KATHMANDU — Many people living with HIV/AIDS in various places across Rolpa districts lately have begun to go public about their HIV status.
Thanks to the awareness drive and counseling conducted by the local governmental and non-governmental agencies about this disease, those keeping their infection in dark fearing the social stigma are gradually bringing their HIV positive status to light.
There are altogether 49 such people recorded in the district, according to Rolpa Plus. Among them, 15 are currently outside of the district due to their professional responsibility, while among the remaining ones in the district, 20 are female while 14 are male.
“Every year, around two or three new HIV infected people are recorded for some years,” shared Radha BK. President of the Red Plus, a local agency offering treatment against HIV/AIDS.
Last winter alone, three new HIV patients came in contact with it.
President BK said that of those HIV patients in the district, 32 are availing treatment and other services offered by Red Plus while two are not willing to receiving any treatment fearing the social shame.
According to BK, 14 people in the district were recorded losing their lives to HIV infection. Three children have contracted HIV infection from their parents while 31 are affected with it.
Various social organizations have been assisting HIV/AIDS children in their education.Follow @gorkhapost
Regular bedtime beneficial for heart and metabolic health among older adults
KATHMANDU — Sufficient sleep has been proven to help keep the body healthy and the mind sharp. But a new study on sleep patterns has suggested that a regular bedtime and wake time are just as important for heart and metabolic health among older adults too.
Researchers at Duke Health and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, in a study of 1,978 older adults, have found that people with irregular sleep patterns weighed more, had higher blood sugar, higher blood pressure, and a higher projected risk of having a heart attack or stroke within 10 years than those who slept and woke at the same times every day.
The study was published Sept 21 in the journal Scientific Reports.
“From our study, we can’t conclude that sleep irregularity results in health risks, or whether health conditions affect sleep,” said study’s lead author Jessica Lunsford-Avery.
“Perhaps all of these things are impacting each other.”
African-Americans had the most irregular sleep patterns compared to participants who were white, Chinese-American or Hispanic, the data showed.
Still, the data suggest tracking sleep regularity could help identify people at risk of disease, and where health disparities may impact specific groups.
Irregular sleepers were also more likely to report depression and stress than regular sleepers, both of which are tied to heart health.Follow @gorkhapost