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Background: To assess the effectiveness of educational intervention to reduce the weight of school bags. Material and Methods: The study design was one group pre- and posttest experimental Research design. Place and Duration of Study: Government Senior Secondary School Dhanas, Chandigarh, and Shri Guru Harkrishan Model Senior Secondary School Sector-38D, Chandigarh (A private school) between July and November 2018. Names of the schools can be avoided. Total 760 students from selected sections nursery to 10th class of school were enrolled in the study. At baseline and end line weight of children, school bags and its content were weighed using weighing scale. Length of bag strap, breath of bag, torso of children, and their shoulders size were measured by measuring tape. Bag carrying style, posture, etc., were observed by observation checklist. Interviewed children (5th to 10th class) were using Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire for musculoskeletal system assessment. Educational intervention was provided to the children for one month to reduce weight of school bag by teaching in assembly and displaying the charts in school. (Use of softbound thin textbooks, breaking thin books in 2-3 thin softbound books, use lightweight bag, pencil box, lunch box, and water bottles. Pack bag as per timetable.) Result: The result revealed that heavy school bags were carrying 69.7% children from government school and 80.2% from private school. Children carrying heavy bags reported musculoskeletal problems 5 times higher than their counterparts. After intervention, there was significant reduction in the weight of school bags (P < 0.001 as per paired t-test). Provide the weight of the bags before and after intervention in addition to the P value. Conclusion: Children carrying heavy bags were suffering from musculoskeletal problems. Intervention helped in reducing the weight of school bag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Injectable drug use is a cause of disease burden and a contributor to blood-borne virus transmission and health-related problems. It is one of the serious problems of our country. The best suitable strategy of treatment for opioid dependence is 'opioid substitution therapy' (OST). It is beneficial for the injectable drug users (IDUs) in reduction in the behaviour of injecting and opioid use, which helps in reducing criminal activities, domestic violence, enhancing ties within the family and improving productivity. Objective: To assess the mental health problems, quality of life, work ability and social adjustability among OST and non-OST IDUs. Materials and Methods: The descriptive study was conducted among 100 male IDUs (50 in the OST group and 50 in the non-OST group), registered with the two selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of Chandigarh selected by using the consecutive sampling technique. The OST group was contacted during their visit to the centre for receiving the daily dose of OST, while the non-OST group was contacted during their visit to the NGO centres for getting fresh syringes in exchange with used syringes under the syringe exchange programme. The data were collected by interviewing the study subjects by using the interview schedule comprising of the (a) socio-demographic profile, (b) health problems, (c) substance-use-related problems scale, (d) work ability and social adjustability scale, (e) the depression, anxiety and stress scale-21 and (f) World Health Organization Quality-of-Life BREF (WHOQOL BREF) Scale. All the tools were standardized and available in the open domain. Results: The study subjects were in the age group of 18–58 years with the mean age of 27.52 ± 6.67 years. Significantly lesser problems in the OST group study participants related to health, occupation, finance, legal, family, marital and social status were reported than those in the non-OST group participants (t -test, p < 0.01). A significantly higher percentage of the study participants in the non-OST group had depression, anxiety and stress than that in the OST group. Quality of life of IDUs in the OST group was significantly better than that of IDUs in the non-OST group, as per the WHOQOL BREF Scale (Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.05). Conclusion: IDUs on OST therapy (OST group) were having lesser problems in the area of health (physical and mental), occupational, financial, legal, family, marital, social and better quality of life than those in the non-OST group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Men who have sex with men (MSM) is a vulnerable group, who have been neglected and discriminated. Such discrimination decreases their access to health care and increases the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Aims and Objective: The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of "self-care interventional package" on the promotion of sexual health, among MSM. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on MSM from two nongovernmental organization centers of Chandigarh, which were randomized by simple random sampling into a control and experimental group. Over a period of 1 month, a total of 115 MSM were found eligible; 55 in control group and 60 in experimental group. Data were collected by a personal interview, after taking consent, in a comfortable and private environment. The Self-Care Interventional Package on the promotion of sexual health was developed in the form of flash book and booklet, and delivered by one-to-one interaction. Three follow-ups were done weekly for motivation in both the groups. Postintervention assessment was conducted after 1 month. Results: There was a statistically significant (P < 0.01) improvement in knowledge about prevention and management of STIs and HIV, getting vaccinated for Hepatitis B and regular self check-up. Statistically significant reduction in unsafe sexual practices was noted among the MSM of experimental group. Conclusion: The self-care interventional package for the promotion of sexual health was effective in improving the sexual heath of the MSM population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]