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Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has a right to identity as a person, and its importance cannot be overemphasized anywhere else than in the court of law. The wrinkles and grooves on labial mucosa called as sulci-labiorum forms a characteristic pattern and the study of these is referred to as cheiloscopy. These are unique to an individual just like the fingerprints hence, behold the potential for identification purpose and can be used to verify the presence of a person at the scene of crime. The aim of study was to compare the lip-prints taken on bond paper and cloth. The study was done in north Haryana from 2010-11 on 100 subjects. Purposive sampling was done and subjects were asked to produce lip prints on cloth as well as on bond paper. The data obtained using these two base materials were analyzed for any difference in results using Fischer's exact test. The difference in the result between the lip prints obtained using bond paper and cloth was found to be statistically non-significant. Hence, it can be concluded that lip prints present on the cloth of the accused as in crime scene can be compared with samples obtained on bond paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization Astana Declaration of 2018 sees primary healthcare as key to universal health coverage and gives further support to the goal of building sustainable models of community palliative care. Yet evaluating the benefits of such models continues to pose methodological and conceptual challenges. Objective: To explore evaluation issues associated with a community-based palliative care approach in Kerala, India. Design: An illuminative case study using a rapid evaluation methodology. Methodology: Qualitative interviews, documentary analysis and observations of home care and community organising. Results: We appraise a community palliative care programme in Kerala, India, using three linked 'canvases' of enquiry: (1) 'complex' multi-factorial community-based interventions and implications for evaluation; (2) 'axiological' orientations that foreground values in any evaluation process and (3) the status of evaluative evidence in postcolonial contexts. Three values underpinning the care process were significant: heterogeneity, voice and decentralisation. We identify 'objects of interest' related to first-, second- and third-order outcomes: (1) individuals and organisations; (2) unintended targets outside the core domain and (3) indirect, distal effects within and outside the domain. Conclusion: We show how evaluation of palliative care in complex community circumstances can be successfully accomplished when attending to the significance of community care values. Plain language summary: Where are the values in evaluating palliative care? Learning from community-based palliative care provision The evaluation of any intervention or service will inevitably involve a series of decisions on what we measure, what criteria we use to judge whether the intervention has been successful (or not), what type of data we actually collect and what methods we use to do this. When evaluating a range of palliative care interventions, we suggest that these decisions have often been taken in a concealed way and tend to favour relatively narrow quantitative measures linked to end outcomes. Our paper reports on the evaluation of a community-based palliative care intervention on Kerala, India. In it, we suggest that such complex work requires a broader approach to evaluation that: makes the values being used to assess success explicit; draws on a range of data types; is interested in delivery processes; and places the voices of participants at the heart of the assessment. The paper concludes with some broader observations on how these principles might be applied more widely within palliative care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Globally, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been a voluntary practice, but faced serious limitations in its institutionalization. Resultantly, India, through the Companies Act, 2013, mandates corporates to change voluntary and ad hoc CSR practices into strategic and systematic projects. This paper aims to explore the changes brought in CSR practices by corporates under the influence of CSR law. The goal is to fill the literature gap on qualitative changes brought in CSR practices by the mandate. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study used purposive sampling and conducted in-depth interviews of corporate officials, nongovernmental organization (NGO) officials and academicians. The findings are discussed with the theoretical framework of institutional isomorphism. Findings: This paper presents changes in CSR practices in six themes: ad hoc to project-mode program designing and planning, stricter due diligence of NGOs, multi-stakeholder implementation of impact-driven projects, strict monitoring mechanisms, higher funding and rigorous reporting. These changes contribute to an understanding of the shift from voluntary to mandatory CSR in India, institutionalized through a mix of normative, coercive and mimetic pressures. Practical implications: Indian corporates can adopt the systematic practices in their CSR programmatic cycle, as presented in this study. NGOs would gain insights into newer requirements of corporates to design effective collaborations. Future studies can be conducted to describe the extent of institutionalization of CSR practices in India. Originality/value: This paper creates knowledge for multiple stakeholders of CSR in India and other developing countries by presenting changes brought in CSR practices by a legal mandate in comparison to voluntary CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community engagement is gaining prominence in global health research. But communities rarely have a say in the agendas or conduct of the very health research projects that aim to help them. This paper provides new evidence on how to share power in priority-setting in ways that seek to overcome structural constraints created by the funding environment. The five strategies were identified through case study research on the Participation for Local Action project in Karnataka, India. That project was carried out by researchers in partnership with the Zilla Budakattu Girijana Abhivrudhhi Sangha, an indigenous community development organisation representing the Solega people. The paper describes each identified strategy for sharing power in priority-setting, followed by a report of the pitfalls and challenges that arose when implementing it. Thus, the study also demonstrates that even where actions and strategies are used to address power imbalances, pitfalls will arise that need to be navigated. Given those challenges, considerations to reflect upon before employing the identified strategies are suggested. Ultimately, the paper aims to communicate strategies for sharing power during and after priority-setting and lessons on how to implement them effectively that can be used by global health researchers in the current funding environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to understand the maternal health vulnerabilities of migrant women in slums and explore their challenges during and after childbirth. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a qualitative approach, including in-depth interviews through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thematic analysis was used for analysing data. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ)-32 items were followed for reporting this study. Findings: The study found that migrant women were highly susceptible to adverse birthing outcomes due to risks involved in birthing, lack of care and hygiene, lack of skilled care in dealing with complicated pregnancies and exposure to domestic and obstetric violence. Originality/value: The study intends to highlight the narratives of female migrants' birthing and maternal health challenges. The entire process of childbirth in slums with consequences can result in maternal and infant morbidities and mortalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This exploratory study aims to discover the different forms of challenges encountered by school stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents and management due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative methodology was deployed for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents for a semi-structured interview. Data were examined using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings: It was found that each stakeholder faced four different challenges: mental distress, physical immobility, financial crunches and technological concerns. Findings suggest that teachers are experiencing higher financial, technological and physical challenges as compared to other stakeholders followed by parents. Originality/value: This paper discusses the major challenges faced by each stakeholder along with the opportunities. These findings will be useful for educationists, regulatory authorities, policymakers and management of educational institutions in developing countries to revisit their policy frameworks to develop new strategies and processes for the smooth implementation of remote learning during a period of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we contend that urban middle-class older Indians engaged in "serious leisure" as a way to reimagine and reconfigure the structure of everyday life during the pandemic-led epochal downtime. In particular, we heuristically show that leisure activity patterns and constraint negotiation strategies among older Indians followed conceptual semblances with the dominant leisure-based typology of Serious Leisure Perspective. By thematically analysing household surveys (n = 71), time-use diaries and in-depth interviews (n = 15) of middle to upper middle-class individuals (55–80 years), we show how both men and women distinguished between serious leisure that is marked by motivation, agency and perseverance with that of unstructured, routinized free-time (or causal leisure). Time-use diaries suggested that despite the changed realities of heightened domestic time available to both genders due to the pandemic, women recorded higher proportion of their daily hours in household management and caregiving. Although women were governed by moral-cultural self-descriptions in their engagement with leisure, it was often associated with an enhanced sense of self-actualisation, self-management and identity. Overall, we show how the social codes of age and gender were inextricably linked with the practice of leisure during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregiving in the South Asian context is often assumed by family automatically for the person with cancer (PWC). In this paper, we applied the disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM) to understand the motives behind cancer prognosis disclosure (or not) by caregivers to the PWC. Fifty caregivers participated in semi-structured interviews; and data were analyzed using Framework Approach. For the disclosing caregivers, some of the themes that emerged were consistent with the DD-MM framework while others were not. In particular, the theme "recipient assessment" was part of the DD-MM framework, while others such as unmet communication needs, caregiver self-reflection, and family support were outside of the framework. In contrast, for the non-disclosing caregivers, the reasons for nondisclosure fit very concisely into the DD-MM framework, particularly with information assessment, recipient assessment, and (non) disclosure efficacy. This study has significant implications for development of communication skills trainings around holding family meetings in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has approximately 23 million children without parental care, who need alternative forms of care (MOSPI, 2018). Udayan Care, an NGO, designed an innovative group care model for children and youth in need of care and protection, implementing the indigenously developed LIFE (Living in Family Environment) strategy in 17 Udayan Ghars. (Sunshine Homes). With child participation as a core pillar, Udayan Care developed a Questionnaire to Assess the Needs of Children in Care (QANCC) in 2011, which is to be filled up by children annually, as a longitudinal study. The tool is conceived to ascertain whether children in the Ghars perceived if their rights were being fulfilled and that their needs were being addressed. With "meaningful participation" of children stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the objective was to develop an evidence-based tool to assess the views of children on the services meted out to them, from their standpoint, and inform actual care practices annually. The self-assessment tool consists of questions, assessing the four dimensions of basic/fundamental, emotional, educational, and interpersonal needs, on a four-point Likert rating scale. A convenient purposive sampling is done on children, aged 10 to 18 years, who receive care and protection at the Ghars, and have resided there for a minimum of 6 months. This paper has two objectives, where at one end, the deductions of the previous years' data are made (2011–12 to 2016–17) with demarcating the differences with year 2018–19 data and at the second level, there is an update on the efforts made to establish the reliability and validity of the tool and create a standardized tool that can be implemented by other child care organizations in India. The paper illustrates how listening to direct voices of children and incorporating their inputs into actual care practice, can go a long way in improving the holistic wellness of children living in an alternative care setting. The results indicate that all needs of the majority of the children in Udayan Ghars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of climate strategy proactivity (CSP) which is an outcome of the importance and influence of the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. Revolutionized by the liberalization–privatization–globalization, the practices and strategies of the companies in the developing country such as India have been marked by dynamic changes in the several past decades. In these circumstances, it has become imperative to understand the relevance of the stakeholders in terms of CSP displayed by these companies to seek help in developing appropriate strategies in the emerging competitive market. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used a research design comprising descriptive analytical method using non-probability purposive sampling method to collect data from a sampled 701 respondents representing eleven categories stakeholders, with the help of a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire. Findings: The findings of the study detail the evaluation of the stakeholders relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP attaching significance to the stakeholders' perception as a useful tool. While the findings hint at the incessant growth of stakeholder awareness urging corporations to analyze effects and adopt appropriate strategies in developing countries, they also evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP which is an outcome of the importance and influence enjoyed by the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. The findings confirmed the adequate level of awareness of the stakeholders of Indian companies responsible for making them adopt CSP. Research limitations/implications: This study had the limitations such as collection of information through a self-reported questionnaire which might have the impact of self-bias despite all the preventive and corrective measures, and the risk of creation of a subjective viewpoint due to the assessment of the perceptions of varied stakeholders. Nonetheless, meeting the objective of this study, the study succeeds in providing a stakeholder perspective to the existing body of knowledge with respect to CSP, a stakeholders-centric concept which is in infancy in the context of developing countries and their corporations. Originality/value: The paper is original as it adds value by providing empirical evidence from the perspective of different stakeholders, including but not limited to managers or shareholders only, like majority of previous studies. By doing so, it successfully attempts to contextualize them indicating the need to unlock huge potentialities and substantial significance for other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green Human Resource Management [GHRM] practices are fast assuming importance in every sector today. This paper aims to understand the outcomes and antecedents of green HRM control at the firm level as well on individual level in the pharmaceutical sector. The study in particular, investigates the impact of Green HRM practices on environmental performance in the pharmaceutical sector, as the pharma industries play an important role in the economy of India. A quantitative study design was conducted using purposive sampling to select 189 respondents' data. Findings suggest that green HRM practices have a strong impact on the performance of the firm. Key impact is observed in the cost-cutting, reduced carbon footprints, improved energy conservation and increased profitability of the pharmaceutical firms. The results provide a useful insight into green HRM for sustainable performance of the pharmaceutical firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retirement is a psycho social process. It refers to the phase of life when a person leaves his job and withdraws from active working life. Proper optimization of retirement is only possible when a person has pre planned his life with proper finances and saving or the government is providing him with a lot of social security benefits. However, such conditions rarely occur as a person is preoccupied in his pre retirement phases. But proper optimization of retirement can also take place when a person has high social intelligence which affects physical and mental health. Hence, this paper is an endeavor to look into the relevance of social intelligence which helps the people in their retirement process in the people. Thus, a survey was done to find the level of Social Intelligence in the people who are ageing and are going to be retired soon. Around 252 people between 55 to 70 years were studied from Delhi and NCR. The result indicated that middle aged and just retired people had high social intelligence as compared to older adults and the former were also able to optimize their retirement effectively for successful ageing. The older adults were not able to cope up with the various issues of retirement due to low social intelligence. Hence, further studies can be carried out to design proper training for enhancement of social intelligence in aged people for their effective optimization of retirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The steady rise in aged population has brought many challenges such as social, economic and health care that confront of the older people in their later life. The purpose of this study is to understand the nature of challenges among the older people and to assess the role of social security programmes for the welfare of the older people. The qualitative descriptive research has been applied in this paper. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative descriptive research has been applied in this paper. The study was conducted in a sample of 220 elderly living in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, using purposive sampling. The study was based on interviews. The order of questions and samples depended on the information flow during the interviews. The purposes of using the qualitative descriptive research in the present study are to satisfy the researcher's curiosity and desire for better understanding to discuss the challenges faced by older people (these challenges are social vulnerability, poor economic conditions, poor health and no familiarity with government programmes), to understand the practicability of the study in extensive way and to explain why any phenomenon occurs or why older people face problems in later life. Findings: The first finding demonstrates that the different challenges among older people such as social, economic and health challenges are affecting their way of life and sense of well-being and are fracturing their social bonds from the family and society. The second finding indicates that only 46.3% older people are benefitted from government pension programmes schemes. While the numbers of older people are unknown from other government welfare programmes such as health programmes, concession for older people and maintenance and welfare of parent and senior citizen act are not able to work properly due to lack of awareness and lack of proper communication between older people and government bodies. Originality/value: This is an original work of the author. The research work is based on primary data that examine the nature of challenges such as health, economic and social challenges faced by older people in later life and impact of these problems on the well-being of older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A developing country like India has realized the vital role of Entrepreneurship in economic growth, and mindfulness is very crucial for becoming a successful entrepreneur. The paper examines the relationship of mindfulness with Entrepreneurial orientation and all of its dimensions. The data was collected from 152 working professionals using a purposive sampling technique. MANOVA is performed to measure the impact of independent variables (gender, thought of doing business and level of mindfulness) on dependent variables, i.e., Entrepreneurial Orientation, Innovativeness, Proactiveness and Risk. Firstly, the results conclude that interaction among the combination of mindfulness, thought of doing business and gender variables have an impact on combined entrepreneurial orientation. Secondly, it is found that mindful females who have thought of doing their own business have a stronger entrepreneurial orientation. The presence of more women in leadership roles will contribute to business growth; thus, such talent must be educated and trained for the benefit of the organization and the nation as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Speech–language pathologists are often involved in the assessment and management of communication, cognition and swallowing deficits in people with Parkinson's. However, speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency levels in serving people with Parkinson's remain elusive, especially in the Indian context where there is an increasing disability burden due to Parkinson's disease. Additionally, the challenges faced by speech–language pathologists in India to provide efficient services to this population are unidentified. Aims: To determine speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competence and challenges faced when providing services to people with Parkinson's in India. Methods & Procedures: A survey questionnaire was sent to speech–language pathologists through emails and social media asking them questions to evaluate self‐perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's and to identify the challenges to their service delivery. A total of 69 speech–language pathologists responded to the survey. Outcomes & Results: The majority of respondents reported to be competent in dealing with various domains of assessment and management of people with Parkinson's. Although competent, they reportedly faced a few challenges during their service delivery. Conclusions & Implications: This study provides an insight into the speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency in serving people with Parkinson's in India, and also identifies the challenges related to interprofessional service delivery. The findings of the study have educational and clinical implications. What this paper adds: The study delineates speech–language pathologists' self‐perceived competency in working with people with Parkinson's in India, a nation that is seeing a constant rise in the incidence of Parkinson's disease.The study the unique challenges within India to speech–language pathologists' service delivery for people with Parkinson's, thus having educational and clinical implications in Parkinson's disease care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oppari-the folksong of Tamil Nadu and North-Eastern parts of Sri Lanka, is known as the Tamil song of mourning. The practice of women singing oppari is prevalent in the suburban and rural spaces of Tamil Nadu. They form a circle, weep, beat their chest, wail and jump on the beats of Parai (single-sided drum) music on the death of a member of a family as reported by Srinivas (Oppari: An art of Weeping, Wailing and Lamenting, 2019). The women in the region express their grief over the death of their beloved with the lyrics of oppari songs. Of late, professional oppari singers, including both female and male, have been invited to rural and urban Tamil Nadu on the death of a member in the well-off families to mourn for the deceased person. This distinctively South Indian genre of weeping songs has evolved with time. The lyrics of the oppari songs have been blended with the essence of the periodical changes. The content, context, and presentation of the oppari songs have been playing important roles to reflect the makeovers of times. This study attempts to understand the reflection of times in the lyrics of oppari songs by assiduously employing semiotic analysis. The analysis of the words of the content, context indicated and presentation of subject, period, and expression in lyrics of the oppari songs has been made in the paper. The analysis of three oppari songs gives some significant ideas about the different times of history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissociative/conversion disorders affect almost 31% of children and adolescents in a clinical setting. These children experience significant impairments in their academics, and daily functioning, with high chances of developing other psychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety and depression. However, there are no studies that explore the experiences of suffering from dissociative/conversion disorders from perspective of the sufferer. Therefore, the paper has aimed at exploring the subjective experiences of dissociative and conversion disorders among adolescents in the Indian context by examining their understanding about the illness and the reason they ascribe to the cause of their illness. The study used a qualitative semi-structured interview to understand their illness. In total, 10 adolescents of age group between 12 and 16 years participated. Eight out of the 10 participants were female and the mean age was 12 years. All of them were in-patients in the department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, which is the tertiary mental health care Institute India and pioneer Institute of mental health in Asia. All participants have had at least one or more consultation history either with a traditional healer or/and physician. Thematic analysis identified vital themes such as (1) Adolescents' attributing factors of the illness, (2) Cognitive and emotional appraisal of stressful situation/s, (3) Adolescents' appraisal of different explanatory model, (4) Living with the Impact of the illness. This analysis about dissociative/conversion disorders from adolescents' perspective has a major contribution in enhancing the clinical knowledge and practice in planning and managing children/adolescents diagnosed with dissociative/conversion disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The incidents of elder victimisation and cases of victimisation, in general, are increasing fast in the society. These incidents have had negative impact on the sense of well-being and way of life of the older people. Therefore, fear of crime is being considered as a most concerning psycho-social problem amongst the older people in contemporary time. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of crime rate on the well-being of the older people and examine the linkage between psychological factors and fear of crime amongst the older people. Design/methodology/approach: The present study is based on the mixed method approach and an exploratory research designed applied to conduct the study. The field survey has been done from October 2012 to January 2013 on a sample of 220 older people of rural and urban areas of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh through purposive sampling. For the study, researcher has interviewed 137 male older people and 83 female older people through interview schedules and case studies. The data have been analysed through descriptive and narrative analysis. Findings: The study finds that those older people have direct or indirect experience of victimisation, they have anxiety and feel insecurity that someone can victimise them. The study also finds that the happiness of older people is more affected due to anxiety and phobia and have higher level of feeling of fear of crime in their neighbourhood and home. The study also finds whenever anti-social elements are active in the neighbourhood and they commit crimes, fear of crime and anxiety grasp the older people to a large extent causing a fracture in their psychological well-being. Originality/value: This work is the original work of researcher. This paper is related to the researcher's PhD dissertation work. This paper talks about how the psychological well-being of older people affects due to nature of crime in neighbourhood, phobia of crime and anxiety due to criminal activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a global recognition that the homeless in different clusters are isolated social groups. They are highly susceptible to loneliness and related psycho‐physical health outcomes owing to their less supportive and fragmented social networks. The conditions are worse in the case of chronic or lifetime homelessness. Beyond this popular notion, other critical perspectives are also there. This paper attempts to analyse the differences in inter‐personal social networks between the chronic and the non‐chronic homeless groups at a railway junction in India. The data have been collected through structured and semi‐structured questionnaires from 28 homeless people (15 chronically and 13 non‐chronically homeless) of Burdwan Railway Junction – a vital railway junction of West Bengal, India. The chronically homeless group displays more supportive and compact inter‐personal networks in this study than the non‐chronic homeless group. Living in the station area for a long time, they have formed a society of their own. Barring some psychological stress and social abuse, the livelihood scenario of these people is relatively stress‐free and social networks relations are more intensive and supportive. Considering the outcomes, instead of the housing‐first approach of rehabilitation, we favour the development of community shelters with minimum basic amenities close to their present location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the dynamics of access under the state-funded universal health insurance scheme in Chhattisgarh, India, and specifically the relationship between choice, affordability and acceptability. A qualitative case study of patients from the slums of Raipur City incurring significant heath expenditure despite using insurance, was conducted, examining the way patients and their families sought to navigate and negotiate hospitalisation under the scheme. Eight purposefully selected ('revelatory') instances of patients (and their families) utilising private hospitals are presented. Patients and their family exercised their agency to the extent that they could. Negotiations on payments took place at every stage, from admission to post-hospitalisation. Once admitted, however, families rapidly lost the initiative, and faced mounting costs, and increasingly harsh interactions with providers. The paper analyses how these outcomes were produced by a combination of failures of key regulatory mechanisms (notably the 'smart card'), dominant norms of care as a market transaction (rather than a right), and wider cultural acceptance of illegal informal healthcare payments. The unfavourable normative and cultural context of (especially) private sector provisioning in India needs to be recognised by policy makers seeking to ensure financial risk protection through publicly financed health insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a well-known student-centered instructional approach that is known to enhance problem-solving skills among the learners. Because teaching/learning methods in most of the Ayurveda colleges in India are still didactic and teacher centric, the effects of introducing PBL have not yet been evaluated. The primary objective of this study was to develop PBL modules for Kriya Sharira (Ayurveda Physiology) and their implementation in a hybrid format. In this method, PBL is used as an add-on component along with didactic lectures. The secondary objective of the study was to compare the learning outcomes achieved through hybrid problem-based learning (HPBL) with those achieved through conventional teaching. Design: This is a prospectively planned post-test-only, controlled interventional design with nonequivalent groups. However, the results have been analyzed in a retrospective manner. Subjects: Students enrolled in the first professional Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery program during two consecutive academic sessions 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 at the Banaras Hindu University were included in the study. While the cohort from 2016 to 2017 session served as the control group, the one from 2017 to 2018 session served as the experimental group. Interventions: The instructional method commonly known as HPBL was introduced to the experimental group. Outcome measures: Five test papers containing mostly Multiple Choice Questions for five different topics were used as the tools for evaluating the learning outcomes in both the groups. Feedback forms regarding the experiences of undergoing HPBL were obtained from experimental group. Results: While the test results for three topics showed that the outcomes of HPBL were comparable with conventional teaching, the results on other two topics suggested that HPBL was slightly better. Feedback obtained showed that there is a considerable acceptance for HPBL over conventional method. Conclusions: The study shows that it is possible to implement HPBL method in a large classroom in the context of Ayurveda education. The findings also indicate that students find HPBL as an acceptable teaching method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fear of crime is an emerging social problem in Indian society that has a significant impact on the quality of life of the elderly. In the view of this fact, the purpose of this paper is to examine the factors such as (prior victimisation, vulnerability and incivility) which contribute their role in bringing fear of crime among the elderly. Design/methodology/approach: Mixed method approach has been applied in this paper. This study has been designed as an exploratory lead-in to a planned wider study into rural–urban context as possible factors in shaping the victimisation experience. The study has been conducted from October 2012 to January 2013 on a sample of 220 elderly living in both rural and urban areas of Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Findings: The study found that elderly have been victimised by known persons as compared to unknown persons. Further, the study found that immediate neighbourhood was swarming with loiters, unruly teenagers, gangs, beggars and alcoholic people walk in the society which have significantly impact on the elderly and give threat in neighbourhood. Originality/value: This is an original work of researcher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to assess the knowledge on use of diaper and its impact on child health among mothers of infants. The objectives of the study was to assess the knowledge on use of diaper and its impact on child health among mothers of infants and to find out the association between the knowledge onuse of diaper and its impact of child health among the mothers of infants and selected socio personal variables. Non experimental descriptive study design was used in the study. The data was collected by using a semi structured questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result shows that out of 50 samples majority of the children are of age range 0-2 months, 52% were male children and was first born (54%). Majority of the sample are at age group 26-30 years (36%), 58% samples are educated upto graduate level, 42% of samples were housewives and 48% have family income above 30,000, 94% of children were using disposable diapers ,42% of children using diapers for 3-4 hours and 80% children had no exposure to diaper rash. Among the samples, 56% of mother had moderate knowledge, 34% of mothers had poor knowledge and, 10% of mothers had good knowledge. There is significant association between the age of mother and occupation of mother and there is no association between age of child, sex of child, birth order of child, education of mother, income of family, type of diaper used, duration of diaper used, previous exposure to diaper rash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the sustainable consumption behavior of two emerging countries, China and India. The conceptual framework incorporates egoistic value, social consumption motivation, altruistic values (stimulus factors), pro‐environmental self‐identity, attitude (mediators and organism factors), sustainable consumption behavior (response factor), and environmental protection emotion as a moderating factor, using stimulus‐organism‐response theory. We collected 658 original survey data from China (n = 337) and Indian (n = 321) customers via convenience and purposive sampling methods and analyzed the data with structural equation modeling. Intriguingly, the results show that (a) stimulus factors such as egoistic and altruistic values and social consumption motivation had a positive influence on pro‐environment self‐identity and attitude and sustainable consumption behavior in both countries, (b) pro‐environment self‐identity had a positive effect on the attitude of both countries' consumers (c) while mediation factors (pro‐environment self‐identity and attitude) had a significantly positive mediation relationship between stimulus and response factors, and (d) environmental protection emotion significantly moderated the relationship between stimulus, organism factors, and response factors of two countries. The study contributes to the current body of knowledge in sustainable marketing by examining the rapidly growing phenomenon of sustainable consumer behavior in two Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is a significant lack of palliative care access and service delivery in the Indian cancer institutes. In this paper, we describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a palliative care capacity-building program in Indian cancer institutes. Methods: Participatory action research method was used to develop, implement and evaluate the outcomes of the palliative care capacity-building program. Participants were healthcare practitioners from various cancer institutes in India. Training and education in palliative care, infrastructure for palliative care provision, and opioid availability were identified as key requisites for capacity-building. Researchers developed interventions towards capacity building, which were modified and further developed after each cycle of the capacity-building program. Qualitative content analysis was used to develop an action plan to build capacity. Descriptive statistics were used to measure the outcomes of the action plan. Results: Seventy-three healthcare practitioners from 31 cancer treatment centres in India were purposively recruited between 2016 and 2020. The outcome indicators of the project were defined a priori, and were audited by an independent auditor. The three cycles of the program resulted in the development of palliative care services in 23 of the 31 institutes enrolled in the program. Stand-alone palliative care outpatient services were established in all the 23 centres, with the required infrastructure and manpower being provided by the organization. Morphine availability improved and use increased in these centres, which was an indication of improved pain management skills among the participants. The initiation and continuation of education, training, and advocacy activities in 20 centres suggested that healthcare providers continued to remain engaged with the program even after the cessation of their training cycle. Conclusion: This program illustrates how a transformational change at the organizational and individual level can lead to the development of sustained provision of palliative care services in cancer institutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction  Hazardous healthcare waste produced at home contributes to approximately 0.5% of biomedical waste, and although potentially infectious, is often discarded with other domestic wastes. The study aimed to quantify and compare types and patterns of biomedical waste generated in homes and to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding biomedical waste among selected urban and rural households in the coastal area of Mangalore city in Karnataka. Methods  A cross-sectional study was conducted in households consisting of rural and urban field practice areas of a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka from November 2017 to February 2018. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding healthcare waste generated at home was assessed. Qualitative variables of the waste segregation practice, types of biomedical waste, the knowledge, perception, and attitude to practices regarding biomedical waste were expressed in percentages proportions and analyzed using SPSS v.20. Results  Baby diapers were the most common hazardous waste. The number of baby diapers produced daily in rural and urban areas was 32 (42.7%) and 64 (85.3%), respectively. The urban households had better knowledge of possible hazardous healthcare waste at home, 28 (37.33%) compared with 7 (9.3%) in rural households. Seventy-one (94.7%) urban and 49 (65.3%) rural households had a favorable attitude toward the disposal of hazardous domestic biomedical waste. Conclusion  The knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hazardous healthcare waste produced at the household level were better among urban households compared with rural households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper depicts a pilot study conducted to develop the research design for a larger study and explore the relationships between mental health, emotion regulation techniques, and resilience of destitute children residing at children's homes. The study was explorative and employed purposive sampling to gather data from 28 destitute children (12-17 years) from two children's homes in Goa, India. Mental Health Battery, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and Brief Resilience Scale were used for assessment. The findings indicated a positive correlation between mental health and cognitive reappraisal, r-value as 0.48 with a p-value of 0.008, and resilience with an rvalue of 0.52 and p-value 0.004, both significant at 0.01 levels. There was no significant correlation between emotion suppression and mental health, but it established a negative relationship. Also, it was evident that around 57.14% of destitute adolescents used emotion suppression to manage emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to revisit the growth mechanism of Indian sugar industry by deploying quantitative and qualitative metaphors. Design/methodology/approach: The research paper has been composed through comprehensive primary research survey using a structured questionnaire, and qualitative discussion following semi- structured interviews with industry professionals on emerging issues across the whole value chain of sugar industry. Respondents regarding primary survey were selected using the purposive sampling, and this collected quantitative information has been verified on the lenses of multiple stream modelling (MSM). Findings: To support the data analysis, MSM – a policy-making framework has been developed which found that government being a central construct exerts a profound presence across whole value chain; in suppliers' mechanism, marketing of sugar and sugar mills' infrastructural expansions. Nationwide uniformity in sugar policy instead of states' monopolistic policies, rational and mutual benefits-based decisions collectively by the government, mills management and sugarcane growers, and diversification in production processes are enumerated as the proposed solutions against the chronical industry problems. Practical implications: This study enriches extant Asian sugar industry literature. For policymakers, the proposed results should be of help in identifying specific policies to support the competitiveness of local systems and individual manufacturing companies in the Indian sugar industry suggesting that the development of growth mechanisms can contribute simultaneously to improve the financial, market and operational performance of both individual firms and supply chains. Originality/value: Cyclicality in production, rising sugarcane farmers' problems and resulting severe financial distress of mills are some of the topical issues of Indian sugar industry, and the study has explored these issues factually, quantitatively and qualitatively in proximity of industry professionals and described in this depository with the help of document analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The female foeticide involves the detection of sex of the unborn child in the womb of the mother and the decision to abort it if the sex of child is detected as girl. So, here an attempt has been made to assess the knowledge regarding FF among UG students at selected college of Etawah district Utter Pradesh. In this paper we assess the knowledge regarding female foeticide among under graduate student of selected college of Etawah district. A Cross sectional study research design was utilizes in the present study. Non probability purposive sampling was used to select the sample. Study tool was classi ied in two parts (socio demographical variable and knowledge questionnaire). Result of the study shows that in study 50% students were belong in 17-19 year age group, 45% students had medical profession, 47.5% were male and 53.4 % female student. Study shows that more than 80% students have good knowledge. The mean score and SD were 22.375 and 5.826 respectively. Study concluded that students are having good knowledge regarding female foeticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a research study in Thane District, Maharashtra, India, on access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women and girls of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes (NT-DNT). NT-DNT communities face stigma and violence due to their historically criminalised status and nomadic lifestyle. Their precarious legal, social, and economic status has a negative impact on women's SRHR. Existing literature on this subject is sparse, and studies by researchers from within the community, which could bring about organic and community-led change, are almost non-existent. This study, carried out by a woman from a Nomadic Tribe, presents an insider's perspective on the experiences of and factors underlying the violation of the SRHR of girls and women of NT-DNT communities. The study used a human rights-based participatory methodology with qualitative methods including three focus group discussions with 21 women and 10 in-depth interviews with women and key informants from NT-DNT communities. The findings describe the gender, community, and health system barriers which hinder women's and girls' access to SRHR. Issues such as language barriers between the women and medical fraternity, criminalisation by the police, and extreme deprivation – more intense than faced by the general poor – are unique to women of these communities. The NT-DNT communities face extreme deprivation of basic resources such as identity documents, shelter, sanitation, education support, workplace safety, and transportation, which further deny women their sexual and reproductive rights. The paper aims to amplify these women's voices to advocate for better SRHR services for women and girls of NT-DNT communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led education institutions to move all face-to-face (F2F) courses online. The situation is unique in that teachers and students can make a direct comparison of their courses before (F2F) and after COVID-19 (online). This study aims to analyze teachers' viewpoints for this unprecedented change. Design/methodology/approach: The study followed a mixed-method approach within an ex post facto survey research design. Research tools were distributed among 200 Indian secondary school teachers following a heterogeneous purposive sampling technique. As the study was conducted during the pandemic backdrop researchers used Google forms and telephonic interviews to collect data. Findings: Teachers viewed positively to this shift from F2F to online teaching-learning (OTL). They were found to have an overall moderate level of online teaching efficacy and where good efficacy prevails there found minimal concern for infrastructure, an attitude showing least concern for "what is not" and more concerned with "what they can do with what is having." A statistically significant effect of teacher efficacy was found on their perception of OTL infrastructure that supports this strong conviction among few teachers. Statistical analysis revealed for every 1 standard unit increase in self-efficacy, the perceived OTL infrastructure was to be increased by 0.997 standard units which support the strong correlation between the two chosen cognitive variables (r = 0.8). Besides, teachers were not found as a homogeneous group concerning their reported readiness for online teaching yet, different subgroups of teachers exist which may require different approaches for support and counseling. Originality/value: The paper reports an original empirical survey conducted in India and the write-up is based strictly on the survey findings only. An exclusive analysis of teachers' views of their efficacy and perceived OTL infrastructure. At the same time, path-breaking in analyzing the chemistry between the two variables which will help improving apposite culture, practice and understanding of the digital pedagogy securing quality OTL in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of patient centered healthcare, patients are educated, more aware and demanding than ever. However, there is a significant misalignment between patients and doctors due to improper communication resulting in broken patient-doctor therapeutic relationships and degraded quality of healthcare. This suggests that patients have a greater and mature role to play in their healthcare. The paper aims to fill this gap by studying the contribution of patients in their healthcare through patientdoctor communication in selected Indian multispeciality hospitals. Qualitative multi-case study was steered and in-depth interviews of thirteen patients, twelve doctors were conducted along with the secondary data analysis of more than 600 pages of the documents from the official websites of the sample hospitals. Grounded theory three level coding revealed the themes of contribution of patients in through effective communication. The results indicate that patients contribute to their healthcare through effective communication by demonstrating association with doctors, reflecting reciprocally, resolving communication challenges and supporting their overall treatment process. The paper extends the literature on patient's contribution in their healthcare. It presents clear and succinct implementable implications and distinctive ways in which patients cooperate with the doctors, work mutually, improves communication and strengthen their overall healthcare process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Elder abuse is the matter of grave concern in recent times in India. Today, older people are facing the abusive behaviour such as maltreatment, mental and physical torture and heedless ignominy from the family and the society. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of elder abuse in Indian socio-cultural context and also focuses on the causes of elder abuse and abusers.Design/methodology/approach Mixed method design has been applied in this paper. The study has been conducted from October 2012-January 2013 on a sample of 220 older people living in both rural and urban areas of Lucknow, India. The data have been analysed through descriptive and narrative analysis.Findings The study finds that the emotional abuse is more common among the older people, which raises the feeling of insecurity, depression and isolation. The study also points out that the respect, honour, status and authority which were enjoyed by the elderly in the traditional society, have gradually started declining. Moreover, the study finds that the family members, do not provide proper food, clothing and medical facilities in rural areas.Research limitations/implications Since the sample of older respondents was small and focused on those living in a particular area of one state, the authors cannot generalise from this study to include the great diversity of experience and difference in perceptions among the older people even within a particular state. However, widespread and diverse types of accounts of elder abuse were reported even in these settings, which can help indicate areas for future research and policies.Originality/value This is an original paper, which is based on the experiences of older people living in rural-urban areas and discussed the elder abuse in socio-cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Under a dynamic business environment that is seen today, organizations need to adopt the right blend of strategies to attract, retain and maintain customers. Extant marketing literature has shed light on some key roles that after-sale service and the larger customer support system could play in attaining the same. Specifically, this paper aims to attempt to model the linkages between after-sales service, service quality, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and word of mouth (WOM). Design/methodology/approach: A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 280 two-wheeler owners, who had a recent experience of after sales service at their respective authorized service centers, through purposive sampling method. Findings: The findings reveal that both customer loyalty and repurchase intention significantly and positively mediate the relationship between customer satisfaction and word of mouth. This indicates that satisfied customers are more likely to be loyal to the service firms and would spontaneously engage themselves with positive word of mouth. Originality/value: Despite the increasing importance of after-sales service, empirical researches on this subject have been quite limited. This study aims at filling the void in extant literature by examining the inter-relationships between after-sales service, service quality, customer satisfaction and WOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India and the global community are facing a critical crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), significantly contributed to by on-going and increasing antimicrobial misuse. Information as to what drives misuse of antimicrobials within India is essential to inform strategies to address the crisis. This papers aims to identify perceived influences on antimicrobial use in Hyderabad, India. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted with thirty participants (15 doctors, 15 pharmacists) around their experiences of antimicrobials in Hyderabad, India. Thematic analysis was performed and four themes identified around (1) Perceptions of the problem of resistance and antimicrobial use; (2) Social pressures to prescribe/dispense; (3) Financial pressures driving antimicrobial over-use; and (4) Lack of regulation around training and qualifications. We conclude that antimicrobial use within India is embedded with, and occurs as a result of, complex social and economic factors including issues of resource limitation, structural/governance limitations and social relationships. Strategies to address misuse without acknowledging and addressing the critical driving forces of use will be unlikely to induce significant change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) provided legal status to brain death as a form of death in 1994. However, even after three decades, the deceased organ donation rate in India stands at a mere 0.52 per million population, crucially due to a lack of brain death awareness, and an absence of institutionalized protocols for deceased donations. Objectives: By taking the case of the state of Haryana, this article seeks to understand the existing state of brain death awareness among professionals working in the medical community, and identify the implementation challenges that would be involved in instituting a state‑level policy for donations from deceased persons. Materials and Methods: This paper adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing in-depth interviews with doctors in the districts of Rohtak and Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, and transplant coordinators across the state to gather a nuanced understanding of the issue. Results: The research finds that brain death awareness is lacking among doctors, along with the necessary resources for brain death declarations to become practice. There is also an evident district-wise variation in the responses of doctors when it comes to the potential challenges of instituting a brain death declaration standard operating procedure. It offers recommendations for improved implementation of organ transplant policies and scaling up of deceased donations. Conclusion: To unearth the potential that deceased organ donation holds, some immediate measures that can be taken include mapping all the functional organ retrieval facilities across the state and their closest civil hospitals or postgraduate medical institutions with trauma centres, and focusing on the sensitization of the medical functionaries with respect to brain death and its identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Poor medical information transfer across healthcare visits and providers poses a potential threat to patient safety. Patient‐held health records (PHRs) may be used to facilitate informational continuity, handover communication and patient self‐management. However, there are conflicting opinions on the effectiveness of PHRs, other than in maternal and child care. Moreover, the experiences of users of PHRs in low‐ and middle‐income countries are critical in policy decisions but have rarely been researched. Aim: This study aimed to explore similarities and differences in the perspectives of patients, carers and healthcare providers (HCPs) on the current PHRs for diabetes and hypertension in Kerala. Methods: A qualitative design was used comprising semistructured interviews with patients with diabetes/hypertension (n = 20), carers (n = 15) and HCPs (n = 17) in Kerala, India. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Themes generated regarding the experiences with PHRs from each user group were compared and contrasted. The themes that arose were organized under three headings: use of PHRs in everyday practice; the perceived value of PHR and where practice and value conflict. We found that in the use of PHRs in everyday practice, multiple PHRs posed challenges for patients carrying records and for HCPs locating relevant information. Most carers carried all patients' past PHRs, while patients made decisions on which PHR to take along based on the purpose of the healthcare visit. HCPs appreciated having PHRs but documented limited details in them. The perceived value of PHRs by each group for themselves was different. While HCPs placed value on PHRs for enabling better clinical decision‐making, preventing errors and patient safety, patients perceived them as transactional tools for diabetes and hypertension medications; carers highlighted their value during emergencies. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that users find a variety of values for PHRs. However, these perceived values are different for each user group, suggesting minimal functioning of PHRs for informational continuity, handover communication and self‐management. Patient and Public Involvement: Patients and carers were involved during the pilot testing of topic guides, consent and study information sheets. Patients and carers gave their feedback on the materials to ensure clarity and appropriateness within the context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays the intellectual output of the students, faculty and the institution plays an important role in the teaching learning process of a Higher Educational Institution (HEI). Articles, lecture notes, project/thesis, audio/video files, photographs, institutional magazines, journals, newsletters and circulars, annual reports, calendars, curriculum, syllabus and question papers etc are scattered in many places of an institution in print and electronic form. Hence it is essential to collect, classify, arrange and store these materials digitally in a single platform by establishing Institutional Repository (IR) and to provide easy access to them over intranet/internet to the institute community and others. This paper reports the findings of the study on the use of IR software, level of initiation / implementation, usage level and the exposure of librarians on IR in the HEIs of Tamil Nadu i.e. State Universities, Deemed Universities, Engineering Colleges and Arts and Science Colleges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid attack refers to the act of hurling acid or any other corrosive substance on a person with the intention of injuring, harming, maiming, disfiguring or killing. Despite the fact that the number of acid attack cases in India have been rising, a separate section for acid attacks was not included in the Indian Penal Code until the year 2013. Even after the inclusion of this crime in the Indian Penal Code, the discourse about the crime and the condition of victims in the aftermath of the crime remains largely incomplete due to the selective focus on the medical treatment of the victims and punishment for the offenders. Therefore, the present paper attempts to explore social isolation as a consequence of the crime and the role of social support in the psychological rehabilitation of acid attack victims. The present research involved narrative interviews of a homogenous purposive sample of 30 female acid attack victims which were analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings suggest that victims of acid attack experience non‐social support in the form of social isolation social exclusion as a consequence of acid attack in addition to the lack of informational and instrumental social support. Results also suggest that social support plays a crucial role in the coping process of the acid attack victims. The insights of the present research will help in improving the understanding of the psychosocial correlates of acid attack victims and the recovery process of the acid attack victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of physical inactivity in India is estimated to be at 34%, the highest among South Asian nations. Interventions, such as outdoor gymnasiums/gyms, aiming to promote physical activity, are becoming popular worldwide, including in India. This paper presents the first empirical evidence on outdoor gyms in India from a qualitative perspective. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews of 56 outdoor gym stakeholders—40 users, 10 non-users, 4 healthcare providers and 2 outdoor gym implementing municipality authorities were conducted in the National Capital Region of India. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through the Framework Method. The qualitative findings present the perceived benefits, barriers/challenges to using and provide insights for further improving and scaling up outdoor gyms in India. Health enhancement in the form of improved general fitness, body weight control and diversification of physical exercise routines, social connectivity, easy accessibility, affordability, green outdoor surroundings, and a place of intrigue and attraction in respective parks were the major reported benefits of outdoor gyms. Low gym equipment to user ratio was one of the major challenges to gym use across the user group. Healthcare providers and non-users were majorly concerned about the potentially incorrect and unsupervised use of outdoor gym equipment. Major suggestions for improvement were increasing the number of equipment installed, regular equipment maintenance, and the presence of an on-site physical exercise trainer. Outdoor gymnasiums present as a viable option for promoting physical activity and should be scaled up systematically to improve the health of the populations across India and other similar nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the topic of women and water, sanitation and hygiene is a widely accepted concern among academics and activists, it continues to be an issue in developing countries with serious consequences. Based on a qualitative research conducted in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, the paper affirms that sanitation issues for women and girls are compounded by inequitable gender norms that put them at greater risk of experiencing violence and multiple health vulnerabilities. Women, despite having a high demand for safe toilet facilities, continue to practise unsafe sanitation. The findings highlight the role of three structural constraints as the key factors influencing toilet construction and use: poverty, inadequate sanitation policy and its implementation and gender-based power dynamics at the household level. The paper concludes by emphasising the relevance of engendering sanitation programmes and policies by involving women and girls in the planning process to ensure that dignified and gender-sensitive sanitation solutions are developed. The paper also stresses the need to have measures for strengthening and effectively implementing a sanitation policy for the poor and for programmes to work with both men and women to address gender power relations which influence toilet adoption and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the implementation of the Participatory Irrigation Management Act in Central India where the responsibility of irrigation management was partially transferred to the end users through the formation of farmers' organizations. The paper focuses on various reforms carried out as per the Act, and their impacts on irrigation management. Analysis shows that such programmes will reap intended benefits, if the end users are involved in a more effective manner with greater autonomy and delegation of powers. Further, for greater effectiveness, the Participatory Irrigation Management Act needs to enable a few institutional changes, which can be more suitable for the end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents (i.e. work‒family culture and decision latitude) and outcome (innovative workplace behavior (IWB)) of work‒family enrichment (WFE). The study also examines the moderated mediation hypothesis between WFE and outcome, considering work‒life balance (WLB) as a mediator and gender role ideology (GRI) as the moderator. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were collected through a questionnaire survey from 426 Indian dual working parents, working in various sectors, through purposive sampling technique. Findings: The study found that work‒family culture and decision latitude are positively related to WFE, which, in turn, results in increased IWB, with WLB acting as its mediator. Further, the study also found a moderating effect of GRI between WFE and WLB relationship; more specifically, the relationship between WFE and balance is stronger for egalitarian employees (high GRI). Research limitations/implications: Using self-reported questionnaire data and a cross-sectional research design is the limitation of this study. Originality/value: The study examines a relatively less focused phenomenon of work‒life interface, that is WFE in one of the underrepresented contexts like India; further, the study extends the range of antecedents and outcomes of WFE. Additionally, it contributes to understand the enrichment‒balance relationship, whereby it explains the role of GRI in developing a balanced perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Alienation and isolation is an off-seen social aspect of gerontological crises. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the social isolation and loneliness of older people that emerge from inadequate integration with the social network, coupled with increasing social chasm between the aged and the young. The sample population is Cooch Behar municipal town, West Bengal, India. Design/methodology/approach: To conduct the study, data have been collected through a questionnaire followed by purposive random sampling and analyzed with the help of loneliness scale and correlated variables. Findings: The study reveals that marital status, social network, social class and health are some of the parameters that influence the level of social isolation and loneliness among the older people. Originality/value: The result highlights the importance of social relationships and interaction on the ageing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews student's perspectives of an American Indian and Alaska Native Indian Studies center in a Master of Social Work degree (MSW) program from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. The article describes the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies many contributions over the years and how it continues to grow in innovative ways. This article begins by considering the social, economic, and historical circumstances that make Native-focused training in social work critical to the future of Indian Country. The article then discusses the founding of the center, the curriculum, program offerings and the effectiveness of the center's services. Additionally, results of the evidence indicates that financial assistance and support programs are strong factors in recruitment, student motivation to pursue a degree, and persistence to completion of a Master of Social Work credential. Lastly, the paper offers recommendations for recruiting, retaining and graduating American Indian and Alaska Native graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pneumonia contributes to about 15% of child deaths globally, with 20% of the overall deaths occurring in India. Although WHO recommends the use of pulse oximeters (PO) in first-level facilities for early detection of child pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), this has not yet been implemented in India. We aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of introducing PO in integrated management of neonatal and childhood illnesses (IMNCI) services at primary health centres (PHC) in the rural Pune district. Methods: We identified medical officers (MO) and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANM) from six PHCs as study participants due to their involvement in the treatment of children. We developed in-depth interview (IDI) guides for both groups to explore their IMNCI knowledge and attitude towards the program through a qualitative study. We conducted interviews with MOs (n = 6) and ANMs (n = 6) from each PHC. The PO module was added to explore perceptions about its usefulness in diagnosing pneumonia. After baseline assessment, we conducted training sessions on adapted IMNCI services (including PO use) for MOs and ANMs. PO devices were provided at the study PHCs. Results: At baseline, no PO devices were being used at study PHCs; PHC staff demonstrated satisfactory knowledge about paediatric pneumonia management and demanded refresher IMNCI training. They also felt the need to reiterate the PO use for early diagnosis of pneumonia in children and highlighted the challenges encountered in managing pneumonia at PHCs, such as health system-related challenges and parents' attitudes towards care seeking. There was positive acceptance of training and PO started to be used immediately in PHCs. There was increased confidence in using PO at endline. PO use in examining symptomatic children increased from 26 to 85%. Conclusions: Paediatric PO implementation could be integrated successfully at PHC levels; we found pre-implementation training and provision of PO to PHCs to be helpful in achieving this goal. This intervention demonstrated that an algorithm to diagnose pneumonia in children that included PO could improve case management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study delves into the intersection of social workers' practice in fostering community resilience and integrating indigenous support systems in Kashmir. Employing purposeful sampling, the objective is to explore these practices deeply. The results unveil two main themes with their sub-themes: firstly, the role of social workers in enhancing community resilience, and secondly, the integration of indigenous support systems. The findings highlight the pivotal role of social workers in facilitating conflict resolution practices, organizing cultural festivals, and initiating holistic well-being initiatives within Kashmiri communities. These strategies emerge as fundamental components in nurturing a resilient and adaptable community amidst challenging circumstances. The study concludes by underscoring the significance of these practices not only in fostering resilience within Kashmiri communities but also in offering valuable insights for informing social work practices globally. It emphasizes the importance of cultural preservation, community cohesion, and effective resilience-building strategies, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on social work interventions in diverse cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore how immigrant women and men from India construct mental health and mental illness in the perinatal period. Design: Qualitative interpretive design. Methods: Data were collected by conducting in‐depth interviews with 19 participants. Photo elicitation, free listing and pile sorting were used during the interviews. Purposive sampling was used, and data were collected in 2018 and 2019. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Finding/Results: One major theme and three subthemes were identified. 'We do not talk about it' was the major theme and the subthemes: (1) 'living peacefully and feeling happy' described the views on mental health; (2) 'that's the elephant in the room still' captures how participants felt when talking about mental illness; and (3) 'why don't we talk about it' offers reasons why the Indian community does not talk about mental health and illness. Conclusion: The findings of this study have highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of immigration and being culturally sensitive when assessing mental health in the perinatal period. Impact: The findings of this study identify some of the reasons for non‐disclosure of mental health issues by immigrants. Incorporating these findings during psychosocial assessment by health professionals in the perinatal period will help translate the cultural aspects into more effective communication. Patient or Public Contribution: Patient and public contribution to the study was provided by the Community Stakeholders Group; these were members of the immigrant community from India who had expertise in mental health. They contributed to the study design and the key terms and phrases for the free list used in interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the relationship between sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in mid-life adults and cognitive function, focusing on executive functions. Given the projected rise in dementia cases, identifying modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline is imperative. SNHL has emerged as a potential risk factor, with hearing loss accounting for a substantial portion of dementia cases. However, the cognitive implications of SNHL in mid-life adults are not well understood. Method: The study examined 50 participants, 25 with bilateral unaided mild SNHL (AHL) and 25 with normal hearing (ANH). A battery of audiological assessments and cognitive tests, including the Trail Making Test (TMT), was administered. TMT measures included direct scores (completion time and errors) and derived scores (difference, ratio, proportion, sum, and multiplication scores). Results: The AHL group displayed significantly poorer peripheral hearing compared to the ANH group, as reflected in pure-tone audiometry, speech reception thresholds, and speech identification scores. Significant differences were observed in all direct and derived TMT measures except for the ratio and proportion scores. This suggests that while overall cognitive disturbances were evident in the AHL group, they were not exclusive to executive function deficits. Notably, we did not identify any statistically significant effects of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, or physical activity on TMT scores. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential impact of SNHL on cognitive function in mid-life adults. Mid-life SNHL is associated with cognitive differences, emphasizing its role as a modifiable risk factor for future cognitive decline. This research underlines the need for further investigation into the cognitive effects of aided hearing and a multidisciplinary approach to understanding these alterations in cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]