Indian journal of public health最新文献

Summary: Despite India's overall economic growth and targeted antimalnutrition efforts, certain districts in Chhattisgarh, exhibit high severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates, at 17.4% in 2022 per NFHS-5 data. We retrospectively studied four SAM-affected children, finding common factors: maternal malnutrition, poverty, recurrent infections, poor child-rearing knowledge, inadequate birth spacing, and the use and dependence on processed foods. The prevalence of these foods alongside declining traditional feeding practices highlights a "Nutrition Paradox."

Summary: Globally, 15% of the population suffers from disability. However, the percentage of people visiting hospitals who may be suffering from some form of disability may be higher. It may cause difficulty in accessing the health-care facilities. Universal design features help assimilate persons with disabilities with the mainstream. Patients on trolleys in hospitals jostling with vehicular traffic are a common sight. The lack of functional, dedicated, and encumbrance-free sidewalks for the movement of trolleys is a hindrance. We wish to highlight this aspect, suggest some remedial measures, and initiate a conversation among the health-care planners through this article.

Summary: The global health crisis triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, known as the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted vaccination drives worldwide, including in India, to address the crisis. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant challenge to achieving vaccination goals. Hence, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis during 2021-2023 to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adults in India and identify associated factors. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Quality assessment was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using a random-effects model. A total of 265 articles were identified, of which 21 full-text articles were included in the review. The pooled estimated prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adults in India was found to be 28% (95% confidence interval: 27-29). Subgroup analysis revealed variations in hesitancy rates across different states, with higher rates observed in Jammu and Kashmir (44%), West Bengal (49%), and Maharashtra (39%). Gender-based analysis indicated higher hesitancy among males (36%) compared to females (26%). Among different study populations, medical students showed the lowest hesitancy rate (13%), whereas the general population exhibited the highest (34%). The findings suggest that vaccine hesitancy remains a significant concern in India, with one in four adults expressing hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccination. Hesitancy rates vary across states, genders, and study populations. Addressing the factors contributing to hesitancy, such as safety concerns, lack of evidence, and misinformation, is crucial to enhance vaccine acceptance.

Summary: World Health Organization and Bureau of Indian Standards recommend zero tolerance for coliforms in drinking water. A total of 592 drinking sources from 11 districts of Himachal Pradesh, India, were screened for coliform contamination and the presence of fecal origin Escherichia coli. The study revealed contamination levels of 55.6% and 9.6% for coliforms and fecal E. coli, respectively. The coliform contamination levels were significantly higher for natural water sources (67.1%) and public water supplies (59.7%) compared to groundwater sources (31.5%). The presence of fecal-origin E. coli was highest (11.6%) in public supplies, followed by natural (9.9%) and groundwater (4.7%) sources.

Summary: Vision loss among the elderly is a major health-care problem. Vision impairment is associated with a decreased ability to perform activities of daily living and an increased risk for depression. Cataract is a common cause of vision impairment among the elderly, but surgery is often effective in restoring vision. We describe the Sankara model of Gift of Vision, the doorstep-to-doorstep model of community eye care that offers high quantity-high-quality eye care. Our model demonstrates how a cost-effective one-time intervention such as a cataract surgery not only restores vision but also their quality of life.

Background: The perception of health, which is the combination of personal feelings, thoughts, prejudices, and expectations regarding the individual's health, is closely related to healthy life awareness.

Objectives: This research examines the relationship between health perception and healthy life awareness of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic and the influencing factors.

Materials and methods: The study has been carried out in Turkey from July to October 2020. The population of the research is the people who live in Turkey. The sample comprises 1752 participants who met the research criteria and were selected through a stratified sampling method. The study data were collected using the Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, Perception of Health Scale, and Healthy Life Awareness Scale.

Results: The participants' mean score from the Perception of Health Scale was 51.67 ± 6.72, and the mean score from the Healthy Life Awareness Scale was 57.84 ± 7.14. A statistically moderate positive correlation was found between the perception of health and healthy life awareness.

Conclusions: A higher level of perception of health was found in the participants who live in the Marmara region, have postgraduate education, are single, and have more income than their expenses. It was also found that, among the participants, those who live in the Marmara region, aged 29-39, are female, have a postgraduate education, are married, have more income than expenses, and have a higher level of healthy life awareness. It was found that as the health perception of individuals increases, their understanding of healthy life also increases during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Summary: In India, poor health insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket expenditure especially for chronic and rare genetic/life-threatening diseases is a reality. People who use medical crowdfunding as an option to meet medical expenditures and the sudden growth of new fundraising platforms are significant developments in healthcare. The digital platforms in fundraising and the multitude of transactions they perform are increasing in the country and have a significant impact on the health sector and the rights of the patients which points toward the need for more effective regulation. In the absence of sector-specific legislation and government guidelines, the paper summarizes the growth of medical crowdfunding in India, identifies the challenges, and reiterates the need for effective legal enforcement systems.