Some host factors and seasonal variations in the fatal road traffic accidents occurring in eastern suburban Calcutta.

An extensive study of road traffic accident cases occurring within eastern suburban Calcutta during April 1992 to March 1993 was done. Of which 276 fatal cases having minimum medical aids were taken into consideration to avoid erroneous interpretation. Male pedestrians of age group of 50 years and above were mostly involved during the time period of 5 A.

Determinants of help-seeking behaviour in cases of epilepsy attending a teaching hospital in India: an indigenous explanatory model.

Psychosocial factors determining the choice of health facility in 30 cases of epilepsy attending the psychiatric outpatient department (OPD) of a teaching (referral) hospital in India were studied. The majority of those who chose indigenous healers as their first contact treatment facility did so on the decision of the family. A belief in the supernatural causation of epilepsy combined with family decision was associated with the choice of indigenous health facility.

(Dr. P. C. Sen Award on rural health practice). Infant and early childhood mortality in some rural ICDS blocks of west Bengal.

This one year prospective study was carried out to determine the CBR, CDR and different underfive mortality rates in some selected rural ICDS blocks of West Bengal and also to find out the common causes of infant and childhood mortality in these areas. It was revealed that most of the above mentioned indicators in ICDS blocks were considerably lower than that of National figures, but more or less similar to those of rural Bengal as recorded in routine Govt. reports.

Infant feeding practices in a rural community of west Bengal.

A study on breast feeding and weaning practices was carried out in a sample of 57 lactating mothers of rural community. Although early start and prolonged breast feeding was an universal practise, but timely weaning was neglected and offered to 54.5% of infants only.

Effect of severity of "risk region" on therapeutic intervention of myocardial infarction size.

Isosorbide dinitrate was tried in 27 patients of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with the purpose of reduction of infarction size. Overall average effect was not significant. But, it was found that, the small and moderate "predicted infarction size" (PIS) group of patients, were benefitted by the drug therapy.

HIV, HBV and STD screening of high-risk subjects.

The seropositivity rate for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and sexually transmitted diseases (STO) were evaluated in high-risk subjects related to a blood transfusion centre in Eastern India. Paid donors showed a high seropositivity rate for HBV and STO and a recent emergence of HIV seropositivity. The multitransfused subjects of thalassaemia and haemophilia showed HBV seropositivity rates of 18% and 38% respectively but haemophiliacs receiving blood components showed in addition a seropositivity of 3% for HIV.

Effect of isosorbide dinitrate on enzymatically estimated infarction size and on clinical condition of the patients of acute myocardial infarction.

With the aim of reducing myocardial infarction size, isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) was tried in 27 patients of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). There was 11% reduction of infarction size, in the ISDN treated group, in comparison to that of non treated group, though the result was not statistically significant. But, many of the in-hospital complications were significantly less in the treated group.

A study of the impact of health education inparted to school children on their knowledge, attitude and practice in regard to personal hygiene.

Education concerning prevailing health problems and the method of preventing and controlling them was considered to be one of the first eight essential activities in primary health care. Hence this study was attempted to assess the impact of health education on the knowledge, attitude and practices of school children aged 10-14 years in two secondary schools situated in Burdwan District of West Bengal. For this purpose health education was imparted by a team consisting of Medical Officer and Paramedical staff.

Habituation of electro-dermal responses in tension-headache sufferers and non-tension-headache controls.

Ten tension headache sufferers (TH) were compared with ten anxious neurotics (AN) and ten normal subjects in terms of electrodermal responses habituation (RH). TH sufferers showed less impaired RH than AN group, the normals showed least impairment. Moreover, it was evident that phasic elevation of electrodermal responses, rather than tonic measure, was a better indicator of individual differences between TH and AN groups.