Morbidity profile of children attending Siddha hospitals in a district of Tamil Nadu, South India

Mahendra M Reddy; Divya Nair; Venkatachalam Duraisamy; Kalaiselvi Selvaraj; Palanivel Chinnakali; Ganesh Kumar Saya

doi:10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20150521

Authors

Mahendra M Reddy Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
Divya Nair Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
Venkatachalam Duraisamy Assistant Medical Officer (Siddha), Government Hospital, Kavundapadi, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India
Kalaiselvi Selvaraj Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
Palanivel Chinnakali Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India
Ganesh Kumar Saya Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20150521

Keywords:

Siddha, Pediatric, Morbidity

Abstract

Background: Traditional systems of medicine in India are being mainstreamed as part of the National Health Mission. Of these, the Siddha system of medicine is popular in Tamil Nadu but there is limited information on the profile of pediatric patients seeking care under this system. Therefore, this study was carried out to describe the morbidity profile of pediatric patients attending Siddha Out Patient Department (OPD) at Government Hospitals in a district of South India.

Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 15 years and below attending OPD in two randomly selected Siddha Hospitals in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. The diagnosis of the participants was recorded as reported by the registered Siddha practitioner, as per the reporting format for Indian Medicine and Homeopathy.

Results: Among the 227 children included in the study, the mean age (SD) was 9 (3) years. Most of the children were males (60.8%) and belonged to the age group 10-14 years (45.8%). About one-fourth (26.9%) of the pediatric patients were found to be new cases. Fungal infections (24.2%), primary complex (21.6%), bronchitis (10.1%) and diarrhea (8.4%) were the top four morbidities.

Conclusions: Among pediatric age group, respiratory problems and skin problems were leading morbidities for which services were sought at the Siddha wing. This was similar to that observed in allopathic clinics.

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