The nutritional intake, dietary pattern, and health outcomes among the adolescent girls in suburban areas of Chennai

The nutritional intake, dietary pattern, and health outcomes among the adolescent girls in suburban areas of Chennai

Published in: International Journal of Nursing and Education and Research, 2019;7(2):01-05.

Abstract:

The adolescent girls in Suburban areas are getting confused between the tradition of the village and modernization of the city due to the transition effect. They will be in a hurry to run fastly with the modern trends and thus, result in nutritional deficiencies, which don’t produce any signs or symptoms during the adolescence period, but the symptoms may worsen later in the pregnancy period. Based on the assumption, the researcher decided to design a project on the nutritional status of the adolescent girls as part of the National Child Rights Research Fellowship (NCRRF). The researcher conducted a study to assess the nutritional intake, dietary pattern, and health outcomes among adolescent girls in suburban areas of Chennai. The researcher used the cross-sectional descriptive design to assess the nutritional outcomes among the adolescent girls, who were in the age group of 10-18 years from the four suburban areas. The total sample size for the study was 200 and the duration of the study was one year. The data collection instrument has two sections: Socio-demographic data and 24 hours recall method. The majority of the adolescent girls take deficit amount of protein 96 (48.0%), iron 198 (99.0%), calcium 195 (97.5%) and vitamin A 152 (76.0%). The subjects who belong to 16-18 years of age demonstrate excess in calorie 42(50.0%) and fat intake 76 (90.48%), and deficit in protein 40(47.62%), iron (84(100%), calcium 82(97.62%) and vitamin A 65(77.38%). The author concludes the paper by suggesting the recommendations from the individual level to the national level to promote adolescent health.

Keywords: Adolescent girls, nutritional intake, dietary pattern, health outcomes, adolescence, adolescent health

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Social determinants of adolescent girls’ dietary pattern in suburban areas in Chennai: A qualitative approach

Social determinants of adolescent girls’ dietary pattern in suburban areas in Chennai: A qualitative approach

Published in: Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, 5(1), 5-11

Abstract

Background: The idea of adolescent well-being is getting importance all around the world and thus there is a lack of national investigations to survey the factors on the dietary pattern of young girls in suburban regions. 

Aim: The objective of the study is to explore the social determinants of adolescent girls’ dietary patterns in suburban areas of Chennai. 

Design: The phenomenological design was used to explore the social determinants of adolescent girl’s nutritional intake. The study population consisted of adolescent girls, who were in the age group of 15-18 years in suburban areas of Chennai. The tool had two sections: Areas of exploration and indicative questions. The total sample size was 19 with three focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic analysis was used to explore social determinants. 

Results: The four main categories were identified from the adolescent girl’s point of view in terms of social determinants. It consisted of father and mother (as individual determinants), family (merged determinants of father and mother) and related society. The major themes were knowledge and interest in cooking, tiredness, and lack of time of mother, alcoholism, ill health of a family member, the purchasing power of the family, friends circle, agriculture, seasonal variation, and urbanization.

Conclusion: Closing the gaps, both in research and inaction, would profit the society in general, resulting in enhanced wellbeing and health of adolescent girls and help in harnessing their full physical and mental potential for the overall improvement of the population.

Keywords: Adolescent girls, dietary pattern, phenomenology, qualitative approach, social determinants, suburban areas 

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Why have I been touched badly? A 22 years follow-up research study on factors influencing child sex abuse and solutions to stop it.

Why have I been touched badly? A 22 years follow-up research study on factors influencing child sex abuse and solutions to stop it.

Published in: Asian J. Nursing Education and Research. 2019; 9(1):09-16

Abstract

The technology and democracy have helped us to forward the world fastly, without giving an ultimate solution to many social problems which makes the lives nightmare. Among these, the incidence of child sex abuse has become an unresolved issue and is increasing dramatically nowadays. The author has conducted a 22-years prospective and inquisitive search to explore the factors influencing the sex abuse from offender’s and victim/target’s point of view and to find a solution to eradicate this crime towards children. The researcher has selected a personalized cum case study qualitative approach to explore the factors and solution, introduced the paper with a title of ‘Why have I been touched badly’? and masked the title of the study, statement of the problem, research questions, inclusion and exclusion criteria purposefully to ensure confidentiality, anonymity and trust of the participants at cent percent as it is a highly sensitive issue in the society. The researcher has used triangulation method to evolve results bias-free. The researcher has used diary notes, discussions, observations and case studies. It is seen that there are 11 factors contributing to infant sex abuse, 9 & 6 factors for preschooler and schooler sex abuse respectively. The current research identified 6 phases of child sex abuse; observation phase, introduction phase, Samaritan phase, isolation phase, execution phase and termination phase. The existing body of literature regarding this issue is very limited. The researcher decided to discuss the evolved facts with reported cases of child sex abuse and studied on ‘how could it have been prevented?’ The researcher randomly picked five recent reported cases by media with the detailed explanation of the situational factors except the case study VI, which the researcher has purposefully selected this incident to justify the suggested solution to eradicate the child sex abuse in the society. The researcher concludes the paper with a request for revising POCSO act based on the results of the study, thus hopefully be able to stop the child sex abuse forever.

Keywords: Child sex abuse, Pocso act, bad touch, sex offenders, sex abuse victims, a solution to sex abuse

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Development and assessment of Adolescent Boys Stress Questionnaire (ABSQ-2015)

Development and assessment of Adolescent Boys Stress Questionnaire (ABSQ-2015)

Published in ICCR-JNR Journal

Abstract:

Aim-The study aim was to develop and assess an instrument to measure stress level among adolescent boys in relation to school, family, personal and social life.

Methods-Before administering the ABSQ-2015 to adolescent boys (N=380), experts from nursing and psychology in research, practice, tool development reviewed it twice, known as two step validation process. Reliability, construct validity assessment such as content, face, contrasting groups and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was done. Out of 26 items, 16 items were selected and loaded as three factors after EFA, deemed to be interpretable and meaningful.

Results-The assessment of ABSQ-2015 supported construct validity (0.93), reliability (0.97) and Factor analysis KMO and Bartlett's Test 0.82 (P<0.01) which is highly significant.

Conclusion-The ABSQ-2015 is found to useful psychologically and statistically to elicit the stress level among adolescent boys effectively in relation to various determinants of life.

Keywords – Adolescence, adolescent boys, Research instrument, Standardized tool, Stress questionnaire, developing tool
  

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Fight the Fear: Using Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Model (PCSA Model),2015

Fight the Fear: Using Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Model (PCSA Model),2015

(Published in International Journal of Comprehensive Nursing)

Abstract

As the child sexual abuse is wide spread public threat, it is high time to take action to stop the sexual predators. Here, the author attempts to develop and utilize a Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Model (PCSA Model), 2015 to address the issue focusing on levels of prevention. The Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse Model (PCSA Model) is a conceptual model, focuses on problem solving domain by using a cross sectional flow chart. The PCSA model divides into three swim lanes named 3As- Assess, Action and Awareness. It helps the health care providers in identifying the victim, refer them for care, protect them, follow up and giving awareness with the multidisciplinary approach through the levels of

primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, to fight the fear of children.

Key words: child neglect, child sexual abuse, conceptual framework, conceptual model, fear of children, prevention model. 

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HEALTH BEHAVIOUR AND LEVEL OF STRESS AMONG ADOLESCENT BOYS

HEALTH BEHAVIOR AND LEVEL OF STRESS AMONG ADOLESCENT BOYS

(Published in journal.sochni 2014)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The concept of adolescent health is getting importance ahead globally, thus far there is a paucity of national studies to assess the health behaviour and stress level among adolescent boys.

Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the health behaviour and stress level among adolescent boys in Vellore city, Tamil Nadu.

Methodology: Descriptive design was used. Using proportionate and purposive sampling technique, 380 subjects studying in 8th, 9th, 10th 11th and 12th grades were selected from the 10 selected schools in Vellore city. The investigator utilized the WHO questionnaire for assessing Health Behaviour and the adolescent stress questionnaire which is developed by the researcher. The content validity of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire tool was 0.93, reliability was 0.97 and Factor analysis KMO and Bartlett's Test 0.82 (P<0.01) which is highly reliable for using the instrument in Indian context (Adolescent Stress Questionnaire 2014).

Results: The adolescent boys were categorized into 10-13, 14-16 and 17-19 years with the distribution of 29.73%, 42.63% and 27.64% respectively. The mean age of the subjects was 14.49±1.46. It was uncovered that 4.7% of the subjects had smoked in their life time and 0.3% of them were currently smokers. Those who have consumed alcohol, majority 17.1% were from upper socio economic families (P=0.05).  Among those who had higher level of stress in regard to family relations, majority of them (54.5%) consumed alcohol (P=0.04). Regarding the safety behaviour, the subjects from upper socioeconomic status (76.3%) were not practising safety behaviour on the roads as compared to the subjects from lower socio economic status (P=0.002). 

Conclusion: The findings suggest an urgent call for implementing the life skill education programme in schools to develop and nurture the adaptive health behaviour among adolescent boys and to cope with stress, which paves the way for moulding a healthier workforce in coming days.

Key words: Health behaviour, stress, smoking, alcoholism, physical activity and adolescent boys.

Adolescent Health Behavior and Stress Level (Full PDF)

Adolescent Stress Questionnaire 2014

Pulse Polio Program 2015

(By Shobhit Gosain [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Pulse polio Program 2015

In India, the fight against polio was started by launching Expanded Program in Immunization (EPI) in 1978. This program was able to cover 40% of all infants. In 1985, Universal Immunization Program (UIP) was launched to cover all districts, despite of having around 28,000 reported cases in India. Meanwhile, World Health Organization has initiated Polio Eradication program in all countries in 1988.In 1995, India has launched Pulse Polio Program, with an aim to eradicate poliomyelitis by vaccinating all under five children at 100% with two doses in a year in addition to routine immunization schedule. Here, the 'pulse' means 'post resuscitation and initial utility in life saving efforts'.

To eradicate the polio, Govt. of India focuses on three strategies such as

• Routine immunization of infants with three doses of polio vaccine
• Supplementary Immunization activities (SIAs) including National Immunization Days (NIDs) to cover the entire country, Sub National Immunization Days (SNIDs) to cover some parts of the country and Mop-up activities to cover 100%.
• Surveillance and investigation of cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)

The main aim of NIDs to immunize the children at booths on the first day and follow up on missed children on the following two days. When a child comes for polio vaccine, health care provider enters the name and address and administers two drops of oral polio vaccine (0.1ml). It is considered as a single dose of vaccine and subsequently, child has to receive the second dose of vaccine in second round. Then, the health care provider marks the left little finger with black ink. 

On the following two days, the health care providers have to conduct house to house survey to immunize the missed cases on the spot and marks the house as "P" with white chalk in front of the house . If the house is locked or not receptive, they mark the house as "X" in front with an indication of revisit the house on coming days. This is for the implementation of mopping up strategy.

Vaccine Vial Monitor also plays a vital role in the program. It suggests the quality of vaccine by indicating the color changes of inner square to outer circle. If the inner square is in white color, the vaccine can be used. Otherwise, it has to be discarded.

The time to add the name of polio in the list of eradicated disease is near by. The Govt. of India has announced the dates of NIDs, first round on 18-01-2015 and second round on 22-02-2015. Let us intertwine our hands to push the name of polio to the pages of  small pox from the present to the past.