The Health of Indigenous Populations in South Asia: A Critical Review in a Critical Time.

Despite South Asia's promising social inclusion processes, staggering social and health inequalities leave indigenous populations largely excluded. Marginalization in the South Asian polity, unequal power relations, and poor policy responses deter Adivasi populations' rights and opportunities for health gains and dignity. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is likely to result in a disproportionate share of infections and deaths among the Adivasis, given poor social conditions and exclusions.

Health Inequalities in South Asia at the Launch of Sustainable Development Goals: Exclusions in Health in Kerala, India Need Political Interventions.

Despite substantial progress in social development during the post-colonial period, health inequalities in the South Asian countries were staggering, with reduced life expectancy, higher maternal and child mortality, and gender discrimination. Notably, even with the rapid economic growth during the neoliberal period, India fares below most of the South Asian countries in several health indicators. The Indian state of Kerala stands out with social sector gains; nevertheless, evidence indicates widening health inequalities, restricted public arenas, and undemocratic practices in health, particularly in the context of increasing market logic in the health and social arenas shaping health.

Rising private sector and falling 'good health at low cost': health challenges in China, Sri Lanka, and Indian state of Kerala.

Despite having a captivating history of outstanding health achievements during the second half of the 20th century, China, Sri Lanka, and the Indian state of Kerala face several health challenges, particularly in the context of a shift in financing health care from a predominantly public-sector to a market-oriented provision. Over the 1990s, these "good health at low cost" (GHLC) regions faced widening health inequities and adverse health outcomes in relation to social, economic, and geographical marginalization, compared to another GHLC country, Costa Rica, and to Cuba, which have a similar history of health and economic profile. While the historical process of health development in China, Sri Lanka, and Kerala is closely entangled with the interrelated policies on health and allied social sectors with an abiding public-sector support, the retreat of the state and resultant increase in private-sector medical care and out-of-pocket spending resulted in widening inequities and medical impoverishment.

Towards the next generation of public health research in India: a call for a health equity lens.

Background: Public health research is at a cross road in India. Despite a high level of health needs and new public health challenges arising in the context of rapid economic growth and social change, public health research is not keeping up with the needs of Indian society. There are, however, new initiatives creating opportunities to increase public health research, thereby raising debates about public health research priorities.

Smoking cessation and diabetes control in Kerala, India: an urgent need for health education.

This study documented the tobacco use among male diabetes patients in a clinic-based population of urban India, patient reports of physician cessation messages and patients' perception of tobacco use as a risk factor for diabetes complications. All the 444 male diabetes patients who attended three public sector hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, were surveyed to ascertain their tobacco use as well as the frequency and content of quit messages received from health staff. A significant proportion (59%) of diabetes patients were tobacco users prior to diagnosis and more than half of them continued to use tobacco, many daily, even after diagnosis.

Tobacco use & social status in Kerala.

Health indicators of Kerala State such as infant mortality rate (14/ 1000 live births) and life expectancy at birth (71 yr for men and 76 yr for women) are far ahead of the Indian averages (IMR 58, life expectancy men 62 and women 63) and closer to the developed countries. However, tobacco use prevalence is similar to the national average. Smoking is the commonest form of tobacco usage among men in the State whereas chewing tobacco is more common among women and children.

Tobacco use among medical professionals in Kerala, India: the need for enhanced tobacco cessation and control efforts.

In developing nations where reductions in tobacco use have not been realized, it is critical that health professionals be encouraged to abstain from tobacco use. Data on tobacco use among health professionals in India are limited. We conducted cross-sectional surveys among 110 male medical school faculty (MSF), 229 physicians (67% male), 1130 medical students (46% male), and 73 female nursing students.