Occupational Heat Stress and Kidney Health in Salt Pan Workers.

Introduction: Work in heat affects millions of workers. Although kidney function in agricultural workers is increasingly researched, nonagricultural studies are scarce. In coastal salt pans, the absence of occupational exposures to pesticides and other toxicants allows assessment of heat stress alone.

Community Dynamics and Engagement Strategies in Establishing Demographic Development and Environmental Surveillance Systems: A Multi-Site Report from India.

Background: Six diverse Demographic Development and Environmental Surveillance System (DDESS) sites were established in urban slum, urban resettlement, peri-urban, rural, and tribal areas located in Northern, North-East, Eastern, and Southern regions of India from June 2020 to March 2022. Understanding the community dynamics and engaging people in the community is critically important in the process of establishing DDESS. We ascertained the barriers, challenges, and facilitators during the establishment of multiple DDESS sites across India.

Estimation of tuberculosis incidence at subnational level using three methods to monitor progress towards ending TB in India, 2015-2020.

Objectives: We verified subnational (state/union territory (UT)/district) claims of achievements in reducing tuberculosis (TB) incidence in 2020 compared with 2015, in India.

Design: A community-based survey, analysis of programme data and anti-TB drug sales and utilisation data.

Setting: National TB Elimination Program and private TB treatment settings in 73 districts that had filed a claim to the Central TB Division of India for progress towards TB-free status.

Safety and immunogenicity of a single dose, live-attenuated 'tetravalent dengue vaccine' in healthy Indian adults; a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled phase I/II trial.

Background: Dengue fever is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease in the world, with 390 million dengue infections occurring every year. There is an unmet medical need to develop a safe, effective and affordable dengue vaccine against all four Dengue serotype viruses-DENV1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. Panacea Biotec Ltd (PBL) has developed a cell culture-derived, live-attenuated, lyophilized Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine (TDV).

Structured Lifestyle Modification Interventions Involving Frontline Health Workers for Population-Level Blood Pressure Reduction: Results of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in India (DISHA Study).

Background Population-wide reduction in mean blood pressure is proposed as a key strategy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the effectiveness of a task-sharing strategy involving frontline health workers in the primary prevention of elevated blood pressure. Methods and Results We conducted DISHA (Diet and lifestyle Interventions for Hypertension Risk reduction through Anganwadi Workers and Accredited Social Health Activists) study, a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 12 villages each from 4 states in India.

Effect of internal migration on diabetes and metabolic abnormalities in India - The ICMR-INDIAB study.

Aims: To assess the effect of migration (rural-to-urban and vice versa) on prevalence of diabetes and metabolic disorders in Asian Indians participating in the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study.

Materials And Methods: The ICMR-INDIAB study is a national study on diabetes and associated cardiometabolic disorders in individuals aged ≥20 years from 28 states and 2 union territories of India. Individuals who moved to a different place from their place of birth and had resided in the new location for at least one year were considered as migrants.

The chunampet community health information management system: A health and demographic surveillance system from a rural South India.

Background: Developed countries have strong health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS), whereas there is a dearth of such system in developing countries like India. India depends on national surveys and individual studies for public health information. At present All India Institute of Medical Sciences - New Delhi HDSS and Vadu HDSS are well established HDSS in India.

Association of kidney functions with a cascade of care for diabetes and hypertension in two geographically distinct Indian cohorts.

Aim: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN) are the main modifiable risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD), among the known traditional and non-traditional risk factors.

Methods: We determined the prevalence and care-cascade of these modifiable CKD-risk factors and their association with socioeconomic status in adjoining Lucknow and Puducherry cities of India.

Results: 439 participants reported no CKD were recruited.

Distribution and Determinants of Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology: A Brief Overview.

Globally, 33187000 DALYs and 956000 deaths are attributed to chronic kidney disease (CKD) every year. Diabetes and hypertension are the two most common causes of CKD. Another category of CKD without any known common causes, chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) is also increasingly reported from different regions of the world such as Central America, Sri Lanka, and India.

Prevalence and determinants of Alcohol use in a remote rural area in South India: A community-based cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Alcohol use is a major public health problem in India. We sought to study the use of alcohol and its risk factors in a rural area in South India.

Methods: This study was conducted in 20 villages surrounding a Rural Health Training Centre, located in South India.

Cardiovascular risk using WHO-ISH chart among Diabetes and Hypertensive patients in a remote rural area of South India.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are major problems in India and many other developing and developed countries. As India is committed to provide universal health care for the population, there is a need to find out the prevalence and determinants of CVD risk among high-risk individuals (Diabetes and Hypertensive patients) in the remote rural area of India to deliver appropriate services, as they are considered as neglected population.

Methods: We screened high-risk individuals (Hypertension and Diabetes patients) for CVD risk using WHO/ISH chart, in a remote rural area of south India, covering ten villages surrounding the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), in August-September 2017.

Feasibility and outcome of community-based screening for cardiovascular disease risk factors in a remote rural area of South India: The Chunampet rural-Cardiovascular health assessment and management program.

Background: As committed by India in Global Action Plan, Sustainable Development Goals and National Health Policy 2017, India has the responsibility to provide accessible, affordable noncommunicable disease care to the people. Our study aimed to find out the burden of cardiovascular risk factors among hypertension and diabetic patients, through a community-based screening, in a remote rural area of South India.

Methods: A special program named "Chunampet Rural-Cardiovascular Health Assessment and Management Program" (CR-CHAMP) was launched in August and September 2017 in a Rural Health Training Center (RHTC), functioning under a private medical college in South India.

Identifying and Addressing Factors Contributing to Pretreatment Loss to Follow-Up of Tuberculosis Patients Referred for Treatment from Medical Colleges in Pondicherry: An Implementation Research.

Background: In India, there is no feedback regarding 34% of tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed and referred from medical colleges for treatment to peripheral health institutions (PHIs).

Objectives: The aim of this study is to measure the effectiveness of the new intervention package, developed based on qualitative study in reducing pretreatment loss to follow-up (PTLFU) of all TB patients diagnosed and referred for treatment from medical colleges to PHIs.

Materials And Methods: An intervention was developed based on the findings of in depth-interviews conducted among different stakeholders such as TB patients who did/did not report, service providers working in four medical colleges in Pondicherry.

Xpert negative means no TB: A mixed-methods study into early implementation of Xpert in Puducherry, India.

Introduction: Xpert MTB/RIF was implemented in 2016 as the initial diagnostic test for extrapulmonary, pediatric, and human immunodeficiency virus-associated tuberculosis (TB) and as an add-on test for sputum microscopy-negative patients under Revised National TB Control Programme, Puducherry, India. We intended to study the change in TB case notification rates (CNRs) after 2015 and explore the enablers and barriers for implementation of Xpert.

Materials And Methods: Sequential mixed-methods study, quantitative phase followed by a descriptive qualitative phase (key informant interviews with healthcare providers in the program).

Burden of Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Tribal Population: A Cross-sectional Study in Tribal Areas of Maharashtra, India.

Background: It is very important to identify and treat infectious pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients at the earliest to save the life of the patients and to prevent the transmission of infectious agent to others. As per Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2017, an estimated 28 lakh new TB cases occur and 4.23 lakh people die due to TB annually.

Is it feasible to carry out active case finding for tuberculosis in community-based settings?

Introduction And Objective: To achieve elimination of tuberculosis by 2025, identifying the remaining 25% of missed cases would play a major role. But there is paucity of evidence on this statement. This study aimed to assess feasibility of active case finding for tuberculosis in selected region of Puducherry.

Effectiveness of Mind Mapping Technique in Information Retrieval Among Medical College Students in Puducherry-A Pilot Study.

Background: The traditional teaching learning methods involve a one way process of transmission of knowledge leaving the students lacking behind in creative abilities. Medical schools need to change their teaching strategies to keep the interest of students and empower them for future self- learning and critical thinking.

Objective: To assess the impact of mind mapping technique in information retrieval among medical college students in Puducherry.