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The Sustainable Development Goal 3 aspires to ensure health and well-being for all and aims to achieve universal health coverage. The Indian government has developed policies, including schemes such as the Integrated Development Child Scheme (ICDS), to improve the health care outcomes for both mother and child. However, several studies have found that the ICDS program was not particularly effective, primarily because of implementation problems. To address these issues, several initiatives have been launched with the goal of strengthening community-based mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of the ICDS program. In this context, this paper examines the role of citizen participation by enhancing service delivery under the ICDS. The study presents a case study of Nuh district, an aspirational district in India, where a civil society organization has played a crucial role in increasing citizens' awareness of their rights, entitlements, and redressal mechanisms, empowering them to demand better service delivery. The study utilizes a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and non-participatory observations. The research involved interviews with eligible household representatives and Anganwadi workers (AWWs) from ICDS centres, conducted through structured questionnaires, as well as non-participatory observations at all ICDS centres over three consecutive working days. The findings of the study underscore that improving access to information about rights and entitlements leads to increased communitybased monitoring of public institutions and encourages citizens to voice their concerns through the use of redressal mechanisms. Nevertheless, a lack of trust persists in formal grievance resolution mechanisms, which prompts the community to rely primarily on informal channels to address issues. This includes raising and resolving concerns through interactions with gram sabhas, government officials, and AWWs. Nonetheless, as community involvement in local governance grows, government authorities become more responsive to certain citizen demands, ultimately resulting in enhanced service delivery. This study highlights the essential role of citizen participation in promoting accountability and better service delivery within public health programs like ICDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the awareness and usage of Academic Social Networking Sites (ASNS) among female research scholars and faculty members in Tamil Nadu, India. A structured questionnaire was used to survey 838 female research scholars through online platforms. The results showed that most respondents use at least one ASNS, with Google Scholar being the most popular. The primary reasons for using ASNS are to disseminate scholarly work and discover research papers. However, a lack of awareness and time was the main reason for not having an account with these sites. The respondents learned about ASNS primarily through friends and colleagues and suggested increasing their use and awareness through seminars and training courses, library posters, and integration in the student courses. The study highlights the importance of ASNS in the research work of female scholars and faculties while also recognizing the need for increased awareness and access to these resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diet high in sodium contributes to a significant proportion of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes the awareness, behaviour and determinants related to dietary salt intake in an adult population of 18–69 years that were assessed as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India. A sub-sample of 3000 adults selected through simple random sampling from 150 nationally representative Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) was included. Data regarding awareness and behaviour related to dietary salt intake were collected. Urinary sodium excretion in spot urine samples was estimated and used to calculate dietary salt intake. The dietary salt intake's sociodemographic, behavioural and metabolic determinants were also analysed. Less than one-third of the adults of both genders in all age groups in rural and urban areas were aware that daily high salt intake could affect health. The estimated mean daily salt intake was 8.0 g (8.9 g/day for men and 7.1 g/day for women). The salt intake was significantly higher in men [Adjusted OR = 17.66 (5.24–59.46)], rural areas [Adjusted OR = 6.14 (1.83–20.60)], overweight and obese respondents [Adjusted OR = 17.62 (3.17–98.07)]. The perception of the harmful effects of high salt intake and practices to limit salt intake was low in the study population. The mean daily salt intake was higher than the WHO recommendation of up to 5 g daily. The mean dietary salt intake is high in the Indian population, which calls for planning and implementing control of dietary salt consumption measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diet high in sodium contributes to a significant proportion of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes the awareness, behaviour and determinants related to dietary salt intake in an adult population of 18–69 years that were assessed as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India. A sub-sample of 3000 adults selected through simple random sampling from 150 nationally representative Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) was included. Data regarding awareness and behaviour related to dietary salt intake were collected. Urinary sodium excretion in spot urine samples was estimated and used to calculate dietary salt intake. The dietary salt intake's sociodemographic, behavioural and metabolic determinants were also analysed. Less than one-third of the adults of both genders in all age groups in rural and urban areas were aware that daily high salt intake could affect health. The estimated mean daily salt intake was 8.0 g (8.9 g/day for men and 7.1 g/day for women). The salt intake was significantly higher in men [Adjusted OR = 17.66 (5.24–59.46)], rural areas [Adjusted OR = 6.14 (1.83–20.60)], overweight and obese respondents [Adjusted OR = 17.62 (3.17–98.07)]. The perception of the harmful effects of high salt intake and practices to limit salt intake was low in the study population. The mean daily salt intake was higher than the WHO recommendation of up to 5 g daily. The mean dietary salt intake is high in the Indian population, which calls for planning and implementing control of dietary salt consumption measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Silicosis has been one of the most serious occupational public health problems worldwide for many decades. The global burden of silicosis is largely unknown, although it is thought to be more prevalent in low and medium-income countries. Individual studies among workers exposed to silica dust in various industries, however, reveal a high prevalence of silicosis in India. This paper is an updated review of the novel challenges and opportunities for silicosis prevention and control in India. Main body: The unregulated informal sector employs workers on contractual appointment thereby insulating the employers from legislative provisions. Due to a lack of awareness of the serious health risks and low-income levels, symptomatic workers tend to disregard the symptoms and continue working in dusty environments. To prevent any future dust exposure, the workers must be moved to an alternative job in the same factory where they will not be exposed to silica dust. Government regulatory bodies, on the other hand, must guarantee that factory owners relocate workers to another vocation as soon as they exhibit signs of silicosis. Technological advances such as artificial intelligence and machine learning might assist industries in implementing effective and cost-saving dust control measures. A surveillance system needs to be established for the early detection and tracking of all patients with silicosis. A pneumoconiosis elimination program encompassing health promotion, personal protection, diagnostic criteria, preventive measures, symptomatic management, prevention of silica dust exposure, treatment, and rehabilitation is felt important for wider adoption. Conclusion: Silica dust exposure and its consequences are fully preventable, with the benefits of prevention considerably outweighing the benefits of treating patients with silicosis. A comprehensive national health program on silicosis within the public health system would strengthen surveillance, notification, and management of workers exposed to silica dust in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial inclusion, which means access to formal financial services for the whole population is India's important policy objective. In this paper, we examine the association between financial awareness and financial inclusion. Using statistical association tests on the primary data, collected from 200 respondents in Nalgonda and Medak districts in Telangana, India, we find that financial awareness is significantly associated with financial inclusion. Regression analysis shows that more financial awareness is associated with a higher level of financial inclusion. We also observe that factors, including being female and having a lower level of education and income, are related to lower financial inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street plays are a popular traditional medium of communication and entertainment in India. The objective of this paper is to communicate our experience about using street plays to raise awareness about children's eye health in a South Indian setting. Based on our experience of the prevailing misconceptions about children's eye health in our community, we selected some topics and prepared a blueprint of the scripts. We hired professional troupes who further refined these scripts into traditional street play scenarios by adding traditional songs, humor, and dialogues in the local dialect, leaving adequate room for improvisation during actual play. After a few rehearsals, we finalized the actual plays. Then, these were enacted in different parts of the city on different occasions, over a span of 3 years. In this descriptive paper, we share our experience of this exercise so that others may try and replicate this initiative in their areas. We found that the street plays were well attended by the people indicating the popularity of this medium in local communities. At the end of the street plays, a sample audience was interviewed about what they understood from the sessions, and most of them could reproduce the key messages. We found that instead of training our own staff, hiring a professional troupe was a more practical choice. Overall, it was a fruitful exercise in terms of the number of people that our plays reached out to effectively. Thus street play is an effective and popular means of disseminating eye health messages in our communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the level of awareness and usage of open source digital repository software (DRS). The paper also studies the factors, which influence the level of awareness and usage of different open source DRS by academic librarians in India. Design/methodology/approach: The study administered an online questionnaire to academic librarians in India to know their level of awareness and usage of open source DRS. The questionnaire aimed to gather the awareness and usage of open source DSR. In total, 374 complete responses were collected from academic librarians in India and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Moreover, Fishers' exact test was used to identify whether factors i.e. qualification and participation in workshop/seminar influence the level of awareness and usage of open source DRS. Findings: The results of the study reveal that the level of awareness and usage of open source DRS, namely, DSpace (Mean = 2.92, SD = 0.906) and Greenstone digital library software (GSDL) (Mean = 2.18, SD = 0.699) are high amongst the academic librarians in India. In total, 33.4%, 11.5% of the participants are using DSpace and GSDL, respectively, on regular basis. Fishers' exact test shows that factor(s) i.e. qualifications and participation in workshop/seminar affect the level of awareness and usage of open source DRS. The results show that there exits strong relation between participation in workshop/seminar and awareness and usage of DSpace (Fishers' exact test = 13.473, p < 0.05). Originality/value: This paper is the new type of study exploring level of awareness and usage of open source DRS by academic librarians in India. It identifies the factors that affect the awareness and usage of open source DRS. It is the first study to analyze the statistical significance between Indian librarians' participation in workshop/seminar and their level of awareness and usage of different open source DRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explores the use of Open Educational Resources among the research scholars of Kurukshetra University. For the purpose random sampling method was used to collect data from research scholars. A total of 185 questionnaires were distributed out of which 150 (81.08%) filled questionnaires were received from the users. The responses were analyzed in tabular form to know the objectives of the study. The study reveals that most of the research scholars are familiar with Online Education Resources. Researchers also face difficulties in customizing Online Education Resources according to their needs. The findings and recommendations based on analysis are given at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that knowledge management systems (KMS) play in facilitating better decision-making and providing sustainable competitive advantages for organizations has been recognized worldwide. Academic sector has significant opportunities to apply KMS practices to supplement their mission and achieve their vision. The study investigates the concept of KMS in a higher education institution by adopting a hierarchical approach. Components of knowledge management (KM) such as awareness, existence, future, and benefits have been identified. The analytical hierarchical process method has been applied to prioritize the relative importance of three components out of these, that is, awareness, existing status, and future implications of KM to higher education. The paper is based upon a quantitative and qualitative study. The outcomes of the paper describe that there is awareness and existence of KM in higher education management institutions in an Indian perspective. However, future implications are supposed to be relooked at for the better implementation of the concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of information technology, the demand for e-resources has been growing day by day. Advancement of ICT infrastructure leads to the wide use of e-resources. Nowadays, users can access e-resources on their desktops. N-LIST is an initiation to provide selected e-journals and e-books to the registered colleges in India. The present study was carried out among post-graduate students in autonomous colleges of Kerala. The study aims to examine the awareness and use of N-LIST e-resources, purposes of use, level of satisfaction, and problems faced by postgraduate students while accessing N-LIST e-resources. For this purpose, the investigator prepared a well-structured questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The hypotheses of study demand the use of different statistical techniques, such as simple percentage methods and the ANOVA test. The present study reveals that the majority of respondents are aware and use N-LIST e-resources. However, daily usage of N-LIST e-resources among post-graduate students is still not up to the mark. Based on the findings, the paper recommends that college libraries should enhance their infrastructure and provide proper Wi-Fi facility for the optimum utilisation of the N-LIST e-resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of women suffer physically and mentally during menstruation due to inadequate knowledge, misconceptions and sociocultural restrictions. Male awareness of menstrual hygiene is equally important as India being a patriarchal society, family fund allocation and decision making rests with them.To assess the knowledge and sociocultural practices regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene among university students. Across sectional study was conducted on both male and female university students. A pre validated semi structured questionnaire was administered to the students through Google forms. Sample size calculation and statistical analysis was done. Of the 763 participants 453 (59.4%) were female and 310 (40.6%) were male respondents. 481(63.0%) students belonged to medical stream while 282 (37.0%) were enrolled in non-medical courses. The knowledge score calculated on the knowledge based questions was 6.49±0.81 for females which was significantly higher than that of males (4.36±2.07) with a p value of <0.0001. The knowledge score of boys pursuing medical courses was more 6.19±0.83 as compared to boys studying non-medical courses 3.76±2. Majority of the females preferred the use of sanitary pads with little awareness about menstrual cups and tampons. Knowledge about menstruation is lacking in males. Educating males should be a priority so that they can contribute to the menstrual hygiene needs of girls and help break the stigma and taboos associated with it in the society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer awareness is the key to early detection and better health-seeking behaviour. Cancer is quite common in both developing as well as developed countries, but awareness is yet poor among the general population. Poor awareness may lead to poor uptake of screening modalities and delay in diagnosis. One factor that has been consistently shown to be associated with late diagnosis and treatment is a delay in seeking help for cancer-like symptoms. This paper reviews the literature on cancer awareness among the general population and attitude towards screening modalities. The poor awareness level among the Indian population shows the need for health education and sensitisation regarding cancer and its different aspects. This will be helpful in the successful implementation of health programmes related to cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: End-of-life care (EOLC) is an increasingly important concern in the management of terminally ill patients. Effective EOLC depends significantly on the physicians working in the critical care units. Thus, adequate knowledge of critical care professionals regarding EOLC is important. We conducted this study to evaluate the awareness and knowledge of doctors working in critical care units toward EOLC. Materials and methods: Doctors working in critical care units were invited to fill paper-based questionnaire. The validated questionnaire was constructed based on the existing literature on EOLC and expert opinion. The questionnaire comprised four sections: demographic details, experience with EOLC situations, general awareness of EOLC, and specific awareness of EOLC in clinical practice. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. Results: Most respondents had not counseled more than five families regarding EOLC over 1 month. Majority of the respondents (81.7%) had heard of EOLC; the major source of information being their work in the concerned specialty. Only 29.2% of the respondents applied EOLC principles in their clinical practice. Main barriers were lack of information and training. Only 20.3% of the respondents were aware of Indian guidelines about EOLC. Majority of the respondents disagree regarding the usage of critical care units and resuscitation of terminally ill patients and were in favor of home care. One-third respondents felt uncomfortable in discussing EOLC issues with the families. Half of the respondents felt that they were only somewhat competent in managing EOLC issues. Most respondents opined that training and education in medical curriculum for terminally ill patients are lacking and were in strong favor of inclusion of specific training for the same. Conclusion: The EOLC needs to be an integral part of critical care management and teaching curriculum. An integral referral system may also be an option for various advance disease patients getting treatment from critical care specialists for EOLC decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of comic book narratives in creating awareness and influencing attitudes about how society treats rape survivors, specifically in the Indian context. The gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi in 2012 inspired an Indian-American filmmaker to author the comic book Priya's Shakti, which was launched at the Mumbai Comicon in December 2014. The book uses Hindu mythology in its narrative to call for a change in existing belief systems about rape and rape victims. Twenty-four in-depth and ethnographic go-along interviews of informed participants were conducted to understand how they perceive the role of comics such as Priya's Shakti in affecting popular awareness and attitudes about rape and what approaches they feel are best suited to use comic books to bring about sustainable social change. Results indicated comics can play a significant role in creating awareness, especially among the younger audience but that changing attitudes is a more complex issue, demanding the active and engaged participation of other stakeholders. A culture-centred approach was the key emerging theme. Respondents believed comic books could be used to reach out to children in schools and to rural audiences via multiple communication methods but that engaged and involved participation of community stakeholders was essential if comic books were to drive home socially relevant messages and affect awareness and attitudes about rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the country has passed through many phases of development, what h as remained unchanged is the relative backwardness of certain groups, areas or sectors in the country. Keeping these factors in mind, the present paper attempts to evaluate if, and to what extent, the economic developmental measures have affected the quality of life of the Tharu (Scheduled Tribe) women and helped empower them. For arriving at a conclusion, the level of women's participation and awareness in economic activities and related decision making fields have been analyzed on the basis of their own views. The paper is based on primary data, collected through in-depth interviews, discussions with, and observations on, the Tharu women of Udhamsingh Nagar in Uttarakhand. The paper ends with suggestions on ways to improve women's participation and awareness in developmental plans and programmes and ways in which these schemes could be made more acceptable and beneficial to the concerned group, thus ultimately leading to a better quality of life and empowerment for the womenfolk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper explores the perceptions of lay persons about the different Mental Health professionals and their roles in context of the various Awareness Campaigns that are being organised and conducted in India to explore if awareness about mental issues is lacking in some regards indirectly thereby leading to a deceleration of the entire progressive move towards destigmatisation and information dissemination aimed at encouraging help seeking in case of Mental Health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper the findings of a pilot study to determine the Digital Awareness and Internet usage among the school students of age-group 14 to 19 years in Raipur city of Chhattisgarh are presented. The random sample survey method is used to collect the data from randomly selected private and government schools. The questionnaire was designed to know the use of digital gadgets by the students and also the usage of Internet by them. This study reveals that the students of selected age-group in Raipur city are digitally aware and most of them use Internet for various purposes. The pattern of their Internet surfing is also studied. This study also reveals that majority of the students of this age-group are members of Social Networking sites and/or Social Apps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation and changing food habits in India have resulted in a shift in consumption from cereals to protein-based foods. Women play a major role in India in all activities related to food at household and therefore, the current paper reports the findings of the qualitative work conducted to understand women consumers' preference and perception towards meat and its attributes as a function of their awareness. The study collected the responses from 510 women residents of Metropolitan city of Bengaluru, India using questionnaires directly by face-to-face interviews and generated data on preference for fresh meat, purchase habits, value added meat products consumption, awareness about meat quality, and future expectations about meat sector. Findings from the current study indicate that, chicken is the most preferred meat (41.76%) while beef was least preferred (5.88%). The 40.59% of respondents preferred meat tenderness as an important eating quality followed by juiciness (37.06%) and flavor (12.94%). Consumers rated ritual slaughter, animal welfare and food safety as relevant issues in meat production, whereas regulations pertaining to meat production, processing of meat and food labelling were of minor significance. The study provide an insight into the significance of various consumer behaviour with respect to choice of meat, awareness on ritual slaughter, animal welfare and processing which is helpful in prioritizing future consumer research and policy decisions in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Up to now most of the research into flash flood disaster has examined scientific aspects of this natural phenomenon. This paper aims to focus on the flash flood disaster scenario of Uttarakhand, a newly created Himalayan State in India, on the basis of their severity and mechanism so that management efforts can be mounted by the disaster managers. Design/methodology/approach - Besides compiling the hazard- and risk-related work done by the various research institutions and universities the paper attempts to understand the mechanism responsible for this natural hazard. Findings - Uttrakhand is a state highly prone to disasters. Flash floods are disasters that are seasonal in nature and strike during a certain period of the year in certain pockets of the state with high frequency. Research limitations/implications - The analysis is based on observations made in the entire state. Practical implications - Awareness amongst the masses regarding the flash flood disaster that is likely to affect them and their life support strategy is a must for bringing forth voluntary adoption of the safety norms. Originality/value - Armed with the information about the hazards and their spatial distribution, the disaster managers in Uttarakhand may undertake certain preventive and mitigative measures for further strengthening and streamlining the Disaster Management System in the state and pave the way for similar activities in other states of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infertility is an emergent issue in India. Until recently, very few studies have understood the patterns and consequences of infertility in India. Family planning programs in India also viewed exclusively the patterns and determinants of overfertility rather than infertility. Furthermore, there is the lack of information about treatment seeking behavior of infertile couples. Therefore, this paper aimed to examine the extent of infertility and treatment seeking behavior among infertile women in India. An attempt was also made to evaluate the effects of socio-demographic factors on treatment seeking behavior. Methods: The study used the data from the District Level Household and Facility Survey carried out in India during 2007-08. Several statistical techniques such as chi-square test, proportional hazard model and binary logistic regression model were used for the analysis. Results: Approximately, 8% of currently married women suffered from infertility in India and most of them were secondary infertile (5.8%). Within India, women's infertility rate was the highest in west Bengal (13.9 percent) and the lowest in Meghalaya (2.5 percent). About 80% of infertile women sought treatment but a substantial proportion (33%) received non-allopathic and traditional treatment due to expensive modern treatment and lack of awareness. Conclusion: In the context of policy response, it can be said that there is a need to improve the existing services and quality of care for infertile women. Treatment for infertility should be integrated into the larger reproductive health packages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment is the sum of total air, water and land, their inter relationship among themselves and also with human beings and other living organism and property. Mahatma Gandhi said "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need but not for every man's greed."But man as used when progressed in his scientific and modern attitude he started to be unkind to natural environment. They mercilessly cut the trees and destroyed the green forest for construction. Man's continuous construction of various types of building, industries, dam, bridges, roads were increased. The natural materials were not sufficient for this proposes. Therefore man invented many things out of available materials to fulfill his needs. So nature at present is in a highly modified state which is quite different from its original shape untouched by the human greed and power. So by observing the situation through this paper the investigator has tried to study the awareness level of the students towards environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on suffering of women today in India. Violence against women is a burning issue. Daily in all news papers we read many cases of Violence against women. They may be domestic violence, murder, rape, dowry harassment, work place harassment, sexual abuse, eve teasing etc., many in nature. To prevent this issue in present scenario, law enforcement and respect of women rights many other information are available. Social workers are working to prevent Violence against women by creating awareness. Many laws are made in order to punish those who commit crime enacted in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Medical expertise combined with availability of patients with varied diseases have resulted in rapid increase in number of clinical trials (CTs) recruiting millions of patients in India. Yet, few researchers have tried to understand if the public in India is aware of CTs. Aims: To explore the awareness, perceptions of and attitude towards participating in CTs among general public in Pune. Materials and Methods: Focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviews were conducted by contacting people in the community of various age groups and socio economic status with 7 Trial participants (TPs) and 17 Non Trial Participants (NTPs). The survey tool consisted of open-ended questions that assessed the awareness and attitudes of the individuals regarding the CTs. Interview were recorded on paper and translated from (Marathi) local language to English for analysis. Qualitative analysis was used to report the findings. Results: Most participants could associate CTs with medicine or development of new medicine; however they did not have a good understanding of the manner and safeguards with which CTs are conducted. Participants were not aware about different types of CTs and phases of the CTs. CTs were felt to be of benefit to the community and advancement of science. However, due to fear of adverse effects, 80% of the respondents were not ready to participate in the CTs. Conclusions: The Indian Pharmaceutical company is the world's 3rd largest by volume as per Dr. Shivathanu Pillai's report 17th March 2010, in spite of that it has been noticed that the awareness about CTs is very low; therefore there is a need to create awareness about CTs which helps the participants to participate in CTs based on their own decision. These FGD findings require validation in a lar ger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study attempts to highlight the present status of awareness and use of E-journals and CDROM database service among the faculty of Choudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University. Information or data from faculty was collected through the well structured questionnaires cum interview method. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed among the random sample of faculty members of selected disciplines of College of Agriculture. Out of 100 questionnaires, a total of 70 questionnaires were collected. Lastly, on the basis of the analysis and interpretation of data, the paper provides some important findings regarding the awareness and use of E-journals and CDROM database service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]