Background: Quality of life assessment is considered as important measure of outcome in chronic disease management. With increase in prevalence of Diabetes in India it becomes important to assess the quality of life for better care and control. Aims & Objective: Hence this study was conducted with the objectives to assess the Quality of life (QoL) among diabetic patients with respect to anthropometry and blood investigations and assess the influence of risk factors on Quality of Life among Diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of 2 months among 180 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending rural tertiary care centre. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to obtain the information on socio-demographic profile, diabetic history. Quality of life was assessed by WHOQOL-BREF. Statistical analysis was carried out by using EPI Info 7 software. Correlations, Students t test and logistic regression analysis are the statistical tests. Results: The mean age of males was 59.56 ± 9.64 and females was 60.90 ± 7.51. Mean scores of Quality of life with respect to physical, psychological, social and environmental domains were significantly higher among females compared to males (p<0.01). Quality of life domains and other continuous variables showed that there is significant positive correlation between age and physical, psychological, social and environmental domains (r = 0.864, 0.396, 0.549, 0.420 respectively and p<0.001). Logistic regression showed that increase in age and HbA1c acts as independent factors to assess the Quality of life. Conclusion: Quality of life among diabetics needs improvement with proper treatment regimens ensuring good glycemic control.

Context:Antiretroviral adherence is the second strongest predictor of progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and death, after CD4 count. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been strongly correlated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral suppression, reduced rates of resistance, an increase in survival, and improved quality of life.Aims:To determine the adherence rates and factors affecting adherence to ART among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).Settings and Design:A Prospective study for 1 year was conducted among PLWHA, aged between 15 and 49 years, visiting ART center.Subjects and Methods:242 PLWHAs were included in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on sociodemographic profile, factors affecting adherence. Adherence was assessed through self-reports, routine and random pill counts, and assessment of medical records.Statistical Analysis Used:Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and Chi-square tests were computed using Epi Info 7 version CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Results:Adherence to ART was finally assessed on 242 PLWHAs. Mean age of subjects was 35 ± 7.8 years. One hundred percent adherence rate (consistent adherers) for the whole 6 month period was seen only in 31.6% patients. Lower 6 month averages of 95–100%, 80–95%, and <80% were noted in 49.8%, 9.1%, and 9.5% patients, thus resulting in optimal adherence rate of >95% in 81.4%. Earning member (odds ratio [OR] =0.404) and weight difference (OR = 0.818) were most associated with the adherent individuals. Most common psychological reason was forgetfulness in 44.9%.Conclusions:Adherence rate was poor among PLWHA and economic factors play an important role in adherence.

"golden hour of first aid." Also blood is very much necessary during major surgeries (such as, open heart surgery and renal surgery), to replenish blood loss during pregnancy and its complications, for patients with hematological diseases such as severe anemia, leukemia, hemophilia, and thalassemia and other emergencies such as poisoning and burns. Safe blood is a critical component in improving health care and in preventing the spread of infectious diseases globally. Millions of lives are saved each year through blood transfusions, yet the quality and safety of blood transfusion are still a concern particularly in the developing countries. About 5%-10% of new HIV infections worldwide are transmitted through unsafe blood transfusions. The reason for this includes blood collection from unsafe donors, poor laboratory procedures, and inadequate testing of blood. Blood will be safe if there is a nationally coordinated blood transfusion Background: College students form a large, healthy, and active population of potential blood donors; their recruitment and retention would immensely help meet the demand of safe blood. The knowledge and practice of blood donation among medical and nursing students are reportedly diverse. Objective: To compare the reasons for blood donation and knowledge and attitude about blood donation among medical and nursing students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 students (300 medical and 100 nursing students) using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire to solicit information from medical and nursing students over a period of 3 months. Results: All the 400 students were aware of blood donation but 71.5% (286) had never donated blood. Blood donation rate was slightly increased from first-year to third-year MBBS students, only 12% of nursing students donated blood. Forty-one percent donated blood as a charity and 34.2% had donated as a replacement donors. The most common reason for not donating blood was that it was not asked among 24% students and because of underweight among 17% students. Conclusion: Significant difference exist in the knowledge and practice of blood donation among medical and nursing students which needs to be addressed by creating awareness at the initial stage of higher education by conducting periodic awareness programs.

Better screening tests for syphilis are required to help ensure safer blood supply. Reverse screening for syphilis using specific test like chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) allows automation for high sample load testing, followed by testing of positive sera with a non-treponemal. In case of discordant result between the two tests, the sample is tested with another confirmatory specific test. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of automated Vitros Syphilis Treponema pallidum antibody chemiluminescence immunoassay as a screening test in blood donors using reverse algorithm for testing syphilis. A total of 16362 blood donors were screened for syphilis by CLIA. The CLIA positive samples and 100 CLIA negative samples were further tested by Rapid Plasma Reagin Test (RPR) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test (TPHA). 155 (0.95%) sera were positive by CLIA among which 34(21.93%) were reactive by RPR and 32 (20.6%) were confirmed positive by TPHA. 121(78.06%) samples yielded discordant result with RPR, of which 10 (6.45%) were confirmed positive by TPHA. The sensitivity of CLIA in comparison to TPHA was 100%, specificity 46.95%, positive predictive value 27.1%, negative predictive value 100% and kappa coefficient 0.2257 (poor agreement). CLIA detected 10 (6.45%) cases of syphilis which would have been missed if RPR was used as the initial screening test. CLIA can be employed for screening syphilis in blood donors for its good sensitivity, ease of automation and short turn-around-time.

Background: Adults in India are affected by dual burden of malnutrition such as over nutrition and under nutrition.  Literature suggests that only 52% of women and 57% of men are at a normal weight for their height. Objectives: To estimate the nutritional status of women in the reproductive age group in rural Kolar and to estimate various socio-demographic factors associated with the nutritional status of women.Methods: Community based Cross-sectional study was conducted in rural field practice areas of Medical College for 6 months.  180 women in the reproductive age group of 15-49 years residing at Devarayasamudra village were included. Statistical methods: Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used as test of significance.Results: It was observed that out of 180 women, 49 (27.2%) of the women were overweight and 26 (14.4%) women were underweight. 36.67% women had a waist hip ratio of more than 0.85. Multivariate logistic regression showed that Age and educational status were independent risk factors for increased Waist Hip Ratio among women in reproductive age group.Conclusions: Higher prevalence of overweight and abdominal obesity was observed among women of reproductive age group in rural area.  Hence measures to improve the nutritional status of women in rural areas need to be addressed.