Introduction: Self-medication is the obtainment and consumption of drugs without a physician’s advice, in any stage of disease management. Indiscriminate practice of self-medication, which is common in developing countries like India, often leads to dangerous unwarranted adverse effects, ultimately increasing cost burden due to health care. The aim of this study was to assess self-medication practice and its reasons among study participants. Methods: Eligible residents of the urban field practice area of a Kolkata-based medical college were interviewed using a predesigned and pretested data collection schedule. Results: Among 170 participants, 98 (57.7%) were found to have practiced self-medication; 39.8% of them were aged between 28 and 37 years, the majority being females (57.1%). Lack of felt need to visit a registered medical practitioner was the most common reason (34.7%) cited behind practicing self-medication. All (100.0%) self-medicating participants checked expiry date before use; pain suppressing medications were the most commonly used (46.9%). Pharmacies were the commonest source of knowledge for medicinal use (64.3%). The less educated tended to self-medicate more than those with a higher level of education ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study found the majority of its respondents to be practicing self-medication. Stringent implementation of law and increasing community awareness regarding the ill effects of self-medication is therefore necessary.
Introduction Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is an evolving problem with varied presentation. No definite treatment guidelines are available at present that may reduce rate of recurrence. Current evidence suggests a ductal pathology behind IGM, which leads to periductal mastitis, leakage and sinus/fistula formation. Thus, excision of the sinus/fistulous tract with en-bloc wide local excision (WLE) of the lesion could be curative. The objective of this study was to look for the basic aetiology of IGM and evaluate the effectiveness of WLE with total or partial duct excision as a curative approach. Methods An institutional prospective comparative study was conducted over 4 years (2015–2019), in which 59 cases of IGM were randomly divided into three groups. After necessary investigations, patients in group A received steroid therapy, those in group B received WLE and patients in group C received WLE with total or partial duct excision as the mode of treatment. Postoperative follow-up was between 6 months and 3 years. Results Histopathological examination (HPE) was found to be the most suitable diagnostic procedure. Patients in group B showed the highest rate of recurrence (73.6%), followed by group A (35.0%) and group C (5.0%). Patients in group C had a significantly lower chance of recurrence compared with both group A and group B (p < 0.05). HPE reports of excised ducts from patients in group C showed ductal disruption and leakage along with periductal granuloma in 70% of cases. Conclusions The presence of duct granuloma indicates the association of ductal pathology in IGM. IGM is therefore a disease of the mammary ducts and en-bloc duct excision is curative in non-responding cases.
Introduction: Corneal blindness, though treatable, contributes largely to the burden of blindness. With 1.2 million existing cases of corneal blindness in India, the demand for cornea collection is increasing. 69349 corneas were collected in 2018-19 but it is much less than what is needed. Faulty perceptions and unwillingness are two major hurdles against a scenario favourable towards eye donation. The objectives of the study was to assess the perception and willingness towards eye donation and the socio-demographic variables that affect such perception and willingness, in an urban community of West Bengal. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted among adult residents of the urban field practice area of Medical College Kolkata, data was collected from randomly selected eligible members, one each from all the available families by interviewing them using a validated pre tested schedule. Results: Eighty nine (52.3%) among 170 interviewed participants had Secondary level education or higher, 49.4% had outdoor engagement. 128 participants reported ocular morbidity in the family but only 126 had heard about eye donation. 98 (77.8%) of these 126, had favourable perception towards eye donation. Among these 98 participants, 40 were willing to pledge for eye donation. Higher education and outdoor engagement significantly predicted favourable perception, while willingness significantly increased with participants belonging to higher socio-economic class and with higher education. Conclusions: Compared to favourable perception, willingness of pledging eyes was lesser due to various false notions. Proper education through usage of means of mass communication and stress upon school education is needed to address these hurdles.
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