ESTIMATING PREVALENCE OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME AND SEVERITY USING BOSTON CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME QUESTIONNAIRE AMONG DEXTEROUS POPULATION

Objective: The study was designed to estimate the prevailing percentage of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) using Boston Carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire (BCTSQ) in the dexterous population and to assess its severity. Study Design: This was a Cross-sectional survey. Study Settings and Participants: The study setting was Karachi where 226 Dexterous workers including; musicians, typist, dentists, butchers office workers, working for more than 1 year were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Outcome Measures: Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire. Results: This study enrolled 226 participants, 140 (61.9%) of which were males and 86 (38.1%) were females with mean age of 34.05±10.93. Out of the total 25 were diagnosed with CTS in which, 10 (40%) were males and 15 (60%) were females with mean age of 37.60±14.41. Hence, the prevalence of CTS among dexterous population was found to be 11.06%.                                                                            Conclusion: The results of our study revealed that CTS is a prevalent neuromuscular disorder among dexterous population. The severity level varies among the population. More epidemiological studies are required to get the approximate value to promote ergonomic awareness.

India Pakistan Trade Relations: Challenges, Prospects And Policy Options

With the trade normalization process between India and Pakistan gathering momentum since November 2011, new vistas for enhancing bilateral trade have been opened between the two countries. This study has analyzed the trade potential between India and Pakistan, and examined how this prospective is disregarded owing to several socio- political reasons. The trade prospects between India and Pakistan is estimated to lie between US$10.9 billion and US$19.8 billion. The study has assessed the products which are of vital importance for a massive growth in trade but unfortunately these products or items fall in the negative or sensitive lists and non-tariff barriers. In the services sector, trade possibilities have been identified in Information Technology (IT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), health and entertainment services. This trade potential remains unrealized largely due to impediment in transport and transit facilities, restrictive visa regime, continuation of large informal trade flows, and presence of non-tariff barriers to trade between India and Pakistan. Since the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regime between the two countries is liberalized, the study has identified sectors which hold potential for investments, and are likely to deepen the trade linkages between India and Pakistan. Moreover, the research also highlighted traders' motivation for doing business in both markets as well as challenges and obstacles in expanding bilateral trade. Findings of the current study reveal very crucial aspects of the bilateral trade between Pakistan and India. The first and foremost is the significance of the trade relations within the region than expanding relations with the remote partners. Interest of both the countries in expansion strategy of services sectors and the existence of favourable demand to enhance bilateral trade may create huge potential for expansion of trade relations. The study also reveals that political disputes and the non-tariff barriers have been the major problems for businessmen of both countries in doing business in each other's countries. Analyzing the geo-economic conditions of both the countries, the study urged for a strong trade relation between Pakistan and India.