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Background: Three or more waves of COVID 19 pandemic have hit the different parts of world including India very hard, taking toll on the lives of people both in terms of morbidity and mortality. Keeping this in mind, the present study was conducted with an aim to determine the socio-demographic and clinical profile of laboratory confirmed COVID 19 cases and to determine their association with oxygen requirement and outcome of disease at the time of discharge. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted on lab confirmed COVID 19 cases admitted in tertiary care hospital in Jammu from June-July 2021.Data was collected using convenient sampling method. The self-designed questionnaire used for data collection obtained information regarding socio-demographic characteristics of patients as well as clinical features of the disease. Results: Out of total 161 patients studied, 60.8% were males and 39.2% were females. Mean age was 51.2 ± 17.5 years. Comorbid conditions were present in 37.8% patients, with hypertension being the most common ( 36%). Cough, Fever, breathlessness and myalgia were the main presenting symptoms (90%, 81%, 57.7% and 56% respectively). The variables which were found to have statistically significant association with oxygen requirement and the outcome of disease at the time of discharge were age, gender and presence of co-morbidity (p

Background-Male preference is deeply entrenched in the society. Gender disadvantage predisposes to limited education, employment opportunities and healthcare. Aims and objectives: To assess the Gender disadvantage in rural married females and its impact on their psychological morbidity. Methodology: Analytical Cross sectional study was conducted in a randomly selected village of a rural health block. All the eligible women were interviewed using Door Knock Procedure. Psychological morbidity was assessed using 20 items Self Rating Questionnaire (SRQ-20). Statistical Analysis: Data was analysed using SPSS ver 20.0. Tests of significance applied were Chi square test and ANOVA. P value of

Background: Psycho-social health problems are an area of concern worldwide especially among students pursuing professional courses. The competition for grades, carrier insecurity often contribute to various emotional disturbances such as stress, anxiety and depression. Aims and Objectives: to determine the prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression in students of two main professional streams (medical & engineering) and to find out various factors associated with them. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of medical and engineering stream using DASS 42 scale. Further a self administered, pretested questionnaire was used to elucidate information on socio-demographic and personal characteristics. Results: Out of a total of 480 students (300 MBBS and 180 Engineering), prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression in medical & engineering students was 47.6 %, 68.6%, 43.7% and 41.1%, 71.1 % & 40.0 % respectively. On Multiple Regression analysis, relationship with family members emerged as a significant independent predictor for all the three psychogenic factors. Conclusions: A high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was found among students of both the streams. There is a need to introduce simple counselling and stress management techniques in curriculum to combat such morbidities

Background: Migration, whether voluntary or forced, entails major adaptations. An elaborate insight into the circumstances helps to induce various interventions in migrants. Aims and Objectives: To elicit the psychological health, lifestyle variables, religiosity, spirituality and coping among migrants and compare it with non migrants in a rural locality. Material and Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was undertaken among 404 adults aged 20 years and above. The General Health Questionnaire–12, Religiosity scale by Wilkes, The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale and COPE scale were used as psychometric tools for data collection. Data was analysed using SPSS (ver. 20.0). Results: A sample of 137 migrants and 267 non migrants were analysed. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups for occupation and education (p=0.002 & 0.000 resp). The mean scores of the psychological health of migrants (10.58± 6.32) were slightly better than that of non migrants (11.49 ±5.69, p= 0.142). Spirituality scores showed migrants being more inclined towards spiritualism (p=0.016). Young age, religious and spiritual propensity showed a statistically significant correlation with better Psychological health (p=0.036, 0.000&0.013resp). Conclusion: Providing psychosocial assistance to migrant populations focussing on educational, occupational & religious-spiritual issues can reduce vulnerabilities especially for psychological health.

Background: Dietary practices among infants and children are predictor of their growth and development. India being a huge of diverse cultures, diversity in beliefs and practices regarding diet during childhood illnesses is expected. Harmful beliefs and practices can contribute to malnutrition among children. These beliefs can have adverse consequences in already sick children. Aims and Objectives: To assess the dietary knowledge, beliefs and practices of rural care givers during childhood illnesses. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 271 rural informal (parent / family member) caregivers in one of the sub-health centres which was selected using simple random sampling technique. In the context of this study, the word informal care-giver was used for parent/family member of the child, preferably a mother with a child / children aged less than five years. The survey tool was an open ended and pretested questionnaire which was developed by public health expert’s familiar with the culture of the study setting and was pilot tested before administration. For the purpose of recruiting the study participants a house to house survey was conducted and the data thus collected was analyzed in percentages. Results: Informal Caregivers had low knowledge of common childhood illnesses as well as the reasons of their causation. Majority of them consulted a doctor in the event of child’s illness. 53.81% reduced feeding and 31.93% diluted diet during child’ illness but significantly 77.85% didn’t change breastfeeding practice during illness. As far as the beliefs regarding dietary practices were concerned, it found that egg, meat, chicken and jaggery were labelled hot foods while curd, butter milk and vegetables were labelled as cold foods. Rice water and khichadi were preferred in diarrhoea but spicy food and milk were restricted. Ginger and Tulsi tea were preferred in respiratory infections while ice-cream and curd / milk were withheld. Conclusion: Hot and cold beliefs regarding foods are firmly rooted in the study population, so dietary education has a key role to play but it has to be within socio-cultural milieu of the people. It is imperative to train medical and para-medical staff in nutrition curriculum to promote healthy eating habits in the population