Can community action improve equity for maternal health and how does it do so? Research findings from Gujarat, India

BACKGROUND: Efforts to work with civil society to strengthen community participation and action for health are particularly important in Gujarat, India, given that the state has resources and capacity, but faces challenges in ensuring that services reach those most in need. To contribute to the knowledge base on accountability and maternal health, this study examines the equity effects of community action for maternal health led by Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) on facility deliveries. It then examines the underlying implementation processes with implications for strengthening accountability of maternity care across three districts of Gujarat, India. Community action for maternal health entailed NGOs a) working with community collectives to raise awareness about maternal health entitlements, b) supporting community monitoring of outreach government services, and c) facilitating dialogue with government providers and authorities with report cards based on community monitoring of maternal health. METHODS: The study combined qualitative data (project documents and 56 stakeholder interviews thematically analyzed) with quantitative data (2395 women's self-reported receipt of information on entitlements and use of services over 3 years of implementation monitored prospectively through household visits). Multivariable logistic regression examined delivery care seeking and equity. RESULTS: In the marginalised districts, women reported substantial increases in receipt of information of entitlements and utilization of antenatal and delivery care. In the marginalized and wealthier districts, a switch from private facilities to public ones was observed for the most vulnerable. Supportive implementation factors included a) alignment among NGO organizational missions, b) participatory development of project tools, c) repeated capacity building and d) government interest in improving utilization and recognition of NGO contributions. Initial challenges included a) confidence and turnover of volunteers, b) complexity of the monitoring tool and c) scepticism from both communities and providers. CONCLUSION: With capacity and trust building, NGOs supporting community based collectives to monitor health services and engage with health providers and local authorities, over time overcame implementation challenges to strengthen public sector services. These accountability efforts resulted in improvements in utilisation of public sector services and a shift away from private care seeking, particularly for the marginalised

Iron crosslinked alginate as novel nanosorbents for removal of arsenic ions and bacteriological contamination from water

Fixed-bed column studies were conducted to evaluate performance of Fe (III) crosslinked alginate nanoparticles for the removal of pentavalent arsenic ions [As (V)] from aqueous environments. The study involved observing the influences of column bed depth, influent As (V) concentration and influent flow rates on the removal of arsenic ions. The total adsorbed quantity, equilibrium uptake and total percentage removal of arsenic were determined from the breakthrough curves obtained at different flow rates, initial metal ion concentration and bed heights. The results showed that column demonstrate fairly well performance at the lowest flow rate. Also, column bed capacity and exhaustion time were found to increase with increasing bed height. When initial metal ion concentration was increased from 0.5 mg/L to 1.5 mg/L, the corresponding adsorption bed capacity decreases from 0.066 to 0.022 mg/g. The Bed Depth Service Time (BDST) model was used to analyze the experimental data and the model parameters were evaluated. Good agreement of the experimental breakthrough curves with the model predictions was observed

Acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction following paclitaxel administration for ovarian carcinoma: A case report and review of literature

We report a case of an acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (AMI) induced by paclitaxel in a patient with ovarian cancer. A 45-year-old premenopausal lady without any co-morbidity was started on the first cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel-based regimen for advanced stage ovarian cancer. The patient developed chest pain 3 h after paclitaxel infusion with characteristic electrocardiographic changes of antero-apical myocardial infarction. The patient recovered on conservative medical management with reversion of electrocardiogram (ECG) changes. Cardiac ischemia and myocardial infarction, possibly due to coronary vasospasm, are rare adverse effects of paclitaxel with reported incidence of 0.26%. We have reported a case of paclitaxel-induced myocardial infarction with reversible cardiac dysfunction. The possibility of myocardial infarction should be considered in patients who develop chest pain or other symptoms after paclitaxel infusion

Translation and validation of European Organization for Research and Treatment for Cancer quality of life questionnaire-OV-28 module into Indian languages (Hindi and Marathi) to study quality of life of ovarian cancer patients from a tertiary care cancer center

Aim: The aim is to translate and validate the European Organization for Research and Treatment for Cancer (EORTC) ovarian cancer (OC) module (OV-28) into Hindi and Marathi to use for patients and scientific community. Methods and Results: The EORTC OV-28 was translated into Hindi and Marathi languages using prescribed guidelines by the EORTC. The process included forward translation by four translators (2 each for Hindi and Marathi). The questionnaires obtained were then given to independent backward-translators who then translated them back into English. These 2 questionnaires were then compared with the original EORTC questionnaire and the second intermediate questionnaires were formed. The second intermediate questionnaire was subsequently administered in twenty patients (10 each for Hindi and Marathi) diagnosed with OC who had never seen the questionnaire before, for pilot testing. Each of these ten patients after filling up the questionnaire themselves was then interviewed for any difficulty encountered during the filling up of the questionnaires. These were in the form of specific modules including difficulty in answering, confusion while answering, and difficulty to understand, whether the questions were upsetting and if patients would have asked the question in any different way. The suggestions were incorporated into the second intermediate questionnaires to form the final Hindi and Marathi ON-28 questionnaires. These questionnaires were then sent to the EORTC for the final approval to be used in clinical studies. Conclusion: We have successfully translated EORTC OV-28 module into Hindi and Marathi languages, and EORTC approved them to be used in clinical practice and studies for OC patients