Handouts form an important teaching aid in lectures. At the Department of preventive and social Medicine, JIPMER, over the last 4 years, handouts on selected topics have been developed and used in the training of medical undergraduates. Based on the experience gained thereby, practical tips in the development of handouts have been given.

Research question: 1. Will measles vaccination reduce the incidence and during of diarrhoeal episodes in children? 2. Will measles vaccination reduce the morbidity load because of diarrhoea? Objectives: 1. To provide measles immunization to rural children 9 to 24 months of age. 2. to study the occurrence of diarrhoeal episodes by domicillary visits every month for a period of 1 year. Design: Longitudinal study. Setting: Rural area in the state of Haryana. Participants: Children between the ages of 9 and 24 months with parental informed consent. Study variables: diarrhoeal episodes per child/year, duration of diarrhoea. Outcome Variable: the difference between the two groups (immunized and non- immunized) of attack rate and duration of diarrhoeal episodes. Statistical Analysis: Chi square test. Results: immunization coverage was 75%. Attack rates of diarrhoea in immunized children (1.6/child/year) was no different to that in the non- immunized (1.5/child/year). The mean duration of diarrhoea in both groups was 2.3 days. The prevalence diarrhoea in immunized and non-immunized was 3.85 and 3.67 respectively. Conclusion: Measles vaccination has no impact on diarrhoeal morbidity.

Research question: Can the Missed opportunity Survey methodology be used to evaluate community participation in health programmes? Objectives: 1.To identity hospitals with daily outpatient attendance of at least 200 patients, 2. to apply the Missed Opportunity Survey tool to patients attending various clinics. 3. to evaluate its use in the evaluation of community participation in health programmes/services. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Hospitals with a daily outpatient attendance of at least 200 patients in an urban area. Participants: Patients and attendants of patients attending the outpatient departments and willing to take part in the study, statistical Analysis: Chi square test. Results: The Missed opportunity survey tool showed a statistically significant better community participation to the immunization programme than the maternal & child Health Programme. It also demonstrated that participation in the Tuberculosis Control Programme compared well with the immunization programme. Conclusions: The Missed Opportunity Survey can be used as a surrogate tool for the evaluation of all health programmes.

Research question: What are the management practices of a rural community towards trivial injuries sustained by them. Objectives: To study 1. action taken by individuals in the management of trivial injuries, 2.factors related with trivial injuries. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Rural area of Haryana. Participants: individuals attending the outpatient department of Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres, sub-centres, local registered medical practitioners (RMPs). Study variables: Trivial injuries. Outcome Variables: Management- home based or hospitals based. Results: Peripheral parts of the extremities- hands, finger, feet and toes were most commonly affected by trivial injuries. A variety of local applications like tobacco, salt, kerosene, oil, nail polish, turmeric, urine, were used for initial wound care. Conclusion: Rural people of Haryana use a variety of local applications, some not very hygienic, for the immediate management of injuries. Education is required to make them aware of hygienic practices where would care is concerned.