Adherence to healthy behavioral practices promotes COVID 19 preventive behavior among chronic disease patients: A cross-sectional study from urban Rajasthan, India.

Background: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented morbidity and mortality across the world. Chronic disease patients of urban poor neighbourhoods are one of the most vulnerable population subgroups as the number of cases and deaths increase exponentially in India. The study aims to explore the factors associated with desirable health behaviours among chronic disease patients availing care from a primary health facility and examine their association with the COVID-19 preventive behaviour. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among chronic disease patients attending a health centre in an urban area of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. A interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire was pilot tested and validated prior to initiation of data collection. A total of 520 patients were enrolled for the study. Results: Poor adherence to health behaviour was observed among a majority of the respondents (infrequent physical activity: 72.0%, one or less fruit serving per day: 96.5%, one or less vegetable serving per day: 88.8%). A factor analysis revealed three domains of COVID-19 preventive behaviour: sanitisation, preventive hygiene and social distancing. Multiple regression revealed respondents opting for COVID-19 screening and those with lower salt intake followed the overall and individual COVID-19 preventive behaviour. Conclusion: The health behaviour assessment and inter-personal counselling by the health care providers at the primary health facilities may contribute to the increasing adherence for the COVID-19 preventive behaviour among chronic disease patients.

Cryptolepine Targets TOP2A and Inhibits Tumor Cell Proliferation in Breast Cancer Cells - An In vitro and In silico Study.

BACKGROUND: DNA Topoisomerase II Alpha (TOP2A), a protein-coding gene, is central to the replication process and has been found deregulated in several malignancies, including breast cancer. Several therapeutic regimens have been developed and approved for targeting TOP2A and have prolonged the survival of cancer patients. However, due to the inherent nature of the tumor cell to evolve, the earlier positive response turns into a refractory chemoresistance in breast cancer patients. OBJECTIVE: The study's main objective was to analyze the expression pattern and prognostic significance of TOP2A in breast cancer patients and screen new therapeutic molecules targeting TOP2A. METHODS: We utilized an integrated bioinformatic approach to analyze the expression pattern, genetic alteration, immune association, and prognostic significance of TOP2A in breast cancer (BC) and screened natural compounds targeting TOP2A, and performed an in silico and an in vitro analysis. RESULTS: Our study showed that TOP2A is highly overexpressed in breast cancer tissues and overexpression of TOP2A correlates with worse overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Moreover, TOP2A showed a high association with tumor stroma, particularly with myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Also, in silico and in vitro analysis revealed cryptolepine as a promising natural compound targeting TOP2A. CONCLUSION: Cumulatively, this study signifies that TOP2A promotes breast cancer progression, and targeting TOP2A in combination with other therapeutic agents will significantly enhance the response of BC patients to therapy and reduce the development of chemoresistance.

Health literacy, preventive COVID 19 behaviour and adherence to chronic disease treatment during lockdown among patients registered at primary health facility in urban Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Potential role of health literacy in determining adherence to COVID-19 preventive behavior, pharmacological, and lifestyle management among diagnosed patients of chronic diseases during nationwide lockdown is inadequately investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May-August 2020 among diagnosed patients of chronic diseases residing in a COVID-19 hotspot of urban Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and availing health services from primary care facility. Telephonic interviews of participants were conducted to determine their health literacy using HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire, adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviour as per World Health Organization recommendations, and compliance to prescribed pharmacological and physical activity recommendations for chronic disease. RESULTS: All the 605 diagnosed patients of chronic diseases availing services from primary care facility were contacted for the study, yielding response rate of 68% with 412 agreeing to participate. Insufficient health literacy was observed for 65.8% participants. Only about half of participants had scored above median for COVID-19 awareness (55.1%) and preventive behavior (45.1%). Health literacy was observed to be significant predictor of COVID-19 awareness [aOR: 3.53 (95% CI: 1.81-6.88)]; COVID-19 preventive behavior [aOR: 2.06, 95%CI; 1.14-3.69] and compliance to pharmacological management [aOR: 3.05; 95% CI: 1.47-6.35] but not for physical activity. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 awareness, preventive behavior, and compliance to pharmacological management is associated with health literacy among patients of chronic disease availing services from primary health facility. Focusing on health literacy could thus be an essential strategic intervention yielding long term benefits.

Perception of family planning and reasons for low acceptance of NSV among married males of urban slums of Lucknow city - A community based study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Population explosion has been India's major problem since independence. It is a major obstacle to the overall progress of the nation. Adoption of family planning methods is one of the best solutions to tackle this problem. The roots of the factors influencing family planning issues are entrenched in the socio-cultural milieu of Indian society. Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state of the country having population of 199.581 million and TFR of 3.3 (AHS 2012-2013) with high fertile trajectory. Among the family planning methods currently, male sterilization accounts for only 0.3% of all sterilizations in Uttar Pradesh (AHS 2012-2013). A strategy to promote men's involvement in effective birth control is needed to reduce the population growth. The aim of this study is: i) To access the perception of married males towards family planning. ii) To access knowledge about NSV iii) enumerate the causes for low acceptance of NSV. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used. In the first stage, two urban slums from each Nagar-Nigam zone was selected randomly. In the second stage, from each selected slum, a sample of 24 eligible households was selected at random to achieve the desired sample size. RESULTS: Female sterilization technique was considered as the most effective family planning method by the male respondents. Socio-cultural barriers were the most important reason for the low acceptance of NSV. Educational status was found to be the most important predictor for these socio-cultural barriers. CONCLUSION: Measures should be taken to remove misconceptions, to increase uptake of NSV.

Barriers for low acceptance of no scalpel vasectomy among slum dwellers of Lucknow City.

BACKGROUND: Uttar Pradesh is the most populated state of the country having population of 199.581 million and total fertility rate of 3.3 (annual health survey [AHS] 2012-2013) with high fertile trajectory. Currently, female sterilization accounts for about 18.4% and male sterilization for 0.3% of all sterilizations in Uttar Pradesh (AHS 2012-2013). A strategy to promote men's involvement in effective birth control is needed to reduce the population growth. Since no scalpel vasectomy (NSV) is an easy method but still not being utilized; hence, the purpose of this research is to ascertain various factors of nonutilization of NSV. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study is (i) to determine the barriers among married males for adopting NSV as a method of family planning, (ii) to determine the awareness about NSV, (iii) to suggest measures to increase uptake of NSV by the people. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out. A two-staged multistage random sampling technique was used. Lucknow is divided into eight Nagar Nigam zones. In the first stage, two urban slums from each geographical zone were selected randomly. In the second stage, from each selected slum a sample of 24 eligible households was selected at random to achieve the desired sample size. RESULTS: It was observed that among the study participants maximum 89.2% perceived Sociocultural barriers, while 0.6% of the participants perceived service delivery barriers. However, 14% of the participants also perceived procedure-related barriers as the most important cause for not accepting NSV. CONCLUSION: Measures should be taken to remove these barriers, and increase uptake of NSV.