Introduction: Farmers’ cognizance regarding pesticide use and overuse is limited and their practices for handling of pesticides is unsatisfactory. However, their perception concerning risks and safety of pesticides play a very important role in safe spraying and indirectly protect them from adverse health hazards. Objective: To assess the cognizance about use and risks of overuse of pesticides and evaluate practices for the storage, preparation, and disposal of pesticides. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 387 farmers of Lucknow who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A multistage random sampling was done to interview the farmers. A pretested structured questionnaire was to collect the information regarding the cognizance about use and risks of overuse of pesticides and evaluate practices for the storage, preparation, and disposal of pesticides. Results: More than half (55%) of the farmers did not read and follow the pesticide label. Maximum (80.2%) were unaware that pesticides are banned or restricted for use. Thirty-seven percent did not know that some pesticides may cause lethal intoxications. Majority of the farmers (42.6%) stored the pesticides anywhere in the house. More than two-thirds of the farmers (69.7%) mixed only needed pesticides followed by a low percentage of them applying on other crops (15.8%) and dispose in the field (11.7%). Conclusion: The study concludes that cognizance and practices of the farmers for pesticide use and risks associated with it was not satisfactory and exposes them to adverse health outcomes.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, various public health measures have been in focus, viz. social distancing, hand hygiene, use of masks, screening of patients for COVID-19 symptoms, development of quarantine and isolation facilities, and public health surveillance. Most of these relate to the principles of prevention, early case detection, and primary care. In the ongoing fight against COVID-19, community medicine (CM) professionals are involved at various positions and have been leading from the front in a variety of activities, be it screening, patient care, surveillance, orientation and training of front line workers, community engagement, evidence generation through research, and development of guidelines. However, their engagement in policymaking has still been limited. The government should work more closely with CM professionals in order to stem the tide of COVID-19 or any such public health emergencies in the future by shifting the focus to preventive and promotive interventions. CM professionals should take a more proactive approach in getting involved in policymaking and demonstrate leadership through their actions to lead the national, state, and district-level public health teams through collaboration across disciplines and sectors. This will help bring the leadership of public health in India in the right hands for optimum population health and appropriate and timely health emergency response.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a defining situation globally, and the outpatient services were also affected due to the closure of many healthcare facilities. The study was conducted to know the spectrum of the population availing teleconsultation and their needs for consultation. A cross-sectional study conducted in AIIMS Bhubaneswar, India, from May 2021 to June 2021in which the beneficiaries availing of the COVID-19 teleconsultation service were taken as study was participants and a total of 423 participants participated in the study. The proportion of participants who availed of the services in the age group 20–39 years was 67.8%. The participants from the urban area were 81%. Very few or almost nil participation were observed in the category of semiskilled, unskilled, and unemployed occupations. The reasons for availing of teleconsultation services were, for the treatment of COVID-19 disease (45%), distressed consultation for the medication (21%), and seeking advice for testing (13%), related to COVID-19 vaccination (6%) and 9% consulted to know the prognosis of the disease. Steps should be taken to expand the teleconsultation services to the underserved rural community and the people with lower educational status.
Context: Childhood diarrhea is still a major problem in developing countries, and the condition is worse in tribal areas. Aims: The study aims to assess the community perception related to diarrhea management in an aspirational district of Odisha, India. Subjects and Methods: A mixed-method study was conducted in Kandhamal, an aspirational district of Odisha, Eastern India, from June to October 2018. An in-depth interview was conducted among community health workers, and a cross-sectional survey was done for the household interview. The data were collected in a mobile-based application, Epicollect5, and in-depth interviews were recorded digitally. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Categorical variables are presented in proportions. Force-field analysis was conducted to assess the driving and restraining forces of diarrhea. Content analysis was done for the digitally recorded data. Results: Nine out of ten people were aware of the benefit of breastfeeding during diarrheal episodes in children aged under 5 years, and <50% were aware of zinc benefit. Poor sanitation, lack of safe water, poor hygiene practices, socioeconomic status, and illiteracy are the major challenges in diarrheal control in the tribal area. Conclusions: Improving the demand by creating community awareness regarding management of diarrhea, availability of essential drugs (ORS and zinc) at the community level, and capacity building of community health workers for management of diarrhea can reduce diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality in tribal areas of India. Handwashing, hygiene practices, and availability of safe water need to be promoted in the tribal region. In the long term, the socioeconomic determinants have to be addressed.
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