Background: Cigarette per day (CPD) use is a key smoking behaviour indicator. It reflects smoking intensity which is directly proportional to the occurrence of tobacco induced cancers. Self reported CPD assessment in surveys may suffer from digit bias and under reporting. Estimates from such surveys could influence the policy decision for tobacco control efforts. In this context, this study aimed at identifying underlying factors of digit bias and its implications for Global Adult Tobacco Surveillance. Materials or Methods: Daily manufactured cigarette users CPD frequencies from Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) -India data were analyzed. Adapted Whipple Index was estimated to assess digit bias and data quality of reported CPD frequency. Digit bias was quantified by considering reporting of '0' or '5' as the terminal digits in the CPD frequency. The factors influencing it were identified by bivariate and logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean and mode of CPD frequency was 6.7 and 10 respectively. Around 14.5%, 15.1% and 15.2% of daily smokers had reported their CPD frequency as 2, 5 and 10 respectively. Modified Whipple index was estimated to be 226.3 indicating poor data quality. Digit bias was observed in 38% of the daily smokers. Heavy smoking, urban residence, North, South, North-East region of India, less than primary, secondary or higher educated and fourth asset index quintile group were significantly associated with digit bias. Discussion: The present study highlighted poor quality of CPD frequency data in the GATS-India survey and need for its improvement. Modeling of digit preference and smoothing of the CPD frequency data is required to improve quality of data. Marketing of 10 cigarette sticks per pack may influence CPD frequency reporting, but this needs further examination. Exploring alternative methods to reduce digit bias in cross sectional surveys should be given priority

Background: Is teaching material actually effective in imparting knowledge and molding attitude? The objective of the study was to implement an educational program in our rural health center Veleru and to evaluate its effect on the foot care of the diabetes patients. This study was conducted to assess the compliance of patients after educating them about foot care. Methods: Improvement in knowledge about foot care and the compliance in the patient population were studied by giving a questionnaire before the teaching session after the teaching session and at one month follow up in 40 type2 diabetic patients residing in the catchment area of the rural health center Veleru. Ninety three percent of the patients did not have any knowledge regarding foot care prior to the education session. Results: Immediately after the education session 93% of the patients could answer correctly and after 1 month follow up it was seen that 57% of all the patients had incorporated the recommendations for foot care. Conclusion: All diabetic patients if given proper education and guidance regarding foot care would be able to make a significant improvement in their life style which is helpful to avoid amputations. J ou rna l o f D ia be tes & M e ta bolism

Background: It is not very clear about the factors that influence the career choices of the undergraduate medical students. Experiences in the college during their curriculum are the strong determinants in developing an attitude to different subjects and attitude plays a very important role in choosing the speciality. This study is sought to find out the career choices of the first year medical students and what influenced them to take up that particular careerMethods: A cross sectional questionnaire based study was conducted in the first semester students of the Madha Medical College. The questionnaire was designed to find out the first choice of speciality, awareness of various subjects taught in a medical college, location preferences, and reasons influencing the preference, education level and occupation of their parents.Results: Out of a total of 150 students 141 (94%) were present on that day who had completed the questionnaire successfully. The mean age of the students was 17.8±0.6 (min=17, max=20). About 54% of the students were females and the rest 46% were males. The students belonging to urban area were 67% and that of rural area were 33%. The reasons quoted by the students for joining the MBBS course were personal interest 82%, parent’s interest 18%. None of the students could correctly answer the number of subjects taught in a medical college during the course. About half of the students did not know the duration of a specialization course after MBBS. The students interested to do specialization were 97% and interested to do IAS, or IPS were 2%. The most preferred career choices among the students were clinical subjects (71%), of which General Medicine and obstetrics & gynecology topped the list, followed by surgery and paediatrics; 24% chose pre-clinical subjects and anatomy was the most favoured, followed by physiology and the least preferred was biochemistry; only 2% were interested in paraclinical subjects of which community medicine, pharmacology and forensic medicine shared equal status but none of them wanted to specialize in pathology and microbiology. Personal interest was rated among 81% of the students in influencing their choice of speciality. After completion of education about 45% of the students wanted to settle in urban area and equal percentage of students in rural area. The students who wanted to settle in India after specialization was 87%, who wanted to go abroad were 7%. About 46% of the students wanted to join the corporate set up after specialization, 36% wanted to become private practitioners. About 46% of the students felt that 1 year is adequate for basic sciences.Conclusion:  The career choices among the students of our institution were biased among the clinical subjects. The choices may change during the course of time which would be followed up. The role modelling by the faculty could be a factor in influencing their choices.

Introduction: After finishing schools, students commencing their new journey in medical institution are representative of different strata of society, varying in cultural, ethnical, financial and educational status. This difference is more marked when it comes to an Indian group of islands, where majority of population is constituted by migrants from different states of India. Learning styles are not stable. Students might adopt different styles depending on their subject and their learning environment. Study aimed at assessment of gender preference of learning style and to design a lesson plan that addresses majority of the students.