National Journal of Community Medicine

Permanent URI for this collection

https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/149650

Executive Editor: Dr. Prakash Patel

ISSN: 0976-3325(Print)

Frequency: 4 issues a year

Language: English

Open Access Peer-reviewed journal

Web site: https://www.njcmindia.org/home/

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 220

Prevalence of Stigma Among TB Patients and Its Associated Factors - A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study in Puducherry, India
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Baskaran, L; Vasudevan, K; Anandaraj.
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that has both medical as well as social dimensions. Stigma and associated discrimination experienced by persons affected by TB is a barrier to the interventions towards TB elimination. A better understanding of stigma will improve the effectiveness of the interventions aimed to al-leviate the effects of TB stigma. The objectives were to measure the prevalence of self, anticipated, experi-enced stigma and its associated factors and to explore the impact of tuberculosis related stigma among TB pa-tients. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Puducherry district, Southern India among 420 adult drug sensitive non-HIV TB patients registered under NTEP. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using standardised questionnaire. Results: The mean(±SD) age of the study participants was 44.5 (±15.03) years. Majority were males (267, 63.6%) and were married (330, 78.6%). The prevalence of stigma among TB patients was found to be 69.3%. Perceived stigma was noted in 47.1%, 33.6% had self- stigma and 26.0% had experienced stigma. On measur-ing the impact of stigma, 52.6% reported participation restriction. Illiteracy and lower-socio economic status were found to be significantly associated with TB stigma. Conclusions: Stigma among TB patients was high. Tailored patient-centric interventions to address stigma and discrimination using culturally appropriate and locally available resources are necessary
Self-Measured Blood Pressure and Target Organ Damage in Newly Detected Hypertension in South Gujarat, India
(Medsci Publications, 2023-01) Patel, H; Gagiya, A; Gurjar, V; Patil, C.
Introduction: Blood pressure transient spikes have been considered to be noise and only a hindrance to a proper assessment of typical blood pressure, which is defined as the actual underlying average blood pres-sure over a long period of time. The current study aimed to see if the highest Self measured Systolic blood Pressure could be utilized to forecast the occurrence of Target organ damage and evaluate the independent association between the maximum Self measured Systolic blood Pressure and Target organ damage in indi-viduals with untreated hypertension. Method: We evaluated the urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) using ultrasonography in 462 hypertensive individuals who had never taken treatment for their hypertension. Residential blood pressure was recorded. Result: The maximal Self measured Systolic blood Pressure had considerably higher association coefficients with left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and carotid intima-media thickness than the mean Self measured Sys-tolic blood Pressure. Irrespective of the mean Self measured Blood pressure level, multivariate regression studies showed that the maximal Self measured Systolic blood Pressure was independently related with left ventricular mass index and carotid intima-media thickness. Conclusion: Transiently high blood pressure measurements recorded at Self measured shouldn't be dis-missed as noise but rather taken seriously as significant warning signs of hypertensive Target organ damage in the heart and arteries.
A Study on Assessment of Impact of Home Confinement and Associated Risk Factors During COVID-19 Lockdown Among Disabled Children in Chennai District, Tamil Nadu- A Cross-Sectional Study
(Medsci Publications, 2023-01) BN, S; Balaann, K; Ramachandran, U; VM, AE; RJ, Charulatha; Pragadeesh, P.
Background: Sleep plays an important role in our life. Adolescents undergo several changes with puberty and have a preference for later bedtimes due to internet usage. Evidence shows that many adolescents are not ob-taining the required amounts of sleep (8-10 hours) due to inadequate sleep practices. The objectives of this research were tostudy sleep-pattern among adolescents in Semi urban Coimbatore and also to determine the sleep hygiene practices among the adolescents Methodology: This study is a school based cross-sectional study. A total of 300 adolescents from class VIII to XIIth were selected using simple random sampling. Data was collected from February to May 2018. A struc-tured questionnaire for sleep pattern and Sleep Hygiene Index was used. Results: The adolescents’ mean sleep duration was 7.49 ± 1.12 hours on weekdays and 9.32 ± 1.55 hours on weekends. Mean Sleep Pattern Index (SPI) score was 22.48±6.9 and Mean Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) score was 17.51±6.3 in our study. Conclusions: Majority of the adolescents had moderate scores of sleep pattern and sleep hygiene practices. Interventions directed towards promoting good sleep hygiene strategies are required to improve the physical and emotional health of adolescents.
Association Of Socio-Demographic Determinants with Economic Burden Among Road Traffic Accident Victims: A Longitudinal Study
(Medsci Publications, 2023-01) Chellamuthu, L; Kittu, D; Bahurupi, YA; Vasudevan, K.
Background: RTA are the sixth leading cause of death in India with a greater share of hospitalization, disabili-ties, deaths and socio-economic losses. The study was conducted to assess the socio-demographic determi-nants associated with households’ economic burden among RTA victims. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted for 2 years in Puducherry employing simple random sampling to include 169 accident victims. Baseline data was collected with a semi-structured questionnaire on socio-demographic details, direct and indirect costs towards road traffic injuries. Follow up was at 6th and 12thmonth from the day of accident. Data entry and analysis were performed using Epi-data. Written informed consent from each participant was sought. Ethical clearance received. Results: Mean age of the accident victims was 36.2 (11.4) years. The median (IQR) for direct, indirect and to-tal expenses were INR 1500 (1000-22100), 18000 (2400-46500) and 3000 (1037-47125) respectively. Asso-ciation between the median (IQR) indirect expenses and marital status as well as socio-economic status of vic-tims were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Accident victims and their family faced financial burden, as a large proportion of victims were from productive age group belonging to lower- and middle-class income group
Autism Spectrum Disorders-A Review on The Preventive Aspects
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Barik, S; Patnaik, L; Pattanaik, S.
Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder presenting with defects in social commu-nication skills and repetitive sensory motor behaviour. There has been increasing concern regarding this dis-order due to its increase in incidence and prevalence in recent years. Since it stays for lifelong and has no spe-cific pharmacological treatment, many studies are being conducted to find ways of preventing this disorder. Better understanding of the causative factors will lead to better development of prevention strategies. This review aims at highlighting the methods of prevention of ASD which are mostly focussed on the environmen-tal factors causing ASD as well as the ongoing researches on development of drugs and genetic modification using animal models. Some studies have shown preventive effects of factors such as nutrition supplements such as Vitamin D and folate, breastfeeding and avoiding exposure to harmful chemicals and drugs. The aim is to prevent the occurrence of the disorder and preventing the severity of symptoms wherever possible. Still more studies are needed to establish the exact association between the possible causative factors and ASD so that clinical trials can be done to establish the preventive effects in future.
A Study on Sleep-Pattern and Sleep Hygiene Behaviors Among School Going Adolescents in Semi Urban Coimbatore
(Medsci Publications, 2023-01) Vinodhini, Balamurugan; Saranya, Rajamanickam; Sugunadevi, G; Rathan, Pandiyan; Kadiyala, P; Geetha, A.
Background: Sleep plays an important role in our life. Adolescents undergo several changes with puberty and have a preference for later bedtimes due to internet usage. Evidence shows that many adolescents are not ob-taining the required amounts of sleep (8-10 hours) due to inadequate sleep practices. The objectives of this research were tostudy sleep-pattern among adolescents in Semi urban Coimbatore and also to determine the sleep hygiene practices among the adolescents Methodology: This study is a school based cross-sectional study. A total of 300 adolescents from class VIII to XIIth were selected using simple random sampling. Data was collected from February to May 2018. A struc-tured questionnaire for sleep pattern and Sleep Hygiene Index was used. Results: The adolescents’ mean sleep duration was 7.49 ± 1.12 hours on weekdays and 9.32 ± 1.55 hours on weekends. Mean Sleep Pattern Index (SPI) score was 22.48±6.9 and Mean Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) score was 17.51±6.3 in our study. Conclusions: Majority of the adolescents had moderate scores of sleep pattern and sleep hygiene practices. Interventions directed towards promoting good sleep hygiene strategies are required to improve the physical and emotional health of adolescents.
Equalizing The Third Gender Health a Lived Experience Phenomenological Study - A Qualitative Approach
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Poonguzhali, S; S, K; Arun, Murugan.
Background: The transgender population is a marginalized social group often targeted for mistreatment and discrimination. This study specifically examined the experiences of transgender people across a range of cate-gories such as: education, employment outcomes, health awareness and mental health status. The study aimed to gain an understanding about the respondents’ unique experiences of discrimination being transgender and health awareness. Materials and Methods: The research applied descriptive qualitative phenomenology design. The study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Government Omandurar Medical College and Hospital, Chennai on Trans genders using in-depth interview with an open-ended question semi structured Question-naire after obtaining the informed consent among 4 Transgenders till the data saturation happens. The Tran-scriptions Data were then analyzed using the Colaizzi method. Results: Marginalized socially and economically, Family and peer rejections, Lack of Job opportunities, Con-tinuous rejection and omission leads to Begging and Active Night life (Survival Sex). Health Care Professionals has less knowledge about the transgender health, sex affirmation surgery is still least preferred among doc-tors. NGOs roles are very significant in their quality of life, Periodic medical examination including HIV. Conclusion: Transgender’s and the word are to be transformed as Third Gender. The Social acceptance from the public will do wonders in their life.
Challenges in Obtaining Informed Consent in Qualitative Research and Suggestions to Improve It- A Descriptive Qualitative Study
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) R, S; Dongre, A.
Introduction: The dynamic and flexible nature of qualitative studies is expected to impose new challenges upon the researchers in obtaining informed consent. The study objectives were to explore the challenges per-ceived by the researchers in obtaining informed consent in qualitative research and their suggestions to im-prove it. Material and Methods: It was a descriptive qualitative study in which In-depth interviews were conducted among ten qualitative researchers purposively selected from one medical college in Puducherry. Transcripts prepared from the audio recordings were thematically analyzed manually. Results: The challenges identified were inadequate knowledge of the researcher in designing qualitative con-sent form, reluctance to sign consent document by participant, ensuring confidentiality and risk benefit com-munication. The main suggestions provided by the participants were to use of multimedia tools to improve their understanding and creating a rapport to enhance their trust to participate in the study. Conclusions: Since most of the challenges were related to the reluctance of participants to provide consent due to various reasons and lack of adequate knowledge of the researcher, creating a good rapport with the participants and providing simple information through multimedia approaches and ethical training of qualita-tive researchers will aid us to overcome majority of these challenges.
A Way Forward for A Greener Future – Sustainability in Oral Health Care
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Jangili, HB; Vyas, N.
Oral health professionals promote universal oral health for diseases that are primarily preventable and/or treated in their early stages. The delivery of oral health care, whether through therapeutic interventions, pre-ventive care, or long-term maintenance, causes pollutants and has a significant carbon footprint. Oral health practitioners share a moral obligation to society to offer optimal oral health services, ensure patient safety, and decrease their environmental impact. To ensure the long-term viability of oral healthcare services, all or-ganisations should recognise the critical need to work together to develop knowledge, identify remedial pos-sibilities, and exchange best practices that are environmentally friendly.
An Analysis of The Trend of Incidences and Fatality of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in East Java from 2015-2020: A Lesson From COVID-19
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Setyawan, MF; Mertaniasih, NM; Utomo, B; Soedarsono, S; Adnyana, IMDM; Eljatin, DS; Sumah, LHM; Al, Karina C; Nuha, Z.
Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis is still a public health problem, and surveillance data analysis has not been done much. Recently a global pandemic of COVID-19 has the potential in disturbing TB elimination pro-grams and treatment. This study aims to comprehensively analyse the incidence rate (IR) and Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of pulmonary tuberculosis in East Java from 2015–2020 and during COVID-19 and the strategies for optimizing tuberculosis disease control. Methodology: The study analyzed annual surveillance data using an analytical descriptive design. The Varia-bles were analyzed with Spearman correlation with a level of evidence of 95% (p<0.05). Results: The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in East Java fluctuated from 2015–2020. In 2020 and dur-ing the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cases and morbidity rates increased. Statistic results confirm the presence of a significant correlation between the values of Incidence rate (IR) and Case Fatality rate (CFR) (p = 0.032), IR and Treatment Success Rate (TSR) (p = 0.020), and CFR and TSR (p = 0.002). Population density is not correlated with the number of new cases (p = 0.667). Treatment rates have increased to 51%; cure and treatment rates have decreased to 76% and 89%, respectively, and there was a 4% increase in mortality dur-ing COVID-19. Conclusions: COVID-19 has tremendously affected the treatment of pulmonary TB cases in East Java, Indone-sia by increasing the incidence rate and decreasing the fatality rate. The pandemic promotes fear in the com-munity to check their medical status and improve the quality of their health in East Java.
Effects of Exposure to Incense Smoke Associated with Impaired Lung Function and Respiratory Disease: A Systematic Review
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Mertha, Adnyana IMD; Utomo, B; Dewanti, L; Fauziyah, S; Eljatin, DS; Setyawan, MF; Sumah, LHM; Karina, CA.
The community uses incense (bakhour) through ceremonies, traditional health practices, and aromatherapy. Nevertheless, evidence from experiments and studies of populations suggests that a habit of burning incense makes the lungs work less well. The study investigated the relationship between exposure to incense smoke and impaired lung function and respiratory diseases. Data tracing was carried out systematically following PRISMA guidelines from January to April 2022 and registered in the PROSPERO database. The articles select-ed in this review were cross-sectional, cohort, observational, and experimental studies based on the criteria: (1) animals or humans exposed to incense smoke; (2) exposure to incense smoke which was carried out in-doors or outdoors; (3) the selected articles which were included in the original type of article; (4) the publica-tion year between 2016-2021 and the selected articles entered into reputable journals (Scopus and Web of Science). JBI guidelines and synthesis guidelines without meta-analysis (SWiM) to determine the level of evi-dence and minimize bias and interpretation of results. This study describes respiratory symptoms or diseases, home use of incense, and lung function measurement. Six articles were included; 6 (100%) reported using in-cense indoors, and 5 (83%) reported using incense outside the home. Respiratory symptoms and diseases caused by exposure to incense sticks are 5 (83%) shortness of breath, 6 (100%) wheezing, asthma, and in-flammation of the lungs, 2 (33%) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 4 (67%) allergic rhinitis. In-cense smoke particles decrease lung function based on FVC, FEV, PEFR, and FEF values of 25-75%. The results indicate that smoking incense adversely affects lung function and leads to respiratory diseases. The communi-ty and related parties can minimize and conduct education and prevention related to simultaneous incense exposure in the community to reduce the burden of diseases and disorders due to respiratory incense smoke in areas that use it daily.
Exploring The Relationship Between Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Weight Perception, And Weight Change Behaviour Among University Students in Urban Gujarat, India: A Cross-Sectional Study
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Solanki, R; Shah, H; Prajapati, T.
Background: In the context of the rising trend of overweight and obesity, young people are more concerned about their weight. This study investigates the association between measured Body Mass Index (BMI), self-perception of body weight and weight change behavior among university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed a sample of 415 university students aged 18-23 years residing in urban areas of Anand. Measures included weight, height, BMI, body weight perception and weight change behavior. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, the student’s t-test and Chi-square test. Results: About 36.1% of the participants misclassified their weight category. More women than men felt overweight in relation to their actual body shape. Among normal-weight or underweight BMI participants, 44.4% of females and 31.8% of males were inappropriately trying to lose weight. Conclusions: The study showed a higher prevalence of weight perception and inappropriate weight change behaviour. It also observed that the correct perception of body weight influences the willingness to lose or gain weight. It is important to consider these issues while designing a public health campaign targeting obesi-ty and healthy lifestyles.
Perception and Preparedness of Medical Students Towards the Health Care Needs Of LGBTQIA+ Community: A Cross-Sectional Study in Vadodara, Western India
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Kataria, LL; Kosambiya, RJ; Vankar, GK; Balas, Rohit, N; Vaghela, KN.
Introduction: The legalization of LGBTQIA+ community will bring a new stream of patients and their specific issues to healthcare community. Despite getting their place in society, they face discrimination and stigma from healthcare professionals, which will roadblock them from accessing healthcare. This study aims to doc-ument the perception of upcoming healthcare providers towards the LGBTQIA+ community and their prepar-edness to address their healthcare needs. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey conducted among 299 final MBBS students and Interns during “Pride month” June, 2022. An investigator-designed, validated, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire using Google forms, documented sexual-orientation of participants and their existing knowledge, attitude and prac-tice towards the healthcare needs of LGBTQIA+ community. Results: Total 299 participants were enrolled, having a Response Rate of 94.9% (315 total participants). Pro-portion of female and male was 44.8% and 54.8% as sex (biological) respectively and 54.5% of participants identified themselves as man and 44.8% as woman as gender. Awareness about LGBTQIA+ community was among 98.33% of the participants. Mean Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Scores were 18.4 +2.7, 80.5 +12.4 and 31.4 +5.9, respectively and were positively correlated to each other. Female participants scored signifi-cantly higher, statistically than male participants in knowledge, attitude and practice domains. Conclusion: Despite of good knowledge and positive attitude toward LGBTQIA+ people, pockets of ignorance and discomfort reside among medical undergraduates and interns.
Self-Medication Among Medical Students During the COVID19 Pandemic
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Patel, PA; Zalavadia, J; Prajapati, A; Pavasiya, DJ; Patel, S; Sharma, N; Naik, P.
Introduction: During the different wave of pandemic, due to various reasons self-medication practices among the public increased. Medical students are prone to such practices due to relevant background knowledge, and access to drugs. This study assessed the self-medication practice among the medial students during the different waves of pandemic of south Gujarat. Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted during May to June 2022 through self-administered form among medical students of south Gujarat, India. Study questionnaire included general de-mography; most frequently practice of self-medication. drug and the reason behind it. Result: Out of total 512 respondents, 381 (74.4%) did self-medication during the pandemic. 358 individuals (94.0%) did self-medication at least one drug since the start of pandemic. The most commonly utilizing medi-cines as prophylactic was Ayurvedic preparation, Multivitamins, Zinc and Vitamin C. For treatment of symp-toms during the pandemic paracetamol (650 mg) was frequently used specially for body ache and fever. The main source of information of self-medication was internet. Conclusion: This study depicted common self-medication practices among medical students during the pan-demic. It is a significant health issue especially during the pandemic times, with high consumption reported as a prevention or treating symptoms of COVID-19.
Correlation of Body Mass Index and age with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in elderly of Guwahati City, Assam
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Rajendran, V; Saikia, AM; Bharali, MD.
Introduction: Obesity is on rise globally and may have a impact on cognition. Very limited research was done on the association of weight with neurocognition among the elderly. The study purpose was to determine the correlation between BMI and age with MCI and after stratifying for BMI and socio-demographic characteristics.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 576 elderly (≥60 years) in Guwahati city using a multi-stage sampling technique. Hindi Mini-Mental State Examination (HMMSE) tool was used for screening for dementia and MCI. Results: HMMSE scores were not significantly correlated with BMI (r =0.07). However, when strati-fied, a significantly negative correlation of BMI with HMMSE scores was seen for illiterates (r =-0.21), primary school education (r =-0.48) and unskilled workers (r =-0.49). There was a significant negative correlation between age and cognition for elderly belonging to OBC, (r =-0.21), Lower middle (III), (r =-0.39), Upper Lower (r =-0.17), Lower (V), (r =-0.26), Graduate, Post Graduate,(r = -0.23), Middle School, (r =-0.36), Illiterate, (r =-0.34), Clerical, (r =-0.60), Semi Professional, (r =-0.62), skilled worker (r=-0.68), Unemployed, (r =-0.15) and Obese, (r =-0.30). Conclusion: Various factors like age, category, socioeconomic status, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were found to be predictors of cognition among the elderly.
Screening for Behavioural Abnormality Using Strength & Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) in Children with Epilepsy
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Gandhi, T; surana, A; Desai, V.
Aims: To estimate the problem of behavioural co morbidity and to determine risk factors associated with epi-lepsy in children. Methods: A prospective observational study using Hindi and Gujarati version of Strength & Difficulty ques-tionnaire (SDQ) was conducted. Children aged 6 to 17 years with epilepsy (CWE) as cases & without epilepsy as controls enrolled. Detailed demographic and clinical data were recorded. The total difficulty score and the subscale scores were compared between two groups. Comparison of the scores were done among the children with epilepsy group also. Results: 52 children in each group were included. Self-reported SDQ used in 76% and parent reported SDQ used in 27% participants. Prevalence of behaviour abnormality was 25% in CWE. (p 0.004). CWE had signifi-cantly higher mean total difficulty score (p<0.001) and mean emotional (p <0.0001) and conduct subscale score (p 0.0024). Children having uncontrolled epilepsy (OR 15, 95% CI 2.9 - 76.3, p 0.0005) and having num-ber of seizures more than 3 (OR 13.33 95% CI 3.4 - 51.04, p 0.0004) were found to be significantly associated with behavioural abnormality. Conclusion: Epileptic children are at more risk of behavioural problem than in normal children, especially emotional problem and conduct problem. Uncontrolled epilepsy and frequency of seizure were significant risk factor for occurrence of behavioural problem.
Government Health Insurance Schemes and Their Benefits to The Indian Population: An Overview
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Uma, Phalswal; Neeraja, VK; Dixit, P; Bishnoi, Ashok Kumar.
In today’s scenario accelerating cost of health significantly impact the health of people and the populace creat-ing a monetary burden on poor households. One of the key concerns while tackling healthcare disparities is out-of-pocket expenses (OOPE). Providing financial safety and provide universal coverage to the entire popu-lace are the main goal of health schemes. Health policies in India are based on equity prioritising the needs of the poor and underprivileged. Likewise, there is a discrepancy in the consistency of information and knowledge regarding the scheme among the beneficiaries. A review was created to help medical and nursing professionals to gain comprehensive knowledge of various health schemes. We tried to give an overview of various health schemes including Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Rashtriya Swasthya BimaYojana (RSBY), Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Employees State Insurance Scheme (ESIC), Employee Health Scheme and various state-level health schemes. include, Yeshasvini Health Insurance Scheme, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Chief Min-ister Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, Mukhyamantri Amrutum Yojana, Karunya Health Scheme, Awaz Health Insurance Scheme, Telangana State Govt Employees and Journalist Health Scheme, Dr Ysr Aarog-yastri Health Care Trust, Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana, Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS), and Aarogya Raksha.
Prevalence of Hypertension Among Tribal Population in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Majgi, S; Suresh, H; Nuggehalli, Srinivas P; Ahmed, M
Hypertension is an important worldwide public-health challenge and it is accountable for 7% of Disability Ad-justed Life Years (DALY) loss, and by the end of 2025 about 29% of world’s population is likely to suffer from hypertension. Tribal population constitute about 8% of the total population in India. Among tribal population, study on hypertension will provide an interesting outcome because studies across the world have shown a lower prevalence. The objective of the study was to estimate the pooled prevalence of hypertension among adult tribal populations in India and also to analyse the possible sources of heterogeneity in the estimate. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, Embase MEDLINE, and journals for arti-cles published between 2001 and 2020. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis done on hypertension among tribal populations of India. Three authors independently reviewed the articles, performed quality as-sessment and data was extracted. Pooled estimate of hypertension was calculated. Subgroup analyses was performed. A total of 26 articles with a total number of subjects of 75,543 were included in the study. The pooled estimate of hypertension prevalence was 25.1% (95% CI: 24.7, 25.4). There was significant heteroge-neity among the studies (I2 = 98.2 and Q = 1289.37). It is essential to conduct larger cohort studies and ran-domised controlled trials to determine the causes of the increased prevalence of hypertension among the tribal population. The prevalence of hypertension among tribal population are essential as a source of prima-ry information and for rational planning of health services and will help public-health policy-makers to assign sufficient priority and resources for its management and prevention.
Out of Pocket Expenditure among Cancer Patients Availing Treatment at A Tertiary Care Centre in Hyderabad, India
(Medsci Publications, 2023-05) Syed, Ahmed Mohiuddin; Vemulapalli, Meghana; Surson, Varshit Reddy.
Background: The expenses that the patient or the family pays directly to the health care provider, without a third-party (insurer or State) is known as 'Out of Pocket Expenditure' (OOPE). These expenses could be medi-cal and non-medical. About 150 million people face financial catastrophe every year due to health care pay-ments and cancer is one of the leading causes of high OOPE. Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the OOPE among cancer patients and to determine the OOPE in relation to type of cancer and treatment modality.Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in Hyderabad during August and September,2022 with a total study population of 400 cancer patients. After consenting the participants, data was collected via face-to-face interview using a semi structured questionnaire. Results: The mean OOPE per patient was found to be $1032.65 (₹84,643.20). This includes the medical and non-medical costs. Leukaemia was found to have the highest OOPE amongst all cancers followed by colon cancer. Similarly, radiotherapy + surgery was found to have the highest OOPE followed by chemotherapy + radiotherapy + surgery.Conclusion And Interpretation- This study is unique in its way that no other study has considered OOPE for different cancers in single research. We would like to highlight the quantification of OOPE among various types of cancers and its variation based on treatment modality used. It is necessary that future government in-itiatives consider the importance of mitigating the OOPE along with provision of cancer care.
The Effectiveness of Machine Learning Systems' Accuracy in Predicting Heart Stroke Using Socio-Demographic and Risk Factors - A Comparative Analysis of Various Models
(Medsci Publications, 2023-06) Panda, NR; Mahanta, KL; Pati, JK; Bhuyan, R; satapathy, S subhashree.
Background: Cardiologists can more appropriately classify patients' cardiovascular diseases by executing ac-curate diagnoses and prognoses, enabling them to administer the most appropriate care. Due to machine learning's ability to identify patterns in data, its applications in the medical sector have grown. Diagnosticians can avoid making mistakes by classifying the incidence of cardiovascular illness using machine learning. To lower the fatality rate brought on by cardiovascular disorders, our research developed a model that can cor-rectly forecast these conditions.Methods: This study emphasized a model that can correctly forecast cardiovascular illnesses to lower the death rate brought on by these conditions. We deployed four well-known classification machine learning al-gorithms like K nearest Neighbour, Logistic Regression, Artificial Neural network, and Decision tree. Results: The proposed models were evaluated by their performance matrices. However logistic regression performed high accuracy concerning AUC (0.955) 95% CI (0.872-0.965) followed by the artificial neural net-work. AUC (0.864) 95% CI (0.826-0.912). Conclusion: Individuals' risk of having a cardiac event may be predicted using machine learning, and those who are most at risk can be identified. Predictive models may be developed via machine learning to pinpoint those who have a high chance of suffering a heart attack

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