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Availability of adequate number of human resources with suitable skill mix and their appropriate deployment at different levels of health care set-up are essential for providing an effective health care services for the population. Since independence, concerted efforts have been made to address the need for human resources for health in India. However, shortage exists in all categories of human resources at different levels. Ensuring the availability of human resources for health in rural areas and building their capacity in public health are daunting tasks. Future challenges include planning for human resource for public health at State/national level, framing of State specific human resource development and training policy, creation of human resource management information system, reorientation of medical and para-medical education and ensuring proper utilization of the trained manpower and standardization of training. It is also important to link human resource development and training policy to the National Rural Health Mission in achieving its goals.

The terms adolescent (age 10-19), youth (age 15-24) and young people (age 10-24) have been defined. During adolescence i.e. transitions between childhood to adulthood, rapid changes occur in physical, functional, sexual, emotional and psycho-social aspects, which need proper attention and care. There is development of human sexuality which comprises the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviour of individuals regarding sex. Human sexuality is an integral part of human personality and it helps in achieving and maintaining physical and mental health. In this presentation, various problems associated with growing-up of adolescents and the effects of various cultural practices, gender disparity and environment on them have been discussed. Various dimensions of sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and youths in the world, India and South Asia have been reviewed. The urgent needs, objectives and scope of coverage for adolescent education and counselling have been highlighted; combined interventions from different areas such as health, education and life-skill development would be important. Young people should be provided with supportive environment within their families, schools and communities. Health care for adolescents and youths should cover general health, disorders of reproductive systems and sexual and behavioural problems. For operationalisation of comprehensive health care programmes, the importance of multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary partnerships, consideration of key issues and provision of adolescents- /youth- friendly services have been stressed.

In the present paper an attempt has been made to trace the most influential factors which explain the variation in forms of growth retardation in school-age children and to estimate the prevalence rate of malnutrition within different income groups. It was observed that in families with more number of children less attention was paid for the fulfilment of nutritional requirement of the children. On the other hand, families with single child had the highest percentage of normal children (44.4%) and with an increase in the family size, a significant decrease in the percentage of normal children, lowest being 8.82 per cent in a family with six children, was observed. The severity (grade III malnutrition) increased with an increase in the number of children in the family. The effect of type of family on the nutritional status of the child was decided using Gomez’s classification. The normal children in nuclear families and joint families were 24.40 per cent and 23.47 per cent respectively, while the children suffering from malnutrition grade II in these two kinds of families were 30.36 per cent and 32.14 per cent respectively. A significant difference was found in the nutritional status when compared to the educational status of the mother. In case of illiterate, primary educated and undergraduate mothers, the percentage of grade III and II malnutrition showed higher incidence. But in contrast, malnutrition was almost nil in families where mothers possessed technical or post-graduate qualification.

The findings of the study revealed that (i) tribals tend to believe in interpersonal communication as compared to other modes of communication; (ii) availability of electronic media viz. radio and television with the tribals is limited, however, their accessibility to these media is somewhat better; (iii) IPC followed by traditional media is the choice of combination of channels preferred by the tribals; and (iv) tribals prefer to watch television or listen to radio only in the evening hours but information seeking behaviour among them from various sources is casual.

Traditionally, family planning programme has viewed women as the primary clients. Recently, need for male participation in family planning has been highlighted but there are limited efforts to bring the reproductive male population to accept contraceptives. A quasi-experiment has been designed enrolling randomly 268 married men from the health centres in Iran. Data on awareness, beliefs, attitude and co-operation in adopting family planning methods were recorded from men using a pre-tested schedule before and after 14 sessions of educational intervention. Most of the males were aware of at least one contraceptive method but awareness of modern methods was poor (20%) which was increased after intervention (47%). Their willingness to allow their wives to use contraceptive also increased but the improvement was not statistically significant (p=0.08). Use of contraceptive remains low in men even after intervention. Family planning education could increase the knowledge of men about modern contraceptives but the use of contraceptives by male may not increase which indicates that behaviour change process may take longer time to have effect.