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Attacks perpetrated using acid are a particular form of interpersonal violence, possibly one of the most heinous manifestations of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Acid attacks are mainly motivated by extramarital cheating, marital conflicts, women's rejection of marriage proposals, and sexual advances. As these attacks are not well understood from a psychological perspective, we conducted a systematic review, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, of 284 articles identified, 13 were eligible for inclusion. Three main focuses were identified: "Risk and vulnerability factors," "Consequences and implications," and "Interventions and treatments." Acid attacks seem to be more frequent in countries where social and economic development leads to greater tensions over traditional gender roles like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Identified risk factors were young age, low socioeconomic status, low educational attainment, ethnicity, unemployment status of the victim, alcohol, and drug use of the perpetrator. Among the main psychosocial consequences of acid attacks, isolation and social exclusion emerged. Additionally, the paper will discuss the role of mental health consequences and specific treatments from psychological, clinical, and medical-legal points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS), particularly in the home environment. Girls married before the age of 18 are more likely to remain at home and may be at higher risk of SHS exposure. This paper investigates whether women who were married as child brides had a higher risk of SHS exposure than their peers who were married as adults in India, where both burden of smoking and child marriage are critical public health concerns. Data were obtained from the 2015–2016 wave of the nationally representative India National Family Health Survey and included 306,788 married women ages 18 to 35 years. We estimated bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions to obtain odds ratios in favor of SHS exposure. The prevalence of SHS exposure for those who were married as adults was 50.3% while that was 55.2% for those who were married before age 18. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, the adjusted odds of SHS exposure for those who were married as child were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.09) times that of those who were married as adults. Findings of this study inform policies for coordinated efforts to eliminate child marriage and strengthen tobacco control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, adolescent pregnancy is one of the key issues in women's reproductive health. Adolescent mothers face a higher risk of obstetrical concerns, and motherhood in adolescence is strongly influenced by lower education level and lower socioeconomic status. The present study was carried out across all Indian states and Union Territories using the National Family Health Survey, rounds 1 to 5 (1992–1993 to 2019–2021) in which various socioeconomic and cultural factors associated with adolescent pregnancies was examined in detail. The article uses univariate, bivariate with chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression models to understand the extent of which socioeconomic factors and sexual behavior of the couple are related to early motherhood experiences. It was found that age at marriage, respondent education, employment, age gap between partners, and religion are some of the important variables that affect the likelihood of adolescent pregnancy among females in Indian states. Comprehensive institutional efforts like free contraceptives and counseling services should be provided to address the increasing risk of pregnancy among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence of hysterectomy in India is limited mainly due to lack of information in large-scale nationally representative health surveys. In 2015–16, the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) – a cross-sectional survey – collected for the first time direct information on hysterectomy and self-reported reasons for undergoing the procedure among women in the reproductive age group. This paper examines the prevalence and determinants of hysterectomy in India among women aged 30–49 years in 29 states and seven union territories (UTs) of India using the NFHS-4 dataset. Methods: Percentage weighted by sampling weights was used for estimating the prevalence of hysterectomy. The paper used crosstabulations and percentage distributions to estimate the prevalence of hysterectomy across different socioeconomic backgrounds and reasons for undergoing hysterectomy respectively. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was also used to find statistically significant determinants of hysterectomy. Results: In India as a whole, 6 % of women aged 30–49 years had undergone a hysterectomy. The percentage of women who had undergone the procedure was found to vary considerably across the states and the UTs (from a minimum of 2% in Lakshadweep to a maximum of 16% in Andhra Pradesh). A noticeable fact that emerged was that the majority of the hysterectomies were performed in the private sector except in the northeast region. Years of schooling, caste, religion, geographic region, place of residence, wealth quintiles, age, parity, age at first cohabitation, marital status, and body mass index of women were found to be the sociodemographic determinants statistically associated with hysterectomy in India. The reasons reported frequently for hysterectomy were excessive menstrual bleeding/pain (56%), followed by fibroids/cysts (20%). Conclusion: The percentage and likelihood of undergoing hysterectomy are relatively high among women from older age groups (45–49), those who reside in rural areas, those without schooling, those who are obese, those having high parity, those with a low age at first marriage, and those who reside in the eastern and southern parts of India. The policy implication of these findings is that the reproductive health program managers should ensure regular screening and timely treatment of the problems resulting in hysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SummaryIntroduction1Definitions of ethnic groups and demographics of minority ethnic groups in the UK○ 1.1 Definitions of 'ethnic groups' and 'ethnicity'○ 1.2 Demographics and characteristics of minority ethnic groups in the UK– Countries of origin– Age/sex distribution and life expectancy– Geographical distribution and size of household– Religious beliefs– Education and employment patternsKey points2Overview of the health profile and dietary habits of minority ethnic groups in the UK○ 2.1 Available surveys○ 2.2 Overview of the health profiles among adults from minority ethnic groups– Overall health– Cardiovascular disease (CVD)– Coronary heart disease (CHD)– Stroke– Type 2 diabetes– Obesity○ 2.3 Possible causes of increased disease risk among minority ethnic groups○ 2.4 Smoking, drinking and physical activity habits○ 2.5 Dietary habits and nutritional status○ 2.6 Overview of the health profiles and dietary and health behaviour patterns of children from minority ethnic groups– Overall health– Diet and health behaviour patterns○ 2.7 Gaps in data availabilityKey points3Factors affecting food choice– Income and socio‐economic status– Food availability and access– Awareness of healthy eating– Religious beliefs– Food beliefs– Time and cooking skills– Generation and genderKey points4Traditional diets of minority ethnic groups○ 4.1 Overview of traditional diets of minority ethic groups– South Asians– African‐Caribbeans– Chinese○ 4.2 Dietary acculturation○ 4.3 Nutritional composition of ethnic‐style cuisineKey points5Nutritional interventions and health promotion among minority ethnic groups○ 5.1 Effective nutritional interventions○ 5.2 Health promotion interventions to prevent problems associated with fasting○ 5.3 Priorities for nutritional interventions and health promotion○ 5.4 Using behaviour change models○ 5.5 Current community initiatives○ 5.6 Catering for institutionalised individuals○ 5.7 Recommendations for future research, policy and practiceKey points6Conclusion• Acknowledgements• References Summary: According to the latest census, non‐white minority ethnic groups made up 7.9% of the UK's population in 2001. The largest of these groups were South Asians, Black African‐Caribbeans and Chinese. Studies have shown that some minority ethnic groups are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes compared with the mainstream population. These include higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes and obesity. The differences in health outcomes may reflect interactions between diet and other health behaviours, genetic predisposition and developmental programming, all of which vary across different groups. As is the case for the rest of the population, the dietary habits of minority ethnic groups are affected by a wide variety of factors, but acquiring a better understanding of these can help health professionals and educationalists to recognise the needs of these groups and help them to make healthier food choices. Unfortunately, to date, there have been few tailored, well‐designed and evaluated nutritional interventions in the UK targeting minority ethnic population groups. Further needs assessment and better evaluation of nutritional interventions have been recommended to enhance the understanding of the effectiveness of different approaches amongst minority ethnic groups. This briefing paper will provide an overview of the health profile, dietary habits and other health behaviours of the three largest non‐white minority ethnic groups in the UK, explore the factors affecting their food choices, provide a summary of their traditional diets and review the evidence base to identify the factors that support successful nutrition interventions in these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though extensive studies have been conducted on assessing the predictors of cognitive functioning among older adults in small community-based samples, very few studies have focused on understanding the impact of socioeconomic status (SES), demographic characteristics and other risk factors such as lifestyle and chronic diseases on the cognitive functioning among adults of all ages in a nationally representative population-based sample across low- and middle-income countries. This study, therefore, seeks to evaluate the impact of SES, demographic characteristics and risk factors on the cognitive functioning of adults across all ages in five selected developing countries. Methods: Data from 12,430 observations obtained from the WHO Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1; consisting of 2,486 observations each for China, Ghana, India, the Russian Federation, and South Africa, were used for the study. A meta-regression and a five-step hierarchical linear regression were used to analyze the data, with cognitive functioning as the dependent variable. Independent variables used in this study include SES; assessed by household income and education, demographic characteristics, other risk factors such as lifestyle, self-reported memory difficulty and chronic diseases. Results: This study found that SES and lifestyle significantly predicted cognitive functioning in all the five selected countries as obtained by the pooled results of the meta-regression analysis. The hierarchical linear regression results also revealed that demographic characteristics such as age, type of residency, and self-reported memory difficulty significantly impact cognitive functioning in China, Ghana, Russia, and South Africa. Conclusion: The findings in this study provide new insights for policymakers, caregivers, parents, and individuals, especially those in developing countries, to implement policies and actions targeted at improving SES and eliminating risk factors associated with cognitive decline, as these measures could help improve the cognitive functioning among their populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High rates of suicide attempts and domestic violence (DV) in women of reproductive age group have been reported from South India, but the association between them was not studied. Hence, this study was undertaken to assess whether DV is a risk factor for attempted suicide in married women of reproductive age group. A hospital-based case-control study with 77 incident cases of attempted suicide in married women of the age group of 18 to 45 years and 153 controls belonging to the same age group, without history of suicide attempt, was undertaken over a period of 6 months. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done. The crude odds ratio (cOR) for DV was found to be 6.15 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = [2.95, 12.82], p value =.0001). Other statistically significant risk factors included younger age group (below 30 years); gross family income > Rs. 5,000; higher occupational status of spouse; having poor social support; having a family history of psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, and suicide/suicide attempt; higher impulsiveness scores; having higher scores of stressful life events over the past 12 months, and alcohol use disorder in husband. Islamic faith was found to be a significant protective factor. On logistic regression, DV was found to be an independent risk factor for attempted suicide in this study population (adjusted OR = 3.79, 95% CI = [1.35, 10.62], p value =.011). Age groups, stressful life events, impulsiveness, and alcohol use disorder in husband were the confounders adjusted for in logistic regression along with other significant risk and protective factors. Significant dose–response relationship was also observed between DV and attempted suicide. In accordance with the stress-diathesis model for suicidal behavior, DV is found to be a stressor which precipitates suicide attempt in those with diathesis like family history of psychiatric disorders. Clinical, research, and policy implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is the home of more than 253 million adolescents, which account for almost 21% of the country's population. In the recent past, there has been a rise in the prevalence of mental illness and maladaptive behaviours among adolescents living in slum populations, which are increasing at an alarming rate in many developing countries, mainly due to rural–urban migration, are characterized by poverty, poor housing, overcrowding, poor environment, and high prevalence of communicable diseases. This neglected population has become a major reservoir for a broad spectrum of adverse health conditions. Studies on the mental health status among adolescents in India are relatively scarce. The main objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of mental health disorder and its determinants among adolescents in slum settings in Lucknow, India; by using GHQ-12. The study used cross-sectional primary data which was collected in 2015–2016 from the adolescents living in various slums of Lucknow city. About 590 adolescents whose parents gave consent to participate were included in the study. Descriptive statistics, Chi square test and ordered logistic regression analysis (OLR) technique were used to assess the mental health. Reliability of GHQ-12 was assessed before performing the analysis which was found to be 0.79. Approximately, 33% of adolescents were found to suffer from severe level of mental disorder. The results of this study depicts that adolescents of age 12–15 years had more severe mental health problems compares to 16–19 years of adolescents. Females were more likely to suffer from severe mental health problems compared to moderate/normal mental health problems (OR 1.72; p < 0.001). Odds of severe mental health problems was significantly higher among Muslims (OR 1.66; p < 0.001) than Hindus. Thus, it was found that age, gender, education, caste, household economic status, media exposure and religion to be significantly associated with mental health problem. Government should provide a wide range of adolescent friendly health services (clinical, mental, nutritional, including counselling) in these slums for a better adolescent health outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Adaptive functioning develops throughout early childhood, and its limitation is a reflection that the child has developmental or emotional problems or even mental retardation. Little is known about the adaptive functioning or developmental status of slum children. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken during the year 2014 to assess the status of adaptive functioning among girl children aged between 3 and 9 years residing in slum areas of Bhubaneswar and to explore the factors associated with poor adaptive functioning.Methods: Stratified multi-stage cluster random sampling technique was used to select the study population; 256 mother-child pairs from 256 households in selected slum areas were studied. Demographic information was collected, and adaptive functioning was assessed using the modified Vineland Social Maturity Scale. Univariate and multivariate analyses was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.Results: One-fifth (54, 21%) of the girls sampled had poor adaptive functioning, and 44 (17%) had poor cognitive functioning. Multivariate analysis revealed that the age of the child, parents' education, presence of stunting in children and attending school/early childhood centre were strong predictors of adaptive functioning in slum children.Conclusion: One-fifth of girls from slums are developmentally vulnerable; parental education, stunting and early childhood education or exposure to schooling are modifiable factors influencing children's adaptive functioning. Health, education and welfare sectors need to be aware of this so that a multi-pronged approach can be planned to properly address this issue in one of the most disadvantaged sections of the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]