Effect of Community-Based Behavior Change Communication on Delivery and Newborn health care practices in a resettlement colony of Delhi

Background: Neonatal morbidity and mortaliy in India continues to be high. Among other reasons, newborn care practices are major contributors for such high rates.

Objective: To assess the effect of behavior change communication (BCC) package among pregnant women regarding neonatal care. 

Material and methods: Semi-structured and pre-tested schedule was used to interview 200 multigravidas on various aspects of neonatal care. Based on the preliminary data BCC package was designed and implemented in intervention block in the community. Follow up was done to find out change in their behaviour.

Statistical Analysis: Data was analyzed using Epi – info and Fischer exact test and chi-square test were applied in the baseline data. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.  Effect of the BCC package is given in terms of relative risk.

Results: BCC package increased 1.76 times higher number of deliveries conducted by trained dais in intervention group. There was significant improvement in using sterile cord tie (p=0.01), applied nothing to the cord and giving bath to their baby within 6 hour of birth (p=0.02) in intervention group as compared to non-intervention group. Significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to breast-feeding practices of baby. Harmful practices were reduced in intervention group. Significant improvement was found in intervention group as compared to non-intervention group with regards to knowledge of danger signals, physiological variants, management of breastfeeding related problems, and awareness of skin-to-skin technique for the management of hypothermic baby. 

Conclusion: Inadequate knowledge and adverse practices regarding neonatal care among mothers in study areas were found. BCC package had favorable impact on behavior of mothers for neonatal care in intervention group. 

Keyword: Neonatal Health Care, Behavior Change Communication, Community Intervention, Breastfeeding, Hypothermia. http://www.ijcm.org.in/text.asp?2013/38/1/42/106627 

How to make India healthy: Giving up greed

I had discussion with a cook in a government hospital who is working for last 25 years. He hesitantly elaborated that everyday almost all workers of the kitchen take away eatables to their home such as milk, oil, sugar, butter, eggs, vegetables, etc. I was shocked to learn on the first minute and then realize that this is rampant throughout the country starting from Politicians to sweepers. This is based on the greed. Government resources are diverted to those places where they are already plenty and resource poor places remain poor just because of greed. Office stationary, cars, petrol, powers etc are used for home works. Funding agencies are promoting corruptions by asking 10% to 30% of cut. Not everybody is corrupt and many Robin Hoods are present in the society. But why there is need of such system where we do something which we do not justify and rationalize. Kitchen is vital component of a hospital. If this function well then suffering poor can get good and nutritious food. This can help them to understand the importance of healthy and balanced food.             

Climatic Change challenges the sustainable health and development

Climatic change occurring today tends to be responsible for global warming, thus affecting the human health. Such situations are affecting the health epidemiology. New diseases are emerging and known diseases are re-emerging in areas where it was not so common, earlier. This demands huge resources to sustain the health indicators. The challenge is unpredictability of disease occurrence and emergence of new risk factors to public health.Focus should be on reduction of consuming resources. More environment friendly technologies need to be developed by all sectors of development and public health specialists should be ready with their wisdom, dedication and tools to control any epidemic and prevent suffering and deaths caused by climatic change.

Authors: Jugal Kishore, Nishu Chaudhry. Journal of Energy, Environment & Carbon Credits.

Impact of Climate Change on Habitat and Health 2012; Special Issue: 7-10.

1st International Conference on Occupational and Environmental Health

1st International Conference on Occupational and Environmental Health with apt theme of “International Collaboration and Capacity Building” scheduled on 1- 2 March, 2013 in New Delhi, the National Capital of India. The theme of the ICOEH 2013 is based on the deliberation that there is a need for enhanced International participation to know and mitigate the gaps in the academia (e.g. research and training), profession (e.g. medical, safety, industrial hygiene, engineering), regulators and service providers and to build the contemporary capacity of all the stakeholder. The aim of this conference is to provide the stepping stone in reducing the disparities among the developed nations who have taken care of many of the Occupational and Environmental Health issues and the developing countries like India, where much is yet required to be done.

This conference will be the appropriate platform to deal with the following topics sketched for the two days of the conference:
• Epidemiology of Occupational and Environmental Conditions and Diseases
• Technology and Infrastructure for Assessment and Diagnosis of Diseases
• Technology and Infrastructure for Health Hazards / Risk Assessment and Management
• Preventive and Promotive Methodologies in Occupational Health
• Polices, Legal Framework and Standard Operating Procedures
• Occupational Health in Informal sector

Panel Discussion:
Prioritizing opportunities for International collaboration & Capacity Building

Pre-conference workshops:
The conference is hinged by two pre-conference workshops, which will be rewarding to the participants for the topics covered, and the contents delivered by the International faculties.

1. STOFFENMANAGER: Management of Chemical Exposures, Simple and Cost Effective Solutions (By NIOH, South African Faculty)

2. On-site, Off-site Disaster Preparedness (By First Response, Australian Faculty and National Institute of Disaster Management, India)

FOR SUBMITTING THE ABSTRACT CONTACT 

Dr. Jugal Kishore
Chairman, Scientific CommitteeConference Secretariat, 
Room No. 337, Pathology Block, Dept of Community Medicine, 
Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi Gate, New Delhi
Mobile: +91-9582792331
email: abstracts@conferenceoeh.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Dr. Ashish Mittal,
Organizing Secretary, ICOEH 2013
Mobile: +91-9313054881, +91-9910045636
email: secretariat@conferenceoeh.com

Determinants of Current Smoking Behaviour among Third Year Nursing Students in India: Results from Global Health Professional Student Survey (India)

Health professionals serve as role models to their patients and public at large. Smoking among health
professional would have negative impact on community members. Global Health Professional Student
Survey (GHPSS) indicates health professional students including nursing students do smoke. But the
factors affecting smoking behaviour are yet to be explored. This study examined GHPSS (2007) to identify
factors encouraging smoking among nursing students. Results suggest that male gender, higher age, non
teaching about smoking hazards were major determinants of smoking. The study suggested that the
teaching about smoking hazards should be made mandatory in nursing schools.

Keywords: GHPSS, Nursing student, India, Smoking

Authors: Jugal Kishore, Pratap Kumar Jena, Sagarika Das, Chandan Bandyopadhyay, Indrani Banerjee

http://stmjournals.com/index.php?journal=JoNSP&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=3078

IMMUNIZATION IN ELDERLY

Immunization is one of the key components of preventive health care strategies worldwide. However, which vaccine should be administered by the state in socialized medicine and which vaccine should be advocated to the individuals who can afford the expenditure should be discussed among health practitioners. This article addresses issues pertaining to vaccination among elderly from public health point of view, a largely neglected area in developing countries like India. From the review of literature it is concluded that vaccination against pneumococcal infection, influenza, tetanus and herpes zoster can be considered in older persons. 

Source: Ravneet Kaur, Jugal Kishore. Immunization in Geriatric Population of India: A Critical review. Research and review: A Journal of Immunology 2012; 2 (1).

Concern, Expectation and Satisfaction of Medical tourists in New Delhi, India

Delhi the capital of India, has largest number of hospitals providing medical services to the neighboring states and abroad. On one hand it generates revenue to government and on the the other hand big profit to private hospitals. This demands constant improvement of quality of care to remain competitive with other medical tourism destinations. Assessment of concerns, expectation and satisfaction level of medical tourists about their medical treatment is an important issue, although subjective, but one of the important methods to improve the quality of medical services. There is evidence which suggests that care, which is less than satisfactory to the patients, is also less effective and may reflect a failure to answer patients’ needs, their expectations, or acceptable standard of service. From this study it is concluded that medical tourists were found to be satisfied with services provided in tertiary care hospitals of Delhi. Yet to address their overall concerns and issues, health sector needs to take some steps such as developing/strengthening facilities for follow up, in each country from where medical tourists were coming.

Indu Grewal, JK Das, Jugal Kishore. Concern, Expectation and Satisfaction of medical tourists attending tertiary care hospitals in New Delhi, India. JIMSA July-Sept 2012; 25 (3): 151-154.