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Background: Self-compassion involves showing kindness to oneself during times of suffering. In nursing, students face diverse challenges; resilience helps them to serve compassionate care for the community & to themselves. Objectives: To measure the self-compassion and resilience among final year ANM nursing students and to find the association between these two and with other stress factors. Methodology: An Institution-based observational study with Mixed Method study (QUAN + qual) design, was conducted from July to December 2023 among final year ANM students of a selected college in rural area of Singur, West Bengal, comprising a Cross-sectional quantitative part and qualitative part conducted through key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders until data saturation is achieved. 190 students participated via census method. Self- compassion and resilience were measured using Neff’s and Connor Davidson’s scales. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS 16, while qualitative analysis is ongoing. Ethical approval was obtained from AIIH&PH, Kolkata’s Institutional Ethics Committee. Results: The median age of participants was 22 with IQR of (22, 25), 42.8% students belong to middle class according to modified BG Prasad scale, 66.3% students were unmarried. According to the mean score of Neff’s self- compassion scale 27.8% students showed low levels of self-compassion while 43.7% scored moderate self-compassion level. The mean score of resilience was 21.5, where 55.06% students scored less then mean resilience score which shows low resilience among students. We found strong positive correlation between Self compassion and resilience (Spearmann’s rho = 0.738, p = 0.000). Conclusion: In demanding professions like nursing, self-compassion and resilience are vital. Embracing self-compassion addresses self-doubt, while resilience facilitates navigating challenges independently, fostering self- healing.

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) is the process in which individuals take the initiative and learning environment involves all other aspects of the institute. Good SDL ability is the foundation of lifelong learning. Students’ perception of the educational environment plays a subtle role in learning and contributes to learning input and students’ achievement. Self- directed learning is integral to public health teaching Objectives: To assess the perceptions of learning environment and self- directed learning readiness and the association between the two among public health students Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2023 in a public health institute in Kolkata. A total of 102 participants across five courses were selected by Census method and their self-directed learning readiness (SDLRS) and perceptions of learning environment were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS, version 16. Ethical approval was taken from Institutional Ethics Committee of AIIH&PH, Kolkata. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 26.7 years and 64.7% of the study participants were from MBBS background. The median academic hours was 18 hours per week and around 37.3% of the participants were studying in the institute for less than 6 months and 20.6% for more than 24 months. There was significant positive correlation between SDLRS and Learning Environment (Spearman’s rho=0.281, p=0.004). SDLRS and perceptions of Learning environment improved with increase in duration of studying. Age(p=0.015) and prior academic qualification(p=0.016) were significantly associated with SDLRS. Conclusion: SDLRS is associated with positive Learning Environment. SDL ability can be improved by changing the learning environment to include new student-centered teaching methods. The duration of studying in the institute is also an important driver to inculcate self directed learning ability among the participants.

Background: By effectively implementing the National Leprosy Elimination Programme (NLEP), India was able to lower the prevalence rate from 57.8/10,000 in 1983 to 0.45/10,000 in 2021–22. Despite its progress, India still accounts for 60% of all new cases recorded globally each year. The stigma associated with leprosy and abnormalities causes worse social functioning, lower self-esteem, and social isolation in even cured patients, which has a severe impact on patient’s quality of life. This study aims to find out the quality of life among leprosy patients. Objective: To find out the quality of life among leprosy patients admitted to the Regional Leprosy Training and Research Institute and Gouripur Leprosy Hospital, Gouripur. Methodology: An institutional-based cross-sectional study in a rural area of Bankura by simple random sampling, was conducted from August 2023 to November 2023 among the leprosy patients and was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of AIIHPH and a face-to-face interview was done by pretested questionnaire, Dermatological quality of life assessed by DLQI tool and data was analysed by Spss. Results: The mean age of 128 study participants was 57.09 ±15.14 years with 60.2% male participants. 25.8% were currently working,40.6% were currently married. Of the participants whose duration of illness was more than 10yrs were71.9%and 66.4% had grade 2 disability. The mean DLQI score was 5.73±3.7, and about half of the patients reported that it had a moderate to large effect on their quality of life, whereas 15 patients (11.7%) reported that it had no effect at all. None of the patients had a very severe impact. Conclusion: Present study reveals that the mean DLQI score was found to be 5.73±3.7 and around half of them have moderate to large effect on their quality of life.

Background: People Living with HIV face not just a health challenge but also the burden of stigma-discrimination. The impact isn’t just physical; it takes a toll on their mental health. Many internalize this stigma, feeling shame about their condition. It Is crucial to address these issues not only for those directly affected but also to build a society that is compassionate and understanding, supporting individuals with HIV/AIDS rather than marginalizing them. Objective: To determine the level of stigma-discrimination faced by PLHIV visiting the ART center of a tertiary care hospital of Kolkata including the factors associated with it. The second objective is to explore their sense of grip on the disease among them. Methodology: This descriptive method study was conducted in November 2023 among 120 PLHIV (Selected by systematic random sampling) visiting the ART center of the School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata after getting permission from IEC & NACO. Qualitative data was collected via IDI & KII. Quantitative data were analyzed using MS Excel, SPSS v. 16, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. Manual thematic analysis applied for qualitative data. Results: Among 120 participants 45.8% of the participants faced more stigma & discrimination in comparison to others. There was a statistically significant difference in the level of stigma & discrimination based on their age group (p-value 0.033), type of family (p-value 0.014), Addiction status (p-value 0.037), co-morbidities (p-value 0.011), viral load (p-value 0.033). On exploring sense of grip on disease majority of the participants were shown to have a compliant profile. Conclusion: The levels of stigma- discrimination were associated with their behavioral & disease characteristics. Thus, raising awareness is essential to combat stigma and enhance sense of grip on the disease.

Background: Mental health is a major public health concern worldwide. Studies showed that women are impacted at a higher rate than men. There is definite scarcity of studies in public health domain, which reflect the mental health and its correlates among rural women specially in relation to their working status. Objectives: Present study envisages to assess and compare the mental health status of working and non-working adult rural women and find out the factors associated with the mental health status of the study participants. Methodology: A community based; cross-sectional study was done between August 2023 to November 2023 in a rural area of Hooghly district. The sample consists of 394 women (197 working women and 197 non-working women) were selected using Multistage random sampling from 3 villages. Using the predesigned, pretested interview schedule and self-reporting questionnaire, all relevant information was collected. The collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS 16 version. Institutional Ethics Committee clearance was obtained. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 37 (± 10.09) years. Most of them belonged to socio-economic class IV. Majority of them were currently married. Around 22.33% of working women and 28.40% of non- working women had poor mental health. The factors associated with poor mental health among working women were work place atmosphere (p

The human gut is the most favorable niche for microbial populations, and few studies have explored the possibilities of horizontal gene transfer between host and pathogen. Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansion in humans can cause more than 40 neurodegenerative diseases. Further, TNRs are a type of microsatellite that resides on coding regions can contribute to the synthesis of homopolymeric amino acids. Hence, the present study aims to estimate the occurrence and diversity of TNRs in bacterial genomes available in the NCBI Genome database. Genome-wide analyses revealed that several bacterial genomes contain different types of uninterrupted TNRs. It was found that TNRs are abundant in the genomes of Alcaligenes faecalis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma genitalium, Sorangium cellulosum, and Thermus thermophilus. Interestingly, the genome of Bacillus thuringiensis strain YBT-1518 contained 169 uninterrupted ATT repeats. The genome of Leclercia adecarboxylata had 46 uninterrupted CAG repeats, which potentially translate into polyglutamine. In some instances, the TNRs were present in genes that potentially encode essential functions. Similar occurrences in human genes are known to cause genetic disorders. Further analysis of the occurrence of TNRs in bacterial genomes is likely to provide a better understanding of mismatch repair, genetic disorders, host-pathogen interaction, and homopolymeric amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: With the ageing of Indian society, providing a healthy life among older people is a public health precedence. Therefore, beforehand discovery and possible forestalment of frailty may help promote healthy ageing and dwindle the social, mental and financial burden of their families and caregivers. Aims: The study aimed to assess the proportion of frailty and its associated factors among the elderly aged 65 years and above in a rural community of West Bengal. Settings and Design: A community‑based cross‑sectional study was conducted among 270 elderlies selected from 15 villages out of a total 64 villages of Singur under the Hooghly District of West Bengal from January 2019 to February 2020. Materials and Methods: Cluster sampling technique was used. Data was collected using a pre‑designed, pre‑tested structured schedule including Fried frailty phenotype (FFP), geriatric depression scale short form (GDS 15) and mini nutritional assessment (MNA) tool. Statistical Analysis Used: Associated factors of frailty were assessed by univariate and multivariable logistic regression using SPSS version 16 software and MS Excel 2019. Results: The proportion of frailty was observed to be 23.7% and that of prefrailty 40.7%. Frailty was significantly associated with increasing age [AOR(CI) 1.2(1.1‑1.3)], decreasing years of schooling [AOR(CI) 1.3(1.1‑1.5)], loss of spouse [AOR(CI) 4.2(1.2‑15.2)], financial dependency [AOR(CI) 19.3(2.7‑139.0)], staying at home [AOR(CI) 16.3(2.7‑98.2)], presence of anaemia [AOR(CI) 3.6(1.3‑9.5)], at risk of malnutrition [AOR(CI) 6.5(1.9‑22.3)], increasing number of falls in the last 1 year [AOR(CI) 4.3(1.2‑15.6)], presence of 3 or more chronic diseases [AOR(CI) 154.7(12.1‑1981.9)] and depression [AOR(CI) 8.3(2.5‑27.0)]. Conclusion: The burden of frailty among the study population is relatively high. It’s an intimidating situation that needs bettered screening provisions for early discovery with special stress on nutritive upliftment. Screening for depression should also be done regularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Indranil. Saha, Bobby. Paul Introduction National Medical Commission (NMC) has started new Competency-Based Medical Education since 2019 academic year in all medical institutions throughout our country. Although it is [...]

Background: Seed processing workers are exposed to dust particles generated during the processing of seeds, which can have adverse effects on their respiratory health. Aim: to estimate the prevalence and patterns of respiratory morbidity among seed processing workers in Hooghly district, West Bengal, India, and to explore their use of respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods: A cross sectional observational study was conducted in 5 seed processing plants from December 2022 to February 2023. A sample size of 129 workers was selected using probability proportionate to population size to select seed processing plants and simple random sampling to select workers at selected plants. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational profile, substance use patterns, respiratory PPE use, and respiratory symptoms were collected through structured interviews. Spirometry was performed with a hand held tabletop spirometer (RMS Helios 401) to assess respiratory function. Results: 52.7% of participants reported at least one chronic respiratory symptom, while 17.1% had evident respiratory morbidity based on spirometry results, with most having restrictive patterns (10.1%). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that factors associated with respiratory morbidity included increasing work years of exposure [1.10 (1.02 1.18)], irregular use of respiratory PPE [4.36 (1.22 15.57)], and primary or below education level [6.09 (1.38 26.98)]. Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of respiratory symptoms and morbidity among seed processing workers. It emphasizes the importance of implementing effective respiratory protection measures and raising awareness about occupational lung diseases in this industry. Further research and interventions are needed to improve the respiratory health and well being of seed processing workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial populations are routinely characterized based on microscopic examination, colony formation, and biochemical tests. However, in the recent past, bacterial identification, classification, and nomenclature have been strongly influenced by genome sequence information. Advances in bioinformatics and growth in genome databases has placed genome-based metadata analysis in the hands of researchers who will require taxonomic experience to resolve intricacies. To achieve this, different tools are now available to quantitatively measure genome relatedness within members of the same species, and genome-wide average nucleotide identity (gANI) is one such reliable tool to measure genome similarity. A genome assembly with a gANI score of Key words: bacterial taxonomy, bioinformatics, nucleotide identity, nomenclature. De maniere routiniere, les populations bacteriennes sont examinees au microscope, evaluees pour la formation de colonies et font l'objet de tests biochimiques. Cependant, depuis peu, l'identification, la classification etla nomenclature des bacteries ont ete largement influencees par les informations genomiques. Les avancees en bioinformatique et la croissance des bases de donnees genomiques ont fourni aux chercheurs des outils d'analyse de metadonnees genomiques, lesquels pourront faire appel a leur experience en taxonomie pour resoudre des differences subtiles. Pour y arriver, differents outils sont maintenant disponibles pour mesurer de maniere quantitative le degre de proximite entre membres d'une même espece. La moyenne globale d'identite nucleotidique (gANI, pour << genome-wide average nucleotide identity >>) est l'un de ces outils pour mesurer de maniere fiable la similarite des genomes. A l'echelle d'un genome, un score gANI Mots-cles : taxonomie bacterienne, bioinformatique, identite nucleotidique, nomenclature., Introduction Accurate bacterial classification is essential to identify potential genes to understand genetic mechanisms, diagnose disease, and provide better treatment, especially during infectious disease spread, outbreaks, and progression (Fricke and [...]

Background: Domestic violence is a deeply entrenched issue in Indian society, with global implications, especially for women's physical and mental health. Healthcare providers play important role in early identification and support of the victims. Medical interns, the future generation of Health care professionals, often acting as primary caregivers are uniquely positioned and expected to recognize and assist victims. This study aims to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and readiness to manage domestic violence and its associating factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 157 medical interns at a Medical college and hospital in West Bengal, India, from December 2022 to February 2023. Simple random sampling was done. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, Medical Intern Readiness to manage domestic violence scale (MIREDS), validated after adoption from Physician Readiness to manage Intimate partner violence scale (PREMIS). Ethical approval was obtained, and participants gave informed written consent for inclusion. Satisfactory threshold was determined to be more than 50 percent. Data analysis was performed using MS Excel and SPSS software, including descriptive and inferential statistics, with a significance level of p less than 0.05, along with logistic regression analysis. Results: Only 45.2% of medical interns demonstrated satisfactory knowledge, 54.8% had a satisfactory attitude. Most interns (91.7%) exhibited poor practice in dealing with domestic violence cases, only 31.2% considered themselves ready to manage domestic violence cases. Interns who attend more patients was found to have better attitude. Positive associations were found between knowledge, attitude, and readiness to manage domestic violence cases among doctors. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of medical interns demonstrated inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practice and inadequate readiness to manage domestic violence. Comprehensive training and education with cultural sensitivity training along with more practical exposures are in need to address this issue properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, more than 40% of pregnant women experience acute obstetric problems and a large burden of it is shared by India. Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness (BPCR) strategy is used to addresses these problems by encouraging women and communities to effectively plan for births, deal with birth emergencies. Objective: This study was conducted to assess the status of birth preparedness and complication readiness and to find out the factors associated with inadequate BPCR among pregnant woman in a rural area of West Bengal. Methodology: Institution based, observational study with cross‑sectional design was conducted from January 2019 to September 2020 among pregnant women, attending antenatal care clinics in Singur block, Hooghly district West Bengal. Sample size was 272. Participants were chosen by systematic random sampling. Response rate was 94.5% (257). Data were collected using a predesigned pretested schedule and analyzed using Microsoft Excel version 2016 and SPSS version 16.0. Results: Overall, 60.3% mothers had inadequate BPCR. 66.1% mothers had poor BPCR knowledge and 72.8% mothers had poor BPCR practice. In multivariable logistic regression model, the odds of maternal morbidity [AOR = 2.03 (1.14 –3.62), P value = 0.16], ≤4 No. of ANC visits [AOR = 10.96 (4.82–22.9), P value = 0.001], first trimester USG [OR = 12.53 (5.8–24.5), P value = 0.001] showed significance with inadequate BPCR. Conclusion: Glimpse of BPCR is seen in government programmes like Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK). Yet a big void exists among Indian pregnant women’s knowledge and practice of BPCR. Thus, there is a need to include BPCR in health care system to improve outcomes for pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A structured dedicated health programme for Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) has been initiated in the state of West Bengal, India. Aim: The aim is to provide comprehensive healthcare to all children, adolescents and young adults living with T1DM, along with the provision of free supply of insulin, glucose measuring devices, blood glucose test strips, and other logistics. The strategic framework for programme implementation is to utilise the infrastructure and manpower of the already existing non-communicable disease (NCD) clinic under National Health Mission. Methodology: Establishing dedicated T1DM clinics in each district hospital by utilising existing healthcare delivery systems, intensive training and hand-holding of named human resources; providing comprehensive healthcare service and structured diabetes education to all T1DM patients; and building an electronic registry of patients are important components of the programme. T1DM clinics run once a week on the same day throughout the state. All T1DM patients are treated with the correct dose of insulin, both human regular insulin and glargine insulin. Patients are routinely monitored monthly to ensure good glycaemic control and prevent complications of the disease. Routine anthropometric examination and required laboratory investigations are conducted in the set-up of the already existing NCD clinic. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the T1DM programme are being conducted in terms of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) values, growth and development, complication rates, psychological well-being, quality of life, and direct and indirect expenditure incurred by families. Through this programme, any bottlenecks or gaps in service delivery will be identified and corrective measures will be adopted to ensure better health outcomes for those living with T1DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]