Background: Human blood is an essential element of human life. Medical colleges students can be very good source for voluntary blood donation. This study was done with the objectives - to find out the factors motivating blood donation and the factors responsible for not donating the blood among the medical students.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among the students of a government autonomous medical college, situated at northern part of Karnataka, India. Data was collected by a pre tested, semi structured, self administered, questionnaire. All the students studying MBBS in RIMS, Raichur who have joined the course between 2013 -2016 were included in the study.Results: In our study a total of 319 students have participated. Among the total students studied 85 (26.64%) have donated the blood at least once and 234 (73.36%) students have not donated even once. The major motivating factor for voluntary blood donation as responded by students was altruism/ doing good to others (51.8%). Major reason for non-donation of blood was he/she was never been asked for blood donation (56.4%). In the present study, the voluntary blood donation was significantly high among males (40.3%) compared to females (8.7%). Proportion of people who have donated blood increased with each year of study, highest among MBBS phase III Part 2 (53.6%).Conclusions: Having knowledge and attitude alone will not improve the voluntary blood donation unless, blood donation opportunity is available. So creating opportunities for donation of blood through voluntary blood donation drives is very much needed.

Background: Harmful use of alcohol consumption can lead to various health hazards and pre-university students are vulnerable for abuse of substances like alcohol. Hence this study was aimed to find out the prevalence and perception towards alcohol consumption among students of government boy’s college and to find out some factors affecting alcohol consumption among students.Methods: A cross sectional study conducted among purposively selected students of government pre-university (PU) college for boys. Data was collected through pre-structured questionnaire. Alcohol consumption was assessed by self-reporting through questionnaire.Results: In the present study 7% students have consumed alcohol at least once in their life time. Mean age of initiation of alcohol consumption was 14.89 years. 23.7% of students said that alcohol consumption can lead to cancer and 13.3% students knew it leads to liver damage, 18.1% felt it leads to heart problems. Among the current alcohol consumers 41.7% said they have driven the vehicle under influence of alcohol. Among the current alcohol consumers 75% have thought to quit the alcohol consumption at least once. Having family history of alcohol consumption was significantly associated with alcohol consumption among students.Conclusions: Alcohol consumption is prevalent in the pre-university college students and family history is a major risk factor for the alcohol consumption. Many alcohol consumers have driven the vehicle under the alcohol consumption in spite of the legal prohibition. Parental and peer involvement is crucial in reducing the prevalence of alcohol consumption among PU students.

Background: Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death in the world hence this study was aimed at detecting the prevalence of tobacco smoking among students of a government pre-university college for boys, to find out the perception of students about tobacco smoking and factors related to the tobacco smoking among students.Methods:A cross sectional study conducted among purposively selected students of Government Pre-university College for boys. Data was collected through pre-structured questionnaire. Tobacco smoking was assessed by self reporting by filling the questionnaire.Results: The prevalence of ever use of tobacco smoking was 13.7% and current smokers were 5.6%. Mean age of starting smoking was 14.16 yrs. 66% of students were aware that tobacco smoking can lead to cancer. In majority (81.1%) of ever smoked students, their friends have motivated them to smoke for the first time. 93% of students knew that passive smoking is injurious to health. 83% of students felt that tobacco should be banned. Having a smoker in the family (p=0.035) and a student residing away from parents (p=0.007) are positively associated with ever smoking tobacco.Conclusions:Tobacco smoking is prevalent among the boys of government pre-university college students. Majority of students have better perception about tobacco smoking. Familial support and peer involvement are crucial in controlling the tobacco smoking.

Background: In December 2014, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India launched Mission Indradhanush with the aim to ensure that all children are fully vaccinated against seven vaccine-preventable diseases before they reach an age of two years.Methods: A cross sectional, community based study was conducted among parents attending Indradhanush Vaccination Centre (IVC) along with their partial and unimmunized children aged 0-23 months. Study was conducted during Mission Indradhanush (MI) 2nd Phase from November 2015 to January 2016. Data consisting of information regarding the various demographic variables, immunization history, and reasons for partial and unimmunization was collected by interviewing the parents through a pre-tested, structured questionnaire.Results: A total of 153 children were studied involving 63 session sites. 50 (32.7%) children were residing in low coverage areas, 4 (2.6%) children in villages with migratory population, 4(2.6%) children in areas with missed session and 87(56.9%) children residing in village with vacant sub centre. Common reasons for not vaccination were, child was sick on the day of vaccination (32%), child migrated to other place (27.5%), Fear of AEFI (11.8%), ignorance (11.1%). Only 92 (60.1%) children were having MCP card.Conclusions: The reasons for partial and un immunization  were mainly lack of awareness of parents, sickness of children, fear of AEFI and migration to other places which would be solved by taking all efforts to raise the awareness of community about  need  of immunization along with providing complete information about the immunization services being  provided to them.

No abstract