Research Question: What is the morbidity profile of ex-servicemen residing at Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad corporation area. Objectives: 1) To determine types and extent of prevalent morbidities among ex-servicemen. 2) To ascertain the association between prevalent morbidities and selected predictor variables Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Ex-servicemen's canteen, Vishrambag, Sangli. Participants: 416 ex-servicemen, registered under ex-servicemen's canteen, Vishrambag. Statistical Analysis: Percentage, Chi-square test, and odds ratio. Results: 217 (52.2%) subjects had one or more diseases/conditions. Commonest diseases detected were hypertension (26.20%), musculoskeletal problems (23.55%), and mental health problems (12.98%). Increase in the post-retirement period of ex-servicemen was significantly associated with increase in prevalence of hypertension, OR = 8.75 (3.73-20.52) and musculoskeletal disorders, OR = 10.88 (4.54-26.52). Prevalence of hypertension was significantly more for those who served less than 10 years in the military job, OR = 1.90 (1.04-3.8). In the upper socio-economic class, the risk of hypertension was significantly more, OR = 6.08 (1.78-20.17); in the upper lower class, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders was significantly more, OR = 4.15 (1.88-9.16). Considering the importance of health of ex-servicemen and existence of high morbidity pattern, periodical screening was needed for every ex-serviceman who belonged to the high-risk group.

Research Questions: What is the present level of knowledge among the high-risk groups regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and what is the source of such knowledge? What role do the stakeholders play in enhancing their level of knowledge? Objectives: To assess the efficacy of interventions focused on high-risk groups, and to find out indications on the needs to work with the general population. Study Design : Community-based cross-sectional survey about transmission of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); Study Period: December 2002. Participants: 1792 respondents, which included 1001 truckers, 389 migrants, 206 street children, and 196 commercial sex workers (CSWs). Setting: In intervention sites under SACS in Rajasthan Analysis: Frequency distribution and Chi-square tests. Results: Knowledge about all the four methods of transmission of HIV/AIDS was found to be relatively poor among the targeted intervention subjects. Of those who knew about HIV/AIDS about 67 per cent of the spouses of out migrants (55%) over one-third of the in migrants (35%), 45 per cent of the female commercial sex workers and 0.8 per cent truckers knew about all the correct modes of transmission of HIV/AIDS. TV/Radio emerged as the main source of knowledge about the correct modes of transmission for most of the respondents. The state health services and NGO workers, though primarily responsible for imparting knowledge to the subjects were found to be playing marginal role in the same.

Research Question: What is the influence of maternal nutritional status during pregnancy on the birth weight? Objective: To assess the effect of maternal nutritional status during pregnancy on the birth weight of the baby among tea tribe women in Dibrugarh district. Study Design: Field-based cohort study. Setting: Five tea estates in Dibrugarh District, Assam. Period of Study: One year (April 1998 to April 1999). Participants: A cohort of non-pregnant currently married tea garden women of reproductive age group (15-44 years) from similar socio-economic background. Materials and Methods: Oral questionnaire for age, family structure, obstetric history, annual income, and period of gestation. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height were recorded using bathroom scales and the anthropometric rod. Measurements of weight were repeated during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy. Birth weight of the baby was recorded at delivery, irrespective of the period of gestation and mode of delivery. Statistical Analysis: Correlation co-efficient, standard deviation, and regression analysis. Results and Conclusions: Of all, 88% mothers had pre-pregnant weight of <45 kg, and 61% babies had birth weight <2500 gm. Subjects with better pre-pregnant weight had corresponding favorable total weight gain, resulting in better birth weight of the babies. Pre-pregnant weight had direct positive linear relationship with the birth weight. There is a need to improve the nutritional status of the adolescent girl in order to build up her pre-pregnant weight for a favorable birth weight.

Background: The decision-making authority is one of the ways of measuring the female empowerment, although mere participation in any matter does not corroborate full empowerment of women. However, participation in decision-making process in household matters considers that a female is accounted in the family. Objective: The present study investigated to the extent at which the female adolescents participated in decision-making process in household matters and assessed the factors influencing them. Study Setting: Both rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. Study Design: A quantitative and a qualitative study designs were adopted for this study. Sample Size and Sampling: A cluster sampling technique was used to select the sample. A sample of 3362 female adolescents irrespective of their marital status was selected using a cluster sampling technique. To complement the results found in quantitative analysis, a series of focus group discussions were also conducted among the adolescents. Results: The analysis revealed that a large proportion of the study adolescents did not participate in any decision-making process in their household matters. Only about one-third (31.1%) of the adolescents participated in any household matter; however, the acceptance of their opinions was minimal. In spite of little participation of adolescents in family matters, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older adolescents aged 15-19 years, years of schooling, work status, and the family members with a positive attitude toward female education appeared to be the influencing factors for adolescent participation in household affairs ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusions : The study concluded that gainful economic activities of adolescents and female education are the key elements for participation of female adolescents in different household matters.