Indian Journal of Community Health
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Sleep-Wake dilemma in future generation Health Care Providers: A cross-sectional analysis
Get PDFIntroduction: Medical students are at higher risk for sleep disorders due to academic workload, stress, and mental health issues. This study evaluates sleep disorders and their contributing factors. Material and methods: It was a cross sectional study with a sample size of 255 respondents. Collection of demographic information, Socio-economic status and anthropometric information with SLEEP-50 was done. Data was analysed by SPSS and p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Result: Out of 255 subjects 236 provided complete information. ~80% students admitted having at least one sleep disorder. Majority of subjects reported to have narcolepsy (65.3%), followed by nightmares (31%), and restless leg syndrome (20.3%). Respondents experiencing nocturnal disturbances, such as phone ringers or vibrating modes, and prolonged engagement with social media were found to be more predisposed to poor sleep quality. Among these 47 respondents, 90.9% of Tobacco users, 96.7% of Alcohol users, and 83.3% of other types of substance abusers reported experiencing sleep disorders compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: The study confirmed that poor sleep is prevalent in medical students. The study suggests that research should focus on improving general sleep education for medical students, identifying at-risk students, and implementing programs to improve sleep
Sleep Duration and Sleep Hygiene Among Rural and Urban Residents in District Etawah of Uttar Pradesh: A Community Based Comparative Cross-sectional Study
Get PDFBackground: Sleep deprivation include physical effects (sleepiness, fatigue) cognitive impairment (deterioration of performance, attention and motivation) and mental health issues. Objectives: To assess and compare sleep duration and sleep hygiene with their associated factors among rural and urban residents of a district of Uttar Pradesh. Material and Methods: This cross?sectional study was conducted in Etawah district, UP, from January 2022 to June 2022. All residents of rural and urban areas were included using multistage sampling. Study tool included a questionnaire which collected sociodemographic information, sleep duration, and sleep hygienic practices using sleep hygiene index. Results: In this study, 240 participants each from the rural and urban areas were included. The mean duration of sleep among the participants in rural and urban areas was 7.40±1.22 and 8.18±1.30 h during the workdays whereas, 7.30±1.30 and 8.11±1.35 h during the weekends respectively. About 40% were having unhygienic sleep practices. Most of the study participants had the history of sleep duration less than 8 hr. among the comparison groups. Graduated participants had the more sleep problems. Conclusions: Particularly among the elderly, inadequate sleep duration and differences in sleep rhythm between weekdays and weekends were seen
Effect of core strengthening and dynamic hip mobility exercises on non-specific low back pain in female police officers
Get PDFBackground: Non-specific lower back pain (NSLBP) is prevalent among female police officers, influenced by genetic factors, aging, and occupational risks such as heavy lifting. This study evaluates a 6-week program combining core strengthening and hip mobility exercises to alleviate NSLBP. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of core strengthening and dynamic hip mobility exercises in reducing NSLBP among female officers. Methods and Material: The study involved 40 female officers aged 25-55 with NSLBP lasting at least 6 weeks using simple random sampling technique. Participants were randomly assigned to Group A (control) or Group B (experimental). Group B underwent a 6-week core strengthening and hip mobility exercise regimen, with pain intensity (NPRS) and low back disability (ODI) measured before and after. Results: Group B exhibited significantly lower pain intensity (3.5 ± 1.147 vs 7.3 ± 0.9234) and reduced low back disability (13.6 ± 2.909 vs 28.65 ± 2.207) compared to Group A. Conclusions: The study revealed that among female officers with NSLBP, core strengthening and hip mobility exercises proved more effective than traditional exercises in alleviating pain and reducing low back instabilit
COVID -19 Lockdown and Effect on Individual Economy in the Lucknow city
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has exhibit deep stress all over the world. Despite recent speculative suggestions of poorer psychological state in all age in India, since the beginning of the pandemic, there are no systematic efforts to help consequences. This research tried to report on the content of effect of lockdown on individual economy in Luck now city, those who could also be notably liable to negative emotions alongside news on the impact of corona virus on their lives. These impacts consecutively related to negative have an effect on. Participants\u27 high worries centred on economy attainments, social and recreational activities, and physical health. A lot of females than males disturbed regarding educational attainment and physical health whereas a lot of males disturbed regarding economical, social and recreational activities. Thus, Indian individuals report important impact of the pandemic on varied aspects of their life and area unit notably disturbed regarding economical and educational attainments, social and recreational activities and physical health. During pandemic and lockdown people lost their jobs, their business were closed, they have had no option for their livelihood They were suffered from more stress. They were panic to thought about how to move their family life. How to secure their family. Thus Pandemics are extremely impactful and endangering the protection and traditional functioning of the community
Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance among Undergraduate Students
Get PDFBackground: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat, driven by factors such as irrational antibiotic use and limited healthcare infrastructure. Addressing knowledge gaps and promoting responsible antibiotic use among medical professionals is crucial to combat this growing problem. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance among medical students at a medical college in North India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October to December 2023, involving 201 medical students. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire covering demographic details, knowledge about antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, attitudes toward antimicrobial resistance, and practices related to antibiotic use. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0. Results: Participants demonstrated a mean knowledge score of 7.9±1.3, with 131 students exhibiting poor knowledge and 70 showing good knowledge regarding antibiotics and AMR. While positive attitudes towards prudent antibiotic use were prevalent, some risky behaviours such as keeping leftover antibiotics and self-medication were observed. Practices varied, with most participants completing full treatment courses but some discontinuing prematurely. Conclusion: The KAP assessment highlighted mixed findings among medical students regarding antibiotic use and AMR. While positive attitudes and practices were evident, knowledge gaps and risky behaviours persisted
Association of psychosocial factors at home with depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents in Srinagar Uttarakhand. A cross-sectional study
Get PDFBackground: Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. Mental health of adolescents not only affects overall health at present but also has great impact on future life. Family interactions at home play indispensable role in mental health and overall development of adolescents. Methods and Material: Present cross-sectional study was conducted among 440 adolescents by using DASS 21 scale and interviewing them using a structured pretested questionnaire assessing psychosocial factors at home. Data analysis was done with help of SPSS version 21. Multivariate logistic regression was used to find predictors of depression, anxiety and stress. Results: Of 440 study adolescents, depression, anxiety and stress was respectively present among 58.9%, 69% and 43.40%. There is a statistically highly significant association between gender and different severity grades of depression (p-value= 0.001), anxiety (p-value <0.001) and stress (p-value = 0.004). Multivariate analysis using logistic regression revealed that students having frequent arguments with parents/family members were 1.97 times more likely to have depression compared to students responding no arguments with parents/family members (AOR=1.97 95%CI (1.29-3.01), p value=0.002). Other important predictors for depression are ‘worry about their privacy at home’ and ‘want to run away from home’. Highly significant predictors for anxiety on multivariate analysis were unsupportive parents and worry about financial problems at home. Conclusion: Moderate, severe and extremely severe depression as well as anxiety are significantly higher among females compared to males. There is a need for improving assessed significant predictors at home by counselling parents, other family members and adolescents
Behavioural shifts in toddlers: the consequences of early mobile phone usage
Get PDFI am writing to raise awareness about an issue in early childhood development: the impact of mobile phone usage on behaviour and development in children under five years old. With mobile devices becoming ubiquitous in our lives, understanding their influence on very young children is crucial for promoting healthy development and behaviour
Air Pollution Emergency and Human Health Crisis – Doable Risk Reduction Strategies
Get PDFBackground: The environmental devastation wrought by indoor and ambient air pollution is causing immeasurable stress and strain on the health of people and projected to increase mortality and morbidity rate specifically due to accumulation of particulate matter and ground-level ozone in the atmosphere. Objective: This work aims to provide a comprehensive outlook on the global death and disease burden, impact on low- and middle-income countries’ population with focus on Asian countries, health vulnerability and projected hazards of particulate air pollution. Methods: Data pertaining to air pollution and health impacts were collected from web sources following PRISMA model, analysed and interpreted. Results: The authors found that the ominous environmental magnification and accumulation of air pollutants is the greatest threat questioning human existence in the near century. Conclusion: The interdependent augmentation of global warming and air pollution is further worsening climatic conditions and disease occurrence. Hence this work recommends evidence-based policy framework and synergistic actions to allay air pollutants thereby enhancing eco-survival
Assessment of Urban ASHA workers: Unveiling Urban Dynamics
Get PDFBackground: The World Health Report highlighted the critical role of human resources in health systems, especially noting the human resource crisis in low-income countries due to various challenges such as migration and illness of health workers. The study aims to assess the performance of urban ASHA workers in Meerut and identify factors affecting their performance. Specific objectives include evaluating the delivery of essential services by ASHA workers and understanding the various individual, occupational, and environmental factors that influence their effectiveness. Methodology: The study was conducted with 40 ASHAs from the urban areas of Meerut. Data was collected through interviews using pretested schedules and performance assessments based on structured scales. Beneficiaries were also interviewed to gauge service delivery effectiveness. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to analyze data and understand the association between various factors and ASHA performance. Results & Conclusion: The results were categorized into performance grades based on the ASHAs\u27 scores, showing a distribution among different performance levels. Factors such as age, education, training frequency, occupation, and timely receipt of incentives were found to significantly affect the performance of ASHA workers. The study revealed that younger, better-educated, and regularly trained ASHAs with timely incentives showed better performance
Correlating Substance Abuse Disorders and Mood Disorder: Clinical Implications of a Dimensional Approach
Get PDFBackground: Substance use disorder (SUD) often co-occurs with mood disorders like anxiety and depression. This study investigates the relationship between SUD and mood disorders using a dimensional approach. Methods: A total of 290 participants, including 145 with SUD and 145 healthy controls, were assessed. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) evaluated mental health, followed by interviews using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Demographic information, substance use behaviours, and mental health symptoms were collected and analysed. Results: Of the participants, 90% were men and 10% women; 68.2% were married. Most SUD patients were smokers (71.0%) and alcohol users (35.8%), with others using drugs or tobacco (33.7% and 19.3%). The majority (84.8%) used drugs for a high. HAM-D results showed moderate to severe depression in 7.5% of SUD patients and 5.5% of controls. HAM-A results indicated 80.6% of the SUD group had anxiety, compared to 88.9% of controls with no anxiety. Conclusion: SUD patients frequently experience concurrent anxiety and depression, highlighting the need for dual diagnosis and integrated treatment for SUD and mood disorders