Indian Journal of Community Health
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Coping with life during COVID-19: Modification in Mode of existence among health care workers of tertiary care hospital of Central Uttar Pradesh
No full textIntroduction: As an emerging crisis, COVID-19 has impacted the lives of healthcare workers (HCWs) to a greater extent. As HCWs are carrying the heavy burden of treating patients, controlling the spread, and directly facing all the consequences, their lives have been jeopardized due to long shifts, fear of getting hands-on COVID-19 infection, and lack of time on one’s own to keep their individuality. Aim and objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of changes in the mode of existence on healthcare workers employed at a tertiary care rural facility in Central Uttar Pradesh, India, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted within one month of duration. The study included all the medical professionals in a tertiary care hospital of mid-Uttar Pradesh. Results: Most HCWs indulged in physical activities 90(86.5%) compared to during the COVID-19 pandemic 71(68.3%). Of the participants, 50(48.1%) felt anxious during the COVID-19 pandemic, while before the pandemic, it was only among 20(19.2%0) HCWs. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, most healthcare workers (HCWs) did not utilize face masks, with just 3.8% adhering to this practice. However, in light of the pandemic, the percentage of HCWs wearing face masks significantly rose to 64.4%. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, only a few HCWs were using the method of personal hygiene, 16(15.4%), 04(3.8%), 26(25.0%), and 12(11.5%), frequent handwashing, use of alcohol-based hand rub, frequent cleaning of places, and all methods of personal hygiene, respectively. Conclusion: From decreasing physical activities, increasing addictive behaviors and anxiety, and acclimatization in the new work environment to a daily lifestyle, collectively, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected HCW\u27s existence considerably
Nutritional Health Programmes in India: How far have we reached?
Get PDFThe vicious cycle of poverty and undernutrition in India has been a crippling criterion to the development of the nation. Health being a fundamental right, it falls upon the government to make sure the citizens are well nourished. Hence, there is a need for National Health Programmes with a specific focus on nutrition. Over time, India has come up with numerous programmes with focused objectives on nutrition. Some have seen significant success, like the Goitre Control Programme and the Integrated Child Development Service Project, while others are still struggling to meet their targets at least halfway, like the Nutritional Anaemia Programme. The latest and the most elaborate initiative by the government of India, Poshan Abhiyaan, stands out in its convergence and community mobilisation strategies. It puts the vulnerable population in the spotlight, under-five children and expectant or nursing mothers. The holistic approach described in the programme is a game changer in the approach to nutrition as far as India is concerned. The programme is right now gaining much attention in the post pandemic era as the country’s magnum opus to be, among health programmes, in the near future
Association of antenatal care and birth outcome: A community based cross-sectional study in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh
Get PDFBackground: Adverse birth outcome is a major health concern especially in developing nations and abortion & stillbirth are two most common forms of natural pregnancy losses. The prevalence of stillbirth (4.2 to 14.8) is reported to be widely variable across the Indian states; whereas an estimated number of abortions in India was 15.6 million in the year 2015. Aims & objectives: To find an association between antenatal care factors with birth outcome in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 406 registered pregnant women in rural area of Banda District. A multistage simple random sampling was used. House to house visit was paid to collect the data. Results: The birth outcomes reported in the present study were: live birth (91.6%), stillbirths (5.9%) and spontaneous abortions/miscarriage (2.46%). 25% of all babies were born with a low birth weight, 20% of all deliveries were pre-term in nature, and 10% were home deliveries. Conclusion: The quality and frequency of antenatal care services has significant association with birth outcome. Early ANC registration, four or more ANC visit, consumption of IFA and deworming tablets and getting dietary counselling during pregnancy were important for favourable birth outcome i.e. live birth
Social Support Systems and Psychosocial Health Conditions: Utilization and Satisfaction among College Students in Chandigarh
Get PDFBackground: The COVID-19 lockdown intensified psychosocial challenges for college-going youth due to disrupted routines, social isolation, and financial strains, leading to increased stress and anxiety. Help-seeking difficulties arose from limited access to support services, stigma, and communication or digital barriers. Understanding these difficulties and assessing current readiness levels becomes quintessential to enhance overall resilience and minimize the impact of potential lockdowns in future in this unique demographic. Objectives: To investigate the utilization of social support systems for psychosocial health needs among college-going youth in Chandigarh. To identify barriers to seeking support and gather opinions on improving social support systems in adverse conditions. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 265 college going students selected by convenience sampling. Their psychosocial issues, coping mechanisms, help seeking behaviour along with the barriers were investigated through an online survey. Results: There were 149 males and 116 females among 265 participants. A majority of participants i.e. 181 out of 265 (68.3%) affirmed seeking and availing support. The common psychological problems faced by youth during the lockdown included anxiety (62.7%) and nervousness (44.1%). Talking to friends and family (60.1%) and engaging in hobbies (58.5%) were common coping strategies. Help was primarily sought from family (74.5%) and teachers (37.5%). Major barriers for seeking support included fear of reaching out (53.6%) and concerns about mockery (46.8%). For improvement in social support systems, most participants (40.8%) opined in favour of enhanced parental/familial role, and 34.7% suggested developing more support institutions. A substantial proportion (70.9%) felt being unready for future lockdowns, fearing disruptions to their routines and increased isolation. Of the remaining (29.1%) who were ready for another lockdown, 38.9% cited its reason as potential emotional growth, while 36.2% attributed the readiness to learning from previous lockdown. Conclusion: The study shows that a substantial proportion of college youth use social support services, primarily seeking assistance from parents and friends. The main barriers in seeking help were fear and lack of accessibility of support systems. The findings suggest that increasing parental involvement and developing more support systems for college-going youth could significantly improve their social support accessibility and overall psychological well-being
Family Burden among Caregivers of Mentally ill Patients Residing in an Urban Community of Delhi: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textBackground: Family plays a pivotal role in the care of mentally ill patients. Family burden refers to the stress and strain that family members or friends experience when they take care of someone who is ill. This burden can include emotional, physical, and financial challenges. Aim & Objective: To assess the family burden among caregivers of mentally ill patients residing at Kalyanpuri, East Delhi. Settings and Design: Community based Cross-Sectional Study Design Methods and Material: A primary caregiver of mentally ill patients, who were residing at Kalyanpuri area and attending the psychiatric clinic of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and Urban Health Centre Kalyanpuri, run by the Department of Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, were interviewed using Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS) and Family burden among the study participants was assessed. Statistical analysis used: Data were appropriately coded and entered into the freely available SPSS version for analysis. Results: A total of 250 primary caregivers were interviewed and family burden was found in them. Nearly half (49.6%) and one third (34.4%) of the participants experienced moderate and mild level of burden respectively, with the lowest (16.0%) number of participants experiencing the severe level of burden. In different domains disruption of routine family activities had highest mean weighted score (1.13 ± 0.39). The level of burden in caregivers was significantly associated with gender of caregivers, duration of illness of the patient and time spent on caregiving (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Most of the caregivers were suffering from a moderate level, followed by mild and severe level burden
A Study in respect of the delay in the cases pending under Revenue Laws in Gujarat
No full textThe study examines delays in resolving revenue cases under Gujarat\u27s land laws. Historically, India\u27s agrarian economy relied heavily on agriculture, with various land revenue codes enforced over time, including the Bombay Land Revenue Code (1879). After Gujarat’s formation in 1960, no significant reforms were made to these laws, resulting in protracted litigation. Disputes often span decades, burdening farmers and causing generational involvement in cases. Key land disputes involve issues like mutation entries, hereditary transfers, and acquisition for infrastructure projects. The judicial hierarchy—from Mamlatdars to Deputy Collectors, Collectors, Revenue Secretaries, and eventually civil or high courts—entails complex, time-consuming appeals and revisions. Cases often get remanded for reconsideration, further prolonging resolution. To address these inefficiencies, the study advocates for establishing district-level revenue tribunals, replacing the current multi-tiered system. These tribunals would streamline dispute resolution, reduce appeal stages, and ensure quicker justice. Chaired by retired judges with revenue officers as members, tribunals could alleviate workloads for existing revenue officials, curbing corruption and delays. The Gujarat Revenue Tribunal Act, 1957, should be amended, incorporating sections from the Revenue Code to enhance judicial efficiency. This reform would benefit stakeholders by expediting decisions and improving agricultural land governance
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Urban and Rural Population of Kanpur
Get PDFBackground: The rising trend of diabetes in populations is due to automation and specific risk factors that may contribute to the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). 90-95% of people with T2DM.The present study assessed the prevalence and risk factors of T2DM in Kanpur\u27s urban and rural populations. Aim & Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of Type 2 diabetes mellitus in urban and rural populations of Kanpur Nagar. Setting &Design: A community based cross-sectional study. Methods & Materials: The study included adults aged 20 years and older. pre-designed, pretested questionnaire covering socio-demographic information, lifestyle, and anthropometry. Random blood sugar (RBS) test to screen for diabetes. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS, version 29.0.2.0(20). Results: Diabetes prevalence was 13% overall, with 17.6% in urban areas and 9.2% in rural areas. In both settings, a significant association of diabetes with physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, BMI (? 25), weight-height ratio (WHtR), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and a family history of diabetes was seen. Conclusions: Diabetes prevalence is higher in urban than rural areas. Early detection and assessment of high-risk individuals in both regions can help prevent or delay diabetes mellitus and its complications
Rethinking the “Evidence Pyramid”: A shift From Positivism to Pragmatism
No full textThe evidence pyramid ranks study designs by their reliability in establishing causal relationships, with systematic reviews and RCTs at the top due to their ability to minimize bias. However, these studies may have limited external validity, as they often use controlled environments that don\u27t reflect real-world conditions. Observational and quasi-experimental studies offer better external validity but have lower internal validity. The pyramid\u27s structure is based on a positivist paradigm, which emphasizes on the objective truth and empirical methods. However, newer research methodologies recognize the complexity of real-world data and promote social justice and empowerment. The evidence pyramid\u27s overfocus on internal validity may underappreciate external validity, and it often overlooks the importance of qualitative research. With increasing importance of value-based medicine, it is imperative to consider the subjective experiences of patients in informing policies and practices. To address these issues, we have proposed the Evidence Pie model, where all study designs contribute to evidence, with quality of the evidence being determined by rigor rather than design type. This simplistic, single-layered model aims to integrate diverse evidence types for more practical, context-sensitive decision-making
Perspective of medical students on rising violence against doctors in a Medical College of Uttarakhand: A cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Workplace violence against doctors is a rising public health concern in India, with healthcare professionals at higher risk than most other occupations. Understanding medical students’ perspectives is crucial for prevention. Objective: To assess the perspectives of MBBS undergraduates on violence against doctors and identify perceived contributing factors in a North Indian tertiary care setting. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 MBBS students using a pre-validated, self-administered questionnaire. Data on demographics, experiences, causes, and solutions were analysed with SPSS version 20 using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results: Of 200 students (45% male, 55% female; 79% aged 21–25 years), 31.5% had experienced violence and 20.5% had witnessed it. Major perceived causes included health illiteracy (86.5%), negative media portrayal (85%), and overburdened doctors causing delays (72.5%). Most (93%) believed doctors face higher risks than other professions, and 95.5% supported stricter protective laws. Violence management training (62%) and martial arts (56%) were suggested as preventive measures, though only 16.5% were aware of existing laws. Conclusion: Medical students view workplace violence as multifactorial. Strengthening legal protections, promoting media responsibility, and integrating training on violence management, communication, and legal awareness into the curriculum may help reduce its burden
An epidemiological study of road traffic accidents among patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital : Epidemiological Study of Road Traffic Accidents in a Tertiary Care Hospital
No full textBackground: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a significant public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income nations such as India, where they cause a large number of morbidity and mortality. Evaluate the epidemiological determinants, patterns of injury, and outcomes of healthcare -related road traffic accidents in order to determine risk factors and recommend evidence-based prevention and management strategies.
Materials and Methods: A prospective observational hospital-based study was performed to analyze the epidemiological determinants, patterns of injuries, and prognosis of RTA victims. The study recruited a total of 821 admitted RTA patients from 2019 to 2020
Results: The results revealed a male predominance (91.3%) among victims, with 43.4% referred from district hospitals. Only 6.3% used helmets or seatbelts. Most accidents occurred on roads (62.7%) with mixed injuries being common (64.8%).
Conclusion: The research highlights the imperative need for strict enforcement of traffic regulations, better road infrastructure, and heightened public awareness drives to prevent RTAs. Enhanced trauma care services at primary and secondary levels can also alleviate the load on tertiary care facilities. A multi-sectoral response involving urban planning, public health, legal enforcement is necessary to tackle life-threatening public health problem.