Don Mascarenhas - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Don Mascarenhas
Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare, 2018
BACKGROUND Severe persistent pain is a significant stressful experience and it possibly causes ps... more BACKGROUND Severe persistent pain is a significant stressful experience and it possibly causes psychiatric morbidities. Most of doctors working in chronic pain management apart from psychiatrist believes that worries and distress of patients with chronic pain can be consider as normal response to a chronic stress. This study aims to measure the prevalence of psychiatric co morbidities in patients with chronic pain, its relation with severity of pain and to compare the common screening questionnaires to valid diagnostic interview. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with chronic pain were recruited from pain clinic of Christian Medical College, Vellore after an informed consent. Data such as socio demographic information, two screening questionnaires GHQ and HADS, and a Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) were collected. Pain severity was assessed by VAS (Visual Analogue Scale). RESULTS 62 Patients were included in the study. As a screening tool, we found that General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is more useful than Hamilton Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). CIS-R (clinical interview schedule revised) detected 51.6% of sample as cases of psychiatric morbidity. No correlation between severity of pain and psychiatric co morbidity was seen in this study. CONCLUSION Around fifty percent of pain patients are detected to have possible psychiatric disorders. Labelling all these as psychiatric disorders is too inclusive. Some of these can consider as normal response to a chronic distress. Referring them to a psychiatrist is an option. As a screening tool GHQ is simple, less confusing and time consuming than HADS, with more specificity and sensitivity.
Aims and objectives: Air pollution is one of the major concerns of the civilized world, which has... more Aims and objectives: Air pollution is one of the major concerns of the civilized world, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. The traffic police personnel of crowded metropolitan cities, especially from a densely populated country such as India, who work in the traffic for hours together for many years are highly vulnerable to the respiratory morbidities. Present study was aimed at measurement of lung volumes and capacities in traffic police personnel who were posted at various traffic junctions in Mangalore city, so as to note whether prolonged exposure to vehicular exhausts had any detrimental effect on their lung functions. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 100 traffic policemen and 100 controls. Lung function parameters were measured using a portable spirometer. The spirometric parameters were compared in both groups by independent Student's ‘t’ test and the effect of duration of exposure was compared b...
European Respiratory Journal, 2020
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2015
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences
BACKGROUND Occupational health hazard is reported as the tenth leading cause of morbidity and mor... more BACKGROUND Occupational health hazard is reported as the tenth leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe by the World Health Organization, (WHO). The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest threats in public health worldwide, killing around 6 million people a year. Beedi rolling is one of the most rampant occupations among housewives in coastal Karnataka as a means of livelihood. Beedi rollers are constantly exposed to the unburnt dust of tobacco, which has become one of the major and commonly found occupational hazards that has been neglected. Occurrence of respiratory disorders such chronic obstructive lung disease, occupational asthma has been reported. However, no protective measures are being taken to prevent health hazards due to tobacco. This study was done to evaluate the lung function tests in asymptomatic beedi rollers for early diagnosis of tobacco related lung disorders. We also wanted to evaluate the pulmonary function of the beedi rollers and create awareness about possibility of respiratory ailments due exposure of tobacco dust. METHODS This was a cross sectional comparative study. Controls were age and gender matched from the general population who were not exposed to any kind of tobacco smoke. The study included 66 beedi rollers in Mangalore. A community-based survey was done and lung function assessment using spirometry was done. Pulmonary function tests (PFT): Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and the forced expiratory volume in one second as a percentage of FVC (FEV1/FVC), using spirometer were calculated. Based on FEV1/FVC ratio patterns of respiratory impairment whether restrictive/obstructive/mixed is determined. Results were tabulated and statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Mean, standard deviation and paired ttest were done to determine the significant difference between beedi workers and control subjects, and p values were calculated. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Among 66 subjects, 51 were females and 15 were males. 15 had mild obstructive pattern (22.7%), 1 had mild restrictive pattern (1.5%) and rest 50 subjects had normal lung functioning.
Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare, 2018
BACKGROUND Severe persistent pain is a significant stressful experience and it possibly causes ps... more BACKGROUND Severe persistent pain is a significant stressful experience and it possibly causes psychiatric morbidities. Most of doctors working in chronic pain management apart from psychiatrist believes that worries and distress of patients with chronic pain can be consider as normal response to a chronic stress. This study aims to measure the prevalence of psychiatric co morbidities in patients with chronic pain, its relation with severity of pain and to compare the common screening questionnaires to valid diagnostic interview. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with chronic pain were recruited from pain clinic of Christian Medical College, Vellore after an informed consent. Data such as socio demographic information, two screening questionnaires GHQ and HADS, and a Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) were collected. Pain severity was assessed by VAS (Visual Analogue Scale). RESULTS 62 Patients were included in the study. As a screening tool, we found that General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is more useful than Hamilton Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). CIS-R (clinical interview schedule revised) detected 51.6% of sample as cases of psychiatric morbidity. No correlation between severity of pain and psychiatric co morbidity was seen in this study. CONCLUSION Around fifty percent of pain patients are detected to have possible psychiatric disorders. Labelling all these as psychiatric disorders is too inclusive. Some of these can consider as normal response to a chronic distress. Referring them to a psychiatrist is an option. As a screening tool GHQ is simple, less confusing and time consuming than HADS, with more specificity and sensitivity.
Aims and objectives: Air pollution is one of the major concerns of the civilized world, which has... more Aims and objectives: Air pollution is one of the major concerns of the civilized world, which has a serious toxicological impact on human health and the environment. The traffic police personnel of crowded metropolitan cities, especially from a densely populated country such as India, who work in the traffic for hours together for many years are highly vulnerable to the respiratory morbidities. Present study was aimed at measurement of lung volumes and capacities in traffic police personnel who were posted at various traffic junctions in Mangalore city, so as to note whether prolonged exposure to vehicular exhausts had any detrimental effect on their lung functions. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 100 traffic policemen and 100 controls. Lung function parameters were measured using a portable spirometer. The spirometric parameters were compared in both groups by independent Student's ‘t’ test and the effect of duration of exposure was compared b...
European Respiratory Journal, 2020
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2015
Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences
BACKGROUND Occupational health hazard is reported as the tenth leading cause of morbidity and mor... more BACKGROUND Occupational health hazard is reported as the tenth leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe by the World Health Organization, (WHO). The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest threats in public health worldwide, killing around 6 million people a year. Beedi rolling is one of the most rampant occupations among housewives in coastal Karnataka as a means of livelihood. Beedi rollers are constantly exposed to the unburnt dust of tobacco, which has become one of the major and commonly found occupational hazards that has been neglected. Occurrence of respiratory disorders such chronic obstructive lung disease, occupational asthma has been reported. However, no protective measures are being taken to prevent health hazards due to tobacco. This study was done to evaluate the lung function tests in asymptomatic beedi rollers for early diagnosis of tobacco related lung disorders. We also wanted to evaluate the pulmonary function of the beedi rollers and create awareness about possibility of respiratory ailments due exposure of tobacco dust. METHODS This was a cross sectional comparative study. Controls were age and gender matched from the general population who were not exposed to any kind of tobacco smoke. The study included 66 beedi rollers in Mangalore. A community-based survey was done and lung function assessment using spirometry was done. Pulmonary function tests (PFT): Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and the forced expiratory volume in one second as a percentage of FVC (FEV1/FVC), using spirometer were calculated. Based on FEV1/FVC ratio patterns of respiratory impairment whether restrictive/obstructive/mixed is determined. Results were tabulated and statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Mean, standard deviation and paired ttest were done to determine the significant difference between beedi workers and control subjects, and p values were calculated. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Among 66 subjects, 51 were females and 15 were males. 15 had mild obstructive pattern (22.7%), 1 had mild restrictive pattern (1.5%) and rest 50 subjects had normal lung functioning.