Background: In India, substance abuse has infiltrated all socio-cultural and economic strata causing loss of productivity. Prevention of relapse is crucial for its control. Objectives: To find out the pattern of substance use, relapse rate, its association with various socio-demographic factors and treatment related issues. Methods: An observational study with cross-sectional design during April 2009-March 2010 at a de addiction centre was conducted among consecutive 284 clients admitted with relapse. They were detoxified earlier in the same centre. Data were collected by interviewing clients with schedule and clinical examination. Results: Brown sugar (an adulterated form of Heroin) was primary drug of abuse in urban area contrary to alcohol in rural area. Commonest age of initiation was between 15-20 years. Polydrug abusers (59.1%) were common. Only 31.3% of the relapse cases took regular follow up. Common psychiatric illnesses were anxiety (44.7%) and depression (30.6%). Peer pressure (77.8%) was commonest cause of relapse. Significantly higher relapse episodes were present with increasing age, Muslim religion, ever marriage, poor literacy, current unemployment, living in nuclear rather than joint family, early age of initiation, longer duration of abuse and no follow up. Conclusion: Regular follow up with family, peer and social support are essential along with vocational rehabilitation to prevent relapse.

SUMMARYBackground: Geriatric population and chronic diseases are increasing throughout the world especially in developing countries like India. Because of social change and urbanization, disability is also a problem in India. As the major reasons for geriatric disabilities are chronic diseases, a study was undertaken. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of different chronic diseases and disability among the geriatric population in a rural community of India and to determine the association between chronic diseases and disability of the geriatric population. Method: A cross-sectional, observational community based study was conducted in a rural area of West Bengal, India through house to house visit for Clinical examination, observation and interview with a predesigned pre-tested proforma Results: Out of 495 study population, 80 (16.16%) were found to be functionally disabled as per ADL scale and more than half (56.2%) of them had 3 or more chronic conditions. 92.5% of study populations had one or more chronic conditions Conclusion: Association between different risk factors and disability was found with age, sex, anaemia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases(C.O.P.D), scabies, hypertrophy of prostate, ischaemic heart disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and acid peptic disorder were the risk factors of disability. These data suggest the significant chronic conditions and risk factors associated with disability. Measures to reduce such chronic conditions and impairment would be the useful approach for the prevention of disability.

Parental education, socioeconomic background, and number of living issues were the main predictors for gender preference. Awareness regarding gender preference and related law and parental counselling to avoid gender preference with adoption of small family norm is recommended.

Objective We designed this study to focus on women with mobile uteri benign no larger than 14 weeks, who would ordinarily be considered candidates for vaginal hysterectomy and compare the outcomes when abdominal routes were chosen. We also compared the intra and post operative complications, requirement for blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, between abdominal and vaginal route of hysterectomy. Method In a simple randomized prospective comparative study 200 consecutive patients requiring hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions were analysed over a period of 2 years. (June 2006-May 2008. Group A (n = 100) underwent vaginal hysterectomy (non descent vaginal hysterectomy, NDVH) which was compared with group B (n = 100) who had abdominal hysterectomy. Results As far as duration of operation, duration of i.v. drip, mobilization in post operative ward, duration of hospital stay, P value was significant. Regarding blood loss P value was insignificant. Conclusion The accessibility of the vaginal passage, disease confined to the uterus and the surgeons experience are the major determining factors for the choice of the route of hysterectomy.

Background: Puberty is the unique stage of growth and development associated with the social and psychological changes referred to as adolescence. The adolescent psychosocial development is the process through which the dependent child becomes a self reliant adult. A large number of adolescents suffer from psychosocial problems and many of these problems are of transient in nature and are often not even noticed. The objective of the study was to find out the prevalence of psychosocial problems among adolescents.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in ward no 58 of Tangra area of Kolkata. The study group comprised of 420 adolescents, selected by multistage stratified random sampling. Data was collected on a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire by interviewing the adolescents and was subsequently analyzed by using suitable statistical package.Results: Anxiety was maximum (34.76%) in adolescent boys whereas conduct disorder was found to be maximum (28.57%) in adolescent girls. Majority (35.62%) of late adolescent boys were attributed to substance abuse. Anxiety was found to be the commonest problem among adolescent males in all religions. Educational difficulties were maximum among Muslim adolescents. The problems per subject (with psycho-social problems) were more in adolescent boys (4.4) and girls (3.8) having joint family. None of the class I adolescent girls claimed to have any educational difficulties.Conclusions: A holistic approach to underlying causes of psycho-social problems of adolescents should be undertaken. There is need of strengthening the existing “package” of services for adolescents in various initiatives and programmes.