Background: Depression is commonly encountered in elderly population. The symptoms associated with depression are likely to be dismissed as 'normal' by self as well as family caregivers. Other than organic causes, social factors play a significant role in development of depression. In many primary care settings, patients presenting with depression often do not get diagnosed. Objectives: To assess the burden of depression and its association with socio demographic predictors among elderly population in a selected urban community in Puducherry. Material and Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 150 randomly selected elderly persons in the urban service areas of a medical college. Socio demographic details, activities of daily living, family care and social interaction particulars were collected. Geriatric Depression Scale-15 screening questionnaire was used to assess depression. Results: The mean age of the participants was 69.8+7.2 years. Two-thirds participants (70.3%) reported good family care. About half (52.4%) of the participants had good social interaction and 38.6% had depression. More women (48.6%) reported depression than men (28.2%). Female gender, living alone, poor family care, dependency in activities of daily living, perceived burden and less social interaction were significantly (p<0.05) associated with depression. Conclusion: Community screening of elderly for depression can be a made a routine practice in primary health care settings. Risk factors could be identified and alleviated to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Background: Providing universal family planning services is an important strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and to control population growth. Worldwide, when contraception is used properly and effectively to avoid unwanted pregnancy it can reduce 25–35% of maternal deaths. The present study aimed at measuring the proportion of married women with unmet need for family planning in an urban area of Puducherry.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 235 married women in the urban field practice area of Sri Venkateshwara Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Puducherry. Participants were selected based on predetermined eligibility criteria using systematic random sampling method. SPSS version 23.0 was used for statistical analysis. Proportion, Mean, Standard deviation and Logistic regression were applied to interpret the results.Results: Mean age of the participants was 33.3 ±6 years, Nearly 77 %( 181) of the participants reported having used any method of contraceptive at least once and 34.5 %( 81) were found to have unmet need for family planning. The most common reason for unmet need for contraception was fear of side effects (39.5%) and others were infrequent sex (12.3%),insisted by family members (12.3%) and religious reasons (12.3%).Conclusions: Unmet need for family planning was found to be fairly high in our study population. Health care personnel, preferably field staff should be trained to give an informed choice of contraception to the eligible couples to reduce the unmet need for contraception.

Background: Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) was launched in India during 1975, to tackle the high prevalence of malnutrition among under 5 children. NFHS 3 (2005-06) reports that only 33% of ICDS services were utilized by them. To ensure the effectiveness of the scheme, nutritional status of under 5 children and the form of nutritional supplement - either Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) or Take Home Ration (THR), preferred by the beneficiaries must be assessed. Methods: A Cross sectional study was done among under 5 children in 2015 for a period of 2 months, in three randomly selected villages, Rural Field Practice Area, Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Puducherry. Weight and Height were measured for all the eligible children using standard procedures. World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards were used to assess their nutritional status. The mothers were enquired about the nutritional supplement utilization, type of nutrition supplement (HCM/THR) utilized by their children and the reasons for preference. Statistical significance was assessed by chi-square test. Results: Among 153 children enrolled, 138 (90%) were consuming HCM and 15 (10%) were THR utilizers. The overall prevalence of under nutrition was 59%. The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting were 28%, 28% and 38.5% respectively and it was found significantly (p value <0.05) higher among THR utilizers (74%, 60% and 53% respectively) than those receiving HCM (25%, 36% and 23%). Conclusions: HCM was preferred more than THR. The children receiving HCM were better nourished than THR utilizers.

Background: Adolescence is the age where the influence of marketing world is high and choice of right food and exercise becomes hurdled. The World Health Organization alarm on increasing NCDs among adolescents ratifies the need for appropriate intervention at this age group. The objective of the study was to find out the association between diet and physical activity with body mass index (BMI) among dental students in Puducherry.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2016 among 85 dental students of Sri Venkateshwaraa Dental College, Puducherry. A self administered semi structured questionnaire was used to collect information about diet and physical activity. Height and weight were measured for all participants to compute BMI.Results: The mean age of the study participants was 19.32 ± 0.6 yrs. Majority of them were females (76.5%). About 33% of students had normal BMI. Junk food consumption was 91.8% and 65% had habit of skipping meals. Only 38% of the students were doing regular physical activity. A significant association between calorie and protein intake with BMI categories viz: underweight, normal, overweight and obesity was observed (p<0.001). There was a significant association (OR=18.4, 95%CI-6.1, 54.6) between excess calorie intake and BMI but not between physical activity and BMI (OR=1.2, 95% CI-0.5, 3).Conclusions: Improper dietary habits including high calorie/protein intake was associated with increased BMI among the dental students. The role of regular physical activity alone as a single factor influencing variations in BMI among the students could not be established in the study.

No abstract

Background: Cervical radiculopathy is a common disorder causing pain and disability. Objective was to determine the effects of mechanical versus manual traction in manual physical therapy combined with segmental mobilization and exercise therapy it the physical therapy management of patients with cervical radiculopathy.Methods: The mechanical and manual traction was applied in group A and B along with common intervention of segmental mobilization and exercise therapy in both groups for 5 weeks. The outcomes were assessed by NPRS and NDI at the baseline and after completion of 5 weeks exercise program at 3 days per week. The paired and unpaired t test was applied at 95% confidence interval to determine the statistical difference among two groups and data was analysed by SPSS software version-23.Results: The result revealed that there was statistically both mechanical and manual traction techniques are equally significant in group A and B for pain and disability (p <0.05) and were better in the experimental group.Conclusions: If patients of cervical radiculopathy treated with mechanical traction, segmental mobilization and exercise therapy will manage pain and disability more effectively than treated with manual traction, segmental mobilization and exercise therapy.