Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of the national program for health care of the elderly

Background: The National Program for the HealthCare of the Elderly (NPHCE) was adopted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2010 to provide promotional, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative health-care services for the fast-growing older population in India. As literature about the assessment of NPHCE is lacking, the present study was conducted to perform a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the program. Methods: The SWOT of the NPHCE program is analyzed using available literature and relevant documents. Results: Although this program embraces strategies to provide specialized training and services at primary health center, community health center, and district levels, including dedicated bedded wards, equipment, consumables, and pharmaceuticals but home-based care for the elderly, and the role of caregivers is overlooked in this program. NPHCE program can utilize the framework and take support of various ongoing healthy aging initiatives of international agencies to augment the health-care strategies for the elderly in India. Integrating schemes developed by the government for the upliftment of the elderly and the inclusion of traditional medicine systems in the program can serve as an opportunity for meeting unmet needs and improving the quality of life and well-being of the elderly. However, the growing elderly population, rise in nuclear families, and dual disease burden are significant threats to the program’s implementation. Conclusion: This program can be more effective in providing comprehensive health care to the elderly if more emphasis is given to community participation, home‑based care, and integrating digital health technologies and other existing welfare schemes.

Intrinsic Capacity of Rural Elderly in Thar Desert using World Health Organization Integrated Care for Older Persons Screening Tool: A Pilot Study

Integrated Care for Older Persons (ICOPE) screening tool helps to address declines in physical and mental capacities in older people. In India, majority of the older population resides in rural areas and there is a paucity of studies that demonstrates the utility of the ICOPE screening tool in India. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of using the World Health Organization ICOPE screening tool in a rural population. Comprehensive geriatric assessment of intrinsic capacity revealed cognitive decline in 31.5% (n = 142) participants, diminished mobility 52.1% (n = 235) participants, eye problems in 49.4% (n = 223) participants, and hearing loss in 68.3% (n = 308) participants. Gender difference was statistically significant with mobility limitation (P = 0.005; ?2 = 7.95) and feeling of pain (P = 0.001; ?2 = 15.64), being more in females than males. This tool seems suitable in identifying the intrinsic capacity of the rural elderly.

Undergraduate public health degree courses in India: selected overview

Background: Building the public health workforce in India along with strengthening the public health systems across the Nation are essential components necessary to achieve the sustainable development goals for India. In the Indian context, there is limited information available for undergraduate public health education. The central aim of this brief study is to elucidate the undergraduate public health education landscape at selected institutions in India.Methods: A mixed methods approach was used in this brief study. First, cross-sectional, scoping review was used. Then, to describe student perceptions and attitude towards undergraduate public health curriculum, primary data were collected by using a questionnaire. A self-administered questionnaire was developed after extensive literature search. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize questionnaire results. Chi-square tests were used to help identify factors that may influence student perceptions and attitudes.Results: Through scoping rapid review and internet search, eight institutions were identified that are offering undergraduate public health courses in India. Most institutes in India have 3 years duration for the undergraduate public health degree courses. Most of students (89%) believed that the undergraduate public health course increased their knowledge in the field of public health. We found an association between student perceptions about community benefits from trained undergraduate public health workforce.Conclusions: The undergraduate public health education initiatives should be promoted and envisioned as a new strategy for public health capacity-building in public health in India.

Comparative Study Of Visual Reaction Time And Field Of Vision In Deaf Children With Normal Children

With auditory deprivation the visual senses are enhanced in the deaf children. The visual reaction time is measured by response analyzer and the field of vision is tested by Priestly-Smith's perimeter in the deaf children and compared with the normal hearing children in the age group of 8-16 years. The results showed significant increase in the VRTand field of vision in the deaf children as compared to the normal children. Early deafness is responsible for processing the visual stimuli in auditory cortex due to plasticity of neuronal cells in the auditory cortex. The deaf depend on the visual stimuli to judge three dimensional objects as well as to moving stimuli in the periphery. The deaf children show faster VRT and widening of field of vision due to continuous training by sign language. Visual experiences to the deaf children improve the neuronal circuitry involved thus providing evidence of auditory plasticity.

A Rare Case of Urethral Duplication managed by Simple Meatal Correction.

Urethral duplication is a rare congenital anomaly. Although a number of theories have been proposed to describe the embryology of the condition, the actual mechanism of the disorder is still unclear. A case of urethral duplication in a 25-year-old male complaining of poor flow of urine and double stream has been discussed. The patient was treated successfully with simple meatal correction surgery.

Ileal Ureter for Panureteral Stricture of Tubercular Origin.

Genitourinary tuberculosis (GUTB) is the second most common extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) after tubercular lymphadenitis. About 8 to 15% of TB patients suffer from GUTB.1 The most common age of GUTB presentation is the fourth decade and the commonest organ involved is kidney. We report here an unusual case of 20-year-old male patient with panureteral tuberculous stricture for which he underwent successful ileal ureter replacement.

Local Allergic Reaction to Contrast Material during Retrograde Urethrography.

Adverse reactions associated with parenteral use of contrast agents are widely recognized, but reactions to contrast agents following retrograde urethrography are much less common. A rare case of local allergic reaction to ionic contrast during retrograde urethrography in a 25-year-old male patient, who was treated conservatively, has been described.

Study of Acetyl Cholinesterase, Butyryl Cholinestrase and β - Glucuronidase in Organophosphorus Poisoning.

Organophosphorus poisoning is common problem throughout the world. It occurs due to accidental exposure; suicidal and homicidal attempt. Many deaths occur within hours of ingestion of organophosphorus compounds like pesticides. For its prevention, speedy diagnosis and prompt treatment is required; which requires sensitive marker/s. The aim of this study was to find such marker/s. In this regard, activities of Acetylcholinesterase, Butyrylcholinesterase and β-glucuronidase were estimated in 80 samples including 40 controls and 40 organophosphorus poisoning cases (mild = 07, moderate = 19 and severe = 14). Results indicated that activities of Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinestrase decrease in mild, moderate and severe Organophosphorus poisoning in proportionate manner whereas, β-glucuronidase activity increases as severity of Organophosphorus poisoning progresses. Thus, all the three enzymes showed alterations in their activities however, the degree of change in activity was maximum in case of Acetylcholinesterase. Thus, Acetylcholinesterase activity is the most sensitive marker amongst three enzymes in Organophosphorus poisoning.

Level of nitric oxide and antioxidant vitamins in sickle cell anaemia patients.

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is characterized with sever anaemia and vasoocclussive episodes. Nitric Oxide (NO) a potential vasodilator, synthesized from various cells including endothelial cell. However SCA is associated with endothelial dysfunction, a measure cognitive factor for pulmonary hypertension (PH) and vasoocclussive crisis. The present study was attempted to evaluate level of serum NO and plasma antioxidant vitamins A, E and C in homozygous (n=30) and heterozygous (n=30) sickle cell patients and compared with age and sex matched healthy controls (n=30). We found, significantly (P<0.0001) elevated level of serum NO and significantly (P<0.0001) depleted antioxidant vitamins in homozygous and heterozygous sickle cell patients compared to healthy controls. Our study reveals that oxidative stress may be a responsible factor for the reduced bioavailability of NO which can impair the vasodilation in sickle cell patients.