Awareness and Attitude of Physicians in Academia towards Human Stem Cell Research (HSCR) and Related Policies in Rajasthan, India

Introduction: In India, several science agencies are promoting Stem Cell Research (SCR). There is paucity of studies which document the perception of doctors about SCR, especially physicians in academia. This study was carried out to assess perception of physicians in academia towards Human Stem Cell Research (HSCR) and related policies in India. Methods: We interviewed 200 doctors from three different government medical colleges of Rajasthan. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to discern their awareness, attitudes towards utilization of SCR and their knowledge of related international and ethical policy issues. Results: Though mostly 177 (96.2%) physicians acknowledged the public health benefits of promoting stem cell research in India, but 166 (66.2%) were not aware of the stem cell research policy of the Government of India and 111 (60.3%) were not aware of the ICMR guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research in India. There was a strong desire among academic physicians 152 (82.6%) to incorporate a course on SCR to the students in the near future. Discussion: Physicians in academia have views that SCR should be encouraged to treat clinical diseases and this technology should be brought into India in a big way. They seem to believe that one of the ways to promote the benefits of SCR would be to raise awareness by publishing success stories in widely read Indian Medical Journals, giving updated information regarding its uses in clinical practices and its inclusion as a part of the curricula for health professionals

Non-communicable diseases risk factors among government school teachers in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are considered as life-style diseases. School teachers' behavior in this context could be transmitted to students that may act as determining factor of prevention for NCDs at primordial level. Aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of risk factors among teachers and their practices with respect to common NCDs. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jodhpur among 394 government school teachers. Questionnaire was adopted from WHO STEPS tool and responses were documented which included socio-demographic details, anthropometric measurements and risk factors including diet, hours of physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake. Mean age of participants was 43 years out of which 23% were found to be having blood pressure more than 140/90 mm of Hg at the time of interview. 4.8% consumed alcohol and 1.5% was smokers. Mean body mass index (BMI) was found to be 25.4 while only 13% had their cholesterol checked post 35 years of age. The 23.6% had knowledge of reducing fat by using the right type of cooking oil, 35.7% were engaged in any daily physical activity and 76% knew that excess salt was not good for health. This survey assessed baseline levels by identifying the overall prevalence and associated risk factors that provided first step towards initiating surveillance for NCDs among school teachers in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, whilst delivering the necessary information concerning with developing a suitable framework for determining priorities over intervention

Intravenous verses oral iron supplementation for anaemia of pregnancy in the arid region of Western India: a retrospective cohort study

Background: India has a high prevalence of anemia in pregnant females, resulting greater risk of blood transfusion and its associated complications during the peripartum period. Administration of intravenous iron sucrose may reduce such a risk. Due to a greater prevalence in western arid region of India, this study was planned to compare efficacy and safety of intravenous iron sucrose and oral ferrous ascorbate in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia of pregnancy in a community health center of rural Jodhpur.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Community Health Center of Jodhpur to review the heamoglobin values of pregnant females in 28 to 37 weeks of gestation, treated with either intravenous iron sucrose or oral iron ascorbate. Cohorts were matched based on parity and age, and the hemoglobin values after 2, 4 and 6 weeks of start of therapy were compared using independent t-test.  Results: Of the 152 pregnant females’ records included in the study, 82 were provided intravenous therapy and 70 were given oral iron therapy. Both the modes of administration showed marked increase in heamoglobin values, with statistically more significant rise through parenteral route at each point of measurement. Overall change in mean heamoglobin was 2.43 g/dl through iv route and 0.61 g/dl through oral route (p<0.001). Adverse events following therapy were reported by 9 females from intravenous group and 31 women from oral group.Conclusions: The study provided evidence that parenterally administered iron sucrose elevated hemoglobin and restored iron stores better than oral ferrous ascorbate with lesser adverse reactions

A Scoping review of challenges, scope and assessment approaches of teledentistry: an Indian perspective

Context: In India, COVID-19 pandemic has limited the utilization and access to dental services owing to the risk of infections transmission. In this context, tele-dentistry could be useful but there is paucity of literature which provides guidance on the scope and challenges for using tele-dentistry in India. Aims: To identify challenges, scope and assessment approaches of tele-dentistry from an Indian perspective. Settings and Design: Scoping Review. Methods and Material: Scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Databases were searched in July from April to August 2020. Studies concerning challenges and scope of tele-dentistry in India were included. Additionally, literature about assessment approaches used for tele-dentistry programs were also reviewed Results: A total of 64 studies were reviewed, out of which 26 articles were included in the final review. Scoping review reveled that tele-dentistry can act as a seamless tool for diagnosing, training and screening. Few studies suggested the relevance of smartphone technology for specialist consultations and proper diagnosis. Majority of studies revealed shortage of basic infrastructure as a major challenge for tele-dentistry in India. Assessment studies were mainly focused on economic perspective and cost-effectiveness of the programs. Conclusions: This review provide guidance for using tele-dentistry in India. It is also reflected that there is a need for further research about the assessment of tele-dentistry in terms of safety, clinical outcomes, and patient perception

Dynamics of Warp and Weft: Contemporary trends in Naga textiles and the Naga collection at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

This paper, based on preliminary findings, attempts to show the dynamic processes of change and incorporation of new ideas and materials in the textiles of the Nagas of northeast India by comparing the contemporary textile trends with those seen in the Naga collection at the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM) in Oxford. The discussion derives from Emma Tarlo and Appadurai\u27s views on museum collections and the role clothes play in a people\u27s identity. Tarlo (Clothing Matters, 1996) writes that textile and clothes displays in museums often take the clothes out of their social, political and economic context. Following Appadurai (The Social Life of Things, 1986) she says that \u27they rob clothes of much of their usual social life\u27. \u27Clothes, which under normal course of events are exchanged, purchased, worn, stored and discarded, become ossified in the museum display case where their meanings often appears static and rigid\u27 (Tarlo, ibid. 6). Thus, in the process making the notion of identity fixed and constrained

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of the national program for health care of the elderly

Background: The National Program for the HealthCare of the Elderly (NPHCE) was adopted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2010 to provide promotional, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health-care services for the fast-growing older population in India. As literature about the assessment of NPHCE is lacking, the present study was conducted to perform a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the program. Methods: The SWOT of the NPHCE program is analyzed using available literature and relevant documents. Results: Although this program embraces strategies to provide specialized training and services at primary health center, community health center, and district levels, including dedicated bedded wards, equipment, consumables, and pharmaceuticals but home-based care for the elderly, and the role of caregivers is overlooked in this program. NPHCE program can utilize the framework and take support of various ongoing healthy aging initiatives of international agencies to augment the health-care strategies for the elderly in India. Integrating schemes developed by the government for the upliftment of the elderly and the inclusion of traditional medicine systems in the program can serve as an opportunity for meeting unmet needs and improving the quality of life and well-being of the elderly. However, the growing elderly population, rise in nuclear families, and dual disease burden are significant threats to the program's implementation. Conclusion: This program can be more effective in providing comprehensive health care to the elderly if more emphasis is given to community participation, home-based care, and integrating digital health technologies and other existing welfare schemes

Study of feasibility and effectiveness of ASHA-Soft (Online Payment and Performance Monitoring System) program in Rajasthan: Study of feasibility and effectiveness of ASHA-Soft in Rajasthan

Objective: ASHA-Soft is the pioneer e-Health program which was launched to manage online payment and for monitoring performance of ASHA workers in Rajasthan. There is a paucity of studies which documents the feasibility and effectiveness of this program with aim to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of ASHA-Soft program. Methods: Study was conducted in Jodhpur using quantitative and qualitative method. Primary and secondary data approach was used to assess feasibility and effectiveness of ASHA-Soft. Purposive sampling was done to recruit 150 ASHA workers having experience of more than 5 years to capture the perception before and after implementation of ASHA-Soft. Qualitative data was also obtained from ASHA workers and key stakeholders. To assess the effectiveness secondary data was obtained from various sources was analyzed. Results: Mean age of participants were 35.51 + 6.7 years. Most of ASHAs agreed that ASHA-Soft mediated timely payment (68%) and payment according to their performance (81%). It also increased their motivational level (96%).There were no significant difference in different work experience of ASHAs and perception towards ASHA-Soft regarding timely payment (p=0.99), improving quality of life (p=0.66) and motivation level (p=0.40). This program has provided standard online procedure of online payment and monitoring for ASHAs. Incentives received by ASHAs increased to 77%, performance increased by 7% and 9% for maternal health and child health respectively within one year of its initial implementation. Conclusions: Study finding demonstrate that ASHA-Soft program is acceptable to the users and is effective in terms of meeting organizational requirement

HIV/AIDS awareness and related health education needs among slum dwellers of Jodhpur city

Background: The people living in slums lack the basic civic amenities. Due to deprivation of socioeconomic resources and health care facilities these groups of people are more vulnerable to infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS. Aim&amp; Objective: To assess the knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS and to identify related health education needs in urban slums of Jodhpur. Settings and Design: A cross sectional study was conducted during July – Nov 2018 in slums of Jodhpur city.&nbsp; Methods and Material: Two stage cluster sampling strategy was used to collect data from 1200 participants regarding HIV/ AIDS knowledge and awareness to identify health education needs in urban slums. Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics, chi-square test and multivariate logistics analysis were used. Results: A total of 1200 participants were surveyed, out of which 48.5 % were males.&nbsp;&nbsp; Among the study population 58% (n=697) has heard about HIV/AIDS and only 17.5% (n=211) have knowledge that the HIV and AIDS are different. Only 17.8% (n=214) have undergone HIV testing. Females were less likely aware about preventive measures of HIV than males (OR=0.09, 95%CI=0.05-0.14, P value&lt;0.05). The younger population (15-45years) were less likely aware about preventive measures for HIV than older population (&gt;45 years). Only 13.9% (n=110) of tobacco consumers and 11.5% (n=78) alcohol consumers have undergone HIV testing. Conclusions: The comprehensive health education program should be designed with focus on different education needs according to age and gender of urban slums

Liver Function Tests (LFT) in pregnant women at a tertiary care center in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, India

Introduction: Abnormal liver tests occur in 3–5% of pregnancies and show many different causes. Although alterations of liver enzymes could be a physiological phenomenon, it may also reflect potential severe liver injury, necessitating further assessment and accurate management. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken to study liver function test profile in pregnant women. Methodology: All the pregnant patients referred to Pathology section were studied prospectively from January 2018 to April 2019 involving 90 cases. Blood sample was studied for Total protein, Albumin, Globulin, Bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, Alkaline phosphatase. All the findings filled in MS-Excel sheet and was analysed manually. Results: The mean age was found to be 26.61 (±5.42) yrs. Mean total protein level was 11.66 (±53.55) Gm/dl. Mean Albumin was 3.01 (±0.71) Gm/dl. Total patients showed hypalbuminaemia majority of patients in the age group of 24 – 29 yrs [31 (34.4%) cases] and in third Trimester [35 (38.8%) cases]. Mean total Bilirubin is 1.66 (±3.56) Mg/dl, Mean Direct Bilirubin is 0.98 (±2.42) Mg/dl and Mean Indirect Bilirubin is 0.74(±1.40) Mg/dl. Total 57 (63.3%) patient showed increased SGOT, majority of patient in the age group of 24 to 29 yrs [24 (26.6%) cases]. Total 36 (40%) patient showed increased SGPT, majority of patient in the age group of 18 to 23 yrs [11 (12.2%) cases]. Total 62 (68.8%) patient showed increased Alkaline Phosphatase, majority of patient in the age group of 24 to 29 yrs [28 (31.1%) cases]. Conclusion: Liver disease in pregnancy is a complex issue that deserves a multidisciplinary approach