BackgroundUnder India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), all household contacts of sputum smear positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) patients are screened for TB. In the absence of active TB disease, household contacts aged <6 years are eligible for Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) (5 milligrams/kilogram body weight/day) for 6 months.ObjectivesTo estimate the number of household contacts aged <6 years, of sputum smear positive PTB patients registered for treatment under RNTCP from April to June'2008 in Krishna District, to assess the extent to which they are screened for TB disease and in its absence initiated on IPT.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted. Households of all smear positive PTB cases (n = 848) registered for treatment from April to June'2008 were included. Data on the number of household contacts aged <6 years, the extent to which they were screened for TB disease, and the status of initiation of IPT, was collected.ResultsHouseholds of 825 (97%) patients were visited, and 172 household contacts aged <6 years were identified. Of them, 116 (67%) were evaluated for TB disease; none were found to be TB diseased and 97 (84%) contacts were initiated on IPT and 19 (16%) contacts were not initiated on IPT due to shortage of INH tablets in peripheral health centers. The reasons for non-evaluation of the remaining eligible children (n = 56, 33%) include no home visit by the health staff in 25 contacts, home visit done but not evaluated in 31 contacts. House-hold contacts in rural areas were less likely to be evaluated and initiated on IPT [risk ratio 6.65 (95% CI; 3.06–14.42)].ConclusionContact screening and IPT implementation under routine programmatic conditions is sub-optimal. There is an urgent need to sensitize all concerned programme staff on its importance and establishment of mechanisms for rigorous monitoring.

BACKGROUND The rising prevalence of diabetes in developing countries is closely associated with industrialisation and socioeconomic development. The major determinants of diabetics in these countries are population growth, age structure, and urbanisation, prevalence of obesity because of increased intake of junk food, lack of physical activity, and stress among urban dwellers. Diabetes is increasingly concentrated in the urban areas. Hence, the present study was undertaken. METHODOLOGY A community based cross-sectional study was carried out in Raghunadhapalem, an urban area of Khammam with a total population of 1552. List of areas under Khammam (urban) was obtained from Municipal Corporation and the present study area Raghunadhapalem, was chosen by simple random sampling technique. Duration of the study was 4 months. RESULTS Majority 232 (74.3%) of study participants are at risk of developing Diabetes in future. Majority 291 (93.3%) of the study participants do not have family history of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS IDRS is a simple, useful and cost-effective screening tool for diabetes in resource limited settings. By identifying the high & medium risk individuals using IDRS, we could make screening programs more cost effective.

No abstract

No abstract