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Background:Newspapers have immense potential for generating health awareness on diverse issues such as hygiene, immunization, environmental pollution, and communicable disease. The present study was conducted to determine the frequency of coverage and types of health-related articles published in local newspapers of Manipur.Materials and Methods:This was a cross-sectional study conducted among the most regularly published 10 local newspapers (4 English and 6 Manipuri) of Manipur from February 2011 to January 2012. Health-related articles published in everyday local newspapers were collected after careful search and finally entered into a design Proforma under different categories. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.Results:Total health-related articles published were 10,874 and maximum articles were published during February (12.8%). Maximum health-related articles were published on Wednesday (16.1%). Among all the health-related articles, almost half were related with injury followed by public health articles. Maximum public health and injury-related articles were published on Monday, but medical topics were published more on Wednesday. Newspapers of both the languages were publishing public health articles more compared to medical topics. Public health (72.9%) and injury-related articles (95.9%) were published maximum in the news items section, but medical topics (45.8%) were published maximum in the health section of the newspaper. Newspapers of both the languages published maximum small size articles.Conclusions:There is a room for improvement for newspapers of both the languages regarding number of health-related articles’ publication, section of publication, and size of the health articles.

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Background: Tattooing has emerged as common activity among adolescents. Therefore, it is important to informed adolescents about possible health hazards associated with it. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of tattooing and knowledge of health risks associated with it among higher secondary students and association between knowledge on risk factors with selected socio-demographic variables.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2015 among 1325 students studying in class XI and XII in Thoubal district of Manipur in Northeast India. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Based on the obtained score, knowledge was divided into adequate and inadequate. Descriptive statistics like mean (SD) and percentages were used. Chi-square test was used for testing the significance and p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Total of 1378 students participated in the study. Almost all the students (99.5%) have heard of tattoo but only 75 of them (5.5%) had ever tattooed. Majority (87%) of the students had inadequate knowledge. Ever tattooed was more among male students compared to female. There was significant association between adequate knowledge and male students, parents who had secondary and above education. Significant association was found among those who had adequate knowledge and risk of transmission of disease through tattooing.Conclusions: Prevalence of ever tattooed was 5.5%. Though majority of the participants had heard of tattoo but most of them had inadequate knowledge about health risk associated with tattooing.

AIMS:To find out the prevalence, determinants and awareness regarding hypertension. SETTING AND DESIGN: Community based cross-sectional study conducted in Saikot PHC area under Churachandpur district of Manipur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Structured interview schedule was administered to 504 adults selected by multistage sampling during 1 st October 2005 to 30 th September 2006. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: SPSS 11.5 was used for data entry and analysis, descriptive statistics, χ 2 test, student -t test, binary logistic regression analysis etc. were used for presenting data and p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Prevalence of hypertension and pre hypertension were 25% and 14.3% respectively and 11.5% subjects had optimum BP. Awareness regarding hypertension was 7.7%.Prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher among older subjects (p = 0.000), females (p = 0.01), Meitei (p = 0.000), obese subjects (p = 0.003), sedentary workers (p = 0.000), ex-smokers (p = 0.000), regular BP checkers (p = 0.01) and subjects, who used to consume chicken and fish in more number of days per week (p = 0.000). Age (OR = 1.042, 95% CI = 1.027 -1.056, p = 0.000), BMI (OR = 1.132, 95% CI = 1.050 -1.220, p = 0.001), diet (OR = 7.381, 95% CI = 1.200 -45.406, p = 0.031) etc. were significant determinants of hypertension. Very few subjects were aware about the risk factors of hypertension. Knowledge regarding the preventability and controllability of hypertension was also poor. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of hypertension was higher and knowledge regarding hypertension was poorer than other areas of India, so behaviour change communication for promotion of healthy lifestyle in order to prevent hypertension in this community is needed.