Background: A cross-sectional observational study conducted in the outpatient registration counter among people seeking registration ticket in a government Medical College. Sample size was 214 with equal representation of each sex. Aims and Objectives: (1) The study’s aims at assessing the knowledge quotient about the occurrence, site presenting symptoms risk factors and outcome of various cancers. (2) Sex specific cancer screening program self-breast examination, mammography, pap smear awareness, and usage among females of study population have been investigated. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study. Predesigned pretested questionnaire was administered to consenting participants among those registering for outpatient tickets at Calcutta National Medical college Hospital. Statistical analysis Used: Descriptive statistics was used with MS Excel. Results: Awareness was 69.8% with 69% stating gastrointestinal tract to be the most common site, Of the population 70% stated pain was to be the most common presenting symptom, tobacco was said to be the most common causative agent by 72% and 70% stated it to be non-treatable. Among sex specific cancers 40% women identified breast as site of cancer presenting with nipple discharge and 34% stated the presenting feature to be lump. Screening method of self-breast examination and PAP smear was said by 5% and 2%, respectively. Conclusion: The awareness regarding site cardinal signs outcome and risk factors was not good among study population. Much effort is to be given to address the state of things.

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exposed the health workforce to an unprecedented occupational hazard. While taking care of patients they always had to be conscious simultaneously for safeguarding themselves and their family members against the highly infectious virus. In West Bengal, cases were first reported in the last week of March2020 and reached the peak around October-2020 in the first wave, once the lockdown was lifted. During the initial months, the staggering number of cases, prevailing uncertainty over case management, and untimely demise of colleagues and relatives, took their toll on the physical and mental health of doctors, paramedics, or support staff, both in the government and private sectors. Aim: To measure perceived stress, resilience and psychological well-being of healthcare providers using standard psychometric tools. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out among healthcare workers in hospitals located in West Bengal, India. A self-administered questionnaire was circulated through a digital platform between June-November 2020. The questionnaire was designed using Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Kessler-6 (K6), and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) to assess perceived stress, psychiatric morbidity, and resilience of the person. It had three parts, one to capture sociodemographic details of the participants including age, sex, marital status, occupation, family history of psychiatric morbidity, place of stay etc. Second part consisted of psychometric scales and third was designed to capture the views of participants on the coping strategies. Calculated sample size was 189. Results: Based on standard cut-off values, it was found that 65.6% subjects were under moderate or severe stress; 56.6% had compromised mental well-being and 64% were not coping well with the pandemic situation. PSS were significantly poor for females (p-value <0.001), single (p-value <0.001) and those without history of psychiatric morbidity (p-value <0.001) and low resilient copers (p<0.0001). Mental well-being was compromised more among married (p-value=0.01), doctors (p-value=0.008), aged <40 years (p-value=0.003), high resilient copers (p-value=0.02). Popular means of stress reliever were music and yoga/exercise. Correct and updated knowledge on disease transmission, availability of personal protective equipment, pursuing hobbies like music and gardening were few suggested measures to improve coping with stress associated with patient care. Conclusion: The study revealed that majority of the health workers experienced moderate to heavy degree of stress and compromised psychological well-being during the first wave of pandemic. Relationship of stress and psychological wellbeing with resilience and socio-demographic variables was not always linear.

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Background: Detection and early intervention of anemia in vulnerable population is of paramount importance in public health. Due to higher prevalence of anemia in women especially those who have just delivered and are breast feeding, this study would be of importance. Aims and Objective: This study was conducted in this population to find out the validity of clinical examination as an effective screening tool. Materials and Methods: Screening for anemia was conducted in study population by two members of health care providers (doctor and health worker). Results were compared with a gold standard. Standard guidelines were used to classify anemia as mild moderate and severe based on hemoglobin levels. Three sites were clinically examined for anemia and depending on pallor were graded as no, some, or severe pallor. Site wise sensitivity and specificity were considered. Result: Sensitivity of detecting anemia by clinical examination was 84.3 % by health worker and 64% by doctor. The specificity was 42.8% by health worker and 81.2% by doctor (inter observer agreement was 0.31 or fair). Diagnosing anemia by pallor in lower palpebral conjunctiva had a sensitivity of 66% for both some and severe anemia while that of palmer surface for severe anemia was 33% and moderate anemia was only 23%. On examining oral mucosa for the same purpose severe anemia had a sensitivity of 33% whereas moderate anemia yielded 66% and combination of all the three sites as described earlier had a sensitivity of 64%. Conclusion: The method of clinical examination as a screening tool for detecting anemia at field level holds good. However, examination of two or more sites should be advocated.