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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]

Information and communication technology (ICT) can empower the older people and improve their quality of life by sustaining functional independence and effective communication. Nonetheless, in developing countries like India, technology acceptance and use among the older people is limited. Therefore, there is a need to systematically understand the plausible difficulties limiting technology use and the expectations of the older people regarding ICT use. Hence, the present study is a qualitative inquiry to explore the needs, attitudes and perceived limitations of the ICT platforms among the older people. Twenty healthy volunteers across various states of India, between 60 and 75 years were recruited online via purposive sampling. A brief demographic survey was administered online using Google Forms, followed by telephonic semi‐structured interviews. Thematic Analysis using inductive and deductive coding was employed to analyse the interview transcripts. Thematic analysis yielded four overarching themes‐ (i) Usability of ICT, (ii) Anxiety and privacy concerns, (iii) Self‐perception of technology use and (iv) Need for technology literacy. The emerging themes reflected the perceptions of the older people towards ICT and identified several psycho‐social factors impacting technology acceptance among the older people. The findings suggest that several psychological factors like anxiety, motivation, interest and self‐efficacy play a role in technology acceptance among the older people. Additionally, user‐friendly interfaces and training on technology use may enhance technology acceptance among older users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The diagnosis and effects of complicated cancer treatment often cause psychophysical distress in the patient. The psychosocial concerns that arise because of the diagnosis and treatment‐seeking process of cancer are often overlooked. Considering the significance, the study attempts to understand the effect of treatment‐seeking processes on the psychosocial health of tobacco‐related cancer (TRC) patients. Methods: Using explanatory sequential design, 100 participants were interviewed in the quantitative phase of the study, followed by in‐depth interviews of 11 participants who had diverse treatment‐seeking experiences. Hindi version of the Self‐Reporting Questionnaire 20 (SRQ‐20) was used to examine the TRC patient's common mental disorders (CMD). Findings: A high incidence of CMD (73%) was reported by cancer patients in the Barak Valley of Assam. TRC patient's socio‐demographic characteristics, health attributions and general existential questions regarding the diagnosis of cancer were found to influence their mental health. Also, it was revealed that informational supports were negatively correlated with the CMD of the patient. Conclusions: The study suggested for strengthening social support and networks at different levels to improve patient's psychosocial health. Emphasising on building small social institutions, it advocates for engaging practitioners of modern and alternative medicine to comprehensively address patient's psychosomatic needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Northern Karnataka, South India, boys' behaviours and attitudes towards girls are regarded as one of the many important proximate structural barriers impeding girls' access to education and academic performance in rural communities. In response to these barriers, public health practitioners developed an intervention, known as the Parivartan program, to confront the wider social and structural influences that shape adolescent boys' perspectives on gender relationships and practices that subjugate adolescent girls. Drawing upon a project ethnography approach, this study presents the findings from two phases of research conducted between 2014 and 2016 among adolescent boys who participated in the Parivartan program. First, 20 baseline qualitative interviews were conducted among male participants (between the ages 14 and 18) enrolled in the program. Next, follow‐up ethnographic research, which included participant observation and ethnographic field note composition, took place one year after commencement of the intervention to illuminate the effects of the program on participants' perspectives. Transcripts and field notes were coded for key themes and emergent categories focused on representing adolescent boys' views and experiences through their narrative accounts. Within the context of an intervention, our findings portray masculinity among participants as simultaneously socially contingent, shifting and still undergoing negotiation, thereby providing an entry point through which program implementers can further encourage boys to transcend patriarchal expectations. Our findings hold important lessons for the design of future HIV and gender‐based interventions with adolescent boys in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Hypertension is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and its associated risk factors in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Methods. In this prospective family-based cohort study, 573 families were included with a total of 997 participants aged 30 years and above. Baseline interviews were conducted in participant's homes using a combination of self-structured and standardized questionnaire. Blood pressure and plasma glucose were assessed for each participant. Results. The prevalence of hypertension was 43%. It was slightly higher in women than men (43.7% vs. 41.4%). The mean systolic blood pressure in the hypertensive population was 141.9 mmHg and mean diastolic blood pressure was 85.3 mmHg. In total, 78% (86.2% in women, 62.9% in men) of the participants were aware of their hypertension. Among those aware, 60.4% (63.5% in women, 52.6% in men) of the participants were on treatment, and hypertension was controlled in 75.1% (77.5% women, 68% in men) of the participants on treatment. The prevalence of hypertension was higher among persons with comorbidities (diabetes 64.5%, transient ischemic attack 54.7%, and heart disease 64.4%). Prevalence was lower among persons who did regular vigorous intensity exercise versus those who did moderate intensity exercise (32% vs. 45.7%) and among nonsmokers versus smokers (42.2% vs. 46.6%). Conclusion. The prevalence of hypertension in Kerala is high. Although awareness is quite high, there is a need to improve the number of persons with hypertension taking treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD), a preventable and treatable disease, has been described as '10% medication and 90% education'. Extreme physician scarcity limits the implementation of quality healthcare delivery in India. We conducted this study to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pharmacist intervention on health-related quality of life ( HRQoL) in patients with COPD in an Indian tertiary care hospital. Methods An open-labelled randomized controlled study was conducted over a 3-year period, at Kasturba Medical College Hospital, Manipal, India, after obtaining institutional ethics clearance ( IEC 88/2012). The study was registered with the Indian clinical trial registry ( CTRI/2014/08/004848). Patients were randomly assigned to two groups (intervention group [ IG] and control group [ CG]) by envelope method. St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire ( SGRQ) was used to assess the HRQoL. The pharmacist intervention laid emphasis on (i) importance of medication compliance, (ii) need for smoking cessation, (iii) simple exercise, (iv) proper use of inhaler devices and (v) need for timely follow-up by pulmonary medicine department. SGRQ assessment was repeated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Results Of 328 patients with COPD screened during the study period (March 2012 to June 2013), 260 (79%) were recruited. Of these, 202 (78%) patients completed follow-up (98 in CG and 104 in IG). Both groups were matched for baseline, sociodemographics and clinical characteristics. SGRQ scores and its subscales (symptoms, activity and impact) improved significantly after the pharmacist intervention in IG at follow-up ( P < 0·001). What is new and conclusion Our randomized controlled study shows that pharmacist intervention improved the HRQoL of patients with COPD in India. The generalizability of our results requires exploration even within other settings in India. Nonetheless, our results provide support for a greater involvement of pharmacists in the care of patients with COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World Health Organization and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund have strongly recommended a sustained coverage of universal immunisation among all children against tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and measles. In India, these vaccines under the universal immunisation programme are made available absolutely free of cost to all children through the public health system. Information regarding immunisation coverage among HIV exposed children in India is still very limited. The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of children of people living with HIV who had been completely immunised by the age of 12 months and to find predictors of complete immunisation. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area between 15 June and 14 September 2009 using a pre-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed from 256 care-givers of children (85.5% response rate) whose parents were randomly selected from the Bengal Network of HIV-positive people. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate and test associations of predictors with complete immunisation. The percentage of children of people living with HIV completely immunised at the age of 12 months was 73.0% (67.3% to 78.1%), which was not significantly different from that for all children at 12 months. Mothers having received antenatal care [OR (odds ratio): 7.29; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.39-22.25], mothers having postprimary education (OR: 3.37; 95% CI: 1.45-7.81), children of Hindu and Christian religion (OR: 3.74; 95% CI: 1.63-8.62), children not belonging to scheduled castes, tribes and 'other backward classes' (OR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.02-4.25) were significant independent predictors of complete immunisation status of these children. This emphasises the imperative need for up-scaling of antenatal care among the pregnant mothers to ensure complete immunisation among their children. A special focus on girl child education should also be implemented to empower future mothers for a sustained improvement of child immunisation in the long-run. The current national immunisation programme should focus on the children from the Muslim community and those belonging to scheduled castes, tribes and other backward classes to improve coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand how adolescents with disabilities can assume greater control over their rehabilitation and participation within a community-based rehabilitation programme in the urban slums of North India. A critical ethnographical approach using multiple qualitative and participatory data collection methods was adopted. Fieldwork was conducted from January to May 2005 and October 2006 to March 2007 with 21 adolescents with and 11 adolescents without disabilities (aged 12 to 18 years), and 10 community-based rehabilitation staff members. A conceptual framework called the 'Adolescent Group Empowerment Pyramid' was developed. Four themes informed the framework: group participation, group demonstration, group recognition and the socio-cultural environment's interaction with disability. Group empowerment, achieved through group-centred occupations, encourages adolescents to work together to address their rehabilitation challenges and agendas. Three external support factors and 10 areas for nurturing the group empowerment process also emerged. A limitation of this study is the lack of data on how the familial and local political and economic environment impact adolescents' ability to make decisions about their rehabilitation. Further research might explore group occupations and occupational recognition, and what this means for social change and the personal and collective growth of adolescents in underserviced communities. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]