Cumulative Noise Exposure and Perceived Effects: A Comparative Study Among Different Occupational Groups in Kolkata.

Background: Adverse short-term and long-term health effects following a high level of noise have been established. The current study aims to find the relationship of these effects with an environment-specific level of noise exposure. Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 auto-rickshaw drivers and 51 age-matched service-sector employees. The peak average noise exposure in decibels (dB) was measured. The duration of exposure and response regarding perceptions following noise exposure was assessed through a pre-designed pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 42.24 (±13.72) years. Among the auto-rickshaw drivers, 82% perceived stress, 64% had hearing difficulty, and 74% complained of lack of sleep following exposure to a high level of noise. However, the perceptions were comparable among the comparison group and the differences were not statistically significant. The mean average peak level of noise exposure among drivers and their comparison group was 91.64 (±7.37) dB and 91.98 (± 8.06) dB, respectively, but were not different statistically. Around 52.94% of the service-sector respondents and 48% of the drivers were exposed to the lower cumulative noise levels. Those having a higher level of cumulative noise exposure, had a higher odds of feeling irritated (Odds ratio [OR]: 2.182, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.845-5.636), feeling stressed (OR: 5.805, 95% CI: 1.552-21.708), having palpitation (OR: 3.694, 95% CI: 1.264-10.793), and lack of sleep (OR: 3.020, 95% CI: 1.006-9.066). Conclusion: Stress and lack of sleep were the most important perceived effects of noise exposure. The exposures to the higher cumulative noise level in specified groups were more important in relation to quantifying perceived symptoms than the average peak noise level.

Realistic personal exposure assessment of air pollutants and health outcomes - A cross-sectional study among Kolkata slum dwellers.

Background: Rapid, unplanned, and unsustainable patterns of urban development can result in many emerging environmental and health hazards. One of the important public health problems of urban environment is regular exposure to dust and pollutants and consequence of such exposure in the form of changes in the pulmonary function. Being the immediate environment, indoor pollution poses a higher risk to human health than the ambient environment. Realistic personal exposure assessment gives the actual idea about the exposure status. Objectives: This study determined the household principal environmental exposures (Dust, SO2, NO2, and total volatile organic compound) among urban slum dwellers and assessment of the respiratory function to determine any possible relationship between those exposures and outcomes. The study also described the knowledge, attitude, and practice of these urban slum people regarding air pollution and its effect. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 442 urban slum people residing in the slums of the Kolkata Municipal area. Household environmental exposures were collected by standardized methods and outcome was observed by conducting a pulmonary function test. Finally, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding air pollution were carried out with the help of a questionnaire-based survey. Results and Discussion: Almost all the pollutants exposure was associated with impairment of lung function. Younger age and female gender were statistically associated protective factors for the development of any lung disease. Those who had an overall good awareness regarding the means and effects of air pollution were found to be protected from developing lung disease. Using exhaust ventilation, relocation to inner side of slums, using personal protective measures, and adequate pollution awareness can help the slum citizens to overcome the problem.

Effect of light pollution on self-reported sleep quality and its components: Comparative assessment among healthy adult populations in a rural and an Urban area of West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: Light pollution is inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light. Nighttime sky radiance is an effective measure to study its effects on individual sleep quality. OBJECTIVES: The study is aimed to measure the effect of light pollution on the sleep quality and compare among people residing in selected rural and urban areas of West Bengal, India. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted during September-October 2018 in 10 villages of Barasat II block and 10 wards of Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Two hundred and sixty-three participants from urban and 249 participants from rural areas were selected through multi-stage sampling. Data regarding sleep quality and other selected factors were geotagged along with the radiance data. Multi-level linear regression models were built. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants from rural and urban areas were respectively 37.65 (±10.77) years and 38.10 (±11.02) years. Gender-wise the participants were distributed almost evenly in urban and rural areas. Among the urban and rural population, the observed mean global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores were 12.63 (±3.04) and 9.23 (±2.27), respectively. Poorer sleep quality was observed to be statistically significant with increasing level of exposure. Multi-level models show that, at an exposure of >40.0 nW/cm2/sr the adjusted coefficient was 11.52 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.65, 13.40) in the overall model and 12.84 (95% CI: 12.31, 13.37) for urban participants. CONCLUSION: The disturbance in sleep is associated with higher levels of night-time radiance of the sky strongly observed among the urban population.

Effect of dietary habit and physical activity on overnutrition of schoolgoing adolescents: A longitudinal assessment in a rural block of West Bengal.

BACKGROUND: Overweight among adolescents has high prevalence on the eastern part of India, especially West Bengal. OBJECTIVES: The current study was conducted to estimate and compare the effects of different dietary habits and habits related to physical activity in the development of overweight and obesity among rural schoolgoing adolescents. METHODS: A prospective repeated measures study was conducted on 645 schoolgoing adolescents from selected rural government-aided schools from June 2017 to December 2017. Dietary habits of the students and physical activity-related factors were the major predictors. Adjusting for the age and sex of the participants, effect of these factors on the development of overweight and obesity was analyzed by generalized estimating equations for 2 repeated measures, taken 6 months apart. RESULTS: Most of the respondents were aged ≥16 years (56.90%), female (52.87%), Hindu (76.74%), from a nuclear family (76.74%), and studying in the secondary level (57.68%). There was a stark rise in proportion of overweight from 0.93% to 7.44%. The prevalence of unhealthy dietary habits was 68.99% at the baseline, and 66.82% on follow-up. The overall prevalence of inadequate physical activity increased to 48.68% from 47.91%. Female gender and older age group were at higher risk of being overweight or obesity. Overall fast food showed highest risk (3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.86-4.95), while among the boys, it was with less vegetable consumption (4.64, 95% CI: 1.84-11.69). CONCLUSIONS: Strong evidence was generated of dietary practices being more rigidly related to overweight among the adolescents. Healthy dietary practices coupled with physical activity should be promoted to mitigate the risk of obesity.

Epidemiological profile of snake bite in south 24 Parganas district of West Bengal with focus on underreporting of snake bite deaths.

BACKGROUND: Snake bite is a neglected public health problem in India. Very few community based epidemiological studies in India have been published so far on this issue. Most of the studies were carried out on hospital data. Previous community-based survey in the state revealed that only 22% snake bite victims attended hospitals. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study is to find out the epidemiological profile of snake bite in eight blocks of the South 24-Paraganas district of West Bengal and to explore the under reporting of snake bite deaths in health facilities in that area during the study period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of snake bite data was carried out from a community-based epidemiological survey on 1.9 million populations. This survey was done door-to-door from January 2009 to October 2010 to get epidemiological profile of snake bite of the previous 2 years. The data of direct survey was compared with the official report of the same area to evaluate the hospital-based data with focus on underreporting of snakebite deaths. RESULTS: A total number of snake bite cases as found in the survey in the study area was 4871. There was a huge gap between the two data (direct survey and official data). Only 7.23% snake bite deaths were officially reported. Only 22.19% of the snake bite victims attended the hospitals. Nearly 65.7% of the snake bite deaths were due to common krait bite, most of them occurring in the months of June to September. CONCLUSIONS: Official reporting system is still having a huge deficiency in India. Snake bite needs to get more attention from the health authority.

A study on fertility perception: an experience from west bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: Fertility pattern has some influence on health of mother and child as well as it can resist population growth. METHODS: A cross sectional study on fertility perception among married women of reproductive age group, was carried out in 3 blocks and 2 municipality areas of Howrah District of West Bengal, India, covering 12 villages and 4 wards, selected by stratified multistage random sampling, for a period of 6 months from April to September 2009. Two thousand married women were the respondents. RESULTS: Respondents were mainly belonged to poor and below poverty line groups (86.7%), one third (33.4%) were illiterate and just literate group, 66.8% of the respondents belonged to Hindu by religion and 63.4% had history of teen age pregnancy and more than 50% of the respondents were married early (below 18 years). The study revealed that perception about age of marriage, interval between marriage and 1(st) pregnancy and spacing were incorrect in case of 45.8%, 37.6% and 23% of the respondents, respectively. 22.3% and 13.1% of the respondents had no proper idea regarding desired no of children and Family Planning methods, respectively and their knowledge varied with literacy status, age and religion. Majority (67.5%) of the study population received information about family planning methods from health personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Correct Knowledge regarding different components of fertility among Eligible Couples to be enhanced by intervention through Information, Education and Communication (Interpersonal Communication and Mass Media).

Critical appraisal of mass DEC compliance in a district of west Bengal.

A cross sectional study was carried out to assess drug compliance after Mass Drug Administration of DEC and the factors responsible for poor compliance among the population of Murshidabad district of West Bengal during Jan 2009. Total study unit were 120 families covering 3 villages and one municipality ward area (30 families from each area). As a part of Revised Filaria control strategy, MDA programme was implemented in Murshidabad district from 29th-31st December 2008. Result revealed that total covered population were 601, out of which 571 were eligible population for Mass drug administration (6 Pregnant women and <2 years age groups (24) were excluded). Drug distribution rate was 91.8%. Overall drug compliance was 42.3%. Total number of defaulters was 330 (57.7%). Non compliance was highest (75.5%) in urban area. Defaulters was more among male than female. Factors responsible for defaulters were no motivation (24.7%), drugs not supplied (22.5%), absence at home (13.5%), no faith (10.1%), fear of side effects (10.1%) and others (Forgotten, lack of prior IEC etc), illness, wrong information were 7.8%, 7.3%, 3.9% respectively. Majority has no side effects, only dizziness (3.3%), headache (1.7%), vomiting and others (4.1%) were experienced by the people after consumption of drugs. On an average 40% families were aware about ELF & transmission of disease. Only 43.7% of community members were informed about MDA by Health Workers prior to the implementation of MDA programme.

Critical appraisal of healthcare delivery services by multipurpose workers in rural West Bengal.

This cross-sectional study of 35 multipurpose workers (MPWs) of Goalpokhar--II (Chakulia) block selected by random sampling in the district of Uttar Dinajpur showed that 30 respondents were female mostly in the age group less than 30 years and rest were male in the age group of above 30 years. Majority of respondents (65.7%) were educated up to the level of higher secondary. On an average each MPW used to spend only 5.8 hours per week for home visit. During referral of the patients, the problems faced by the health workers were due to non-availability of vehicles (71.4%), difficulties in the means of communication ie, long distance, road problems, etc (85.7%), and lack of awareness about referral centre (2.8%). Only 5.5% of the MPWs stated absence of difficulty during referral to the higher facility. Regarding difficulties faced during transmission of health related information, 25.7% of MPWs were unaware of the location of the reporting centre; 17.4% of MPWs were unaware of authority to be informed and 14.3% of MPWs complained about social barrier and 22.8% experienced non-availability of manpower. However 42.9% of MPWs did not face any problem while transmitting health related events/information to the higher authority. Most of the respondents (23.5%) opined that their performance may be enhanced by increasing community awareness.

Perception of general population about hepatitis B: a cross-sectional study.

Hepatitis B, is one of the major public health problems can be controlled with the active participation of the community. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the immunization clinic of Burdwan Medical College to identify the level of people's perception on the diseases Hepatitis B. A total of 210 individuals accompanying the children for routine immunization were interviewed. The study result showed that majority (65.3%) of the respondents were unaware that the diseases is caused by virus and 46.2% were unaware on transmission of disease. 38% of the respondents were unaware regarding the future consequences of the diseases. The knowledge on the preventive measures against Hepatitis B was high (76.2%) among the respondents. Incorrect knowledge in relation to vaccination like interval of vaccination, necessity of re-vaccination was 88.6%, 86.7% respectively. 49% had no idea about ideal age for vaccination. Significant difference of knowledge was found between illiterate and just-literate group with primary, secondary & above group (p< 0.05). Receipt of vaccine (15.6%) also significantly more (p< 0.05) in case of higher income group.