Informatics Publishing Limited

Nelofar Sultana ¹, Zeenat Ayoob ², Masood A. Qurashi ², Shamoon Naushad ¹, Rukhshan Khurshid ³, K. Fatima Shad ⁴, Sadaf Ahmad ⁵

Affiliations
1 Department of Physiology, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, PK
2 Department of Physiology, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Pakistan, PK
3 Department of Biochemistry Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore, PK
4 PAP RSIB Institute of Health Sciences, University of Brunei, Darussalam, IN
5 Department of Physiology, Karachi University, PK

Abstract

Dementia is a syndrome described by impairment in memory, impairment in another area of thinking such as the ability to organize thoughts and reason, the ability to use language etc. These impairments are related to vascular and non vascular factors and are severe enough to cause a decline in the patient's usual level of functioning. The study was designed to find out the relationship of socioeconomic status, hypertension and the severity of dementia in elderly people. 200 Subjects participated in this study. A detailed autobiographical interview and complete questionnaires including socio-demographic data was taken. The cognitive status was judged by using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was recorded by sphygmomanometer. Socioeconomic status was assessed based on the lifetime longest occupation that the subject had held. Our study observed that pre hypertensive individuals with low socioeconomic status were at high risk of developing severe form of dementia as compared the patients with stage 1 hypertension. Severity of dementia in both pre hypertensive and stage 1 hypertensive patients with middle socioeconomic group was quite similar. 50% patients with stage 2 hypertension showed severe form of dementia. It is observed that 50% of pre hypertensive with high socioeconomic status showed mild form of dementia, 50% patients with stage 1 hypertension with high status showed moderate form of dementia and 50 % with stage2 hypertension of high status showed severe form of dementia. Chi square value showed a significant positive relationship of severity of dementia with the stage of pre hypertension, stage 1 & 2 hypertension. It is concluded that severity of dementia and hypertension are both associated with all socioeconomic classes.

Keywords

Dementia, Hypertension, Socioeconomic Status.

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Sikandar K. Sherwani ¹, Haroon Ahmed ², Sadaf Ahmed ³, Shamoon Naushad ⁴, Asma Bashir ⁵, Abdul Ghaffar ⁶

Affiliations
1 Department of Microbiology, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, PK
2 Centre of Biotechnology & Microbiology, University of Peshawar-Peshawar, PK
3 Department of Physiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, PK
4 Advance Educational Institute and Research Center (AEIRC), Karachi, PK
5 Stem Cell Research Center, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Karachi
6 Memon Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, PK

Abstract

The aim of the study is to evaluate the current status of knowledge , level of awareness, attitude and concerning factors of water pipe (shisha) smoking among male university students of a major city of Pakistan i.e. Karachi. A total number of 400 university students were included in the study and 170 were found Shisha smokers, further analysis of the queries indicated 38.70% Shisha smokers university students smoke for the sake of removing frustration , 24.10% for pleasure, 16.20% to gain attention of apposite gender, 12.90% for passing leisure time and 8.06% to release stress. Moreover, 58.80% acquired this habit in their university life, while 23.50% adopted from their college life and 17.60% smokers also adopt since school days. Regarding medical complications associated with water pipe consumption 47.17% of Shisha consuming students were found aware of respiratory problems, 17.60% were aware of heart complications, while 35.29% of the students responded all vital organs like lungs, kidney and heart equally at risk if water pipe consumes habitually and on the other hand 5.80% shisha consuming students were found totally blind with their health. This survey reflects an increasing trend of Water pipe (Shisha) trend in young Pakistani students and no doubt, a matter of serious public health concern that would definitely injurious to their health. In this regard, Parental monitoring is necessarily to be taken from as a part of their social responsibility. In addition to this, there is seriously a dire need of strong legislature and its proper implementation in our Pakistani society to curb the mushroom growth of rising culture.

Keywords

Water Pipe Smoking, University Students.

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