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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 The implementation of comprehensive smoke-free laws has been associated with reductions in second-hand smoke exposure at home in several high income countries. There is little information on whether these benefits extend to low income and middle income countries with a growing tobacco-related disease burden such as India. Methods State and individual-level analysis of cross-sectional data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2009/2010. Associations between working in a smoke-free indoor environment and living in a smoke-free home were examined using correlation at the state level, and multivariate logistic regression at the individual level. Results The percentage of respondents employed indoors (outside the home) working in smoke-free environments who lived in a smoke-free home was 64.0% compared with 41.7% of those who worked where smoking occurred. Indian states with higher proportions of smoke-free workplaces had higher proportions of smoke-free homes (rs=0.54, p<0.005). In the individual-level analysis, working in a smoke-free workplace was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of living in a smoke-free home (adjusted OR=2.07; 95% CI 1.64 to 2.52) after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusions Implementation of smoke-free legislation in India was associated with a higher proportion of adults reporting a smoke-free home. These findings further strengthen the case for accelerated implementation of Article 8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in low and middle income countries. [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]

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme has been the central focus of the POSHAN Abhiyaan to combat maternal and child malnutrition under the national nutrition mission in India. This paper examined the linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight among children aged 6–59 months. The study utilized data from two recent rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS‐4 [2015–2016] and NFHS‐5 [2019–2021]). Descriptive analyses were used to assess the change in utilization of ICDS and the prevalence of underweight at the national and state levels. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine factors associated with the utilization of ICDS and underweight. Linkages between utilization of ICDS and underweight were examined using the difference‐in‐differences (DID) approach. Utilization of ICDS increased from 58% in 2015–2016 to 71% in 2019–2021. The prevalence of underweight decreased from 37% to 32% in the same period. Changes in ICDS utilization and underweight prevalence varied considerably across states, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Results from decomposition of DID models suggest that improvements in ICDS explained 9%–12% of the observed reduction in underweight children between 2016 and 2021, suggesting that ICDS made a modest but meaningful contribution in addressing undernutrition among children aged 6–59 months in this period. Key messages: Utilization of ICDS services among children aged 6–59 months increased from 58% (2015–2016) to 71% (2019–2021) nationally. The programme's expansion was prominent in urban areas, showcasing progress across states.The prevalence of underweight among children in India declined by 5 percentage points from 2016 to 2021, but almost one‐third of children are still underweight.Increase in coverage and service delivery strengthening of ICDS explained 9%–12% of the observed reduction in underweight between 2016 and 2021.The findings suggest that optimizing quality of interventions under ICDS can have a modest but meaningful contribution in reducing childhood underweight in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to describe a response to the needs of mental health workers (MHWs) in India during COVID-19 pandemic, through an online training program on trauma-informed intervention and care. Design/methodology/approach: A four-module online training program was developed. Two modules were aimed to bridge the knowledge gap on trauma for MHWs, so that they could effectively address the associated symptoms of fear and grief. The other two modules aimed to support MHWs' self-care and create supportive connections among colleagues. In this mixed method evaluation study, needs expressed before the training and lessons derived from the training were collected through questionnaires, focus group discussion and interviews. Findings: Of the 3,168 MHWs who registered for the training, 534 completed the pre-questionnaire. Of the 125 post-questionnaire records, 38 had watched all four modules. A great need for learning to work with grief and manage the increased workload without burnout was observed. Post-training gains included skills for working with fear and grief, which increased the confidence of MHWs. The importance of self-care was an eye-opener for many. Social implications: This study indicates a way to equip MHWs to address the trauma that will continue to live in people in the aftermath of crises. Originality/value: This study examined the challenges MHWs in India faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a knowledge gap on dealing with this level of trauma. It can contribute to the knowledge on how to support MHWs in such crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand hygiene remains one of the most effective methods of preventing healthcare-associated infections. Hand drying is the end point of hand hygiene. Hand drying after hand hygiene is less explored, and the practice varies in different facilities. This explorative study was done to know the various hand-drying methods and practices of healthcare workers in Indian settings. This was a descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based observational study initiated from a tertiary care setup in Uttarakhand. Healthcare workers over 18 years of age directly involved in patient care were enrolled. A semi-structured questionnaire with both open-ended and close-ended questions was used with snowballing sampling technique. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Out of the eligible 395 respondents, 62.8% were female. The mean age of the respondents was 31.34 ± 8.44 years and average working hours were 8.87 ± 2.97 (range 4-24) hours. Only 72.7% did hand hygiene always before touching a patient. Nurses were more compliant about hand hygiene than doctors (P < 0.0001). A total of 82.8% were aware of appropriate hand-drying methods. Staff in the Intensive care unit Intensive care unit (ICU) setup were more aware of hand drying practices (P = 0.033). A total of 21.8% wiped their hands on their clothing to dry their hands. This was more in staff from paraclinical departments (P = 0.001). A total of 35.7% used handkerchiefs to dry hands. Resident doctors used handkerchiefs more than senior doctors or nursing staff (P = 0.01). A total of 49.9% of respondents spent less than 10 seconds in hand drying. Hand-hygiene knowledge is high among healthcare workers in India, but the knowledge of appropriate hand-drying practices is lacking. There is wide variation in the practice of hand drying. Better hand drying guidelines and incorporating hand drying as the essential endpoint of the hand hygiene ritual are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Population ageing is a demographic transition and burdens every country's health sector. A lack of social security combined with low government health-sector spending has made health-care utilisation difficult among elderly in many developing countries like India. This makes population ageing a global phenomenon for policymakers, researchers and stakeholders to discuss and debate in 21st century. The purpose of this paper is to examine the behavioural determinants of health-care utilisation among elderly population in Punjab. Design/methodology/approach: This study examines health-care utilisation among the elderly population in Punjab. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data in the state of Punjab, with a multi-stage stratified random sample of 385 respondents. Logit regression was used to analyse the association between several behavioural factors like age, gender, place of residence, source of livelihood, education and frequency of visits with health-care utilisation among elderly aged 60 and above. Findings: This study revealed that gender, age, place of residence, source of livelihood, education and frequency of visits were significant determinants of health-care utilisation among elderly population. Originality/value: This study directs the need to improve health-care utilisation in a country, reducing inequalities that exist among the elderly population with respect to socio-economic and demographic differences. [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: Road traffic accidents are preventable public health issues and are becoming more common. These accidents can be linked to a number of factors, including an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads, changes in daily life, a nasty habit of breaking traffic laws, anarchic traffic systems, and risky driving practices. Thoraco-abdominal injury in different forms is one of the major causes of mortality in the victims of fatal road traffic accidents. The aim of this study was to know the pattern of thoraco-abdominal injuries in victims of fatal road traffic accident cases. Material & Method: The present study was conducted at the tertiary healthcare centre in southern Haryana. Total of 75 cases of fatal road traffic accident cases were enrolled during one year of study period. The basic information about the deceased like age, gender, mode of travel of the victim was obtained from investigating officer narration and inquest papers. During autopsy, detailed examination of injuries was carried out and the autopsy findings were recorded and analyzed. Results: It was observed that out of 75 cases male outnumbered females in ratio 5.25:1. Majority of the victims belonged to the age group 21-30 years. The commonest injury of the thoracic region was rib fracture (41.3%). It was also observed that 17.3% of victims had pelvic fracture. Conclusion: Human error is a major contributing factor to fatal RTAs, which can be avoided in many cases. A more stringent licensing policy, particularly for four-wheelers, increased knowledge of traffic laws, the reduction of drug abuse and an appropriate road network that is in line with traffic volume can help to reduce the number of fatal road traffic accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fundamental principles of healthcare practices and policies are derived from good quality research. Doctors collectively are a source of vast sums of invaluable information. This information if effectively utilized can improve and strengthen the healthcare system. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the ecosystem of an Indian medical researcher. Objectives: To understand (1) the obstacles faced by medical professionals (2) the challenges encountered at various steps (3) the gaps in research knowledge and (4) the means to rectify them. Method: Doctors from medical schools, hospitals, and in private practices were approached. Data were collected through online and physical questionnaire. Data were analyzed and studied. Results: The total number of participants in this study is 212. Case reports (51.9%) and case-control studies (51.14%) are the most frequently conducted types of research. Lack of access to research journals (43.9%) and absence of proper guidance or mentorship (37.39%) are the commonly faced challenges among individuals who have pursued research, whereas busy schedule is the top-cited reason for not pursuing research (34.24%) and discontinuing research (57.4%). Coordinating time schedule with mentees is a challenge for mentors (49.2%). Doctors also face the greatest difficulty (48.12%) and delay (47.4%) in the publication process. On the other hand, personal interest (60.15%) and job requirement (46.61%) are the top facilitators for research. A small percentage has or knows someone that has plagiarized (21.32%) or falsified data (33.49%). Most of the doctors agree that research experience should be a mandatory part of undergrad training (81.6%). Conclusion: We believe interest, impact and importance of research can be the best developed and emphasized in the training years. Institutional support, adequate mentorship and an uplifting research environment can go a long way in motivating the doctors and tackling the challenges they face. [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]

Background: In the climate change discourse, a body of scholarship focusing on how people perceive climate change and its impact is increasing. However, in the Indian context, such scholarship is limited. Objective: This paper aims to describe the perceptions of people on climate change and its health impacts, which were captured as part of a larger study. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected 983 households in four districts spread across Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Results: For 72% of respondents, the perception was not related to climate change per se. Their perceptions were contextual and were based on the anomalies which are observed in the immediate weather conditions. The health impacts of climate change were also not understood at the first place, but with probing 64% of respondents were able to report seasonal diseases. Conclusion: Perceptions of the people regarding climate change are more linked to their own experiences with their local weather conditions rather than the overall concept. This also explains their lack of comprehension about the health impact of climate change, but a sound understanding of seasonal diseases. [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]

Background: Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) are a group of 1.4 million community health workers that operate throughout rural India as a part of the Integrated Child Development Services program. AWWs are responsible for disseminating key health information regarding nutrition, family planning, and immunizations to the women and children in their catchment area, while maintaining detailed registers that track key beneficiary data, updates on health status, and supply inventory beneficiaries. There is a need to understand how AWWs spend their time on all of these activities given all of their responsibilities, and the factors that are associated with their time use.Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted in Madhya Pradesh, collected time use data from AWWs using a standard approach in which we asked participants how much time they spent on various activities. Additionally, we estimated a logistic regression model to elucidate what AWW characteristics are associated with time use.Results: We found that AWWs spend substantial amounts of time on administrative tasks, such as filling out their paper registers. Additionally, we explored the associations between various AWW characteristics and their likelihood of spending the expected amount of time on preschool work, filling out their registers, feeding children, and conducting home visits. We found a positive significant association between AWW education and their likelihood of filling out their registers.Conclusions: AWWs spend substantial amounts of time on administrative tasks, which could take away from their ability to spend time on providing direct care. Additionally, future research should explore why AWW characteristics matter and how such factors can be addressed to improve AWWs' performance and should explore the associations between Anganwadi Center characteristics and AWW time use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the performance of basic metals industry in India and analyze its determinants, using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. It also intends to compare the results through conventional two-stage and bootstrap-based inferences. Design/methodology/approach: Considering technical efficiency as a measure of performance, this paper specifically investigates whether the participation of a firm in the global market affects its performance. The conventional two-stage procedure is used to test the export intensity and firm performance nexus. The bootstrap-based algorithms (by Simar and Wilson, 2007) are used to correct the bias and serial correlation issues involved in the conventional approach. Findings: The result shows a negative relation between export intensity and firm performance while following the conventional procedure. Even after accounting for serial correlation, the relation remains more or less similar to that of conventional analysis. However, a strong negative relation between export intensity and firm performance is not observed in a more reliable inference obtained after correcting for possible bias as well as serial correlation. Research limitations/implications: This paper is based on cross-sectional analysis, and a more reliable result can be obtained by considering a larger sample and longer period. Originality/value: This paper shows how the conventional two-stage procedure may result in misleading inferences due to bias in the estimation of efficiency scores and the serial correlation during the second stage inferential analysis. This paper also empirically exemplifies how the double bootstrap DEA procedure can overcome these limitations of the conventional two-stage approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In community-based studies, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) appears to be a superior predictor of childhood under nutrition than many other anthropometric indicators. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of children aged 2-5 years using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) cut-off values recommended by the World Health Organization in 2007. The present study was a cross-sectional study carried out in randomly selected 44 ICDS canters in Maynaguri Block, Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal, India. Children aged 24 – 60 months (Boys - 499 and Girls - 522) from three (Rajbanshi, Nama Shudra, Nashya Seikh) ethnic communities. Significant age variation was found among boys (F = 14.777; p< 0.001) and girls (9.465; p< 0.001). The overall percentage of moderate and severe undernourished girls (moderate – 25.67%; severe – 5.75%) is higher than the boys (moderate – 24.85 %; severe – 5.41%). Chi-square analysis shows a statistically significant relationship of under nutrition with age, birth weight, ethnicity, birth order, number of siblings, bath place, fuel of cooking, income level and Asiaspecific maternal BMI level. Comparison with international studies reveals that the prevalence of under nutrition in the present study is higher than the children of Malaysia, Cameroon, Nepal, Nigeria and Pakistan. In the context of India, the present study reported a higher prevalence of under nutrition than the children of Midnapur South 24 Pargana of West Bengal, children of Odisha and Bihar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ayurveda is not merely a curative science rather it is a lifestyle guide which helps to promote health and prevent diseases. The preventive aspects of Ayurveda are accommodated under the umbrella of Swasthavritta which includes Dinacharya, Ratricharya, Ritucharya, Rules regarding Nidra, the concept of Dharaneeya and Adharaneeya vegas, Ahaaram, Sadvruttam, Rasayanam, etc which help to strengthen the defense mechanism of the body. Ayurveda doctors are supposed to be the ambassadors of these health promotive measures to the common mass. Aim: The present work aimed at assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of selected Dinacharya procedures among the Ayurveda doctors across India. Materials and methodology: A KAP survey was conducted among the Ayurveda doctors across India by sharing a structured closed ended questionnaire through google form. 311 subjects participated in the study. Results: 1) Knowledge: Majority of the respondents are aware (partially/fully) about the Dinacharya practices. 2)Attitude: Majority of the respondents agree to the health benefits of Dinacharya practices because they have experienced them either personally or have learnt about it from the experiences of others.3)Practices: 23.8% were waking up in Brahma Muhurta, 20.2% were practicing Ushajalapaanam though none of them consumed 8 prasruthi of water as classically advised, 16.7% respondents used herbal toothpastes, 88.4% reported to be practicing Jihwanirlekhanam but none were using metallic or wooden tongue cleaners as classically indicated, only 19.3% respondents used herbal collyrium regularly, 6.7% practiced Pratimarsha nasyam daily, 13.5% practiced gandoosham, 1 % practiced dhumapanam daily, 27% respondents practiced abhyangam and 23.2% respondents practiced vyaayamam daily. Conclusions: There exists a wide gap in the Knowledge and practice of Dinacharya practices even among the ayurveda doctors. ractice of Dinacharya practices even among the ayurveda doctors. [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]

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]

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: 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]

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]

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]

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: 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]

A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose rare genetic disorders, such as Pompe disease, with common clinical manifestations in children. There is a need to sensitize physicians regarding cues to early screening and diagnosis of such patients. Minimal epidemiological data are available on Pompe disease in India. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Pompe disease in high-risk pediatric populations and determine the appropriateness of screening dried blood spot (DBS) tests to facilitate the diagnosis of Pompe disease. We screened pediatric patients presented with (1) unexplained hypotonia, respiratory distress, cardiomyopathy, and elevated liver function tests; and (2) unexplained limb girdle muscle weakness through a DBS test for enzyme assay. Those patients found positive underwent acid alpha-glucosidase mutational analysis. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 45 suspected patients after approval from the institutional ethical committee. Of the 45 suspected patients, 9 (20%) were found to be positive by DBS test. Out of these nine tested, four (44.4%) were positive, two (22.2%) were negative, and three (33.3%) could not be tested for mutation analysis. The prevalence of genetically confirmed Pompe disease in high-risk populations was 8.8%. The results of this study show that clinical suspicion and DBS filter paper test facilitate early diagnosis and management, thereby improving the quality of life in patients. DBS test acts as a robust, rapid first-tier screening test for Pompe disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government of India introduced the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) programme in 2006 to connect marginalised communities to the health system. ASHAs are mandated to increase the uptake of modern contraception through the doorstep provision of services. There is currently no evidence on the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of contraception at the national level. This paper examines the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception using nationally representative National and Family Health Survey data collected in 2019– 21 in India. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of contact with ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception, controlling for regional variability and socio-demographic variables. The data provide strong evidence that ASHAs have succeeded in increasing modern contraceptive use. Women exposed to ASHAs had twice the odds of being current users of modern contraception compared to those with no contact, even after controlling for household and individual characteristics. However, only 28.1% of women nationally reported recent contact with ASHA workers. The ASHA programme should remain central to the strategy of the government of India and should be strengthened to achieve universal access to modern contraception and meet sustainable development goals by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is a paucity of comparative literature on pathway to care among patients with co-occurring disorders and those with only substance use disorders. This paper aims to compare the pathways to care among patients with co-occurring disorder and those with only substance use disorders. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out on male treatment seekers at a tertiary care substance use disorder treatment center in India. Participants were recruited in two groups, those with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders and those with only substance use disorders. The two groups were matched for age and socio-economic status. Findings: A total of 189 subjects with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders and 197 subjects with substance use disorders only were recruited. Psychiatric services were the most common first point of care. However, a larger proportion of the subjects in the co-occurring disorder group received the first care from faith healers, while a greater proportion received first care from the therapeutic communities in substance use disorder only group. Initial care was sought mostly following suggestion from the family members in both the groups. The time to treatment for substance use disorders did not differ between the two groups, though the treatment seeking for substance use disorder was more delayed than that of psychiatric disorder in the co-occurring disorder group. Research limitations/implications: The findings shed light on the pathway of care followed in India and is a matter of further research. Practical implications: Expansion of services and dissemination of information about psychiatric disorders and substance use disorders can provide timely care to patients with substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders. Social implications: The findings have a social implication as well. More awareness is needed currently in India for timely treatment of dual disorders. Originality/value: The paper is an original research by the authors. The data were collected from the participants who reported to the dual diagnosis clinic. The findings are important as they tell us about the current understanding of dual diagnosis by the general public. [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.)

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]

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]