BACKGROUND: High Blood Pressure is one of the important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases worldwide. It is estimated that Hypertension, the silent killer, is responsible for fifty percent of cardiovascular deaths. In India, studies show steadily increasing prevalence of Hypertension since 1950 leading to deaths among young people. Scanty data exist regarding prevalence of Pre hypertension among poor and ignorant population attending rural health facilities like Community Health Centres. OBJECTIVES: To determine Prevalence of Prehypertension among adults attending outpatient department of CHC, Vellarada and to identify the risk factors. METHODOLOGY: Cross sectional study was conducted during a period of three months from 18 th January2010 among 18100 adults of 18 years and above attending CHC, Vellarada, a village situated 40 kilometres away from Thiruvananthapuram and nearer to Tamilnadu. Pretested questionnaire-based information was collected about diet, physical activity, and tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Standardized techniques were used for data on BP, weight, height and lipid profile. Using JNC-7 criteria, Prehypertension was defined as Systolic BP 120-139 mmHg and Diastolic BP 80-89 mm Hg. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS package. RESULTS: Prevalence of Hypertension was 35.14% (men 35.9%, women 34.6%) and Prehypertension 40.9% (men 40.56%, women 41.1%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, Prehypertension showed significant positive association with BMI >23kg/m2 (OR 1.79), age (OR 1.74), Serum Triglyceride >150 mg/dl (OR 2.2) and HDL cholesterol <40mg/dl (OR 1.48). CONCLUSION: High prevalence of pre hypertension and associated risk factors among young, economically productive group of rural population needed targeted interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk. It is beneficial if every health facility makes attempts for routine BP recording of young people so that prehypertensives may be subjected to life style modifications to prevent morbidity and mortality due to hypertension and prehypertension.

BACKGROUND:Immunization is one of the most cost effective public health interventions since it provides direct and effective protection against preventable morbidity and mortality of children. As per CES 2009, there are 4 states including Kerala where >80% of children between 12-23 months of age are fully immunized. OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the immunization coverage of children of 12 to 24 months of age in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. 2. To find out any socio demographic factors associated with immunization coverage METHODOLOGY: Study Design-Community-based Cross sectional study. Study Area: Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Study population: Clusters of Children below the age of 12 to 24 months and their mothers. Data are collected using pretested questionnaire and from Immunization cards. RESULTS: Out of 210 children covered 90% were fully immunized for age, 10% were partially immunized and no child was unimmunized. The coverage was more among female children. Measles coverage was 93.33%. 100% had received BCG immunization. The drop-out rate for DPT, HepB and OPV from 1st to 3rd dose was 5.7%. 91.28% developed a scar after BCG vaccine. 79.52% took BCG within three months of age. 73.80% had measles vaccine between 9th and 12th month. 90% of the children received immunization from government hospital and health centers. Less than 10% got immunization from private sources. 100% of mothers of infants were immunized against Tetanus. There was significant association between low socio economic status and partial immunization status. CONCLUSION: If immunization coverage survey is done frequently it will help to get a true picture of the Immunization status of the target population, the agency through which the immunizations are given in the area and various reasons for immunization failure and drop out. The knowledge can be used for devising strategies to attain 100% immunization coverage, which enables to prevent the vaccine preventable diseases successfully.

In spite of National Programme for Control of Blindness with its control strategies revised from time to time to provide comprehensive health care to the community, blindness and other conditions of ocular morbidity continue to be problems of much Public Health importance. Considering the fact that one-third of India's blind lose their eyesight before the age of 20 years and many of them are under fifteen years when they become blind, early detection and treatment of ocular morbidity among children is important. In Kerala, only some hospital based data are available based on the studies conducted in Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Medical College Hospitals. Only piece meal data on field based studies are existing. OBJECTIVES 1. To study the prevalence of ocular morbidity among school children of age group 9-15 years. 2. To find the socio demographic factors associated with ocular morbidity in children. METHODOLOGYAcross sectional study was conducted among a sample of 3130 students of the age group 9-15 years from Government, Private and Aided schools of Perumkadavila Block Panchayat for three months from November 2013. Children were subjected to measurement of height and weight, general examination of the eyes, torch light examination of anterior segment and fundus examination, visual acuity for distant vision and for near vision. Colour blindness was checked using Ishihara's chart. Sociodemographic details were collected using the pretested Performa. RESULTS28.9% of the study group was having one or more form of ocular morbidity. Majority of the children studied were of 12 years age. Most of the ocular morbidities were either preventable or curable. Among the children having ocular morbidity the leading cause was refractive error (17.9%) followed by Vitamin A deficiency (9.6%), Conjunctivitis (0.9%), Blepharitis (0.3%), Squint (0.1%), Colour blindness (0.1%) and Ptosis (0.01%). The presence of ocular morbidity showed significant association with education, occupation and income of the parent. CONCLUSIONThe study was useful for detecting preventable and treatable causes of defective vision early in life and thus for minimizing longterm permanent visual disability. RECOMMENDATIONSThe knowledge about the distribution and socio-demographic association of ocular morbidity would enable in planning of eye care services and to reduce visual impairment. As there is high prevalence of ocular morbidity among school children, it can be suggested that early screening programmes in primary schools can detect a good proportion of visual impairment and other ocular morbidities sufficiently early so that early interventions in such children will help in preventing the progression of the conditions which can lead to blindness.

BACKGROUNDHypertension, a silent killer is a major public health problem. Adult hypertension may start early in life. Literature shows an increasing trend in prevalence of hypertension among children. Early detection of prehypertensives will help in prevention of hypertension by adopting lifestyle modifications. As there is paucity in studies on prevalence of prehypertension among children of rural South Kerala, this study has been planned. Objectives-1. To study the prevalence of prehypertension among school children of age 9-17 years in Perumkadavila block, Thiruvananthapuram District. 2. To identify the risk factors of prehypertension in the study population.

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