M Abdur Rahim Medical College, Dinajpur (MARMC) is a public medical school in Bangladesh, established in 1992. It is located in the Dinajpur District of Rangpur Division. It is affiliated with Rajshahi Medical University. It was renamed from Dinajpur Medical College and Hospital to M Abdur Rahim Medical College and Hospital after M. Abdur Rahim.
BACKGROUND:Nomophobia, characterised by the dread or anxiety of being without access to a mobile phone, has become an increasing behavioural issue among young adults, especially university and medical students. Excessive reliance on smartphones has been linked to psychological suffering, impaired everyday functioning, and negative academic results. Nonetheless, information about the prevalence and determinants of nomophobia among medical and university students in Bangladesh is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of nomophobia and investigate its associated sociodemographic traits and smartphone-related behaviors among medical and university students in Bangladesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS:A cross-sectional study was performed with 436 undergraduate medical and non-medical students from eight districts of Bangladesh from September 2023 to July 2025 to encompass diversity throughout academic cycles and guarantee wider geographic representation, using an online structured questionnaire. Participants were recruited using non-probability snowball sampling through peer networks and institutional connections. Nomophobia was evaluated via the validated Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). The questionnaire was pilot-tested (n = 60) and showed good reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.82). Information on socio-demographics, mobile phone usage trends, and application preferences was collected. Data was processed using STATA version 16. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were used to ascertain factors related to nomophobia. Effect sizes were reported as β coefficients with 95% confidence intervals. Reporting of effect sizes alongside p-values allows better interpretation of the practical significance of findings beyond statistical significance. RESULTS:The average age of participants was 20.70 ± 1.52 years. 46.79% of students exhibited moderate nomophobia, whereas 25.69% had severe nomophobia. Elevated nomophobia scores were significantly associated with female gender, moderate household income, usage of social media and communication applications, prolonged daily mobile phone usage (>7 hours), frequent phone checking, and instant phone checking upon awakening (effect sizes from adjusted models: > 7 hours usage β = 13.20; 95% CI: 1.31-25.10; social communication application use β = 8.25; 95% CI: 2.63-13.86; immediate phone checking β = 7.09; 95% CI: 0.67-13.52). Multiple linear regression indicated that extended phone usage, engagement with social communication applications, middle-income position, and early-morning phone checking were associated with elevated nomophobia scores. CONCLUSION:Nomophobia is significantly common among medical and university students in Bangladesh. Behavioural patterns such as prolonged daily smartphone use, frequent phone checking, immediate phone use upon waking and extensive engagement with social communication and media applications are associated with excessive smartphone usage and the development of nomophobia; however, causality cannot be inferred due to the cross-sectional study design. These findings underscore the necessity for awareness initiatives, early detection, and focused interventions to alleviate the adverse psychological and behavioural effects of nomophobia in students within the socio-cultural and digital context of Bangladesh, where rapid smartphone penetration may contribute to these patterns.
The emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) poses a significant global health threat, particularly in South-East Asian countries. This cross-sectional nationwide study is a pioneer in assessing knowledge levels of NiV outbreak among the general population in Bangladesh. It was conducted among the general population of Bangladesh from 15th January to 10th February 2024. A conveniently selected sample of individuals participated in the assessment of their knowledge about NiV. A semi-structured questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. After data curation, a total of 2121 responses that met the inclusion criteria were retained for analysis. Among 2121 participants, 69.38 % were aware of NiV. Overall, 62 % demonstrated good knowledge of the virus. The main sources of information were social media (29.9 %), television (25.41 %), educational institutions (18.95 %), newspapers (13.65 %), friends (6.39 %), and workplaces (5.91 %). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that participants aged 31-40 years had lower odds of poor knowledge (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI: 0.39-0.82, p < 0.01) compared to those aged 21-30. Females had higher odds of poor knowledge (OR = 1.38, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.81, p = 0.02) than males. Lower education levels were associated with higher odds of poor knowledge. Moreover, non-healthcare workers also had higher odds of poor knowledge compared to healthcare workers. There were regional differences, with varying odds in Rangpur (OR = 0.43, 95 % CI: 0.26-0.70, p < 0.01), Khulna (OR = 1.70, 95 % CI: 1.10-2.61, p = 0.01), and Mymensingh (OR = 2.77, 95 % CI: 1.70-4.53, p < 0.01) compared to Dhaka. The current study underscores the importance of evidence-based educational strategies, and may guide government and policymakers to design future targeted interventions to enhance public health literacy and mitigate the spread of NiV in Bangladesh as well as in its neighbouring countries.
Introduction: Pediatric lower extremity burns pose a significant challenge due to their impact on physical function, aesthetics, and quality of life. This study aims to assess the incidence, severity, management approaches, and outcomes of lower limb burns in children within the context of Bangladesh. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 2021 to October 2022. In this study, a total of 40 pediatric patients with lower extremity burns were analyzed. Result: The most affected age group was 5–8 years (35%), with a higher prevalence in females (62.5%). Scald burns were the most common cause (35%), followed by flame burns (30%). Superficial partial-thickness burns were the most frequent (37.5%). Surgical intervention was required in 47.5% of cases, predominantly for flame and ash burns. Common surgical procedures included wound excision, scar release, and skin grafting. Delayed hospital admission beyond five days occurred in nearly half of the cases. Functional outcomes varied, with full range of motion achieved in 50% of patients and full functionality restored in 25%. Surgical cases had a higher incidence of hypertrophic scarring and limited functionality. Conclusion: Pediatric lower extremity burns require a multifaceted approach, with early intervention crucial in reducing complications. Delayed admissions contribute to worse outcomes, highlighting the need for improved burn awareness and timely medical intervention.
Background: Neonatal period is the most vulnerable for Small for Gestational Age (SGA) new-borns for survival.About 60% of the new-borns who born term but have low birth weight due to fetal growth restriction termed as Small for Gestational Age (SGA). The burden of SGA newborn is very high in countries of low and middle income and is concentrated high in South Asia. Identifying these low-birth-weight SGA newborns and referring them to higher centers for effective interventions would help in decreasing neonatal mortality and morbidity. Among the anthropometric measurements, birth weight is the single gold standard for identification SGA but assessment of accurate BW in rural areas where weight machine and trained personnel are not available specially in home deliveries, other simple and easier anthropometric measurement of the newborn may be as important. Foot length is a screening tool that may be simple but accurate to identify small new-born in need of extra care in rural settings of developing country like Bangladesh. Neonatal foot length (FL) has been proposed as a stable and reliable alternative, as it is less affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Objective: To compare mean foot length in term Appropriate for Gestational Age (AGA) and SGA newborns, to assess the correlation between foot length and gestational age in both groups and to determine if foot length can help to differentiate between AGA and SGA infants when GA is uncertain. Methods: This cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur from July 2020 to June 2021 on 200 newborns of both sexes with gestational age between 37 and 42 weeks. The newborn was selected and measured within 24 hours of birth. 100 term newborns weighted<2.5 kg regarAded as SGA were the case and another 100-term newborns weighted>2.5 kg regarded as AGA served as control. The birth weight, foot length were measured and a comparison was done between AGA and SGA newborns. Data was analyzed by using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS version 26). Result: The mean± SD of birth weight in AGA and SGA groups was 2.99±0.31kg and 2.10±0.24kg respectively, it was observed that the mean±SD of foot length in AGA group was 8.41±0.74cm and was 7.17±0.81cm in SGA group. Both BW and foot length was significantly higher in AGA group than SGA group. Again, foot length was significantly correlated with birth weight in both AGA and SGA groups. Conclusion: Foot length of SGA newborns are as effective as birth weight measurement to predict birth weight in SGA newborns Keywords: Appropriate for gestational age (AGA), Small for gestational age (SGA), Birth weight (BW), Foot length (FL). J Rang Med Col. 2025 Sep;10(2): 55-59
Fahr's disease, also known as primary familial brain calcification, is a progressive neurological disorder that follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, characterized by calcifications primarily located within the basal ganglia of the brain. This condition typically affects middle-aged individuals, who present with a combination of neurological and psychiatric symptoms; however, this case report discusses a 16-year-old male patient. The patient initially exhibited general signs of infection, including fever and jaundice, before developing specific neurological symptoms, which progressed to systemic encephalopathy characterized by altered consciousness, seizures, and hypoglycemia, necessitating his admission to the ICU. Tragically, despite receiving intensive medical treatment, the patient succumbed to the disease, highlighting the challenges associated with diagnosing and managing Fahr's disease, particularly in younger patients.
