Blogs

Definition (ILO):
“Pneumoconiosis is the accumulation of dust in the lungs and the tissue reaction to its presence”
• ‘Pneumoconioses’ is the plural
• Dust within the size range of 0.5 to 3 micron pose maximum risk as these can easily enter the alveoli.
– Particles larger than 3 microns don’t reach the alveoli
– Particles smaller than 0.5 microns are exhaled out
– The dust particles which get deposited in the alveoli, cause inflammation in the lungs that can eventually lead to fibrosis of the lung tissue

• This initiative is to bring together existing programmes for IFA supplementation for:
– pregnant and lactating women and;
– children in the age group of 6–60 months) and
– Introduce new age groups.
• Thus National Iron+ Initiative will reach the following age groups for supplementation or preventive programming:
– Bi-weekly iron supplementation for preschool children 6 months to 5 years
– Weekly supplementation for children from 1st to 5th grade in Govt. & Govt. Aided schools

• The National Prophylaxis Programme against Nutritional Blindness due to vitamin A deficiency (NPPNB due to VAD) was started in 1970
– with the specific aim of preventing nutritional blindness due to keratomalacia
– As an urgent measure to combat the unacceptably high magnitude of xerophthalmic blindness in the country seen in the 1950s and 1960s
• The Programme was started as a 100 per cent centrally sponsored programme

References:
WHO (2005) Manual for participants; Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT)
Facility based IMNCI - Participant Manual. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India, 2009

Reference:
Marcia L. London. Pediatric Assessment. Maternal & Child Nursing Care, Ed 3rd, Prentice Hall, 2010: 961-1022.
Seidel, H.M.Ball, J.W,Dains, J.,& Benedict,G.W.(2003). Mosby’s guide to physical examination (5th ed.).St.Louis,MO: Mosby

This blog explains the additional, age-specific points that must be covered while taking the history of a pediatric patient, beyond the standard general history format. It guides MBBS students through essential components such as birth history, feeding practices, immunization status, developmental milestones, past illnesses, drug history, family and social environment, and clues to growth or developmental problems. The blog provides a structured, student-friendly approach to ensure that important pediatric details are not missed during case taking.

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index measuring achievement in key dimensions of human development:
1. A long and healthy life,
2. Being knowledgeable and
3. Have a decent standard of living.

A. Consolidates three indicators:
1. Infant mortality rate
2. Literacy rate
3. Life expectancy at one year of age

B. For EACH component, the performance of the country is placed on a scale from 0 to 100
• 0 = ‘worst performance’
• 100 = ‘Best performance’
The average (arithmetic mean) of the three scores is calculated, which is the PQLI for the country
It also obviously ranges from 0 to 100
Hence, an EQUAL weightage is given to each component

E.g. when a health intervention is aimed at preventing or treating a non- fatal disease, the relationship between QUALYs gained and DALYs saved depend on age of onset, duration of disease as well as the quality of life and disability weights
Reference:
Franco Sassi. Calculating QALYs, comparing QALY and DALY calculations, Health Policy Plan (2006) 21 (5): 402-408

• A measure of disease burden including both:
– Quality and
– Quantity of life lived
• Used mainly for assessing the value for money of a medical intervention i.e. cost – effective analysis for comparing different interventions
• Based on the number of QUALYs gained by the intervention
• Each year in perfect health = 1.0
• Death = 0.0
• 1 QUALY = one year of life X one utility value = one year of life lived in perfect health
• Half a year lived in perfect health is equivalent to 0.5 QUALY = 1 year X 0.5 utility value