5 research outputs found

    Adventist Millennials of India: Strongly Connected to Church

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    Adventist Millennials of India: Strongly Connected to Church Abstract Background of the study: India has the largest youth population of 232 million youth in the age group of 15 – 24 Years which is one fifth of total population. This trend is also reflected in the church. This study examines the Adventist youth in India and explores their connection and devotion for the Church. Method and Material: A survey questionnaire named “Adventist Youth Development Study” (AYDS) was used to study the health, family, mental and spiritual development of youth. The total sample of 226 consist of 113 males and 113 females were selected for the cross sectional survey. The sample comprised 62% late adolescents and 38% early adults. Results: Reflecting the casual attitude of church in India to health message, 75% reported skipping their breakfast, 79% don’t take 8 hours of sleep and 70% usually snack instead of taking regular meals. With regard to problem behaviours 81% never smoked and 93% never chewing tobacco. About 9% reported consuming alcohol while drug use was reported by 5% of youth. The mental health profile of youth shows that 79% reported feeling depressed and 28% reported having thought of suicide. Discussion and Conclusion: About 85% said they are having very good daily spiritual experience. Over half of the sample reported unpleasant church experience and felt that church is not caring and supportive enough. Yet, 95% report regular attendance to Church programs. This speaks of youth’s commitment to church and their devotion to God. There is a strong and urgent need to make use of this positive youth dividend to strengthen the Church for the future

    Exploring Mental Health during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown in Mumbai: Serendipity for Some Women

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    Background: This study explored how low-income women already distressed by reproductive challenges were affected during the initial lockdown conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mumbai, India. Methods: Women with reproductive challenges and living in established slums participated in a longitudinal mixed-methods study comparing their mental health over time, at pre-COVID-19 and at one and four-months into India’s COVID-19 lockdown. Results: Participants (n = 98) who presented with elevated mental health symptoms at baseline had significantly reduced symptoms during the initial lockdown. Improvements were associated with income, socioeconomic status, perceived stress, social support, coping strategies, and life satisfaction. Life satisfaction explained 37% of the variance in mental health change, which was qualitatively linked with greater family time (social support) and less worry about necessities, which were subsidized by the government. Conclusions: As the pandemic continues and government support wanes, original mental health issues are likely to resurface and possibly worsen, if unaddressed. Our research points to the health benefits experienced by the poor in India when basic needs are at least partially met with government assistance. Moreover, our findings point to the critical role of social support for women suffering reproductive challenges, who often grieve alone. Future interventions to serve these women should take this into account
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