Perception of an Urban Primary Health Center medical and paramedical staff on substance abuse in the community: A cross-sectional study
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 5
Abstract
Background: A recent World Health Organization estimate shows a burden of worldwide psychoactive substance use of around 2 billion alcohol users, 1.3 billion smokers, and 185 million drug users. Due to this increased trend of substance and alcohol abuse, it is necessary that healthcare providers catering to the needs of such an area take measures to help curb the menace by spreading awareness regarding negative effects of chemical dependency and to prevent overdose harm. Objectives: The objective of this study is to gain an insight into the perception of an Urban Primary Health Center (PHC) medical and paramedical staff on substance abuse prevalent in the community. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted among the staff of an urban non-governmental organization PHC - Doctors for You situated in Mankhurd. A total of 61 staff members were included in the study which was decided by means of convenient sampling. Staff was handed over a standard pre-tested questionnaire translated into Hindi. Results: 51% agreed that substance abuse was a common problem in the community, whereas 47% strongly agreed that it was a common problem. 44% perceived that substance abuse is most common in the age group of 18–30 years, while 28% felt that the age group of 30–45 is common. Alcohol (97%) and tobacco (87%) were the most commonly abused substances. 74% perceived that men had a higher tendency to lean toward substance abuse while 23% felt that gender did not matter. Depression, poverty, and peer pressure were found to be the major predisposing factors for substance abuse. Conclusion: There should be an integrated approach taken up by various health-care providers to curb the menace, by helping addicts in de-addiction and providing counseling services as well. In addition, we should also focus on skill development of these individuals to economically and socially rehabilitate them so as to not only provide means of income generation but also uplift their quality of life.
Authors and Affiliations
Amit Nohwar, Veena Mulgaonkar, Maheshwari Maheshwari, Ravikant Singh, Priyanka Manghani
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP476028
- DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2018.0101415022018
- Views 79
- Downloads 0
Why fetuses die - A retrospective observational study in a tertiary care center
Background: Late intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) and stillbirth are a cause of concern and not widely reported though it contributes a large chunk in perinatal mortality. It is a traumatic experience for the family and o...
An epidemiological study to find the prevalence and socio-demographic profile of overweight and obesity in private school children, Mumbai
Background: As developing societies industrialize and urbanize, and standards of living continue to rise, weight gain and obesity are now becoming a growing threat to the health of the future citizens. Objective:...
Assessment of anti-coagulation knowledge in Sudanese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation
Background: The most prevalent heart rhythm disorder in clinical practice is atrial fibrillation (AF) and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and preventable stroke, accou...
Barriers in adopting a healthy lifestyle: Insight from college youth
Obesity, a preventable chronic disease, is becoming a serious health problem in all age groups due to the indulgence in a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, the population is at a risk of developing several obesity-relate...
Knowledge and awareness about chickenpox vaccine among parents with children under the age of 5 years in Kuwait health centers in 2014
Background: Kuwait government is thinking of introducing the varicella vaccine into the health centers, so it is critical to measure the awareness of parents with children below 5 years, before they do. This is to provid...