Natl Med J India
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. There is lack of comprehensive data on substance use and associated factors among school students in Delhi, India. ⋯ . The study results bring to attention the prevalent and important problem of substance use among schoolchildren. We recommend that (i) intervention strategies for school settings are important and need to factor in the use of illicit substances (cannabis); (ii) psychosocial intervention by trained school counsellors in school settings is the mainstay for intervention for cannabis and inhalants; and (iii) heroin users should be referred to healthcare facilities for detoxification.
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Tuberculosis (TB) of pancreas is a rare presentation in both immune-competent and immune-suppressed patients. Its presenting clinical features are usually vague and non-specific, while radiological features mimic other common pancreatic conditions such as malignancy, so it is often misdiagnosed. It commonly involves the head and the uncinate process of the pancreas. We report a middle-aged immune-compromised man who presented with left-sided tubercular pleural effusion and later was diagnosed as pancreatitis by clinical presentation and TB of pancreas on computed tomography of the abdomen.
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. We sought to establish reference values of the functional independence measure (WeeFIM; Unified Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, Buffalo, NY, USA) for children aged 3-7 years in India using this cross-sectional study. ⋯ . We have provided reference values for WeeFIM in children of India aged 3-7 years (35-84 months). There were no differences between boys and girls regarding WeeFIM performance. Children in private schools showed better performance versus children in government schools in the early age ranges. We could not find any effect of socioeconomic status on WeeFIM raw rating or functional independence level.
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. Seminomatous germ cell tumour (SGCT) is a rare but curable malignancy of young adults. The literature on management and outcome of SGCT is scarce from India. We report the demography and treatment outcome of SGCT at our centre. ⋯ . SGCTs have a high cure rate. Long-term follow-up is essential for monitoring toxic effects. Early diagnosis, avoidance of testicular violation and multidisciplinary management are the key features for better long-term outcome in SGCT.
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Health policy discussions in India have primarily centred around the low level of public health financing, ignoring that total health expenditure in India is at par with many other countries with similar economic development. India spends 3.7% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, but the health outcomes are not commensurate with spending. ⋯ We argue that increasing resource allocation in the present pattern of financing may even worsen the situation. We give recommendations to correct inefficiencies in current health financing arrangements before more allocations are made to improve the performance of the health financing system.