Pratibha Gupta

Knowledge About HIV/AIDS Among Secondary School Students.

Background: HIV/AIDS has emerged as the single most formidable challenge to public health. School children of today are exposed to the risk of HIV/AIDS. Aims: The study was conducted to determine the knowledge among secondary school students regarding HIV/AIDS and provide suggestions for HIV/AIDS education in schools. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of tenth to twelfth standard in the intermediate schools of Lucknow, India, from July to October 2011. A total of 215 students, both boys and girls, were enrolled in the study. Results: In this study, for majority of the students (85%), the source of information about HIV/AIDS was the television. Regarding knowledge about modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS among girl students, 95.1% of them told that it is through unprotected sex. A total of 75.8% students said that it was transmitted from mother to child. Conclusion: It was observed that the knowledge of the school students was quite satisfactory for most of the variables like modes of transmission, including mother-to-child transmission of the disease. However, schools should come forward to design awareness campaigns for the benefit of the students.

Determinants of Immunization Coverage in Lucknow District

Background: Immunization remains one of the most important public health interventions and a cost-effective strategy to reduce both the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. Over two million deaths are delayed through immunization each year worldwide. Aims: This study sought to identify specific factors associated with immunization coverage in order to advance improved intervention, policies/strategies therefore raising overall immunization coverage. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 198 children aged 12-23 months at Urban Health and Training Centre (UHTC), Era′s Lucknow Medical College, Lucknow, over a period of 6 months i.e., from July 2012-December 2012. Data were collected, compiled and tabulated using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS 17.0 version. Results: A total of 198 children of age 12-23 months were included in this study, of which 74.7% of children were fully immunized, 11.1% were partially immunized and 14.1% were not immunized at all. The most common reason for partial or non-immunization was family problems (24%) of the respondents followed by lack of knowledge of immunization (20%), and fear of side effects (16%). The odds of risk of partial/non-immunization in illiterate women is 5.78 more than the graduate women (P = 0.039). Conclusions: Although in the present study, majority of the children were immunized, it is still not up to the mark. We have to make it 100%, so that we can reduce mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases. Increasing awareness and reducing fear of side effects of immunization among parents through health education, counseling, etc. can increase the percentage of immunized children.

Reasons for failure of immunization: A cross-sectional study among 12-23-month-old children of Lucknow, India.

Background: Roughly 3 million children die every year of vaccine preventable diseases and a significant number of these children live in developing countries. The present study was conducted to assess the reasons for failure of immunization among 12-23-month-old children of Lucknow city in India. Materials and Methods: Out of all villages in rural areas and mohallas in urban areas of Lucknow district, eight villages and eight mohallas were selected by simple random sampling. A community based cross-sectional study was done among 450 children aged 12-23 months. The immunization status of the child was assessed by vaccination card and by mother′s recall. A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used to elicit information on reasons for failure of immunization. Data was analysed using statistical package for social services (SPSS) version 11.5. Chi square test was used to find out the significant association. Results: Overall, 62.7% children were fully immunized, 24.4% children were partially immunized, and 12.9% children were not immunized. The major reasons for failure of immunization were postponing it until another time, child being ill and hence not brought to the centre for immunization, unaware of the need of immunization, place of immunization being too far, no faith in immunization, unaware of the need to return for 2 nd and 3 rd dose, mother being too busy, fear of side reactions, wrong ideas about immunization, and polio was considered only vaccine, and others. Conclusion: More awareness should be generated among the people living in rural and urban areas to immunize their children.

Role of glucose-insulin-potassium regimen in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction/unstable angina

Abstract This study was conducted on patients who presented to the cardiology department and were admitted either in cardiology ward or coronary care unit of Sir Sunder Lal Hospital, BHU, Varanasi with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Ninety three patients were enrolled in the study. The study period extended from January 2006 to March 2007. Study was a hospital based prospective study that involved estimation of the clinical, echocardiographic features and survival status of patients who presented with ACS, with or without GIK regimen. Based on clinical grounds and electrocardiographic findings patients were enrolled: NSTEMI/unstable angina. The 30 days mortality was 4 of 47 (8.5%) patients receiving GIK compared with 8 of 46 (17%) patients in control group (relative risk [RR], 0.45, 95%; confidence interval [CI] 0.12-1.62). In 85 patients (94.4) without signs of heart failure (Killip class I) 30 days mortalitywas 2 of 42 patients (4.7%) in GIK group vs. 5 of 43 patients (11.67%) in control group (RR 0.38, 95%; CI 0.06-2.07). In 8 (5.6%) patients with signs of HF (Killip class ≥ II), 30 days mortality was 2 of 5 patients (40%) in GIK group vs. 3 of 3 (100%) in control group. In patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)/ unstable angina, 30 days mortality was significantly lower in GIK group as compared to control group and in patients without signs of heart failure (Killip class I) 30 days mortality was significantly lower as compared to patients with signs of heart failure (Killip class ≥ II).

Study of acute diarrhoea among preschool children from below poverty line families of Lucknow district, North India

The pre-school age is a crucial and transitional period. A child deprived of health during these most impressionable years’ is deprived of the opportunity of growing into a normal human being, and the damage done in the first few years could be irreversible through one’s later life.Diarrheal diseases are amongst the most frequent childhood illnesses and second leading cause of preventable death, especially among under five children in developing countries. Acute diarrheal diseases are one of the main problems affecting children in the world, reducing their well-being and creating considerable demand for health services. In addition to increase mortality and morbidity, diarrhoea also predisposes children to malnutrition, which makes them highly susceptible to other infections, and this has been found to be a major contributor to illness and death, particularly among children in Sub-Saharan African countries. Globally, there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrhoeal disease and estimated 525000 deaths occur each year among children under five years of age. Most of these deaths occur in poor developing countries where ABSTRACT

Factors affecting health care facility utilization in rural areas of Lucknow district

India is a developing country with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.35%. Growth of any country directly reflect the wellbeing of its citizens e.g. health. Health is the fundamental human right. Government has been providing health care services and introducing various health programmes and schemes time to time to take good care of their citizens. In spite of economic growth and demographic transition, the Indian healthcare system is burdened by a rise in infectious and chronic degenerative diseases. Infectious, contagious and waterborne diseases such as dengue fever, diarrhoea, typhoid, viral hepatitis, measles, malaria, tuberculosis, whooping cough and pneumonia are major contributors to disease, especially among poor and rural Indians. Communicable diseases once thought to be under control (e.g. dengue fever, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, malaria, and pneumonia) are still in existence in India, having reappeared with high levels of drug resistance, to the disadvantage of the poor. Since the population is increasing rapidly (it is 1.34 billion, with male population of 69.2 crore and female 65.2 crore) and 25% of rural and 14% urban population is living below the poverty line. With the limited resources government alone cannot cater ABSTRACT

Utilization of public health care facilities in Lucknow district

Health has been declared a fundamental human right. This implies that the state has a responsibility towards the health of its people. Governments all over the world are striving to expand and improve their health care services. Health is on one hand a highly personal responsibility and on the other hand a major public concern. It thus involves the joint effort of the whole social community and the state to protect and promote health. Health is no longer accepted as charity or privilege of the few but demanded as a right for all.

Immunization coverage and its determinants among 12-23 months old children of Lucknow

Context:Roughly three million children die each year of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) with a significant number of these children residing in developing countries. Aims: The present study was conducted to assess the immunization status of 12-23 months old children and its determinants in Lucknow. Settings and Design: List of all villages in rural area and mohallas in urban area of Lucknow district was procured. Eight villages and eight mohallas were selected by simple random sampling. A community based cross sectional study was done among 450 children aged 12-23 months. Materials and Methods: A pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was used to elicit information on family characteristics, bio social characteristics, and housing characteristics. The immunization status of the child was assessed by vaccination card and by mother′s recall, where vaccination card was not available. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using statistical package for social services (SPSS) version 11.5. Chi-square test will be used to find out the significant association. Results: Overall, 62.7% children were fully immunized, 24.4% children were partially immunized, and 12.9% children were not immunized. The various determinants of immunization status of the child the place of residence, religion, socio economic status, father′s education and father′s occupation, source of information regarding immunization, registration of pregnancy, number of ante natal visits, iron and folic acid tablets consumed by the mother, tetanus toxoid received by the mother, place of delivery and the attendant who conducted the delivery. Conclusion: More awareness should be generated among the people living in rural and urban area, to immunize their children and to prevent the morbidity and mortality from six lethal vaccine preventable diseases.