Driving into Diabetes: Risk Assessment among Interstate Truck Drivers in West Bengal.

Diabetes mellitus has led to a huge increase in its number over recent decades. Due to their occupation, truck drivers are predisposed to higher risk of lifestyle disorders. Hence, this study intended to assess their risk of developing diabetes mellitus with respect to IDRS (Indian Diabetes Risk Score).

Assessment of satisfaction of using socially marketed health consumables at government settings among beneficiaries in a rural area of Hooghly District, West Bengal.

Introduction: India is committed to achieving universal health care for all by 2030. The objective of social marketing is to promote public health and its goal is to improve health for all, but there are some challenges like irregular availability, quality issue, inadequacy of marketing causes under- utilization of the government supplied health consumables.

Objectives: Present study aims to find out the usage pattern and assess the perceived satisfaction level of beneficiaries of using various socially marketed health consumables at government settings and explore the perception of healthcare personnel regarding barriers to its usage in a rural area of India.

Respiratory Morbidity Among Seed-Processing Industry Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural West Bengal, 2022-2023.

Background: Seed processing workers are exposed to dust particles generated during the processing of seeds, which can have adverse effects on their respiratory health. Aim: to estimate the prevalence and patterns of respiratory morbidity among seed processing workers in Hooghly district, West Bengal, India, and to explore their use of respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE).

Methods: A cross sectional observational study was conducted in 5 seed processing plants from December 2022 to February 2023.

Women's Empowerment in the Context of Rural West Bengal: An Index Construction with Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Background: Women's empowerment, a precondition of sustainable development, is a multidimensional and complex concept, often described with three interrelated components: resources, agency, and achievement. There is no universal construct for women's empowerment; rather, it has been assessed based on the context. It had been hardly explored in rural West Bengal.

Readiness to manage domestic violence among medical interns - an observational study in a medical college and hospital in India.

Background: Domestic violence is a deeply entrenched issue in Indian society, with global implications, especially for women's physical and mental health. Healthcare providers play important role in early identification and support of the victims. Medical interns, the future generation of Health care professionals, often acting as primary caregivers are uniquely positioned and expected to recognize and assist victims.

Proportion, Pattern, and Predictors of Falls in Older Adults - A Community-based Observational Study in Rural West Bengal.

Introduction: In spite of falls being a major public health problem, where most of the falls are preventable, there is a lack of epidemiological investigation among those aged 50 and above, especially in developing countries. Hence, we investigate the proportion, pattern, and predictors of falls in this age group.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional community-based study was done in the Uluberia-II block of Howrah district, West Bengal, from February to July 2021.

Effect of educational intervention on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases among school teachers: a quasi-experimental study in a suburb of Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Objective: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the effects of a health education intervention on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among school teachers.

Methods: The study, conducted from August 2016 to May 2017, involved teachers from four schools in Baruipur, West Bengal, India. It was a multicentric, quasi-experimental study with an intervention group receiving tailored health education promoting lifestyle modifications, while the control group received no intervention.

Utilisation of adolescent reproductive and sexual health services in a rural area of West Bengal: A mixed-method study.

Introduction: Despite policy actions and strategic efforts for improving the reproductive and sexual health of adolescents by promoting the uptake of adolescent reproductive and sexual health (ARSH) services, the utilisation rate remains significantly low, especially in rural areas of India. This study aimed to assess the utilisation of these services by adolescents in rural West Bengal and its associated determinants.

Method: This mixed-method study was conducted from May to September 2021 in the Gosaba rural block of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.

Gender inequalities in prevalence, pattern and predictors of multimorbidity among geriatric population in rural West Bengal.

Context: Multimorbidity is considered as a priority for global health research. It is defined as the coexistence of two or more chronic health conditions in an individual. It is increasingly being recognized as a major concern for primary care physicians due to its huge impact on individual, family, and societal level.

Nutritional Status and Intra-household Food Distribution Among Reproductive-Age-Group Women in a Slum Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

Introduction Malnutrition among women of reproductive age (WRA), especially those living in slum areas, is one of the most concerning nutritional issues because of the extreme nutritional stress they face in the form of inequitable intra-household food distribution (IHFD). This study aimed to assess the nutritional status (NS) and its association with IHFD among reproductive-age-group women along with exploring the perspectives of the stakeholders regarding inequitable food distribution. Materials and methods The quantitative part of the convergent parallel mixed-methods design study was conducted among 150 WRA, selected by cluster random sampling from 15 slum areas of Hooghly District, between December 2020 and May 2021.

COVID-appropriate facemask use: A study among patients attending outpatient Departments of a Public Health Institute in West Bengal.

Background: In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, facemask use has been the most feasible public health measure in preventing transmission of SARS-CoV2 with the dual benefit of controlling the source of infection and decreasing the risk of acquiring infection from infected people. Therefore, COVID-appropriate behavior regarding facemask use is imperative for controlling the pandemic. This study aimed to assess COVID-appropriate mask behavior and factors associated with it among the patients attending outpatient departments of a public health institute in West Bengal.

Determinants of Treatment Adherence Among Patients Living With Noncommunicable Diseases: A Mixed-Method Study in a Rural Area of West Bengal.

The multisectoral impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can impair treatment adherence of patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This mixed-method study, conducted from November 2020 to January 2021, assessed the quantum of their treatment adherence and its determinants in rural West Bengal. Quantitative data were collected from 213 NCD patients while qualitative exploration for barriers of treatment adherence was conducted as 6 in-depth Interviews.

How common are aches and pains among garment factory workers? A work-related musculoskeletal disorder assessment study in three factories of south 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.

Context: Garment Industry is considered to be the second-largest employment sector in India. Occupational health problems among workers are often ignored, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) accounts for the majority of it. The leverage of a healthy workforce is indispensable in the smooth running of the country's economic machinery.

Health Care Seeking Behavior in a Scheduled Tribe Community in India: A Mixed Methods Research Using the Framework of Andersen's Behavioral Model.

India's scheduled tribe population very often bears the brunt of inequity in accessing health care. The mixed-method research assessed the health care seeking behavior (HSB) of a tribal community residing in the eastern fringes of Kolkata metropolis. An adult, preferably the head, in 209 households was interviewed followed by qualitative interviews with relevant stakeholders.

Cognitive impairment and its predictors: A cross-sectional study among the elderly in a rural community of West Bengal.

Context: With the aging of Indian society, maintaining salubrious cognitive health in late life is a public health priority. Early detection and possible prevention of cognitive impairment (CI), thus, will help in increasing the quality of life of elderly people and decreasing the social, psychological, and economic burden of their families and caregivers.

Aims: The study aimed to assess proportion of CI and its predictors.

Perceived Stress and Coping Behavior among Future Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in West Bengal, India.

Background: Demanding clinical and academic environments have been potential sources of stress among nursing students. Inability to cope effectively often potentiates this stress. If not intervened early, this may have a detrimental effect on health and may eventually affect the future workforce in rendering care.

Bone health and its association with vitamin D and other covariates: A community-based study among women in a rural area of West Bengal.

Background: Low bone mineral density (BMD) is implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and osteopenia, and primarily manifest as fragile bones. This is a rapidly emerging global health problem with increasing prevalence in India.

Objectives: The objective of this was to assess the status of bone health and find its determinants among women aged 40 years and above in a rural population of West Bengal.

Nutritional status and eating behavior of children: A study among primary school children in a rural area of West Bengal.

Background: Dietary preferences and childhood eating behavior has marked influence on nutritional status of children. The objective of the study was to find out eating behavior of primary school children in a rural area of West Bengal using Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire and to determine association of body mass index (BMI) with eating behavior.

Methodology: It was an institution-based observational study with cross-sectional design done from May to August, 2018.

Elder abuse and its predictors: a cross-sectional study in a rural area of West Bengal, eastern part of India.

Background: Elder abuse is an important public health problem hidden from public view in spite of its detrimental effect on physical and mental health. In the last three decades, there is responsiveness toward abuse of children and spouses worldwide but even today abuse and neglect of aged people seem to be the matter of least concern. This study aims to reveal the magnitude of elder abuse and its predictors.

Morbidities of rice mill workers and associated factors in a block of West Bengal: A matter of concern.

Context: Rice mill workers usually belong to unorganized sector and lack in training regarding hazard prevention. Unprotected exposure to suspended particles and fumes can lead to respiratory morbidities among them. Workers, especially loaders, were susceptible to work-related musculoskeletal diseases.

Community perception and risk reduction practices toward malaria and dengue: A mixed-method study in slums of Chetla, Kolkata.

Background: Globally, vector-borne diseases account for 17% of infectious disease burden. In India, despite accelerated efforts, both malaria and dengue are major public health concern. Understanding local community perspectives is essential to strengthen ongoing program activities.

How frail are our elderly? An assessment with Tilburg frailty indicator (TFI) in a rural elderly population of West Bengal.

Context: "Frailty" is a multidimensional geriatric syndrome that increases the risk for adverse health outcomes, such as falls, hospitalization, increased morbidity, and mortality, among elderly persons.

Aim: The objective of this study is to find out the proportion of frailty and its associates among elderly (aged ≥60 years) in a rural area of West Bengal.

Settings And Design: It is a community-based cross-sectional observational study done during May-August 2018 among 165 elderly persons selected by systematic random sampling by probability proportionate to size method from three villages at the rural field practice area of our institute.

Capacity Building of Private Sector Workforce for Public Health Services in India: Scope and Challenges.

Indian health sector is a complex admixture of public and private providers, but several lacunae of public health service delivery system in terms of human resource, access, and quality have resulted in unprecedented growth of private sector. Although seamless delivery of services at rural and urban areas, timely approach, and improved information technology system are the strength of the private sector, this package comes at the cost of high out-of-pocket expenditure. Mobilization of private sector health workforce by their capacity building in terms of orientation toward public health services is one of the available solutions to move toward wider coverage of public health services.

Exposure to indoor air pollution and its perceived impact on health of women and their children: A household survey in a slum of Kolkata, India.

Background: One's house is believed to be the safest and the healthiest place to live in. Indoor air pollution (IAP) means the presence of unwanted substances in the indoor air at concentration toxic to health.

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the presence of IAP, its associated factors and impact on health of women residing in an urban slum of Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Sun exposure and Vitamin D in rural India: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency/Vitamin D Insufficiency (VDI) is now recognized as a pandemic. Cutaneous exposure to ultraviolet-B causes photolysis of epidermal 7-dehydrocholesterol, converting it to pre-Vitamin D3 (precholecalciferol), which then undergoes isomerization to form the stable hormone Vitamin D3.

Objectives: The objectives of the study is to determine the status of Vitamin D level among the adults residing in a rural area of West Bengal and to find out the optimal cutoff of the sun exposure for Vitamin D sufficiency.