COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among adolescents and young people in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India: Study description

To control the spread of COVID-19 in India and to aid the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), the Population Council and other non-governmental organizations are conducting research to assess residents’ ability to follow sanitation and social distancing precautions under a countrywide lockdown. The Population Council COVID-19 study team is implementing rapid phone-based surveys to collect information on knowledge, attitudes and practices, as well as needs, among 2,041 young people (ages 19-23 years) and/or an adult household member, sampled from an existing prospective cohort study with a total sample size of 20,574 in Bihar (n=10,433) and Uttar Pradesh (n=10,141). Baseline was conducted from April 3-22; subsequent iterations of the survey are planned to be conducted on a monthly basis. Baseline findings on awareness of COVID-19 symptoms, perceived risk, awareness of and ability to carry out preventive behaviors, misconceptions, and fears will inform the development of government and other stakeholders’ interventions and/or strategies. We are committed to openly sharing the latest versions of the study description, questionnaires, deidentified or aggregated datasets, and preliminary results. Data and findings can also be shared with partners working in COVID-19 response

Consumer perceptions and practices regarding menstrual absorbents purchase and usage among urban women in India

by Mukta Gund

Equipping school teachers for a menstruation-friendly world

As I entered a menstrual health education workshop in a Marathi medium school in North Maharashtra, I expected a hushed silence in a room filled with ‘girls only’ with a serious-looking gynaecologist showing diagrams of reproductive organs labelled with medical jargon. I vividly remember my younger self in school, coming out of an inexplicable session on menstruation with a pack of sanitary napkins that many of us were desperately trying to hide. However, what I was witnessing now was something unique

गोष्ट हाये पृथ्वीमोलाची!

गंगा ब्रह्मपुत्रा आणि मेघना नद्यांचा संगम होतो, तिथलं सुंदरबन नावाचं खारफुटीचं जंगल. रात्रीच्या अंधारात तिथल्या बोनोबीबी देवीचं स्मरण करत एक तरुणी नदीपात्रात मासे पकडायचं जाळं टाकून बसून राहते. पाण्यातल्या मगरींवर नजर ठेवावी लागतेच पण गळाला लागलेले थोडेबहुत मासे घेऊन परतताना वाघानं झडप घातली, तर आपल्यामागे लहान मुलं पोरकी होतील, असा जीवाला घोर.. सुंदरबनातल्या अनेक तरुणींचा हा मूक आक्रोश आपल्यापर्यंत पोहोचत नाही. पर्यावरणाच्या हासामुळे, अनियंत्रित पर्यटनामुळे, वन हक्क कायद्यातील त्रुटींमुळे तेथील लोकांचं निसर्गाशी असलेलं नातंच बदलून गेलं आहे. गेल्या काही वर्षांमध्ये मासे मिळणं दिवसेंदिवस कठीण होऊ लागलं आहे. रोजीरोटी कमावण्यासाठी 'हे पाणी, जंगल सांभाळून घेईल, बोनोबीबी, मानसादेवी आपलं रक्षण करील,' अशा भाबड्या श्रद्धेनं ते खोलवर जंगलात, पाण्यात जातात आणि वाघाच्या किंवा मगरीच्या हल्ल्यात जीव गमावतात. अधिकृत नोंदींनुसार सुंदरबनात दर वर्षी २२ जणांचा वाघाच्या हल्ल्यामुळे मृत्यू होतो. कित्येक मृत्यू नोंदवलेच गेले नसल्याची शक्यता आहे

All of us together in ‘Health for All’

Leaving behind the packed, dusty roads of the city, we reached the lush green forests of Gudalur (Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu) to visit a tribal hospital in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The hospital board read ‘Ashwini - Association of Health Welfare in the Nilgiris: Managed and owned by the community’. The words ‘owned by the community’ seemed almost idealistic and have lingered in our minds as we celebrate World Health Day on April 7

Reflections on the design and application of ‘Surveypura’: a simulation-based pedagogical tool for quantitative research methods in public health and social sciences

It has been reported from various contexts that learning quantitative methods for public health and social research is challenging for students. Based on our observations of these challenges, we designed a simulation-based pedagogical tool called Surveypura to support classroom-based learning of quantitative research methods. The tool includes a large illustration of a fictional village with 155 houses, alongside data for each of the households. The features of the houses, household characteristics, and the village have been carefully designed to give the visual feel of an actual village and better assist the pedagogical process. The tool was used by five facilitators with their masters’ students at our university in courses on social research and epidemiology. Our observations of the sessions and interactions with facilitators and students suggested that the tool supported more engaged learning of quantitative research methods in a non-intimidating manner. We believe that Surveypura can be a useful simulation-based pedagogical tool to teach quantitative research methods in epidemiology and social sciences even in other contexts

Refections on the design and application of ‘Surveypura’: a simulation-based pedagogical tool for quantitative research methods in public health and social sciences

It has been reported from various contexts that learning quantitative methods for public health and social research is challenging for students. Based on our observations of these challenges, we designed a simulation-based pedagogical tool called Surveypura to support classroom-based learning of quantitative research methods. The tool includes a large illustration of a fictional village with 155 houses, alongside data for each of the households. The features of the houses, household characteristics, and the village have been carefully designed to give the visual feel of an actual village and better assist the pedagogical process. The tool was used by five facilitators with their masters' students at our university in courses on social research and epidemiology. Our observations of the sessions and interactions with facilitators and students suggested that the tool supported more engaged learning of quantitative research methods in a non-intimidating manner. We believe that Surveypura can be a useful simulation-based pedagogical tool to teach quantitative research methods in epidemiology and social sciences even in other contexts

Impact of Interventions Supporting Girls’ Education on Early Marriage, Pregnancy and Work Participation: Evidence Synthesis

This article synthesises the evidence on the impact of interventions supporting adolescent girls’ andyoung women’s education on delaying marriage, childbearing and improving work participation. A total of13 studies (eight from sub-Saharan Africa and five from South Asia) during the years 2000–2020 met ourinclusion criteria. A major focus of the included studies was to reduce the schooling cost, with limitedfocus on strategies such as supplementary coaching, making schools girl-friendly, monitoring performanceand sensitising communities about educating girls. Most studies that measured the effects on marriage andchildbearing showed a positive impact. However, interventions were less successful in influencing workparticipation. Although a majority of studies reported positive effects on educational outcomes, fewermeasured or reported positive effects on other social and health outcomes. This evidence synthesissuggests a need for studying long-term effects of such interventions on girls’ and women’s family, workand social life in order to inform policy. Studies that explore the varying impacts of such interventions ongirls and women from different sociocultural settings are needed. Our evidence synthesis underscoresthe importance of making comprehensive efforts to support girls’ education in order to meet the globaldevelopment commitments of ensuring equitable life opportunities for adolescent girls and young women

Making menstrual health education for adolescents comprehensive and inclusive: Findings from the qualitative study in India

by Mukta Gundi and Malavika Subramanya

Perceptions regarding menstrual health: a qualitative study among adolescent boys in different socioeconomic settings in India

by Mukta Gundi and Malavika Subramanya