Background and Objective: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a sensitive and specific non-invasive tool to evaluate the degree of heart rate variation under the balanced influence of sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the cardiac autonomic nervous system. The aim was to study the effect of isometric hand grip exercise on HRV in prehypertensive young adults and to find a correlation of HRV with body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods: This observational study was done on 60 healthy young adults aged 18–30 years. All the subjects were divided into three groups of 20 each on the level of their BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Group I were subjects with BMI <25 and normotensive, group II with BMI <25 and prehypertensive, and group III with BMI >25 and prehypertensive. HRV analysis (Chart HRV module, ADInstruments Pty Ltd) was performed with the following parameters calculated: low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), and LF/HF ratio. Results: LF/HF ratio was significantly increased (P<0.001) in prehypertensive subjects (groups II and III) when compared with the normotensive subjects (group I), which indicates a heightened sympathetic discharge in prehypertensives. A positive correlation between anthropometric parameters and cardiac autonomic activity parameters and increased sympathetic activity in obese subjects were noted. Conclusion: An increase in anthropometric indices is associated with a change in cardiac autonomic activity, especially toward sympathetic activity. Regular anthropometric assessment can prevent the development of cardiac abnormalities and the incidence of sudden cardiac death.

Objective: To assess knowledge and practices regarding menstrual hygiene and reproductive tract infection in adolescent girls in Doda District of Jammu and Kashmir Territories, India.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was performed on adolescent girls attending schools in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir territories, India. Data were collected through interviews using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire and results were analyzed using MS Excel.Results: A total of 450 adolescent girls from public and private schools of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir were included in this study. Most participants were in the 14-16 years of age. The most common source of information about menstruation identified in this study was mother (56.2%), sister (13.1%), teacher (12.7%), and friends (9.6%). In terms of menstrual hygiene, 53.1% girls used sanitary pads, 24% girls used dry cloths/towel and 10.7% girls used homemade and sanitary pads during their menstrual period. About 42% of the participant were absent from school during their menses and most participants take daily bath during their menses.Conclusion: Awareness regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene needs to be improved with the emphasize on providing accurate and adequate information on this topic to adolescent girls. Information and provision on affordable absorbent napkins or pads during menstrual period are also important for these girls.

Introduction: The lack of appropriate health information obstructs population health assessments, as well as the development and evaluation of healthcare interventions. Surveillance is sometimes used interchangeably with epidemiology in its broadest definition, which is understandable. Surveillance, on the other hand, maybe considered to have evolved into a separate discipline from epidemiology. Objective: To study the Awareness and opinion of health professionals about various aspects of the implementation of HDSS in the defined rural community of district Jammu. Result: The present study was carried out in the Miran Sahib Zone of RS Pura Block, out of which six villages were selected randomly. The study surveyed 20 health professionals' over 3.56 km2 area of rural field practice area out of which 12 HPs had experienced less than 10 years while others had more than 10 years’ experience. The majority of health professionals were aware of various population enumeration methods while a small proportion of health professionals' about 25% considers the data generated by such systems to be useful for policy planning and prioritizing health services in a particular area.