Paperless registration during survey enumerations and large oral cholera mass vaccination in Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania

Problem

Field trials require extensive data preparation and complex logistics. The use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) can bypass many of the traditional steps that are necessary in a paper-based data entry system.

Approach

We programmed, designed and supervised the use of PDAs for a large survey enumeration and mass vaccination campaign.

Local setting

The project was implemented in Zanzibar in the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is composed of two main islands, Unguja and Pemba, where outbreaks of cholera have been reported since the 1970s.

Relevant changes

PDAs allowed us to digitize information at the initial point of contact with the respondents. Immediate response by the system in case of error helped ensure the quality and reliability of the data. PDAs provided quick data summaries that allowed subsequent research activities to be implemented in a timely fashion.

Lessons learnt

Portability, immediate recording and linking of information enhanced structure data collection in our study. PDAs could be more useful than paper-based systems for data collection in the field, especially in impoverished settings in developing countries.     

Eye donation - awareness and willingness among attendants of patients at various clinics in Melaka, Malaysia

Aim:

Corneal blindness accounts for 3.42% of blindness in Malaysia; the rate of eye donation is low. The aim of the study was to assess the awareness about eye donation and willingness to donate eyes among attendants of patients at various clinics in Melaka, Malaysia.

Materials and Methods:

This observational study was conducted on attendants who accompanied patients (n = 400) visiting various outpatient departments of the General Hospital and two peripheral clinics in Melaka between August and October 2007. The participants answered a questionnaire (Malay and English versions) which included demographic profile, awareness of eye donation, knowledge regarding facts of eye donation, and willingness to donate eyes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed at 5% level of significance.

Results:

Awareness of eye donation was observed in 276 (69%) participants. Multivariate analysis showed that awareness was more among females when compared to males (P = 0.009). Of the 276 participants who were aware of eye donation, only 34.42% were willing to donate eyes. Willingness was more among the Indian race (P = 0.02) and males (P = 0.02). Educational status did not influence the willingness to donate eyes.

Conclusions:

Although majority of participants were aware of eye donation, willingness to donate eyes was poor.     

Assessment of nicotine dependence among smokers in a selected rural population in Kerala, India

Objectives: An attempt was made to understand the nicotine dependence of smokers selected for an ongoingsmoking cessation intervention programme in rural Kerala, India. Methods: Data were collected from residentmales in the age group of 18 to 60 years from 4 randomly allocated community development blocks of ruralThiruvananthapuram district (2 intervention and 2 control groups). Trained accredited social health activistworkers were utilised to collect data from all groups through face to face interview. Nicotine dependence amongparticipants was assessed by means of the six-item Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) translatedinto the local language. The internal consistency of FTND was computed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.Criterion validity (concurrent) was assessed by correlations of nicotine dependence scores with age at initiation ofsmoking and cumulative smoking volume in pack-years. Results: Among the 928 smokers identified, 474 subjectswere in the intervention area (mean age =44.6 years, SD =9.66 years) and 454 in the control area (mean age= 44.5years, SD =10.30 years). The overall FTND score among current daily smokers was 5.04 (SD: 5.05). FTND scoresin the control and intervention areas were 4.75 (SD: 2.57) and 4.92 (SD: 2.51) respectively. The FTND scoresincreased with age and decreased with higher literacy and socioeconomic status. The average FTND score washigh among smokers using both bidi and cigarettes (mean 6.10, SD 2.17). Internal consistency analysis yieldeda Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.70 in a subsample of 150 subjects, a moderate result. The association of thescale was strongest, with the number of pack-years smoked (rho = 0.677, p < 0.001). Conclusion: A moderatelevel of nicotine dependence was observed among smokers in the current study. Tobacco cessation strategiescould be made more cost effective and productive if a baseline assessment of nicotine dependence is completedbefore any intervention.     

Reducing neonatal mortality and respiratory distress syndrome associated with preterm birth:a scoping review on the impact of antenatal corticosteroids in low-and middle-income countries

Background The most common cause of death among preterm infants in low-and middle-income countries is respiratory distress syndrome.The purpose of this review w...     

Facilitation of noradrenaline release from rat brain slices by \-adrenoceptors

The present study examined whether stimulation of \-adrenoceptors facilitated noradrenaline release in the rat brain. Electrical stimulation-evoked overflow of tritium from rat cerebral cortical, hypothalamic and hippocampal slices labelled with ³H-noradrenaline was measured during superfusion for 100 min. Tissue slices were electrically simulated (1 Hz, 20 mA, 2 ms, 2 min), at 20(S1) and 70(S2) min after the onset of superfusion. The nonselective \-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol (0.1 – 10 nM) enhanced stimulation-evoked overflow of tritium from slices of cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and hippocampus in a concentration-dependent manner; mean S2/S1 ratios with 10 nM isoproterenol were 161 +- 11%, 142 +- 15% and 143 - 12% of control, respectively, in the three brain regions. The facilitatory effect of isoproterenol in cerebral cortical slices was antagonized by propranolol (50 nM), a nonselective \sb-adrenoceptor antagonist, and by the \sb₁- and \sb₂-selective adrenoceptor antagonists ICI 89,406 (1 nM) and ICI 118,551(1 nM), respectively. The \sb₁- and \sb₂-selective adrenoceptor agonists prenalterol and albuterol (0.1 \2- 10 nM), respectively, also increased stimulation-evoked overflow of tritium from cerebral cortical slices; these effects were antagonized by \sb-adrenoceptor antagonists. These findings suggest that stimulation of \sb-adrenoceptors enhance noradrenaline release from rat cerebral cortical, hypothalamic and hippocampal slices; this release mechanism appears to involve both \sb₁- and \sb₂-adrenoceptor subtypes. These facilitating presynaptic receptors may be involved in mediating the antidepressant-like behavioral effects of \sb₂-adrenoceptor agonists.     

Presence of sperm antibodies and association with viscosity of semen

Semen characteristics were studied in 96 men from an in-vitrofertilization and embryo transfer programme. Along with theroutine semen analysis, the presence of sperm antibodies inseminal plasma was measured by an ELISA technique. Antibodiesto spermatozoa (IgA and/or IgG) were present in 19 cases and15 of these (78.95%) had abnormally high viscosity, often associatedwith a high percentage of particulate debris and an increasednumber of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa     

Is stroke increasing in India--preventive measures that need to be implemented

Stroke is the third commonest cause of mortality after heart disease and cancer. It is generally the disease of the aged. Prevalence rates of stroke very from one study to another. However, there has been a definite increase in the prevalence and incidence of stroke disorder in India over the last 30 years. Diabetes, smoking, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension are some of the risk factors found in stroke. To curb the rising trend of stroke in India, the two principal risk factors ie, hypertension and diabetes mellitus need to be strictly brought under control. The change in dietary habit to reduce intake of solid fat and complete cessation of smoking and chewing tobacco need also to be encouraged. Public awareness campaigns and health educations are most important part to combat increasing trend of stroke.