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BACKGROUND: Screening of hemoglobin (Hb) before blood donation is one among the vital tests. It is performed to select a blood donor to prevent the collection of blood from an anemic person. However, no accurate, cost-effective, reliable, and standardized method is available to estimate Hb. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to evaluate the efficacy of filter paper cyanmethemoglobin (FPCH) method with the automated hematology analyzer in the estimation of Hb concentration for screening of a suitable donor. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study in which the blood samples of 2000 patients visiting KLE's Dr. Prabhakar Kore Charitable Hospital, Belagavi, were collected in vials and directly estimated for Hb using automated hematology analyzer. To evaluate the efficacy of FPCH, 20 μL of blood sample was transferred onto Whatman filter paper and dried at room temperature. After drying, it was placed in 5 mL of Drabkin's solution for 30 min. Optical density was estimated by measuring the absorbance. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The correlation coefficient, paired t-test, and difference between the means of both the methods were calculated. RESULTS: The mean Hb estimated by FPCH was 11.25 g/dL and automated hematology analyzer gave 11.35 g/dL. The difference in the means of both the methods was 0.1 g/dL. Paired t-test was done to test the level of significance and the result was 8.151 (95% confidence interval: 0.08–0.13 g/dL, P < 0.001). The correlation coefficient was found to be 0.976 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: FPCH is an efficient method, which is comparable to the automated hematology analyzers for Hb estimation. It could be used as an alternative screening tool for detection of Hb in a blood donation camp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Digitization of health records and health delivery processes in health care settings may have an impact on the Patient-Physician communication, wait times, that affect the overall patient satisfaction with the health care services. Aim & Objective: We ascertained the effect of digitization of medical case files on the doctor patient relationship (DPR) domain of patient satisfaction at an urban primary health center in India. Settings and Design: Comparative, cross-sectional study in primary health centres. Methods and Material: The patient satisfaction was compared between the patients attending the Public Health Dispensary (PHD) that uses digitized medical case file system and a Civil Dispensary (CD) which follows the conventional paper based medical records, using a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ). Statistical analysis used: Univariate analysis was done by chi-square test and adjusted analysis was done by multiple linear regression. Results: Patient satisfaction in DPR was found to be similar between the digitized medical case files based and conventional OPD (p=0.453). Significantly higher overall patient satisfaction was reported in the conventional paper based OPD than the digitized OPD (p<0.001). Conclusions: Patient satisfaction towards the doctor-patient relationship (DPR) was similar between paper based OPD and the digitized medical case files based OPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Almost 70% of women residing in urban areas and 48% of women in rural areas use sanitary napkins in India. According to menstrual health alliance India (MHAI), single sanitary pad will take about 500-800 years to decompose as the plastic used in manufacturing is nonbiodegradable and causes severe noxious effects contributing to global warming through the production of planet warming fuels which eventually have severe impact on environment sustainability. Hence, the study was undertaken to contribute the evidence for the "Clean and Green India". Aim: To know the perception and practice of disposal of sanitary napkins among young college-going females in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted throughout the country employing a self-administered questionnaire using a survey link sent through social media. Data collected were analyzed and interpreted using SPSS version 20.0. Result: The study population comprised 484 young college girls with a mean age of 20.92 ± 1.86 years and 96.9% of them are using sanitary napkins as menstrual absorbent aids. The most common method employed for the disposal of sanitary napkins was dumping them in the bin (87.4%). About 63.2% of them had no knowledge about sanitary napkin-burning machines. Around 92% think that improper disposal of sanitary napkins can cause health problems. Conclusion: The findings from the study revealed that a significant number of women were practicing noneco-friendly disposal methods and menstrual hygiene aids which are a bane to the ecosystem. Study warrants the education and training of females to achieve a green and clean sustainable India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a major public health concern among Indian adolescents. Pre- and post-natal depression can often alter fetal development and have negative consequences on the physical and mental health of the mother. This paper aims to draw attention to the prevalence of depression and its correlates among currently married, ever-pregnant adolescents from two Indian States, i.e. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Methods: This study utilizes data from a subsample (n = 3116) of the prospective cohort study Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) among 10 to 19 year-old adolescents. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of depression by sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. To further access the predictors associated with depression a logistic regression model was applied. Results: Around one-tenth (9%) of pregnant adolescents had depression. Regression analysis indicated that substance use, religion, autonomy, considering attempting suicide, premarital relationship, violence, dowry, adverse pregnancy outcome, menstrual problem, and parental pressure for the child immediately after marriage were significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: This study confirms the pre-existing annotation that teen pregnancy is linked with depression. Findings indicate that Adolescent mothers experiencing violence, and a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at increased risk of developing depression. These study findings call for an urgent need to address depression among adolescent mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The primary objectives were to determine the proportion of modern menstrual method (MMM) users among college going women in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu; and to estimate the unmet needs associated with use of MMMs in comparison with other menstrual hygiene methods (MHMs). We also assessed the factors that determine MMM use among college going women. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among college going women in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India between October 2022 and January 2023 using a purpose predesigned, pretested, semi-structured proforma that included validated Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS-36). Results: Only 1.4% of the study participants used MMMs – menstrual cups (1.3%) and tampons (0.1%). Sanitary pads were the most common MHM of choice (96.3%); of which majority (98.6%) used disposable pads and more than half (50.4%) used non-biodegradable pads. Importantly, one in six (16.5%) were not aware of nature of sanitary pads (biodegradable or nonbiodegradable) used. The unmet needs associated with MMMs (menstrual cups and tampons) were significantly lower than that for other MHMs (including sanitary pads), in particular, the unmet material and home environment needs, unmet material reliability concerns, unmet reuse needs and unmet reuse insecurity. However, we found no significant difference between MMMs, sanitary pads and other MHMs in terms of unmet transport, college environment, change and disposal insecurity needs. The significant predictors of use of MMMs were age (more than 21 years of age), residence (urban), type of stay (off campus including home), socioeconomic status (upper), fathers' and mothers' education (high school and above), and presence of personal income. Discussions with friends (or peers) both before and after menarche regarding menstruation resulted in higher adoption of modern menstrual methods. Conclusion: MMMs provided comparative advantage with lesser unmet needs for material reliability and reuse insecurity concerns, particularly in home environment. However, none of the MHMs fulfilled the user expectations for transport and disposal insecurity concerns, particularly outdoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many viral and bacterial respiratory tract infections can present with respiratory signs and progress to complicated pneumonia. In the recent Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is crucial to test all Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) patients for other microbial infections in addition to COVID-19, enabling timely diagnosis and treatment to reduce morbidity and mortality. The automated system, BioFire FilmArray, utilises multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to rapidly detect and identify multiple respiratory pathogens, including selected Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) genes, within an hour. Aim: To detect bacterial and/or viral pathogens associated with hospitalised COVID-19-negative SARI patients using the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (BFPP). Materials and Methods: This laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, from June 2020 to February 2021. Respiratory samples, such as sputum, tracheal aspirate, Endotracheal (ET) secretions, and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL), were collected from COVID-19-negative hospitalised SARI cases. A total of 81 patients were included in the study. The samples were tested using the BFPP (multiplex PCR) system and processed using conventional culture techniques. Patient characteristics, clinical and laboratory investigation data, and findings of respiratory viral and bacterial agents, as well as antibiotic resistance genes detected by BioFire FilmArray, were recorded using paper case reports. The data were collected and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: Out of the 81 clinical samples processed, the BFPP detected 168 bacterial and 18 viral pathogens. Bacterial-viral codetection was observed in 13 (16%) samples. Atypical bacteria were detected in 3% of cases. Among the bacterial pathogens, the AMR gene for New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamases (NDM) was detected in 42 (25.9%) cases, followed by CTX-M betalactamases, VIM, and the oxacillinase group of β-lactamases. Conclusion: The BFPP test is a valuable tool for the rapid detection of a wide range of pathogens, including associated AMR genes, with high sensitivity and specificity. This can greatly aid in treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: "CoviSainik Program" was implemented in collaboration with the Ambuja Cement Foundation and Community Medicine Department in rural districts of eight states of India from May to December 2021 to create a cadre of volunteers. The aim of the present paper is to describe the program and evaluate it so that the findings can be the guiding tool for policymakers to replicate a similar program. Material and Method: A cross-sectional, mixed-method – concurrent study design was adopted to evaluate the program for its short-term outcomes such as gain in the basic knowledge of COVID-19 amongst master trainers and their feedback and program output viz – the proportion of volunteers trained and their profile by census sampling. Motivational factors, experiences of volunteers, and outcomes of COVID-19 work in their villages were explored by purposive with maximum diversity sampling with 62 online in-depth interviews and 8 online focus group discussions (FGDs). Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the pre-test (12.8 ± 5.6) and post-test (25.9 ± 9.3) scores of the Master Training Program evaluation test. Out of 6534 trained volunteers, 5901 worked as volunteers, and amongst those, 47.1%, 35.1%, and 17.8% worked for ≤3 months, 3 to 6 months, and ≥6 months, respectively, in their villages. The major themes generated for motivational factors to join the program were altruism, savior nature, generating awareness, and concern for others. The major outcomes generated by trained volunteers COVID-19 vaccination were in raising awareness on COVID-19 appropriate behavior and early identification of COVID-19 cases in their villages. Conclusion: The "CoviSainik Program" was successful in creating cadres of trained volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The National Family Health Survey-4 data from Odisha shows, adolescent growth spurt and nutritional level needs to be studied comprehensively for designing appropriate policies. Kandra community of Odisha is a Schedule Caste (SC) community with low socio-economic status. No study has been done on growth spurt of girls from this community. Hence, the paper examined growth and nutritional trend and test for significant difference on height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Methodology: Crosssectional study with 78 sample were collected from one Gram Panchayat of Ganjam district, India. Somatometric measurements i.e., height, weight, chest, and calf circumference were collected from school-going adolescent, randomly. Mean difference between early and middle adolescent were seen through Levene's Test for equality of variances and independent sample-t-test. Result: Findings say, adolescent growth spurt was highest at age 13-14 years. The overall median height and weight were reported less than Indian and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards. The difference between 12-13 years and 14-16 years were significant at p<.001 for BMI. Conclusion: Findings were like the gaps reported in NFHS-4 nutritional indictors and is a concern as the girls are going to be future mother, and deficiency may pull their life into risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ donation is remarkable achievement in modern medicine which helps those suffering from chronic incurable end organ diseases. However, the process of organ donation and transplantation is not devoid of ground level difficulties like timely diagnosis of brain death, harvesting of organs during the supravital period, transporting the retrieved organ to a facility where transplantation is to be conducted and in Medicolegal cases the Forensic Pathologist has to examine the patient and allow/disallow the retrieval of organ based on their necessity in determining cause of death. The Forensic Pathologists can do their bit in expediting the above mentioned process by conducting the autopsy in operation theatre where organs were retrieved. This practice is being followed in Telangana, Tamil Nadu and now in Karnataka. This paper aims to study the profile of organ donors, analyze the types of organs retrieved and to highlight the role of Forensic Pathologists in expediting the process of organ donation and transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic wounds are associated with significant clinical, economic and quality‐of‐life burden. Despite the variety of wound imaging systems available in the market for wound assessment and surveillance, few are clinically validated among patients of Asian ethnicity. We aimed to clinically validate the accuracy of a smartphone wound application (Tissue Analytics [TA], Net Health Systems Inc, Florida, USA), versus conventional wound measurements (visual approximation and paper rulers), in patients of Asian ethnicity with venous leg ulcers (VLU). A prospective cohort study of patients presenting with VLU to a specialist wound nurse clinic over a 5‐week duration was conducted. Each patient received seven wound measurements: one by a trained wound nurse clinician, and three separate wound measurements using TA on each of the iOS and Android operating systems. Inter‐rater and intra‐rater reliability between clinical and TA‐based measurements were analysed using intra‐class correlation statistics, with values of <0.5, 0.5 to 0.75, 0.75 to 0.9, and >0.9 indicating poor, moderate, good and excellent reliability, respectively. 82 patients (51% males), with a mean age at 65.8 years, completed the 5‐week study duration. 25 (30%) had underlying diabetes mellitus. Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicity comprised 68%, 12% and 11%, respectively. The VLU healed in 26 (32%) of patients within the study period. In total, 358 wound episodes with 2334 wound images were analysed. Inter‐rater reliability for length, width and area between wound nurse measurements and TA application measurements was good (range 0.799‐0.919, P < 0.001). Separate measurements of intra‐rater reliability for length, width and area within the iOS or Android systems were excellent (range 0.967‐0.985 and range 0.977‐0.984 respectively, P < 0.001). Inter‐rater reliability between TA used on the iOS and Android systems was also excellent (0.987‐0.989, P < 0.001). Tissue Analytics, a smartphone wound application, is a useful adjunct for wound assessment and surveillance in VLU patients of Asian ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper aims to understand the recent trends and correlation of tobacco use and factors associated with an attempt to quit smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among adults from Northeast India. Methods: We used data from two rounds of the cross-sectional Global Adult Tobacco Survey. The paper applied proportion test statistics to examine the change in the prevalence of tobacco use between the two periods. Binary logistic regression was applied to determine the associated risks of tobacco use. Results: Prevalence of SLT use among adults increased significantly by 3.9% from 2009-10 to 2016–17. In the same period, the prevalence of smoking had declined by 2.4%. Increase in use of SLT use was more prominent among women and illiterate adults, rural and poor households, while a decrease in prevalence of smoking was observed among adults. A significant proportion of educated people, students, and homemakers, reported that they had quit smoking; however, the proportion of attempts to quit SLT had increased significantly among older adults, rural residents, and those with low education levels. Conclusions: Actions involving the community, youth, women, the less educated and poor adults are necessary to encourage them quit SLT use and smoking in the north-eastern states of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Contemporary society has led to the increasing use of electronic equipment that is very much responsible for the burden of electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste contains very hazardous substance that harms health and environmental conditions. There is no delicate mechanism for the management of e-waste in Lucknow city, Uttar Pradesh. This study assessed knowledge, practice, and awareness of e-waste management among residents of this city. Material and methods: The study was conducted amongst users of electronic equipment living in the Lucknow City of Uttar Pradesh. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Multi-stage random sampling was done for the selection of participants for the study. A predesigned and pretested questionnaire was administered in a single setting for all phases. The total optimum sample size is 700 individuals who participated in the study. Data were entered in MS Excel 2016 and descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were calculated, applying the chi-square test for association using R-4.2.1 Statistical software. Aim and objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding the management of electronic waste among users of electronic equipment residing in Lucknow city. Results: Only 37% of users are aware that e-waste adversely affects health. Only 34.3% of users knew that e-waste should be given to the seller or manufacturer for recycling while rest told that it should be stored at home, sold to a scrap dealer, or disposed with normal waste. 87.3% users are not aware about e-waste govt guidelines. In the current study electronic and print media like television, radio and news paper were not found to be source of information for e-waste disposal. Conclusion: Education regarding the ill effects of e-waste is essential for people and awareness of proper disposal of e-waste is the need of the hour. Electronic and print media as well as companies producing electronic equipment should play a significant role to awaken the respondent about the disposal of e-waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Speech–language pathologists are often involved in the assessment and management of communication, cognition and swallowing deficits in people with Parkinson's. However, speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency levels in serving people with Parkinson's remain elusive, especially in the Indian context where there is an increasing disability burden due to Parkinson's disease. Additionally, the challenges faced by speech–language pathologists in India to provide efficient services to this population are unidentified. Aims: To determine speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competence and challenges faced when providing services to people with Parkinson's in India. Methods & Procedures: A survey questionnaire was sent to speech–language pathologists through emails and social media asking them questions to evaluate self‐perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's and to identify the challenges to their service delivery. A total of 69 speech–language pathologists responded to the survey. Outcomes & Results: The majority of respondents reported to be competent in dealing with various domains of assessment and management of people with Parkinson's. Although competent, they reportedly faced a few challenges during their service delivery. Conclusions & Implications: This study provides an insight into the speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's in India, and also identifies the challenges related to interprofessional service delivery. The findings of the study have educational and clinical implications. What this paper adds: The study delineates speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency in working with people with Parkinson's in India, a nation that is seeing a constant rise in the incidence of Parkinson's disease.The study the unique challenges within India to speech–language pathologists' service delivery for people with Parkinson's, thus having educational and clinical implications in Parkinson's disease care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective is to assess the vulnerability of Matrija Bhava for the causation of metabolic disorders in the purview of epigenetics. Data Source: This study was conducted at the PG Department of Rachana Sharir, CBPACS, New Delhi, and AIIMS, New Delhi. Materials and Methods: Twenty subjects of metabolic disorders, namely diabetes mellitus, obesity, and hypothyroidism cases, were taken to collect the data. The self-structured information sheet/case paper pro forma followed by a consent form was used to record all the data of the subject along with their mother's history (at the time of pregnancy) included in the study. All the observations were recorded and furnished for statistical analysis. Results: It was observed that Lavana, Madhura, Amla, and Katu Rasa Ahara; Viruddha Ahara, Ratrijagrana and Divaswapna were observed as a potential factor affecting the Metabolism of the mother at the time of their pregnancy with the subject; thereby causing related metabolic disorders to the subject. Conclusion: Maternal factors (Matrija Bhava) are vulnerable to cause metabolic disorders in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The socio-environmental aspects of southern Assam reflect a general pattern of backwardness. Moreover, child healthcare resources in the region are inadequately used, leading to low vaccination coverage. Given this background, this paper attempted to comprehend wealth-based inequality in full vaccination in rural areas of southern Assam. Methodology: Based on a multistage cluster sampling approach, 360 children of 12–23 months were selected from the study area. To identify the predictors of a child, a non-linear model was estimated by using the generalized linear model (GLM) approach followed by Erreygers decomposition technique to quantify the wealth inequality in the obtained predictors in explaining the disparity in full vaccination. Result: The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination recorded the highest vaccination coverage, at nearly 90% and the lowest was observed for the measles vaccine, around 61 percent. Slightly more than half of the eligible children (54 percent) were vaccinated against all the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)-recommended vaccines. The decomposition analysis revealed that the occupation of the child's father, maternal age, birth order of the child, and health-seeking behavior such as antenatal care (ANC) were the prime factors related to inequality in full vaccination in the region. Conclusion: Vaccination coverage in the region has improved over time, however, full vaccination is concentrated towards the economically advantaged section of the society in rural southern Assam. Targeted, context-specific, and expanded government initiatives could aid in addressing the overall wealth-related full vaccination inequalities in the valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services (IT and ITES) industry has been the backbone of the Indian economy. The sector is characterized by long working hours, strict deadlines, night shift, constant usage of computers, etc. Hence, the industry and nature of the job are influencing the psychological risk factors of the employees. PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore the psychological risk factors (job stressors) of technocrat millennials and critically analyze them from the socio-demographic perspective. METHODS: A single cross-sectional study with snowball sampling was collected from 300 technocrat millennials in Ahmedabad city (India). Job stressors are examined as psychological risk factors. MANOVA and independent-sample t-test has been put to use for establishing the relationship between psychological risk factors and socio-demographic variables. RESULTS: The study highlighted that the experience, current position, size of family, number of children, gender, and family type had an impact on psychological risk factors of technocrat millennials. CONCLUSIONS: The study contributes to the literature on the psychological risk factors and its association with demographic variables, and specifically in Ahmedabad city (India). Income did not have an impact on psychological risk factor; whereas education was the only demographic variable affecting the responsibility for persons. The experience influenced the role overload, role ambiguity, poor peer relations, and intrinsic impoverishment. The study explained each socio-demographic variable's impact on 12 psychological risk factors separately. The result of the paper will give insight to HR managers in the recruitment and selection of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION People with severe mental illness (SMI) tend to die early due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, which may be linked to tobacco use. There is limited information on tobacco use in people with SMI in low- and middle-income countries where most tobacco users reside. We present novel data on tobacco use in people with SMI and their access to tobacco cessation advice in South Asia. METHODS We conducted a multi-country survey of adults with SMI attending mental health facilities in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Using data collected with a standardized WHO STEPS survey tool, we estimated the prevalence and distribution of tobacco use and assessed receipt of tobacco cessation advice. RESULTS We recruited 3874 participants with SMI; 46.8% and 15.0% of men and women consumed tobacco, respectively. Smoking prevalence in men varied by country (Bangladesh 42.8%, India 20.1% and Pakistan 31.7%); <4% of women reported smoking in each country. Smokeless tobacco use in men also varied by country (Bangladesh 16.2%, India 18.2% and Pakistan 40.8%); for women, it was higher in Bangladesh (19.1%), but similar in India (9.9%) and Pakistan (9.1%). Just over a third of tobacco users (38.4%) had received advice to quit tobacco. Among smokers, 29.1% (n=244) made at least one quit attempt in the past year. There was strong evidence for the association between tobacco use and the severity of depression (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.12-1.48) and anxiety (OR=1.29; 95% CI: 1.12-1.49). CONCLUSIONS As observed in high-income countries, we found higher tobacco use in people with SMI, particularly in men compared with rates reported for the general population in South Asia. Tobacco cessation support within mental health services offers an opportunity to close the gap in life expectancy between SMI and the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Diabetes is a significant public health concern in India, with Kerala being labeled as the diabetes capital of the country. The study aims to evaluate the prevalence, treatment, and management of diabetes to examine the unmet need for care to propose cost-effective strategies. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a geographically defined cohort population in Ernakulam. Sample: This paper presents diabetes data of adults ≥30 years enrolled from the community cohort. The interviews were conducted with 997 participants at their residence. Measurement: Random blood glucose was assessed for each participant using a finger prick test. Results: The overall prevalence of diabetes was 30.1%, of which 4.1% of participants had undiagnosed diabetes. Among those with diabetes, 86.3% were aware of their diagnosis; among those aware, 86.5% were on treatment. Among those on treatment for diabetes, 54% achieved controlled blood sugar. Conclusion: The challenge in diabetes management is controlling the blood glucose levels of people who adhere to treatment. Younger employed females from lower-income quartiles have the highest risk. The study also raises questions about quality and strategies for medication compliance. The findings inspire future research on care needs, policies, and program responses to reduce the diabetes disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Turkish Sleep Medicine is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myanmar have been exposed to conflict and violence for a long time and experience physical, psychological and social problems.Post‐traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are more prevalent among IDPs than among general populations and refugees, and limited research is available on this topic among IDPs in Myanmar. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: More than one‐third of the IDPs in our sample from Myanmar camps had a high PTSS score. More than two‐thirds experienced traumatic events and left home after age 18.The overall functional health of IDPs was poor, and the presence or absence of PTSS led to differences in the factors associated with functional health in each group.Resilience and PTSS were associated with the functional health of IDPs in Myanmar. Further, functional health was positively correlated with levels of resilience among those relatively low in PTSS. What are the implications for practice?: Mental health nurses need to assess IDPs' health status and PTSS by first performing health screening at camps in Myanmar. Subsequently, tailored interventions can be provided according to individual health conditions and PTSS severity.IDPs in Myanmar need psychological first aid to cope with the ongoing conflict and violence, and further mental health nurse training is necessary to implement this aid and tailored interventions for PTSS. Introduction: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are individuals forced to leave their homes and move within their country. Post‐traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) are prevalent in this population. Aim: To investigate trauma symptoms and functional health of IDPs in Myanmar and identify the factors associated with their functional health according to the presence/absence of PTSS. Method: This cross‐sectional study included 201 IDPs who completed a questionnaire on functional health, PTSS, resilience, social support and hope. The analysis included descriptive statistics, t‐tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression with interaction analyses. Results: Over one‐third of the participants had PTSS, with low functional health scores. The greater the resilience, the better the functional health. The higher participants' PTSS, the poorer their functional health. There was a significant interaction between resilience and PTSS. Discussion: Tailored resilience‐building programs, as well as health policies and services, are needed to enhance IDPs' functional health and help them overcome PTSS. Implications for practice: Psychological first aid should be provided to minimize PTSS experienced in situations of ongoing conflict and violence. Mental health nurses should be trained to assess IDPs' health status and tailor interventions accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Picture‐naming tests (PNTs) evaluate linguistic impairment in dementia due to semantic memory impairment, impaired lexical retrieval or perceptual deficits. They also assess the decline in naming impairment at various stages of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that occurs due to progressive cognitive impairment. With the increasing numbers of people with dementia globally, it is necessary to have validated naming tests and norms that are culturally and linguistically appropriate. Aims: In this cross‐sectional study we harmonized a set of 30 images applicable to the Indian context across five languages and investigated the picture‐naming performance in patients with MCI and dementia. Methods & Procedures: A multidisciplinary expert group formed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) collaborated towards developing and adapting a picture naming test (PNT) known as the ICMR‐PNT in five Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Based on cross‐cultural adaptation guidelines and item‐wise factor analysis and correlations established separately across five languages, the final version of the ICMR‐PNT test was developed. A total of 368 controls, 123 dementia and 128 MCI patients were recruited for the study. Psychometric properties of the adapted version of the ICMR‐PNT were examined, and sensitivity and specificity were examined. Outcomes & Results: The ICMR‐PNT scores in all languages combined were higher in controls compared with patients with dementia and MCI (F2, 615 = 139.85; p < 0.001). Furthermore, PNT scores for MCI was higher in comparison with patients with dementia in all languages combined (p < 0.001). The area under the curve across the five languages ranged from 0.81 to 1.00 for detecting dementia. There was a negative correlation between Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and ICMR‐PNT scores and a positive correlation between Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination—III (ACE‐III) and ICMR‐PNT scores in control and patient groups. Conclusions & Implications: The ICMR‐PNT was developed by following cross‐cultural adaptation guidelines and establishing correlations using item‐wise factor analysis across five languages. This adapted PNT was found to be a reliable tool when assessing naming abilities effectively in mild to moderate dementia in a linguistically diverse context. What this paper adds: What is already known on this subject: Picture‐naming evaluates language impairment linked to naming difficulties due to semantic memory, lexical retrieval or perceptual disturbances. As a result, picture naming tests (PNTs) play an important role in the diagnosis of dementia. In a heterogeneous population such as India, there is a need for a common PNT that can be used across the wide range of languages. What this study adds to existing knowledge: PNTs such as the Boston Naming Test (BNT) were developed for the educated, mostly English‐speaking, Western populations and are not appropriate for use in an Indian context. To overcome this challenge, a PNT was harmonized in five Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam) and we report the patterns of naming difficulty in patients with MCI and dementia. The ICMR‐PNT demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy when distinguishing patients with mild to moderate dementia from cognitively normal individuals. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: With the growing number of persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia around the world, its critical to have culturally and linguistically relevant naming tests and diagnosis. This validated ICMR‐PNT can be used widely as a clinical tool to diagnose dementia and harmonize research efforts across diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced the entire life globally including various aspects of patients' care. Its effect on medical research production is not known. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on medical research reporting trend. Methods: Advanced search on PubMed was performed over 2011- August, 2021. Monthly comparison was done for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare continuous distributions. Results: The total publication count showed constant increment over the study period. Faster rise was noticed on 2020 (15.7%). A steady growth in publications over the years and through the pandemic was also seen in seven studied countries with variable, both in total and also after exclusion of COVID-19 related papers. Italy and India have the highest proportions of COVID-19 related publications in comparison to the total papers in 2020, but USA has the highest quantity. Statistically significant differences exist between the first eight months of the last three years with and without counting COVID-19 related publications (p-values=0.0003907 and 0.001084, respectively). Conclusion: Our results reflect that investigators world-wide succeeded to reconfigure their work style and utilize the spared time induced by the lockdown to enrich the medical research platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental illness disproportionately affects the physical, psychological, and social well-being of prisoners worldwide at a far higher rate than the general population. Depression is one of the common mental illnesses. However, in low- and middle-income countries, relatively little research has been undertaken to assess the prevalence and the factors that contribute to depression among prisoners. Aim: This paper aims to assess the burden and predictors of depression among male inmates in a central jail in Odisha. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among male prisoners in one of the central jails of Odisha. A total of 146 samples were selected using a random sampling method and 105 completed the interview. The socio-demographic characteristics and PHQ-9 scale were used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis. Result: In the overall study sample, 25.7% of inmates were diagnosed with moderately severe depression, and 27.6% were diagnosed with severe depression. Binary logistic regression showed that higher education, being accused of a crime, and having low social support are all significant predictors of depression in prisoners. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significance of understanding the role of social support in prison and assisting policymakers in developing policies that make it more inmate-oriented, resulting in increased prisoner mental well-being and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction  Hazardous healthcare waste produced at home contributes to approximately 0.5% of biomedical waste, and although potentially infectious, is often discarded with other domestic wastes. The study aimed to quantify and compare types and patterns of biomedical waste generated in homes and to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding biomedical waste among selected urban and rural households in the coastal area of Mangalore city in Karnataka. Methods  A cross-sectional study was conducted in households consisting of rural and urban field practice areas of a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka from November 2017 to February 2018. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding healthcare waste generated at home was assessed. Qualitative variables of the waste segregation practice, types of biomedical waste, the knowledge, perception, and attitude to practices regarding biomedical waste were expressed in percentages proportions and analyzed using SPSS v.20. Results  Baby diapers were the most common hazardous waste. The number of baby diapers produced daily in rural and urban areas was 32 (42.7%) and 64 (85.3%), respectively. The urban households had better knowledge of possible hazardous healthcare waste at home, 28 (37.33%) compared with 7 (9.3%) in rural households. Seventy-one (94.7%) urban and 49 (65.3%) rural households had a favorable attitude toward the disposal of hazardous domestic biomedical waste. Conclusion  The knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hazardous healthcare waste produced at the household level were better among urban households compared with rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Micronutrient deficiency has long been recognized as a public health problem, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women. Micronutrient deficiency could not be ruled out in spite of the implementation of various intervention strategies. Different interventions are being used to prevent and treat micronutrient deficiencies at the national and global level. The aim of this study is to systematically review the intervention strategies among different vulnerable age groups in India. Methods: The review was focused on identifying various interventions published based on the internet databases and the peer-reviewed papers from 2011 to 2021, on the predefined inclusive/exclusive criteria. The major intervention strategies implemented in India were recognized and evaluated based on dietary supplementation, micronutrient supplementation, knowledge interventions and food fortification among various age groups. Results: The results show that there are still considerable gaps in identifying the effective intervention strategies, research initiatives, programs and policies addressing to tackle micronutrient deficiencies in India. Multiple interventions are effective that could lead the road to innovations in approaches with diverse dietary intake, developing multiple micronutrient supplements, fortifying foods and nutrition interventions to address calcium, zinc, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin A deficiencies among the vulnerable population. Conclusion: Evidence-based multiple intervention studies covering a large population, in the long term cross-sectional, is the need for the hour to design policies and programs for improving the micronutrient status of vulnerable population in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undernutrition among children under the age of five remains untracked in India. One in five children are undernourished even in Kerala, a developed south Indian state well known for its egalitarian development. The aim of this paper is to understand the social, economic, and political dimensions of undernutrition among children of age 6–60 months belonging to low socioeconomic households in Kerala. 468 children (50% girls) were surveyed. The prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting among the study children were 25.6%, 24.4%, and 14.4%, respectively. Acute illnesses, underweight of mothers, low standard of living, and not utilizing Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Public Distribution System (PDS) increased the risk of children being undernourished. The study found that children below 5 years from low socioeconomic strata had a higher risk of being undernourished, proving the vicious cycle of poverty and undernutrition. The association between the nutritional statuses of mothers and children indicates the vulnerability of multiple members from poor households to be malnourished. The utilization of ICDS and PDS was found to improve nutritional status and hence, the state has to ensure that the benefits of these initiatives are reaching the neediest in adequate quantity and quality. Key points: Children below 5 years from low socioeconomic strata in Kerala had a higher risk of being undernourished.The link between mothers' and children's nutritional statuses highlights the importance of measuring nutritional status within the household unit.Non‐utilization of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Public Distribution System (PDS) increased the risk of children being undernourished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interdisciplinary Participatory Approach for Nutrition in Children: Strengthening Health, Education, Engineering and Environment Linkages (PANChSHEEEL) study used a participatory approach to develop locally-feasible and tailored solutions to optimise Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices at an individual, household, community, and environmental level. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of gender; migration; and Health, Education, Engineering and Environmental (HEEE) factors on IYCF practices, with the primary outcomes being three key complementary-feeding practices of Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD), Minimum Meal Frequency (MMF) and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 325 households with children aged 6–23 months was conducted in nine purposively selected villages in two blocks of Banswara district, Rajasthan, India. A survey tool was developed, translated into the local language, pre-tested, and administered in a gender-sensitive manner. Data-collection processes were standardized to ensure quality measures. Association of the primary outcome with 27 variables was tested using a Chi-square test (Mantel-Haenszel method); backward stepwise regression analysis was conducted to assess the impact of effect modifiers (gender, parental migration). Results: Half of the surveyed children were of each gender, and fathers from half of the households were found to have migrated within the previous year to search for additional income. Parental literacy ranged from 60 to 70%. More than half of the households had access to milk-producing animals. Consumption of each of the seven food groups, eggs (4.7% vs 0.7%; p < 0.02), MDD (10.5% vs 3.2%; p < 0.02) and MAD (9.4% vs 2.6%; p < 0.02) were higher for boys than for girls. After controlling for contextual factors, a male child was 4.1 times more likely to get a diet with MDD and 3.8 times more likely to get a diet with MAD. A child from a non-migrant household was 2.0–2.1 times more likely to get a diet with MDD and MAD as compared to a child from a migrant household. However, this association was not found to be statistically significant after regression. Presence of milk-producing animals in households and consumption of milk/milk products by children in the previous 24 h were the other two strong predictors of MDD and MAD, although access to animal milk in the house did not translate to an increase in consumption of milk/milk products by a child. Conclusion: Gender discrimination in diet diversity and complementary-feeding practices starts early in childhood with boys having a distinct advantage over girls. In the case of parental migration, further research is required to establish if it has an adverse impact on feeding practices. Emphasis needs to be given to gender issues and other contextual factors when developing strategies to optimise complementary feeding practices. Trial registration: With UCL ethics [Ethics ID 4032/002] in United Kingdom and with Sigma IRB [10,025/IRB/D/17–18] in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infection is the most common cause of hospitalisation and the second most common cause of mortality amongst haemodialysis (HD) patients, after cardiovascular disease. Hand hygiene (HH) reduces infections and enhances patient safety across all settings. However, the lack of compliance with HH amongst health-care providers is problematic worldwide. With the above background, a study was conceptualised to ascertain the current status of the HH practices during a complete HD procedure among nursing staff of an HD unit at a tertiary healthcare teaching institute in India. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 October, 2018, to 10 December, 2018. A structured checklist for HH during a complete HD procedure was developed as per the WHO's five moments of HH. One hundred and fifty HD procedures were observed for compliance appropriate number of HH. Data analysis was done using the SPSS version 22. Results: Despite being a very simple step, the compliance rates of health-care workers (HCWs) in HH were found extremely poor, ranging from 23% to 35% only. Reasons for non-compliance by HCWs told by them were: poor nurse-to-patient ratio, frequent turnover of nursing staff, lack or inadequate training and lower level of competency among HD staff. Conclusion: The high number of times an HD staff is required to perform HH could be a reason for lack of compliance. However, compliance can be improved by continuous education and supervision and by providing, in convenient locations, sufficient number of sink with soap dispensers, paper towels, hand lotions and Anti-Bacterial Hand Rubs (ABHRs) placed at each patient station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In this paper, we introduce geographical information systems (GIS) as a tool to study trends in disease spread in time and space. Based on data gathered by the integrated disease surveillance programme (IDSP), we can see where outbreaks of Chickenpox have occurred. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the trends in chickenpox diseases in India between January 2015 and April 2021 using GIS maps. Methods: For the collection of secondary data relating to chickenpox, a free app called collect 5 was used for collecting data weekly from the IDSP website and then storing them in an online server. In this project, variables that needed to be processed with QGIS were combined with table attributes of many shapefiles of India and presented as maps. Results: Between Jan 2015 and May 2021, 1269 chickenpox outbreaks (27,257 cases) have been recorded. Thirty-one deaths have been confirmed, with most occurring in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nineteen states did not report any deaths. According to the seasonally adjusted trend, the number of cases was highest during the months of January and March. Conclusion: In summary, geographic information systems have become an invaluable tool for mapping the hotspots of acute epidemics and planning public health interventions to prevent the spread of these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The female foeticide involves the detection of sex of the unborn child in the womb of the mother and the decision to abort it if the sex of child is detected as girl. So, here an attempt has been made to assess the knowledge regarding FF among UG students at selected college of Etawah district Utter Pradesh. In this paper we assess the knowledge regarding female foeticide among under graduate student of selected college of Etawah district. A Cross sectional study research design was utilizes in the present study. Non probability purposive sampling was used to select the sample. Study tool was classi ied in two parts (socio demographical variable and knowledge questionnaire). Result of the study shows that in study 50% students were belong in 17-19 year age group, 45% students had medical profession, 47.5% were male and 53.4 % female student. Study shows that more than 80% students have good knowledge. The mean score and SD were 22.375 and 5.826 respectively. Study concluded that students are having good knowledge regarding female foeticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent studies highlight the negative impact of social isolation and involvement in leisure activities on enhanced well‐being of individuals. However, there is dearth of evidence on relationship between social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive abilities and depression of older adults in the Indian context. The paper reports the impact of social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive functioning and depression of older adults. Methods: Data were collected from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), and 63,806 participants aged 45 years or above were considered for the study with adherence to the exclusion criteria. Multivariate analysis was carried out to analyse the group‐based differences. Results: Social isolation (F = 102.09, p < 0.01; η2 = 0.09) and leisure (F = 224.54, p < 0.01; η2 = 0.07) had a statistically significant impact on the cognition and depressive symptoms of participants. Socially isolated older adults with little involvement in leisure activities had the worst cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41), whereas middle‐aged adults who were actively involved in leisure activities and experienced the least social isolation exhibited the best cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41). However, leisure and age as independent factors did not have a significant impact on depression. Conclusion: Socially isolated participants, irrespective of age, and involvement in leisure activities exhibit poor cognitive functioning and are more likely to suffer from depression as compared to their counterparts. The findings of the study can be used to design intervention strategies aimed at reducing social isolation by incorporating leisure activities to ensure the optimal functioning of middle‐aged and older adults. Key points: Socially isolated older adults with least involvement in leisure activities reported the worst cognitive functioning.Socially isolated participants reported a positive association with depressive symptomatology.Both middle‐aged and older adults who engaged in leisure activities reported better cognitive functioning as compared to their counterparts who did not engage in any form of leisure activities.Leisure as an independent factor is not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timely and skilled care is key to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. Birth preparedness involves preparation for safe childbirth during the antenatal period to reach the appropriate health facility for ensuring safe delivery. Hence, understanding the factors associated with birth preparedness and its significance for safe delivery is essential. This paper aims to assess the levels of birth preparedness, its determinants and association with institutional deliveries in High Priority Districts of Uttar Pradesh, India.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between June-October 2018 in the rural areas of 25 high priority districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Simple random sampling was used to select 40 blocks among 294 blocks in 25 districts and 2646 primary sampling units within the selected blocks. The survey interviewed 9458 women who had a delivery 2 months prior to the survey. Descriptive statistics were included to characterize the study population. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of birth preparedness and to examine the association of birth preparedness with institutional delivery.Results: Among the 9458 respondents, 61.8% had birth preparedness (both facility and transportation identified) and 79.1% delivered in a health facility. Women in other caste category (aOR = 1.24, CI 1.06-1.45) and those with 10 or more years of education (aOR = 1.68, CI 1.46-1.92) were more likely to have birth preparedness. Antenatal care (ANC) service uptake related factors like early registration for ANC (aOR = 1.14, CI 1.04-1.25) and three or more front line worker contacts (aOR = 1.61, CI 1.46-1.79) were also found to be significantly associated with birth preparedness. The adjusted multivariate model showed that those who identified both facility and transport were seven times more likely to undergo delivery in a health facility (aOR = 7.00, CI 6.07-8.08).Conclusion: The results indicate the need for focussing on marginalized groups for improving birth preparedness. Increasing ANC registration in the first trimester of pregnancy, improving frontline worker contact, and optimum utilization of antenatal care check-ups for effective counselling on birth preparedness along with system level improvements could improve birth preparedness and consequently institutional delivery rates in Uttar Pradesh, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and Anemia are important public health nutritional problems in India. Objective: To assess nutritional status and prevalence and correlates of undernutrition, anemia, and VAD among children. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out adopting systematic random sampling. Information on socio-demographic particulars was collected and 20 µL blood was collected for hemoglobin and free-flowing drop on Whatman filter paper for Vitamin A estimation. Hemoglobin was estimated using indirect cyanmethemoglobin and Vitamin A by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Nutritional status was assessed using the WHO Child Growth Standard. Results: The overall prevalence of anemia and VAD was 68% and 59%, respectively, while underweight, stunting, and wasting was 30%, 55%, and 11%, respectively, among under 5 year children. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed no significant association of anemia and VAD with any sociodemographic variables, while the odd of stunting was four times higher among children of mothers engaged in labor and two times among children from low-income group, while underweight was two times higher among children from households not having sanitary latrine. Exclusive breastfeeding was observed to be associated with undernutrition among infants. Conclusions: Anemia, VAD, and stunting were high among children. Low intakes of green leafy vegetables and milk and milk product may be the reasons for the higher prevalence of anemia and VAD. There is a need to strengthen supplementation of iron and folic acid tablets and Vitamin A and also public distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communal violence in India has become more frequent due to the unwanted interplay between religion and political manipulation, by which India has been affected many times. Communal violence has also been recognized as a significant social and public health problem, resulting in long-term human and economic costs. The dominant form of communal violence in India has involved the two communities, i.e. Hindus and Muslims. Post-violence studies worldwide have shown a short and long-term higher prevalence of mental health disorders. To the best of our knowledge, no earlier study has investigated the association between communal violence experience and self-rated psychological health in India. Thus, the current study was designed to provide valuable addition to the existing literature on mental stress among riot victims. This paper explores the association between mental health and socio-economic characteristics among riot victims based on a primary survey (N = 300 participants) conducted in two riots-affected districts of Uttar Pradesh in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prosocial behaviour is one of the key features of the development of school-going adolescents. Therefore, the current paper focuses on the prosocial behaviour of school-going adolescents in Kollam District, Kerala. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study where 600 school-going adolescents, their parents and 60 class teachers were selected through cluster sampling method. English and Malayalam version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered among respondents. Chi-square and multiple linear regression models were used for analysing the data. Results: Self-report of prosocial behaviour predictors were significantly associated with gender (P < 0.01), urban-rural settings (P < 0.001) and government-private schools (P < 0.001). Parents' report shows highly significant relationship with gender (P < 0.001) whereas teachers' report is significantly related to urban-rural settings (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The current study found that one-fifth of school-going adolescents had borderline to abnormal (self – 17.4%; parents' – 16.9%; teachers' report – 20.8%) prosocial behaviour. School-going adolescents should involve in volunteer activities and campaigns for better development in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The occurrence of workplace hazards, occupational diseases, and deaths contribute significantly to the increase in the global burden of diseases. The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) workers experience occupational stressors throughout the process of waste management that affects their well-being and results in high rates of occupational health problems. It is vital to understand the workplace practices and occupational morbidities of the MSW workers to ensure their safety and well-being. In this context, the study aimed to explore the occupational health and safety practices at the place of work among the MSW workers in Karimnagar and Hyderabad in Telangana, India. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two cities of Telangana. A total of 394 MSW workers were surveyed. The number of MSW workers in Karimnagar and Hyderabad were 152 and 194, respectively. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to the MSW workers to study the occupational morbidities and workplace safety practices. Focused group discussions were conducted among the MSW workers in both cities. In-depth interviews of sanitary supervisors in Karimnagar were conducted. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides were used with questions on sociodemographic characteristics, health status, work environment, protection strategy, and healthcare utilization. MS Excel and NVivo-12 were used for data analysis. Results: Musculoskeletal problem was the major reported morbidity among the MSW workers (76.6%). Injuries were reported more among the MSW workers in Hyderabad (39.7%) along with a fear of being hit by vehicles while working on the main roads. About 88.7% of the MSW workers had less than secondary education. There was a wage difference between the contract and permanent MSW workers. There was a lack of provision of personal protective equipment and poor working conditions, overall. Lack of basic amenities such as the provision of drinking water and toilets apart from inadequate social security and healthcare facilities was reported. Conclusion: This paper highlights the unsatisfactory working environment and high-occupational morbidities among the MSW workers in Telangana. There was a lack of basic amenities at the workplace making it difficult for the MSW workers. A comprehensive approach which focuses on the health and safety with social security for the MSW workers is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION In India there is insufficient knowledge of the risks associated with tobacco use. Increasing awareness of these risks is critical, with pictorial warnings on tobacco packs a cost-effective way to communicate this information. We explored perceptions of the current warning, 'Tobacco causes cancer', displayed on packs in India and four novel warnings about other potential impacts of tobacco use including social, financial, and environmental, but also complications with diabetes. As loose cigarette sales are common in India, we also explored perceptions of warnings on cigarette sticks. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of college students aged ≥18 years in Karnataka, India, was conducted between January 2019 and February 2020. Participants were asked about salience, believability, and cognitive processing of warnings currently on packs. They were then shown an image of one current and four novel warnings and asked about their perceived effectiveness in preventing uptake and reducing and stopping tobacco use. They were then asked about warnings on cigarette sticks. RESULTS Most participants (70.2%) recalled warnings on packs and considered them believable (55.7%), but only 12.0% read and 12.4% thought about them often. Warnings about the health impacts of tobacco use were viewed as most effective in preventing uptake, and reducing and stopping tobacco use. Nevertheless, at least a third of participants rated warnings pertaining to financial, social, and environmental impacts effective in preventing uptake, and reducing and stopping tobacco use. Approximately one-fifth (22.0%) thought that warnings on cigarette sticks would deter initiation. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that health warnings are perceived as most effective in discouraging tobacco use among college students in Karnataka. While viewed as less effective than health warnings, novel non-health related messages were viewed as effective in preventing uptake, and reducing and stopping tobacco use by at least one in three participants. Warnings on cigarette sticks may help complement warnings on cigarette packs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]