LARGE SCALE RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY Dr. RAJVIR BHALWAR
(FUNDED BY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA)
- PROJECTS FUNDED BY DEFENCE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OTGANISATION (DRDO), GOVT OF INDIA, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (ARMED FORCES MEDICAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE (AFMRC))
(i) AFMRC Project No 1867 / 91. Undertaken to address the research issue of “Coronary risk factors among armed forces personnel”. This was a large sample study on 2400 army personnel undertaken as a field based cross sectional epidemiologic design. The study worked out the prevalence and epidemiological distribution of a major coronary risk factors; identified the sub groups at high risk of having these risk factors, and developed an educational strategy for coronary risk prevention in armed forces. In this regards, this study was one of the earliest, large sized field epidemiological study on coronary risk factors.
(ii) AFMRC Project No 1967 / 93. “Carrier State of enteropathogenic bacteria among food handlers of armed forces eating establishments” was a field epidemiological study covering more than 300 food handlers located in various military units in Pune, Kirkee and Khadakvasla. This research project identified the prevalence of Salmonella typhimurium to be an important issue among food handlers. The study also noticed an interesting clustering of salmonella carrier state among food handlers working in medical units of armed forces.
(iii) AFMRC Project No 2040 / 95 was undertaken to address the issue of “Predictive surveillance for Plague and Scrub typhus”. This was also a field epidemiological study covering the semi-urban, rural and jungle areas around Pune. The total study area was scattered over a radius of almost 30 kilometres. Field work included rodent trapping, entomological studies, bacteriological and serological studies (both rodent and human) for Plague and Scrub Typhus. The study has helped in identifying certain areas with high transmission potential of these diseases and has submitted a detailed strategy for developing an epidemiological surveillance system for these diseases.
(iv) AFMRC Project No. 3743 / 2007 on Epidemiology of Metabolic syndrome ‘X’ among serving army personnel. This was a large, multi-centric project conducted at 7 different cantonments across the country on a large sample of 1,199 apparently healthy army personnel aged 35 years and above. ATP-III criteria were used to define “Metabolic Syndrome” (Met-S). The study revealed that the prevalence of Met-S was 6.2% in the study population. The various risk determinants of Met-S were identified in the study and certain recommendations for its prevention and control were submitted.
(v) AFMRC Projects as co-worker. Besides the above mentioned 3 projects undertaken as Principal worker, Dr. Bhalwar has also worked as co-worker in 5 other projects. These include projects on
- Oral contraceptives & IUDs
- Field epidemiological study of Hepatitis –B
- Epidemiological study on IHD, NIDDM & Hypertension
- Clinical trial on efficacy of Ayurvedic drugs in HIV infection
- Intervention design on educational strategy for prevention of HIV infection.
- Trial of efficacy of Deltamethrin impregnated cloth patches in malaria control.
- ICMR (STS) FUNDED PROJECTS :- Teacher Guide for the following two student’s ICMR Projects:
- Study on tobacco use patterns among medical students. Project undertaken by medical student Vishal Srivastava at AFMC Pune, in 1997 – 98.
- Study on the mother’s knowledges and attitudes regarding basic health care of infants. Project undertaken by medical student Nidhi Garg at AFMC Pune, 2008.