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RGUHS Nat. J. Pub. Heal. Sci Vol No: 10 Issue No: 1 eISSN: 2584-0460
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Insights Beyond Numbers: Composite Indexing As A Lens To Illuminating The Nutritional Status Of Karnataka
Prashant Sajjan*, Dr.Kishore S G, Ramakrishna Reddy, Ranganath T S, Vinay Gejji
Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute, India.
Introduction: Adequate nutrition in a child’s life provides the essential building blocks for brain development, healthy growth, and a strong immune system, and prevents non-communicable diseases associated with being overweight Several data sources indicated that the nutritional status of the districts in Karnataka still varies significantly. This study constructed a nutritional index to measure and compare these differences. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive nutritional index covering thirty of Karnataka's districts has been developed using twelve key nutrition-related factors. For every district, the scaled value of every indicator was computed. Thus, a composite-weighted index was calculated using the scaled value. Results: Districts were ranked according to the final composite score they received, which indicated their nutritional status. Mandya topped the list of 30 major districts, followed by Chitradurga and Ramnagara in second and third place, respectively. Gadag received the lowest ranking, followed by Yadagir and Bagalkot in second and third place, and the districts in the Kalyana Karnataka Region had lower nutrition indices. Conclusion: The study delivers a composite index, that combines all 30 districts on one framework and offers a fair visualization to assess the current situation. Under multiple programmes, ICDS has already been put into mission mode. These schemes place a strong emphasis on convergence, targeted approaches, and the use of technology. In addition, nutritional programmes should consider and address other factors such as place of residence, illiteracy, household income, maternal malnutrition, birth order, poor sanitation, illnesses, and infections.
Comparison between Latest National essential medicine list with Latest WHO essential medicine list
Pradeep , Praveen Panchaksharimath*, Naveen Gowda B
Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute, India.
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) Essential Medicines List (EML) provides a list of essential medicines that are necessary to address the most important public health needs worldwide. In contrast, the Indian National Essential Medicines List (NEML) is a country-specific list aimed at ensuring the availability of essential medicines in India, considering the nation's unique health challenges and priorities. Aim/Objective: To compare the WHO EML with the Indian NEML to identify discrepancies and alignments between the two lists, focusing on the representation of critical medicines and the implications for public health policy in India. Methods: Data on both lists were collected from publicly available sources: the WHO EML 2023 edition and the Indian NELM 2022 edition. Quantitative methods were used to assess the overlap and differences in the number of medicines included, while qualitative analysis provided insights into the rationale for inclusion and exclusion of specific drugs. Results: The analysis revealed that out of the 502 medicines listed in the WHO EML, 384 are included in the Indian NEML. Both the lists have greater weightage for the drugs used to treat infectious disease (33%). It is followed by Drugs used in Cardiovascular disorders in WHO NLEM (19%) and Drugs used as Antineoplastic and immunomodulators (19%) in Indian NLEM. Indian NEML includes more than 20 medicines not found on the WHO EML, Conversely, few medicines in the WHO EML are absent from the Indian NEML (Table 1). Conclusions: The comparison between the WHO EML and the Indian NEML reveals there is significant overlap, reflecting shared global health priorities, notable differences highlight the unique health challenges and local priorities in India.
Knowledge, Attitude And Practices Towards COVID-19 Among Grass-Root Level Workers Of Bengaluru District-A Cross Sectional Study
Renuka Prithviraj*, Usha Rani Padmanabha, Dhaheera Dheeshan, Lavanya Rajesh
Sapthagiri institute of medical sciences and research centre, India.
Introduction: COVID 19 is a remerging infectious disease that has caused loss of human lives, economic repercussions and increased poverty. The virus has continuously evolved its course of action on humans. As it was declared a Pandemic Infectious disease of Public health concern, the role of community health workers particularly ASHAs has grown and remained vital in disseminating awareness on disease transmission and its control measures in the community. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, Attitude and Practice of ASHA workers towards Covid-19. Materials and methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted among ASHA’s working in PHCs belonging to North Bengaluru over a period of 6 months. All Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) were interviewed using a semi structured questionnaire to assess their Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) on COVID 19. A total of 503 ASHAs were selected by universal sampling technique after obtaining an informed verbal consent. Results: Among the 503 ASHA workers surveyed, 62.2% ASHAs belonged to Bangalore Urban and 37.8% of them belonged to Bangalore Rural areas .They were in the age group of 21 to 30 years, 235 of them had an experience of 5 yrs. Assessment on awareness of COVID-19 showed, 502 (99.8%) been aware of investigations available to diagnose COVID 19, 293 (58.3%) agreed that once in a day temperature check was sufficient, 487 (96.8%) agreed that social distancing was practiced by them to prevent the contact of disease. Conclusions: ASHAs showed an adequate Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards COVID 19 infection. Proper guidance and adequate training of our grass root level workers paves a long way in preparedness for future pandemic emergencies
Noise Sensitivity of Students in relation to Noise Annoyance, Sleep Quality and Inability to Cope with Noise
Pramath Chandra Sarker*, Sabina Sultana, Md. Nur-E-Alam Siddique
Rajshahi Government College, Rajshahi-6000, Bangladesh
Background: Noise is a significant public health concern due to its detrimental effects on both psychological and physiological health. Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the noise sensitivity of students living in the Rajshahi metropolitan city, specifically concerning noise annoyance, sleep quality, and inability to cope with noise. Method: We assessed 473 participants from five Rajshahi institutions. Among them, 273 (57.7%) were females, and the rest of the 200 (42.3%) were males. Their age ranges from 18 to 28 years (mean = 22.88, SD = 2.05). This cross-sectional study reported demographic information, a noise sensitivity scale, and a one-item noise annoyance scale. Descriptive statistics, F-test, and multiple linear regression were used to determine noise sensitivity. Results: The results of the F-test showed that noise sensitivity varies significantly with noise annoyance at home (p<.001), in the workplace (p<.001), on the road (p<.001), overall life (p<.001), sleep quality (p=.04), and inability to protect against noise (p=.002). Many students reported medium (58.14%) and high (19.24%) noise sensitivity. The multiple linear regression indicates that noise annoyance on the road (p=.04), in overall life (p<.001), and inability to protect against noise (p=.02) have adverse effects on noise sensitivity. Conclusion: The findings indicate the need to assess people's noise sensitivity and noise annoyance and control noise pollution, which would likely enhance their psychological well-being and physiological health.
Literature review:Impact of Shift Work on Junior Doctors
Ramy Washia*
Alexandria University, India.
Shift work is a fundamental component of junior doctors’ schedules in the UK, encompassing long day shifts, rotating patterns, and regular night duties. Although total working hours have declined due to regulatory frameworks like the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), the increase in non-standard working hours has raised concerns about its impact on junior doctors’ health and performance. This literature review critically examines the effects of shift work across four key domains: physical health, mental health, clinical performance, and work-life balance. Evidence suggests that disrupted circadian rhythms and inadequate rest contribute to short-term issues such as fatigue and impaired decision-making, as well as long-term risks including cardiovascular disease, depression, and burnout. Shift work also impairs cognitive function, affecting diagnostic accuracy and patient safety. Furthermore, irregular schedules negatively influence personal relationships, reduce quality time with family, and strain work-life integration. Data were gathered from peer-reviewed journals, systematic reviews, and official reports, specifically studies conducted between 2000 and 2024. While numerous interventions—such as optimizing shift rotations and offering psychological support—have been proposed, implementation challenges persist due to resource constraints. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps and emphasizes the need for evidence-based reforms in scheduling practices to promote junior doctors’ well-being and sustain healthcare quality.