Maternal and child health services during COVID-19 in India: Highlighting the role of primary care physicians in maintaining continuum of care.

Background: This study aims to address the lack of substantial evidence regarding the effect of COVID-19 on maternal and child health (MCH) services in India and also highlight the role of primary care physicians in maintaining essential services during a pandemic. While studies conducted worldwide and in India have examined the effects of COVID-19 on these services, a significant gap in robust evidence remains.

Methods: Forty-two districts were selected randomly from seven regional states of India.

Association of Self-reported Depressed Mood and Alcohol or Tobacco Use Among Older Adults in India: A Study Based on Longitudinal Aging Study India Wave-1.

Background: Little information exists about the association between alcohol and tobacco use and self-reported depressed mood, such as feeling sad, blue, or depressed days (SBDD), among older adults in India.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between alcohol and tobacco use and self-reported depressed mood with SBDD among older adults in India.

Methods: This study uses the Longitudinal Aging Study India (LASI) Wave 1 dataset of 10,487 respondents identified with self-reported mood disorders with SBDD.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer: Current knowledge and future perspectives.

MDSCs (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) are crucial for immune system evasion in cancer. They accumulate in peripheral blood and tumor microenvironment, suppressing immune cells like T-cells, natural killer cells and dendritic cells. They promote tumor angiogenesis and metastasis by secreting cytokines and growth factors and contribute to a tumor-promoting environment.

Factors Associated with Hospital Length of Stay among VTE Cases: Insights from the i-RegVed Registry.

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a multifactorial condition and one of the leading causes of mortality and disability. The present study explores the factors associated with hospitalization duration among different types of venous thromboembolism diagnoses, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and other forms of thrombosis.

Methods: The data included participants with VTE admitted to 13 hospitals within pan-India from June 2022 to December 2023 to the i-RegVed registry, where socio-demographic data, clinical history, and various factors associated with hospital length of stay (LOS) were included for analyses.

Socio-ecological predictors of dengue in high incidence area of Delhi, India.

Despite the amplified vector-control measures, sporadic-epidemic outbreaks of dengue incidence occurred in Delhi, intermittently. This study aimed to identify the major individual, household, and community level predictors of dengue cases in the hot-spots of Delhi. Primary survey data was collected from the selected sample of 347 households, at the South- West district of Delhi.

Determinants of malaria prevention and control at household level in Assam: An analysis of data using composite index.

Background: Malaria prevention and control is a major public health problem of tropical countries including India. Usage of insecticide-treated bed nets, and early treatment especially in high-risk areas are the crucial factors for the malaria prevention at household levels. This study aimed to determine the crucial factors associated with malaria prevention at households' level such as household's characteristics, education, knowledge and awareness, insecticide treated bed nets usage, early treatment etc.

Hospitalisation expenditure on tuberculosis among tribal populations in India: A repeated cross-sectional analysis of national sample survey data, 2004 to 2018.

Objective: Tribal population in India (8.6% of the total population) have a greater prevalence of tuberculosis compared to the national average. The article aims to study out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE), hardship financing, and impoverishment effects of TB hospitalisation treatment among tribal populations in India.

Determinants of depression in Indian tribal adults: Evidence from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India Wave-I survey.

Background Objectives: The tribal populations are vulnerable to mental health issues owing to various reasons. However, limited research has been conducted to assess depression and related determinants among tribal adults aged ≥45 yr (45 years and older). The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and sociodemographic and health determinants of depressive symptoms among the scheduled tribe (ST) population aged ≥45 yr in India.

The Development of a Clinical Registry Digital Database on Invasive Fungal Infections in India: Advancing Epidemiological Understanding and Patient Care.

A well-structured digital database is essential for any national priority project as it can provide real-time data analysis and facilitate quick decision making. In recent times, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have emerged as a significant public health challenge in India, affecting vulnerable population, including immunocompromised individuals. The lack of comprehensive and well-structured data on IFIs has hindered efforts to understand their true burden and optimize patient care.

Trends in age of tobacco use initiation over time in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan: analysis of cross-sectional nationally representative surveys.

Objective: Tobacco use begins at an early age and typically leads to a long-term addiction. The age of initiation for tobacco use is not well studied in South Asia, where 22% of tobacco smokers and 81% of smokeless tobacco (SLT) users reside.

Methods: Data from the nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Surveys in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan were analysed to examine patterns of initiation among smokers and smokeless tobacco users.

Factors associated with stigma and manifestations experienced by Indian health care workers involved in COVID-19 management in India: A qualitative study.

Healthcare personnel who deal with COVID-19 experience stigma. There is a lack of national-level representative qualitative data to study COVID-19-related stigma among healthcare workers in India. The present study explores factors associated with stigma and manifestations experienced by Indian healthcare workers involved in COVID-19 management.

Measuring the financial impact of disabilities in India (an analysis of national sample survey data).

Background: People with disabilities are vulnerable because of the many challenges they face attitudinal, physical, and financial. The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2006) recognizes that Persons with Disabilities are valuable human resources for the country and seeks to create an environment that provides equal opportunities, and protection of their rights, and full. There are limited studies on health care burden due to disabilities of various types.

Gender-dependent multiple cross-phenotype association of interferon lambda genetic variants with peripheral blood profiles in healthy individuals.

Background: Type III interferons (IFN), also called as lambda IFNs (IFN-λs), are antiviral and immunomodulatory cytokines that are evolutionarily important in humans. Given their central roles in innate immunity, they could be influencing other aspects of human biology. This study aimed to examine the association of genetic variants that control the expression and/or activity of IFN-λ3 and IFN-λ4 with multiple phenotypes in blood profiles of healthy individuals.

Risk of secondhand smoke exposure and severity of COVID-19 infection: multicenter case-control study.

Introduction: Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is an established causal risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic lung disease. Numerous studies have evaluated the role of tobacco in COVID-19 infection, severity, and mortality but missed the opportunity to assess the role of SHS. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine whether SHS is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 infection, severity, mortality, and other co-morbidities.

Development of prospective hospital-based venous thromboembolism registry across India: a study protocol.

Introduction: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi has established a nationwide registry 'Indian Registry for Venous Thromoembolism Disorder (i-RegVeD)' for real-time analytics of sociodemographic profile of patients, disease patterns, management strategies, treatment choices and outcomes of patients with venous thromboemobolism (VTE). The purpose is to generate evidence on VTE in order to fill the gaps in the knowledge of the disease across various demographic regions.

Methods And Analysis: This prospective hospital-based registry will be a continuous data collection process on the occurrence and characteristics of VTE from the 16 hospital sites pan India.

Determinants of initiation, continuation and cessation of smokeless tobacco use among pregnant and lactating women: a qualitative study from low-income communities in urban India.

Smokeless tobacco (SLT) consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer and leads to adverse reproductive health outcomes among women and newborns. This study examines the factors associated with initiation, continuation and cessation of SLT use among women in the reproductive age so as to formulate and include prevention and cessation interventions from its inception. The study was conducted in urban low-income communities in India.

Assessment of effectiveness of targeted intervention program under national AIDS control program among injecting drug users across India.

Background: High HIV prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs) remains a cause of concern and are considered key drivers of concentrated epidemic in India. The present paper aims to assess the effectiveness of the targeted intervention (TI) program on the risk behaviors among IDUs across regions of India.

Materials And Methods: This paper used the data from the integrated biological and behavioral surveillance 2014-2015 among the IDUs in India.

How Does Tobacco Use Affect the Cognition of Older Adults? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis Based on a Large-Scale Survey.

Introduction: Tobacco is a well-established risk factor for cancer, but its association with other morbidities needs consideration. The low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) with unprecedented demographic transformation lack evidence on tobacco use and its impact on cognitive health.

Aims And Methods: Using a propensity score matching approach, we utilized data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India.

Gender differences in COVID-19 knowledge, risk perception, and public stigma among the general community: Findings from a nationwide cross-sectional study in India.

Introduction: Individual and community characteristics predictive of knowledge, perception, and attitude on COVID-19, specifically on gender, have not been adequately explored.

Objective: To examine the gender differences in COVID-19 knowledge, self-risk perception and public stigma among the general community and to understand other socio-demographic factors which were predictive of them.

Method: A nationally representative cross-sectional multi-centric survey was conducted among adult individuals(≥18 yrs) from the community member (N = 1978) from six states and one union territory of India between August 2020 to February 2021.

Dealing with infodemic during COVID-19 pandemic: Role of effective health communication in facilitating outbreak response & actions - An ICMR experience.

Objectives: To highlight and assess the impact of intervention tools used by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) against COVID19 associated infodemic in the world's largest democratic country, India.

Study Design: It is a retrospective cross sectional study. The impact of ICMR's multi-pronged strategy to address the infodemic during pandemic has been assessed through analysis of print media reportage and social media engagements.

A comparison of the quality of images of chest X-ray between handheld portable digital X-ray & routinely used digital X-ray machine.

Background & Objectives: Chest X-ray (CXR) is an important screening tool for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Accessibility to CXR facilities in difficult-to-reach and underserved populations is a challenge. This can potentially be overcome by deploying digital X-ray machines that are portable.

Impact of COVID-19 on utilization of maternal and child health services in India: Health management information system data analysis.

Background/objectives: Studies globally have documented the impact of COVID 19 on maternal and newborn health services. This study assesses the impact of COVID-19 on essential maternal and child health (MCH) services in India based on the national Health Management Information System (HMIS).

Methods: Present retrospective study used secondary data analysis upon the routinely collected data accessed from Health Management Information System.