Good sleep is necessary for good physical and mental health and a good quality of life. Insufficient sleep is a pervasive and prominent problem in the modern 24-h society. A considerable body of evidence suggests that insufficient sleep causes hosts of adverse medical and mental dysfunctions. An extensive literature search was done in all the major databases for “insufficient sleep” and “public health implications” in this review. Globally, insufficient sleep is prevalent across various age groups, considered to be a public health epidemic that is often unrecognized, under-reported, and that has rather high economic costs. This paper addresses a brief overview on insufficient sleep, causes, and consequences, and how it adds to the existing burden of diseases. Insufficient sleep leads to the derailment of body systems, leading to increased incidences of cardiovascular morbidity, increased chances of diabetes mellitus, obesity, derailment of cognitive functions, vehicular accidents, and increased accidents at workplaces. The increased usage of smart phones and electronic devices is worsening the epidemic. Adolescents with insufficient sleep are likely to be overweight and may suffer from depressive symptoms. The paper concludes by emphasizing sleep quality assessments as an important early risk indicator, thereby reducing the incidence of a wide spectrum of morbidities.

Nipah virus (NiV) encephalitis first reported in “Sungai Nipah” in Malaysia in 1999 has emerged as a global public health threat in the Southeast Asia region. From 1998 to 2018, more than 630 cases of NiV human infections were reported. NiV is transmitted by zoonotic (from bats to humans, or from bats to pigs, and then to humans) as well as human-to-human routes. Deforestation and urbanization of some areas have contributed to greater overlap between human and bat habitats resulting in NiV outbreaks. Common symptoms of NiV infection in humans are similar to that of influenza such as fever and muscle pain and in some cases, the inflammation of the brain occurs leading to encephalitis. The recent epidemic in May 2018 in Kerala for the first time has killed over 17 people in 7 days with high case fatality and highlighted the importance of One Health approach. The diagnosis is often not suspected at the time of presentation and creates challenges in outbreak detection, timely control measures, and outbreak response activities. Currently, there are no drugs or vaccines specific for NiV infection although this is a priority disease on the World Health Organization's agenda. Antivirals (Ribavirin, HR2-based fusion inhibitor), biologicals (convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies), immunomodulators, and intensive supportive care are the mainstay to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications. There is a great need for strengthening animal health surveillance system, using a One Health approach, to detect new cases and provide early warning for veterinary and human public health authorities.

Background:In Oman, a higher proportion of patients presented with breast cancer are relatively young age and with an advanced stage. This could be due to lack of awareness and knowledge about breast cancer among young women.Aim:To assess the breast cancer knowledge, awareness and factors associated with the practice of breast self-examination (BSE) among females in Buraimi, Oman.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among females attending the two days health exhibition event at a polyclinc, in Al-Buraimi, governorate. A pretested questionnaire to assess their knowledge, awareness and practices concerned to breast cancer was used. The collected data was categorized, analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. All the statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 version.Results:Out of the total of one hundred and eighty nine (189) participants, 80% had information of breast cancer. Participants had better knowledge of symptoms but less knowledge about risk factors. When probed about BSE, only 43% performed it and only 21% of them do it monthly on regular basis. The main reasons for regular monthly BSE is mainly because of fear of breast cancer (9%), doctor's advice (6%) and awareness through media (5%).Conclusion:Our study participants showed insufficient knowledge in some areas related to sign and symptoms and risk factors of breast cancer and identified a negative influence of low knowledge on the practice of BSE. Thus, educational interventions need to be emphasized to provide comprehensive information of breast cancer.

Background: Oral health touches every aspect of our lives and still it is been taken for granted. The access and affordability to oral health care services are very limited and expensive especially in developing countries. Objectives: The article highlights the importance of global oral health and how it can tackle the growing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) epidemic. Dental caries remains a significant problem even among the developed nations affecting 60% to 70 % of the children. Oral cancers, Qat chewing, craniofacial anomalies, and dental trauma contribute significantly to the global burden of diseases. Despite the magnitude of oral illness, there is neglect in global oral health, resulting in lack of combined action and support within the arena. Conclusions: Oral conditions share many common risk factors with NCDs and are also affected by similar social determinants. The Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on the prevention and control of NCDs recognizes that oral diseases pose a significant burden for many countries and these diseases also share common risk factors of NCDs and can benefit from the multisectoral and multipronged approaches to NCDs. To address the existing inequities and inequalities in oral health care services globally, it is vital to ensure coverage for the poor and disadvantaged populations. Recommendations: There is a great need to develop some measurable oral health goals for global comparison in order to track, reduce oral disease burden, and to promote good oral health thereby advancing global public health.

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