Indian Journal of Community Medicine最新文献

Aim: To determine reference values for the 1-min Sit-to-Stand Test (STS) for healthy adults in the geriatric population.

Materials and methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in healthy older Indian adults, where 300 participants of either gender were recruited based on the study criteria. After recording the demographic data and the physical activity levels of the participants using the Hindi version of long-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-LF), they had to perform a 1-min STS at their comfortable pace. Two trials were performed with a rest pause of 5 min between them. The best of the two trials was recorded as the number of sit-to-stand repetitions per minute.

Results: Reference values were found to be 18.0 repetitions/min (14.0-20.0 repetitions/minute) for the age group of 60-69 years, 18.0 repetitions/minute (14.0-19.0 repetitions/minute) for the age group of 70-79 years and 10.0 repetitions/minute (09.0-13.0 repetitions/minute) for the age group of 80 years and above. There was a moderate positive correlation between 1-min STS scores and IPAQ-LF scores in the age group of 60-69 years (r = 0.33) and 70-79 years (r = 0.43), and a strong positive correlation in the above-mentioned parameters in the age group of 80 years and above (r = 0.72).

Conclusion: This study is the first to determine predicted values for the 1-minute STS in healthy older Indian adults in three age groups viz, 60-69, 70-79, and above 80 years. There is a considerable decrease in the number of repetitions of STS above 80 years. It is also positively correlated to the physical activity levels of the participants.

The gender sensitization program is an effective intervention that alters people's stereotypical mindsets and fosters the development of egalitarian gender attitudes. It plays a preventive role in reducing gender-based violence. This review aims to understand and evaluate existing such programs and their methods. The study employed is a narrative review with analysis of articles, modules, and books from 2010 to 2024, yielding 21 articles. The researchers used specific books, websites, journal sites, and search engines such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed to locate the above studies. These studies were reviewed based on eligibility, exclusion, and inclusion criteria. The review indicates that previous gender sensitization programs predominantly had a binary focus on gender and did not address nonbinary aspects. Additionally, it also revealed that most programs were not developed in a structured manner and lacked thorough literature reviews, needs assessment, expert validation, and try-outs. Furthermore, the majority of gender sensitization programs had not used structured assessments to study their effectiveness. Future gender sensitization programs need to include standard psychometric procedures to develop modules that are brief, include all genders, and can be administered to adolescents in a school setting by appropriately trained teachers/facilitators.

Background: As per World Health Organization (WHO), more than 350,000 lives were lost due to cervical cancer in 2022 and around 90% of which were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This shows inequities among accessibility of cervical cancer screening in LMICs. In cervical cancer elimination strategy, WHO has recommended to use high performance test such as human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA test to do cervical cancer screening.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was planned to document the prevalence of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection among females undergoing cervical cancer screening. A total of 367 cervical samples were collected at the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute and community outreach areas of Rajpipla and Dholka talukas of Gujarat State which were tested for hrHPV.

Results: Out of 367 samples, 204 samples were collected at cancer hospital and remaining samples were collected from camps. In this study, 31 samples (8.44%) were positive for hrHPV. High parity, early marriage, and irregular menstrual history have shown a significant association for hrHPV infections.

Conclusion: Utilization of the HPV DNA test can be scaled up by considering it as the routine screening test which will help us to identify more females with HPV infection and eventually cervical cancer.

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a global public health concern and a major concern in developing countries such as Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To describe the characteristics, patterns, and contributing factors of RTAs in the Northern Border area of Saudi Arabia for the time period from 2016 to 2018.

Methods: The data used for this retrospective cross-sectional study were obtained from the Saudi Open Data Platform. Variables included the frequency, type, cause, driver age, and license status of the accidents. The data were analyzed using SPSS v25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), and descriptive statistics were calculated, and chi-square tests were used to determine significance (P < 0.05).

Results: Out of 34,311 RTAs recorded, 96.81% were damage only, 2.31% were injury, and 0.88% were fatal (statistically significant). Speeding was the major cause (54.6% - 60.75%). Young drivers 18-30 represented the majority (52.98%). Most had an expired or no license, and a significant association was found between age group and accident outcome (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The high incidence of RTAs involving young drivers with expired or no license, the prevalence of speeding as a cause of accidents, and the global prevalence of RTAs emphasize the need for more effective enforcement of traffic law with targeted educational interventions.

Background: The changing retail food environment contributes to increasing burden of obesity and noncommunicable diseases. The study assessed the density of retail stores along with availability, price, and placement of food options in a low-income urban community of Delhi, India.

Materials and methods: An audit of retail stores was conducted using an adapted Nutrition Environment Measure Survey tool covering nine locally relevant food items. For each item, healthier and less healthy options were identified based on global recommendations. Data were collected by personal observation and response of the shopkeeper. The study area was estimated using geospatial methods and population by electoral list. Results are expressed as proportions for availability, price ratio of less healthy to healthier food items, and density of stores per 100,000 population and per sq. km.

Results: Among 70 stores, 88.2%, 7.4%, and 4.4% were small and large corner stores and small convenience stores, respectively. The density of food retail stores was 304 stores per sq. km and 99 stores per 100,000 population. A similar proportion of healthier and less healthy options were available for items like wheat flour, pulses, salt, milk, and bread. The price ratio was <1 for all items except for wheat flour and milk. The mean (95% confidence interval) number of less healthy items displayed at the cash counter, 7.38 (6.48-8.28), was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that of healthier items, 2.74 (2.28-3.20).

Conclusions: The food environment was characterized by being predominantly small corner stores based on high density, equal availability of less healthy and healthy options, and adverse pricing and placement for healthier options.

Dietary diversity is a key component of a high-quality diet and is associated with reduced risks of chronic diseases and undernutrition. Recognizing its importance, this study aimed to identify the dietary patterns and diet diversity scores among undergraduate students in Eastern India. A cross-sectional, online questionnaire-based study was conducted over six months. Data were collected through a Google Form shared via social media and personal contacts, with informed consent obtained from all participants. The questionnaire included sections on general information, dietary variety and patterns, and anthropometric details. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of MTMC, Jamshedpur, and data analysis was performed using Jamovi software (version 2.2.5). A total of 354 students participated, most of whom were MBBS students from private colleges in Jharkhand and residing in hostels. Although most students reported consuming regular meals and snacks, breakfast skipping (74.8%) and irregular mealtimes (75.2%) were highly prevalent. Male students and those enrolled in MBBS programs demonstrated higher Diet Diversity Scores, which showed a significant association with Body Mass Index (BMI), suggesting a link between dietary diversity and nutritional status. In conclusion, the study highlights the need for improving diet diversity scores among undergraduate students in Eastern India. Furthermore, the observed irregular eating patterns and frequent breakfast skipping call for increased awareness and interventions to promote healthier dietary habits among this population.

Competency-based medical education (CBME) is a new curriculum implemented in India in 2019 which stresses continuous assessment, with practical knowledge being a fundamental feature, with subjects being taught in an integrated manner to enhance retention. This study aims to evaluate the students' opinions on the assessment methodology and its value in driving their medical education. We conducted a cross-sectional study. 250 students of the 2019 CBME batch were requested to complete a questionnaire on Google Forms. 180 responses were collected. The variance in responses was noted between students scoring above and below the 50^th centile. The questions to which a significant P value was derived were looked at in further detail by dividing the students into five quantile groups and analyzing the gradient in responses. Students found the Problem-Based Learning assessment useful, while Self-Directed Learning was not. Higher-scoring students felt that having to score 50% to be eligible for the final exam was immaterial in their overall performance, while lower-scoring students felt that it was a disadvantage. Lower-scoring students felt that continuous assessment affected their academic performance negatively. Regardless of their final exam performance, almost all students felt that the assessment methods helped them improve their practical skills.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy, commonly known as abortion, is terminating the developing fetus through medication or surgical intervention. In ancient times, abortion was often practiced but regulated within religious and cultural norms, whereas with the advent of modern medicine and evolving moral attitudes, governments began enacting laws to govern abortion more explicitly. While most nations have legalized abortion, there are still differences, for example, in terms of restrictions, maximum gestational age, and grounds for exemption. Global abortion regulations are constantly evolving due to local, social, and economic perspectives. Some nations have recently liberalized their abortion regulations, while others have tightened them even more. Access restrictions to abortion will not lower the abortion numbers; however, it substantially impacts the safety of abortion procedures.

Background: Non-communicable diseases are on the rise. Changing policies and practices in the financial sector are putting bank employees at risk of developing morbidities, in addition to the sedentary nature of their work and work pressure. Early identification of risks can help prevent morbidities and improve quality of life. The aim of this study was to describe the occupational health hazards and morbidities among bank employees, estimate the proportion of hypertensives, and determine the association of hypertension with known risk factors.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among bank employees of a nationalized bank in Mumbai city. 160 employees were interviewed face-to-face in their residential bank quarters, using an expert-validated case record form containing nine domains. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. Descriptive analysis was performed using frequency and percent tables. Chi-square and binary logistic regression were applied to determine the association between risk factors and hypertension.

Results: 39 (24.4%) employees had hypertension, and 64.4% were found to be pre-hypertensive. 7.5% of participants were diabetic. 16.9% and 25% were obese, as per BMI and waist circumference, respectively. 67% reported musculoskeletal complaints. Visual discomfort was experienced by 39.4% of study subjects. Moderate stress levels were perceived in 61.9% of employees. Age, extra salt consumption, smoking, and central obesity were found to be significantly associated with hypertension among bank employees.

Conclusions: Bank employees are at risk of developing hypertension, musculoskeletal morbidities, and stress. Preventive health programs may be undertaken by the banking sector.

Verbal autopsy (VA) entails speaking to a family member or caretaker of a deceased to document the symptoms the person had and the sequence of events immediately before death. In India, VA is carried out by Sample Registration System (SRS) supervisors and the present study was conducted during a 2-day training of supervisors to evaluate the effectiveness of training and to assess perception toward mobile application-based VA. All training participants were enrolled, and a pre-post-test interventional study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of training. A predesigned questionnaire was administered at the completion of training to assess perception toward mobile application-based VA. Descriptive statistics like percentage and mean (+/-standard deviation) and analytical statistics like Chi-square test and t-test were employed. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. The majority (69.2%) of SRS supervisors were aged 40 years and above. There was a significant mean difference between pre-test and post-test scores (P < 0.05). Most (51.9%) of the supervisors had overall good perception toward mobile application-based VA. The 2-day training improved the knowledge of SRS supervisors, and for further improving communication skills, professional counsellors may be involved. Mobile application-based VA was well perceived by the supervisors. For ensuring quality data collection, spot checks and refresher training need to be conducted in future.