Association between smartphone addiction and sedentary behaviour amongst children, adolescents and young adults: A Systematic Review and meta-analysis.

Background: The rapid proliferation of smartphones has raised concerns about their impact on physical activity levels, particularly among younger demographics. While smartphones offer numerous benefits, there is growing evidence to suggest that excessive use may lead to sedentary behaviours, potentially impacting physical health adversely. Hence, this review was done to explore the association between smartphone addiction and reduced physical activity amongst children, adolescents and young adults.

Menstrual Hygiene Practices and Constraints in Availing Government Sanitary Pad Provision among Adolescents in Rural Puducherry: A Mixed Method Study.

Context: Although free and subsidized sanitary pads are provided by the government, proportion of adolescents availing this service remains low.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the proportion of adolescent girls availing supply of sanitary napkins from a rural health training center (RHTC) in Puducherry; to assess the level of satisfaction with government supply; and to identify reasons for not accessing the same.

Subjects And Methods: The mixed-method cross-sectional study done in July 2017 included 240 adolescent girls living in the RHTC service area of a tertiary care institute.

Prevalence of Food Insecurity at Household Level and Its Associated Factors in Rural Puducherry: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Malnutrition is a consequence of food insecurity. Food insecurity in India became a public health problem due to explosive population growth and widening gap between rich and poor. It also has a detrimental effect on factors related to health and social well-being of the family.

Health information needs assessment among self-help groups and willingness for involvement in health promotion in a rural setting in Puducherry: A mixed-method study.

Background: Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their own health. Community involvement in social and environmental interventions tends to improve people's health and quality of life. Self-help groups (SHGs) primarily focus on microfinancing, thereby acting as a catalyst in bringing backward society to the mainstream.

Costs incurred and determinants of out-of-pocket payments for child delivery care in India: Evidence from a nationally representative household survey.

In India, out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure on health care services has been showing an increasing trend. The cost and willingness to pay determines the use of facility-based maternal health services. Hence, the current study was done to find the costs and determinants of OOP payments on childbirth care in India.

Patient and Provider's Experience and Perspective in Addressing Barriers to Medication Adherence Among Noncommunicable Disease Patients in Rural Puducherry, South India-A Qualitative Study.

Background: Trend in morbidity and mortality due to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is rising because of poor control status. Medication nonadherence is one of the most common and modifiable causes of inadequate control status.

Objectives: To examine the barriers in drug adherence among NCD patients in rural Puducherry.

Assessment of the WHO Health Promoting Schools Framework among schools in selected villages of rural Puducherry, South India - a mixed method study.

Background: The health of children and adolescents can be promoted through schools as they spend most of their time in school. The Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework provides a set of policies to be followed in schools for improving the health status of school-going children and adolescents. The current study was done to assess this framework among schools in rural Puducherry.

Awareness and practices of menstrual hygiene among females of reproductive age in rural Puducherry - a mixed method study.

Background: Menstruation is a physiological process. Unfortunately, there is substantial lacuna in knowledge related to menstrual hygiene among females.

Objectives: To assess the awareness and prevailing practices of menstrual hygiene, prevalence of symptoms related to genito-urinary tract infection, and the factors influencing menstrual hygiene practices, among women of reproductive age in rural Puducherry.

Screening for red flag symptoms of cancer: A community-based cross-sectional study from urban Puducherry, India.

Background: Patients with cancer often delay seeking medical advice in developing countries. In India, only 20%-30% of cancers are being diagnosed in Stages I and II. Screening for red flag symptoms of cancer can be used to identify high-risk individuals in the community.

Preference for Private Sector for Vaccination of Under-Five Children in India and Its Associated Factors: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample.

Background: Understanding the factors associated with private sector preference for vaccination will help in understanding the barriers in seeking public facility and also the steps to improve public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Methods: We analysed the recent National Family Health Survey-4 data (NFHS-4; 2015-16) gathered from Demographic Health Survey programme. Stratification and clustering in the sample design was accounted using svyset command.

Prevalence and associated factors for social phobia among school-going adolescents in a rural area of Puducherry, South India.

Background: The World Health Organisation has reported that mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Social phobia is one such mental disorder that can have significant impact on the livelihood of adults if not detected at an early stage. There have been very few studies done on social phobia among adolescents in South India.