317 research outputs found
Landscaping capacity-building initiatives in epidemiology in India: bridging the demandâsupply gap
India, the second most populous country in the world, has 17% of the worldâs
population but its total share of global disease burden is 21%. With epidemiological
transition, the challenge of the public health system is to deal with a high burden of
noncommunicable diseases, while still continuing the battle against communicable
diseases. To combat this progression, public health capacity-building initiatives
for the health workforce are necessary to develop essential skills in epidemiology
and competencies in other related fields of public health. This study is an effort
to systematically explore the training programmes in epidemiology in India and
to understand the demandâsupply dynamics of epidemiologists in the country. A
systematic, predefined approach, with three parallel strategies, was used to collect
and assemble the data regarding epidemiology training in India and assess the
demandâsupply of epidemiologists in the country. The programmes offering training
in epidemiology included degree and diploma courses offered by departments of
preventive and social medicine/community medicine in medical colleges and 19
long-term academic programmes in epidemiology, with an estimated annual output
of 1172 per year. The demand analysis for epidemiologists estimated that there is
need for at least 3289 epidemiologists to cater for the demand of various institutions
in the country. There is a wide gap in demandâsupply of epidemiologists in the
country and an urgent need for further strengthening of epidemiology training in
India. More capacity-building and training initiatives in epidemiology are therefore
urgently required to promote research and address the public health challenges
confronting the country
Linezolid susceptibility in MRSA isolates: insights into resistance and concordance in phenotypic detection methods
Background: Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses persistent threat, affecting both healthcare environment and communities, with substantial impact on infection rates, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Vancomycin, a longstanding cornerstone in MRSA treatment, but with the emergence of vancomycin resistant MRSA (VRSA), necessitating alternative antimicrobial solutions. Linezolid, stands out as a promising candidate. It has unique advantages such as an absence of renal toxicity and improved lung parenchymal diffusion compared to vancomycin, making it an appealing choice, especially for healthcare-acquired pneumonia by MRSA.
Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated linezolid susceptibility in 158 MRSA isolates using both disk diffusion and agar dilution method.
Results: Results indicated that the majority of isolates exhibited linezolid susceptibility, with 53.16% showing a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of â€2 ”g/ml. However, two MRSA isolates, constituting 1.27% of the sample, displayed a MIC of 8 ”g/ml, named them as a linezolid-resistant MRSA (LRSA). These findings align with previous research, mirroring resistance rates observed in different regions. Notably, vigilance against linezolid resistance is crucial, particularly due to its status as a last-resort MRSA treatment.
Conclusions: Remarkably, a 100% concordance was found between the disk diffusion and MIC methods for detecting linezolid resistance in MRSA, suggesting that the disk diffusion method may be practical choice for laboratories with heavy workloads. However, adherence to CLSI guidelines is essential, and cases of resistance by disk diffusion should be confirmed using MIC methods. Emergence of linezolid-resistant MRSA is a worrisome development, necessitating ongoing surveillance and vigilance
Age At Menarche And Risk Of Cancer Cervix
Research Problem: What is the role of early mcnarche as a risk factor in the outcome of cancer cervix? Objective: To investigate the role of early menarche as a risk factor for cancer cervix. Study Design: Hospital based, group matched, case control study. Setting: Gynaecology Clinic, Govt. Medical College Hospital, Nagpur. Participants: The study was carried out on 230 incident cases of cancer cervix confirmed by histopathology and equal number of controls selected from female patients admitted to the study hospital for conditions other than gynaecological cancers and showing pap smear within normal limits. The controls were group matched for 5 years class interval. Study Variable: Age at menarche. Statistical Analysis: Univariate analysis was done using Pearson's chi - square test and Odds Ratio while Adjusted Odds Ratio was calculated by using Unconditional Multiple Logistic Regression. Attributable and Population-Attributable Risk Proportion were also calculated. Result: A significant trend was observed towards increasing cancer cervix risk with decreasing age at menarche. Study subjects who had menarche before 13 years of age were at a significantly higher risk of cancer cervix. Various statistical characteristics endorsed this findings. Conclusion: The study identified a significant association of early menarche with cervical cancer. Recommendation: Independent and interactive role of early menarche in the outcome of cancer cervix needs further exploration by conducting studies involving multiple factors and using multivariate analysis
Should Sputum Smear Examination Be Carried Out at the End of the Intensive Phase and End of Treatment in Sputum Smear Negative Pulmonary TB Patients?
The Indian guidelines on following up sputum smear-negative Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients differ from the current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in that the former recommends two follow up sputum examinations (once at the end of intensive phase and the other at the end of treatment) while the latter recommends only one follow up sputum smear microscopy examination, which is done at the end of the intensive phase. This study was conducted to examine if there was any added value in performing an additional sputum smear examination at the end of treatment within the context of a national TB program
Size, composition and distribution of health workforce in India: why, and where to invest?
BACKGROUND: Investment in human resources for health not only strengthens the health system, but also generates employment and contributes to economic growth. India can gain from enhanced investment in health workforce in multiple ways. This study in addition to presenting updated estimates on size and composition of health workforce, identifies areas of investment in health workforce in India. METHODS: We analyzed two sources of data: (i) National Health Workforce Account (NHWA) 2018 and (ii) Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-2018 of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). Using the two sources, we collated comparable estimates of different categories of health workers in India, density of health workforce and skill-mix at the all India and state levels. RESULTS: The study estimated (from NHWA 2018) a total stock of 5.76 million health workers which included allopathic doctors (1.16 million), nurses/midwives (2.34 million), pharmacist (1.20 million), dentists (0.27 million), and traditional medical practitioner (AYUSH 0.79 million). However, the active health workforce size estimated (NSSO 2017-2018) is much lower (3.12 million) with allopathic doctors and nurses/midwives estimated as 0.80 million and 1.40 million, respectively. Stock density of doctor and nurses/midwives are 8.8 and 17.7, respectively, per 10,000 persons as per NHWA. However, active health workers' density (estimated from NSSO) of doctor and nurses/midwives are estimated to be 6.1 and 10.6, respectively. The numbers further drop to 5.0 and 6.0, respectively, after accounting for the adequate qualifications. All these estimates are well below the WHO threshold of 44.5 doctor, nurses and midwives per 10,000 population. The results reflected highly skewed distribution of health workforce across states, rural-urban and public-private sectors. A substantial proportion of active health worker were found not adequately qualified on the one hand and on the other more than 20% of qualified health professionals are not active in labor markets. CONCLUSION: India needs to invest in HRH for increasing the number of active health workers and also improve the skill-mix which requires investment in professional colleges and technical education. India also needs encouraging qualified health professionals to join the labor markets and additional trainings and skill building for already working but inadequately qualified health workers
Building a center of reference for monitoring and evaluation in health program in South East Asia: A partnership between MEASURE Evaluation and Public Health Foundation of India
Social research on neglected diseases of poverty: Continuing and emerging themes
Copyright: © 2009 Manderson et al.Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) exist and persist for social and economic reasons that enable the vectors and pathogens to take advantage of changes in the behavioral and physical environment. Persistent poverty at household, community, and national levels, and inequalities within and between sectors, contribute to the perpetuation and re-emergence of NTDs. Changes in production and habitat affect the physical environment, so that agricultural development, mining and forestry, rapid industrialization, and urbanization all result in changes in human uses of the environment, exposure to vectors, and vulnerability to infection. Concurrently, political instability and lack of resources limit the capacity of governments to manage environments, control disease transmission, and ensure an effective health system. Social, cultural, economic, and political factors interact and influence government capacity and individual willingness to reduce the risks of infection and transmission, and to recognize and treat disease. Understanding the dynamic interaction of diverse factors in varying contexts is a complex task, yet critical for successful health promotion, disease prevention, and disease control. Many of the research techniques and tools needed for this purpose are available in the applied social sciences. In this article we use this term broadly, and so include behavioral, population and economic social sciences, social and cultural epidemiology, and the multiple disciplines of public health, health services, and health policy and planning. These latter fields, informed by foundational social science theory and methods, include health promotion, health communication, and heath education
Assessment of Essential Newborn Care Services in Secondary-level Facilities from Two Districts of India
India faces a formidable burden of neonatal deaths, and quality newborn
care is essential for reducing the high neonatal mortality rate. We
examined newborn care services, with a focus on essential newborn care
(ENC) in two districts, one each from two states in India. Nagaur
district in Rajasthan and Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh were
included. Six secondary-level facilities from the districts\u2500two
district hospitals (DHs) and four community health centres (CHCs) were
evaluated, where maximum institutional births within districts were
taking place. The assessment included record review, facility
observation, and competency assessment of service providers, using
structured checklists and sets of questionnaire. The domains assessed
for competency were: resuscitation, provision of warmth, breastfeeding,
kangaroo mother care, and infection prevention. Our assessments showed
that no inpatient care was being rendered at the CHCs while, at DHs,
neonates with sepsis, asphyxia, and prematurity/low birthweight were
managed. Newborn care corners existed within or adjacent to the labour
room in all the facilities and were largely unutilized spaces in most
of the facilities. Resuscitation bags and masks were available in four
out of six facilities, with a predominant lack of masks of both sizes.
Two CHCs in Chhatarpur did not have suction device. The average
knowledge score amongst service providers in resuscitation was 76% and,
in the remaining ENC domains, was 78%. The corresponding average skill
scores were 24% and 34%, highlighting a huge contrast in knowledge and
skill scores. This disparity was observed for all levels of providers
assessed. While knowledge domain scores were largely satisfactory
(>75%) for the majority of providers in domains of kangaroo mother
care and breastfeeding, the scores were only moderately satisfactory
(50-75%) for all other knowledge domains. The skill scores for all
domains were predominantly non-satisfactory (<50%). The findings
underpin the need for improving the existing ENC services by making
newborn care corners functional and enhancing skills of service
providers to reduce neonatal mortality rate in India
Public Health Education in India and China:History, Opportunities, and Challenges
Abstract Public health education in China and India has a long history that has been both deeply responsive to the unique needs and medical traditions of each country, and sensitive to global influences. The history of public health education in China reaches back several centuries, with substantial input from American and European organizations during the Republican Era, 1911â1949. In India, centuries-old health care traditions were influenced during the colonial period by the British Empire prior to independence in 1947. Political upheaval in both countries during the 1940s further impacted the public health systems as well as public health education. The primary goal of this review is to outline public health education in India and Mainland China, with a focus on describing the historical systems and structures that have promoted the development of formalized public health education. We examine current challenges, and analyze opportunities for improvement. Health reforms in China and India need to consider new and modern models for public health education, perhaps in independent faculties of public health, to reinvigorate public health education and strengthen the position of public health in addressing the health challenges of the 21st century
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