Silicosis predicts drug resistance and retreatment among tuberculosis patients in India: a secondary data analysis from Khambhat, Gujarat (2006-2022).

Background: India, with the highest global burden of tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB, aims to eliminate TB by 2025. Yet, limited evidence exists on drug resistance patterns and retreatment among patients with silico-tuberculosis. This study explores these patterns and assesses the impact of silicosis on TB retreatment in India.

Cohort study on association between catastrophic costs and unfavorable tuberculosis treatment outcomes among TB-HIV and TB-diabetes comorbid patients in India.

Background: India grapples with an alarming burden of tuberculosis (TB), reporting 2.6 million incident cases in 2023, necessitating intensified efforts toward TB elimination. The prevalence of catastrophic costs, defined as expenses exceeding 20% of annual household income, varies widely.

Texture perception at the foot sole: comparison between walking, sitting, and to the hand.

We frequently interact with textured surfaces with both our feet and hands. Like texture's importance for grasping, texture perception via the foot sole might provide important signals about the stability of a surface, aiding in maintaining balance. However, how textures are perceived by the foot, and especially under the high forces experienced during walking, is unknown.

A mixed-methods study on impact of active case finding on pulmonary tuberculosis treatment outcomes in India.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health burden in India, with elimination targets set for 2025. Active case finding (ACF) is crucial for improving TB case detection rates, although conclusive evidence of its association with treatment outcomes is lacking. Our study aims to investigate the impact of ACF on successful TB treatment outcomes among pulmonary TB patients in Gujarat, India, and explore why ACF positively impacts these outcomes.

Framework for implementing collaborative TB-silicosis activities in India: insights from an expert panel.

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is more challenging for patients with silicosis, as it complicates the diagnosis of both diseases and increases mortality risk. Silicosis, an incurable occupational disease, confounds the diagnosis of TB and vice versa, making it more difficult to accurately identify and treat either condition. Moreover, TB appears to accelerate the progression of silicosis.

Mixed methods study on latent tuberculosis among agate stone workers and advocacy for testing silica dust exposed individuals in India.

The 2021 tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment guidelines in India included silicosis as a screening group, yet latent TB infection (LTBI) testing for silica-dust-exposed individuals is underemphasized. Focusing on an estimated 52 million silica-dust-exposed workers, particularly agate-stone workers in Khambhat, Gujarat, our study aims to estimate LTBI prevalence, identify predictors, and gather insights from TB and silicosis experts. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, a cross-sectional study involved 463 agate-stone workers aged ≥ 20 years in Khambhat, using IGRA kits for LTBI testing.

Acceptance and expectations of healthcare workers and community during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Bhavnagar city, western India: a qualitative exploration.

Background: COVID-19 vaccine was launched in India on January 16, 2021. There is a paucity of robust evidence from qualitative studies on the acceptability and expectations of potential recipients from the COVID-19 vaccine around the time of its rollout in India. We conducted this study to explore the acceptance and expectations of the COVID-19 vaccine among the healthcare workers and community in Bhavnagar, India.

Prevalence and predictors of high-frequency hearing loss among mine workers in Gujarat, western India: a cross-sectional study on the need to implement a comprehensive hearing conservation program.

Background: High-frequency hearing loss (HFHL) stands as a prevalent occupational morbidity globally, with numerous associated risk factors, some of which are modifiable. In the context of a comprehensive hearing conservation program, the initial steps involve early screening and identification of workers with these modifiable risk factors, aiming to reduce the prevalence of hearing loss. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of HFHL and determine its predictors among mine workers.

Predictors of pulmonary dysfunction vis-à-vis the hypertension status of mine workers in Gujarat, western India: A cross-sectional study on the need to further investigate the role of anti-hypertensive drugs.

Background: Mine workers face various health risks from occupational hazards, notably dust-related pulmonary dysfunction. This dysfunction is also attributed to diverse risk factors and health conditions. Despite the variety of underlying mechanisms, conflicting evidence persists regarding hypertension as a potential risk factor for such dysfunction.

Need for workplace smoking cessation program among public transit drivers: Evidence from a cross-sectional study in a metropolitan city of Western India.

Background: Air pollution is a significant contributor to respiratory illness globally, and in India, evidence is scarce on whether smoking exacerbates this problem.

Objective And Methods: We aimed at assessing if being a smoker among public transit drivers increased risk for respiratory illnesses and affected performance of pulmonary function tests in a cross-sectional study in a metropolitan city of Gujarat, western state of India. We conducted a cross-sectional study among public transit drivers (those who were smoking and not smoking).

Silicosis as a predictor of tuberculosis mortality and treatment failure and need for incorporation in differentiated TB care models in India.

Background: Differentiated tuberculosis (TB) care is an approach to improve treatment outcomes by tailoring TB management to the particular needs of patient groups based on their risk profile and comorbidities. In silicosis-prone areas, the coexistence of TB and silicosis may exacerbate treatment outcomes. The objective of the study was to determine predictors of TB-related mortality, treatment failure, and loss to follow-up in a silicosis-prone region of western India.

Challenges and opportunities for silicosis prevention and control: need for a national health program on silicosis in India.

Background: Silicosis has been one of the most serious occupational public health problems worldwide for many decades. The global burden of silicosis is largely unknown, although it is thought to be more prevalent in low and medium-income countries. Individual studies among workers exposed to silica dust in various industries, however, reveal a high prevalence of silicosis in India.

Interference Screw versus Cement Fixation in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Soft Tissue Grafts: A Biomechanical Study.

Shortcomings of fixation have been reported as a source of graft failure in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. While interference screws have long been used as fixation devices for ACL reconstruction, they are not without complications. Previous studies have highlighted the use of bone void filler as a fixation method; however, no biomechanical comparisons using soft tissue grafts with interference screws exist to our knowledge.

Plight of migrant construction-site workers during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020: A qualitative exploration in Bhavnagar, Western India.

Background: During the unexpected lockdown implemented in early 2020 in reaction to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a considerable section of India's population of migrant construction-site workers were stuck.

Objective: Our objective was to explore the lived experiences and consequent perceptions of migrant workers related to the COVID-19 lockdown and the consequences on their lives.

Methods: We conducted structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) with twelve migrant construction-site workers in Bhavnagar, Western India, from November to December 2020, using qualitative research methods.

A mixed-methods study on impact of silicosis on tuberculosis treatment outcomes and need for TB-silicosis collaborative activities in India.

Globally, silicosis and tuberculosis (TB) have been targeted for elimination by 2030. The study's objectives were to determine the association of silicosis with unfavorable TB treatment outcomes, as well as to explore experts' perspectives on improving treatment outcomes among silico-tuberculosis patients. A retrospective cohort study evaluated TB treatment outcomes in Khambhat block, the western part of India, between 138 patients with silico-tuberculosis and 2610 TB patients without silicosis in February-March 2022.

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study on costs incurred by patients with tuberculosis comorbid with diabetes in Bhavnagar, western India.

Diabetes is one of the commonest morbidity among patients with tuberculosis (TB). We conducted this study to estimate the costs incurred by patients with TB comorbid with diabetes and to explore the perspectives of program managers as well as patients on the reasons and solutions for the costs incurred due to TB-diabetes. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study to estimate costs among 304 patients with TB-diabetes comorbidity registered in the public health system during 2017-2020 in the Bhavnagar region of western India, which was followed by in-depth interviews among program functionaries and patients to explore solutions for reducing the costs.

Costs incurred by patients with tuberculosis co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Bhavnagar, western India: a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research.

Background: India reports the highest number of tuberculosis (TB) and second-highest number of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) globally. We hypothesize that HIV might increase the existing financial burden of care among patients with TB. We conducted this study to estimate the costs incurred by patients with TB co-infected with HIV and to explore the perspectives of patients as well as program functionaries for reducing the costs.

"I lost my faith and stopped taking the medicines" - need for an intervention model based on health belief constructs for improving adherence to tuberculosis treatment.

Background: India is reporting the highest number of tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide. The health belief model has proved beneficial to understand health-related behaviors among patients with TB. We explored the reasons and solutions for non-adherence to the treatment of TB using the constructs of the health belief model.

Does Direct Benefit Transfer Improve Outcomes Among People With Tuberculosis? - A Mixed-Methods Study on the Need for a Review of the Cash Transfer Policy in India.

Background: A direct benefit transfer (DBT) program was launched to address the dual epidemic of under-nutrition and tuberculosis (TB) in India. We conducted this study to determine whether non-receipt of DBT was associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes among patients with TB and to explore the perspectives of patients and program functionaries regarding the program.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among 426 patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB on treatment during January-September 2019 to determine the association between non-receipt of DBT and unfavorable treatment outcomes, which was followed by in-depth interviews of 9 patients and 8 program functionaries to explore their perspectives on challenges and suggestions regarding the DBT program.

Costs incurred by patients with oral potentially malignant disorders: is there a public health need for financial protection in India?

Objectives: Financial protection mechanisms are in place to overcome the costs of a few diseases in India. Our objective was to estimate the costs incurred due to Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders (OPMD) and to determine predictors of such costs.

Results: We found that the median (Interquartile range IQR) total costs of OPMD was Indian Rupees (INR) 500 (350-750), direct medical costs was INR 0 (0-50), direct non-medical costs was INR 150 (40-200) and indirect costs was INR 350 (250-500).

High-risk health behaviors predict depression among school-going adolescents: the need for integration of mental health with school health program in India.

Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of depression and to determine whether high-risk health behaviors were associated with it among school-going adolescents, thereby assessing the need to integrate mental health services with the school health program. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 260 adolescents in schools of Bhavnagar city (western India) during January-October 2017. To assess depression, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used and high-risk health behaviors were assessed by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) tool.

'We are not aware of notification of tuberculosis': A mixed-methods study among private practitioners from western India.

Background: Implementing the Standards for tuberculosis care in India (STCI) guidelines in the private sector is vital. This study attempted to estimate the knowledge and practices regarding STCI guidelines among private practitioners and to explore the reasons and solutions for low tuberculosis (TB) notification rates.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study for assessing the knowledge and practices of the STCI guidelines among 100 full-time allopathic private practitioners in Bhavnagar (in western part of India) from September 2018 to January 2019.