Background: Keeping in mind, the increasing burden of health problems among professionals working in IT industry and lack of evidence on health status of IT Employees in Goa, the present research study was undertaken. Aim: To study the health profile of workers employed in selected IT companies in the largest industrial estate of Goa. Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study was a retrospective, record-based study conducted over a period of 2 months. Data was obtained from the records of an Occupational Health Service (OHS) centre after assuring confidentiality. The variables of study comprised sociodemographic data (age, sex), anthropometry (height, weight), vitals (pulse, blood pressure), vision (near, far and colour) and basic blood/urine laboratory investigations and ECG readings. Data was entered into Excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. Results: Mean age of the employees was 38.91±7.80 years (79.7% males and 20.3% females). 33.9% were overweight and 6.8% were obese. 11% had diabetes and 31.4% had hypertension. The proportion of patients having pre-hypertension, prediabetes was 42.2% and 2.5% respectively. 36.4% had dyslipidaemia of which 30.5% were having hypercholesterolemia and 5.9% were having hypertriglyceridemia. Conclusion: This study highlights the need of periodic medical check-ups of the IT professionals for timely detection and early management of health problems.

Background: Cervical cancer is potentially one of the most preventable and treatable cancers. Despite the known efficacy of cervical screening, a significant number of women in developing countries like India do not avail themselves of the procedure due to lack of awareness and sociocultural misconceptions. Objectives: This study was conducted to elicit information on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) regarding cervical screening (Pap test) and to assess barriers to acceptance of the Pap test among nurses in a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. Awareness and acceptance for vaccination for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) was also assessed. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire among female nurses. The study subjects were interviewed for KAP regarding risk factors for cancer cervix, Pap test and HPV vaccination for protection against carcinoma cervix. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study participants. Association between socio-demographic factors and awareness and practices were assessed using the chi square test. p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: A large no of nurses had good knowledge about the risk factors and the importance of PAP test screening (95.9%). Many of the study subjects had a favourable attitude towards Pap test 92 (93.9%) and vaccination 82 (88.2%), but despite being in a centre with direct access to screening 68 (69.4%) of the study subjects never had a Pap test themselves and the most common reason cited was not finding the need to screen as they felt it was not applicable to them (45.6 %) not finding the need to screen as they felt it was not applicable to them. Acceptance for HPV vaccination was more 58 (59.2%) than Paps test 30 (31.4%).Conclusion: In spite of good knowledge and attitudes towards prevention of cancer cervix, Pap test and HPV vaccination, practice remained low among the nurses. Acceptance of HPV vaccination was more than Pap test reflecting the lower acceptance of intimately invasive procedures.

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a substantial and growing health concern. It has serious, long term consequences for both baby and mother. Early detection and intervention can greatly improve outcomes for women with this condition. Studies have revealed higher incidence of preterm labor, pre-eclampsia, nephropathy, birth trauma, caesarean section, postoperative wound complications, fetal wastage from early pregnancy loss or congenital anomalies, macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, stillbirth, growth restriction, and hypoglycaemia etc. Therefore the present study using quasi-experimentaltime series non-equivalent control group design was conducted on 110 sample subjects, 56 in experimental group and 54 in control group, in a selected hospital of Kashmir (J&K, India) to determine the effectiveness of antenatal intervention on maternal parameters of diabetic pregnant women in order to improve their outcome. The study revealed a significant difference in maternal outcome of experimental group of diabetic pregnant women as compared to control group of diabetic pregnant women.

Background: Shipbuilding industry is among the heaviest and most hazardous production industries. The workers are exposed to various chemicals and physical hazards. Chronic illnesses are important among long term shipyard workers. The current study was performed to assess selected morbidities among shipbuilding workers in Goa and to suggest suitable measures to minimize the hazards.Methods: A retrospective record-based cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of two months from November to December 2018. The data of 791 workers was obtained from OHS centre catering to the shipbuilding industries in North-Goa which conducted periodic medical check-ups of the shipbuilding workers. The data included socio-demographic details and details regarding selected morbidities among shipbuilding workers. Result: The records of 791 workers working in shipbuilding industry was analysed. A high number of workers i.e. 216 (23.3%) were overweight. As high as 196 (24.8%) workers were hypertensive, 101 (12.8%) had diabetes, 76 (9.6%) had dyslipidaemia while 3 (0.4%) were anaemic. 40 (5.1%) had restrictive lung disease, while 9 (1.1%) had obstructive lung disease. Assessment of Audiometry reports revealed that 190 (24%) workers had mild hearing loss, 33 (4.2%) had moderate hearing loss and 14 (1.8%) had severe hearing loss.Conclusions: Shipbuilding workers suffer from several health problems, notably, hearing impairment, visual impairment, lung conditions impairing pulmonary functions as well as lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, overweight and dyslipidaemia. Periodic medical examinations are needed for timely detection and appropriate treatment of these health conditions among the shipbuilding workers.

Background: This report is about the investigation of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that claimed two human lives and left 180 people affected within one week of its outbreak in a residential campus area in Delhi, India in the month of June 2013. The study was conducted to find out the causes of acute gastroenteritis outbreak and to suggest preventive and control measures.Methods: A cross sectional study was designed and a pre-tested pre-designed epidemiological case sheet was used and a total of 180 cases of acute gastroenteritis were interviewed. Contribution by ecological factors was also assessed. Stool and water samples were also collected.Results: Out of 14000 inhabitants, 180 people suffered from similar complaints of acute gastroenteritis. Males and females were almost equally affected although people in the age group 15 - 44 completed years, 88 (48.8%) and those living in type I quarters, 108 (60%) were affected most. Epidemic curve with single peak was obtained. Environmental surveillance revealed breakage of drinking water pipelines and mixing of drinking water with sewage water near type I quarters. Out of 14 stool samples collected, one was positive for Vibrio cholerae(ogawa serotype).Conclusion:The present study reflected the possible contamination drinking water with sewage water in outbreak of gastroenteritis. By employing simple epidemiological field investigation, the outbreak was brought under control.