AMJ

This year we offer a series of special editions. We welcome papers themed on specific topics although we will continue to publish all peer reviewed material on any topic relevant to healthcare.

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India was the first country to launch a National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) in 1976, as a fully government  sponsored Programme. A large number of blind people in a country are a drain on the economy and yet 80-90% of the blindness is either curable or preventable.  The authors review the National Programme.

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An alarming number of adolescents suffer from emotional and behavioural problems which have their roots in the family environment. These data suggest an urgent need to establish a school based mental health service.

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Among the 500 gilrs aged 17 to 19 years of age only one was sexually active. There were many negative beliefs about different contraceptive methods. These included impotence caused by condom use, weakness following sterilization, obesity caused by the oral contraceptive. Such beliefs impact on choice of contraceptive method.

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In the absence of intervention, adolescents with abnormal psycho-social behaviour may develop any of several disorders including affective disorder, anxiety disorders, or impulse control disorder. Culturally appropriate education may help to improve knowledge about menstruation. This in turn could change maldaptive behaviours at the time of menstruation and promote quality of life.

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Over a period of 12 months, 446 live births and 37 deaths in children under one year of age were reported. The neonatal and infant mortality rates were 49.4 and 83.0 per thousand live births respectively. The main causes of infant deaths were preventable birth asphyxia, diarrhoea, pneumonia, prematurity (including Low birth weight and malnutrition).

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Anti-platelets and anti-coagulants were commonly implicated in many potential adverse interactions in this study and therefore require careful monitoring during therapy. This study provided reference data for the surveillance of potential drug interactions in cardiac patients. Development of similar data base in other Indian and South Asian centers might help to evaluate the economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes of clinically important drug interactions in the South Asian context.

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There are widespread errors in prescription writing by doctors in this study. Educational programs and the use of computers may contribute to reducing errors. The authors also recommend a short course on prescription writing before the practitioner enters clinical practice and strict monitoring by the administrative authorities may also help.

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This study suggests that unnecessary and unsafe injection practices are still prevalent in Bangladesh. Such practices add financial burdens on the government and the general population, moreover they threaten public health as they could potentially spread blood borne diseases. The authors call for action to rationalize injection usage and update healthcare professionals about basic precautions when administering injections.

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The study highlights the fact that obesity is gradually gaining foothold in the general population in India, and that obesity is not perceived as a major threat by most lay people. In these data abdominal obesity was found to be high, especially among females. This needs to be addressed to reduce this risk factor for chronic diseases. The changing lifestyle of the population is very likely to have contributed to these findings.

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Cysticercosis , --  the infestation with the encysted larval stage of  Taenia solium, is  a major health problem in most countries of  Latin America,  Asia, and Africa. It involves mainly the central   nervous   system. Muscle involvement is also seen, although it usually remains asymptomatic

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The authors present a case of scar endometriosis which was misdiagnosed initially. Detailed history of cyclic pain and swelling was the key point for the final diagnosis of scar endometriosis. Medical therapy was ineffective. Surgical excision was the treatment for this endometriotic lesion. This article is an attempt to create awareness of this condition among gynaecologists and general surgeons.

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David Seidel talks about the challenge of helping people maintain their independence as they get older. He introduces his research and makes the case for the role of designers in sustaining the health and well being of an increasingly large proportion of the global population. This September the AMJ is once again proud to feature a special edition focused on design and healthcare. 

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Retired doctors in Australia; Sexual Knowledge and sex education among high school children- A qualitative study