Strengthening social capital in the Sri Lankan population: A qualitative exploration of factors driving the mothers’ support groups initiative during economic crisis

Background: Social capital is a concept that has been identified to improve health outcomes in many populations. Due to COVID-19 and many other factors, Sri Lanka faced a massive economic crisis that affected the nutrition of communities. Many community engagement initiatives have begun to promote the country’s nutrition during the worst-hit years. The Mothers’ Support Groups initiative is one of the existing community engagement initiatives that is well known for strengthening community social capital. This article discusses how the Mothers’ Support Groups (MSG) initiative in Sri Lanka contributed to improving social capital in Sri Lanka during the economic crisis, focusing on nutrition. Methods: We conducted a case study on the activities undertaken by mothers’ support groups in view of how they focused on social capital. We selected all activities presented by districts that improved social capital related to nutrition promotion captured in the YouTube video stream. We analyzed these qualitative data to identify the main themes related to social capital and nutritional promotion. Two coders transcribed the video recordings. We analyzed the data using the iterative thematic inquiry (ITI) method and initially assessed beliefs about concepts, building new beliefs through encounters with data, listing tentative themes, and evaluating themes through coding. Results: Six major themes were identified (that social capital had been strengthened to promote nutrition): awareness creation of nutrition, home gardening promotion, promoting livestock farming, minimizing food waste, improving the home economy, and psychosocial health promotion. The most common forms of social capital encountered in these themes were bonding, bridging, and linking. Furthermore, strengthening structural social capital is more prominent than strengthening cognitive social capital. Conclusion: Social capital can improve nutritional status during crises. Activities that can be used to achieve this vary from simple awareness creation among communities to more advanced psychosocial health promotion. Overall, social capital contributed to the community development aspect of health promotion to a greater extent

Noise level inside sri lanka transport board buses and hearing impairment of long- and short-distance bus drivers of ampara and Batticaloa Districts, Sri Lanka

Background: Transport drivers are more vulnerable to hearing impairment due to the traffic environment and fast-growing urbanization. Objective: The study aims to determine the noise level inside the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses, hearing impairment of state transport bus drivers, and its associated factors in the selected districts of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 256 state bus drivers using a systematic sampling technique. A screening tool to assess the level of hearing impairment of drivers and a format to measure equivalent noise level inside the SLTB buses were used to collect data. Noise measurement was done using Benetech Sound Level Meter (Model DB 130). Results: With reference to the noise level inside buses, 88.4% (n = 53) exceeded 85 dB (A), and 21.7% of buses (n = 13) were above 90 dB (A). According to the hearing tool's hearing impairment assessment, the hearing of the majority of the study participants (84.4%, n = 216) was not affected. The association between hearing impairment and past history of ear diseases, surgeries, or head trauma was statistically significant (P = 0.017). Conclusions: Noise level inside the SLTB buses in Ampara and Batticaloa districts exceeded the 85 dB limit prescribed under the WHO standards of occupational noise exposure. The years of service of a bus was the only factor shown a statistically significant association with the level of noise inside the bus

Alcohol use and substance use disorders in Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq War veterans compared with nondeployed military personnel

Although recent veterans have been found to be at increased risk of psychiatric disorders, limited research has focused on alcohol or substance use disorders. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether alcohol or substance use disorders were more common in Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq War veterans compared with military comparison groups nondeployed to the corresponding conflict, including never deployed personnel. Literature was searched (1990-2014) in multiple electronic databases. Studies were assessed for eligibility and quality, including risk of bias. Eighteen studies (1997-2014) met inclusion criteria. Pooled analysis based on a random-effects model yielded a summary odds ratio of 1.33 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22, 1.46) for alcohol (7 studies) and 2.13 (95% CI: 0.96, 4.72) for substance use (3 studies) disorders among Gulf War veterans, as well as 1.36 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.66) for alcohol (7 studies) and 1.14 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.25) for substance use (4 studies) disorders among Iraq/Afghanistan veterans; meta-regressions found no statistically significant association between theater of war and alcohol use or substance use disorders. Our findings indicate that Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans are at higher alcohol use disorder risk than nondeployed veterans, but further studies with increased power are needed to assess substance use disorder risk in Gulf War veteran populations.</p