Browsing by Author "Mahawithanage, S.T.C."

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Evaluation of the effectiveness of the national vitamin A supplementation programme among school children in Sri Lanka
(Cambridge University Press, 2007) Madatuwa, T.M.; Mahawithanage, S.T.C.; Chandrika, U.G.; Jansz, E.R.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.
The Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka commenced a vitamin A supplementation programme of school children with a megadose of 105 micromol (100,000 IU) vitamin A in school years 1, 4 and 7 (approximately 5-, 9- and 12-year-olds, respectively) in 2001. We evaluated the vitamin A supplementation programme of school children in a rural area of Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was conducted among children supplemented with an oral megadose of vitamin A (105 micromol; n 452) and children not supplemented (controls; n 294) in Grades 1-5. Children were clinically examined and a sample of blood was taken for serum vitamin A concentration estimation by HPLC. Socio-demographic information was obtained from children or mothers. Supplemented children had a higher proportion of males and stunted children, were younger and lived under poorer conditions as compared to controls. There was no difference in the prevalences of eye signs and symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in the two groups. Supplemented children had higher serum vitamin A concentrations than controls (1.4 (SD 0.49) micromol/l v. 1.2 (SD 0.52) micromol/l). The serum vitamin A concentrations were 1.6 (SD 0.45), 1.4 (SD 0.50), 1.3 (SD 0.44) and 1.1 (SD 0.43) micromol/l in children supplemented within 1, 1-6, 7-12 and 13-18 months of supplementation, respectively. Vitamin A concentrations were significantly greater than controls if supplementation was carried out within 6 months after adjustment. The oral megadose of 105 micromol vitamin A maintained serum vitamin A concentrations for 6 months in school children.
Impact of childhood malaria in Sri Lanka
(2005) Fernando, S.D.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Mahawithanage, S.T.C.
Impact of vitamin A supplementation on health status and absenteeism of school children in Sri Lanka
(HEC Press, Australia, 2007) Mahawithanage, S.T.C.; Kannangara, K.K.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Chandrika, U.G.; Jansz, E.R.; Karunaweera, N.D.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.
The objective of this study was to determine the impact of Vitamin A supplementation on health status and absenteeism of school children. A randomized double blind placebo controlled trial over a period of 13 months was conducted in a rural area of Sri Lanka involving 613 school children attending Grades 1-5 (aged 5 to 13 years). Children were assigned to either 200,000 IU of Vitamin A (n=297) or placebo (n=316) once every 4 months. Socio-demographic data were obtained at baseline, and anthropometry and haemoglobin concentrations were assessed at baseline and post intervention. Serum vitamin A concentrations were assayed by HPLC in a subgroup of children (n=193) before administration of each dose. School absenteeism was recorded. The two groups of children were similar at baseline in all variables. The subgroup of children was comparable to the main study population. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (< 20 microg/dL) in the subgroup of children was 8.2%. Changes in anthropometric indices and haemoglobin concentrations were similar in the two groups. The major causes for absenteeism were non-health causes and supplemented children lost a fewer number of school days due to illness than placebo children (p=0.053). Vitamin A concentrations improved with each dose and the improvement was greater with better compliance. Vitamin A supplementation with 200,000 IU every 4 months over 13 months improved vitamin A status and school attendance but not anthropometric status of these children.
Prevalence of osteoporosis in a sample of Sri Lankan urban population
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2008) Karunanayake, A.L.; Salgado, L.S.S.; Abeysuriya, V.; Fernando, S.; Herath, H.M.R.P.; Kumarendran, B.; Premaratna, B.A.H.R.; Mahawithanage, S.T.C.
BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration in the micro architecture of bone. It predisposes individuals to increased risk of fractures of the hip, spine and other skeletal sites. Peripheral DEXA (P-DEXA) scans are ideal for mass screening of bone mineral density (BMD). OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in a sample of urban Sri Lankans. DESIGN, SETTING AND METHODS: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, University ofKelaniya from July 2007 to October 2007. The study subjects were selected from 22 Gramasevaka Niladhari Divisions of the Ragama MOH area. From each division, people aged 35 to 65 years were randomly selected from the voters list and invited to participate in the study. A P-DEXA scan was used to measure the BMD of the left middle finger. A T score of <-2.5 was considered as osteoporosis, -1 to -2.5 as osteopenia. These two categories together were considered low BMD. A T score of > -1 was considered normal. RESULTS: There were 731 subjects with a mean age (SD) of 52.5 (7.5) comprising 60% females. The prevalences of osteoporosis and osteopenia were 14% and 29% respectively. 20% of females and 6% of males were affected with osteoporosis. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 7% among those <50 years and 20% among those >50 years. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of low BMD in this urban population. Prevalence of low BMD was higher among females and those over fifty years.
The social and economic burden of malaria in Sri Lanka
(2005) Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Fernando, S.D.; Galappaththi, G.; Mahawithanage, S.T.C.
Use of routinely collected past surveillance data in identifying and mapping high-risk areas in a malaria endemic area of Sri Lanka
(SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Project, 2002) Wickremasinghe, A.R.; Gunawardena, D.M.; Mahawithanage, S.T.C.
Stratification of malaria endemic areas on eco-epidemiological criteria is an important step in planning and implementing malaria control programs. The uses of stratification of malaria endemic areas lead to better targeting of control measures such as residual insecticide spraying in countries where unstable malaria transmission occur. In this study, two methods that can be used for stratification of malaria endemic areas in Sri Lanka usingroutinely collected surveillance data over a period of 9 years are described. In the first method, the median Annual Parasite Incidence (API) was used as the criterion to classify an area as at risk for malaria while in the second method, the API and the Falciparum Rate (FR) were used as the criteria. Risk maps were produced by plotting the results of the analyses on maps generated by EPIMAP. The potential uses of risk maps are discussed