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Biomedical subjects

L M Nath

Publications and source records attributed to L M Nath.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Vitamin A nutritional status of rural community of Khol block in Haryana, North India. A collaborative study.

A nutritional and diet survey was carried out in 2,192 persons belonging to all age groups in a rural community. Vitamin A consumption was less than the recommended daily allowance in persons of all age groups. Bitot's spots and night blindness were detected in 7.1% and 7.2% of the population, respectively. Ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency were more frequently observed in age groups above 5 years as compared to the preschool children. There was no association of vitamin A deficiency with different grades of protein-calorie malnutrition in preschool children. Kerătomalacia was extremely rare and was observed only in one child. The study suggests that the rural area studied was a high prevalence zone for vitamin A deficiency which did not have its serious consequences due to relatively adequate protein-calorie nutritional status of the population.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors influencing prevalence of breastfeeding in a resettlement colony of New Delhi.

Influence of some family and maternal characteristics on prevalence of breastfeeding was studied in a cross sectional study using WHO suggested methodology. 547 mothers with children less than three years of age were interviewed with the help of a schedule. Age and parity of the mother, sex of the child, length of urban stay, mother's going for work did not influence the prevalence of breastfeeding. Prevalence was higher among illiterate mothers and mothers belonging to lower socio-economic status. The mothers from higher socio-economic status initiated breastfeeding earlier. More mothers from higher socio-economic status and those with better education thought that supplementation was needed before the child was 4 months old and felt that breastfeeding was needed for less than two years.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Breast feeding practices in a resettlement colony and its implications for promotional activities.

The mothers of 547 children less than three years of age were interviewed for breastfeeding practices using WHO suggested methodology in a resettlement colony of South Delhi. Only 1.8% of children were never breastfed. Prelacteal feeds were given in 90.9% of infants. More than half received their first breastfeed on 3rd day or later. Among children under three months of age, one third were already receiving top milk. 68.4% of mothers felt that the child should be breastfed for as long as possible. Demand feeding was practised by 95% of the mothers. Most of the mothers did not seek privacy to breastfeed their children. The need to identify desirable and undesirable infant feeding practices prevalent in an area has been stressed so that appropriate promotional activities can be carried out more effectively.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Supplementary iron dose in pregnancy anemia prophylaxis.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum dose of supplemental iron for prophylaxis against pregnancy anemia. One hundred and ten pregnant women were randomly allocated to three groups: Group A receiving equivalent of 60 mg, group B 120 mg and Group C 240 mg, elemental iron as ferrous sulphate daily; the content of folic acid was constant in all the three groups (0.5 mg). These women had at least consumed 90 tablets in 100 +/- 10 days. Blood was drawn at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. Fifty percent were anemic (less than 11 g/100 ml). The hemoglobin levels rose similarly in all groups and the differences were statistically not significant. Fifty-six percent had depleted iron stores (serum ferritin value less than 12 micrograms/l) at the beginning of the study. Following therapy a statistically significant increase in iron stores was observed in group B and C as compared to group A. The difference between group B and C was not significant. The side effects increased with increasing doses of iron; 32.4%, 40.3% and 72% in group A, B and C respectively. Based on these findings, the authors advocate that optimum dose of iron should be 120 mg instead of 60 mg as is currently being used in the National Nutritional Anemia Prophylaxis Programme.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Knowledge beliefs and practices regarding iodine deficiency disorders among the tribals in Car Nicobar.

It is estimated that 1,570 million people are at risk of iodine deficiency. Because of the wide spectrum of disorders that IDD includes, and lack of any obvious association between iodine deficiency and its health effects, IDD is not perceived as a major public health problem. For any disease to be effectively controlled, awareness at all levels from community to policy makers is necessary. This study was conducted to assess knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding iodine deficiency Disorders in Car Nicobar districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The population is predominantly tribals involved in coconut plantations. All the village heads of the sixteen villages and parents of 10% of the school children examined for goiter were interviewed. Initial focus group discussions were conducted as no prior knowledge about local names for goitre or other related IDD information was available. The interview schedule was designed in English which was then translated into Hindi and Nicobarese and back translated into Hindi and English. A total of 114 persons were interviewed 60 males, 54 females. The local name for goiter was "Rulo" and 44% felt that it only affected females. No one had correct knowledge of the cause of goiter. About half of the respondents believed that these swellings caused problems. Sixty three (55.3%) of respondents believed that there was treatment, of which 33 said there was medical treatment, 18 respondents said traditional treatment by "LAM-EEN" and 12 felt that both therapies are required. Majority (85%) brought salt samples from the Government canteen. They did not now whether this salt was iodised. Salt was not washed before use and storage practice was satisfactory. The awareness about IDD needs reinforcement. At present the community is a passive participant in the I.D.D. Control Programme.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A management technique for effective management of medical store in hospitals. Medical store management technique.

BACKGROUND: Almost one third of hospital' annual budget is spent on buying material and supplies including medicines. There is wide variation in cost of these items and effective management of store is necessary to ensure optimal use of money spent. OBJECTIVES: (i) To explore the feasibility of alphabetical analysis (where items are classified into A, B and C categories depending on their annual consumption value) in effective management of a medical store and to compare the present (fixed period re-order) and the proposed (fixed quantity re-order) as alternative inventory management technique. METHODS: Using multistage random sample technique, two sub-categories out of total of 37 listed in stock register (medicine) of a large hospital of Delhi were selected for detailed analysis. Alphabetical (ABC) analysis based on total annual consumption value of different items was done. Six medicines, the first and the last from each of the ABC categories, were also analysed for fixed quantity re-order. RESULTS: It was observed that ABC analysis, if practised, would allow effective control over two third of the total expenditure by controlling only one fourth of the items. The existing order size (based on fixed period re-order) was more than three times order size if based on fixed quantity re-order. CONCLUSIONS: Alphabetical analysis is a feasible and efficient technique for effective management of store in hospitals. Considerable financial savings is possible if the order size is based on fixed quantity re-order. RECOMMENDATIONS: The Assistant Store Officer should apply alphabetical analysis for more efficient management of the medical store. The present practice of fixed period re-order should be replace by fixed quantity re-order.

Cost Control↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cost of health services provided at a primary health centre.

BACKGROUND: Information on the cost of health services is essential for good planning and management and leads to an efficient use of resources. Very little information on this is available in India. We estimated the distribution of costs incurred on the Primary Health Centre, Chhainsa, Haryana by the type of service provided and their average unit costs. METHODS: We calculated the total costs incurred in running the primary health centre for one year using standard costing methods. This cost was apportioned under different heads on the basis of time and space utilization. The number of activities carried out, between April 1991 and March 1992, was obtained from the monthly reports of the centre maintained by the health assistant and supervised by the medical officer. RESULTS: The total cost incurred for one year was Rs 777,020 (US$ 24,250). Curative care accounted for 32% of the total costs followed by communicable disease control (17%), child care (17%), maternal care (11%) and family welfare (10%). An expenditure of Rs 24 was incurred on each outpatient. The cost of giving full primary immunization to a child was estimated at Rs 131, while Rs 127 was incurred on providing antenatal, natal and postnatal care to each pregnant woman. Tuberculosis-related activities in the community cost Rs 3 per head per year and malaria-related activities Rs 2 per head per year. The cost incurred annually on family welfare services to an eligible couple was Rs 19. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the cost estimates from this primary health centre are comparable with the estimates from other developing countries. These cost estimates may be used to determine user fees by health agencies or for premiums for community health insurance schemes.

Capital Expenditures↗