Urban slum population and mortality rate attributable to unsafe WASH service in Mekong countries, 2016

Background: Poor oral hygiene is a major etiological factor for oral diseases. Urban slums are identified as a risk group population as the burden of oral diseases is high among them. So, the aim of the study was to evaluate oral hygiene status among the urban slum population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 480 urban slum people aged between 18 to 75 years. A cluster random sampling method was adopted. Data were collected by structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included information related to patient’s knowledge, attitude, and practices related to their oral hygiene. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data.Results: The majority of people brushed their teeth once a daily (58.3%) by using a toothbrush and toothpaste (65%) followed by mishri and charcoal. 81.7% of people did not use any other oral hygiene aid. The majority of people did not use interdental aids, tongue cleaner, mouthwash. The majority of people (72%) know the harmful effect of tobacco still they consume various forms of tobacco. The results showed an acute lack of oral hygiene awareness and practices as well as the effect of poor oral hygiene on systemic health.Conclusions: There is a need to educate the urban slum population regarding proper dental care, oral hygiene methods, and prevention of dental diseases through dentists, outreach programs, effective oral health education, and promotion programs to make healthy individuals and healthy society.

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Compliance of anti-rabies vaccine among dog bite victims in an urban slum of Chennai: a cross sectional study

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20181222 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 1487

Author(s):

Shivasakthimani R. ◽

Vinoth Gnana Chellaiyan D. ◽

Ravivarman G. ◽

Murali R.

Keyword(s):

Mortality Rate ◽

Compliance Rate ◽

Health Centre ◽

Urban Slum ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Rabies Vaccine ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Dog Bite ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dog Bites

Background: Among infectious disease, rabies has the highest case fatality rate. The major problem of rabies is attributable to its dog-mediated transmission which is an impending threat to more than 3.3 billion people. Poor compliance of vaccine increases the mortality rate due to rabies. The present study attempts to ascertain pattern of dog bite and compliance to post exposure prophylaxis.Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out in Primary Health Centre in an urban slum of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The study included 301 dog bite victims residing in urban slum with wound categories II & III (as per WHO). A pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data was analysed with SPSS-IBM (version 21.0). Chi-square test was applied.Results: Mean (SD) age of study participants was 28 (±16.3) years. Males were 176 (58.5%) and females were 125 (41.5%). Among the bites, pet dog bites were 140 (46.5%), and stray dog bites were 161 (53.5%). Majority of the bites 161 (53.5%) were unprovoked, category II bites were 216 (28.2%).Compliance up to 3 dose was found in 213(70.8%). Association was found between site of the dog bite and compliance of anti- rabies vaccine (p=0.021).Conclusions: Despite the availability of costless vaccines in public health care system, the compliance rate is only moderate. Health education about the vaccination after dog bite needs to be imparted among the community to reduce the rabies related mortality rate.

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