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OBJECTIVE: The complex relationship between cancer care and poverty was examined in this paper. The study identified the association of various demographic factors with cancer care. The study also analyses the family's role and the support network in cancer care. METHODOLOGY: The study employed a mixed-method approach to understand cancer care in Jharkhand, India comprehensively. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey with 204 reproductive cancer patients. A structured interview schedule covered the socio-demographic variables and cancer care facilities. The study also used case study methods with three eligible adults who underwent or were currently undergoing cancer treatment. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the study findings. The narratives of each case study construct a comprehensive understanding of each patient's journey with cancer care. The study has received ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the cancer hospital. RESULTS: The survey results show that 47% of the respondents access treatment. Only 12.7% of respondents had taken the HPV vaccine, and 44.6% got physiotherapy during the treatment. Forty-four percent of respondents accessed counselling services from health services providers. Respondents' characteristics, such as age and gender, were strongly associated with access to counselling services. Education and family income were statistically associated with access to cancer care treatment. Only 7.4% of respondents arranged transport for treatment, and 11.8% arranged logistics and various treatment therapy for cancer care. Cancer patients from Jharkhand frequently face discrimination in receiving health care due to their economic condition. The case study perceived the differences in wealth, social class and family role in cancer care. As a result, cancer patients often feel hopeless and isolated, leading to depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: Poverty plays a negative role in providing and accessing cancer care in the state of Jharkhand. The role of family and society is essential for a cancer survivor. Psychological support from the family gives hope to life of the cancer patients. In addressing the complex relationship between financial burden and cancer care, both government agencies and the social structures must implement comprehensive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is one of the four major types of non-communicable disease which has reached the epidemic proportions leading to major public health problems and concern. Several studies have shown the impact of genetic variations on diabetes pathogenesis. KCNJ11 gene has been associated with T2DM. Any variation in this gene disrupts the insulin release from β cells ultimately causing diabetes. Aim: The present research aims to resolve whether genetic variants of KCNJ11 have association with susceptibility to T2DM in the North Indian population. Method: PCR-RFLP technique was used to genotype 200 subjects for rs5219 genetic variant of KCNJ11 gene. Student's t test and chi square test (χ2) were used to evaluate continuous and categorical variables. Association of KCNJ11genotypes with T2DM was done by odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI). All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS-21 software. Results: Environmental factors such as smoking and lack of exercise increase the risk for T2DM (OR>1). The genotype frequency distribution for KCNJ11 rs5219 SNP was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) for both control (p-value-0.96) and T2DM case group (p-value-0.685). rs5219 was associated with T2DM in dominant genetic model (p-value- <0.001; OR- 3.781) and recessive genetic model (p-value- <0.001; OR- 3.740). It was found that T allele was a risk allele that increases susceptibility for T2DM. Conclusion: This study elucidated that rs5219 genetic variant of KCNJ11 may increase the susceptibility for T2DM and TT genotype might be involved in predisposing individuals for development of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has emerged as the most prevalent cause of death in India. Pro-protein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) gene has been found to be associated with lipid levels and a biomarker for susceptibility of CVD. To study the association of PCSK9 SNPs rs505151 & rs562556 and their haplotypes with CVDs in the Indian population. The present study comprised of 102 angiographically proven CVD patients & 100 healthy subjects. To study polymorphism, Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used. Biochemical parameters were analysed by enzymatic methods or automated analysers. Haplotype analysis was done using SHEsis software. The dominant genetic model with an odds ratio (confidence interval) of 4.71 (2.59 − 8.5), (p value =.0001), shows the risk of CVDs. However, rs562556 (I474V) variant was not found to be associated with clinical parameters and risk of CVDs (p value >.05). Out of four haplotypes, H3 (G-A) was found to be associated with the CVDs (OR- 3.137, p value =.0001). This study concludes that G allele of rs505151 SNP (PCSK9) and the H3 (G-A) haplotype of rs505151 & rs562556 were found to be risk factors for CVDs in the Indian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the recent decade, the study of social norms has become popular as it can explain and change harmful social behaviours, such as Open Defecation (OD). Open defecation is is a threat to public health. It causes diarrheal infections. Households formed the unit of study as they constitute an essential social institution to adopt and use latrines. Aim: To compare the social norms of the latrine user and OD practitioners of households with regard to disgust, purity and pollution, latrine and OD beliefs, and the preference for latrines that differ in cost. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 486 participants at Aurangabad district, Bihar, India, from July 2019 to January 2020. The district is one of the worst performers in latrine adoption in the country, according to the census of India 2011, Swachh Bharat Mission 2016, and NFHS-5 2019-21 data. A pretested questionnaire prepared by Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) was used as a tool for data collection. Data collected were entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Descriptive data analysis was performed and represented in tabular forms. The categories of households were made on the basis of the defecation practices (latrine user and OD practitioners). Results: The study found that social norms regarding purity and pollution were the same across the two groups. Both the groups (latrine user and OD practitioners) agreed that OD was disgusting and polluting behaviour. The two groups were coherent in the preference for latrines based on cost. Conclusion: The social norms are evolving in the study setting. Households have recognised the relevance of latrine use in contemporary times. The gap in practice is the only difference between the two groups of households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substantial out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures push a large portion of the population below the poverty line, especially those residing in rural areas having low incomes. Individuals from economically disadvantaged states in India incur higher healthcare costs for hospitalization in public health centers than do those from more developed states. Economically poorer households in states such as Bihar and Odisha face significantly higher OOP expenditures for hospitalization in public health centers than do those in economically developed states such as Tamil Nadu., Objective: This study aims to compare households by using the wealth index and demographic factors concerning OOP expenditures on medicines for acute and chronic illnesses in Odisha, India., Methodology: A cross-sectional household survey was adopted to conduct the research. Access to medicines focused on OOP expenditures in Odisha is being studied by purposively selecting six districts: Rayagada, Kalahandi, Angul, Keonjhar, Khordha, and Kendrapara. A total of 902 households were surveyed. A stratified random sampling procedure was adopted to select the locations and households. The survey took place from October 2021 to February 2022. The sampled respondents were investigated for acute and chronic illnesses. The software SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the data. The details of the expenditures for the past four weeks were compared with those of medicines and healthcare expenses. Households were categorized into wealthy, middle, and poor classes. The prevalence of acute and chronic illnesses was analyzed in light of the share of medicine expenditures to total household expenditures., Results: Out of 902 surveyed households, 173 (19.2%) spent out-of-pocket (OOP) money on medicines due to acute and chronic illnesses. Among the studied population, 23.7% were affected by acute illness, whereas 10.9% suffered from chronic illness. Wealthy households constituted most of the OOP expenditure (81 wealthy households), whereas 33 poor households also contributed to the OOP expenditure. According to the unadjusted odds ratio (UOR) analysis, wealthy households were 0.25 times less likely to spend more than 50% of their total monthly household budget on medicine than poor households (UOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.09-0.65). Similarly, ST households were 0.18 times less likely to spend more than 50% of their money on medicine from their budgets than SC households (UOR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.04-0.72)., Conclusion: The present study again reveals that capital regions (metropolitan regions) are well protected against OOP expenditures on medicines, but tribal areas are still underserved. The odds ratio reveals a critical positive association between high OOP and poor economic status in households in Odisha. That association must be minimized or nullified for equitable economic and social development., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Yes, an ethical approval from the University of Hyderabad, Institutional Ethics Committee was obtained before the study was conducted. The ethical approval was done in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent to participate was obtained from all of the participants in the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Introduction: In view of the reported association of SNPs in the paraoxonase (PON1) gene with coronary artery disease (CAD), and the absence of conclusive data from India, we investigated the relationship of three SNPs at different loci (-108C/T, L55M and Q192R) of the PON1 gene and their haplotypes with CAD among people residing in the northern plains of India., Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy-eight healthy controls and two hundred and four angiographically-proven CAD patients were genotyped using PCR-RFLP., Results: Of the three SNPs, only the R allele of Q192R polymorphism was associated with CAD (p<0.05). Two locus haplotypes QT (OR 0.55, p=0.0004, 95% CI 0.39-0.77, significant) and LQ (odds ratio 0.73, p=0.03, 95% CI 0.55-0.97, trend) showed protective effects, while haplotypes MR (OR=5.36, p=0.0001, 95% CI 2.045-14.049) and MC (OR=2.71, p=0.011, 95% CI 1.221-6.046) were associated with increased risk of CAD. MRT, a minor three-locus haplotype also displayed significant association (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.7-13.5) with the disease. Significance was assessed after applying Bonferroni's correction., Conclusions: Our study revealed that only one SNP at a single locus but several haplotype combinations of PON1 coding and promoter-region polymorphisms were associated with the risk of or protection against CAD. Thus, haplotype analysis brought better insights into the association of PON1 gene polymorphisms with CAD in Asian Indians., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)