COPD Unveiled: Insights from Dwellers along a Busy Highway in Kattankulathur Block.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious lung condition that imposes a significant financial burden on individuals and society, straining the medical system. According to the World Health Organization, it was the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2020. In India, it ranks as the second leading cause of death, and in Tamil Nadu, it is the tenth.

Validation of Expanded form of Lubben Social Network Scale among Community-Dwelling Geriatric Population in India.

Background: For assessing social networks in the elderly and the social support they receive and to predict social isolation, a proper valid and reliable short-scale screening tool is necessary. The present study aims to estimate the internal consistency and structural validity of the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-18) among community-dwelling Indian older adults.

Materials And Methods: We have administered the LSNS-18 scale to 500 older adults (>60 years) and performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling for the validation.