Introduction: Alcohol use is a major public health problem in India. We sought to study the use of alcohol and its risk factors in a rural area in South India. Methods: This study was conducted in 20 villages surrounding a Rural Health Training Centre, located in South India. The study was done from March 2018 to October 2018 with the help of Medical Interns and Medical Social Workers using a pretested questionnaire. Results: In a total population of 14,925, 11,995 individuals are in the age group of 15 years and above, among whom 1,005 were reported to be using alcohol. The prevalence of alcohol among 15 years and above is 8.4% (7.9–8.9) and the overall prevalence in the total population is 7% (6.3–7.1). Prevalence of alcohol use among males and females are 16% and 1%, respectively. The alcohol use is higher among those who prefer open defecation (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 1.2 (1.0–1.4)), Kutcha house (aOR 1.7 (1.4–2.2)) or semi-pucca house (aOR 1.3 (1.121.6)), lower caste (Most Backward Castes (MBC) aOR 1.7 (1.2–2.2), Scheduled Castes (SC) aOR 2.1 (1.6–2.9)), male gender (aOR 41 (29–59)), Married 5.0 (3.7–6.8), or Separated 2.6 (1.5–4.4) and Diabetes 1.6 (1.1–2.3). Conclusion: Alcohol use in a remote rural area is high among socially deprived communities who live in kutcha and semi-pucca houses and belong to a lower caste. This needs serious public health interventions to improve their socioeconomic status.
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are major problems in India and many other developing and developed countries. As India is committed to provide universal health care for the population, there is a need to find out the prevalence and determinants of CVD risk among high-risk individuals (Diabetes and Hypertensive patients) in the remote rural area of India to deliver appropriate services, as they are considered as neglected population. Methods: We screened high-risk individuals (Hypertension and Diabetes patients) for CVD risk using WHO/ISH chart, in a remote rural area of south India, covering ten villages surrounding the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), in August–September 2017. After line-listing the participants from the electronic database of RHTC, screening with questionnaire and biochemical tests was done at village level as the first step. Thereafter, the participants were invited to the hospital on a particular day where electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO) were done with special consultation. Results: Among the total of 303 individuals screened at the village level, 64 [21%(CI 17–25)] had a higher risk for CVD. 235 people attended the special consultation; among them, 212 underwent ECG and 88 underwent ECHO. Among those screened with ECHO, 18 had some cardiac pathologies. The relationship between CVD risk and other factors is shown in. After final adjustment, illiteracy [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.8 (0.1–3.1)], anemia [aPR 1.8 (1–3.6)], and chronic renal diseases [aPR 1.8 (1.0–3.4)] were found to be associated with high risk for CVD among hypertension and diabetes groups. Conclusion: Cardiovascular disease risk assessment using WHO/ISH chart showed an association with poor education, anemia, and chronic kidney disease.
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