Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and its Risk Factors among Adults in a Rural Area of Dakshina Kannada District.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) consists of interconnected factors responsible for increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Early identification and treatment of components of MS leads to improved cardiovascular outcomes.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults >18 years of age and to study the various socio-demographic and behavioral factors associated with MS.

Integrating Narrative Medicine Through Story-Telling: A Feasibility Study in a Community Medicine Curriculum for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students.

Introduction The routine curriculum of community medicine includes clinico-social case-taking with a focus on the physical, biological, and psychosocial determinants of health. There is an opportunity to integrate narrative medicine with this for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students using story-telling. The objective of the current study was to assess its feasibility, challenges, and opportunities.

Experience of Workplace Incivility and Its Impact on Stress and Turnover Intention among the Nurses Working at a Hospital: Cross-Sectional Survey Approach.

Background: Incivility in the workplace drowns the mental health of the nurses and hampers the daily routine. The majority of the nurses working at hospitals were experiencing incivility. It affects the physical and psychological health of the nurses.

Treatment success rates among tuberculosis patients notified from the private sector in West Bengal, India.

In India, an estimated 50% of tuberculosis (TB) patients are diagnosed and managed by private providers (PPs). However, there is limited information on treatment outcomes among those treated by PPs largely because of a lack of systems for patient follow-up and documentation of the outcomes. Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative (THALI) project implemented in six districts of West Bengal, supported PPs in managing TB patients and systematically documented the TB treatment outcomes of such patients.

Opportunistic screening for diabetes mellitus and hypertension in primary care settings in Karnataka, India: a few steps forward but still some way to go.

Opportunistic screening for individuals aged ≥30 years at all levels of healthcare for early detection of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) is an integral strategy under the national program to control non-communicable diseases. There has been no systematic assessment of the screening process in primary care settings since its launch. The objective was to determine the number and proportion eligible for screening, number screened, diagnosed and treated for DM and HTN among persons aged ≥30 years in two selected primary health centres (PHCs) in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India during March-May 2019 and to explore the enablers and barriers in the implementation of screening from the perspective of the health care providers (HCPs) and beneficiaries .

Epidemiological profile and mapping geographical distribution of road traffic accidents reported to a tertiary care hospital, Mangaluru using quantum geographic information system (QGIS).

Background: The worldwide annual average of road traffic accident (RTA) is approximately 7,00,000 and out of that 10% occur in India. It is estimated that in India, by 2020 RTA would have its fatal effect on about 5,50,000 people annually. This study was conducted to describe the epidemiological profile and spatial distribution of RTAs using quantum geographic information system (QGIS) software reported to a tertiary care hospital in Mangaluru.

Magnitude and Reasons for Gaps in Tuberculosis Diagnostic Testing and Treatment Initiation: An Operational Research Study from Dakshina Kannada, South India.

Background: In India, ensuring all Persons with Presumptive TB (PPTB) undergo TB diagnostic tests and initiating all diagnosed TB patients on treatment are two major implementation challenges.

Objectives: In a coastal district of Karnataka state, South India, to (1) determine the number and proportion of PPTB who did not undergo any TB diagnostic test, and the number and proportion of TB patients who were not initiated on treatment (2) explore the facilitators and barriers in TB diagnostic testing and treatment initiation from health care providers' perspective.

Methods: For objective-1, we used a cross-sectional design involving review of data of PPTB enrolled for care during January-March 2019 and for objective-2, we used a qualitative design involving key informant interviews of health care providers.

Assessing the implementation of a mobile App-based electronic health record: A mixed-method study from South India.

Background: Government of India recognizes the use of "information, communication, and technology" in the provision of comprehensive primary healthcare. In 2014-2015, Karuna Trust, a nongovernmental organization, Bengaluru, India, introduced an electronic health record (EHR) innovation, namely "Comprehensive Public Health Management" application (CPHM App). Data could be entered in an offline mode followed by syncing with cloud.

Schoolchild as a health educator for parents regarding hypertension: A quasi-experimental study among school students of South India.

Background: An alarming trend of sustained blood pressure elevation among children and adolescents has been found. Health education to schoolchildren in their formative age is the most effective method to be able to modify their habits, and further, they can be enrolled as an effective health educator for their parents.

Objective: To study the effectiveness of health education module on study participants about prevention and control of hypertension (HTN) and the effectiveness of child as a health educator on parents' knowledge about prevention and control of HTN.

'Have we missed reporting adverse drug reactions under Revised National TB Control Programme?' - A mixed method study in Bengaluru, India.

Objective: Prompt identification, reporting and management of ADRs during anti tuberculosis treatment can ensure better compliance and treatment outcomes. The study was conducted to identify the gaps and associated factors in reporting of ADRs under RNTCP; assess knowledge, attitude and practice of RNTCP staff regarding pharmacovigilance programme and explore the barriers in reporting of ADRs from provider's perspective.

Methods: Mixed method research with sequential explanatory design was carried out in Tuberculosis Units of RNTCP administrative district of Bangalore city during July to December 2017.

Spatiotemporal analysis of drug-resistant TB patients registered in selected districts of Karnataka, South India: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) depicts heterogeneous spatial patterns with geographical aggregation of TB cases due to either ongoing person-to-person transmission or reactivation of latent infection in a community sharing risk factor. In this regard, we aimed to assess the spatiotemporal aggregation of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patients notified to the national TB program (NTP) from 2015 to 2018 in selected districts of Karnataka, South India.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among DR-TB patients notified from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Chikamagalur districts of the state of Karnataka.

Enablers and Challenges in the Implementation of Active Case Findings in a Selected District of Karnataka, South India: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Active case finding (ACF) for tuberculosis (TB) is a promising tool to enhance early case detection among marginalized populations. As opposed to passive case finding, it involves systematically searching for TB in individuals who would not spontaneously present for care. The National TB Program (NTP) of India has initiated ACF for TB through the existing general health system since the end of 2017.

'I am on treatment since 5 months but I have not received any money': coverage, delays and implementation challenges of 'Direct Benefit Transfer' for tuberculosis patients - a mixed-methods study from South India.

: In March 2018, the Government of India launched a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support for all tuberculosis (TB) patients in line with END TB strategy. Here, the money (@INR 500 [~8 USD] per month) is deposited electronically into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. To avail the benefit, patients are to be notified in NIKSHAY (web-based notification portal of India's national TB programme) and provide bank account details.

Strategy to sensitize private practitioners on RNTCP through medico-social workers in urban field practice area of a Medical College in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Background: India accounts for 25% of global TB burden and majority of TB patients seek care from private practitioners. It becomes imperative to involve private practitioners with newer strategies to strengthen the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP). A study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices among private practitioners with regards to tuberculosis case detection and referral and to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing existing medico-social worker of a medical college in sensitizing the private practitioners.

Use of Verbal Autopsy to Determine Underlying Cause of Death during Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, India.

Of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), <50% complete treatment. Most treatment failures for patients with MDR TB are due to death during TB treatment. We sought to determine the proportion of deaths during MDR TB treatment attributable to TB itself.

An epidemiological study on fluorosis in an urban slum area of Nalgonda, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Fluorosis is an important public health problem in certain parts of India. Nalgonda is one of the fluorosis endemic districts of Andhra Pradesh. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in Panagal, one of the urban slum areas of Nalgonda town of Andhra Pradesh.