No abstract

Background: In the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic, parts of the public health system at increased risk of reduced efficiency include healthcare services for women and children. This in turn could reverse all the progress achieved over the years in reducing maternal and child mortality. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess the indirect effect of the pandemic on maternal and child health services in public health facilities. Methods: Data pertaining to maternal and child health services being provided under specific Government programmes, were collected from public health facilities of District Sant Kabir Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, India. Comparative analysis of the data from the pandemic phase with data from the year 2019 was done to determine the impact on services. Results: Reduced coverage across all maternal and child health interventions was observed in the study. There was an overall decrease of 2.26 % in number of institutional deliveries. Antenatal care services were the worst affected with 22.91% decline. Immunization services were also dramatically decreased by more than 20%. Conclusion: The response of the public healthcare delivery system to the Covid-19 Pandemic is negatively affecting both the provision and utilization of maternal and child healthcare services. It is deterrent to the progress achieved in maternal and child health parameters over the years. Better response strategies should be put in place to minimize lag in service deliwvery.

Introduction: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vector-borne, viral illness caused by the Japanese Encephalitis Virus. Permanent neurologic or psychiatric sequelae can occur in 30%–50% of those with encephalitis; hence, JE is a cause of major public health concern. For the ease of diagnosis and facilitation of surveillance, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme uses the term Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). In this study, an attempt has been made to ascertain the status and trends of AES and JE in Uttar Pradesh, India. Methodology: This is a record-based retrospective study. The data were obtained from the Directorate of Medical and Health Services of Uttar Pradesh and analyzed using software SPSS version 24.0. Results: In Uttar Pradesh, there were 47,509 reported cases of AES from 2005 to 2018,. With yearly fluctuations, the average Case Fatality Rate of AES was 17.49% with highest in 2005 (24.76%) and lowest in 2018 (8%). Among the patients with AES, 9.98% were found positive for JE. The most commonly affected age group is 1-5 years for both AES and JE, closely followed by the age group of 5-10 years. Peak occurrence of both AES and JE was recorded in month of September. Among the AES-affected patients 53.8% were males and 46.2% were females. Conclusion: The most commonly affected age group was 1-5 years with peak occurrence in the month of September. Though there was a downward trend in CFR, awareness activities like “Dastak” campaign and intersectoral preventive activities, needs to be strengthened.

Previously considered of meagre significance to the human race, coronaviruses have effectively evolved to jump the species barrier and cause widespread contagion in mankind. The SARS pandemic, the MERS situation in the middle-east and the ongoing COVID 2019 epidemic are all attributed to this evolving virus. COVID 2019 is the seventh coronavirus isolated successfully and the third beta-coronavirus that causes a fatal illness in humans; the other two beta-coronaviruses being severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV and middle east respiratory syndrome (MERS) CoV. Having a natural reservoir in bats these viruses infect humans through an intermediate host and then rapidly adapt and mutate for human to human transmissions. Four other known alpha coronaviruses cause only common cold in humans. Although mortality rate of COVID 2019 epidemic is lower at 2.5% than the previous two CoV outbreaks, that is, 9.6% in SARS and 34.4% in MERS, but rapid transmissibility points towards a sustained epidemic of epic proportions. In the absence of any specific treatment protocols and experimental vaccines still under research, management largely depends upon symptomatic therapy, strict infection control and quarantine measures. Restriction of human interactions with known animal sources of the virus as a measure of prevention is essentially required. Owing to huge genetic diversity and frequent genomic recombination, novel coronaviruses might emerge periodically, warranting the need for extensive research and development of effective treatments and vaccines.

Background: All the aspects of health status, lifestyle, life satisfaction, mental health and well-being together reflects the multidimensional nature of quality of life (QOL) in an individual. The objective of the study was to assess the quality of life among rural elderly population of Etawah district and their association with various socio demographic factors.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 316 elderly subjects in rural areas of Etawah district. QOL was assessed by using WHOQOL-OLD tool. Socio-demographic factors were assessed by using a self-structured questionnaire. Data was analysed by using Microsoft Excel 2010 and statistical software SPSS-22. Transformed facet sore were calculated using WHOQOL- OLD manual and Independent sample t- test were applied.Results: Majority (86%) were in the (≤75) years of age.  Among the study participants, 52.8% were females, 67.5% were illiterate, 72.5% belong to nuclear family. The mean scores of QOL domains was maximum in death and dying (83.20), followed by sensory ability (62.99).The lowest mean score was seen Intimacy domain (22.80). Gender, type of family, financial status and staying with partner were found to be the determinants of better QOL (p>0.05).Conclusions: The mean quality of life score was below average in intimacy domain. It was maximum in death and dying domain.

Context: India accounts for 17% of the population, contributes to about 19% of maternal deaths, and 21% of childhood deaths of the world. Antenatal and postnatal services were one of the most important works done by ASHA workers. Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the services provided by ASHA workers in a district of western Utter Pradesh to her beneficiaries regarding antenatal and postnatal care. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was done in four randomly selected blocks of the district with the help of simple random sampling technique. Subjects and Methods: A total of 384 study participants (mother having child up to 2 years of age) who availed services from the ASHA of their village. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using SPSS-24.0, IBM Corp., Chicago, USA. Differences between the groups were compared using the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 384 beneficiaries of ASHA workers regarding antenatal and post-natal services, only 25% educated up to ≥higher secondary. Most of the beneficiaries (>55%) escorted less than four times for ANC, whereas only 0.5% of beneficiaries received the correct number i.e., 180 or > 180 IFA tablet from the ASHA workers. Only 57.2% of beneficiaries replied ≥6 times the post natal care home visit done by ASHA. Conclusion: Services provided by ASHA workers regarding ANC and PNC were not adequate.

Background: The research series on street children are carried out in major cities by neglecting the rapidly developing small cities experiencing widespread urbanization. Unfortunately, there is lack of research-based evidences in field of mental health status and quality of life of street children. Aim & Objective: The study aimed to study the pattern of substance abuse & their correlates among street children and to assess the ‘quality of life’ among street children. Material & Methods: A sample of 145 street children of 13-18 years were enrolled by purposive sampling from January 2017 - June 2018 in Market places, Railway station, Bus depot etc. Subjects were searched at known hotspots in Etawah, and further sample was covered using snowball sampling. Information was gathered using predesigned and pre-structured questionnaire, along with WHOQOLBREF and Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Involvement Scale questionnaire. Results: Average Quality of life was tested using t test and ANOVA. Most of the street children 55% were aged between 13-15 years, 65 % had attended school for at least one year. Quality of life showed higher Physical health. Street living children had less psychological health score (30.3±7.1). Prevalence of drug abuse was 54%, while tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, inhalants, were the drugs consumed. Conclusion: Psychological health was more affected. Tobacco & alcohol were the common drugs consumed.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) belonging to the coronavirus family. The primary target of SARS-CoV-2 is peripheral mucosal cells of respiratory tract. Recent days have seen few cases where virus has affected extrapulmonary organ such as nervous system. Materials and Methods The present study was a narrative review done using techniques of systemic review, that is, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases such as PubMed (Medline) and Google Scholar were searched systematically for published article from December 1, 2019 to June 5, 2020. A total of 189 articles were initially selected by the authors. A final list of 17 articles was prepared and following information were extracted from selected studies: study design, main result, and limitations of the study. Results Majority of these article were descriptive studies describing spectrum of signs and symptoms among admitted patients. In majority of these studies, patients have developed symptoms suggestive of neurological involvement. Most common central nervous system symptoms reported were headache, followed by dizziness and confusion. Similarly, the most common peripheral nervous system involvement was loss of taste and smell. Conclusion The present study concludes that there are enough evidences to prove that SARS-CoV-2 infection affects both central and peripheral nervous system. Various mechanisms are proposed to explain the pathophysiology of neurological manifestations in COVID-19-positive patients that needs to be established and verified.