The Abstract of the study can be found here.

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.

PARTICULARS

FIGURES

I. Outpatient attendance

• New Cases

545

• Old Cases

302

• Total(New & Old Cases)

847

• Casualty

42

II. Inpatients

• Admission

66

• Discharges

66

• Bed Occupancy Ratio

84

III. Surgeries

• Major

19

• Minor

39

IV. Deliveries

• Modes

• Normal

2

• LSCS

2

• Others

• Total

4

V. Radio diagnosis

• X-Rays-Routine

• OP

86

• IP & Emergency

43

• Total

129

• X-rays –Special

• OP

3

• IP

2

• Total

5

VI. Other diagnostics

• U.S.G

• OP

36

• IP

9

• Total

45

• E.C.G

• OP

19

• IP

12

• Total

31

VII. Lab Investigations

• Bio-Chemistry

• OP

320

• IP

134

• Emergency

40

• Total

• Pathology

• Haematology

• OP

316

• IP

123

• Emergency

46

• Total

485

• Clinical Pathology

• OP

101

• IP

51

• Emergency

5

• Total

157

• istopathology

• OP & IP

15

• Cytopathology

• OP & IP

15

• Microbiology

• Serology

• OP

53

• IP

12

• Emergency

2

• Total

67

• Bacteriology

• OP

33

• IP

5

• Total

38

• Parasitology

• OP

58

• IP

14

• Emergency

1

• Total

73

• Mycology

• OP & IP

1

An Awareness Programme plus Free Medical Camp was conducted for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs) attending rehabilitation programme at Snehatheeram, Manjalammoodu. As this was also an occasion for Christmas Celebration, a group from YWCA, Trivandrum attended. The students of our institution also did data collection for their study on Stigma and Discrimination experienced by PLHAs.

Topics

Introduction

Diabetes Foot

Medical Complications of Diabetes

Surgical Complications of Diabetes

Management of Diabetes