Using smartphone video “selfies” to monitor change in toothbrushing behavior after a brief intervention: A pilot study

Background: Attempts to refine toothbrushing (TB) technique, an ingrained habit in adults, can meet with some challenges. Recently, the role of proactive interference as a barrier to improving the learning of proper brushing has been proposed. This pilot feasibility study was designed to investigate TB behavior and to see how it changes after training. Smartphone video “selfies” (SPVSs) are increasingly being used in the medical field to assess, monitor, and determine the progression of diseases. Materials and Methods: We used SPVS to study TB skills in a small sample of volunteers. Over a period of 14 days, after a one-time group training session, we observed TB behavior of volunteers using self-captured SPVS. Results: Following the brief intervention, we observed an 8% of improvement in TB skills. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report using SPVS to study TB behavior. We demonstrated initial feasibility of using SPVS in the dental setting. We observed modest improvements in toothbrushing accuracy and quality, and we generated important experiences about the use of Selfies for TB monitoring and intervention, and some interesting insights about where in the toothbrushing is more or less effective. Conclusion: Further investigation using a larger sample size is needed to thoroughly assess the effectiveness of this approach to improve TB skills and better understand the role of proactive interference

Quality of life in schizophrenic patients: Comparative study from South India

Objective: To assess and compare the quality of life (QoL) in patients with schizophrenia with apparently normal controls. Materials and Methods: A secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study that was carried out in the outpatient psychiatry clinics at a South Indian referral center. Thirty consecutive patients and 30 apparently normal individuals fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria formed the study group. Demographic data for the study population were collected. Schizophrenia was diagnosed as per criteria of the ICD-10th revision and measured using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) and general psychopathology scale. Outcome measures were measured using the World Health Organization (WHO)-QoL-brief version (BREF) instrument. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and appropriate inferential statistics using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. P ≤ 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of demographic factors between the schizophrenic patients and controls. The QoL-WHO-BREF score of schizophrenic patients was 82.33 ± 12.34 and for controls it was 90.9 ± 8.41 (P = 0.003). The individual domains of physical and psychological spheres differed significantly between the schizophrenic patients and controls. Individual domain scores varied significantly in occupation. The PANSS positive subscore was correlated with QoL score and there was a statistical significance. Discussion: The deleterious effects of schizophrenia on QoL occur significantly. Management should be planned with this consideration to yield better outcomes

A study of burden of anorexia nervosa in India - 2016

Introduction: The emergence of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in India been sporadically reported and till date, no epidemiological study has been reported. Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 (GBD 2016) offers a unique opportunity to study the AN as well as to estimate its burden quantification. Materials and Methods: Using the GBD 2016 approach and accounting for gender, age, and disability weight were accounted to calculate the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: As accounted in the model, the prevalence rate of AN for males was 10/100,000, whereas for females, it was 37.2 and combined gender burden was 22.3/100,000. A loss of 73782.7 DALYs was estimated. An estimated 55 deaths due to AN was observed. Most of the burden of the AN was borne by females in the age of 15–19 years than others with a male:female ratio of 1:4. The prevalence rate was observed to increase from 1990 to 2016. Discussion: Within the confines of the current mathematical modeling and secondary data analysis, the Indian burden of AN is significant, particularly among young females. AN is least studied mental illness in India. With increasing distorted body image perception and “western” style living, eating disorder in reported to increasingly prevalent among Indians. Mental health professions need to include AN for screening at the community level. Nonavailability of specific literature and parameters to quantify disability. Conclusion: A mathematical estimate of the AN in India is presented with its implication using a secondary data approach. In wake of rapid changes in society, the mental health community should realize that India shall not be immune to AN in the present and future

Burden of exposure to lead as a risk factor for mental illness in Indian children 1990–2015: A systematic analysis based on global burden of disease approach

Background: The risk of lead exposure for mental illness and its burden on Indian children, as a society, is not studied till date. This study aims to present the same as well as to compare the risk and burden between 1990 and 2015. Materials and Methods: Using India-specific, Global Burden of Disease 2015 data health metrics-disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), we estimated the burden of mental illness and exposure to lead as a risk factor for the same. Descriptive estimates of prevalence and DALY for mental illness and risk of lead exposure are presented for various age groups of Indian children (0–14 years) of either gender. Results: In 2015, 26,450,345 Indian children were affected with mental illness contributing to DALYs of 2,453,344. In 2015, 162,492.1 DALYs were lost to mental illness due to risk factors and 130,429 lost DALYs due to risk attributed to lead exposure. The risk rate attribution and the difference of burden in 1990–2015 are presented. Years of life lost due to lead exposure for mental illness is high as compared to all attributed risks. Lead was identified as risk factor for intellectual disability among children. Conclusions: Lead continues to pose a significant overall health risk and specifically for mental illness. The estimated burden of mental illness and extent of association of risk indicate the urgent need of clear policies to reduce lead from our immediate environment

Contribution of Indian psychiatrists to PubMed listed mental health literature during 1995–2013: An exploratory study

Introduction: Contribution of Indian Psychiatrists as publications in peer-reviewed journals listed with PubMed and their impact has not been studied. The aim of this manuscript is to assess such contribution using a new article level metric measure. The relative citation ratio (RCR) has been used to assess the quality, quantity, and impact of research output of Indian Psychiatrists. Materials and Methods: Publications by Indian psychiatrists in PubMed during 1995–2013 were collected, their RCR and associated factors estimated. The nationality of the journals, type of manuscripts, PubMed Central (PMC) visibility and the type of the journals were factored in. The data collected was analyzed. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, correlations, and linear regression were performed. P ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Using the criteria set, 1914 manuscripts were identified. Of the 1914 manuscripts, 1007 were cited at least once and among this, 40.7% were listed with PubMed while of the 907 non-PMC listed manuscripts, only 180 were never cited (P = 0.000). Of the 1032 manuscripts published in Indian journals, 474 were never cited while 214 of the manuscripts published with non-India based journals were never cited even once (P = 0.000). Discussion: The difference in terms of manuscripts visibility in PMC, nationality of journals and article type in analysis indicate that there exists an innate difference between the cited and noncited manuscripts. The probable explanation behind this and its associated phenomenon are discussed

Influence of legislations and news on Indian internet search query patterns of e-cigarettes

Background: There is a paucity of data on the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in India. In addition, the Indian internet search pattern for ENDS has not been studied. We aimed to address this lacuna. Moreover, the influence of the tobacco legislations and news pieces on such search volume is not known. Given the fact that ENDS could cause oral lesions, these data are pertinent to dentists. Methods: Using a time series analysis, we examined the effect of tobacco-related legislations and news pieces on total search volume (TSV) from September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2016. TSV data were seasonally adjusted and analyzed using time series modeling. The TSV clocked during the month of legislations and news pieces were analyzed for their influence on search pattern of ENDS. Results: The overall mean ± standard deviation (range) TSV was 22273.75 ± 6784.01 (12310-40510) during the study with seasonal variations. Individually, the best model for TSV-legislation and news pieces was autoregressive integrated moving average model, and when influence of legislations and news events were combined, it was the Winter's additive model. In the legislation alone model, the pre-event, event and post-event month TSV was not a better indicator of the effect, barring for post-event month of 2 legislation, which involved pictorial warnings on packages in the study period. Similarly, a news piece on Pan-India ban on ENDS influenced the model in the news piece model. When combined, no 'events' emerged significant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that search for information on ENDS is increasing and that these tobacco control policies and news items, targeting tobacco usage reduction, have only a short-term effect on the rate of searching for information on ENDS