Sarmila Mallik

Domestic violence among ever married women of reproductive age group in a slum area of Kolkata

BACKGROUND Domestic violence has serious impact on womens health and well-being. A nationwide survey conducted in India observed that 37.2% of women experienced violence after marriage. OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence of domestic violence among the ever married women in reproductive age group and to find out the types of domestic violence and factors associated with it. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was a community based cross-sectional study, conducted in a slum area of Kolkata. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Overall prevalence of domestic violence was 54%, of which 41.9% suffered from both current and lifetime physical and psychological violence. Presence of property, higher per capita income and social support were protective factors against domestic violence, whereas alcohol addiction and multiple sex partners were the important contributory factors for it. The study recommended more social support, awareness and income generation for women in the slum areas.

Healthcare-seeking behavior of patients with epileptic seizure disorders attending a tertiary care hospital, Kolkata

Introduction: Neurological diseases are very important causes of prolonged morbidity and disability, leading to profound financial loss. Epilepsy is one of the most important neurological disorders Healthcare seeking by epilepsy patients is quite diverse and unique. Aims and Objectives: The study was conducted among the epilepsy patients, to assess their healthcare-seeking behavior and its determinants. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and fifteen epilepsy patients, selected by systematic random sampling, in the neuromedicine outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital were interviewed with a predesigned, pretested, semi-structured proforma. Results and Conclusion: More than 90% sought healthcare just after the onset of a seizure. The majority opted for allopathic medicine and the causes for not seeking initial care from allopaths were ignorance, faith in another system, constraint of money, and so on. A significant association existed between rural residence and low social status of the patients with initial care seeking from someone other than allopaths. No association was found among sex, type of seizure, educational status of the patients, and care seeking. The mean treatment gap was 2.98 ± 10.49 months and the chief motivators were mostly the family members. Patients for anti epileptic drugs preferred neurologists in urban areas and general practitioners in rural areas. District care model of epilepsy was proposed in the recommendation.

A study on utilization of Janani Suraksha Yojana and its association with institutional delivery in the state of West Bengal, India

Background: India launched the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) on the principles of conditional cash transfer providing monetary incentive to needy women to improve access to institutional childbirth. Objectives: This study was conducted among JSY-eligible women who delivered between April 2012 and June 2012 to assess the utilization of cash incentives toward institutional delivery, along with other associated factors influencing institutional delivery. Methods: It was a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted between July 2012 and May 2013 on 946 women selected through stratified random sampling of subcentres from better and worse performing districts of West Bengal. Results: 74.7% of the study population was JSY-eligible. 90.2% of those who took three antenatal check-ups (ANCs) and 36.8% JSY-noneligible women received cash. Government institutions were preferred for childbirth among all groups irrespective of JSY eligibility, receipt of cash, and number of antenatal visits. Overall, 78.8% opted for institutional delivery if they had received cash, which was significantly more than those who did not (64.5%). JSY-eligible women were 1.5 times more likely to deliver in government institutions compared to JSY-noneligible women. With no incentive, the likelihood of institutional delivery was halved. The distance of a 24 Χ 7 delivery hub beyond 5 km (74.8% vs. 81.8%), the religion of Islam (62.7% vs. 83.2%), and multiparity (63.9% vs. 83.6%) were significant deterring factors. Conclusion: Despite some inclusion and exclusion errors, cash incentive under JSY was associated with increased institutional delivery, especially in government institutions though there were other factors influencing the decision as well.

Menstrual hygiene among adolescent school students: An in- depth cross-sectional study in an urban community of WestBengal, India

Menstrual hygiene is an issue that is insufficiently acknowledged. Menstruation and menstrual practices are still clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions resulting in adolescent girls remaining ignorant of the scientific facts and hygienic health practices, which sometimes result into adverse health outcomes. The present study was designed to assess the knowledge, beliefs, and source of information regarding menstruation among the adolescent school girls of the secondary school and also to identify the status of menstrual hygiene among them. A descriptive, cross-sectional community based study was conducted among 147 adolescent girls of a secondary school situated in the urban field practice area of dept of Community Medicine Medical College Kolkata with the help of a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire. Out of 147 respondents, 62(42 %) girls were aware about menstruation prior to attainment of menarche. Hand-washing was regular among 91.8% but 16.3% washed only with water. Similarly washing of private parts were regular among 76.9% but 74.1% used only water no soap, there is significant relationship between hygienic practices followed and presence of continuous supply of water and presence of exclusive toilet of their family. Except for 2(1.3%) everybody followed some taboo or unnecessary restriction. Menstrual hygiene, a very important risk factor for reproductive tract infections (RTI), is a vital aspect of health education. This problem, unfortunately, has not yet been addressed seriously in terms of its mental, social and health impact on the country.

A study on mental distress among MBBS students in a Medical College, Kolkata, India

Background: The undergraduate medical training period is a stressful period. In the recent years, due to growing competitiveness and aspiration for achievement the pressure on the students has increased manyfolds and makes the medical students more vulnerable for developing mental distress and thus contributes to poor academic performance and substance use. So an observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among the undergraduate students in a medical college to study the prevalence of mental distress among the undergraduate students of Medical College, Kolkata, India and to find out the correlation between mental distress and explanatory variables among the study population. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional, observational study among the undergraduate students in a medical college, Kolkata, India and used SRQ-20 for the assessment of mental distress. Result: The prevalence of mental distress was 14.5%. Present occupancy, parents occupation, attempt in MBBS entrance examination, students who could not cope with the situation, socioeconomic status, and place of residence were found as risk factors of mental distress. A total of 78% of the explanatory variables could be explained by binary logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Considering these risk factors, preventive measures should be undertaken to reduce the mental distress and its consequences.

Exploring the Bottlenecks: An Assessment of the Implementation Process of Janani Suraksha Yojana in the State of West Bengal, India

1Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, INDIA 2Associate Professor, Malda Medical College, Malda, West Bengal, INDIA. 3Professor, Murshidabad Medical College, Bahrampur, West Bengal, INDIA. 4Consultant (Management), IHFW, GN 29, Sector 5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal, INDIA. 5Chief Medical Officer of Health, Darjeeling, West Bengal, INDIA. 6Professor, Institute of Health and Family Welfare, GN 29, Sector 5, Salt Lake City, Kolkata, West Bengal, INDIA.

Sexual behavior of transgenders and their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in an Urban Area of Eastern India

Transgender (TG) people experience a gender identity that is different from their anatomical sex. For their high-risk sex behavior, they are important group for targeted intervention of HIV/AIDS. The objective of the study was to find the sexual behavior of TG people and to assess few aspects of their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. This cross-sectional survey was done from June to August 2012, in field practice area of “Kosish,” a nongovernmental organization run by TGs in Alipore of Kolkata metropolitan city, India. Information was collected by interviewing 90 TG of 11 selected hotspots using a predesigned questionnaire. Results revealed that 4.5% were illiterate. Drug abuse was reported by 22.2% participants. Inconsistent condom use was found. Venereal disease research laboratory reactivity was found in 11.11%. Nearly 16.7% had experienced sexual violence in the past 3 months. Thus, interventions for overall empowerment of the TGs are recommended.

Anxiety And Depression :Their Epidemiological Factors----A Study on The Patients Attending Psychiatric OPD of a Teaching Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal

Background: A sound mind in a sound body has been recognized as a social idea for many centuries. Out of different types of mental health problems depression and anxiety disorders are most common. Aims and objectives: To assess the socio-demographic and clinical profile of depression and anxiety disorder patients attending psychiatry OPD of Calcutta National Medical College. Methodology: An observational, descriptive study was carried out on the patients attending psychiatry OPD of Calcutta National Medical College from May 2012 to July 2012, suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. Data were collected by interviewing all the patients using a predesigned, pretested schedule after getting informed consent from them, excluding those who were unwilling. Result: The mean age with standard deviation of depression and anxiety patients were 38.3±13.2years and 34.7±18.2years respectively. Majority of the study subjects were either illiterate or just literate, belonging to socioeconomic class IV, V or VI, engaged in occupation like unskilled worker, businessman or housewife. Among depression patients females were more than male where as in anxiety disorders males were more than female. In majority of the patients, onset was insidious and duration of illness was less than 5 years, with one third of patients having positive family history. Somatic symptoms were present in a large number of patients.