and speech audiometry. Among the 185 individuals 102 are patients attending the Department of ENT for the complaints of loss of hearing. The remaining 83 individuals are from the survey conducted to screen for hearing loss in the city of Thiruvananthapuram for the population aged above 65 years. Demographic data about the 185 individuals is collected. Pure tone audiogram and speech audiometry is done in all the patients. CONCLUSIONS: PTA and SRT values are similar in both the groups. Early old age groups presented with mild to severe types of deafness and loss in lower frequencies. Late old aged people showed profound hearing loss and increased thresholds in higher frequencies. SRT estimation seemed more sensitive than calculating PTA in the persons above 85 years. Females showed 5 to 10 dB lower PTA values than males in all ages.

Land, Politics, Work and Home-Life in a City Slum

This article is a limited attempt at sketching the history of a prominent slum in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, using mainly the memories of residents collected as oral narratives. It stops in the mid-1990s, when decentralisation and women’s self-help groups began a new phase of social change. It focuses mainly on changing vicissitudes of land, politics, work and domestic life in this urban slum to reflect on the specific form of marginalisation that the residents of this pocket of extreme disadvantage have suffered since its earliest days, in the mid-twentieth century, which I refer to as ‘marginalisation by abjection’. It also examines the usefulness of widely used concepts such as ‘political society’ to make sense of politics there, and concludes by cautioning against the perfunctory use of concepts such as political society and clientelism.

Self-reported physical activity and its correlates among adult women in the expanded part of Thiruvananthapuram City, India

Data on correlates of physical activity (PA) are limited in India. This study estimated the prevalence and correlates of PA among women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1303 women (mean age 45 years) selected by multistage cluster sampling. Information was collected using a pretested interview schedule. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the correlates of PA. Self-reported moderate or high level PA prevalence was 73.4% [95% confidence interval (CI); 71.1-75.9]. Women who perceived themselves as being underweight [odds ratio (OR) 3.68: 1.97-6.74]; had an exercising member in the household (OR 3.41: 2.52-4.66); had access to exercise facilities (OR 2.17: 1.63-2.95); were married (OR 2.14: 1.40-3.25), were in the age group of 35-54 years (OR 1.91: 1.32-2.63); reported having knowledge about the benefits of PA (OR 1.62: 1.13-2.25); and who reported having the support of friends and neighbors (OR 1.42: 1.05-2.01) were more likely to report PA than their counterparts.

Effect of nutrients on bioaccumulation of heavy metals in a tropical urban coastal lacustrine system.

The study on bioaccumulation of heavy metals in a lake reveals that during the nonrainy season, accumulation of cadmium in plankton is high in the upstream of the lake where anoxic freshwater condition exists resulting from inflow of urban wastes. Stern action is required to stop the bypass of sewage from the old sewer system especially in the commercial areas of Thiruvananthapuram city, either by augmenting the sewerage system or by treating sewage at the source. During monsoon season, the accumulation of heavy metals-namely lead and nickel, followed by cadmium and chromium-is high in phytoplankton resulting from high nitrate content caused by heavy rainfall. During postmonsoon, lead and nickel accumulation is high. The study emphasizes the need for stormwater management practices for the removal of lead in urban runoff from roads caused by vehicular exhaust, tire wear, and wastes from service stations and workshops.

Public Transport Accessibility Index for Thiruvananthapuram Urban Area

Transportation planning is an important part in the development of a region. An effective transport system and associated urban forms will improve the economic and social opportunities. Accessibility and mobility are the two main parameters which contribute to the effective transportation system. In this paper, the accessibility to the public transportation system is identified for the selected study area with the help of an indexing system. The sub-area in the region was thus graded based on their accessibility and the obtained values are found to resemble the real world. Keywords-Accessibility, indexing system, public transport system, transport planning I. I nt roduct io n Accessibility is concerned with the opportunity that an individual or type of person at a given location possesses to take part in a particular activity or set of activities. Accessibility takes on board the land use- transport connection and handles trip numbers and travel time as indicators. Measurement of access to social services for each household can help in adjust and better accommodate under-served regions. Important factors affecting accessibility are mobility, transport options, land use, and affordability. Affordability of a transit depends on the ability of the person to pay the cost for the particular trip. Public transit system development is focused on providing equal opportunity to all these economic groups. Thus the system should be accessible to all economic groups. Accessibility can be directly related to both the qualities of the transport system like the travel speed, and the qualities of the land use system like densities and mixes. At the same time it can also be directly related to economic goals (access to workers, customers, suppliers), social goals (access to employment, goods, services, social contacts), and environmental goals (resource-efficiency of activity/mobility patterns). The present study focuses on the accessibility to public transportation system in the selected area. II. Scope and Objectives of the Work The scope of the present paper is confined to measurement of accessibility levels of the population in the Central Business District (CBD) areas in Thiruvananthapuram City, Kerala to public transportation. The paper addresses the following two objectives: 1. To know about the different levels of accessibility to the public transportation system. 2. To prepare an accessibility index for the proposed area. III. Findings from Earlier Studies Accessibility is a term used in transport and land-use planning, and is generally ease of reaching. Accessibility is the suitability of the transit system in helping people get to their destinations in a reasonable amount of time. It is a function of the mobility of the individual, spatial location, opportunities relative to the starting point of the individual, and the times at which the individual is able to participate in the activity. Accessibility helps in identifying the interrelation of transport and land-use. Accessibility measures can be grouped into five categories: travel-cost approach, gravity or opportunities approach, constraints-based approach, utility-based surplus approach, composite approach. The gravity or opportunities approach summarises the contour or cumulative opportunity and gravity models. The constraint-based approach is equivalent to time-space measures, while the utility-based surplus approach uses the utility measures with a greater focus on individual behaviour and decision-making. Composite approaches attempt to combine time-space and utility indicators into a common model. In a paper regarding Advances in public transport accessibility assessments for development control, Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL)is one of the criteria for evaluating the accessibility PTAL is calculated by summing a series of indices for bus, train, underground and rail services to obtain an Index Number was explained by (G Christopher and S Geoff),2008 (1). The Index Numbers are compared with a banding regime to obtain a PTAL grade. Walk distance, the number of services and their frequency, walking

Mode Choice Behavior of Commuters in Thiruvananthapuram City

Travel behavior plays an important role in transportation planning. Mode choice analysis is the process of arriving at a decision about which mode to use under a set of circumstances. Choice of a particular mode by a commuter affects the general efficiency of travel within the city. Various techniques are available in the literature for mode choice modeling. Among these, multinomial logit models are found to be efficient in estimating the different mode shares in a scenario where more than two choices of modes of travel are available for a commuter. The present study used multinomial logistic regression to analyze the mode choice behavior of commuters in Thiruvananthapuram, a typical Indian city. The findings from the study revealed that as age increases preference to car increases and preference to two-wheelers decreases in comparison with public transport. Increase in time per distance and increase in cost per distance cause the commuters to switch to car and two-wheelers from public transport. Identification of such factors and its variations will help city planners to formulate effective transport policies to improve the transport within the city. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000533. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Logistics; Urban areas; Commute; Travel patterns; Transportation management; India. Author keywords: Mode choice; Revealed preference technique; Multinomial logistic regression; Odds ratio; Significance level.

Use of novel materials for reinforced soil walls on weak soils

Reinforced soil walls are gaining considerable attention as retaining structures and providing a valuable alternative to traditional reinforced concrete walls. They present a good ratio between cost effectiveness and a low environmental impact. The present work deals with a numerical case study conducted to examine the feasibility of using novel reinforcing and facing materials in the construction of reinforced soil walls built on weak soils. The study was conducted in the Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India. It was proposed to construct two-lane parallel bridges to the existing bridges across a canal at two locations in Thiruvananthapuram city where the subsoil conditions are very poor and the maximum height of the embankment could be up to 7 m including foundation near the abutments. Owing to the large costs of the conventional retaining wall structures, the possibility of providing other flexible forms of retaining structures is explored numerically in the present study.

Body weight/image perceptions and prevalence of obesity among adolescents-Kerala, India

Introduction: Obesity can be seen as the first wave of a defined cluster of non communicable diseases called New World Syndrome creating an enormous socioeconomic and public health burden in poorer countries. The rising prevalence of childhood/adolescent obesity cannot be addressed by a single etiology. Multiple factors plays role and among them perception on body weight and image plays vital role in adolescents. So the objective of this study was to know the perceptions of adolescents on their body weight and body image. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of high schools of Thiruvananthapuram city corporation, Kerala, India. The sample size of this study was 1718 and the technique adopted is multistage and stratified random sampling. Data was collected using pre designed and pretested semi-structured questionnaire which is self-administered. Body mass index was calculated based on physical measurements such as height and weight using standard methods. Results: This study revealed that 67.3% of study subjects underestimated their body weight and 15.5% over estimated their body weight. The prevalence of overweight/obesity is high among those who underestimated their body weight (18.7%) compared to subjects who overestimated (6.7%) but the prevalence of underweight is high among the subjects who overestimated their body weight (60.8%) compared to subjects who underestimated (22%). Conclusion: Schools are probably the ideal medium of intervention as they are central to children's lives and information can be relatively quickly dissipated through this channel and Helping adolescents to attain a realistic, positive perception of their body weight and image through health education.

Menstrual Disorders and Menstrual Hygiene Practices in Higher Secondary School Girls

To study the menstrual problems and menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent girls in Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation. Students of class XI and XII in the age group 15-19 years, belonging to ten Higher Secondary Schools within the Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation area were selected for the study by multistage sampling procedure and screened using a pretested self evaluation questionnaire. Menstrual disorders were reported in 21.1%. The most frequently reported problem during menstruation was dysmenorrhoea (72.4%) followed by oligomenorrhoea (11.3%). Only 11.5% of the girls who had menstrual problems sought treatment and majority from a gynecologist. Out of 81.5% girls who reported vaginal discharge, only 5.7% had abnormal discharge. Menstrual hygiene was adequate in the majority of girls. Menstrual disorders are common in adolescence and can have significant consequences on future reproductive health.

Ground level volume mixing ratio of methane in a tropical coastal city

Urban regions are hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions which include CO(2), CH(4), N(2)O, etc. Methane is a strong greenhouse gas which is produced from a number of sources including fossil fuel combustion, municipal waste, and sewage processing, etc. Ground level mixing ratio of methane in the tropical coastal city of Thiruvananthapuram in South India, during calm early morning period was measured. Measurements were done during both winter and summer seasons. Concentrations were significantly higher than global average value. Intra-city variation in ground level mixing ratio was also significant. Ground level methane concentration at Thiruvananthapuram urban area showed maximum value of 3.16ppmV. Under stable atmospheric conditions in early morning, ground level mixing ratio of methane was 2.79ppmV in winter and 2.54ppmV during summer. The spatial distribution of methane concentration shows correlation with urban heat island.

(P2-87) Policy Study of the Helmet Legislation in Kerala, India and its Implications

BackgroundWhen implemented properly, universal helmet law increases helmet use substantially, bringing along a reduction in mortality and morbidity due to head injuries. Kerala has seen tremendous success in regards to various indicators for health within India. But when it comes to wearing helmets, the state lags behind others with reported rates as less as 27%.MethodA cross-sectional survey of 300 two-wheel drivers in Thiruvananthapuram City was preformed, which looked into helmet wearing patterns, their determinants, and the risk perception among the respondents. Further, a content analysis of newspaper reports pertaining to helmet legislation from the Thiruvananthapuram edition of two leading newspapers was performed. The reports included were from the periods of July 2003 to June 2005 and July 2008 to June 2010. Lastly, in-depth interviews were conducted with informants from among the key stakeholders in helmet policy of the state.ResultsThe study found 36.8% of the respondents wear a helmet. A scale to measure risk perception was developed for the purpose of this study. The four-item scale has been found to have internal consistency with a Cronbach alpha value of 0.74. The risk perception measured by using this scale has significant relation with helmet-wearing behavior. The content analysis helped in deriving a historical perspective of the policy along with the themes of reporting. The informant interviews provided expert opinions, problem identification, and specific recommendations.DiscussionThe practice of wearing a helmet is low, and people with lower risk perception have greater tendency not to wear helmets. Other findings also show that there are gaps in policy and lack of visionary leadership as far as the policy toward helmet legislation and its implementation.

Prevalence of Anemia among Adolescent girls (10-19 years) in Urtban Slums of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

Background: Adolescent represents a window of opportunity to prepare for a healthy adult life. Anemia is the most important nutritional deficiency during this period. Mild to moderate anemia usually appear in the early life and if proper intervention is given in adolescent age, majority of maternal and perinatal mortalities and morbidities can be prevented. This study was conducted to find out the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls in slums where standard of living as well as the knowledge about anemia is very poor. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls (10 -19 years) residing in urban slums of Thiruvananthapuram corporation and to assess the knowledge about anemia among adolescent girls. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 150 adolescent girls of age 10 to 19 years in 10 randomly selected urban slums of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. According to WHO criteria anemia is found to exist in adolescent girls when hemoglobin value less than 12g/dl. HemoCue method was used for hemoglobin estimation. Results: It was found that the prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls was 48%. 76% had mild anemia, 21% had moderate and 3% had severe anemia. Adequate knowledge about anemia was there in 20.3% in 10 to 14 age group and 34.2% in the 15 to 19 age group. Significant association (χ²=4.33, p<0.05) was obtained between anemia and knowledge about anemia. Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls living in urban slums of Thiruvananthapuram city was found to be 48% and there is a significant association between prevalence of anemia and knowledge regarding anemia. The study shows anemia is a major public health problem among adolescent girls living in urban slums of Kerala, the south Indian state. Increasing awareness through health education programs, screening for disease and timely interventions like Iron and folic acid supplementation and de-worming at school levels may help in tackling this menace.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among high school students of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation, Kerala, India

Background Obesity is a complex condition with serious social and psychological dimensions, that affects virtually all age and socioeconomic groups and threatens to overwhelm both developed and developing countries. This problem is increasing in adolescents and various factors contribute to it. As there is paucity of data regarding this problem in Kerala, India, the present study was undertaken to find the magnitude and to explore the factors associated with it. Method A cross sectional study was conducted among 8, 9 and 10 standard students of high schools of Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation,Kerala,India. The sample size estimated using formula is 859 and it was doubled to overcome the design effect so the sample size of this study was 1718 and the technique adopted is Multistage and stratified random sampling. Ethical clearance was obtained and permission from respective authorities of schools was also taken. Data was collected using pre designed and pretested semi structured questionnaire which is self administered. Body mass index was calculated based on physical measurements such as height and weight using standard methods. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity is found to be 18.3%. The prevalence of overweight alone is 12% and obesity is 6.3%. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that family h/o overweight/obesity, maternal occupation of business/services, watching TV/computer use more than 16 hrs/week, fast food consumption, not involved in sports and inadequate aerobic exercise are significantly associated with overweight/obesity.

Kerala's Development Experience: Random Comments about the past and Some Considerations for the Future

I am greatly honoured by the invitation of the organisers of this International Conference of Kerala Studies to preside over the subject section on Economics and to give its Presidential Address. I am also embarrassingly conscious that I can think of no valid reason as to why the choice fell on me. I have done no work on Kerala's economy and whatever writing I have done in economics in general or development economics in particular is not very outstanding. Those who have done pioneering and significant work on Kerala's economy are in Kerala, especially here in this city of Thiruvananthapuram whose writings I have followed with great admiration. These writings, some of the earlier ones in particular, inspired me to devote the greater part of the

Health of the elderly in a community in transition: a survey in Thiruvananthapuram City, Kerala, India.

Results of a survey to assess the health and functional status of the elderly (defined as those who are 60 years or older) in Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala state, India, are discussed. As the process of development results in longevity without concomitant economic success, traditional support systems break down. The differences in status of the elderly dependent on gender and socioeconomic class are highlighted. Women are poorer and generally suffer more morbidity than men in old age, even though their death rates are lower. The better-off among the elderly enjoy a quality of life much superior to their poor brethren. Thus, in transitional societies such as Kerala, socioeconomic status and gender play a significant role in determining the quality of life of the elderly, a finding which may have some policy implications.