BackgroundRecently, schools have drawn attention as dominant factors for psychosocial development of students. Nepal, however, has limited studies on this issue. This study sought to assess the prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction and its association with family-related factors among adolescent Nepali students.MethodsTaking 787 adolescent students from 13 schools of Hetauda municipality, we accomplished a cross-sectional study. A set of structured questionnaire and Y-PSC was adopted to collect data, which were analyzed using SPSS with 95% of confidence interval.ResultsOne-fifth (17.03%) adolescent students suffered with psychosocial dysfunction. Male students (9.50%) were more affected, compared to female students (7.80%). The proportion of psychosocial dysfunction rose with the rise in age group and grade. Frequency of family dispute was significantly associated with psychosocial dysfunction OR = 13.24 (95% CI: 2.27–17.23).ConclusionInterventions on psychosocial dysfunction need a great start, targeting adolescents, their caregivers, and community stakeholders, with a special emphasis on the school setting.

BackgroundAs a low-income country, Nepal is experiencing cardiovascular diseases as an emerging health problem. However, studies are lacking on the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in peri-urban communities; where the socio-demographical transition is in progress. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the prevalence and socio-demographic distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors in one of the peri-urban communities in Kathmandu, Nepal.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Sitapaila Village Development Committee, Kathmandu from February 2014 to February 2015. Altogether, 347 adults from 18 to 70 years of age were selected randomly. Data were collected through modified WHO STEPS questionnaire for non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors survey and analyzed in SPSS V.16.0 software.ResultsMean age of the participant was 42.5 ± 13.2 years. Majority of them were female (n = 206; 59.4%), one-third (34%) represented Brahman and Chetri, and over a quarter (29.1%) did not attend school. Cardiovascular disease risk factors included smoking (17.6%), alcohol consumption (29.4%), insufficient fruit and vegetables intake (98%), insufficient physical activity (21.0%), obesity (15.3%), hypertension (34.4%), diabetes (10.5%), and high triglyceride levels (10.8%). They were significantly associated with different socio-demographic characteristics: smoking with gender, age groups and education level; alcohol consumption was with gender, age groups, ethnicity and occupation; insufficient physical activity with gender, age groups and occupation; hypertension with gender, age groups, ethnicity, education level and occupation.ConclusionA high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and their disproportional distribution among the study population indicated an inevitable risk of cardiovascular events in near future.

BackgroundOral diseases remain a significant public health problem in Nepal, as do oral health behaviours. Socio-demographic factors play a crucial role in driving oral hygiene practices. This study aims to identify oral hygiene practices and associated socio-demographic factors in Nepalese population.MethodsThis descriptive, cross-sectional study recruited 4200 adults (15–69 years) through multistage cluster sampling. Data obtained from the WHO NCD STEPS instrument version 2.2 were analysed in STATA 13.0 using complex sample weighted analysis.ResultsPrevalence of cleaning teeth at least once a day was 94.9 % (95 % CI: 93.7–95.9), while that of cleaning teeth at least twice a day was 9.9 % (95 % CI: 8.2–11.9). Use of fluoridated toothpaste was seen among 71.4 % (95 % CI: 67.9–74.7) respondents. A 3.9 % (95 % CI: 3.1–5.0) made a dental visit in the last 6 months.The 45–69 years age group had lesser odds of cleaning teeth at least once a day (AOR: 0.4; 95 % CI: 0.2–0.8), in comparison to 15–29 years age group. Women had greater odds of cleaning teeth at least twice a day (AOR: 1.7; 95 % CI: 1.1–2.4) and having visited a dentist in the last 6 months (AOR: 2.2; 95 % CI: 1.2–3.8) compared to men. With reference to rural residents, urban population had higher odds of using fluoridated toothpaste (AOR: 2.3; 95 % CI: 1.4–3.4) and making a dental visit within the last 6 months (AOR: 1.9; 95 % CI:1.1–3.6). Inhabitants of the Terai had five-fold (AOR: 4.9; 95 % CI: 3.1–7.8) greater odds of cleaning teeth once per day than did hill residents. Those with higher education had greater odds than non-formal education holders of cleaning teeth at least once a day (AOR: 9.0; 95 % CI: 2.9–27.7), cleaning teeth at least twice a day (AOR: 5.6; 95 % CI: 2.9–10.6), using fluoridated toothpaste (AOR: 13.9; 95 % CI: 8.4–23.1), and having visited a dentist in the last 6 months (AOR: 2.8; 95 % CI: 1.4–5.4).ConclusionsCleaning teeth at least once a day is widely prevalent in Nepal and a substantial number of population use fluoridated toothpaste. However, cleaning teeth twice a day and visiting a dentist is less common. Being women, Terai residents, urban residents, and educated were significantly associated with oral hygiene practices assessed in this study.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0294-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundAlcohol chemically known as ethanol, causes several health, economic and social consequences across the world. Literatures suggest potential harm of alcohol drinking by pregnant women especially to the fetus and the mother. Despite anumber of significant public health problems related to alcohol consumption, this area has been ignored in Nepal and information at the national level is limited. Thus this study aimed at finding the prevalence of alcohol consumption among married women of reproductive age.MethodsA nationally representative household survey was carried out from April to August 2013 by taking 16 districts across all 15 eco administrative regions. From the selected districts, 86 village development committees and 14 municipalities were selected as primary sampling units using probability proportionate to size, followed by random selection of 3 wards from each primary sampling unit. Finally, 30 households within each ward were selected using systematic random sampling, and one married women of reproductive age from each household. A total of 9000 married women of reproductive age were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire, on alcohol consumption practices including environmental factors and socio demographic characteristics and were included in the analysis.ResultsNational prevalence of alcohol consumption ever among married women of reproductive age was 24.7% (95% CI:21.7–28.0), last 12 months 17.9% (95% CI:15.3–20.7) and last 30 days (current drinking) 11.8% (95% CI:9.8–14.1). There was substantial variation among the districts ranging from 2% to 60%. Multivariable analysis suggests women with no education or within formal education, dalit and janajatis ethnicity, whose husbands drink alcohol, who brew alcohol at home and women from mountains were significantly at higher risk of consuming alcohol. Among the women who drank alcohol in last 12 months, a substantial proportion of them drank home brewed alcoholic beverages (95.9%, 95% CI:94.3–97.4).ConclusionAlcohol consumption was common practice among married women of reproductive age in Nepal with variation among the subgroups of population. Thus, further investigation and behavior change communication interventions to reduce alcohol consumption especially among the women with higher risk of drinking is essential.