ABSTRACT
Background: Since the early 1990s, several milestone international declarations have recognized violence against women as a violation of human rights. Intimate partner violence (IPV), often used synonymously with domestic abuse or domestic violence against women, is a big burden to our society which manifests itself in many forms and it has its existence in every corner of the world irrespective of all the boundaries. Objectives: The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of IPV against reproductive age group tribal women in Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district. Methodology: A cross?sectional study was carried out among 360 tribal women aged between 15 and 49 years residing at selected villages across Siliguri subdivision. Data regarding IPV were collected using the Indian Family Violence and Control Scale questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and multi?variable logistic regression was done to find out factors associated with domestic violence. Results: The study revealed that 70.3% of women had experienced domestic violence in any form in their lifetime. Logistic regression revealed that IPV was significantly associated with: age between 30 and 49 years, education above primary school, unskilled occupation, ? 2500 and above per?capita monthly income, and participants who are separated/broken up. Among the factors related to the male partner, literacy above primary school level was associated with experience to domestic violence. Conclusion: Domestic violence in all its manifestations was found to be present in the study population. The report may offer policymakers fresh perspectives on how to allocate funds for the complete elimination of domestic violence against women.
ABSTRACT
Cigarette smoking is a major public health issue in India and leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Addressing the issue of smoking is a major challenge to public health, as the addiction is hard to break. Counseling smokers regarding smoking cessation is the first step to achieving cessation, but the quit rates remain low. Several pharmacological interventions have been developed over the years. Nicotine replacement therapy is available in a variety of formulations, each with different advantages, drawbacks, acceptability among smokers and quit rates. In addition, a range of novel nicotine and tobacco products, including Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), have been developed which leverage nicotine to aid in smoking cessation. A group of medical experts convened to review the evidence on the burden of smoking, the concept of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), novel nicotine and tobacco products for THR, and the potential of HTPs to aid in smoking cessation. This paper outlines the findings and recommendations regarding THR in the Indian context. The panel opined that tobacco cessation centers and counseling remain the foundation of tobacco cessation in India. At the same time, there appears to be potential for the application of THR products in India. The relevant authorities must review the potential of THR products, and make these available, to provide the best possible cessation strategy for the Indian population that is currently at risk of mortality and severe morbidity.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: The family caregivers of patients with chronic diseases are known to undergo psychiatric stress leading to oxidative damage to glomerular membrane of kidney resulting in proteinuria. This study was aimed to compare current anxiety, depression levels and urinary albumin:creatinine ratio between primary caregivers of chronic mental patients and matched controls, and also whether the urinary albumin : creatinine ratio is correlated with stress factors (state and trait anxiety level, depression and caregiver burden) amongst caregivers. Methods: The present cross-sectional study included 131 subjects (93 primary caregivers of patients with major mental illness as cases and 38 normal controls). They completed the Burden Assessment Schedule of SCARF, State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck’s Depression Inventory. A spot urine sample was tested for urinary albumin : creatinine ratio from all study subjects. Results: Mean values of current State and Trait anxiety, depression, urinary albumin:creatinine ratio were significantly higher in caregivers than controls (P<0.001). Urinary albumin : creatinine ratio was significantly correlated (P<0.001) with State and Trait anxiety level, depression as well as caregiver burden. Interpretation & conclusions: The study demonstrated depression , anxiety and albuminuria amongst primary caregivers of patients with mental illness. Increase in the caregivers’ burden, depression and anxiety resulted in an increase in the urinary albumin: creatinine ratio. This indicates that psychological stress is one of the determinants of albumin excretion rate in otherwise healthy subjects.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Mothers and children are biologically related and dependent. They should be considered as a single unit which is very important regarding adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Very high levels of adherence are required for effective ART. We therefore carried out this study to examine the adherence levels and different factors associated with adherence among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive mothers and their HIV-positive children receiving ART. Design and Setting: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. Materials and Methods: Ninety-four HIV-positive mothers and their 94 HIV-positive children under ART attending the ART center of a tertiary care hospital were recruited in this study. Consenting mothers were asked to complete the "Case Study Form" containing socio-demographic and care-giving details. Mothers were also asked to complete the Beck's depression inventory, State trait anxiety inventory, and Ways of coping inventory. Adherence was assessed using pill count. Criteria for good and poor adherence were defined. Current CD4 counts were retrieved from the hospital record. Results: Fifty-six percent of respondent mothers and 65.8% of respondent children showed good adherence to ART. Different factors were associated with poor adherence in both mothers and their children. Conclusion: Adherence of HIV-positive mothers and their HIV-positive children to ART is influenced by multiple factors and identification of these factors is necessary to get complete adherence to ART. There is statistically significant relationship between maternal and pediatric adherence to ART.