Background:Road Traffic Accident (RTA) is one among the top five causes of morbidity and mortality in South-East Asian countries.(1) Its socioeconomic repercussions are a matter of great concern. Efficient addressing of the issue requires quality information on different causative factors.Research Question:What are different epidemiological determinants of RTA in western Nepal?Objective:To examine the factors associated with RTA.Study Design:Prospective observational.Setting:Study was performed in a tertiary healthcare delivery institute in western Nepal.Participants:360 victims of RTA who reported to Manipal Teaching hospital in one year.Study Variables:Demographic, human, vehicular, environmental and time factors. Statistical analysis: Percentages, linear and logarithmic trend and Chi-square.Results:Most of the victims i.e. 147 (40.83%) were young (15 to 30 years); from low i.e. 114 (31.66%) and mid i.e. 198 (55%) income families and were passengers i.e. 153 (42.50%) and pedestrians i.e. 105 (29.16%). Sever accidents leading to fatal outcome were associated with personal problems (P<0.01, χ2 - 8.03), recent or on-day conflicts (P<0.001, χ2 - 18.88) and some evidence of alcohol consumptions (P<0.001, χ2 - 30.25). Increased prevalence of RTA was also noticed at beginning i.e. 198 (55%) and end i.e. 69 (19.16%) of journey; in rainy and cloudy conditions (269 i.e. 74.72%) and in evening hours (3 to 7 p.m. 159 i.e. 44.16%). Out of 246 vehicles involved; 162 (65.85%) were old and ill maintained. The contributions of old vehicle to fatal injuries were 33 (50%). Head injury was found in 156 (43.33 %) cases and its associated case fatality rate was 90.90%. In spite of a good percentage receiving first aid i.e. 213 (59.16%) after RTA; there was a notable delay (174 i.e. 48.33% admitted after 6 h) in shifting the cases to the hospitals. The estimated total days lost due to hospital stay was 4620 with an average of 12.83 days per each case.Conclusion:Most of the factors responsible for RTA and its fatal consequences are preventable. A comprehensive multipronged approach can mitigate most of them.

Background:Healthcare providers being over-worked and under staffed are prone to poor mental health. Unhealthy work place compounds it further.Aims:This study was aimed at to assess the mental health status of a medical university employee with special reference to work place stressors.Settings and design:A cross-sectional study was designed and carried out at a Rural Health University.Materials and Methods:Both the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 and Holmes–Rahe Scale were used to evaluate 406 participants.Statistical analysis:Multivariate analysis, correlation, and ANOVA by SPSS 11.0.Results:The minimum age of the participant was 19 years and the maximum 64 years, with an average age at 35.09 years. On the GHQ scale 239(58.9%) recorded psychiatric morbidity out of which 201(49.5%) had moderate and 38(9.3%) severe morbidity. Doctors were the highest stressed group (P ≤ 0.04). Prominent work environmental stressors were poor departmental reorganization, lack of cohesiveness in department, difficult superiors and juniors (P ≤ 0.001, Pearson correlation). Stressors associated with work organization and work nature were: noninvolvement in departmental decision making and lack of proper feedback; along with; work load, lack of clarity in job, and a erratic work schedule (P ≤ 0.001 on Pearson correlation). Harassment, favoritism, discrimination, and lack of self-expression (P ≤ 0.003) were other factors responsible for work dissatisfaction.Conclusions:A high stress level was detected in the study population. The principal stressors were work environment related. Poor work culture was found to lead to job dissatisfaction among majority.

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Background:Blood pressure (BP) recording is the most commonly measured clinical parameter. Standing mercury sphygmomanometer is the most widely used equipment to record this. However, recording by sphygmomanometer is subject to observer and instrumental error. The different sources of equipment error are faulty manometer tube calibration, baseline deviations and improper arm bladder cuff dimensions. This is further compounded by a high prevalence of arm bladder miss-cuffing in the target population.Objectives:The study was designed to assess the presence of equipment malcalibrations, cuff miss-matching and their effect on BP recording.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional check of all operational sphygmomanometers in a health university was carried out for the length of the manometer tube, deviation of resting mercury column from “0” level, the width and length of arm bladder cuff and extent of bladder cuff-mismatch with respect to outpatient attending population.Results:From the total of 50 apparatus selected, 39 (78%) were from hospital setups and 11 (22%) from pre-clinical departments. A manometer height deficit of 13 mm was recorded in 36 (92.23%) of the equipment in hospital and 11 (100%) from pre-clinical departments. Instruments from both settings showed significant deviation from recommended dimensions in cuff bladder length, width and length to width ratio (P < 0.001). Significant number of apparatus from hospital setups showed presence of mercury manometer baseline deviation either below or above 0 mmHg at the resting state (χ2 = 5.61, D. F. = 1, P = 0.02). Positive corelationship was observed between manometer height deficit, baseline deviation and width of arm cuff bladder (Pearson correlation, P < 0.05). Bladder cuff mismatching in response to the target population was found at 48.52% for males and 36.76% for females. The cumulative effect of these factors can lead to an error in the range of 10-12 mmHg.Conclusion:Faulty equipments and prevalent arm bladder cuff-mismatching can be important barriers to accurate BP measurement.

The devastating COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges for the scientific commune. Containment of infection becomes paramount when the agent is novel with little or no management options. The present one is one such and no one is sure how many more will surface in time to come. This emphasizes on exploring broad-based containment options as an important preparedness plan. Ultraviolet (UV) rays known for their germicidal effect are in the voyage as potent disinfectants for long. But their potential health hazards limit their uses to a controlled environment. Of them, Ultraviolet ray C (UVC) is the most potent broad-spectrum germicidal, that can neutralize all forms of Corona viruses with the reported accuracy of 99.9%. Recent researches have supported that a fraction of this Ultraviolet ray C (UVC) (FAR UVC) in the electromagnetic range of 207-222 nanometers demonstrates non-damaging properties for mammalian tissues while retaining the germicidal potency. This article reviews the available evidence and reports their important observations. The knowledge base so generated can guide researchers to test its credibility in diverse situations and come out with lasting solutions for future challenges.