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Background: Dietary adherence during chemotherapy is crucial for managing side effects and maintaining nutritional status. However, there is a lack of validated tools to measure dietary adherence in this context. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Chemotherapy Dietary Adherence Scale (CDAS) for assessing dietary adherence among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over 2 months. The CDAS was developed through a literature review and expert consultation. Face and content validation were performed with 25 experts in oncology, dietetics, and community medicine. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was calculated at both the item (I-CVI) and scale (S-CVI) levels. Results: The expert panel comprised diverse professionals (40% public health experts, 20% medical oncologists, and 20% dietitians). Face validation showed 85% agreement on grammar, clarity, and content. The I-CVI was 0.81, and the S-CVI was 0.83, indicating strong content validity. Conclusion: The CDAS demonstrated robust content validity and relevance for assessing dietary adherence in cancer chemotherapy patients. Further research is needed to evaluate its psychometric properties and clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the risk of malnutrition in cancer chemotherapy patients and identify the associated factors. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional study. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from a tertiary care cancer centre. The study collected data from 101 participants and used a malnutrition screening tool (MST) to assess the risk of malnutrition. Results: The majority of participants in the study were female (61.4%) and in the 3rd or 4th stage of cancer (57.4% and 41.6%, respectively). Of the participants, 63.4% experienced weight loss without trying chemotherapy, and 60.4% were at risk for malnutrition. Cancer stage was associated with malnutrition risk, but other clinical variables were not. Conclusion: Malnutrition is a significant issue among cancer chemotherapy patients in the study's population. The findings of this study can be used to develop interventions to prevent and manage malnutrition in patients with cancer and improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment in the Indian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In India in 2020, there were an estimated 1.39 million cancers present in the country. Chemotherapy patients experience several problems such as ADRs (adverse drug reactions), and because of this, many dropouts have been happening. Also, there is a lack of communication between the patient and care providers (doctors). Objectives: Development and validation of a comprehensive needs assessment tool to assess the burden of chemotherapy on patients attending tertiary level health care facilities. Materials and Methods: Development and validation of comprehensive needs assessment in cancer chemotherapy involve several steps, including problem statement and literature review regarding the problem, domain generation, development of the preliminary questionnaire, face validation, statistical validation, and final draft of the tool. Results: A total of 10 experts are involved in face validation. The majority (80%) of the experts agreed with the grammar, clarity, and content of the tool. A few experts (20%) disagreed regarding the construction of the questionnaire, the appropriate level of understanding for the participants, and the content of the tool and suggested changes in the physical and psychological domains. The questionnaire has been re-structured according to the expert's suggestion before going for statistical validation. Internal consistency of the CNAT-CC was optimal, with a satisfactory Cronbach's alpha of 0.7 for the total scale. Discussion: The current study was focused on the development and validation of needs assessment in cancer chemotherapy patients. The CNAT-CC promises to be a comprehensive needs assessment tool that applies to a comparatively vast majority of patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence, a volatile period of growth between the ages of 10 and 19, is associated with increased vulnerability to mental health problems. Factors such as academic pressure can contribute to these challenges., Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the factors and prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents in the urban and rural areas of Mysuru district., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in private high schools in both urban and rural regions. Prior permission and informed consent were obtained from participants and their legal guardians aged 18 years and older., Results: The gender distribution in urban areas was 60.2% female and 39.8% male, while in rural areas, it was 51% male and 49% female. The prevalence of depression was higher in rural (39.3%) than in urban areas (24.2%), while anxiety was more prevalent in urban (50.6%) than in rural areas (49%). Stress was also more common in rural (16.6%) than urban adolescents (14.6%). Factors significantly associated with mental health outcomes included monthly family income, parenting practices, academic pressures, and self-esteem. Key needs identified were mobile mental health applications, online counseling services, and access to school counselors., Conclusion: This study provides insights into the prevalence and correlates of common mental health issues among adolescents in this region of South India. The findings emphasize the necessity of providing mobile applications and offline counseling services to effectively support and meet the needs of adolescents in these settings., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.)