Opportunistic Infections among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal City of South India.

Background: HIV/AIDS and Diabetes Mellitus are the diseases' known to supress cell mediated immunity and predispose patients for opportunistic infections. Hence, we conducted a study to compare the common opportunistic infections (OIs) between People Living with HIV with DM (PLHIV-DM) and PLHIV without DM (PLHIV).

Methodology: PLHIV with DM and without DM (1:1) were prospectively included in the study from January 2011 to January 2012 at a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore city.

Prevalence and risk factors for adult pulmonary tuberculosis in a metropolitan city of South India.

Background: The present study measured the community prevalence and risk factors of adult pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Chennai city, and also studied geographical distribution and the presence of different M. tuberculosis strains in the survey area.

Methods: A community-based cross sectional survey was carried out from July 2010 to October 2012 in Chennai city.

Psychiatric Co-morbidities among Patients with Select Non-communicable Diseases in a Coastal City of South India.

Background: Psychiatric illnesses are an important group of co-morbidities that can occur among patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Both these chronic conditions have an important implication in terms of quality of life, general well-being and cost of treatment and general longevity of the patient. The objectives of our study were to assess the burden of psychiatric co-morbidities among patients with select NCDs and to identify the determinants associated with them.

Profile of women seeking medical termination of pregnancy in South India.

Objective: To investigate the demographic and obstetric profile of women seeking medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) in South India in accordance with the MTP Act of India.

Methods: A registry-based retrospective study was carried out at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India. The hospital records of all pregnant women seeking MTP over a 2-year period between January 2011 and December 2012 were reviewed.

Perceptions and practices of medical practitioners towards ethics in medical practice - a study from coastal South India.

Ethics is the application of values and moral rules to human activities. Medical practitioners are expected to not only have the skills and knowledge relevant to their field but also with the ethical and legal expectations that arise out of the standard practices. The present research was conducted with an aim to study the perceptions and practices of medical practitioners towards healthcare ethics in Indian scenario and to strengthen the evidence in the field of ethics training.

Perceptions and practices of self-medication among medical students in coastal South India.

Self-medication is a common practice worldwide and the irrational use of drugs is a cause of concern. This study assessed the prevalence of self-medication among the medical students in South India. The data was analysed using SPSS version 11.

Profile of substance use among patients attending De-addiction centres in a coastal city of southern India.

Drug dependence is still to be recognized in developing countries as a significant public health problem and literature on the magnitude of this problem is limited. The present research was planned to study the socio-demographic profile and the reasons for substance use among patients admitted at De-addiction centres in Mangalore, India. In this cross-sectional study, all the patients admitted at the De-addiction centres during the study period were interviewed.