ABSTRACT
For several decades or perhaps centuries now, we have been discussing gender equity and related issues like male hegemony, acceptance and equal treatment of women/LGBTIA at workplace, sensitization of children and adults towards equity and empowerment. The aim of this paper is to explore and understand whether the same challenges and opportunities also exist when solving for infertility, specifically from the child's perspective. Traditionally the focus on issues of infertility is from the adult perspective, this paper aims to look at it from the child's perspective-the child born to solve infertility. Infertility is very traumatic and inequitable and few people talk about it and how will this silence help solve issues? Any child/human needs happiness and protection to thrive, how does inequity provide an environment for either? In fact, neither infertility nor gender equity are just "social justice" issues but are a "right to live" issue. The underlying issues envelope individuals to the extent it suffocates their "right to life" issues like being able to live freely at peace and happiness. While the circumstances of one's birth either based on gender or caste or religion or race or creed or physically challenged or mentally challenged or born differently via Surrogacy are NOT in any person's control, the issues surrounding their ability to live freely and pursue happiness in peace are often intersecting. As COVID has taught all of us in 2020 that there is great uncertainty coupled with complex issues and entire life gets disrupted overnight for individuals, families, communities, governments. We overcome that collectively. Similarly, inequity causes uncertainty and entire life gets disrupted for the affected. We must work together to overcome it. It is important to delve into this intersection of similar issues and raise awareness together instead of a piece-meal approach. Looking at the issues collectively may help us understand each other, build harmony and eventually work together to solve issues. Sometimes, we get caught up in a "Me First" approach with an end result of "We Last". There are multiple issues crisscrossing each other;like a Rubik's cube of inequity. Rather than debating the differences, let us work together on the commonalities of the underlying issues. This exploration is a hope that we can come together objectively and begin solving Rubik's issues of inequity. Perhaps we start at the point of the intersecting issues, a commonality among us. And move away from a "Me First, We Last" paradigm. Lastly, as MeToo movement has shown that it is not just about sexual harassment or assault but when one tries to "solve" by asking for equity and justice, they often fall prey to decades and perhaps centuries of inequity, patriarchy, power, money, suppression of lies, stereotypes;not something which can be solved by one person and it takes time. Similarly, "solving" infertility issues also takes time and is not something to be solved by one (girl) child when facing the same issues. At the very least, is exploitation and abuse of a voiceless girl child to "solve infertility" in adult an equitable solution and by denying rights of a girl child, what have we really achieved from the perspective of gender equity?
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The associations between ABO system of blood and COVID-19 infection in various studies provide reason to think true associations may be in reality between blood type and incidence of COVID-19 and death due to COVID-19. Objectives: To estimate frequency of COVID-19 illness in different ABO blood systems and also to find linkage between the ABO system of blood and degree of COVID-19 illness. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on all COVID-19 patients (Patients were grouped A positive and A negative blood groups into 1st group and other blood types such as B, AB, and O, irrespective of their Rh status, into 2nd group) admitted at Tertiary Care Hospital of Ahmedabad City, Gujarat, India during the four months of study duration. Results: COVID-19 infection was found in 380 (63.3%) male. Mean age was 56.46 ±15.35 years in which 26.8% patients were in age group of 60 to 70 years. Among total 600 patients, 35% of patients were having B positive type of blood followed by O positive type of blood (25%). There were 25% of patients having overall co-morbidity like diabetes. And 8% of B positive patient having co-morbidity and amongst the, 1.2% patients were admitted to Intensive Care Unit. Case fatality rate was 7.5%. Among B positive blood group patients, 37.8% deaths occurred. Conclusion: Patients having blood group O may have lower chances of ICU admission as compared to other blood groups. © 2022 IJPH.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is the world's most serious threat, affecting billions of people worldwide. Medical imaging, such as CT, has a lot of potential as an alternative to RT-PCR approach for significant judgement and disease control. As a result, automatic image segmentation is in high demand as a therapeutic decision aid. According to studies, medical images may be very useful for early screening since certain aspects of the image imply the existence of virus of COVID-19 and hence may be used as an efficient scanning tool. The proposed work presents a hybrid approach for efficient screening of COVID-19 using chest CT images implementing Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimised-Fuzzy C Means Clustering. The proposed method is tested on 15 chest CT images of COVID-19-infected patients and the results have been validated quantitatively by metrices such as entropy, contrast and standard deviation, which clearly outperforms the conventional Fuzzy C Means Clustering.Copyright © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
Background: A patient presenting with cavitatory lung lesions offers a variety of differential diagnosis to the treating chest physician. It varies from acute and chronic infections, systemic illnesses and malignancy.[1] Arriving at a proper diagnosis and proceeding to next step of management is very challenging. Case Study: Case 1: 27 male, day 10 of COVID-19 infection, presented with hemoptysis. HRCT Thorax showed bilateral cavitatory lung lesions. Serum Aspergillus IgM and sputum Galactomannan positive. He was started on Injectable liposomal Amphotericin-B. Patient improved. Case 2: 48 male, post COVID, presented with breathlessness and headache. He was diagnosed with Right maxillary mucormycosis. HRCT Thorax showed right lung cavitatory lesion. Started on Injectable liposomal Amphotericin-B. The patient underwent Right side Bilobectomy as there was no improvement. Antifungal medications continued and patient improved. Case 3: 42 year old male, post COVID, presented with headache and fever and diagnosed as left maxillary mucormycosis. Chest X-ray showed right side cavitatory lung lesion. Started on liposomal Amphotericin-B and Posaconazole. Patient was inoperable as he developed bilateral pneumothorax, for which left sided ICD inserted. Patient improved with antifungal therapy. Discussion: Case 2 required surgical intervention, while case 1 and case 3 improved with medical management. A multidisciplinary team was involved in the management. Early diagnosis is the cornerstone for management. Conclusion: Each patient of post COVID cavitatory lung lesion should be assessed properly and to be treated by individualised approach rather than a generalised approach. Newer antifungals and combination antifungals should be further explored along with surgical management.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Stroke nurse is functioning as a vital member of the stroke team. She/he provides care to the stroke patients in acute as well as post-acute periods. She/he coordinates among other team members to facilitate the stroke care continuum. Post-stroke care is always a challenge for health care professional as well as caregivers. During current pandemic conditions, it is essential to provide quality care at their home. Purpose: To develop a mobile application to provide home based care for prevention and management of post stroke complications among survivors. Methods: Survey was carried out among 170 bedridden stroke survivors and their caregivers to assess problems faced like aspiration pneumonia, bedsore, urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, frozen shoulder, contractures, and caregiver burden. On the basis of findings 'Stroke home care' a bilingual (in Hindi and English) mobile application was developed which contains step by step nursing-care-procedural videos to prevent bedsore, bedsore dressing, positioning change, Ryle's tube feeding, Foley's catheter care, active and passive range of motion exercises, hand washing with soap-water as well with sanitizer, psychological support to patients. Results: Through this intervention, caregivers of bedridden stroke patients get trained for care procedures so that they can provide best possible nursing care to their patients at home and can prevent post stroke complications and ultimately enhances quality of life of survivors and reduce caregivers' burden. Conclusion: 'Stroke Home Care' is a novel intervention developed by a stroke nurse which has been developed and tested not just for its feasibility and acceptability but also proven for its clinical applicability through PROBE designed study. This web based intervention can provide rehabilitation services to bedridden stroke survivors at their home in this pandemic.(Figure Presented).
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a serious impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. Empirical therapy is being used to reduce morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. Favipiravir, which is an oral broad-spectrum anti-viral agent with proven efficacy against various RNA viruses, acceptable tolerability profile and favorable benefit-risk ratio in short term use, has got an emergency use authorization in many countries including India for the treatment of mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. It has demonstrated promising results in terms of rapid viral clearance, quick symptom control, and pulmonary radiographic improvement. Due to reasons such as lockdown, isolation, diagnostic delays, fear of quarantine or getting tested, cost, etc., the golden time period (first 24-48 hrs) is lost in COVID-19 patients which is crucial for initiating antiviral therapy. Therefore, the panel members of ‘Academy of Advanced Medical Education’ propose that favipiravir can be recommended in confirmed, early probable and possible cases of mild and moderate severity as an empirical therapy during current pandemic. It is important to counsel the patients and explain to them about the limited clinical evidences with favipiravir, therefore, a signed consent form from patient must be kept before initiating treatment. Well-designed double-blind controlled trials are urgently required to understand this further.