bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IJCM_239A: Health seeking behaviour and its determinants among adult population: a comparative study between urban and rural area of western Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Sulthana Banisha , Gautam Neelam S , Bano Tanveer
Published: April 2024

Background:

Health seeking behaviour is remedial action undertaken by individuals for their health problem or illness. It may vary in rural and urban areas and with different sociodemographic variables. To provide adequate health care services to the community, it is essential to know about their health seeking behaviour and its determinants.

Objectives:

1. To describe health seeking behaviour and determine various factors influencing it among adult population in rural and urban areas of Meerut. 2. To assess their awareness on health insurance policies.

Methodology:

A community based cross-sectional study among adult population was conducted in rural and urban areas of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh from 1st July to 30th September, 2023. Estimated sample size was 200 each from rural and urban areas. Study participants were selected by multistage sampling method. Data collection was done by a pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire.

Results:

Among 400 study participants, 91% in urban and 60% in rural areas showed positive health seeking behaviour. In both areas, most of them preferred public health facilities. Major factor affecting health seeking behaviour in rural area was convenience of approach, while that in urban area was low cost of treatment. Majority rural population was unaware of health insurance policies, while almost half of urban population were aware of it.

Conclusion:

Positive health seeking behaviour and awareness on health insurance policies are seen more in urban area than rural. Awareness programmes on positive health seeking behaviour and health insurance are essential, especially in rural areas.
IJCM_241A: Perception of the effectiveness of small group teaching and didactic classes among Health Science students
Authors: Darshan B B , Tolambiya Kshitiz , Siwach Prateek , Akshaya K M , Krishnan Rahul
Published: April 2024

Background:

The global trend towards the teaching and learning process is becoming more dynamic and interactive compared to traditional didactic lectures. Medical schools are changing their teaching strategies to ensure that students are prepared for lifelong.

Objectives:

To determine the perception of the effectiveness of small group teaching and didactic classes among health science students.

Methodology:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 300 undergraduates of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, and undergraduates of Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 29.0. The results were expressed in the form of tables and graphs.

Results:

Among the BDS students most of them were in the Second year (53.3%) and Third year (28.3%). Around 17% of students preferred SGT as it was an interactive session, 17% preferred it as it helps the application of knowledge and 23% of students chose SGT as it provides them an opportunity to present, and as their confidence 28% favored SGT as it enhances thinking ability 15% selected SGT as was a mode self-learning.

Conclusion:

Most of the undergraduates supported SGT over DIDACTICS. SGTs were found to be the method that provides an opportunity to clear doubts. Under the type of SGTs, many students preferred problem-based learning type, followed by seminars and flip classes.
IJCM_244A: Awareness on breast cancer and its screening methods among the women in urban field practice area, Government Medical College, Siddipet, Telangana.
Authors: Kanmani K , Gayathry D. , Snehika A , Sreenivas G.
Published: April 2024

Background:

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer worldwide including India, where advanced stages at diagnosis, and rising incidence and mortality rates, make it essential to understand cancer literacy in women. An understanding of the awareness and predictors of breast examination is an important first step that may guide the design of interventions aimed at raising awareness across the general population.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the level of awareness related to breast cancer risk factors, signs, symptoms, and methods of screening among women residing in the study area.

Methodology:

A cross-sectional study was conducted during October 2023 - November 2023 among women residing in the urban field practice study area in Siddipet. A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, questions related to awareness of breast cancer, and various screening methods was administered to 225 women in the study area.

Results:

The study showed an overall knowledge level of 35.00% regarding breast cancer. Participants had average knowledge about risk factors, signs, and symptoms, whereas their awareness on various screening methods was weak.

Conclusion:

The current study concluded that public awareness of breast cancer remains relatively low, and still needs several public awareness initiatives using mass media, such as television, Internet, and social media. Indian breast cancer patients present with advanced disease stage and have numerous poor prognostic factors, hence knowledge regarding the prevalence of risk factors was necessary. Many women, once aware, state that they would be interested in taking preventative therapy when they feel the timing is more appropriate for them. Dedicated breast health clinics, providing information about preventative therapy, and risk-reducing lifestyle changes could empower women to make personalized choices. These could be cost-effective when comparing costs of a specialist consultation with the costs of potential breast cancer therapy and psychological harm caused by breast cancer.
IJCM_255A: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of No-Scalpel Vasectomy among married men attending a rural health facility in Kundrathur, Chennai
Authors: Karunya M , Kumar Thirumalai PR
Published: April 2024

Background:

Male sterilisation, i.e., Vasectomy is one of the safest and most effective contraceptive methods as it has very low complication and failure rates. According to the NFHS-5 data, the male sterilisation rates in India and Tamil Nadu are about 0.3% and 0.1% respectively. Though there is sufficient knowledge on the effectiveness of No-scalpel vasectomy, there is lack of acceptance of male sterilisation as a permanent method of contraception

Objective:

To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of No-scalpel Vasectomy among married men of Kundrathur, Chennai

Methodology:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 116 married men between 22 to 60 years of age, attending the Upgraded Primary Health Centre, Kundrathur by consecutive sampling. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess their knowledge and practice. Attitude was measured using 4-point Likerts scale. Data was analysed using SPSS software version 21

Results:

Among the 112 participants who consented to participate in the study, 82 i.e., 73.2% of them were aware of vasectomy and the most common source of information was Mass media (51.2%). 74.2% agreed that contraception was not the sole responsibility of a wife, yet 48.2% of them disagreed that men should undergo vasectomy. The most perceived barrier for non-acceptance of vasectomy was Lack of awareness (33%), followed by Impotency following vasectomy (13.4%) and â€œInability to do heavy work following vasectomy (12.5%). None of the participants (0%) underwent vasectomy, whereas 57.1% were willing to undergo, and 61.6% were willing to recommend the same to others.

Conclusion:

There seems to be a huge gap between the knowledge, attitude and practice of No-Scalpel Vasectomy among the study population. Thus, intense behavioural change communication should be advocated to increase the awareness and decrease the misconceptions regarding Vasectomy.
IJCM_257A: Effect of quality of sleep on anxiety and cognitive functions in medical students
Authors: Darshan B B , Chawla Sanchita , Stephen Jacob , Chandila Rupesh , Jose Joyel
Published: April 2024

Background:

In human life, periods of activity and rest alternate. To survive, human beings need to work and every day properly we need sleep. The quality of sleep strongly influences psychological and physical health and other measures of well-being.

Methodology:

This was a cross-sectional study done in Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore among 300 medical undergraduate students using a questionnaire that consisted of general participant information and PSQI to assess the quality of sleep, GAD-7 scale to assess the level of anxiety, need for cognition scale. The results were expressed in the form of tables and graphs using SPSS V 25.0. The association between quality of sleep and anxiety was analyzed by using the Chi-square test and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Out of the total 300 students, 106(35.5%) of the students had good quality sleep,112(37.3%) of them had minimal anxiety, 92(30.7%) had mild anxiety,57(19%) had severe anxiety and 39(13%) had moderate anxiety. It was seen that there is an increased number of students with mild, moderate, and severe anxiety among poor-quality sleepers than those with good-quality sleep.

Conclusion:

Most of the medical undergraduate students have poor- quality sleep. Students with poor-quality sleep have increased anxiety levels compared to those with good-quality sleep. The cognitive function in students with poor quality of sleep is found to be higher than those with good-quality sleep.
IJCM_261A: Reaching the unreachable: An outreach based approach of IGMC Shimla to organise Ayushmann Health Melas/ Camps at Secondary level facilities in 03 districts of Shimla, Solan and Bilaspur in vicinity of the college
Authors: Sharma Archit , Sachdeva Amit
Published: April 2024

Background:

Soul of India lives in its villages with >65% population living in rural settings. Saturation of all services especially Health services is at core of “leave no one behind” in line with principle of ‘Antyodaya’ reaching out at all. To build momentum with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana Ayushman Health Camps were organised by IGMC Shimla at secondary level facilities under flagship campaign Ayushman Bhavah

Objective:

Evaluation of health care services delivered by IGMC Shimla in Ayushmann Health Melas at secondary level facilities of 03 districts of Himachal Pradesh.

Methodology:

Ayushman Melas organised by IGMC Shimla at secondary level facilities from September 2023 to December 2023 in 03 districts Shimla (25); Solan (12) and Bilaspur (13) for providing clinical services to beneficiaries. Real time portal based reporting and analysis of same alongwith specialitywise footfallbifurcation is core.

Results:

As per Real time-based portal report analysis a footfall of 10379 registered out of which 9055 (87.24%) availed specialists services and 1324(12.74%) general physician services. A net of 2672 (29.5%) beneficiaries availed internal medicine specialist services, 458 (5.05%) surgical, 1619 (17.87%) orthopaedics, 772 (8.52%) obstetrics and gynaecology, 1460 (16.12%) Opthalmology, 698 (7.7%) Otorhinolaryngology, 152 (1.67%) psychiatry, 493 (5.44%) dermatology and 731 (8.07%) paediatric services respectively. 1012(9.75%) new diagnosed Hypertensives and 945 (9.10%) new diagnosed Diabetics, 1492 14.37%) beneficiaries screened for Oral Cancers, 804 (7.75%) for breast cancers and 468 (4.5%) for cervical Cancers. 299 (2.88%) new diagnosed cataract cases. 10379 beneficiaries were tested for 11102 tests (106.96%).

Conclusion:

Comprehensive health care service delivery by camps to unreachable for screening, diagnosis, one stop multi-speciality consultancy, referral and digitalisation of health vitals.
IJCM_269A: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of artificial intelligence in medical field among Undergraduate and Postgraduate medical students in Tamil Nadu: A cross-sectional online survey.
Authors: Sreeram M. , Chitra A
Published: April 2024

Background:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the health care has gained attention worldwide due to its potential to revolutionize health care delivery, improve diagnostics, and enhance patient outcomes. AI has the potential to address challenges in Indian health care sector like shortage of workforce by providing decision support, automating repetitive tasks, and improving diagnostic accuracy.

Objective:

To assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Artificial Intelligence in health care among Undergraduate and Postgraduate medical students in Tamil Nadu.

Methodology:

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 200 undergraduate and postgraduate medical students over a period of 2 months (Sept to Oct 2023). Data collection was done using Google form which comprises of a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire and statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 21.

Results:

Out of 200 participants, 94 (47%) were Undergraduates and 106 (53%) were Postgraduates. In total 123 (61.5%) had good knowledge, 190 (95%) had positive attitude and 61 (30.5%) had good practice towards Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. Postgraduates had better knowledge and practice than undergraduates

Conclusion:

A majority of the participants displayed good knowledge and positive attitude towards Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. Notably, postgraduates outperformed undergraduates, suggesting the need for tailored educational interventions. While AI training in the curriculum remains limited, the high willingness to engage with AI in the future underscores its potential for transformative impact in healthcare.
IJCM_274A: “Knowledge, attitude, practice regarding preventive measures; stigma and risk perception of covid 19 among the residents in the rural field practice area of a teaching hospital in Mangaluru”
Authors: Salim Saniya K. , Badiger Sanjeev , Sushantha  , Backerk Shazamaboo
Published: April 2024

Background:

The success of battle against COVID 19 depends on public adherence towards infection control measures, which is greatly affected by their knowledge, attitude, and practices towards the COVID 19 pandemic.

Objectives:

Among the residents in the rural field practice area of a teaching hospital in Mangaluru:- 1) To assess knowledge, attitude, practice regarding preventive measures of COVID 19. 2) To assess stigma and risk perception of COVID 19.

Methodology:

A community based cross sectional study, by house-to-house visit was conducted among 323 participants residing in the rural field practice area of A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Mangaluru. Multistage sampling was adopted. Details regarding socio-demographic characteristics; knowledge, attitude, practice regarding preventive measures of COVID 19; risk perception and stigmatizing behavior was collected. Analysis was done using SPSS trial version 28.

Results:

61% of participants were male; 27% had primary education and 33.1% were unemployed. Mass media was the most common source of COVID 19 related information. The knowledge of preventive measures of COVID 19 was good in 97.5% of the participants. 98.1% had positive attitude towards the preventive measures of COVID 19. The practice of preventive measures of COVID 19 good in 63.5%. 87.6% had taken two dose of COVID 19 vaccine. Low risk perception was seen in 96% and 83.6% had low stigmatizing behavior towards COVID 19. Gender was significant predictor of attitude scores. Age, gender, educational status, occupation status, type of family was the significant predictor of practices scores.

Conclusion:

Majority of the participants had good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice of preventive measures of COVID 19. As a result of effective IEC effort by different authorities is reaching rural part of India, people are aware of the preventive measures, has positive attitude about it and are practicing them.
IJCM_275A: Implementation of WHO recommended 4-Symptom Screening Tool for tuberculosis in Northern India
Authors: Sharma Mohit , Arora Rajiv , Moudgil Tania , Soni Sandeep , Kapoor Kailash
Published: April 2024

Background:

World Health Organization (WHO) suggests using symptom- based screening tools to improve early detection of tuberculosis (TB). The WHO recommended 4-symptom screening (W4SS) is one such tool. Although, found to be effective in screening TB among HIV patients, its implementation among general patients have not been well-studied.

Objectives:

To assess the predictive value of W4SS in TB screening among outpatients and inpatients in North India.

Methodology:

A prospective cohort study starting July 1, 2023 included patients in the outdoor or indoor of any department (except Chest TB). Patients were screened with W4SS (cough > 2 weeks, fever > 2 weeks, significant weight loss, night sweats). A presumptive TB case (presence of any one symptom), was further examined by the Chest TB consultant, completing the diagnostic algorithm as per National Tuberculosis Elimination Program guidelines for final diagnosis. Data were collected using a semi-structured study proforma and analysed using JAMOVI version 2.0, an open-source software for statistical analysis.

Results:

During 5 months of data collection, 8609 patients were screened for TB using the W4SS. Of these, 201 (2.3%) were W4SS positive, and of W4SS positive, 25 had confirmed diagnosis of TB. The positive predictive value of W4SS was 12.4% (95% confidence interval 10.9% to 14.1%). Among W4SS positive patients, being unmarried (p value < 0.05), uneducated (p value < 0.05), family history of TB (p value < 0.01), fever (p value < 0.01), significant weight loss (p value < 0.01) and night sweats (p value < 0.01) were significantly associated with final diagnosis of TB. Age, gender, employment and presence of cough were not significantly associated with confirmed diagnosis of TB among W4SS positive patients.

Conclusion:

W4SS in its present form has limited usability in screening general patients for TB. A multi-centric study is required to improve the scale.
IJCM_282A: Knowledge, attitude and practices towards food labelling and its use among health care students of Mangalore
Authors: Baig Adnan , Koippallil Jacob Sajan , Gautam Sreehari K.J. Pallavi , Sharath N , Majeed Farzana Abdul , Kumar Nithin , Rekha T , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Mithra Prasanna , Holla Ramesh
Published: April 2024

Background:

Food labelling plays a crucial role in informing consumers about the nutritional content of prepackaged food items, aiding them in making informed choices for their diet and health. However, the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food labelling among healthcare students, particularly medical and dental students, remain understudied. Understanding these aspects is essential given the increasing consumption of prepackaged foods, especially among the youth.

Methodology:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and dental students at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) and Manipal College of Dental Sciences (MCODS), Manipal University, Mangalore. A total of 191 undergraduate students participated in the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire covering aspects related to knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding food labeling and nutritional content. The questionnaire was administered after obtaining informed consent, and data were analyzed using SPSS v17.0.

Results:

The study found that the majority of students had moderate knowledge about food labelling and its nutritional applications. While most students reported reading food labels before purchasing prepackaged items, the most sought-after products were snacks like chips and aerated drinks. However, time constraints were cited as a significant hindrance to reading labels. Despite favourable attitudes towards food labelling, a low proportion of students reported changing their food preferences based on label information.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the study highlights the need for educational programs to enhance students’ knowledge about nutrition and food libelling. Additionally, there is a call for clearer and more informative libelling practices to empower consumers to make healthier food choices. Awareness programs targeting students can play a pivotal role in emphasizing the importance of food labels in promoting a balanced diet and overall well-being.
IJCM_283A: Clinico-demographic profile of patients attending anti retroviral therapy centre in a tertiary care hospital: a cross -sectional study
Authors: Hashmi Syed Sohaib , Abedi Ali Jafer , Mehnaz Aligarh Saira , Ansari M. Athar , Beg Mujahid , Zubair Mohd. Yasir
Published: April 2024

Background:

HIV is a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.4 million lives so far globally. In India the estimated number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) is 2.5 million (WHO, 2022). For planning targeted interventions, it is essential to know the socio-demographic and clinical profile of the HIV/AIDS patients in any particular area. Objectives: To study the socio-demographic and clinical profile of PLHIV attending anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre of J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh (U.P.).

Methodology:

This is a cross sectional study and data was accessed from routine records at ART centre, JNMCH, AMU, Aligarh. Records of 370 PLHIV aged =18 years attending the antiretroviral clinic were studied and analyzed. Socio-demographic characteristics, risk behaviours and laboratory investigations were studied. Anemia was defined according to WHO criteria. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. P value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

Mean age of the patients was 33.6 + 10.1 years and 60.8% of them were males. Majority of the patients belonged to rural areas (60.5%). Sexual route was the most common (69.5%) mode of transmission; among which heterosexual route was the commonest (96.1%). CD4 count was found to be less than 200 cells/mm3 in 22.2% of patients. Anemia was present in 67.3% of patients, among which moderate anemia was commonest (50.2%). Prevalence of anemia was significantly higher in females (83.4%) than males (56.9%) (p<0.001) and in rural population (71.9%) than urban population (60.3%) (p=0.02).

Conclusion:

Majority of patients were males and belonged to rural areas. Commonest mode of transmission was sexual route. Thus, IEC activities should be targeted to these particular groups and knowledge regarding safe sexual practices should be given particularly in rural areas. Prevalence of anemia is very high in PLHIV. Targeted interventions aiming to prevent anemia in PLHIV should be strengthened.
IJCM_295A: Long term infested rabies – A case report
Authors: Shetty Pavanchand H
Published: April 2024

Introduction:

Rabies a zoonotic viral infection continues to be major public health problem majorly in parts of Africa and India. Rabies in majority of cases is fatal and the incubation period is between 20 and 90 days. The patient even if he survives had poor functional outcomes. The strategies adopted by the government and health administrators even though in place may not be enough to prevent the disease as we keep getting cases of rabies.

Case Report:

The case is of a 31-year-old male with a history of dog bite injury 1 year back. However, the patient was asymptomatic for the following year. The patient had no history of treatment and vaccination. Symptoms started a year later with the patient complaining of lower limb stiffness and developing hydrophobia. The patient succumbed after 10 days of treatment at hospital.

Discussion:

Rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal and without critical care they die within 2 to 3 days of admission. There are rare cases of survival from rabies which are miniscule. People who are vaccinated may develop high concentration of neutralizing antibodies to suppress the disease. Currently there are no antiviral for treatment of rabies and vaccination is the only known preventive method. In the normal circumstances incubation period is within 3 months. But the possibility of late presentations should be kept in mind as evidenced in this case where the patient developed the disease after 1 year. This is a rare occurrence and would not have been suspected if not for the history of dog-bite and confirmatory findings on autopsy.
IJCM_3A: Child Sex Ratio – Declining trend and it’s determinants: a qualitative community- based study in a selected urban primary care setting, Puducherry.
Authors: Bindhya K , Jalyalakshmy  , Mahadevan D
Published: April 2024

Background:

Child sex ratio (CSR) is defined as the number of females consistent with thousand males in the age group of zero to six years. This serves as a valuable indicator for measuring socio-economic development in a particular region.

Objective:

To understand community perspectives on gender preference at birth and its potential influence on the decreasing Child Sex Ratio in a selected urban primary care setting in Puducherry, aiming to identify key determinants contributing to the observed declining trend.

Methodology:

A qualitative study was conducted among residents of the 4 wards under the care of JIPMER Urban Health Centre, Puducherry. Participants were purposively selected among mothers, family members attending well baby clinic at the centre and frontline health workers. Two FGDs involving 8-10 participants were conducted till saturation of information is achieved. Collected data was transcribed in verbatim format. Descriptive manual content analysis was conducted to draw the categories and themes.

Results:

The qualitative study on Child Sex Ratio revealed that there is a prevailing inclination towards expecting female children. Moreover, the study found no evidence of gender selection practices at present. Participants mentioned awareness of schemes such as “CM Cares for the empowerment of newborn girl child” as contributing factors to these attitudes and behaviors. Gender revealment is found inadvertently in government and private hospitals in the studied population.

Conclusion:

The study region exhibits a declining CSR, and there is no evidence of gender selection practices at present in the selected region. While improving female literacy and economic standing is essential, it alone is insufficient for enhancing the overall life prospects of female children.
IJCM_30A: A mixed methods study to assess the contributory factors to anaemia among adolescent girls studying in tribal schools in a rural area of Maharashtra
Authors: Shinde Shwetangi , Sadawarte Deepika , Shet Neha , Singh Vijaykumar
Published: April 2024

Background:

Anaemia is prevalent globally, notably in marginalized adolescent girls. NFHS-5 reports 59.1% anaemia in Indian adolescent girls. Tribal communities face unique health challenges due to their sociocultural dynamics. The national program for anaemia addresses this, but its implementation in contexts like tribal areas is unexplored. This study integrates quantitative and qualitative data for a thorough understanding of anaemia and its control in tribal settings.

Objectives:

1. To estimate the prevalence of anaemia in tribal adolescent girls 2. To explore the awareness of anaemia in tribal adolescent girls 3. To understand the challenges in the implementation of an anaemia control program in a tribal setting

Methodology:

This 6-month mixed methods study assessed anaemia prevalence among adolescent girls in tribal schools. Using complete enumeration, a 200-sample size was determined, with obtained informed consent and assent. Adolescent girls were administered a questionnaire in their local language to collect information on their socio-demographic status and anaemia-related habits like diet and handwashing among others. Haemoglobin levels were measured using a digital haemoglobinometer. Focus Group Discussions with willing girls explored their understanding of anaemia, its causes and complications. Forced field analysis for ASHA and Anganwadi workers and certain Key Informant Interviews were conducted. Data was collected until saturation. Ethical approval with confidentiality was ensured.

Results:

The prevalence of anaemia was 70%, indicating a severe public health concern. Among these, 57.1% had mild, 34.3% had moderate, and 8.6% had severe anaemia. Anaemia in girls was statistically associated with specific food groups and habits. Low awareness of anaemia and operational issues in the control program were also identified.

Conclusion:

To enhance adolescent awareness of anaemia, efforts to improve their understanding of the condition and its impact are necessary. This research is vital for informing policymakers and health practitioners in refining interventions for this specific demographic in Maharashtra.
IJCM_305A: Forecasting Dengue and Chikungunya incidence using Time Series Analysis Modelling
Authors: Sandhiya V. , Konduru Rajesh Kumar , Manikandan
Published: April 2024

Background:

In recent years, the rise in vector-borne diseases, particularly Dengue and Chikungunya, has posed a significant public health challenge globally. Epidemiological data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) is a useful resource for forecasting and early outbreak identification by applying effective models like Sessional Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) models has proven effective in capturing temporal dependencies in various fields.

Objective:

To forecast the dengue and chikungunya cases in India using Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average models.

Methodology:

we preprocessing the IDSP dataset to extract relevant temporal patterns and trends. Subsequently, SARIMA models are applied to capture the time dependent dynamics of disease occurrences. The model’s performance is evaluated through rigorous validation processes, including cross-validation techniques, to ensure its reliability and generalizability.

Results:

This study considered a secondary data set of weekly dengue and chikungunya cases over the period of 2019 to 2023. The time plot shows several spikes in the data, indicating periods where the number of dengue cases increased significantly in the most recent years. Forecast of the future dengue and chikungunya cases was done for the next one year (2024). we observed that the number of dengue and chikungunya cases has fluctuated over time but has generally remained within a certain range. The forecast predicts a significant increase in cases as we move towards the latter half of 2024, with a very sharp spike towards the end of the forecast period.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, utilizing a secondary dataset spanning from 2019 to 2023, this study employed time series analysis to forecast future Dengue and Chikungunya cases. The forecast predicts a significant increase in dengue cases during 2024 which can lead to potential implications for public health practitioners, policymakers, and researchers involved in infectious disease management.
IJCM_309A: Epidemiological Trends, Clinical Features, and Outcomes in Scrub typhus patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Odisha
Authors: Bhowmick Sneha , Mohapatra Ipsa , Panigrahi Kumudini , Das Adrita
Published: April 2024

Background:

Scrub typhus is an emerging public health threat in South-Asian countries; with the growing number of cases in India, an understanding of local patterns of disease and factors that place individuals at risk is pivotal to future preventive measures.

Objective:

To analyze the epidemiological features- annual number of cases, age distribution, sex distribution, and seasonal distribution over the four years. To find out the clinical profile, laboratory features and outcomes of cases of scrub typhus, and to identify the predictors of disease severity.

Methodology:

A comprehensive retrospective review of scrub typhus cases reported over a 4-year period (2019-2023) was done, with a monthly trend of patients admitted. Data was collected from the case records of patients for demographic characteristics, clinical features, treatment, and outcomes, length of stay (LOS), complications, and mortality. Data was presented in frequencies and proportions, odds ratio (OR) was calculated and a p-value of

Results:

A total of 886 cases were reported over the four-years. There was a declining epidemiological trend in 2020-21 and then an increasing one. Scrub typhus cases exhibited seasonality, with a peak incidence during winter season. Males were more commonly affected (58.01%), and the age group most susceptible was 19-64 years (52.22%), followed by one-month to 18years (32.22%). Clinical presentations typically included fever (96%), eschar formation (8%) and rash (8%). Complications like pneumonia (13.88%) and AKI (11.73%), were observed in a significant proportion of cases. Mortality was reported in 4.40% of cases. Altered sensorium, deranged LFT, hypotension requiring ionotropic support, requirement of ventilatory support predicted poor outcome.

Conclusion:

Scrub typhus was seen to cause a multi-system infection among the studied population, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The conditions found associated with poor outcome and mortality can be used as risk factor predictors and help patient management.
IJCM_317A: The quality of news reports on violence against health workers in India
Authors: George Sylvia , Giri Anjan Kumar
Published: April 2024

Background:

The Indian Medical Association report from 2015 states that around 75% of doctors had faced violence at the workplace. One of the major contributory factors to such assaults is the public conscience against healthcare workers. An improper understanding of the purpose and functions of emergency care and outpatient facilities also adds to the bitterness. The media, especially online has a great influence over them. Inadequate, unscientific, and very often emotional reporting of medical news will not help the frontline workers in peaceful and resource-effective productivity.

Objective:

To examine the quality of reporting of news articles on violence against health workers in India.

Methodology:

A cross-sectional study to examine the quality of news articles on violence against healthcare workers published online in the past three years based on the guidelines from the Independent Press Standards Organisation, UK and Press Council of India’s Norms 2022. Articles in English, Hindi, and other regional languages that the authors had expertise in were selected. The data was collected using Google Forms and analysed in Google Sheets.

Results:

The majority of the articles did not mention the illness and medical management done, while the chronology of the violent incidents was adequately mentioned. Almost 50% of the articles did not mention any witness interviews. One-third of the articles did not mention the date of incidence. One-fourth of the articles, mostly regional language articles used clickbait keywords in the articles. Most of the articles did not give any follow-up reports on the news.

Conclusion:

There is a huge gap in adequate and unbiased reporting on the incidents of violence against healthcare workers among the online media.
IJCM_324A: Self-Compassion and its Association with Resilience among Senior Nursing Students in Rural Area of Singur, West Bengal
Authors: Siware Narayani , Paul Bobby
Published: April 2024

Background:

Self-compassion involves showing kindness to oneself during times of suffering. In nursing, students face diverse challenges; resilience helps them to serve compassionate care for the community & to themselves.

Objectives:

To measure the self-compassion and resilience among final year ANM nursing students and to find the association between these two and with other stress factors.

Methodology:

An Institution-based observational study with Mixed Method study (QUAN + qual) design, was conducted from July to December 2023 among final year ANM students of a selected college in rural area of Singur, West Bengal, comprising a Cross-sectional quantitative part and qualitative part conducted through key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders until data saturation is achieved. 190 students participated via census method. Self- compassion and resilience were measured using Neff’s and Connor Davidson’s scales. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS 16, while qualitative analysis is ongoing. Ethical approval was obtained from AIIH&PH, Kolkata’s Institutional Ethics Committee.

Results:

The median age of participants was 22 with IQR of (22, 25), 42.8% students belong to middle class according to modified BG Prasad scale, 66.3% students were unmarried. According to the mean score of Neff’s self- compassion scale 27.8% students showed low levels of self-compassion while 43.7% scored moderate self-compassion level. The mean score of resilience was 21.5, where 55.06% students scored less then mean resilience score which shows low resilience among students. We found strong positive correlation between Self compassion and resilience (Spearmann’s rho = 0.738, p = 0.000).

Conclusion:

In demanding professions like nursing, self-compassion and resilience are vital. Embracing self-compassion addresses self-doubt, while resilience facilitates navigating challenges independently, fostering self- healing.
IJCM_33A: Comprehensive Women’s Wellness and Family Welfare Clinic: A Promising Approach for Holistic Healthcare in PGIMER Satellite Sangrur, Punjab
Authors: Jindal Har Ashish , Sharma Bharti , Kaur Navdeep , Upadhyay Nisha , Tailor Pooja
Published: April 2024

Background:

Women’s health disparities, often rooted in sociocultural discrimination, prompted the establishment of the ‘Women’s Wellness and Family Welfare Clinic.’

Objective:

The objective of this clinic was to address the adolescents and women-related issues, screening, counselling, mental health, diet and nutrition and, family planning services under one roof.

Methodology:

The initiative was launched in September 2023 with collaborative efforts between the Department of Community Medicine & SPH and the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at the PGIMER satellite center in Sangrur, Punjab. The clinic comprehensively, recorded socio-demographic profiles, clinical histories and various health dimensions, including physical parameters, mental well-being, social factors, NCD risks, and family planning. Positive screening results prompted referrals for further evaluation.

Results:

A total of 252 participants underwent screening, of whom 98 (38.9%) were aged 30-39, 32 (12.7%) were planning pregnancy, and 146 (57.6%) were using contraception, with tubal ligation being a prevalent choice 64 (43.4%). Beyond gynaecological concerns, participants reported chronic lower backache (59; 23.4%) and numbness of hands or feet (56; 22.2%) as common symptoms. More than one-third, 96 (39.09%), were found to be at risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with 19 (7.5%) having hypertension, 10 (3.9%) with pre- diabetes/diabetes, and 5 (2%) presenting with breast lumps. Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) revealed a 1.2% positivity rate among 117 participants. However, 161 (63%) participants had a BMI over 25, and 121 (48%) consumed fried snacks daily. Domestic abuse was reported by a mere 2 (0.4%) participants, shedding light on the clinic’s potential role in uncovering hidden health issues.

Conclusion:

The success of this initiative underscores the feasibility of the model wellness clinic in an evolving phase of satellite centre. By offering comprehensive health assessments and facilitating timely referrals, the clinic stands as a promising approach to enhance early detection and treatment, contributing to the holistic well-being of women.
IJCM_336A: Academic burnout and coping: A questionnaire based cross-sectional study among undergraduate students of a medical college in western Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Batra Shubhali , Bano Tanveer , Jain Seema , Singh Ganesh , Kumar Sanjeev , Gautam Neelam S
Published: April 2024

Background:

Academic burnout is a significant concern in undergraduate medical students due to the demanding nature of their coursework, clinical responsibilities, and the pressure to excel in their studies. Medical students, in particular, are believed to be more stressed and burnt out than their non-medical peers. Academic burnout can affect medical students academic performance and psychological well-being. Coping strategies are essential for students to manage stress and attempts are being made to control and mitigate the same.

Objective:

1) To assess the prevalence of academic burnout among undergraduate medical students; 2) To find out coping mechanisms adopted by the students.

Methodology:

This is a cross-sectional anonymous survey, medical students were recruited from four professional MBBS groups. Based on prevailing prevalence of burnout (16.84%), sample size calculation was done, which came out to be 216; which was rounded off to 220. The 220 completed questionnaires were collected and included in analysis. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and Brief COPE questionnaire were used. Sociodemographic profile was assessed by semi-structured proforma.

Results:

High emotional exhaustion was present in nearly 35% of the students while low professional efficacy over 65% of them reported. However, majority of them practiced active coping. The data is still being analysed for final findings.

Conclusion:

As concluded, majority of the students reported high academic burnout and low professional efficacy. For coping, most of them adapted active coping while substance use was less commonly used.
IJCM_337A: Prevalence Of Social Anxiety Disorder Among Adolescents In Ernakulam District, Kerala
Authors: Moidu Mufeeda , Mohandas Sreelakshmi
Published: April 2024

Background:

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), a prevalent form of anxiety disorder is a chronic, disabling and treatable one with common onset in adolescence. Individuals experiencing SAD exhibit symptoms of anxiety or fear in circumstances where they could face scrutiny, evaluation, or judgment from others.

Objective:

The primary objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of SAD among adolescents in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The secondary objectives were to compare the prevalence of SAD among urban and rural adolescents and to determine the factors associated with SAD among adolescents in Ernakulam district, Kerala.

Methodology:

School based cross-sectional study was done among 474 students from schools of Ernakulam district, Kerala. Students were enrolled using multi-stage sampling method. A semi structured questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic details and Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) was administered to the participants by face-to-face interview after attaining the necessary assent and consent.

Results:

The overall prevalence of SAD among the study participants was 19.6% with the prevalence of SAD among the urban and rural students being 17.6% and 22.9% respectively. Having to give speeches was the most common phobia in majority (40.9%) of participants. Female sex [aOR=2.02(1.26-3.21); p=0.003] was found to be a determinant of SAD in the study population. Age, type of family, number of family members, place of residency were not statistically associated with SAD in this study

Conclusion:

The current study showed that 1/5th of the study population had social anxiety disorder. With appropriate intervention through health education and psychotherapy, its progression can be effectively impeded.
IJCM_339A: Risk Factors for Spontaneous Intracerebral Haemorrhage in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Mangalore: A Case Control Study
Authors: Mithra Ratnav Singh. Prasanna , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Rekha T , Kumar Nithin , Shankar Siddharth , Shetty Manish , Mendonca Jane , Harwal Ritesh
Published: April 2024

Background:

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is the rupture of an intra- parenchymal vessel resulting in haemorrhage within the brain, often associated with stroke. The study was done to determine the association of intracerebral haemorrhage with duration of hypertension and other lifestyle factors among the adult patients. The study also includes association of the volume of ICH and its determinants related to hypertension.

Methodology:

A Record based Case Control study with cases involving the patient with ICH admitted to study hospital between January 1st 2014 and 31st December 2015 and control involving age and sex matched patients admitted during the study period.

Results:

Of the 118 patients, 41 cases (69.5%) and 12 controls (20.3%) had hypertension, with odds ratio 8.93. 40% of cases were suffering from hypertension for 5 years. 18.6% of ICH patients gave history of tobacco consumption and 30.5% gave history of alcohol consumption. 57.2% and 60% of ICH patients consumed tobacco and alcohol for more than 10 years respectively. Mean volume of intracerebral bleed in patients with hypertension is 12.4ml and without hypertension is 3.45ml. 23 patients had systolic BP more than 140mm of Hg and an average bleed of 10.33ml.

Conclusion:

ICH is the second commonest type of stroke, ischemic being the first one. Hypertension is the risk factor for ICH. Volume of bleed was higher among the patient who were hypertensive for longer duration and who had increased systolic BP.
IJCM_34A: Usage of complementary / alternative medicine (CAM) and perception towards it among cancer patients admitted in tertiary care hospitals
Authors: Pai Gagan A , Lobo Aaron Rolf , Biradar Basavaraj , Kapoor Harshith , Diggi Manjunath , Holla Ramesh , Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran , Rekha T , Motappa Rohith , Rao Mithun
Published: April 2024

Background:

Cancer being a deadly disease, cancer victims face great challenges with respect to their routines, roles and relationships. The usage of other means to cure illness is called complementary and alternative medicine or CAM. This study is done to determine the proportion and usage pattern of CAM for cancer treatment and to assess the perception towards CAM among cancer patients.

Methodologys:

It was a Descriptive cross-sectional study, carried out among cancer patients admitted to tertiary care hospitals attached to a medical college. The interview schedule was prepared which consists of four sections including the socio-demographic details, details about the diagnosis and treatment of cancer among the study participants, details about the usage pattern of Complementary medicine, and the perception of cancer victims towards Complementary medicine for cancer treatment. Data will be entered and analyzed by using the statistical software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11.5.

Results:

Out of 105 participants majority of cancer patients,74 (70%) of them were of the age group between 40- 70 years. 65% of the patients had addictions among which 60 (90.9%) were addicts for more than 10 years. The majority of the patients underwent radiotherapy 85 (81.0%), followed by Chemotherapy 72 (68.6%), The number of patients that have used CAM in our study was found to be 12 (11.4%). Many of them chose Ayurveda as their type of CAM 5 (41.7%) followed by home remedies usage 4 (25%). 39 (38.5%) believe that there should be more evidence that CAM works while 38 (33.8%) don’t need any evidence about it. 45 (42.9%) feel that CAM treatment does not work in the treatment of cancer while 35 (33.3%) remained neutral in this aspect. 85 (81.0%) are satisfied with present cancer treatment. 78 (74.3%) agreed that Modern medicine is most effective for treatment of cancer.

Conclusion:

The usage of CAM in our study was found to be minimal. The majority of the participants are satisfied with modern medicine and most of the patients are satisfied with allopathic treatment.