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Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; can be either chronic or acute. An average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night, teenagers 9.5 hours and infants 16 hours per day. 3 College students are well known for keeping erratic sleep schedules. Sleep deprivation may have grave health consequences;ABSTRACT Background: Sleep deprivation may have grave health consequences; resulting in increasing disease morbidity and mortality. Sleep disturbance have also been affected academic performance of medical students. The objective of the study was to find out the prevalence of sleep disturbance and association between sleep disturbance and academic performance of medical students, if any. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in the month of March 2018 among 203 medical students of Tripura Medical College and Dr. B.R.A.M. Teaching Hospital. Probability Proportionate to Sample Size (PPS) was used to determine the number of students required from each semester. Students selected by simple random sampling from each semester were interviewed by a pre-designed, pre-tested interview schedule designed based on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data was represented in percentages in tables, charts and Chi square test was applied. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Mean age of the medical student was 21.36±1.96 years. Present study showed, 57% students were complaining of disturbed sleep. Students who felt sleepy during daytime (72.4%) were struggling more during exam compared to students not feeling sleepy (51.7%), which was statistically significant. Study revealed, students who got average mark in last semester exam were most affected with disturbed sleep (66.3%) followed by students who got good marks (53.5%) and poor marks (50%). Conclusions: Prevalence of sleep disturbance was very high among medical students. Male students were much more affected compared to female students. Sleep disturbance has also affected academic performance of students.

Background: Diabetes mellitus, a major lifestyle disease is undoubtedly the most challenging public health problem of 21st century with a worldwide prevalence of 387 million (8.3%).  The objective of this study was to get an estimate of the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and associated factors in a sample of adult population in a peri-urban area of West Tripura.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, prevalence of diabetes mellitus was found among adult population of a peri-urban area (Dukli) of west Tripura from April 2016 to May 2016. Multistage random sampling was followed to include 76 participants. Taking house as a sampling unit, every 5th house was chosen for this study. From every selected house, one adult participant was chosen by simple random sampling until desired sample size was attained. Collected data was compiled and analyzed with the help of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 16.0.). Chi-square, Fischer exact test was applied to find out association.Results: The mean age of the study participants was 42.21±17.65 years, comprised of 23.7% male and 76.3% female. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 17.1% among study participants. Diabetes was found highest in 39-58-year age group (37.5%). Males were more affected with diabetes mellitus (22.2%) compared to females (15.5%). The study also revealed a significant association of diabetes mellitus with family history of diabetes mellitus (p value 0.00).Conclusions: Present study showed very high prevalence of diabetes mellitus among adult population. Healthy lifestyle measures might reduce burden of diabetes mellitus which could be evaluated in future research.

BACKGROUNDBreastfeeding is an important public health strategy for improving infant and child morbidity and mortality, improving maternal morbidity and helping to control health care costs. Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of otitis media, gastroenteritis, respiratory illness, sudden infant death syndrome, necrotising enterocolitis, obesity and hypertension. OBJECTIVETo assess the knowledge about breastfeeding among primi pregnant mothers attending for antenatal checkup at outdoor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Tripura Medical College, Tripura. MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a hospital-based cross-sectional study and was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tripura Medical College and Dr. BRAM Teaching Hospital, Tripura among 100 primi pregnant mothers. RESULTSIn our study, 88% of the participants had adequate knowledge regarding breastfeeding. KEYWORDBreastfeeding, Cross-Sectional, Tripura, Pregnant Mothers. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE:Som B, Tripura K. A cross-sectional study regarding knowledge about breastfeeding among primi pregnant mothers attending for antenatal checkup in a medical college, Tripura.

BACKGROUNDChildren are the future human resources but represent a vulnerable group. Poor health during this age is likely to permanently impair them over the course of their lives and various factors are responsible for causing high morbidity in under-five children. Objectives-To study morbidity profile of under-five children and to find out association between childhood morbidity and sociodemographic factors, if any. MATERIALS AND METHODSA community-based cross-sectional study was done among 250 under-five children from July 2015 to June 2016 in the periurban areas of Dukli, West Tripura. Study participants were selected by simple random sampling and data was collected by interviewing mothers with pretested questionnaire and examining under-five children. Data was analysed using SPSS v19.0 and a p value less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTSSome form of morbidity was found in 196 children giving a prevalence rate of 78.4%. The most common illness was acute respiratory infection (85.7%) followed by anaemia (43.9%). Morbidity was found to be significantly associated with occupation of mother and immunisation status of child (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONThe study revealed a high childhood morbidity, which was more in communicable disease burden compared to noncommunicable diseases morbidity among under-five children in peri-urban area. As mothers are the first care-givers, they should be made aware of the preventive measures and the need for seeking timely treatment.