HEALTH AND POPULATION PERSPECTIVES AND ISSUES

India (New Delhi) 29

JANUARY-MARCH 1997 - VOLUME 20, NUMBER 1

99.29.1 - English - P. PANDA, S. PHILIP, A. I. BENJAMIN, Shavinder SINGH and P. ZACHARIAH, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana 141008, Punjab (India)

Growth and morbidity patterns among rural school children in Ludhiana, Punjab (p. 20-28)

This study identifies a need for targeting age-group (5-16), particularly girls, for priority care. Nutrition and health education, as well as personal and oral hygiene, need to be included in the school curriculum. Both weight-for-age and height-for-age in all ages and sex groups were found to be lesser than the standards recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research, revealed by the study. Severe malnutrition as evidenced by both wasting and stunting was found to be higher in girls. The most common morbidity suffered by the children was anaemia followed by dental caries. (INDIA, HEALTH EDUCATION, MORBIDITY, CALORIE DEFICIENCY, DEFICIENCY DISEASES)

APRIL-JUNE 1997 - VOLUME 20, NUMBER 2

99.29.2 - English - Vijay L. GROVER, Pragti CHHABRA and O. P. AGGARWAL, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi 110095 (India)

Knowledge, attitude and practices of breast feeding in a rural area of East Delhi (p. 49-56)

The study revealed that majority of the respondents had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards breast feeding. Colostrum was thought to be harmful for the baby according to 52% of the mothers. All of them had breast fed their children but the breast feed was given within 1 hour by only 9.1% of the mothers. Pre-lacteal feeds were given by 82% of mothers, jaggery 'ghutti' being the most popular form. Majority (83.5%) of the children were breast fed till one year of age. Literate mothers were more likely to initiate breast feeding early and gave pre-lacteal feeds less often. Illiterate mothers breast fed for longer duration and on demand. Thus, early feeding and colostrum feeding have to be promoted amongst the mothers. (INDIA, INFANT FEEDING, BREAST FEEDING)

99.29.3 - English - M. V. SUDHAKARAN and B. VIJAYAVALLI, Department of Botany, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, Trivandrum 695581 (India)

The public health impact of inbreeding on mortality: A community-based study (p. 66-72)

A cross sectional sample of 576 marriages of the Viswakarmas of Alappuzha district of Kerala was analysed for estimating the genetic load and the public health impact of consanguinity. The genetic burden manifested in total prereproductive mortality was estimated between 1.8365 and 1.8789 lethal equivalents per gamete. The attributable risk (AR) calculated for each consanguinity class indicates that among the first cousin progeny 71.67% of prereproductive death were associated with the expression of the detrimental recessive genes and 34.7% among second cousin progeny. These findings indicate that closer the couples are related, higher the risks of foetal loss among them. (INDIA, INBREEDING, GENETIC LOAD, DYSGENIC UNION, FOETAL DEATH)

99.29.4 - English - S. CHHABRA and Suhasini SARAF, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha 442102, Maharashtra (India)

Reproductive health care seekers reasons for admission to tertiary level health care facility in rural central India (p. 80-88)

This study attempts to have a close look at reproductive health seeker's (women) perception of reasons to go in for tertiary level health care facility for treatment. The illiterates and poor people preferred to go to tertiary level health care facility for treatment mainly because of economical reasons. Further, the study revealed that the rich people got admitted to tertiary level health care facility as they were referred by other doctors. The other reasons offered by the respondents to prefer tertiary level health care facility were reputation of the hospital, availability of the desired expertise, appropriate health care, insurance benefit, referred by other doctors, etc. (INDIA, PREFERENCES, HEALTH SERVICES)

JULY-SEPTEMBER 1997 - VOLUME 20, NUMBER 3

99.29.5 - English - Veena Batheja SABHERWAL, National AIDS Control Organisation, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi (India)

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and sexual behaviour in relation to HIV/AIDS/STD among university students of Delhi (p. 89-98)

This paper presents the knowledge, attitude and sexual behaviour patterns in relation to HIV/AIDS and STDs of the unmarried, post-graduate students of the three universities of the capital city of India namely, University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia lslamia University. The study covered a sample of 200 students (100 men and 100 women) between 20 and 34 years of age of these universities. The findings of the study revealed that 177 (88.5%) respondents had heard of STDs; however, their knowledge seemed to be superficial. A small proportion of seven students claimed to have suffered from an STD. All the students were aware of AIDS and 96 (18.0%) possessed good knowledge about AIDS. Most students (99. 0%) perceived the seriousness of AIDS but only 36 (18. 0%) viewed themselves susceptible to it. Friends, books, newspapers and television according to them were their main sources of information about sexual matters. 197 (98.5%) respondents reported that sex education should be included in educational institutions. (INDIA, STUDENTS, ATTITUDE, SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR, SEX EDUCATION, AIDS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES)

99.29.6 - English - N. KAVITHA and N. AUDINARAYANA, Department of Population Studies, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu (India)

Utilisation and determinants of selected MCH care services in rural areas of Tamil Nadu (p. 112-125)

In this paper an attempt is made to explore some of the determinants of the utilisation of selected ante-natal (ante-natal check-up and iron and folic acid tablets), natal (place of delivery) and post-natal (post-natal check-up) heath care services in rural areas of Tamil Nadu. The analysis of determinants of various MCH aspects revealed that controlling for other variables, respondents' education exhibited significant positive effect on the use of ante-natal and natal health care services. Respondents belong to higher caste groups are more likely to use antenatal and post-natal check-ups as compared to their SC/ST counterparts. Number of living children is significantly and negatively associated with the use of ante-natal and post-natal check-ups. Monthly family income has exhibited positive influence on post-natal check-up. Use of ante-natal care services has a significant and positive effect on their place of delivery. Contrary to the expectation, respondents' work status showed a negative effect on the utilisation of ante-natal care services. (INDIA, POSTPARTUM PROGRAMMES, CHILDBIRTH, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, PRENATAL CARE)

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1997 - VOLUME 20, NUMBER 4

99.29.7 - English – Sudhir GUPTA, Lok Nayak Hospital and Associated Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, 110002 (India), and P. L. TRAKROO, Department of Communication, NIHFW, New Delhi, 110067 (India)

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) among college students about AIDS in Delhi (p. 177-190)

The authors conclude that the college students consider HIV/AIDS as a disease which cannot inflict them, though, they possess adequate knowledge about all dimensions of HIV/AIDS. However, they are found to be deficient in some areas such as mode of spread, incubation period, etc. It was further found that a high percentage of the students tend to indulge in high risk life styles of AIDS. The college students attached due importance to television and radio as sources of information about HIV/AIDS in addition to their friends. The authors, therefore, suggest an urgent need to intensify the media programmes regarding HIV/AIDS in electronic media and print media. (INDIA, AIDS, STUDENTS, IEC)

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