Indian journal of public health最新文献

Summary: Arbovirus-borne dengue fever remains a global public health threat. The actual burden of dengue infection may be underestimated due to undiagnosed or misdiagnosed fever cases. The distribution of dengue is influenced by both climatic and nonclimatic factors, including global warming, which affects the vector population and transmission period. Other factors, such as serotype evolution and host immunity, also contribute to the spread of the virus. Different serotypes of the dengue virus show different clinical manifestations. The prevalence of serotypes varies geographically and over time. Early diagnosis and characterization of circulating viruses at the genomic level are important for disease prevention and control.

Summary: In adolescence, dating behavior may escalate into sexual contact which has implications for unwanted pregnancies followed by various negative effects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of self-efficacy on adolescent motivation and analyze the influence of motivation on the adoption of Sexual Abstinence. This study is an observational analytic with a cross-sectional approach, sampling using the Multistage Cluster Random technique with a total of 299 respondents. The data analysis used is Structural Equation Model test at a significance of 0.05. The results showed that there was an influence of self-efficacy variable on motivation with a P value of 0.010 and there was no influence of the motivation variable on the adoption of sexual abstinence with a P value of 0.225. High self-efficacy in adolescents can increase adolescent motivation in adopting sexual abstinence behavior. It takes effort to increase self-efficacy in adolescents which can affect the motivation in adopting sexual abstinence.

Background: At the beginning of the pandemic, quarantine was thought to be the most effective way to contain the spread of the virus among international travelers and any potential carriers.

Objectives: This study assessed the type of quarantine, compliance to quarantine measures (QM), mood, and any social stigma faced during that period.

Materials and methods: After approval from the institutional ethics committee, a telephonic interview survey was conducted. Individuals above 18 years of age visiting the only functioning COVID-19 screening outpatient department at Kasturba Hospital between March 1, 2020, and March 10, 2020 were included in the study. A total of 263 individuals were interviewed.

Results: Out of 263 respondents, 71% and 34% of individuals had a history of international travel and contact history, respectively. Only 63% had read the guidelines on home QM. Among individuals quarantined, 127 that living alone in their apartments, 60 were in a single room with relatives outside, 37 were living with family members because they did not have another room, and 39 were staying in a facility quarantine center. On assessing the QM followed, wearing a mask was the least followed (46%). The average score of compliance to QM was 82.6%. Seventy-two per cent rated their mood as "5" on a scale of 1-10. Social stigma was reported by 7.6% of respondents.

Conclusion: Among the early set of quarantined individuals in the city during the first wave of the pandemic, average score of compliance to QM was high even though lesser people recalled reading the guideline on home QM.

Background: Dog bites pose a significant public health concern in India, necessitating an understanding of their epidemiological profile and spatial distribution. Adopting the One Health approach, which considers the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health, is vital for developing effective interventions.

Objectives: The study aimed to assess the epidemiological profile and geospatial trends of dog bite cases in an urban area, focusing on the age and gender distribution of victims, severity of bites, and spatial distribution of cases to inform prevention strategies.

Materials and methods: A retrospective secondary data analysis was conducted on dog bite cases reported in 2022 at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. The epidemiological profile, including age, gender, and severity of bites, was examined. Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) was utilized for spatial distribution analysis, identifying hotspots within the urban area.

Results: Of the 3350 cases, 70.7% were below 40 years old, 81.6% were male, and 78.18% had Category III bites indicating severe injuries. Most cases (74%) were caused by stray dogs. QGIS analysis revealed five hotspots within the urban area.

Conclusion: The study highlights the predominance of dog bites among younger males and the severity of injuries. Spatial analysis identified specific hotspots, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Implementing a comprehensive surveillance system incorporating GIS technology and adopting a One Health approach can enhance the control and prevention of dog bite cases and reduce the risk of rabies outbreaks.

Background: Socioeconomic disparity changed healthcare seeking and management cascade of hypertension due to inequity in hypertension care cascade pathway.

Objectives: The inequities in burden and treatment-seeking behavior of hypertension among reproductive age group women were studied from National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) data.

Materials and methods: We analyzed the data from NFHS-4 of women of reproductive age group between 15 and 49 years among the selected households contributing to 699,686 women. Socioeconomic inequities were assessed by expenditure quintile. Inequities in burden and treatment-seeking behavior were reported using the concentration curve and concentration index.

Results: The prevalence of hypertension in India was 15% (95% confidence interval: 14.9%-15.4%). One-third (32%) of the hypertensive population received treatment and only 28% of the women had controlled blood pressure. Wealth and education-based inequalities were more in high wealth index. The inequity in screening and awareness was in the northern and northeastern regions.

Conclusion: There was inequity in the overall hypertension care cascade pathway with more inequity in the northern and northeastern region.

Cancer patients suffer from complicated chemotoxicity. Pharmacogenomics can help stratify patients by predicting their response to treatment and susceptibility toward severe side effects. The spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC) is an important pathway that is activated by platinum and taxane compounds and plays a crucial role in their cytotoxic activity. This study investigated a SAC component, Budding Uninhibited by Benzimidazoles 3 (BUB3), its expression, and genetic variants in advanced ovarian cancer patients treated with paclitaxel-carboplatin chemotherapy. Among 80 patients, BUB3 expression correlated with chemosensitivity, suggesting its potential as a predictive marker for chemotherapy response. However, high BUB3 expression was associated with a higher risk of poor survival. In addition, genetic polymorphisms in BUB3 (rs11248416 and rs11248419) were significantly linked to chemotherapy-related toxicities, with rs11248416 showing a negative impact on the patient's physical quality of life.

With increasing importance being given to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender persons (TG), we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of PrEP awareness and acceptability among these key populations in India, and their sociodemographic and behavioral determinants. The systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023390508). Studies were included if they provided quantitative data on PrEP awareness or acceptability among MSM or TG in India. MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched from inception to February 29, 2024, using keywords and database-specific terms. Relevant websites were also searched. Critical appraisal was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was done for common outcomes reported by the studies. Reporting was as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses 2020 statement. Ten studies providing cross-sectional data, mostly from South West India, were included for qualitative synthesis. All were conducted in settings where PrEP was not available. The pooled prevalence among MSM and TG was 18.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.7%, 28.7%) for awareness and 79.8% (95% CI 57.4%, 100.0%) for willingness to use daily oral PrEP. This review highlights the felt need for PrEP among MSM and TG in India. Further research is needed to understand user attitudes in different parts of the country.

Digital health interventions can overcome geographical barriers and prepare health-care providers for better health outcomes in rural and remote tribal areas, however, it has not been explored among traditional birth attendants (TBAs). A mobile application, "maternal and infant care" (MAI) for capacity building of tribal birth attendants was developed and its quality was evaluated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale for user's interest in and satisfaction with the esthetics, information, and functionality. Thirteen Android user TBAs with the MAI application were piloted with the MARS checklist. Engagement, functionality, esthetics, and information quality; and one subjective quality scale having 29 items were used. The application was found to be entertaining excellent rating (mean score ± standard deviation) (4.00 ± 0.58), and scored high on performance (3.77 ± 0.93); layout design (3.85 ± 0.90); subjective quality (4.23 ± 0.93), however, scored minimum on interest; gestural design; visual appeal, etc. MAI is a user-friendly, culturally acceptable Android app that can be used for the capacity building of frontline workers.

Background: The debate over the extent of the mortality impact of COVID-19 in India is still unsettled.

Objectives: This article contributes to the debate, seeking to explore the true mortality impact of the pandemic, by answering four interrelated questions. First, is there any discrepancy between recorded and actual death count? Second, if so, how large it is? Third, what is the extent of misclassification of COVID-19 mortality, and fourth, what is the magnitude of deaths that could be indirectly linked to COVID-19?

Materials and methods: To answer the questions, we explored three sources of data-all-cause mortality data from the civil registration system, records maintained at the burial grounds/cemeteries and crematoriums, and a household survey. The data collection period was between August 2021 and November 2021. The instrument used for data collection of verbal autopsies was built on the instrument proposed by the World Health Organization for adult mortality.

Results: The results revealed that deaths due to various causes including COVID-19 increased considerably at some points in 2020-2021 compared to the base year 2019 in the study setting. Notably, 5.5% of the noninstitutional deaths were unreported at the time of the survey and many deaths were plausibly misclassified, leading to undercounting of COVID-19 deaths. Overall, about half of our sampled deaths (48%) had either direct or indirect attribution to the pandemic.

Conclusion: The extent of undercounting of pandemic-related deaths is likely to be either similar or worse in other states. To get reliable state and national estimates, policymakers should conduct a large-scale study.