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Background: Previously overweight and obesity are considered to be an issue of high-income countries but now increasingly becoming more prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries. Obesity and overweight are growing health issues in India. It is important to determine the quantum of the risk contribution by individual risk factor siuch as abdominal obesity. Aims: To find out the association of abdominal obesity and diabetes among the adult tribal population. Methods and Material: A cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage random sampling techniques. Using a pretested validated modified Stepwise questionnaire, a detailed interview with the participants aged above 30 years were performed. Random blood sugar and anthropometric parameters were estimated for all the participants. Chi-square test and multivariate regression analysis were used to study association. Results: Prevalence of abdominal obesity was 49.6% [211] among the study participants. Prevalence of diabetes was 7.8% [33] among the study population and 92.2% [392] of them were nondiabetic. Normal WHR was seen among 27.3% [9] of the diabetic individuals. High WHR was seen among 72.7% [24] of diabetic individuals. Gender, Illiterate, BMI, and waist-hip ratio shows significant association with diabetes. Conclusions: The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher in the study population. As this burden among tribal people is on the increasing trend when compared with other general populations, effective strategies to prevent this have to be devised among the tribal population.

Background: Rapid urbanization has increased the intake of external (outside) foods, causing a surge in food-borne diseases. In the South-East Asian region of the World Health Organization, 150 million people fall ill with foodborne diseases every year, of which, 1.75 lakhs perish. Occupational hazards are of public health importance as they cause permanent disability, loss of livelihood, and morbidity. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 235 food handlers working in food establishments of a private educational institution in Tamil Nadu using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, odds ratio and one-way ANOVA were used. Occupational risk score was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Results: The mean age of the food handlers was 30.7 (SD=10.3). Of the 235 participants, the majority were Males (86%). The commonest acute morbidity was Acid peptic disease (48.5%). Hypertension was reported in 26% of subjects. The most common occupational hazard was prickly heat (74.9% of the subjects). Work-related stress was reported by 72% of the food handlers. Physical hazards were high with a Mean value of 11.67 (SD=5.9) Conclusion: Half the subjects reported Acid Peptic Disease as the most common morbidity. Burns at work and psycho-social issues were found at higher rates. Periodic deworming, vaccination against enteric organisms, routine examinations and ergonomically designed workplaces can prevent outbreaks and preserve workers’ health.

Background: Patient satisfaction is crucial for research, administration, and planning. Since it reveals the effectiveness of the provider, customer happiness is of utmost importance as a gauge of the quality of service. Inpatient satisfaction is an essential tool to identify the level of patient satisfaction and it is one of the important goals of any healthcare system. The objective of the study is to validate the questionnaire developed and to assess the inpatient satisfaction level among patients admitted to OBG ward in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 160 women inpatients admitted in the OBG ward in a tertiary care hospital, Chengalpattu. Patient satisfaction was measured by a validated questionnaire with seven domains, the data were collected by face-to-face interview method. Results: The mean age of the respondent were 28 years. 60% of respondents were highly satisfied with the effectiveness of the treatment. Only 33.8% of respondents were highly satisfied with the diet food served and 56.3% were highly satisfied with the cleanliness of wards, and restrooms. Conclusions: The results obtained from the present study can serve as a baseline to compare the future survey and helps to provide healthcare services that fulfil patient desires and expectations.

Background: Previously overweight and obesity are considered to be an issue of high-income countries but now increasingly becoming more prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries. Obesity and overweight are growing health issues in India. It is important to determine the quantum of the risk contribution by individual risk factor siuch as abdominal obesity., Aims: To find out the association of abdominal obesity and diabetes among the adult tribal population., Methods and Material: A cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage random sampling techniques. Using a pretested validated modified Stepwise questionnaire, a detailed interview with the participants aged above 30 years were performed. Random blood sugar and anthropometric parameters were estimated for all the participants. Chi-square test and multivariate regression analysis were used to study association., Results: Prevalence of abdominal obesity was 49.6% [211] among the study participants. Prevalence of diabetes was 7.8% [33] among the study population and 92.2% [392] of them were nondiabetic. Normal WHR was seen among 27.3% [9] of the diabetic individuals. High WHR was seen among 72.7% [24] of diabetic individuals. Gender, Illiterate, BMI, and waist-hip ratio shows significant association with diabetes., Conclusions: The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher in the study population. As this burden among tribal people is on the increasing trend when compared with other general populations, effective strategies to prevent this have to be devised among the tribal population., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Community Medicine.)

Background Teachers are the cornerstone of any civilized society, preserving knowledge, wisdom, and ideals. Along with job-related stress, teachers face a variety of challenging circumstances in the classroom. This includes thoughts concerning a lack of professional appreciation, challenges maintaining classroom discipline, a lack of peer support, and extra duties like surveys and government mandates. All of these characteristics may have an effect on their mental health. Thus the objective of the study is to analyze the perceived stress among private school teachers in Chengalpattu district and associate the findings with various demographic and occupational parameters. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 private school teachers in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu from June to August 2024. The principal investigator collected the data by using a semi-structured questionnaire, which consists of three parts, that is, sociodemographic variables, questions about their profession and health, and stress assessed by using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The data collected was entered in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA) and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA) Results The current study included 300 teachers from private schools. Majority of teachers (n=152, 50.7%) were over the age of forty. Of the participants, 232 (77.3%) were female, and 122 (40.7%) reported having trouble sleeping. Comorbidities were present in nearly 79.7% (239/300) of teachers. In this study, during the last month preceding the survey, 85% (255/300) of the teachers reported feeling anxious and stressed ("fairly" or "very often") and 72% (217/300) felt they were not able to control significant things in their lives. According to the PSS-10, the majority of individuals (n=223, 74.3%) experienced high levels of stress, followed by low stress (n=45, 15%) and moderate stress (n=32, 10.7%). The mean PSS score in this study was 26.50±9.92. Inferential statistics revealed that teachers who were aged more than 40, those with a monthly salary of less than or equal to Rs.40000, smokers, married, teachers with an average of more than 40 students per class, teaching experience of more than 20 years, those who had disturbed sleep, and those with comorbidities experienced high stress according to the PSS-10. Gender, alcohol consumption habits, the duration of schoolwork accomplished at home per day, and workplace/home conflict all had no significant association with perceived stress. Conclusion In addition to providing programs that promote or educate teachers about occupational risks, administrators in education and legislators should be mindful of the physical and psychological conditions of teachers and should also offer a wide range of preventive strategies that protect teachers' mental health and improve their social functioning., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre Institutional Ethics Committee issued approval SRMIEC-ST0924-1435. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, M et al.)

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform healthcare practices, but the successful adoption of AI depends on the perception and acceptance of healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the understanding of AI concepts, recognize the attitude toward AI integration, and identify the barriers to AI adoption among healthcare professionals in a tertiary care hospital., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Chengalpattu district, India. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers to AI adoption. The chi-square test was used to analyze the associations between variables., Results: The majority of the participants, i.e., 54% (n = 108), had moderate knowledge about AI adoption, while 48% (n = 96) had a low attitude toward it. Barriers to the adoption of AI in healthcare practices among healthcare professionals were low among the majority, i.e., 49% (n = 98), of the participants. A statistically significant association was found between knowledge and attitude (X² = 18.052, df = 4, p = 0.001), i.e., healthcare professionals with moderate knowledge levels had low attitudes toward the adoption of AI. A statistically significant association was also found between knowledge and perceived barriers (X² = 31.235, df = 4, p = 0.00), i.e., healthcare professionals with higher knowledge levels perceived lower barriers to the adoption of AI., Conclusion: The study highlights the need for education and training to improve knowledge, foster positive attitudes, and address the perceived barriers to AI adoption among healthcare professionals. Future research should focus on developing targeted interventions to enhance the understanding and acceptance of AI in healthcare practices., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Ethics Committee - Students SRM Medical College Hospital issued approval SRMIEC-ST0224-911. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, N et al.)

Background Quality of life (QoL), as defined by the World Health Organization, is a subjective evaluation influenced by cultural and environmental factors. It is a complex, multidimensional concept that encompasses various aspects of an individual's well-being. This study aimed to understand how marital status affects the QoL of women by comparing married and single women residing in the urban field practice area of a tertiary care Hospital. Methods This cross-sectional study includes 200 women, comprising 100 single and 100 married participants, aged 20-60 years. Data were collected using the WHO-QOL-BREF questionnaire, which assesses the following four domains of QoL: physical, psychological, social, and environmental. Demographic information was also gathered. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version 25.0. Results Significant differences were found between single and married women in age distribution (p<0.0001), family type (p=0.002), presence of children (p=0.001), educational qualifications (p=0.02), and family income (p<0.0001). Married women reported higher median family incomes and better QoL scores in the social domain (p<0.0001), while single women were predominantly younger and more likely to live in nuclear families. No significant differences were observed in the physical, psychological, or environmental domains of QoL between the groups. Conclusion The study highlights the impact of marital status on various QoL aspects, with married women experiencing better social support and personal relationships. Despite this, the absence of significant disparities in other QoL domains suggests that marital status does not uniformly affect overall QoL., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. SRM Institutional Ethics Committee issued approval SRMIEC-ST0323-372. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, DR et al.)

Background Self-medication is a prevalent phenomenon worldwide. The self-medication practiced by pregnant women, particularly during the first trimester, can have significant adverse consequences for both the developing fetus and the mother. Although self-medication during pregnancy has the potential to cause adverse effects, there is less information regarding the consequences among pregnant women in low-middle-income countries, such as India. Multiple factors influence the self-treatment pattern and exhibit variation across different societies. This study assessed the self-medication practices (SMPs) of pregnant women living in the Kattankulathur block of Tamil Nadu and identified the socio-demographic factors that are associated with this practice. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 403 pregnant women living in Kattankulathur block of Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. The pregnant women who accessed antenatal care in the health center under Kattankulathur block were included in the study. The data were gathered via in-person interviews with specifically chosen pregnant women via a semi-structured questionnaire administered by the main researcher. The interview schedule comprised three components. The first section encompasses demographic details, the second part includes parity and stage of the current pregnancy, and the third part covers SMPs. Results The study encompassed 403 participants, with a mean age of 27.34 years. Self-medication was reported by 216 participants, which accounted for 53.6% of the sample. Out of the 216 individuals who reported SMPs, 52.8% (114 participants) were primiparous and 47.2% (102 participants) were multiparous, depending on the distribution based on parity. Approximately 32.9% of the participants (71 individuals) were in the first trimester. The second trimester accounted for 35.6% of the participants (77 individuals). Out of the total participants, the largest category comprises professionals, with 167 individuals, accounting for 41.4% of the total. Based on the modified BG Prasad scale, the middle class was the most common group, accounting for 46.4% (187 participants). Approximately 30.6% of the respondents (66 participants) indicated that the rates charged for doctor consultations were huge. Approximately 34.7% of the respondents (75 participants) cited the convenient accessibility of drugs as a contributing factor. The most prevalent problem addressed was headaches, which made up 36.57% (79 participants). Allopathic medicines were chosen by the majority, including 69.0% (149 participants), whereas Ayurvedic medicines were chosen by 22.2% (48 people). The primary sources of medications were expired prescriptions from physicians (32.4%, 70 participants) and suggestions provided by pharmacists (31.0%, 67 participants). Pregnant women who have a higher socioeconomic status, higher academic achievement, and a greater number of family members are engaging in self-medication more frequently. Conclusion The prevalence of self-medication among pregnant women in this study was significantly higher compared to the other literature in India. This issue poses a public health concern that has the potential to negatively impact the well-being of both mothers and their unborn children. It is imperative to establish stringent regulations and oversight to ensure responsible SMPs, with the active participation of healthcare professionals and lawmakers., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre issued approval SRMIEC-ST0323-501. The study benefits and methods were communicated to all participants in the local language. Study subjects provided written informed permission. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Muthalvan et al.)

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are an emerging public health issue of global concern causing 1.35 million deaths per year. They are the leading cause of death among 5-29 years who contribute to the future and current productive population of the country. The outcome of mortality and permanent disability are public health concerns. We determined the factors associated with RTAs among medical undergraduates and assessed their knowledge of road traffic rules., Materials and Methods: This study had 500 medical undergraduates from a tertiary hospital located in Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. Data were collected using questions from "Road safety question bank" issued by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, sent as Google forms to students. Descriptive statistics were used and multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with RTAs., Results: The mean age of the students was 21.4 (standard deviation = 1.7) years. About 30.4% of students suffered from RTAs in the past 2 years. Practice of drunken driving and mobile phone usage showed significant association with RTA occurrence ( P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression revealed that students crossing speed limits and jumping signals had 3.19 and 2.04 times more risk of sustaining RTAs. Seventy-five percent of students had good knowledge on road traffic rules., Conclusion: Nearly half the subjects have suffered RTA in the past 2 years. Students who over speed, jumped signals and used mobile phones while driving sustained more RTAs. Overall, road traffic rules knowledge was satisfactory. Students need education on risky driving behaviors and aftermath of crashes., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)