Background: Breastfeeding is the best preventive intervention and has potential impact on child mortality. Breastmilk is safest, least allergic and has nutritional, immunological, behavioural and economic benefits. It also provides desirable mother baby bonding. Early human milk promotes gut maturation and immune activation in infants. Despite of the demonstrated benefit of breastfeeding, the duration and prevalence are still low in first six months of life. The objectives of the study were to estimate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practices among study population; to assess awareness regarding colostrum; to assess the socio demographic profile among mothers of 0-2 years children. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in the urban field practice area of tertiary health care center, Hyderabad. 100 mothers having children between 0-2 years age group were included by using simple random technique. Predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: Mean age group (yrs) of the mothers was 25.6±3.81, literate mothers are 81%, illiterates are 19% and employed mothers were 68%. Awareness regarding exclusive breastfeeding was more among literates than illiterates (p<0.05). Literacy status had no association regarding knowledge on colostrum among study subject. Pre lacteal feeds were practiced among 32% of mothers before initiation of breast feeding. The practice of prelacteal feeds were more in primi than multi para mothers (p<0.05). Practice of burping after the breastfeeding were followed by 71%. Mothers practicing correct positioning during breastfeeding were 63%. Conclusions: Among study subject 75% of them were given colostrum. Exclusive breastfeeding upto 0-6 months was practiced by 64% of mothers.

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) and regular antenatal visits are one of the interventions that have the potential to improve both maternal and child survival. The utilization of antenatal services remains less than 60% in India. The study aimed to find out the association between ANC visits and pregnancy outcome. Subjects and Method: Cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 antenatal women in a tertiary care centre over a period of 3 months. After taking informed consent data was collected by interviewer technique using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Questionnaire includes information related to socio-demographic variables, number of ANC visits, delivery outcome (normal/ LSCS) low birth weight, stillbirths, and abortions. Thus, collected data was entered in excel and analyzed using epi info 7.22.6. The bivariate analysis was the chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was used to study the association between delivery outcome and its covariates. Logistic regression was also done to see the association between ANC visits and Low birth weight and stillbirths. Results: Out of 59 women who had less than 4 ANC visits had more number of abortions (18.6%) (OR= 32.08; CI 95%= 4.03 to 255.07; p<0.001), low birth weights (52.5%) (OR= 4.46; CI 95%= 2.31 to 8.62; p= 0.001), still births (8.5%) (OR= -1.00; CI 95%= -1 to -0.001 p=0.001), out of 22 illiterate mothers 16 of them had poor pregnancy outcomes (p= 0.002) and first ANC visit during first trimester had less complications (p <0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed significant association between delivery outcome and Socio-economic status (OR= 2.14; CI 95%= -1.47 to 3.13; p<0.001) as well as frequency of ANC visits (OR= 0.65; CI 95%= 0.55 to 0.77; p<0.001). Significant association was also observed between ANC visits and Low birth weight (OR= 0.52; CI 95%= -0.43 to 0.62; p <0.001). Logistic regression between ANC visits and stillbirths/abortion showed significant association (OR= 0.36 (CI 95%= -0.23 to 0.55; p<0.001). Conclusion:The study shows that less than 4 ANC visits, illiteracy increases the risk of poor pregnancy outcome. Women who had their first ANC visits during first trimester had less complications.

Background: Biological hazards and health safety issues are a special concern in laboratory technicians who handle blood, body fluids, and tissues which may contain infectious agents. Lack of knowledge of standard precautions has been noted to influence the practice and behaviour change in relation to these precautions requires knowledge. This study therefore aims to study the awareness and practice of universal precautions (U.P) in lab technicians.Methods: Cross sectional type of study was conducted in the tertiary health care facility (Osmania General Hospital) in Hyderabad district among laboratory technicians of various departments from 1-20/11/18. Random sampling was done and data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire.Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft excel 07. Descriptive analysis was done and Chi-square tests were used for establishing association.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 32.37 years, all of them were graduates by education and the mean length of experience was 5.45 yrs. The mean score for knowledge was 14 (41.1%).In the domain of practice, the responses were quite satisfactory with majority of the responses being “always” for all the practices, wearing eye shields and face masks was only “sometimes” followed and majority of “not applicable” were for wearing glovesConclusions: Although standard and isolation precautions are introduced, the overall performance of respondents was unsatisfactory.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains to be a major burden in India. Treatment adherence is a key factor in the outcome of therapy. Non-adherence may also result in acquired drug resistance. This study has been one of the very few research endeavours to identify factors associated with non-adherence to TB treatment among paediatric patients in Hyderabad. The objectives are to determine the factors influencing non-adherence to treatment among paediatric TB patients and to study the role of sociodemographic factors in non-adherence to treatment.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted between June 2021 to September 2021 among paediatric TB patients ≤18 years old who were on anti-TB treatment in field practice area of Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. By using convenient sampling method, a sample size of 150 has been taken. Data was collected using a pretested semi structured questionnaire. Data was entered into Microsoft excel and analysed using Epi Info version 7.2.2.6 and frequencies, proportions, and Chi square tests used.Results: Among the 150 paediatric TB patients, majority 56.2% of the patients belong to male gender. Non-adherent to anti-tuberculosis treatment were 18%. In this, 10% belongs to younger age (<5 years), 4% females, 14% males, 13.3% rural residence, 4.7% urban residency, 14% were having side effects. The presence of side effects to anti-tubercular is the main influencing factors for non-adherence to treatment.Conclusions: The identification of various factors could help in increasing the knowledge about TB and in taking measures to cope-up with side effects to anti-tubercular medications which is required to improve treatment adherence.

Background: Diphtheria is a potentially fatal infection caused by Corynebacterium (C.) diphtheriae strains and occasionally by toxigenic C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis strains. Although effective vaccines are available all over the world, this disease has the potential to re-emerge. As there are few studies regarding clinical profile, complications, and immunization status among adult in Telangana, this study will bridge the gap in information regarding demographic data, clinical features, immunization status, and the presence of complications.Methods: Cross sectional study done for a period of 8 months from March-October 2019 at Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases, Hyderabad. Study was done on 150 diphtheria (clinical and microbiologically) positive cases admitted. The collected data was entered in Microsoft excel and analysed using Epi info v.7.2.6.6.Results: Out of the total study participants 34% belong to 10-14 years age group 99.3% had patch over tonsil, 98.7% had fever. Among the study participants, 19.3% had electrocardiography (ECG) abnormalities, 10.7% had breathing problems, 11.3% had both ECG abnormalities and breathing problems, 7.3% had diphtheria myocarditis. 20.7% were completely immunized and 46% were partially immunized, 6.6% patient’s immunization status were unknown and 26.7% of the patients were unvaccinated. The occurrence of complications was common among Muslims (p=0.001), rural residence (p=0.0005). Educational qualification was significantly associated with occurrence of complications (p=0.04), and people coming from lower socioeconomic strata had more complications compared to others (p≤0.05) Unvaccinated people suffered from more complications compared to vaccinated people (p=0.002).Conclusions: There is an age shift in the occurrence of diphtheria increasingly over 5 years of age.