International Research in Medical and Health Sciences

Adolescents’ and Parents’ Perception of Parenting: Insights from a Tertiary Care Hospital-Based Study in South India

2024-10-27T08:13:22-04:00

Background: In the backdrop of continuing economic progress, and changing family structure in India, the current study was done to assess and compare the parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of parenting, and evaluate the association between parents’ and adolescents’ perception on parenting with their demographic variables, in our setting.

Methods: Data was obtained from a systematic random sample of 150 parent and adolescent pairs attending a tertiary care hospital immunization clinic, by means of a validated, 5 subscale, 42 item, self-reporting measure-Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ-42) consisting of a parent form and a child form. APQ-42 subscale-wise and total scores were compared for adolescents and their parents; and the association of sociodemographic factors with total APQ-42 adolescent and parent scores was analysed using student’s t-test, independent sample t-test, Levene’s test, and One-way ANOVA using Bonferroni as its post hoc test.

Results: For both parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions, mean individual APQ scores were highest and lowest for the ‘involvement’ and ‘corporal punishment’ subscales respectively. Also, mean total APQ scores of parents (121.5±SD15.03) and adolescents (151.2±SD20.83) were significantly different (p<0.001) primarily due to significant difference in mean scores of 7 items included in the APQ-42 as ‘other discipline practices’, and not due to the 5 main subscales. Among the sociodemographic variables-parental age, educational status, and family structure (joint/nuclear) for parents; and gender and parents’ marital status (single/double parent) for adolescents were statistically significant influences (p<0.05) on total APQ-42 scores.

Conclusion: The study highlights the impact of specific demographic factors influencing parents’ and adolescents’ parenting perceptions in a rapidly transitioning socioeconomic landscape in urban southern India.

"Correlating Meniscal Extrusion with Cartilage, Bone, and Ligament Lesions in Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tears"

2024-10-27T08:13:22-04:00

Background: Injuries to the menisci are a significant source of musculoskeletal complications. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have investigated cartilage and bone lesions associated with medial meniscus posterior root (MMPR) tears. However, ligament damage may occur as a result of meniscus damage. Notably, the relationship between tears and ligament damage has only been investigated in one study thus far. Considering the importance of this issue and the limitations of the conducted studies, this study aimed to determine the relation between the severity of the gap caused by MMPR tears and extrusion of the medial meniscus along with bone, cartilage, and ligament abnormalities.

Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, patients with medial meniscus tears referred to the radiology department who underwent knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were examined. Data related to age, sex, length of meniscus tear, degree of protrusion, bone marrow edema, and abnormalities of the bone, cartilage, and ligaments were collected. Additionally, the amount of gap caused by the posterior root tear of the medial meniscus was recorded. Finally, data was analyzed by IBM SPSS version 25 statistical software.

Results: In this study, 160 patients were examined, of whom 108 (67%) were female. All patients had medial tibial plateau (MTP) and medial femoral condyle (MFC) cartilage damage. One-quarter of patients had subchondral cysts, and 53% of patients had bone marrow edema. The mean extrusion length in these patients was 4.64 mm. The results indicated that 49% of the patients had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, 28% had a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury, and 91% had a tibial collateral ligament (TCL) injury. Patients with minor tears were more likely to have low-grade MFC damage (58%), while patients with major tears were more likely to have high-grade MFC damage. Additionally, low-grade MTP injuries were more common in patients with minor tears (65%), while high-grade injuries mostly occurred in patients with major tears (58%).

Conclusion: The results indicate that the type of meniscus tear may affect the distribution and frequency of cartilage and ligament injuries. Therefore, these findings can help clinicians better diagnose and treat patients with meniscus injuries and other joint problems more effectively.

A Narrative Review: Dental Radiology with Deep Learning

2024-10-27T08:13:22-04:00

In this paper, we explore the transformative potential of deep learning in dental radiology, focusing on its applications in disease detection, image segmentation, and treatment planning. By utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs), deep learning models have demonstrated remarkable success in diagnosing dental conditions such as caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer from radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Additionally, we highlight the role of deep learning in automating the segmentation of dental structures and improving accuracy in procedures such as implant placement and orthodontic evaluations. However, this paper also addresses key challenges, including the limited availability of large, annotated datasets, the black-box nature of deep learning models, and the need for generalizability across diverse clinical settings. Ethical considerations, including data privacy and model bias, are also discussed. Finally, we outline future directions for the field, such as the integration of deep learning with advanced imaging technologies, the adoption of federated learning for collaborative model development, and the advancement of explainable AI to improve model interpretability. Through these developments, deep learning has the potential to revolutionize dental radiology, offering more precise diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, and ultimately, better patient outcomes.

Factors Associated with Mental Health Care Utilization among Neglected Tropical Disease Patients in Three Central Cameroon Healthcare Districts

2024-10-27T08:13:23-04:00

Introduction: Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a major public health issue affecting over 1.5 billion people worldwide, with the African Region bearing the heaviest burden, accounting for more than 40% of global morbidity. Despite the efforts of the Cameroon government and its technical partners on early diagnosis and case management, NTDs remain prevalent, with sequelae, and the stigma that patients suffer. In this context, our study aims to describe the factors associated with seeking mental health care among people affected by NTDs in the Health Districts of Akonolinga, Ayos, and Monatélé.

Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, conducted over a period of one (01) month from August to September 2023. The study population consisted of People Affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (PANTDs). Individual and institutional characteristics were examined as variables. Quantitative data from a survey form were entered into Kobo Collect and analyzed using SPSS software version 25.0.

Results: Among 120 people affected by neglected tropical diseases (PANTDs) who participated in the study, only 15 (12.5%) sought mental health care. The factors significantly associated with seeking mental health care among PANTDs in the Health Districts were: age (p-value=0.017), type of treatment (p-value=0.046), discussion of mental health care (p-value=0.046), and the existence of community mental health services (p-value=0.046).

Conclusion: Taking into account mental problems relating to NTDs remains limited. Advocacy deserves to be strengthened and awareness raised at the level of health authorities and within communities for mental health.

Reviewing Canine Distalization Techniques: From Traditional Approaches to Modern Innovations

2024-10-30T06:23:13-04:00

Introduction: Over the years, canine retraction or distalization has been accomplished through frictional and non-frictional mechanics by orthodontists. The search for new methods to achieve the desired movement of canine in the least time possible has led to the development of various new methods.

Objective: This article is aimed at providing a synthesis of the recent literature about the novel methods of canine distalization techniques.

Method: An electronic literature search was conducted between January 2015 and December 2023 using the keywords “canine” and “retraction method”. Additionally, manual searches in the reference lists of the articles included were also carried out.

Result: The information obtained from the selected articles was arranged in an organized manner for ease of understanding under the given subheadings in the article.

Psychiatric Neurosurgery with Advanced Imaging and Deep Brain Stimulation Techniques

2024-11-01T13:15:36-04:00

This study aims to reevaluate key research on the application of advanced neuroimaging techniques for enhancing deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting psychiatric disorders. A comprehensive review of PubMed publications was conducted, focusing on psychiatric neurosurgery, DBS, diffusion tensor imaging, probabilistic tractography, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and blood oxygen level-dependent activation. Relevant studies were included for analysis. Recent advancements in neuroimaging, such as probabilistic tractography, diffusion tensor imaging, functional MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET), have provided higher-resolution characterizations of structural and functional connectivity within areas of interest. These imaging methods have improved our understanding of DBS mechanisms, moving from a single-system approach to more complex network-based targeting. This progress has enabled the discovery of new DBS targets and allowed for more personalized approaches to treating psychiatric conditions. Advanced neuroimaging techniques may be crucial for individualized DBS targeting disorders like treatment-resistant depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, where disease manifestations and underlying causes are highly variable. These findings suggest cutting-edge imaging can further personalize and optimize DBS, enhancing its overall effectiveness in psychiatric neurosurgery.

Automated Classification of Before-and-After Botox Faces Using Advanced Deep Learning Models

2024-11-02T02:07:42-04:00

Botox injections are a popular, non-invasive treatment in facial aesthetics, used to reduce wrinkles and achieve a youthful appearance. Accurate evaluation of Botox’s efficacy is essential in clinical settings, yet it is often subject to subjective interpretation. This study presents an automated, objective approach for classifying pre- and post-Botox facial images using advanced deep-learning models, including MobileNet, ResNet50, and InceptionV3. The models were trained on a diverse dataset of facial images, achieving high performance in classifying treatment outcomes. InceptionV3 demonstrated the highest accuracy (89.27%), precision (91.15%), and recall (92.27%), with statistically significant differences across models (p < 0.05) for all metrics. While InceptionV3 and ResNet50 excelled in accuracy and recall, MobileNet offered a computationally efficient option suited for real-time applications.