E-learning and E-modules in medical education-A SOAR analysis using perception of undergraduate students.

Background: Application of e-learning and e-modules in medical education has been shown to have a positive impact on learning outcomes among all types of learners, across diverse educational settings. Despite its benefits, e-learning and e-modules has not yet reached its full potential in medical education in India. Objective of this study is to evaluate the perception of undergraduate students regarding e-learning and e-modules using an appreciative inquiry tool SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) analysis, and to identify the barriers and challenges for the same.

Validation of Internal structure of Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale among Indian Medical Students using factor analysis and the Structural equation Modelling Approach.

Background: The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) is a tool that helps in the assessment of the readiness of the students to pursue Self-Directed Learning (SDL). There are no documented studies on the validation of internal structure of the SDLRS among Indian medical students. Hence, the objective of this study is to validate the internal structure of SDLRS among Indian medical students using factor analysis and the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach.

Validation of Metacognitive Awareness Inventory from a Private Medical University in India.

Background: Metacognition is the awareness and the capability to regulate one's own thinking process. Metacognition is critical in medical education for clinical reasoning and management. Hence, the objective of this study is to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) among first-year medical and dental students, from a private medical university in India, using confirmatory analysis and internal consistency method.

How does cognitive function measured by the reaction time and critical flicker fusion frequency correlate with the academic performance of students?

Background: The reaction time (RT) is "the time taken for the appearance of rapid voluntary reaction by an individual following a stimulus, either auditory or visual" and the Critical Flickering Fusion Frequency (CFFF) is "the rate at which successively presented light stimuli appear to be steady and continuous". RT and CFFF are commonly used for the assessment of cognitive functions that are known to influence academic performance. However, data about the exact correlation between these are scarce, particularly in India.

Planning community-based intervention for speech for children with cleft lip and palate from rural South India: A needs assessment.

Background And Aim: A community-based rehabilitation programme, Sri Ramachandra University-Transforming Faces project, was initiated to provide comprehensive management of communication disorders in individuals with CLP in two districts in Tamil Nadu, India. This community-based programme aims to integrate hospital-based services with the community-based initiatives and to enable long-term care. The programme was initiated in Thiruvannamalai (2005) district and extended to Cuddalore (2011).

Caregivers' perception of speech and language status and related needs in children with cleft lip and palate.

Background And Purpose: Comprehensive management for communication disorders in individuals with CLP was provided in a community based program in two rural districts in Tamilnadu, India. This program provides services at the community to empower the families about CLP and treatment options.

Objective: To document the caregiver perceptions' of communication status and needs in children with repaired CLP.

Social impact of menstrual problems among adolescent school girls in rural Tamil Nadu.

Background Adolescence is a period of physiological, psychological and social transition between childhood and adulthood and is characterized by the onset of menstruation in girls. A adolescent girls are naïve about menstruation and they take time to adapt to these changes both socially and psychologically. This study was carried out to assess the psychosocial impact of menstrual problems among schoolgoing adolescent girls.

Prevalence of Menstrual Problems among Adolescent School Girls in Rural Tamil Nadu.

Study Objective: Adolescent girls face a gamut of problems of which the menstrual problems are the most common. Because menstrual problems are subtle, the problems often are unreported. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of menstrual problems, namely dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, and irregular menstrual cycles.

Are the current Indian growth charts really representative? Analysis of anthropometric assessment of school children in a South Indian district.

Background: India currently is posed by the double threat of thinness and overweight/obesity among children. Different growth charts have taken different population and give different cut-off points to assess these conditions.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the anthropometry of school children, 5-18 years of age and thereby estimate the prevalence of childhood thinness, overweight and obesity.

Prevalence and risk indicators for attachment loss in an urban population of South India.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence and severity of attachment loss in an urban population of South India and to determine related risk indicators.

Materials And Methods: This population based cross sectional study used a subset of data from a large survey representative of urban population from Chennai city. The sample consisted of 900 subjects in the age range of 17 years to 87 years.

Behavioural determinants for obesity: a cross-sectional study among urban adolescents in India.

Objectives: To measure the prevalence of behavioural risk factors for obesity among urban adolescent school children in Chennai, India.

Methods: This study was performed as a cross-sectional study using a World Health Organization-designed Global School-based Student Health Survey questionnaire (modified for India) among adolescent school children studying in 30 randomly selected secondary and higher secondary schools in Chennai city. 1842 adolescents studying in the VIII to XII standards were randomly selected for the study.

Awareness of gestational diabetes mellitus among antenatal women in a primary health center in South India.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a perfect window of opportunity for the prevention of DM in two generations, and its incidence is increasing in our country. Awareness of the condition among antenatal women will translate into prevention and early diagnosis of the disease. This study was done to determine the awareness of GDM among all the antenatal women who attend a Primary Health Center (PHC) for antenatal care.

Expenditure Pattern for TB Treatment among Patients Registered in an Urban Government DOTS Program in Chennai City, South India.

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) patients registered in the government clinics under the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course) program in Chennai city catering to about 4.3 million population.

Socioeconomic impact of TB on patients registered within RNTCP and their families in the year 2007 in Chennai, India.

Background: Tuberculosis patients are registered in government clinics under Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) program in Chennai city catering to 4.34 million population. With the entire country geographically covered under the DOTS program, research into socioeconomic impact of TB on patients and their households is crucial for providing comprehensive patient-friendly TB services and to document the benefits of DOTS.

Response to ban on smoking in public places--a cross-sectional study.

Smoking has become an important global problem that poses serious health hazards. Today even teenagers have got trapped by this addictive habit. To curb this menace, the Government of Tamilnadu has proposed a ban on smoking in public places by introducing the Bill "Tamilnadu Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting 2002".

Computer professionals and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is an important problem among computer professionals. Hence the prevalence of CTS among computer professionals and risk factors were studied. 648 subjects were selected from 4,276 computer professionals from 21 companies by with simple random sampling method.

High caesarean rates in Madras (India): a population-based cross sectional study.

Objective: To estimate the population caesarean section rate in urban India.

Design: Population-based cross sectional study.

Setting: Madras City (Chennai), India.