India has around 157.86 million children below the age of 6 years, constituting 15.42% of India’s population. ICDS scheme in India today represents one of the world’s largest programmes for early childhood development responding to the challenge of providing preschool education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity and mortality, on the other.  One of the main objectives is to improve nutritional & health status of children 0-6 years.

In response to the scheme, Tamil Nadu has experienced a steady reduction in the percentage of underweight children and severely malnourished children over the last two decades. Still 46% of children are malnourished in Tamil Nadu out of which 0.5% severely, 10.5% moderately and 35% mildly malnourished.

Objectives

1. To measure the burden of malnutrition among the children attending Anganwadi Centers in the service area of Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam.
2. To identify the factors associated with malnutrition
3. To assess the health status of the above children.

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted among 53 children from 3 Anganwadi centers in the service area of Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information from children and mothers. Clinical examinations including the anthropometric measurements were done.

Results

35.9% of the children under study suffer from malnutrition. 5.7% among them has moderate malnutrition and other 30.2% has mild malnutrition. The educational status of the father was found to have significant association with malnutrition (p-value: 0.019). Half of the children had some illnesses in the past one year. URI, fever and diarrhea are the common illnesses with mean episodes of 4.63, 4.64 and 2.11 respectively. 30% of the children have the history of passing worm. Half of the children (54.7%) have poor personal hygiene. One fifth of the children (20.8%) have some clinical signs on examination.

Conclusion – 35.9% of the children under study suffer from malnutrition. 30% of the children have worm infestation. One fifth of the children have some clinical signs of poor health status.  Making the scheme more children friendly will improve the nutritional and health status.

The pandemic of HIV/AIDS has emerged as a very important public health problem in India and the rest of the world. Even though effective treatment has significantly improved the life expectancy and quality of life of People Living with HIV / AIDS (PLHAs), the social problems posed by the disease is wrecking havoc world over. Stigma and Discrimination towards PLHAs is the most prominent social problem and has come to be known as the Second Pandemic of the disease.

Tamil Nadu is the state with the highest prevalence of HIV positivity in the country. Most PLHAs in Tamil Nadu come from the lower socioeconomic category. Ignorance about the disease is very high among the population. So is the stigma associated with the disease. Organisations like Snehatheeram have gone a long way in rehabilitating PLHAs. Very often rehabilitation programmes help PLHAs cope better with stigma and discrimination.

Objectives

1. To measure the perceived stigma and discrimination experienced by People Living with HIV / AIDS attending Snehatheeram Rehabilitation Programme.
2. To ascertain the areas of life in which they experience higher degrees of discrimination.
3. To assess if attending the rehabilitation programme has helped them in better coping with stigma and discrimination.

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted among a sample of 75 PLHAs attending Snehatheeram Rehabilitation Programme. Data was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Questions were categorized as Disclosure, Family, Community, Work Place, Healthcare and Support Groups. Scores were calculated to measure perceived stigma and discrimination and comparison was done between different parameters.

Results – More than 80% of the subjects have experienced Stigma and Discrimination in some fields of their life. Discrimination in the Family and at Work Place was found to be higher than that from the community (p-value – 0.03). This could be due to the significantly poor disclosure rate to the community (p-value – 0.000). More than 50% of the participants reported to have befitted in better coping with stigma and discrimination by attending the rehabilitation programme.

Conclusion – Prevalence of Stigma and Discrimination is high. More from people who are closer to them like relatives and colleagues than from those who are distant. Attending rehabilitation programmes help in better coping with stigma and discrimination.

SL No

1

Aysha Abdul Kalam

Mrudul R. Nair

R. Poovizhi Dr. Anoop Lal

2

Pradeep Vel

Prathiesh Bruce Dr. Solanke

3

Anju Madhu

Aswathy Sasikumar Dr. Sudhinthra Rao

4

Femi Ramachandran

Arun Kumar Dr. Sathyalekshmi

5

Jisa Saleen

Prem Kiran Dr. Binu

6

Pranav

Aishwarya D. Dr. Girish Hongal

7

The Economy of India has been on the rise for a time now and Information Technology has played a major role in this. As the number of jobs and duty time in the IT field increased so also the job related disease. Constant sitting in front of the computer in a fixed posture causes stress to joints, muscle and brain also. This may lead to various health problems and diseases. People in the field of information technology are prone to develop Intervertebral Disc Prolapse, Cervical Spondylosis, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Migraine etc. If measures are not taken to prevent it, it may affect the person adversely.  It can be prevented by simple stress relieving measures and exercise with the help of physiotherapy. It also helps to prevent the attaining of bad posture. IT Professionals who practice physiotherapy have less discomfort, pain, stress which lead to diseases during work.  Comparing the differences in discomfort or pain among those who are practicing physiotherapy and those who are not may help in highlighting the importance of physiotherapy in the field of IT.

Objectives:

To compare the occurrence of occupation related diseases among IT professionals who practice physiotherapy excercises with those who do not.
To find out whether IT Professionals are following Physiotherapy as prevention or after the occurrence of symptoms.

Methodology:

A study was done at Infosys, Technopark, Trivandrum comparing IT professionals who practice physiotherapy and those who do not. There were 50 study subjects in each group
Professionals having non-stress related diseases were excluded.

Results:

Neck pain is significantly more among professionals who are not practicing physiotherapy Exercises and may be aprecursor of Cervical Spondylosis. [pvalue-0 .01].
Elbow pain during typing is significantly more in professionals who are not practicing physiotherapy Exercises and which may leads to Elbow Arthritis [pvalue-0 .001]
Radiating pain or numbness in either legs are significantly more in professionals  who are not practicing physiotherapy Exercises and it is a symptom of Inter Vertebral Disc prolapsed due to continuous stress  on Thoracic Vertibrae during sitting .[p-value-0.000]
Professionals who are practicing physiotherapy Exercises are able to sit in any type of chair continuously for a  long period of time are significantly more than that of others. [p-value-0.000].Number of Professionals who are practicing physiotherapy Exercises can travel continuously for a long period [p-value-0.001].
Headache after work is more common among those not practicing Physiotherapy Exercises[pvalue-0 .001]. Overal health is significantly better among those practicing Physiotherapy[pvalue-0 .001].
Previous history of discomfort or body pain is high in professionals who are practicing Physiotherapy. [P-value-0.001].

Conclusion:

These results unveil the importance of practicing Physiotherapy Exercises and techniques among IT Professionals for prevention and cure of occupational diseases. It also gives a clear cut picture of current situation that even the educated professionals were not bother about their prevention of occupational diseases and they practice Physiotherapy Exercises only after the symptom may occur.

The World Health Organisation defines Low Birth Weight (LBW) as birth weight less than 2500 grams irrespective of the gestational age. The birth weight of a baby is important for mortality and morbidity. It is very important that children get a good head start in life so as to ensure the wellbeing of the family and the community. LBW has many ill effects on its victims not only soon after birth but also later on in life. This would definitely hamper their contribution to the society and the nation as a whole. It is therefore of utmost importance to detect and prevent the occurrence of LBW. This study aims to determine the prevalence and determinants of Low Birth Weight among Babies born at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences over a period of 3 Months.

Objectives:

To find out the prevalence of Low Birth Weight among babies born at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences over a period of three months.
To identify the factors that determines Low Birth Weight among these babies.
To identify measures for the prevention of Low Birth Weight.

Methodology:

A  Record Based Descriptive Study was done. Case Records of Mothers of Babies born at SMIMS from Septmber 1 2008 to November 30 2008. Records with insufficient Information were excluded. Data Entry was done in MS Excel and Data Analysis using Epi Info Statistical Software

Results:

Mean age of the study population was 26 with range from 18 to 41. Most patients delivered by LSCS (77%) and only 5.2% were preterm. 35.5% of women had Haemoglobin less than 10.5gm%. Mean Birth Weight was 2814 gms (SD: 469, Range: 1150-4000). Prevalence of Low Birth Weight was 20% (95% CI from 14.6% to 26.3%). The factors that were found to be significantly associated with LBW were Maternal Anaemia (Odds Ratio: 2.59, 95% CI from 1.04 to 6.42), Preterm Delivery (Odds Ratio: 22, 95% CI from 4.43 to 109.07) and Multiple Pregnancy (Odds Ratio: 8.8, 95% CI from 1.54 to 49.96).

Conclusion:

20% of babies born at SMIMS are Low Birth Weight. The most important factors associated with LBW were found to be maternal anaemia, Preterm Delivery and Multiple Pregnancy.

Hypertension over a period of time has become lifestyle disease like many other upcoming diseases such as Diabetes, Obesity, etc. The Rule of Halves on Hypertension says that only half of the HTN subjects are aware. Out of which only half are treated. Only half out of these are controlled. Compliance of patients would depend on many factors including Number of drugs administered to the patient, Cost of the Drugs, Convenience of Dosage, Drug Complications etc. This Study aims to identify the extent of Drug Compliance among known hypertensive patients attending Medical OP at Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences and the factors that determines compliance.

Objectives:

To find out the extent of Drug Compliance among known hypertensives.
To identify the factors that determines compliance.
To suggest methods for improving Drug Compliance.

Methods:

The study was done at Medicine OPD of Sree Mookambika Institute of   Medical Sciences. Patients of age 30 yrs who are known Hypertensives and are on medication for it, Patients with documented evidence of Secondary Hypertension, Patients with other underlying systemic diseases and Patients not willing to give their consent for the study were excluded. Data was entered using MS Excel and Analysis was done using Epi Info Statistical Software

Results:

Mean age of the study population was 66 yrs (Range: 37 to 80) and the average age at detection of hypertension was 54yrs. 33% of the patients were receiving combination drug therapy. 40% of the patients missed taking medicine twice or more in a week. The commonest reasons provided by the patients for missing medicine were Cost of Medicine (10%), Stressful home Environment (9%) and Forgetfulness (7%). 5% were confident that their BP was controlled with out medicine. The most important factor identified to be significantly associated with non compliance was increased Mental Stress (Odds Ratio: 3.5, 95% CI from 1.51 to 8.1)

Conclusion:

Only 60% of the Hypertensive patients taking medicines were compliant to treatment. Major Reasons for non compliance were Cost of Medicine, Stressful home Environment and Forgetfulness. Mental Stress was found to be significantly associated with non-compliance to treatment.