Blogs

Three criteria have been used commonly for judging the presence of “overcrowding”
If ANY ONE of the 3 criteria is satisfied, it is considered as 'overcrowding present'
1. PERSONS PER ROOM CRITERION
The number of persons in the household is divided by the number of rooms in the house.
The criteria for counting of persons for assessment of sufficiency of living area are as follows:
• An infant (a child under 12 months of age) is not counted.
• Children aged 1–10 years are counted as half a person each.

This is another scale for calculating the social class and is based on the monthly per capita income of the family. It has five classes (as seen in the Table below).

This is the most commonly used scale for determining the SES of an urban family. Kuppus- wamy scale was developed for assessing the SES of an urban individual. It took three parameters into account, namely, education, occupation, and income of the individual
It was modified to enable SES assessment of a family rather than an individual. The parameters were modified as education and occupation of the HOF and the income of. the whole family, pooled from all the sources . These parameters are defined later in this section.

It is defined as the ratio of the combined age groups 0 – 14 yr. and 65 yr. and above to the 15 – 65 yr. age group.

This blog provides a complete, exam-oriented, and practical guide to Geriatric Clinico-Social Case Taking (CSC) for MBBS and MD Community Medicine students. It explains how to assess an elderly patient under four major components: detailed clinical history and examination, clinico-social diagnosis, effects of illness on the family, and suggested management. The blog highlights common health problems of the elderly, functional decline, chronic diseases, locomotor disorders, psychological issues, and the WHO Age-friendly Primary Health Care (AF-PHC) approach. Students learn how to take a structured history, conduct focused general and systemic examination, fill ADL/IADL scales, identify social support systems, evaluate environmental risks, and plan holistic curative–preventive–promotive management. Essential for CSC practicals, ward exams, and PG assessments.

• National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP) 1999 and National Policy on Senior Citizens 2011
• National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE), 2011
• Relevant Constitutional Provisions
– The right of parents, without any means, to be supported by their children having sufficient means has been recognized
– Provident funds
– Old age pension
• National Old Age Pension (NOAP) Scheme,
• Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007

This blog provides a complete, MBBS-oriented format for Clinico-Social Case (CSC) taking, emphasizing assessment of the index case within the context of family and environment. It outlines all major components—including identification data, clinical history and examination, family health study, housing and environmental assessment, customs and health practices, KAP regarding contraception, and steps for clinico-social diagnosis. The blog also guides students on suggesting curative, preventive, and promotive management at individual, family, and community levels.

WHY, Dietary Counselling?
• SAM = Severe Acute Malnutrition
• MAM = Moderate Acute Malnutrition
• Under-nourished children (MAM & SAM) have serious consequences
– Increased morbidity and increased risk of infections
– Increased mortality
– impaired physical and
– Impaired cognitive development, compromised IQ even in adulthood
– Develop into stunted adults
– Increased disease even in adulthood
– SAM is potentially life threatening as associated with complications

Early initiation of breastfeeding; immediately after birth, preferably within one hour

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life - give only breast milk; not even water should be added

Timely introduction of complementary food beyond six months along with continued breastfeeding

BOOKS
1. Theory: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, Bhanot Publishers, CHECK the LATEST Edition. New editions are launched almost every 2 years