Background:In the stages of change model for smoking cessation, “willingness to quit” forms the starting point.Objective:To determine the prevalence and correlates of willingness to quit among smokers in India from Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), 2009–2010.Methods:Secondary data analysis of GATS, 2009–10, was done to find the correlates of willingness to quit among smokers. All the sociodemographic variables, smoking-related factors such as frequency, previous attempt to quit, and also effect of antitobacco messages delivered to various media were tested for association using multivariable analysis.Results:Of 9627 current smokers analyzed, 50.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 49.9–51.9] were willing to quit smoking. Multivariable analysis showed that younger age groups [prevalence ratio (PR): 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05–1.65], individuals who have their first smoke after 60 min of wakeup (PR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.36), those living in a house with smoking restriction (PR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.17–1.42), those who received advice to quit from doctor, those who attempted to quit in the past 12 months (PR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03–1.60), having knowledge about illness caused due to smoking, and those who have noticed antismoking messages in billboards/hoardings were willing to quit smoking compared to their counterparts (PR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04–1.23).Conclusion:Enforcing social restrictions like smoking restriction at house and also brief advice by doctors to quit smoking during any contact with the tobacco user could improve quit rate especially in young tobacco users and those who have attempted to quit before.

This study was conducted to assess the quality of life (QOL) in children between 2 and 18 years of age with primary idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) using Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales). This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India between December 2014 and February 2015. In this questionnaire-based study, 50 children with primary idiopathic NS and an equal number of age-matched controls with other chronic ailments were recruited. Their clinical and demographic details were recorded, and QOL was assessed using PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales. The median (interquartile range) total QOL score in children with NS [65 (59-68.75)] was found to be higher compared to controls [62.19 (58.05-65.78)] (P = 0.012). Children with NS had significantly higher QOL scores in physical (P = 0.004), emotional (0.029), and social functioning (0.010) domains as compared to controls; however, the school performance was not different from controls. The QOL scores did not significantly differ between the various clinical pheno- types of NS. Demographic details such as age, gender, duration of illness, and steroid resistance did not significantly influence the total QOL scores among the nephrotic children. The present study shows that the overall QOL in children with NS was better than in children with other chronic illnesses. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying cause of poor school performance.

Effectiveness of corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines used in India is unexplored and need to be substantiated. The present case-control study was planned to elicit the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing infection and disease severity in the general population of Bihar, India. This case-control study was conducted among people aged ≥45 years during April to June 2021. The cases were the COVID-19 patients admitted or visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, Bihar, India, and were contacted directly. The controls were the individuals tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) at the Virology laboratory, AIIMS-Patna and contacted telephonically for collection of relevant information. The vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated by using the formula (VE = 1 – odds ratio). The adjusted VE for partial and full vaccination were estimated to be 52.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 39.0–63.0%) and 83.0% (95% CI 73.0–89.0%) respectively for preventing SARS CoV-2 infection. The sub-group analyses of the cases have shown that the length of hospital stays (LOS) (partially vaccinated: 9 days vs. unvaccinated: 12 days; P = 0.028) and the severity of the disease (fully vaccinated: 30.3% vs. partially vaccinated: 51.3% and unvaccinated: 54.1%; P = 0.035) were significantly low among vaccinated compared to unvaccinated individuals. To conclude, four out of every five fully vaccinated individuals are estimated to be protected from contracting SARS CoV-2 infection. Vaccination lowered LOS and chances of development of severe disease.

Background Adolescence is a crucial period for growth and dietary habit formation among females for leading a healthy life in future. Objective To assess the dietary habits and nutritional status using the body mass index (BMI) among adolescent girls from a rural village in Puducherry. Methodology This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during February 2017 among 252 adolescent girls in rural Puducherry. A semi-structured pre-tested interview schedule was used to obtain information on socio-demographic details and dietary habits from adolescent girls. Height and weight were measured by standard techniques recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nutritional status was assessed according to the WHO BMI for age for 5–19 years. Regular and occasional food consumption were defined as consumption of particular items >3 and <3 times a week, respectively. Results Mean age of the participants was 13.79 + 2.11 years and 91.3% were non-vegetarians. The majority of adolescent girls ate cereals (97.4%) and pulses (54%) regularly. However, regular vegetable (34.5%) and fruit (13.1%) consumption was low. Only about 10% and <2% had regular consumption of milk and iron-rich vegetables and fruits, respectively. Regular consumption of junk food items was found among 5.6%. Prevalence of thinness among adolescent girls was 10.7% (95% CI: 7.3–15) and overweight was 13.5% (95% CI: 9.7–18.1). Conclusion In this adolescent population, though consumption of cereals and pulses were adequate and satisfactory, the consumption of fruits, vegetables and iron/calcium rich foods was inadequate and poor. About one-fourth of adolescent girls had an abnormal nutritional status. Hence, focused nutritional and health-education intervention should be given to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables, iron-rich and calcium-rich food items.

Background:The private medical sector is a resource that must be estimated for efficient inclusion into public healthcare during pandemics.Methods: A survey was conducted among private healthcare workers to ascertain their views on the potential resources that can be accessed from the private sector and methods to do the same.Results: There were 213 respondents, 80% of them being doctors. Nearly half (47.4%) felt that the contribution from the private medical sector has been suboptimal. Areas suggested for improved contributions by the private sector related to patient care (71.8%) and provision of equipment (62.4%), with fewer expectations (39.9%) on the research front. Another area of deemed support was maintaining continuity of care for non-COVID patients using virtual consultation services (77.4%), tele-consultation being the preferred option (60%). 58.2% felt that the Government had not involved the private sector adequately; and 45.1% felt they should be part of policy-making. Conclusion:A streamlined pathway to facilitate the private sector to join hands with the public sector for a national cause is the need of the hour. Through our study, we have identified gaps in the current contribution by the private sector and identified areas in which they could contribute, by their own admission.

BackgroundIt is well known that some viral infections may affect male fertility. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can lead to multiorgan damage through the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, abundant in testicular tissue. However, little information is available regarding the shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in semen and its impact on spermatogenesis and fertility potential. We planned to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of COVID-19 males and to study the effect of COVID-19 on semen quality and sperm DNA fragmentation index. Material and methodThirty COVID-19 male patients aged 19-45 registered to AIIMS Patna hospital participated in the survey between October 2020 and April 2021. We conducted a real-time reverse transcriptase test on all the semen samples. Detailed semen analysis, including the sperm DNA Fragmentation Index, was done at first sampling that is during COVID-19. After 74 days of the first sampling, we obtained the second sampling and repeated all the above tests. ResultsAll semen samples collected in the first and second sampling tested with real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were negative for SARS-CoV-2. In the first sampling, semen volume, vitality, total motility, sperm concentration, total sperm count, % normal morphology, % cytoplasmic droplet, and fructose were significantly lower. In contrast, semen agglutination, % head defect, DNA Fragmentation Index, liquefaction time, semen viscosity, and leukocytes were increased. These findings were reversed at the second sampling but not to the optimum level. All these findings were statistically significant (p < 0.05 for all). Thus, COVID-19 negatively affects semen parameters, including sperm DNA fragmentation index. ConclusionAlthough we could not find SARS-CoV-2 in the semen, the semen quality remained poor until the second sampling. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics and sperm banking facilities should consider assessing the semen of COVID-19 males and exclude men with a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 until their semen quality returns to normal.

Background: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures to confine it has disrupted the routine of the public. The impact of such long-term confinements on the lifestyle and diet of students are not known and hence this study was designed to assess the impact of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the lifestyle and  diet of university students. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey among 622 university students across various educational institutes of east India using a pre-designed questionnaire about lifestyle-diet before and during the lockdown. Results were tabulated and statistical tests like Paired t-test, Wilcoxon Rank sign test, and Mc-Nemar tests were applied and overall significance was attributed to P<0.05. Results: During the lockdown a total of 2.4% (95% CI: 1.4-3.8%) decrease in prevalence of tobacco use, 8.7% (95% CI: 6.6-11%) decrease in physical activity and a 0.8 hour (95% CI: 0.6-0.9 hour) increase in the mean sleep duration was observed. There was a significant increase in use of fresh fruits consumption [Median(IQR)-before:2(1-5);during:3(1-5) days] and a  decrease in meat-poultry[Median(IQR)-before: 2(0-3);during: 1(0-3)days] and junk food[Median(IQR)-before:1(0-2);during:0(0-2)days] consumption during the lockdown. Conclusion: A significant proportion of changes in lifestyle and frequency of consumption of certain food items in the dietary pattern during the lockdown.

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