http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/20127 2026-04-27T04:38:25Z http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/20381 Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Associated Occupational Risk Factors among Chefs in Five-star Hotels in Colombo Municipal Council Area, Sri Lanka Amaradisi, W.D.G.K.; Samarasinghe, Y.M.K.; Rathnayake, T.M.K.G.; Perera, G.A.D.; Chandrathilaka, K.R.M. Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are common in physically demanding jobs, including the culinary industry. In Sri Lanka, chefs play a vital role in the tourism sector, particularly in food tourism. However, the physical demands of their work increase the risk of developing WRMSDs. Objective: To determine the prevalence of WRMSDs and associated occupational risk factors among chefs in five-star hotels in Colombo municipal council area, Sri Lanka Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using systematic random sampling. A total of 100 chefs from four five-star hotels registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority were recruited. Data were collected using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) to assess the frequency, severity, and work-related interference of musculoskeletal symptoms over the past work-week. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0. Independent samples t-tests were used to analyse pain severity related to resting periods, repetitive movements, and double shifts. Results: Among the 100 chefs, 94% reported musculoskeletal discomfort, most commonly in the neck (55%), right shoulder (54%), and lower back (47%). Lower back pain was significantly associated with age (r=0.310, p=0.002) and work experience (r=0.345, p=0.001). BMI was significantly correlated with forearm (p=0.022) and hip (p=0.009) discomfort. The left foot was most affected by inadequate rest (p=0.015), and the lower back was most affected by both repetitive tasks (p=0.001) and double shifts (p=0.010). Conclusion: WRMSDs are highly prevalent among chefs, with strong associations to age, BMI, work experience, and occupational factors. These findings emphasize the need to address work- related contributors to musculoskeletal symptoms in this population. 2025-08-07T00:00:00Z http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/20380 Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Sinhala Version of the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool Dias, H.; Rathnayake, R.H.M.P.N. Background: Osteoporosis is a global health problem and it is a prevalent disease among postmenopausal women in Asian countries. It is considered as a silent disease as it does not give any clue until person suffer a fracture which is a major cause of long-term disability. Assessing osteoporosis-related knowledge is crucial for promoting prevention and management strategies. A validated tool for assessing knowledge on osteoporosis is therefore much needed. Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) is a reliable and standardised measure to assess individual knowledge of osteoporosis and it has been used across various countries, with no categorisation of any domains. Objectives: To adapt the OKAT in Sinhala language and assess its psychometric properties among peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women Methods: This validation study comprised of two phases; cultural adaptation and psychometric properties evaluation. Cultural adaptation includes forward translation, synthesizing a common version, backward translation, expert review and testing pre-final version. The final Sinhala version of OKAT was administered among 179 peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women selected using multi-stage random sampling from the Hikkaduwa Medical Officer of Health division. The tool was re-administered among the same group of women after two weeks of first administration. Content validity was evaluated using the expert review. Reliability was determined by measuring internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability (interclass correlation coefficient, ICC). Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis. Results: The content validity index (CVI) was 0.97, indicating strong agreement among experts on the relevance and clarity of the questionnaire items. The OKAT demonstrated good internal consistency measures with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91 and high test-retest reliability measured with ICC of 0.91. Factor analysis using the Principle Component Analysis revealed four factor structure with eigen value >1, explaining 59.81% of variance with KMO value of 0.89 and Bartlert Test of Spericity <0.001. The factor structure showed four main factors that can be explained as ‘General Knowledge about Osteoporosis’, ‘Knowledge on Risk Factors’, ‘Knowldge on Preventive Measures’ and ‘Knowledge on Consequences and Management’. Conclusions: The Sinhala version of OKAT demonstrated excellent validity and reliability in assessing osteoporosis related knowledge among peri-menopausal and postmenopausal women. Further, this is a psychometrically sound tool and its alidity and reliability make it a valuable instrument for both research and educational interventions focusing osteoporosis awareness and prevention. Further studies are recommended to explore its applicability in diverse populations with confirmatory factor analysis. 2025-08-07T00:00:00Z http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/20378 Dietary Practices and Their Determinants of Pregnant Mothers Attending Antenatal Clinics in Selected Medical Officer of Health Areas in Colombo District, Sri Lanka Uthpala, U.H.T.; Jayasooriya, L.H.D.D.; Fernando, H.S.P.F.; Afridi, A.M.M.; Nawanjana, N.M.I.; Rajamuni, R.D.S.G.; De Silva, D.K.M.; Herath, H.M.C.M. Background: Proper maternal nutrition is vital for fetal development and maternal health. Dietary practices among pregnant women are influenced by personal, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Despite established healthcare, nutritional disparities persist in Sri Lanka, necessitating targeted interventions to improve maternal nutrition and pregnancy outcomes. Objective: To assess the dietary practices and their determinants of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in four purposively selected MOH areas in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A total of 422 participants were selected through a cluster sampling method. Data were gathered using a validated questionnaire with two sections, including sociodemographic data and a pre-validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Appropriate dietary practices were identified; if the women had at least four meals a day, high food variety score (FVS), high dietary diversity (DD), and high animal source consumption (ASF). Data were descriptively analysed for frequencies and percentages using SPSS version 26.0. Poisson regression was applied to identify determinants of dietary practices. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. Results: Of the total, 380 (90%) participants responded. The mean±SD age was 30.72±3.96 years, with the majority (98.2%) being married, and residing in urban areas (73.7%). Of them, 64.7% exhibited high DD. Additionally, 52.1% had a high FVS, and 64.7% demonstrated high ASF. Overall, 64.7% followed appropriate dietary practices. Higher educational attainment, formal employment, and residential areas were determinants of appropriate dietary practices, whereas younger age, lower education levels, and being a housewife were associated with inappropriate dietary practices (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study highlights that predominantly pregnant mothers had appropriate dietary practices, but a considerable number were found to have poor practices. While age, occupation, higher education level, and residential areas influence their dietary practices, immediate interventions need to address the vulnerable groups. 2025-08-07T00:00:00Z http://ir.lib.ruh.ac.lk/handle/iruor/20377 Knowledge and Preventive Practices on Major Cardiovascular Non- communicable Diseases and Identify Associated Factors among Young Adults in National Youth Council Center, Maharagama, Sri Lanka Lakshika, D.S.S.; Sarangi, E.M.N.; Damayanthi, L.C. Background: Deaths due to cardiovascular diseases is rising among adults below fifty years of age in Sri Lanka, highlighting the need for awareness on cardiovascular diseases for preventive and early identification purposes. Objective: To assess the knowledge and preventive practices regarding major cardiovascular non- communicable diseases and identify associated factors among young adults in the National Youth Council Center, Maharagama, Sri Lanka Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 307 students selected using stratified random sampling technique to ensure fair representation of both full-time and part-time students. Data were gathered using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using Shapiro -Wilk, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal - Wallis one - way ANOVA statistical tests. Results: Most participants were female (52.8%) and belonged to the 18-20-year age group (67.1%). Among them, 48.5% demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge. The mean percentage for preventive practices was 44.21%, indicating a moderate level of engagement. Significant associations were found between knowledge and several sociodemographic factors, including gender (p=0.003), the current course of study (p=0.000), and sources of knowledge such as the internet (p=0.029) and social media (p=0.000). Additionally, preventive practices were significantly associated with nationality (p=0.022), religion (p=0.030), and permanent location (p=0.036). Conclusion: The majority of participants demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge and engagement in preventive practices. Association between level of knowledge and sociodemographic factors highlights the necessity for targeted educational campaigns to address specific knowledge gaps and improve preventive behaviors 2025-08-07T00:00:00Z