Browsing by Author "Herath, C."

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Body weight status and implications on kidney health of the pediatric communities in the dry climatic zone in Sri Lanka: A cross-sectional study
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2022) Gunasekara, T. D. K. S. C.; Silva, P. M. C. S. D.; Chandana, E. P. S.; Jayasinghe, S.; Herath, C.; Siribaddana, S.; Jayasundara, N.
Unhealthy bodyweight is associated with multiple clinical complications that serve as potential risk factors for kidney diseases. However, pediatric renal outcomes associated with the bodyweight status are not properly understood in many communities. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess potential associations of bodyweight status with renal health of selected pediatric communities in the dry climatic zone of Sri Lanka. This cross-sectional study was conducted with school students of both genders 13-16 years of age (N=326) in selected education divisions in dry zone regions where chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is not evident. Mid-stream early morning urine samples of the students were assessed for creatinine and albumin using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer. Quantitative assessment of urinary kidney injury molecule (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Age and gender-specific World Health Organization guidelines (LMS-based body mass index (BMI) percentiles), adopted by the family Health Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, were used to assign the students into four BMI strata: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) were used as the criteria to interpret renal function. The median levels of biomarkers, NGAL, ACR and particularly KIM-1 which is a more sensitive indicator of renal injury, showed no significant difference across the four BMI strata in both girls and boys. Also, the median levels of the three biomarkers showed no significant difference between the girls and boys within the same age stratum. Furthermore, BMI did not significantly correlate with urinary KIM-1, NGAL, and ACR in the three age strata, while very weak correlation of age was observed with BMI. Our findings did not produce plausibly strong evidence to establish a potential link between bodyweight status and altered renal function in the studied dry-zone pediatric communities. However, longitudinal studies with increased sample size and broader age range are warranted to make more accurate interpretations on potential associations of longstanding unhealthy bodyweight with pediatric renal health in Sri Lanka.
Maternal Depression, Children’s Adjustment in Early Childhood and Professional Social Work
(University of Kelaniya, 2015) Herath, C.
Depressive symptoms are triggered in vulnerable women during pregnancy and delivery complications, infant health problems, and/or infant irritability. Most studies of treatments even in Sri Lanka have focused primarily on the mother’s depression, relying on medication or individual psychotherapy, rather than on the mothers’ needs including her relationship with her baby and the role of the father in providing emotional support and practical help with child care. The objectives of this study are to investigate the relationship between maternal depression and adjustment in children, identify factors that influence the development of maternal depression during pregnancy, examine how pregnant mothers deal with depression / coping mechanisms and introduce the methods of social work interventions. The research design entailed mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative approaches using descriptive data collected by administering questionnaires, by conducting focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. To make the study comprehensive samples stratified on the basis of four categories, as per lifespan developmental stages were identified as adolescent mothers of ages 12 to 18 year, young mothers of over 18 years to 30, middle aged mothers of 31 to 40 years of age and Mothers at mature ages of over 41 years of age. The outcome highlights the causative factors of depression among depressed mothers in Sri Lanka. Maternal depression is associated with early childhood underweight and stunting. Rigorous prospective studies are needed to identify mechanisms and causes. The analysis revealed a positive and significant association between maternal depression or depressive symptoms and impaired child growth in Sri Lanka. Early identification, treatment and prevention of maternal depression may help to reduce child stunting and underweight. Intervention approaches such as home visitors’ programmes by appropriately trained social workers who have been successful in other high risk context may prove to be effective for postpartum women to develop evidence based social work practice model to provide holistic care programmes for such families.
Validation of the Tamil translation of the International Consultation on Incontinence modular Questionnaire on Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS)
(Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, 2016) Ekanayake, C.D.; Wijesinghe, P.S.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Samaranayake, K.U.; Herath, C.; Nishad, A.A.N.
OBJECTIVES: To translate and validatethe International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire on vaginal symptoms (ICIQ VS) from English to Tamil. METHOD: With permission, ICIQ-VS questionnaire was translated to Tamil and a validation study was done on women attending the gynaecology clinics at district general hospitals, Mannar and Vavuniya. RESULTS: The basic characteristics of women with prolapse (n=63) versus women without prolapse (n=83) were as follows; age 60.68 (SD 11.64), median parity=4 (IQ1-IQ3=3-5), BMI 23.90 kg/m2 (SD 3.36) versus age 40.49 (SD 12.54), median parity=2(IQ1IQ3=1-3), BMI 25.84 kg/m2 (SD 4.84) respectively. Content validity was assessed by the level of missing data which was less than 3% for each item. Internal consistency as assessed by Cronbach’s coefficient alpha score was 0.83 (0.80-0.84). Kappa values for test–retest reliability of individual items ranged from0.59 to 0.74. The questionnaire differentiated between patients and controls in vaginal symptoms score(VSS) (P<0.001), sexual symptoms score(SSS) (p<0.05) and quality of life p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between pelvic organ prolapse quantification system (POP-Q) scores and VSS (rs= 0.67, p<0.001), SSS (rs= 0.26p<0.05) and quality of life (rs = 0.62, p<0.001).Vaginal symptoms (n=24) and quality of life (n=21) showed an improvement following surgery(Wilcoxon matched– pairs signed-rank test p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: The preliminary results for ICIQ VS (Tamil) validation are satisfactory and once completed it will be invaluable to objectively assess vaginal and sexual symptoms in Tamil speaking population in Sri Lanka