Perception among ophthalmologists about webinars as a method of continued medical education during COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: To ascertain ophthalmologist's perceptions about webinars as a method of continued medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a 21-question survey was circulated using digital media platform to approximately 1400 ophthalmologists in India between 16th August 2020 to 31st August 2020. The questionnaire focussed on the quality and usefulness of webinars based on the Bloom's taxonomy. The responses (on 4- or 5-point Likert scale) were analyzed among three professional groups- ophthalmologists in-training, consultants in public sector, and private practitioners. RESULTS: 393 ophthalmologists participated in the survey, with a response rate of 28%. The mean age was 34.6 ± 9.7 years, and males constituted 49.6% (199/393) of the respondents. Forty-seven percent of the respondents perceived the quality of webinars as good or excellent (185/393), 72.8% reported knowledge gain from webinars (286/393), and 63.9% felt that webinars are important in clinical practice and should continue post-COVID-19 pandemic (251/393), with distinct responses among the professional groups. The drawbacks perceived were overt number of webinars (371; 94.4%), confusion regarding which webinars to attend (313; 79.6%), repetition of the information (296; 75.3%), limited opportunity for participant interaction (146; 37.2%) and disparate weightage to the core disciplines of Ophthalmology. CONCLUSION: Most respondents had favorable perceptions of Ophthalmology webinars happening during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is need for improvisation in the volume of webinars, target-audience-based delivery, and participant interaction to add value to this new dimension of teaching-learning.

Active case finding of tuberculosis among household contacts of newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients: A community-based study from southern Haryana.

BACKGROUND: Active case-finding is provider-initiated and implies systematic searching for TB in individuals who would not spontaneously present to a health service, and bringing them into care for diagnosis and treatment. AIM: The present study was carried out with the objective to assess the yield and feasibility of active case finding strategy among household contacts of newly diagnosed pulmonary TB cases and to determine risk factors in household contact. METHODS: This community-based study with cross-sectional design was conducted among the household contacts of all newly diagnosed microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB patients registered at Tuberculosis Unit (TU), Nuh. Investigator conducted house to house visit and met respective index case and his/her household contacts to build the rapport. RESULTS: In the present study, there were 55 sputum smear-positive index cases and 356 household contacts of index cases. The most common symptom among screening positive household contacts was cough followed by weight loss. A substantial proportion (83.8%) of symptom positive household contacts were investigated for tuberculosis and among them, 18.9% were found to be positive for tuberculosis. The overall prevalence of TB cases among household contacts was found to be 1.97%. CONCLUSION: The present study concludes that household contact screening for active case finding for TB is a feasible and efficient tool that can potentially result in earlier diagnosis and treatment of active TB, thus minimizing the severity and decreasing transmission. It can also contribute toward improving treatment outcomes, health sequelae, and the social and economic consequences of TB.

A Cross-sectional Study to Find out the Prevalence of Different Types of Domestic Violence in Gwalior City and to Identify the Various Risk and Protective Factors for Domestic Violence.

BACKGROUND: Violence against women is a universal phenomenon that persists in all communities and in all countries of the world and the perpetrator of that violence is often well-known to the victim. Domestic violence in particular continues to be frighteningly common and well-accepted as "normal" within too many societies. OBJECTIVES: (1) The primary aim of this study is to find out the extent of different type of domestic violence and to identify various risk factors for domestic violence against married women. (2) The secondary aim is to identify the various protective factors of domestic violence against married women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a population based cross-sectional study carried out in the urban area of Gwalior city for a period of one year. Stratified random sampling technique was used for the selection of the samples. The study participants were interviewed using a pretested semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. Proportion, Pearson's, chi-square test and odds ratio were calculated for the analysis of the study. RESULT: Of the 144 study participants, 68 participants reported some form of domestic violence, which was either physical, sexual or emotional. The most common type of violence reported was physical violence. The most important risk factor for domestic violence was alcoholism followed by literacy status. Majority of the abused women were dependent on their husbands for money, material assets and expenditure. CONCLUSION: The study hereby recommends that to prevent domestic violence government has to take stringent action for making women more self-reliant especially by making the women more literate and more financially independent.

Epidemiological trends of cancer morbidity at a government medical college hospital, Chandigarh, India.

AIM: An epidemiological shift has resulted in increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). Unlike other NCDs which are easily and definitely preventable, the knowledge of cancer prevention is still limited at present. Various aetiological factors are difficult to control since those are habit forming. Hence an available remedy remains its secondary and tertiary prevention for which appropriate planning is of paramount importance. Evidence based planning requires careful analysis of data with a view to prioritize various cancers. Keeping in view the fact that the adaptation of smoking free status in Chandigarh city might have a far reaching positive effect on the cancer related morbidity of the people, the following study was undertaken to provide base line data to be used for future comparisons. METHODS: The registers maintained in the Department of Radiotherapy were checked and those belonging to the years 1999 to 2009 were utilized to analyze the cancer morbidity in respect to age, sex, and year of presentation to health care facility. RESULTS: A total of 4,600 cancer patients (males=2276, females=2324) demonstrated a gradual increase in the number of cancer cases from 150 in the year 1999 to 783 in the year 2009. The most common cancers amongst males were cancer of gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) and lung (including larynx) constituting 37.3% and 27.1% of the total, respectively. In females these were cancers of breast and cervix representing 33.3% and 17.6% of total cancer cases, respectively, and lung cancer constituted 5.3%. The maximum cases of bone cancer (53.8% of all bone cancers) were observed amongst children aged less than 20 years and lung cancer (48.2% of all lung cancers) among the elderly aged 60-69 years.

Epidemiological study of risk factors for oral, laryngeal and esophageal cancers at a tertiary care hospital in India.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND AIS: An epidemiological shift in the form of increase in the incidence of cancer and decrease in the incidence of smoking is universally realized today. This study was conducted to observe an association of smoking, use of alcohol and tobacco and cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and esophagus MATERIAL AND METHODS: it was a case control study conducted at Deptt. of Radiotherapy at GMCH, Chandigarh. The registers from radiology department were utilized and studied for the presence of history of alcohol consumption, smoking and tobacco intake. Statistical analysis was done by calculating Odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Out of 363 cases with the diagnosis of Laryngeal, Esophageal and Oral Cancer along with 568 controls studied, 42 (11.6%) were in the age group of 30-44 years, 153 (42.1%) in the age group of 45-59 years and rest 171 (47.1%) in the age group of 60+ years. Among cases, the percentage of tobacco use, smoking and alcohol consumption was 10.5, 60.6 and 33.6 respectively as against the similar percentages among controls 1.4, 9.0 and 6.3. The odds ratio for tobacco use in relation to patients aged 60+ years was 2.39, in the age group of 45-59 years was 11.19 and increased to 55.35 in the age group 30-44 years. Similarly the overall odds ratio for alcohol consumption was 7.48 and it was 4.98 in the age group 60+ years, 6.30 in the age group 45-59 years and increasing to 17.00 in the age group of 30-44 years. CONCLUSION: Finding suggests that risk of cancer of the upper respiratory and alimentary tracts is higher with tobacco and alcohol use. Further studies are required.

A comparative assessment of KAP regarding tuberculosis and RNTCP among government and private practitioners in District Gwalior, India: an operational research.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind. However, still practitioners are unaware of various facts associated with it. OBJECTIVES: (1) To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices adopted by practitioners of both government and private sectors in diagnosis and management of TB patients. (2) To assess the views of practitioners in strengthening the RNTCP programme. METHODOLOGY: 200 allopathic practitioners from both government and private sectors providing their services in Gwalior District were interviewed using pre-designed pre-tested structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean score of knowledge related to tuberculosis and RNTCP was higher among government practitioners (9.8) compared to private practitioners (6.1). All practitioners were having positive attitude towards regular up gradation of knowledge while statistically significant differences were noted on issues related to management of TB patients as per RNTCP guidelines. X-ray was the most preferred modality for diagnosis and follow up among private practitioners compared to sputum examination among government practitioners. Referral of poor and serious patients was also very low among private practitioners. CONCLUSION: The present study hereby concludes that there is a large gap in Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on TB and RNTCP among the practitioners of both the sectors. There is an urgent need for upgrading the knowledge on various issues and regular Continuing Medical Education (CME) involving various professional bodies.

Knowledge of computer among healthcare professionals of India: a key toward e-health.

Information technology has radically changed the way that many people work and think. Over the years, technology has touched a new acme and now it is not confined to developed countries. Developing countries such as India have kept pace with the world in modern technology. Healthcare professionals can no longer ignore the application of information technology to healthcare because they are key to e-health. This study was conducted to enlighten the perspective and implications of computers among healthcare professionals, with the objective to assess the knowledge, use, and need of computers among healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional study of 240 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and pharmacists, was conducted. Each participant was interviewed using a pretested, semistructured format. Of 240 healthcare professionals, 57.91% were knowledgeable about computers. Of them, 22.08% had extensive knowledge and 35.83% had partial knowledge. Computer knowledge was greater among the age group 20-25 years (high knowledge-43.33% and partial knowledge-46.66%). Of 99 males, 21.21% were found to have good knowledge and 42.42% had partial knowledge. A majority of doctors and nurses used computer for study purposes. The remaining healthcare professionals used it basically for the sake of entertainment, Internet, and e-mail. A majority of all healthcare professionals (95.41%) requested computer training, which according to them would definitely help to make their future more bright and nurtured as well as to enhance their knowledge regarding computers.

A Cross-sectional Study to Determine Prevalence of Obesity in High Income Group Colonies of Gwalior City.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has become a major chronic disorder affecting the larger population more than any other disease in the world. OBJECTIVES: 1) To determine the prevalence of obesity in both sexes in persons aged 30 years and above. 2) To determine the relationship of epidemiological determinants on the obesity status in the study subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study had been undertaken in literate high income group colonies of Gwalior city in which persons aged 30 years and above, in a family, were interviewed. A house-to-house survey method on a pre-designed, pre-tested structured questionnaire was used. Information regarding socio-demographic profile, eating habits and current health status were recorded. Anthropometric data regarding height, weight and blood pressure was also taken. The data was collected and analyzed using statistical software and chi square and proportional statistical test were applied. RESULTS: The study showed that 34.4% of males and 31.3 % of females, both aged 30years and above were either obese or over weight. There was a statistically significant difference noted in the likening of fried food and fast food between obese and overweight persons and persons with normal body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded from the present study that obesity is a chronic illness. Early detection of it can prevent various complications associated with it. BMI plays a crucial role in its early detection as it is simple to calculate and can even detect the pre-obesity stage in time.