Urban and rural pattern of Internet use among youth and its association with mood state

Introduction:

The problematic use of internet is associated with dysfunction life style. The emerging evidence do also suggest its impact on user's mood profile. There is need to establish the urban and rural difference in relation to internet use as well as its association with mood states and its implications for primary care setting.

Methods:

The present work explored the pattern of internet use in Urban and Rural area and its impact on mood states. 731 individuals (403 males and 328 females) in the age group of 18-25 years from urban and rural areas were approached for the study. The internet addiction test and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale were administered in group setting. Results indicated no significant difference in term of internet use as well as in term for gender. Significant difference was seen for internet use and mood states.

Results:

The results indicate no significant difference in terms of internet use pattern and gender in relation to urban and rural areas. However, a significant difference exists with respect to Internet use and its relation to depression, anxiety and stress.

Conclusions:

It implies the development of early brief intervention for Primary Physicians to enable them to screening psychological conditions along with internet use as well as help users to have healthy use of technology.

A Stratified Analysis of Clinical Manifestations and Different Diagnostic Methods of Neurocysticercosis-Suspected Tamilian Population Residing in and Around Puducherry

INTRODUCTION

Human beings are accidental hosts for Cysticercus cellulosae showing varied clinical manifestations based on the site harbored by the parasitic cyst because of which disease profile remains unexplored at large. Besides this, diagnosis of the disease with a single conventional method is problematic due to lack of specificity and sensitivity.

AIM

To assess the varied clinical manifestations and stratify based on imaging and serological methods for diagnosis of Neurocysticercosis (NCC) in our study population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A hospital-based study was carried out at Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), the tertiary care centre caters patients from Puducherry and surrounding regions of Tamil Nadu. This is a cross-sectional analysis of clinically and radiologically suspected cases of NCC (n=119) for a period of three years (2012 to 2015). The collection of detailed clinical history and imaging findings (MRI or CT) along with the lifestyle parameters was done after obtaining informed consent. Enzyme-Linked Immune-Electro Transfer Blot (EITB) was carried out for the samples collected from study subjects.

RESULTS

Based on dietary and environmental factors non-vegetarians, pork eaters, raw vegetable consumers and open-field defecation showed significant seropositivity. The clinical manifestations like seizures, blurring of vision and chronic headache with nausea followed by neck pain, cognitive deficits and movement disorder have higher seropositivity respectively. Generalized seizures were found to be more than focal seizures. While comparing the imaging and serological tests for NCC diagnosis, the positivity rate was 46.2% considering positive by both methods; but 18.5% of sero-positive cases were imaging negative, and 16% of the sero-negative cases were imaging positive. The study showed a predominance of multiple cysts (62%) in cases with cystic lesions.

CONCLUSION

This study is first of its kind in associating varied and less commonly explored clinical manifestations with two different diagnostic measures in practice and its importance among our study settings. These manifestations must be considered as strong disease entities of NCC, which has to be suggested for differential diagnosis, and cannot be left ignored. Combinatorial diagnostic methods like serology and imaging techniques should be followed in diagnosis and assessing the disease burden.

Technology Addiction among Treatment Seekers for Psychological Problems: Implication for Screening in Mental Health Setting

BACKGROUND

Technology usage has seen an increase among users. The usage varies from social, personal, and psychological reasons. Users are frequently using to overcome mood states as well as to manage the other psychological states. This work is going to explore the information technology use among subjects with a psychiatric disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 75 subjects were assessed using background data sheet, internet addiction impairment index, video game use pattern, pornography addiction screening tool and screening for mobile phone use, from in-patient and out-patient setting of tertiary mental health setting.

RESULTS

It showed the presence of addiction to mobile, internet, video game, and pornography. Age was found to be negatively correlated with this addiction. Average usage time had been associated with management of mood states. The addiction to information technology had been associated with a delay in initiation of sleep.

CONCLUSION

This work has implication for screening technology addiction among subjects seeking treatment for psychological problems and motivate them to develop the healthy use of technology.

Rising trends of neurocysticercosis: A serological report from tertiary-care hospital in South India

INTRODUCTION

Taenia solium is a common two-host parasitic cestode, residing in both humans (definitive) and pigs (intermediate). Invasion of this parasitic cyst into central nervous system leads to a condition known as neurocysticercosis (NCC). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers NCC as one of the "most neglected" tropical zoonotic diseases. The disease is presented with pleomorphic clinical manifestations, of which epilepsy is the most common. Diagnosis of NCC is carried out by serological tests and imaging methods. Only a few studies from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Pondicherry are available regarding the seropositive levels of NCC in South India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive analysis was carried out on NCC suspected patients attending outpatient or inpatient department of different clinics majorly from neurology, medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmology, and skin at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, a tertiary care hospital in South India. A total of 391 patient samples (either serum or cerebrospinal fluid or urine) for 5 years from January 2011 to December 2015 were taken into the study. Serological investigations such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme-linked immunoelectro transfer blot were performed for assessing the seropositivity levels of NCC.

RESULTS

The overall seropositive cases of NCC in the study population were found to be 32.5% of which positive male cases (59.1%) exceeding females (40.9%). The frequency of adult positive cases (77.2%) was more than that of pediatrics cases (22.8%) with an average of 30.9 years of age.

CONCLUSIONS

NCC seropositive levels show an increasing trend with the study period. This necessitates a proper attention to the unnoticed spread of the parasitic disease, which affects the quality of life in the community. Quality screening and diagnostic strategy should be implied along with proper awareness for preventive measure practices have to be set up to reduce the impact of morbidity caused by NCC.