ABSTRACT
Background: In response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the government of India declared a lockdown on March 24, 2020. This affected the daily life of citizens, influencing the availability of daily needs. There was a diverse opinion among public health experts regarding the implementation of the lockdown. Therefore, this study was planned to assess the perceptions and to study the effects of lockdown and challenges faced by Indian citizens during the lockdown imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among Indian citizens above 18 years old using the snowball sampling method. Data were collected through Google forms containing a semistructured questionnaire. Results: Of 464 participants, 61.85% of them reported that lockdown is necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus infection; 50.43% had a negative effect on their job; and felt mental health problems like anxiety, lack of sleep, stress due to increased workload, and the feeling of separated from family. Conclusion: According to the majority of participants, the lockdown was necessary to contain the spread of the pandemic. Participants who faced different problems also found ways to overcome them in a positive way.
ABSTRACT
Background: The total waste generated by obsolete or broken down electronic and electrical equipment was estimated to be 1,46,000 tonnes for the year 2005, which is expected to exceed 8,00,000 tonnes by 2012. However, according to the Green peace report in 2007, India generated 380,000 tonnes of e-waste. Only 3% of this made it to the authorized recyclers’ facilities.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst 133 Engineering Students of Sinhgad Institute of Technology College, Lonavala, Pune which is located in a rural field practice area of Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College, Pune during the period of June 2016 to December 2016. Data was collected by using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed by using Epi. Info 7 and appropriate statistical tests were applied.Results: Almost 125 (94%) students replaced mobile phones in last five years. Common reason for replacement was desire for newer technology by 33 (26.4%) students and need for greater functionality by 29 (23.2%). The old mobile phones were kept at home by 34 (27.2%) students, followed by dumped by 31 (24.8%), it was also noted that many students sold the mobile phones and only 8 (6.5%) were aware of the e–waste management policy.Conclusions: Most of the students replacing the mobile phones frequently but the level of awareness about the e-waste management were low, so need to increase the awareness among the users for implementation of the e waste management policy.