The effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in quickly increasing normal hemoglo... more The effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in quickly increasing normal hemoglobin concentration and replenishing body iron reserves up to 6–12 wk is known; however, its long-term effectiveness is unknown. In this study conducted in northern India during August 2018 to February 2019, 100 postpartum women within 48 h of delivery with a hemoglobin concentration between 5.0 and 9.9 g/dL were included. A single dose of intravenous FCM was administered. The hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were measured at baseline and at 6 mo. Out of 100 women recruited, 57 (57%) returned for the follow-up visit at 6 mo. The mean (± SD) hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations at baseline were 8.6 ± 1.1 g/dL and 15.8 ± 17.2 ng/mL, respectively, and at 6 months were 12.5 ± 1.2 g/dL and 72.0 ± 52.0 ng/mL, respectively. The mean increase in hemoglobin concentration was 3.9 (95% CI: 3.5, 4.3) g/dL (P < 0.001) and for serum ferritin was 53.8 (95% CI: 41.8, 65.8) ng/mL (P ...
Introduction: Demographic transition has resulted in higher proportion of elderly population in e... more Introduction: Demographic transition has resulted in higher proportion of elderly population in every community. The pattern of chronic morbidity along with healthcare seeking behavior and factors associated with it are important for implementation of national health policies targeted toward elderly population. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was done including 457 urban dwelling elderly population of Kalyani Municipality area of West Bengal. Sociodemographic details, profile of chronic morbidities, and healthcare seeking behavior for chronic morbidities were studied using a pretested semi structured questionnaire. Results: The average education and financial independence were high among study participants. The prevalence of chronic morbidities was 82.3% and hypertension was the most common morbidity in both male and female. Around half of the individuals with chronic morbidities (57.7%) sought healthcare advice at least once in last 6 months. Most of the study participants preferred private healthcare setup and allopathic system of medicine. Females have been found to have higher treatment seeking behavior than males in logistic regression. Conclusion: We found hypertension and diabetes were more prevalent in the study population. Higher financial independence and education among study participants might have influenced the healthcare seeking behavior, which was mainly from private setup. Implementation of national health policies for elderly has to be accelerated in acceptable ways to promote health among elderly.
Background: Doctors are often been judged negatively as a consequence of high expectation and dem... more Background: Doctors are often been judged negatively as a consequence of high expectation and demand from their job and face violence at workplace. Continuous worry of facing aggression at workplace may seriously affect job satisfaction and intention to job turnover. However, the association between workplace safety and job satisfaction had not been studied earlier in India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among doctors from November 2019 to April 2020 using a pre-tested, semi-structured, anonymous “Google forms” based questionnaire among doctors working in private and/or public healthcare settings across India. Perception of safety was assessed by scoring in a scale. Cronbach's coefficient of the scale was calculated to be 0.88. Job satisfaction was assessed using the 5-item Brayfield and Rothe measure of job satisfaction. Cronbach's coefficient of the scale was 0.76. The data was coded and analyzed with the help of STATA-12. Results: 617 doctors practicing modern medicine participated in this study from all over India. 262 (42.5%) doctors were found to be satisfied at their job. Perception of safety at workplace was found to have 2.5 times greater influence on job satisfaction of doctors. 23.2% of the doctors expressed job turnover intention which was positively correlated with job satisfaction and perception of safety. Conclusion: Perception of safety from workplace violence was found to have significant effect on job satisfaction and turnover intention than actual violence. Appropriate strategy may be undertaken to address this apprehension at workplace.
Background: Postpartum anemia is associated with postpartum anxiety, depression, poor cognitive i... more Background: Postpartum anemia is associated with postpartum anxiety, depression, poor cognitive interaction, and delayed infant development. Oral iron is the currently recommended therapy but is associated with gastrointestinal complaints and poor compliance. Parenteral iron dextran may cause serious side effects, whereas iron sucrose requires repeated visits. Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is given as an infusion in a single setting, which is logistically convenient both to patients and health system. It can be particularly beneficial for postpartum women who are usually discharged from health facility 48 h after delivery. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate the change in mean hemoglobin (Hb) level 6 weeks after administration of intravenous FCM and to document any adverse events following administration among postpartum women. Methods: A prospective, interventional follow-up study was conducted from August to December 2018. One hundred eligible postp...
Anemia is major public health problem affecting 1.6 billion people worldwide. The poor compliance... more Anemia is major public health problem affecting 1.6 billion people worldwide. The poor compliance of iron supplementation remains main contributor for high prevalence of anemia. The current paper reviewed the effectiveness of direct observation of oral iron supplementation on anemia. A systematic search was performed through electronic databases and local libraries. Search strategies used subject headings and key words "directly observed" and "iron supplementation." Searches were sought through April 2014. A total of 14 articles were included in the study. Findings were presented in three categories. First, all of those reported an improvement in compliance of iron supplementation. Second, reduction in the prevalence of anemia was reported by all and third, all except one reported increased blood hemoglobin level. Directly observed an iron supplementation is an effective approach for prevention and management of anemia in vulnerable groups. However, larger trials...
Introduction The incidents of violence against doctors, leading to grievous injury and even death... more Introduction The incidents of violence against doctors, leading to grievous injury and even death, seem to be on an increasing trend in recent years. There is a paucity of studies on workplace violence against doctors and its effect, in India. The present study was conducted to assess workplace violence faced by doctors, its effect on the psycho-social wellbeing of the treating doctor and, subsequently, on patient management. Methods The present nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 –April 2020. The sample size was calculated assuming the prevalence of workplace violence as 50%, with 20% non-response. Doctors, working in private and/or public set-up, with ≥1 year clinical experience, were included. A pre-tested study tool- Google form—was sent to study participants via social media platforms. The Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was downloaded from google drive and data was analysed using STATA-12 statistical software. Results A total of 617 responses were rec...
Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital defects worldwide... more Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital defects worldwide. The prevalence of CHD is low in India mostly due to under detection. The knowledge regarding socio-demographic factors, other congenital anomalies/syndromes and social impacts associated with CHDs in India is grossly lacking.Methods: This was a retrospective study. Details of all diagnosed pediatric (age 0-14 years) cases of CHD were recorded by a single cardiologist from the year 2013 to 2020. Duplicate entries were removed and CHDs were classified according to Q20-Q28 of tenth revision of international classification of diseases (ICD). For description purposes, the CHDs were divided into 10 sub-groups.Results: Total 9247 cases of CHDs were recorded during the study period. Ventricular septal defect was the most commonly identified CHD (32.1%). Most cases were acyanotic (69.8%) and presented first time at age of more than two years. Almost 1.5% cases were associated with other non-car...
Introduction: India has launched Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in 2018, to deal with the high... more Introduction: India has launched Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in 2018, to deal with the high burden of anemia in the country. Point-of-care testing (POCT) of anemia using digital hemoglobinometers and treatment is one of the primary interventions under AMB. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic validity of digital hemoglobinometers (TrueHb and HemoCue 301) for screening of anemia compared to hematology analyzer. Methodology: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of a selected primary health center and subdivisional hospital of Haryana, India, during January 2019. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels of the pregnant women were estimated in digital hemoglobinometers using capillary blood samples and hematology analyzer using venous blood samples. Bias, limits of agreement (LOA), and validity of digital hemoglobinometers were assessed against a hematology analyzer. Results: A total of 110 pregnant women were included. Bias (LOA) in Hb values estimated using digital hemoglobinometers was −0.09 g/dL (−1.97 to 1.80 ) for HemoCue301 and −0.04 g/dL (−1.69 to 1.60) for TrueHb compared to the hematology analyzer. HemoCue® 301 (sensitivity: 86% and specificity: 83%) had relatively higher sensitivity and specificity compared to TrueHb (sensitivity: 78.9% and specificity: 81%). Conclusions: Digital hemoglobinometers have high sensitivity and specificity. Thus, these can be a potential POCTs for screening of anemia in peripheral health facilities. Further studies are required to establish the validity of the digital hemoglobinometers at community settings.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Media finds doctors as a soft target for all sorts of healthcare system failure. The hostile medi... more Media finds doctors as a soft target for all sorts of healthcare system failure. The hostile media reporting has demonized the medical profession and has forced doctors to adopt a more reserved attitude. The present study focuses on assessing the effect of media on patient management by the doctors who had not faced violence at the workplace. It was observed that as a consequence of unfavorable media reporting, prescribing of investigations, and referral and consultation liaison increased, whereas, handling of complicated cases by the doctors decreased. Therefore, even the doctors who have not faced any workplace violence are influenced by news of workplace violence against doctors and are adopting safer strategies in the management of patients.
Background: Lack of a cure or vaccine of COVID-19 forced us to rely on public health intervention... more Background: Lack of a cure or vaccine of COVID-19 forced us to rely on public health interventions (PHIs) for combating the pandemic. The main objective of the study to assess the PHI in selected countries and relate the various factors related to the intervention with the case load of the country. Methods: An ecological analysis was conducted using secondary data on PHIs and disease burden extracted from official documents and press releases of the respective countries. Disease transmission was described based on calculated doubling time. PHIs were classified into 14 categories within three domains. An intervention score was calculated to reflect the number and stringency of the PHIs. Correlations between intervention scores, daily new cases and doubling time were presented. Results: Brazil and the USA had the lowest intervention scores while South Korea had the highest scores. The median doubling time was negatively correlated with the rapidity of the escalation of the PHIs. Conclusion: Dynamic government policies and timely PHIs, which are locally relevant and ably supported by the public are key to successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background: Ensuring universal access to sanitation in households is essential for public health.... more Background: Ensuring universal access to sanitation in households is essential for public health. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the availability of sanitary latrine at the household level and its use at the individual level in a rural area and factors associated with availability and use of sanitary latrine. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from December, 2016 to January 2017 (mention month and year) at the rural Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Ballabgarh, in district Faridabad, Haryana, North India. A total of 16,896 households were studied. House-to-house visits were made by trained health workers who conducted interviews regarding availability and pattern of use of sanitary latrine in the household. The health worker also observed the type of sanitation facility, its functional status, availability of water, and hand-washing facility. Results: Individual household latrine (IHL) was present in 87.3% of the households. An improved sanitation facility was available in 84.8% of the households, while 15.2% of the households had unimproved or no sanitation facility. Hand-washing facility along with improved sanitation was present in 70.4% of the households. Nonavailability of latrine among socially disadvantaged communities (scheduled caste households) was significantly higher (19.4%) as compared to other castes (10.4%) (P < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of households below poverty line (28.9%) lacked IHL as compared to those above the poverty line (11.0%) (P < 0.001). Nearly 11% of the individuals reported open defecation. Conclusion: The availability of sanitary latrines in the study area was high. Nonavailability of in-house sanitary latrine was higher among economically poor households and those belonging to socially disadvantaged communities.
Background: In 2017, the sampling procedure for HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) among all high-ri... more Background: In 2017, the sampling procedure for HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) among all high-risk groups was changed from the consecutive sampling to random sampling along with the introduction of linked anonymous testing strategy with informed written consent. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess whether the inclusion of informed consent affects the HIV positivity rate among the participants and nonparticipants injecting drug users (IDU) in HSS 2017 in four states of Central Zone of India. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. All sentinel sites from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand located at targeted intervention facilities in 2017 were included in the study. Information about the participation and nonparticipation of each high-risk individual at the sentinel site was gathered from the master list, respective registers, and website portal of the National AIDS Control Organization. A total of 8639 individuals were included in the analysis. Results: Overall, 16 sites in four states were included in the study. Overall, the nonparticipation rate of IDUs was 14.3%; highest being for Delhi (17.2%), followed by Uttar Pradesh (14.6%), Uttarakhand (10.9%), and Jharkhand (4.4%). Overall, the HIV-positivity rate among nonparticipants (9.6%) was significantly higher (P = 0.009) compared to the participants (6.7%). Conclusion: Change in methodology and seeking written informed consent might have an effect on the nonparticipation in all four states. This, in turn, could have led to the underestimation of HIV-positivity rates among IDU in the states.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Background: There is a need for training teachers in first aid skills as they are the primary con... more Background: There is a need for training teachers in first aid skills as they are the primary contact for most commonly encountered emergency situations in school scenario. The objective of the study was to assess the feasibility of a training program on first aid and basic life support skills among teachers of a school in south Delhi, India.Methods: We identified topics and prepared a training module (6-hour duration on a single day) for teachers and conducted the training in the Centre for Community Medicine department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.Results: 40 teachers were involved in this study. The mean (SD) score before and after the training was 5.55 (1.88) and 12.4 (1.66) respectively. A significant improvement in the scores pertaining to knowledge on first aid skill was observed after the training…
Different doses of iron are used for oral supplementation during pregnancy throughout the world. ... more Different doses of iron are used for oral supplementation during pregnancy throughout the world. This objective of this review is to describe the effectiveness and side effect profile of different doses of oral iron supplementation for prophylaxis of anemia among pregnant women. Published literature was searched using keywords “iron,” “pregnancy,” and “supplementation” and related terms. Gray literature was searched in medical libraries including National Medical Library, Dr. B. B. Dikshit library, and library of ICMR. Intervention studies comparing different doses of oral iron given as prophylaxis for anemia during pregnancy, published till December 2017, were retrieved. Studies done only among anemic patients, and studies comparing oral iron with placebo were excluded. In total, 1588 studies were obtained and 11 of them met the objectives. In global studies, prophylactic dose of 30 mg and above is shown to maintain normal hemoglobin. Among the studies from India, prophylactic dose of 120 mg showed consistent results and 60 mg showed inconsistent results in increasing both hemoglobin and ferritin levels. No significant difference in side effects was reported up to 80 mg iron in global studies and the side effects were comparable with 60 to 240 mg doses in Indian studies. It was evident from the review that a state of clinical equipoise exists for the ideal dose of iron supplementation for the prevention of anemia in pregnancy in terms of efficacy and side effect profile. Robust clinical trial as well as technical consultation is required, especially in Indian setting to explore this question further.
Background: Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental disorders encountered in childhood and... more Background: Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental disorders encountered in childhood and adolescent years. The number of epidemiological studies done in this area within India is limited. Objectives: We determined the prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents in a rural community of Ballabgarh block, district Faridabad, Haryana. Secondarily, we also assessed sociodemographic and other factors associated with anxiety disorders among adolescents. Materials and Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 729 adolescents (10–19 years). Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders tool was used for assessing prevalence and type of anxiety disorders. Sociodemographic and personal factors were included in the logistic regression multivariable model to establish associations. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are computed. Results: The prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents was (22.7%; 95% CI: 19.7–26.0). Girls (27.6%) had higher prevalence than boys (18.3%) (P < 0.01). Social anxiety disorder (14.3%; 95% CI: 11.7–16.9) was the most common form of anxiety disorder. Female sex (AOR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6; P < 0.01), lower-middle socioeconomic status (AOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.2–3.1; P < 0.01), and presence of stressful event within the past 1-year (AOR 2.48; 95% CI: 1.12–5.06; P = 0.01) were found to be associated with the presence of anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Anxiety disorders are common among adolescents in rural settings of India. Tackling them will require appropriate health systems response. Adequate interventions should be incorporated at primary care level to address the mental health concerns of adolescents.
Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion
Accurate and reliable point of care tests (POCTs) for hemoglobin estimation is essential for earl... more Accurate and reliable point of care tests (POCTs) for hemoglobin estimation is essential for early diagnosis and management of anemia. This study was aimed to assess the reliability and validity of two versions of digital hemoglobinometer (HemoCue 201+ and HemoCue 301) compared to the gold standard Sysmex autoanalyzer for hemoglobin estimation. Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of Primary Health Centre and a Sub Divisional Hospital in Haryana, India, were recruited. After obtaining consent, capillary blood samples were collected and tested for hemoglobin levels with digital hemoglobinometers (HemoCue 201+ and HemoCue 301). Among same pregnant women venous blood was collected and hemoglobin levels were estimated using autoanalyzer. Validity and reliability of POCTs compared to Sysmex autoanalyzer were reported. Of the 102 pregnant women included in the study, 44 (43%) were primigravida, with mean (SD) age of 23.3 (3.4) years. The mean (SD) of difference in hemoglobin levels using HemoCue 201+ was − 0.53 (1.01) and using HemoCue 301 was − 0.25 (0.85) g/dL as compared to auto-analyzer. Lin’s concordance coefficient was 0.80 for HemoCue 201+ and 0.85 for HemoCue 301. Weighted Cohen’s Kappa indicated moderate degree of agreement with the gold standard. Sensitivity (HemoCue 201+: 93%; HemoCue 301: 90%) and specificity (HemoCue 201: 76% HemoCue 301: 80%) for detecting anemia was similar for both the POCT devices. The digital hemoglobinometers used in the study had moderate degree of agreement and concordance with the autoanalyzer for hemoglobin estimation. HemoCue 301 had higher validity as compared to HemoCue 201+.
The effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in quickly increasing normal hemoglo... more The effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in quickly increasing normal hemoglobin concentration and replenishing body iron reserves up to 6–12 wk is known; however, its long-term effectiveness is unknown. In this study conducted in northern India during August 2018 to February 2019, 100 postpartum women within 48 h of delivery with a hemoglobin concentration between 5.0 and 9.9 g/dL were included. A single dose of intravenous FCM was administered. The hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were measured at baseline and at 6 mo. Out of 100 women recruited, 57 (57%) returned for the follow-up visit at 6 mo. The mean (± SD) hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations at baseline were 8.6 ± 1.1 g/dL and 15.8 ± 17.2 ng/mL, respectively, and at 6 months were 12.5 ± 1.2 g/dL and 72.0 ± 52.0 ng/mL, respectively. The mean increase in hemoglobin concentration was 3.9 (95% CI: 3.5, 4.3) g/dL (P < 0.001) and for serum ferritin was 53.8 (95% CI: 41.8, 65.8) ng/mL (P ...
Introduction: Demographic transition has resulted in higher proportion of elderly population in e... more Introduction: Demographic transition has resulted in higher proportion of elderly population in every community. The pattern of chronic morbidity along with healthcare seeking behavior and factors associated with it are important for implementation of national health policies targeted toward elderly population. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was done including 457 urban dwelling elderly population of Kalyani Municipality area of West Bengal. Sociodemographic details, profile of chronic morbidities, and healthcare seeking behavior for chronic morbidities were studied using a pretested semi structured questionnaire. Results: The average education and financial independence were high among study participants. The prevalence of chronic morbidities was 82.3% and hypertension was the most common morbidity in both male and female. Around half of the individuals with chronic morbidities (57.7%) sought healthcare advice at least once in last 6 months. Most of the study participants preferred private healthcare setup and allopathic system of medicine. Females have been found to have higher treatment seeking behavior than males in logistic regression. Conclusion: We found hypertension and diabetes were more prevalent in the study population. Higher financial independence and education among study participants might have influenced the healthcare seeking behavior, which was mainly from private setup. Implementation of national health policies for elderly has to be accelerated in acceptable ways to promote health among elderly.
Background: Doctors are often been judged negatively as a consequence of high expectation and dem... more Background: Doctors are often been judged negatively as a consequence of high expectation and demand from their job and face violence at workplace. Continuous worry of facing aggression at workplace may seriously affect job satisfaction and intention to job turnover. However, the association between workplace safety and job satisfaction had not been studied earlier in India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among doctors from November 2019 to April 2020 using a pre-tested, semi-structured, anonymous “Google forms” based questionnaire among doctors working in private and/or public healthcare settings across India. Perception of safety was assessed by scoring in a scale. Cronbach's coefficient of the scale was calculated to be 0.88. Job satisfaction was assessed using the 5-item Brayfield and Rothe measure of job satisfaction. Cronbach's coefficient of the scale was 0.76. The data was coded and analyzed with the help of STATA-12. Results: 617 doctors practicing modern medicine participated in this study from all over India. 262 (42.5%) doctors were found to be satisfied at their job. Perception of safety at workplace was found to have 2.5 times greater influence on job satisfaction of doctors. 23.2% of the doctors expressed job turnover intention which was positively correlated with job satisfaction and perception of safety. Conclusion: Perception of safety from workplace violence was found to have significant effect on job satisfaction and turnover intention than actual violence. Appropriate strategy may be undertaken to address this apprehension at workplace.
Background: Postpartum anemia is associated with postpartum anxiety, depression, poor cognitive i... more Background: Postpartum anemia is associated with postpartum anxiety, depression, poor cognitive interaction, and delayed infant development. Oral iron is the currently recommended therapy but is associated with gastrointestinal complaints and poor compliance. Parenteral iron dextran may cause serious side effects, whereas iron sucrose requires repeated visits. Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is given as an infusion in a single setting, which is logistically convenient both to patients and health system. It can be particularly beneficial for postpartum women who are usually discharged from health facility 48 h after delivery. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to estimate the change in mean hemoglobin (Hb) level 6 weeks after administration of intravenous FCM and to document any adverse events following administration among postpartum women. Methods: A prospective, interventional follow-up study was conducted from August to December 2018. One hundred eligible postp...
Anemia is major public health problem affecting 1.6 billion people worldwide. The poor compliance... more Anemia is major public health problem affecting 1.6 billion people worldwide. The poor compliance of iron supplementation remains main contributor for high prevalence of anemia. The current paper reviewed the effectiveness of direct observation of oral iron supplementation on anemia. A systematic search was performed through electronic databases and local libraries. Search strategies used subject headings and key words "directly observed" and "iron supplementation." Searches were sought through April 2014. A total of 14 articles were included in the study. Findings were presented in three categories. First, all of those reported an improvement in compliance of iron supplementation. Second, reduction in the prevalence of anemia was reported by all and third, all except one reported increased blood hemoglobin level. Directly observed an iron supplementation is an effective approach for prevention and management of anemia in vulnerable groups. However, larger trials...
Introduction The incidents of violence against doctors, leading to grievous injury and even death... more Introduction The incidents of violence against doctors, leading to grievous injury and even death, seem to be on an increasing trend in recent years. There is a paucity of studies on workplace violence against doctors and its effect, in India. The present study was conducted to assess workplace violence faced by doctors, its effect on the psycho-social wellbeing of the treating doctor and, subsequently, on patient management. Methods The present nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 –April 2020. The sample size was calculated assuming the prevalence of workplace violence as 50%, with 20% non-response. Doctors, working in private and/or public set-up, with ≥1 year clinical experience, were included. A pre-tested study tool- Google form—was sent to study participants via social media platforms. The Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was downloaded from google drive and data was analysed using STATA-12 statistical software. Results A total of 617 responses were rec...
Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital defects worldwide... more Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital defects worldwide. The prevalence of CHD is low in India mostly due to under detection. The knowledge regarding socio-demographic factors, other congenital anomalies/syndromes and social impacts associated with CHDs in India is grossly lacking.Methods: This was a retrospective study. Details of all diagnosed pediatric (age 0-14 years) cases of CHD were recorded by a single cardiologist from the year 2013 to 2020. Duplicate entries were removed and CHDs were classified according to Q20-Q28 of tenth revision of international classification of diseases (ICD). For description purposes, the CHDs were divided into 10 sub-groups.Results: Total 9247 cases of CHDs were recorded during the study period. Ventricular septal defect was the most commonly identified CHD (32.1%). Most cases were acyanotic (69.8%) and presented first time at age of more than two years. Almost 1.5% cases were associated with other non-car...
Introduction: India has launched Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in 2018, to deal with the high... more Introduction: India has launched Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy in 2018, to deal with the high burden of anemia in the country. Point-of-care testing (POCT) of anemia using digital hemoglobinometers and treatment is one of the primary interventions under AMB. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic validity of digital hemoglobinometers (TrueHb and HemoCue 301) for screening of anemia compared to hematology analyzer. Methodology: A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of a selected primary health center and subdivisional hospital of Haryana, India, during January 2019. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels of the pregnant women were estimated in digital hemoglobinometers using capillary blood samples and hematology analyzer using venous blood samples. Bias, limits of agreement (LOA), and validity of digital hemoglobinometers were assessed against a hematology analyzer. Results: A total of 110 pregnant women were included. Bias (LOA) in Hb values estimated using digital hemoglobinometers was −0.09 g/dL (−1.97 to 1.80 ) for HemoCue301 and −0.04 g/dL (−1.69 to 1.60) for TrueHb compared to the hematology analyzer. HemoCue® 301 (sensitivity: 86% and specificity: 83%) had relatively higher sensitivity and specificity compared to TrueHb (sensitivity: 78.9% and specificity: 81%). Conclusions: Digital hemoglobinometers have high sensitivity and specificity. Thus, these can be a potential POCTs for screening of anemia in peripheral health facilities. Further studies are required to establish the validity of the digital hemoglobinometers at community settings.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Media finds doctors as a soft target for all sorts of healthcare system failure. The hostile medi... more Media finds doctors as a soft target for all sorts of healthcare system failure. The hostile media reporting has demonized the medical profession and has forced doctors to adopt a more reserved attitude. The present study focuses on assessing the effect of media on patient management by the doctors who had not faced violence at the workplace. It was observed that as a consequence of unfavorable media reporting, prescribing of investigations, and referral and consultation liaison increased, whereas, handling of complicated cases by the doctors decreased. Therefore, even the doctors who have not faced any workplace violence are influenced by news of workplace violence against doctors and are adopting safer strategies in the management of patients.
Background: Lack of a cure or vaccine of COVID-19 forced us to rely on public health intervention... more Background: Lack of a cure or vaccine of COVID-19 forced us to rely on public health interventions (PHIs) for combating the pandemic. The main objective of the study to assess the PHI in selected countries and relate the various factors related to the intervention with the case load of the country. Methods: An ecological analysis was conducted using secondary data on PHIs and disease burden extracted from official documents and press releases of the respective countries. Disease transmission was described based on calculated doubling time. PHIs were classified into 14 categories within three domains. An intervention score was calculated to reflect the number and stringency of the PHIs. Correlations between intervention scores, daily new cases and doubling time were presented. Results: Brazil and the USA had the lowest intervention scores while South Korea had the highest scores. The median doubling time was negatively correlated with the rapidity of the escalation of the PHIs. Conclusion: Dynamic government policies and timely PHIs, which are locally relevant and ably supported by the public are key to successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background: Ensuring universal access to sanitation in households is essential for public health.... more Background: Ensuring universal access to sanitation in households is essential for public health. Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the availability of sanitary latrine at the household level and its use at the individual level in a rural area and factors associated with availability and use of sanitary latrine. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from December, 2016 to January 2017 (mention month and year) at the rural Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Ballabgarh, in district Faridabad, Haryana, North India. A total of 16,896 households were studied. House-to-house visits were made by trained health workers who conducted interviews regarding availability and pattern of use of sanitary latrine in the household. The health worker also observed the type of sanitation facility, its functional status, availability of water, and hand-washing facility. Results: Individual household latrine (IHL) was present in 87.3% of the households. An improved sanitation facility was available in 84.8% of the households, while 15.2% of the households had unimproved or no sanitation facility. Hand-washing facility along with improved sanitation was present in 70.4% of the households. Nonavailability of latrine among socially disadvantaged communities (scheduled caste households) was significantly higher (19.4%) as compared to other castes (10.4%) (P < 0.001). A significantly higher proportion of households below poverty line (28.9%) lacked IHL as compared to those above the poverty line (11.0%) (P < 0.001). Nearly 11% of the individuals reported open defecation. Conclusion: The availability of sanitary latrines in the study area was high. Nonavailability of in-house sanitary latrine was higher among economically poor households and those belonging to socially disadvantaged communities.
Background: In 2017, the sampling procedure for HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) among all high-ri... more Background: In 2017, the sampling procedure for HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) among all high-risk groups was changed from the consecutive sampling to random sampling along with the introduction of linked anonymous testing strategy with informed written consent. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess whether the inclusion of informed consent affects the HIV positivity rate among the participants and nonparticipants injecting drug users (IDU) in HSS 2017 in four states of Central Zone of India. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. All sentinel sites from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand located at targeted intervention facilities in 2017 were included in the study. Information about the participation and nonparticipation of each high-risk individual at the sentinel site was gathered from the master list, respective registers, and website portal of the National AIDS Control Organization. A total of 8639 individuals were included in the analysis. Results: Overall, 16 sites in four states were included in the study. Overall, the nonparticipation rate of IDUs was 14.3%; highest being for Delhi (17.2%), followed by Uttar Pradesh (14.6%), Uttarakhand (10.9%), and Jharkhand (4.4%). Overall, the HIV-positivity rate among nonparticipants (9.6%) was significantly higher (P = 0.009) compared to the participants (6.7%). Conclusion: Change in methodology and seeking written informed consent might have an effect on the nonparticipation in all four states. This, in turn, could have led to the underestimation of HIV-positivity rates among IDU in the states.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Background: There is a need for training teachers in first aid skills as they are the primary con... more Background: There is a need for training teachers in first aid skills as they are the primary contact for most commonly encountered emergency situations in school scenario. The objective of the study was to assess the feasibility of a training program on first aid and basic life support skills among teachers of a school in south Delhi, India.Methods: We identified topics and prepared a training module (6-hour duration on a single day) for teachers and conducted the training in the Centre for Community Medicine department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.Results: 40 teachers were involved in this study. The mean (SD) score before and after the training was 5.55 (1.88) and 12.4 (1.66) respectively. A significant improvement in the scores pertaining to knowledge on first aid skill was observed after the training…
Different doses of iron are used for oral supplementation during pregnancy throughout the world. ... more Different doses of iron are used for oral supplementation during pregnancy throughout the world. This objective of this review is to describe the effectiveness and side effect profile of different doses of oral iron supplementation for prophylaxis of anemia among pregnant women. Published literature was searched using keywords “iron,” “pregnancy,” and “supplementation” and related terms. Gray literature was searched in medical libraries including National Medical Library, Dr. B. B. Dikshit library, and library of ICMR. Intervention studies comparing different doses of oral iron given as prophylaxis for anemia during pregnancy, published till December 2017, were retrieved. Studies done only among anemic patients, and studies comparing oral iron with placebo were excluded. In total, 1588 studies were obtained and 11 of them met the objectives. In global studies, prophylactic dose of 30 mg and above is shown to maintain normal hemoglobin. Among the studies from India, prophylactic dose of 120 mg showed consistent results and 60 mg showed inconsistent results in increasing both hemoglobin and ferritin levels. No significant difference in side effects was reported up to 80 mg iron in global studies and the side effects were comparable with 60 to 240 mg doses in Indian studies. It was evident from the review that a state of clinical equipoise exists for the ideal dose of iron supplementation for the prevention of anemia in pregnancy in terms of efficacy and side effect profile. Robust clinical trial as well as technical consultation is required, especially in Indian setting to explore this question further.
Background: Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental disorders encountered in childhood and... more Background: Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental disorders encountered in childhood and adolescent years. The number of epidemiological studies done in this area within India is limited. Objectives: We determined the prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents in a rural community of Ballabgarh block, district Faridabad, Haryana. Secondarily, we also assessed sociodemographic and other factors associated with anxiety disorders among adolescents. Materials and Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 729 adolescents (10–19 years). Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders tool was used for assessing prevalence and type of anxiety disorders. Sociodemographic and personal factors were included in the logistic regression multivariable model to establish associations. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are computed. Results: The prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents was (22.7%; 95% CI: 19.7–26.0). Girls (27.6%) had higher prevalence than boys (18.3%) (P < 0.01). Social anxiety disorder (14.3%; 95% CI: 11.7–16.9) was the most common form of anxiety disorder. Female sex (AOR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6; P < 0.01), lower-middle socioeconomic status (AOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.2–3.1; P < 0.01), and presence of stressful event within the past 1-year (AOR 2.48; 95% CI: 1.12–5.06; P = 0.01) were found to be associated with the presence of anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Anxiety disorders are common among adolescents in rural settings of India. Tackling them will require appropriate health systems response. Adequate interventions should be incorporated at primary care level to address the mental health concerns of adolescents.
Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion
Accurate and reliable point of care tests (POCTs) for hemoglobin estimation is essential for earl... more Accurate and reliable point of care tests (POCTs) for hemoglobin estimation is essential for early diagnosis and management of anemia. This study was aimed to assess the reliability and validity of two versions of digital hemoglobinometer (HemoCue 201+ and HemoCue 301) compared to the gold standard Sysmex autoanalyzer for hemoglobin estimation. Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics of Primary Health Centre and a Sub Divisional Hospital in Haryana, India, were recruited. After obtaining consent, capillary blood samples were collected and tested for hemoglobin levels with digital hemoglobinometers (HemoCue 201+ and HemoCue 301). Among same pregnant women venous blood was collected and hemoglobin levels were estimated using autoanalyzer. Validity and reliability of POCTs compared to Sysmex autoanalyzer were reported. Of the 102 pregnant women included in the study, 44 (43%) were primigravida, with mean (SD) age of 23.3 (3.4) years. The mean (SD) of difference in hemoglobin levels using HemoCue 201+ was − 0.53 (1.01) and using HemoCue 301 was − 0.25 (0.85) g/dL as compared to auto-analyzer. Lin’s concordance coefficient was 0.80 for HemoCue 201+ and 0.85 for HemoCue 301. Weighted Cohen’s Kappa indicated moderate degree of agreement with the gold standard. Sensitivity (HemoCue 201+: 93%; HemoCue 301: 90%) and specificity (HemoCue 201: 76% HemoCue 301: 80%) for detecting anemia was similar for both the POCT devices. The digital hemoglobinometers used in the study had moderate degree of agreement and concordance with the autoanalyzer for hemoglobin estimation. HemoCue 301 had higher validity as compared to HemoCue 201+.
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Papers by Farhad Ahamed