A study to assess the effect of stressful life events on psychological distress levels of participants living in an urban area.

CONTEXT: Stressful life events affect the psychological wellbeing of individuals. Through this study, we aim to understand this effect and various other factors affecting the psychological wellbeing of the study participants. AIMS: To determine the vulnerability of study participants to psychological distress following stressful life events. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study in an urban setting. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Systematic random sampling with a sample size of 178. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis is done using SPSS version 22. Tests used are chi square test, Spearman's rank correlation test. RESULTS: The number of life events and psychological distress scores had a positive correlation.The events that occurred in one month before history taking, a correlation was found to be strongest and no correlation was found between the events which occurred more than one year before study enrolment and the psychological distress. Factors like sleeping patterns, exercise, and marital status also had a significant correlation with the psychological distress score of participants. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health is dependent on many parameters with life events being a major factor at a given point of time. However, different factors apart from life events will affect psychological wellbeing, and mental health is an interplay of all those factors.

Health needs of adolescent girls living in an urban slum of a metropolitan city- A mixed method approach.

CONTEXT: Adolescents constitute nearly 21% of the population in India. They are more likely to be constrained than adults from access to and timely use of appropriate care. Adolescence in girls is a turbulent period. The changes that take place during this period need to be made stress free. These are mostly physiological, for which simple family remedies can be found out. OBJECTIVES: 1. Assessing the health needs of adolescent girls living in an urban slum. 2. Identifying the barriers in accomplishing the health needs. METHODOLOGY: This was a community-based cross-sectional study with mixed method approach. A focus group discussion was held with 13 adolescent girls. FGD results were used to prepare a questionnaire to interview 80 adolescent girls. RESULTS: The FGD revealed adolescent girls needed more information on menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, and its associated illness. Totally, 45% of the adolescent girls belonged to the age group 17-19 years. About 90% had inadequate knowledge on reproductive health. They preferred group sessions over one-to-one session on these topics and their mother as the source of information. CONCLUSION: The reproductive and sexual healthcare education that is currently being imparted to the girls need to be devised in such a way that it empowers them. A family member-the mother needs to be trained so that she can make this age transition smooth and stress free. The correct scientific knowledge will help in ensuring sustainable development.