Analysis of quality of life of patients with refractive errors in India.

Introduction: It is important to determine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) to devise population-based cost-effective service delivery models. The present study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL of patients with refractive errors (RE) using generic and vision-specific instruments, identify the determinants of HRQoL, and examine the validity between the quality-of-life instruments for refractive errors.

Methods: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 515 participants with RE using generic as well as vision-specific HRQoL measures.

Strengthening Comprehensive Primary Health Care through Ayushman Bharat: Role of Demand and Supply-side Interventions.

Background: Comprehensive primary health care (CPHC) is an effective way to respond to the challenges of changing epidemiology, growing population expectations, and universal health coverage. A set of demand and supply improvement strategies was developed to support primary health center provision and pilot tested in three model health and wellness centers (HWCs) in Punjab.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the early effects of interventions on the inputs, processes, and outputs for optimal implementation of the AyushmanBharat-HWC (AB-HWC) program.

Effectiveness of structured Behavior Change Communication methods in control of mosquito-borne diseases: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: Behavior Change Communication (BCC) is evidence-based, theoretically supported and utilizes all opportunities for communication. Evidence reports BCC as a relevant tool for averting and controlling many forms of public health challenges. Through schools, many countries have shown health improvements via students and the community's exposure to behavior change messages.

Ibuprofen Compared to Acetazolamide for the Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Acetazolamide is recommended for the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS); however, its use is limited in some areas because of side effects. Previous studies report ibuprofen to be similar to or slightly inferior to acetazolamide. This randomized, triple-blinded, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial was designed to compare ibuprofen with acetazolamide for the prevention of AMS.

Mid-level health providers (MLHPs) in delivering and improving access to primary health care services - a narrative review.

Background: For primary healthcare systems to bring care closer to the communities, the availability of appropriate human resources is crucial. The primary care workforce in the world is expanding to include non-physician health workers (NPHWs) to increase its capacity. Also, NPHWs as mid-level health providers (MLHPs) are currently being employed in high- and low-income countries to assist doctors and specialists to make up for the scarcity of health professionals.

A comprehensive roadmap for MedTech innovations uptake into the public healthcare system in India.

Background: The burden of communicable, non-communicable diseases and reproductive maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health in India, reflects the necessity to develop tailored solutions. The plethora of MedTech innovations has provided healthcare facilities with more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare for people across the country. However, in spite of the scheme in the country, the indigenously developed healthcare technology is far from making an impact on the healthcare system.

Achieving health equity through healthcare technology: Perspective from India.

India aims to provide universal health coverage to all individuals and communities thus ensuring accessibility, promotive, curative, preventive, rehabilitative, and palliative health services to all. Healthcare technologies play a critical role in ensuring eliminating healthcare disparities and encouraging quality healthcare at all levels. Technology solutions such as indigenous medical devices and diagnostic products, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and drone technology can best integrate rural needs, improve health outcomes, patient safety, and healthcare quality and experience for patients' values and strengths and can therefore be important contributors to advancing rural health equity.

Correspondence article on the research protocol titled ' ' published in Wellcome Open Research in December 2019.

Research on indigenous (Tribal) populations is a step towards understanding the various tribal health issues and challenges and paves the way for addressing these issues. However, such populations are categorised as vulnerable and marginalised according to National ethical guidelines by Indian council of medical research. Hence, adequate measures are needed to be ensured by researchers while undertaking any research involving tribal populations to safeguard the rights of research participants.

Health facility utilization and Healthcare-seeking behaviour of the elderly population in India.

Background: The increasing elderly population in India has generated an unmet need for healthcare services concerning them. To address some of those needs, the study aims to provide the current status of health facility utilization, health-seeking behaviour (HSB), and factors influencing them.

Methodology: Data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI)-Wave I was used to conduct multivariate analysis to assess the association between health facility utilization (inpatient and outpatient) and HSB across all age groups of the elderly.

A systematic review of excess all-cause mortality estimation studies in India during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Mortality statistics are fundamental to understand the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to limitation of real-time data availability, researchers had used mathematical models to estimate excess mortality globally during COVID-19 pandemic. As they demonstrated variations in scope, assumptions, estimations, and magnitude of the pandemic, and hence raised a controversy all over the world.

Rapid assessment of NCD services rollout in Health and Wellness Centres in North-Eastern Indian state: A cross- sectional study.

Background: The creation of health and wellness centres (HWCs) to deliver comprehensive primary healthcare (CPHC) is a programmatic response to the changing demographic and epidemiological profile in India. Since the north-eastern (NE) states face distinct challenges to routine healthcare services, and it has been two years since the rollout of non-communicable disease (NCD) services through the HWCs, a rapid assessment of the rollout with respect to all components of CPHC was undertaken in the NE state of Manipur.

Methods: The assessment was undertaken using a mixed methodology to assess the rollout of NCD services under CPHC based on the functionality criteria of HWCs.

Adding health to years: A review of the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) in India.

The global share of elderly persons (60 years and above) is expected to rise from 13.4% in 2020 to 21.3% by 2050.

Prevalence and determinants of isolated systolic and isolated diastolic hypertension in India: Insights from the national family health survey (NFHS)- 4.

Background: Isolated Systolic Hypertension (ISH) and Isolated Diastolic Hypertension (IDH) are often the ignored forms of hypertension and are determinants of future cardiac and neurological events and contribute to mortality. However, the nationally representative estimates of both these forms of hypertension remain unknown from India.

Aim: To estimate the ISH and IDH from a nationally representative survey of India.

Effect on essential health services during COVID-19 at the Primary level in India.

Background: Coronavirus diesease (COVID-19) led to increased demand on the Indian health system due to the pandemic as well as other communicable and non-communicable diseases. Guidance was thus issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), India, in April 2020 to maintain the delivery of essential health services.

Objectives: To determine the extent of disruptions of essential healthcare services, identify associated factors, and establish pertinent correlations to address specific needs.

Home-based newborn care (HBNC) under the national health mission in urban India - A cross country secondary analysis.

Background: There is a paucity of evidence in the coverage of the home-based newborn care (HBNC) program delivered through the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). Hence, an analysis was undertaken to identify gaps and progress in its implementation and inform policy and strategies to achieve universal access to newborn services.

Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate and understand the status of the HBNC program in urban areas of India through a health systems approach.

Factors influencing life satisfaction and discrimination among the elderly in India.

India is moving toward a demographic transition which leads to more elderly population than younger. Maximum life satisfaction (LS) and minimum discrimination are necessary to have healthy aging. The secondary data analysis was conducted to assess the perceived LS and discrimination among the elderly based on Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI).

Hydroxychloroquine/Chloroquine Prophylaxis among Health-care Workers: Was it Really Preventive? - Evidence from a Multicentric Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Despite the low level of clinical evidence in hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) favor, it was prescribed for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis in India and worldwide. In absence of a large randomized control trial, the evidence needs to be generated through observation study, hence the study was conducted to find the evidence for prophylaxis of HCQ.

Materials And Methods: A multi-centric cross-sectional study involving government hospitals was chosen for serosurvey conducted from August 21, 2020, to November 20, 2020.

Findings of second multicentric follow-up serosurvey among Health Care Workers in government hospitals.

Background: The change in serological status of community may be used as input for guiding the public health policy. Hence, the present study was conducted to determine change in seroprevalence of COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: From the baseline multicentric study sample, a subsample was followed up, and a seroepidemiological study was conducted among them between 6 and 22 weeks after the second dose of the vaccination.

What is the out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines in India? An empirical assessment using a novel methodology.

The share of expenditure on medicines as part of the total out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on healthcare services has been reported to be much higher in India than in other countries. This study was conducted to ascertain the extent of this share of medicine expenditure using a novel methodology. OOP expenditure data were collected through exit interviews with 5252 out-patient department patients in three states of India.

A rapid review of evidence on the determinants of and strategies for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among the general population and health care workers play an important role in successfully controlling the Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 pandemic. While there is evidence for vaccine hesitancy across the globe, wide variation in factors influencing vaccine acceptance has been reported, mainly from High-Income Countries (HIC). However, the evidence from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) remains unclear.

A pilot study comparing hearing thresholds of soldiers at induction and after completion of one year in high altitude area.

Background: Despite so much research in high altitude area, our existing knowledge is still lacking on otological effects of long-term stay in high altitude. This pilot study was conducted to compare the hearing thresholds of army soldiers at induction and after completion of one year in high altitude area (HAA).

Methods: Hearing thresholds of 433 soldiers posted in HAA were recorded using pure tone audiometry at the time of induction and second thresholds after one year of stay in high altitude for frequencies of 500Hz, 1KHzs, 2 KHzs and 4 KHzs.