A grading system for reproductive and child health indicators in southern India.

This study was carried out to develop a system for grading local government sectors (LGS) in regard to reproductive and child health (RCH). RCH indicators for Udupi District in southern India over a one year period were graded. All 146 LGS in 3 municipalities were ranked using the grading system into one of 5 grades. The grading system is based on 14 RCH indicators. There was a wide disparity in RCH among LGS, even though the overall key RCH indicators were good. Using this new grading system for each of the 146 LGS in Udupi District, Udupi, Karkala and Kundapura administrative divisions were all within the first three grades. This new system of grading care in the LGS based on RCH indicators, can be used as an easy reference tool to assess and compare the performance of each LGS. A similar system could be adapted by other countries using RCH indicators.

Smoking among Nepali youth--prevalence and predictors.

Tobacco is the single largest risk factor for various diseases and its presence in the young heralds more serious problems as they may be exposed for longer periods. Prevalence and predictors of smoking among youth will aid in formulating effective preventive and control measures. A cross-sectional study was therefore conducted among 816 students selected from five colleges of Western Nepal using a self-administered questionnaire. Prevalence of ever smoking was 34.2% (males 47.6% and females 18.4%) and for current smoking was 17%. It was higher among youth belonging to 21 years or older as compared to younger age groups. Mean age of initiation was 16.8 years (standard deviation 2.8 years) and the most common reasons cited for smoking were; like it, to feel more relaxed, out of boredom and to look more mature. Proportion of youth who said they felt they were addicted was 43.1% and 64.7% said that they had tried to quit the habit. Most important predictors having independent effects on youth being ever smokers were having three or more smoker friends (OR=18), their own chewing (OR=4.8) or alcohol use (OR=4.2), male gender (OR=3.7) and the type of course they were pursuing, with professional course students having higher risk. With almost one fifth of college-going youth smoking and a higher prevalence in older age groups within them, smoking is a serious concern for young people in Western Nepal.