Nursing Personnel Workload and Staffing Need for Rural Hospitals of Darjeeling District, India: Assessment by Application of Workload Indicators of Staffing Need Tool (World Health Organization).

Background: The Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) human resource planning and management tool developed by Shipp (1998) and popularized by the World Health Organization gives health managers a way to analyze and calculate correct staffing levels in health facilities.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the current workload and staffing need of staff nurses for rural hospitals in Darjeeling district, West Bengal.

Materials And Methods: Primary data were collected by interviews with nursing personnel using a semi-structured interview schedule.

Occupational Ventilatory Defects Among Workers Employed in Tea Gardens, A Cross-Sectional Study in Siliguri Subdivision of Darjeeling District, West Bengal.

Introduction: During the refining and packing of tea, a very fine dust is formed which is called the tea fluff. Exposure to this fluff has been reported to cause ventilatory defects on chronic exposure.

Objective: To determine the association between air quality of the different work sections of tea gardens and the ventilatory functions of the workers.

Risk factors for pneumonia mortality in under-five children in a tertiary care hospital of Darjeeling district of West Bengal: A prospective case-control study.

Background: Among children admitted with pneumonia, several modifiable predictors have been identified for deaths in children in hospitals. Despite the presence of a several national programs designed to address most of the risk factors directly or indirectly it is surprising that they continue to be common in children with pneumonia.

Objectives: The objective is to determine the risk factors for pneumonia mortality in under-five children in a tertiary care hospital of Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

Prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infestations among children attending Integrated Child Development Service centers in a tea garden area in Darjeeling.

Introduction: Helminths infestations are common in children in the tea garden areas of Darjeeling, which present unique social, cultural, and environmental conditions. The present study was conducted to determine the proportion of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infestations and association of STH to sociodemographic variables among children attending Integrated Child Development Services centers of a tea garden area in Darjeeling.

Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Kiran Chandra Tea Estate, a tea garden in Naxalbari, Darjeeling, between August and September 2016.

Determinants of infant mortality in rural India: An ecological study.

Background: Long-term reductions in infant mortality (IM) are possible only by addressing the distal determinants.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between IM and its major distal determinants in rural India.

Methods: The dependent variable used in the study was state wise IM rate (IMR), the values of which were obtained from the Sample Registration System, 2015.

Vaccine hesitancy for childhood vaccinations in slum areas of Siliguri, India.

Background: Despite evidence regarding the beneficial effects of vaccines, vaccination uptake has not been up to the mark across the globe in various sociocultural and sociodemographic groups. Logistics and workforce have been issues of concern to public health managers, but the latent issue of vaccine hesitancy leading to vaccine delays and refusals has not been widely addressed particularly in the Indian context.

Objectives: The present study was conducted to find out the proportion and factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy for childhood vaccinations in slums of Siliguri, India.

An Epidemiological Study of Blood Pressure and Its Relation with Anthropometric Measurements among Schoolboys of Burdwan Municipal Area, West Bengal.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is often an underdiagnosed problem, because of the asymptomatic nature in early phases of onset during adolescence. This increases the chances of developing complications later during adult life.

Objective: The objective of this study was to find the relationship of BP with anthropometric measurements among school-going adolescent boys.

Utilization of safe drinking water and sanitary facilities in slum households of Siliguri, West Bengal.

Background: With the rapid expansion of urban population, provision of safe water and basic sanitation is becoming a challenge; especially in slums. This is adversely affecting the health of the people living in such areas.

Objectives: The study was conducted to measure the proportion of households using improved drinking water and sanitation facilities and to determine the association between diarrhea in under-five children with water and sanitation facilities.

Nomophobic behaviors among smartphone using medical and engineering students in two colleges of West Bengal.

Background: Growing smartphone usage among global and Indian college students has resulted in considerable issues of "nomophobia" (NMP) or feelings of discomfort or anxiety experienced by individuals whenever unable to use their smartphones. This significantly impacts their health, work, and study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to find out the prevalence of NMP among smartphone using medical and engineering undergraduates of West Bengal and to compare the nomophobic behaviors, its predictors, and smartphone usage among them.

Suspected anthrax outbreak: Investigation in a rural block of west Bengal and public health response.

Anthrax is one of the top 10 diseases reported in India and also one of the major causes of death in livestock. This study was conducted to confirm the outbreak of suspected anthrax, determine the transmission mechanism, and implement control measures in Bhatar block of Burdwan district, West Bengal, India. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through house-to-house visits in Oregram and Kathaldanga villages during the period from May 30, 2013 to June 8, 2013.

Risk factors associated with default among tuberculosis patients in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India.

Background: The treatment outcome "default" under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) is a patient who after treatment initiation has interrupted treatment consecutively for more than 2 months.

Aims: To assess the timing, characteristics and distribution of the reasons for default with relation to some sociodemographic variables among new sputum-positive (NSP) tuberculosis (TB) patients in Darjeeling District, West Bengal.

Settings And Design: A case-control study was conducted in three tuberculosis units (TUs) of Darjeeling from August'2011 to December'2011 among NSP TB patients enrolled for treatment in the TB register from 1(st) Qtr'09 to 2(nd) Qtr'10.

Nursing personnel planning for rural hospitals in Burdwan District, West Bengal, India, using workload indicators of staffing needs.

Lack of appropriate human resources planning is an important factor in the inefficient use of the public health facilities. Workforce projections can be improved by using objective methods of staffing needs based on the workload and actual work undertaken by workers, a guideline developed by Peter J. Shipp in collaboration with WHO-Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN).

Assessment of Validity and Reliability of IMNCI Algorithm in Comparison to Provisional Diagnosis of Senior Pediatricians in a Tertiary Hospital of Kolkata.

Background: Integrated management of childhood illness (IMNCI) is already operational in many states of India, but there are only limited studies in Indian scenario comparing its validity and reliability with the decisions of pediatricians. Aims and.

Objectives: To assess the validity and reliability of the IMNCI algorithm with provisional diagnosis of senior pediatricians for each IMNCI classifications.

Gender preference and awareness regarding sex determination among antenatal mothers attending a medical college of eastern India.

Aim: There are many women "missing" due to an unfavourable sex ratio in India, which has strong patriarchal norms and a preference for sons. Female gender discrimination has been reported in health care, nutrition, education, and resource allocation due to man-made norms, religious beliefs, and recently by ultrasonography resulting in lowered sex ratio.

Methods: The present study attempts to find out the level of awareness regarding sex determination and to explore preference of gender and factors associated among antenatal mothers attending a medical college in eastern India.

Mass Measles Vaccination Campaign in Aila Cyclone-Affected Areas of West Bengal, India: An In-depth Analysis and Experiences.

Disaster-affected populations are highly vulnerable to outbreaks of measles. Therefore, a mass vaccination against measles was conducted in Aila cyclone-affected blocks of West Bengal, India in July 2009. The objectives of the present report were to conduct an in depth analysis of the campaign, and to discuss the major challenges.

A Comparative Study of the Management Decisions by IMNCI Algorithm and by Pediatricians of a Teaching Hospital for the Children Between 2 Months to 5 Years.

Background: Integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness (IMNCI) is already operational in many states of India, but there are very few studies in Indian scenario comparing its validity and reliability with the pediatricians' decisions.

Objectives: 1) To compare the IMNCI decision with the decision of pediatricians; 2) to assess the significance of multiple presenting symptoms in the IMNCI algorithm.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted among the sick children between 2 months to 5 years presented in pediatric department from January to March 2009.

Domestic violence among ever married women of reproductive age group in a slum area of Kolkata.

Background: Domestic violence has serious impact on women's health and well-being. A nationwide survey conducted in India observed that 37.2% of women experienced violence after marriage.

Healthcare-seeking behavior of patients with epileptic seizure disorders attending a tertiary care hospital, kolkata.

Introduction: Neurological diseases are very important causes of prolonged morbidity and disability, leading to profound financial loss. Epilepsy is one of the most important neurological disorders Healthcare seeking by epilepsy patients is quite diverse and unique.

Aims And Objectives: The study was conducted among the epilepsy patients, to assess their healthcare-seeking behavior and its determinants.

Study comparing the management decisions by IMNCI algorithm and pediatricians in a teaching hospital for the young infants between 0 to 2 months.

Integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness (IMNCI) was already operational in many states of India, but there were very few studies in Indian scenario comparing its validity and reliability with the decisions of pediatricians. The general objective of the study is to compare the IMNCI decisions with the decisions of pediatricians and the specific objectives are to assess the agreement between IMNCI decisions and the decisions of pediatricians, to assess the under diagnosis and over diagnosis in IMNCI algorithm in comparison to the decisions of pediatricians and to assess the significance of multiple presenting symptoms in IMNCI algorithm. The study was conducted among the sick young infants presenting in pediatric department from January to March 2009.

Monitoring of mass measles campaign in AILA-affected areas of West Bengal.

A mass measles campaign was organized in AILA-affected areas of West Bengal in July-August 2009. The present cross-sectional study was conducted with the objectives to monitor and assess the cold chain maintenance, safe injection practices, IEC methods adopted, and to observe the conduction of the sessions in the campaign. All the cold chain points at the block level had adequate vaccines and equipments, twice monitoring of temperature which was in optimal range.