PLOS Glob Public Health
August 2022
Community health worker (CHW) programs are essential for expanding health services to many areas of the world and improving uptake of recommended behaviors. One of these programs, called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), was initiated by the government of India in 2005 and now has a workforce of about 1 million. ASHAs primarily focus on improving maternal and child health but also support other health initiatives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Maternal malnutrition is a major source of regional health inequity and contributes to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Bihar, a state in eastern India adjacent to Jharkhand and West Bengal, has relatively high neonatal mortality rates because a large portion of infants are born to young mothers. Bihar has the second-highest proportion of underweight children under 3 in India, with infant mortality rates of 48 per 1000 live births.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhilos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
August 2020
The objective of the current study is to examine the cultural ecology of health associated with mitigating perinatal risk in Bihar, India. We describe the occurrences, objectives and explanations of health-related beliefs and behaviours during pregnancy and postpartum using focus group discussions with younger and older mothers. First, we document perceived physical and supernatural threats and the constellation of traditional and biomedical practises including taboos, superstitions and rituals used to mitigate them.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrthop Rev (Pavia)
June 2016
Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disease with significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of affected patients. Osteoporosis has a significant impact on the economy worldwide. The aim of this study was to find out whether heel ultrasound is as good as central bone densitometry scanning in diagnosing osteoporosis in patients who are at high risk of osteoporosis.
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