Does Vitamin D3 Supplementation Improve Depression Scores among Rural Adolescents? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary evidence has been established demonstrating that stunted vitamin D levels are associated with depression, poor mood, and other mental disorders. Individuals with normal vitamin D levels have a much lower probability of developing depression. Improving vitamin D levels by supplementation has shown betterment in depressive patients among different age groups. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on depression scores among rural adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was a cluster randomized controlled trial carried out for a period of 3 years among adolescents from rural Kolar. The sample size was calculated based on previous research and was determined to be 150 for each group. The intervention arm received 2250 IU of vitamin D, and the control arm received a lower dose of 250 IU of vitamin D for 9 weeks. To assess sociodemographic status, a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used, and, to assess depression, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) was used. A baseline assessment was carried out for vitamin D status and depression status, followed by a post-intervention assessment. From the start of the trial, the participants were contacted every week by the pediatric team to investigate any side effects. RESULTS: Out of 235 school students in the vitamin D supplementation arm, 129 (54.9%) belonged to the 15 years age group, 124 (52.8%) were boys, and 187 (79.6%) belonged to a nuclear family. Out of 216 school students in the calcium supplementation arm, 143 (66.2%) belonged to the 15 years age group, 116 (53.7%) were girls, and 136 (63%) belonged to a nuclear family. By comparing Beck depression scores before and after the intervention, it was found that the vitamin D intervention arm showed a statistically significant reduction in Beck depression scores. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that vitamin D supplementation reduced depression scores, showing some evidence that nutritional interventions for mental health issues such as depression are an excellent option. Vitamin D supplementation in schools can have numerous beneficiary effects on health while mutually benefiting mental health.

Development and validation of interprofessional health education module for the management of gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a glucose intolerance that shows its first onset during pregnancy. In India, GDM affects as many as 5 million women annually. The interprofessional collaborative educational intervention is crucial for GDM management. This study illustrates the collaborative effort in developing and validating an interprofessional health education module designed for healthcare professionals during consultation sessions with GDM patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigation involved three stages: 1) needs assessment for module contents and objectives, 2) health education module development by an interprofessional team, and 3) module validation. We received ethics approval from the institution's ethics committee. RESULTS: The interprofessional team developed and validated the evidence-based English-printed module. The module had 27 units and covered six topics: an introduction to GDM and its management, dietary recommendations for GDM, exercise, yoga recommendations for GDM, weight control, and postpartum care. CONCLUSION: The interprofessional team developed the educational module, wherein there is an integration of the domains of exercise and yoga along with medicines and nutrition therapy. The module was developed based on local requirements and evidence-based practices. Healthcare professionals can use the interprofessional health education module when advising diabetic pregnant patients.

Mini international neuropsychiatry interview kid or child posttraumatic stress disorder symptom scale 5I for posttraumatic stress disorder among adolescent girls infected with COVID-19.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that may develop after exposure to exceptionally life threatening or horrifying events. People suffering from PTSD are vulnerable for both physical and mental health. Objectives: To find out sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and to plot receiver operating characteristic curve taking Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview-Kid (MINIKID) as the gold standard and Child PTSD Symptom Scale 5I (CPSS-5I) as the newer diagnostic tool for diagnosing PTSD. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out for a period of 6 months from January 2021 to June 2021 at R. L. Jalappa Hospital and Research Center, Kolar, Karnataka through telephonic interviews. All the data entered in Microsoft office Excel sheet, analyzed using the SPSSv22 (IBM Corp). Results: Sensitivity of the CPSS-5I was 56% and specificity was 96% compared with MINIKID. 83% and 85%, respectively, was PPV and NPV of the CPSS-5I compared with MINIKID. Area under the curve is 83.9% with P < 0.001 (72.5-95.2) indicating CPSS-5I is 84% sensitive proving to be a very good diagnostic tool for diagnosing PTSD. Furthermore, scores of 9.5 or 10.5 from CPSS-5I can be used as cutoff in diagnosing PTSD using CPSS 51. Conclusion: CPSS-5I is extremely well designed, helpful and functional tool used in diagnosing PTSD. With the current study showing CPSS-5I can be used in post-COVID PTSD diagnosis, it also provides cutoff which can be helpful in mass screening.

Stress, anxiety, work-related burnout among primary health care worker: A community based cross sectional study in Kolar.

BACKGROUND: Because of Primary Health care workers most of the national programmes run efficiently at grass root level. Workplace stress is alteration in one's physical or mental state in response to workplaces. Anxiety related to work among them is increasing and also Burnout. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: To assess stress, anxiety and burnout related to work among ASHA workers and to assess the socio-demographic factors influencing the stress, anxiety and burnout related to work among ASHA workers. METHODOLOGY: This was a community based cross sectional study carried out for a period of 6 months from January 2019 to July 2019 at Kolar, India. Multistage cluster sampling was applied. From the selected 8 PHC all ASHA workers were part of the study. Sample size was calculated based on previous study with effect size of 1.5 from which final sample size was 150. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC) before the start of study. Written Informed consent was taken from the study. All data were entered in excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS version 22. RESULTS: 150 ASHA workers were interviewed. 75.5% belonged to Nuclear family, 50.7% belonged to age group of 31-40 years, 86.7% perceived that received payment for the work was low, 60.7% had to spend more than 2 hours for walking for the official work, 72% had work experience less than 10 years and 35.3% had working hours more than 8 hours. 45.3% had mild to moderate anxiety, 9.3% had Moderate Anxiety according to Zung Anxiety scale, 54% had moderate stress according to Cohen's perceived stress scale and 23.3% had personal burnout, 33 (22%) had work-related burnout and 4 (2.7%) had Client related Burnout of Moderate levels according to Copenhagen Burnout Inventory scale. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic status, Training received before joining work, Type of work, perceptions regarding Work was found to be important factors affecting the mental health. Screening regularly for stress, anxiety and work-related burnout at work place is the need of the hour.