Search

Introduction: Fixed orthodontic treatment has been the standard method to treat malocclusions for decades; however, the number of adults seeking more inconspicuous ways to enhance their smiles has significantly increased. This trend has led to the rising popularity of clear aligners among the general population, hailed as the 'invisible treatment' for correcting misaligned teeth. Aim: To assess the level of awareness among residents of Maharashtra regarding clear aligners. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, School of Dental Sciences, Krishna Vishwa Vidyapeeth (KVV) Karad, Maharashtra, India with a sample size of 423 participants. An online survey on awareness and perceptions of clear aligners among the general population of Maharashtra was carried out for one month through the dissemination of an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered using Google Forms and consisted of 12 closed-ended questions. The online data was collected and analysed while assessing its content validity. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 28.4±5.88 years. According to the survey, 203 (47.99%) participants had visited an orthodontist, with 87 (43.03%) receiving clear aligner recommendations as a treatment option. Notably, 266 (62.88%) were already familiar with clear aligners, and 268 (63.36%) considered them to be an effective treatment. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that 62.88% of participants had prior knowledge of clear aligners, while only 47.99% had visited an orthodontist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Cerebral Palsy (CP), sensory perception is affected in addition to the motor symptoms. Now-a-days, treatment solely focuses on diagnosed motor deficiencies, often overlooking underlying sensory abnormalities and their examination. Therefore, including a clinical sensory examination in the evaluation of children with CP is crucial. Aim: To develop a validated measure for assessing sensory processing among children with CP. Materials and Methods: This study, conducted as part of a Ph.D. research project, employed an exploratory sequential research design. It commenced on March 1, 2020, and concluded on October 18, 2021, at the Physiotherapy Out Patient Department (OPD) of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. Validity tests, including Scale Level Content Validity Index (CVI) and Spearman rank correlation methods, were used alongside other subtests. The study consisted of two phases: Development and Validation. An extensive literature search and parent interviews were conducted to comprehensively understand and collect information on sensory issues. Based on this information, a preliminary questionnaire draft was created. Three categories of validity-content, face, and concurrent-were tested. Content validation involved employing a three-round online Delphi approach. Face validity was assessed through opinions from clinicians regarding the questionnaire's appearance. Concurrent validity was established by comparing the Sensory Outcome Measure (SOM) with the criterion measure scale, Short Sensory Profile (SSP). Results: For all items, Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and item-level CVI values ranged from 0.8 to 1. The overall Scale Level CVI (average) for the scale was 0.890625. Experts exhibited a 96% agreement regarding the appearance of the questionnaire, indicating complete agreement. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient value was 0.866, and the correlation graph indicated a positive association between the two scales in terms of concurrent validity. Conclusion: The Sensory Outcome Measure (SOM) has been developed as a valid scale with high content and face validity, along with excellent concurrent validity. SOM is the first measuring scale developed in India and used for assessing sensory deficits in children with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The menstrual cycle is a crucial biological rhythm typically lasting 21 to 35 days, averaging 28 days, is vital for female athletes. Increasingly, women in sports are recognising menstrual cycle impact on performance due to hormonal fluctuations. Sensitivity to these changes varies, potentially affecting exercise tolerance and energy levels during training and competition. Recognising these dynamics is crucial in physiotherapy to optimise athletic performance with tailored interventions, considering the menstrual cycle’s impact on the female body. Aim: To develop a questionnaire to examine the influence of the menstrual cycle on physical activity. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the impact of the menstrual cycle on physical activity, a self-administrative questionnaire was formulated in three stages: establishing the questionnaire's scope through reviewing literature, determining questionnaire components by consulting participants and experts feedback, and verifying its content validity with the input of eight experts using Delphi method. These eight physiotherapy experts are serving as assistant and associate professors at various universities in India, contributed to this validation process. Results: Newly developed questionnaire has content validity index of 0.98 for all the items included. Conclusion: This questionnaire is a valid tool for assessing the impact of menstrual cycle phases on physical activity of young adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Menstrual care products that are most used in India have historically been sanitary pads for menstrual hygiene and analgesics for period pain. Alternative menstruation care products are, nevertheless, the subject of a growing discourse. Informed decisions about menstrual hygiene and period pain management are being hampered by ignorance about these alternative menstrual care options. Aim: To develop and validate a survey questionnaire to evaluate university female students' awareness of alternative menstrual care devices for menstrual hygiene and pain relief compared to conventionally used products. Materials and Methods: The study describes two phases of questionnaire development and its validation. At first, an extensive literature review was conducted to frame the 23-item survey questionnaire, which was later validated in the later phase. For content validation, a panel of 9 experts, including gynaecologists, physiotherapists who specialise in menstrual rehabilitation, and social activists, was formed. They were prompted to validate the questionnaire produced in Google Forms after providing their consent. Results: The Content Validation Index (CVI) was used to quantitatively assess the questionnaire's content validity. The I-CVI score was calculated to be 0.97, which exceeds 0.83, suggesting an excellent content validity. Conclusion: This study successfully developed and validated a survey questionnaire with strong assessment attributes. The developed questionnaire can be used to carry out surveys among females in the menstrual age and based on the results, modifications can be made to menstrual rehabilitation, its implication policies and awareness programs related to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fatigue is commonly characterised as an extreme state of being tired and feeling exhausted. There are two types of fatigue: Mental which leads to reduced concentration and Physical which leads to decrease in performance. One of the major occupational risk factors that lead to fatigue is prolonged standing. Healthcare professionals are also affected by this issue as they have to stand prolong time in their duty hours. Aim: To find the effect of prolong standing on fatigue in the healthcare professionals. Materials and Methods: The Questionnaire was developed in three phases. In first phase we identify the domain of the questionnaire by doing intense literature survey. Then items of the questionnaire were identified from the domain by taking interview from the participants and taking expert opinion. Then we send the questionnaire through Delphi methods to 9 experts for content validation of questionnaire. All the experts are from physiotherapy profession and currently working as an assistant and associate professor in different universities from India. Results: Newly developed questionnaire has content validity index of 1 for all the items included. Conclusion: The developed questionnaire has the significant content validity to check the fatigue among healthcare professionals. The questionnaire was designed to capture the specific type of fatigue that is most relevant to prolonged standing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prevalence of hypothyroidism is found high in India in the recent years and is more commonly seen in women. While treating the condition with pharmacological intervention, importance of exercise, diet and lifestyle modifications play a significant role in managing the condition. Yoga based techniques have shown positive impact in managing hypothyroid related symptoms. Yoga when considered as a therapeutically approach needs to be customised by considering specific yogic techniques for the targeted health condition and it is also essential to validate the yoga module for a given health condition. While there are a few validated yoga modules for managing obesity, backpain etc., there are no validated yoga modules for treating/managing hypothyroid condition. Aim: To develop an integrated yoga module for hypothyroidism. Materials and Methods: Integrated yoga module has been designed based on traditional yoga literature and expert opinion. Based on the pancha kosha model (five layered existence), 53 yogic techniques were compiled and sent to 36 experts for content and face validation. Experts validated each technique by rating the relevance on a five point likert scale. Validated techniques were administered to a group of 35 women having hypothyroidism to assertain acceptance and the possibility of practice of said techniques. Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the average of mean, mode and median of scores were calculated. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23. Results: Out of the 53 techniques, 41 techniques scored either CVR more than 0.5 or average of mean, median and mode more than 4. Conclusion: The developed integrated yoga module for hypothyroidism enjoys good face and content validity. Initial feasibility test confirms that the techniques are accepted and could be practiced by the hypothyroid patients. Further validation of the module using a pre-post study is warranted to confirm its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]