Discussion of ethics in the public health arena has primarily focused on the practices of public ... more Discussion of ethics in the public health arena has primarily focused on the practices of public health doctors and professionals. The community could not get the required attention in terms of their role in compliance with the communication in the form of public health advisory in times of public health crisis. Even though public health is the societal approach to protecting and promoting health, ethics in public health have prioritised behaviours of and moral dilemmas faced by public health professionals only. Leaving out the community’s responsibility makes the entire gamut of public health efforts incomplete and deficient. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, non-compliance to the public health advisory raised an important aspect of expectation of ethical behaviour by the community and what could facilitate and hinder compliance of ethical behaviour ensuring the safety of self and others. Public health ought to consider the community as not only an important but also responsible stakehol...
Authors affiliations: a. Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of ... more Authors affiliations: a. Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA. b. The IIHMR University, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302029, India. c. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK. d. Department of Community Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. e. Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child, New Delhi 110048, India.
Due to the restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, diff... more Due to the restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, different population groups have adapted to varying screen time levels, which may have profound implications on their physical and mental wellbeing. Several empirical studies included in this review reported a sudden upward change in screen time across different population groups. A higher number of people with increased screen time compared to their pre-pandemic state and prolonged duration of total screen time substantiates such assertions. The available evidence suggests that screen time is associated with obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, myopia, depression, sleep disorders, and several non-communicable diseases. This elevated burden of diseases is more prevalent among individuals who have sedentary lifestyles and other unhealthy behaviors that are likely to increase during quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. Hence, it is critical to assess the adverse health outcomes that may...
International Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2020
Introduction: In today’s world, social media plays a major role in young people’s lives. Social m... more Introduction: In today’s world, social media plays a major role in young people’s lives. Social media has the potential to reach and deliver information far and wide, including information on health behavior and lifestyle which could benefit in long term. The objective of this paper was to examine the use, reach and effectiveness of social media in health promotion and behavior change of young people. Method: In order to carry out this study, a review of secondary literature was done. PubMed, Cochrane Library and reference lists of relevant articles from 2012-2018 were searched to identify social media interventions. Studies included in the review had used social media interventions for health behavior change. Results: Nine studies were identified as relevant to the study objective. Studies mainly used Facebook (n=6) as a social media platform to carry out behavior change interventions. Findings suggest that social media interventions are not only feasible but acceptable in the you...
A critical situation pushes human behaviour towards different directions with some aspects of beh... more A critical situation pushes human behaviour towards different directions with some aspects of behaviour being irrevocable. COVID-19 pandemic is not a normal crisis, and to control the spread of disease various measures were taken including complete and then partial lockdown. Since all elements of the economy are intricately interrelated with public health measures and lockdown, this resulted in economic instabilities of the nations hinting towards change in market dynamics. In every market, consumers are the drivers of the market competitiveness, growth and economic integration. With economic instability, consumers are also experiencing a transformation in behaviour, though how much of transformation experienced during the crisis will sustain is a question. This article looks at the consumer behaviour during COVID-19 crisis and in the subsequent lockdown period when the world stood still for more than a quarter of a year. Further, the article attempts to weave through the maze of li...
Background: In India, public social protection schemes for marginalized populations are extended ... more Background: In India, public social protection schemes for marginalized populations are extended to people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their households. Care and Support Centres (CSCs) linked to antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres play a key role in linking PLHIV to the schemes. In three districts of Rajasthan, India, we assessed the linkage of PLHIV registered at CSCs (2016–18) to social protection schemes and explored PLHIV and provider perspectives into barriers and suggested solutions for improving linkage. Methods: This was an explanatory mixed method study involving a descriptive quantitative phase using secondary data, followed by a descriptive qualitative phase involving face-to-face in-depth (five PLHIV) and key informant (three CSC staff) interviews. Results: Of 1123 registered PLHIV at CSCs, 1026 (91%) expressed willingness to avail social protection schemes. Of 1026, 94% were linked to any one scheme; 52% to Palanhar, 51% to bus fare concession and 42% to widow pension ...
The use of digital screens, including television, computers, mobile phones, and smart devices, ca... more The use of digital screens, including television, computers, mobile phones, and smart devices, can be associated with a wide range of health outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, different population groups may have been adapted to varying levels of screen time, which may have profound implications on their health and wellbeing. The available evidence suggests that screen time is associated with obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, myopia, depression, sleep disorders, and many other noncommunicable diseases. This elevated burden of diseases is prevalent among individuals who have sedentary lifestyles and other unhealthy behaviors that are likely to increase during quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. As several empirical studies have reported a rising trend of screen time during this pandemic, it is critical to assess the adverse health outcomes that may appear as its long-term consequences globally. Researchers and practitioners need to revisit the available guidelines and...
Communication for all hazards including widespread public health emergencies is a massive task. T... more Communication for all hazards including widespread public health emergencies is a massive task. The crucial element is to reach and cover maximum people in a timely manner. This article is based on a systematic content analysis of videos on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on National Television by Indian Public Service Broadcaster and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A total of 36 videos were telecasted on National Television channel Doordarshan from 3 March to 21 April 2020 in between programme breaks. The article analyses the presentation characteristics of these videos with respect to timing, duration, language, characters, format and key message content of communication videos on COVID-19. The article deliberates about the manner in which the chronology of the communication messages synced with the external events of the trajectory of the pandemic and thereby information-need of the community in India. All the messages which evolved in these videos (real and animated) were ...
With ever-increasing prevalence of various mental disorders worldwide, a comprehensive evaluation... more With ever-increasing prevalence of various mental disorders worldwide, a comprehensive evaluation of the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is needed to strengthen the knowledge base. This umbrella review aims to summarize the current evidence on the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD. A systematic search of 12 major databases and additional sources was conducted. Any systematically conducted narrative, qualitative, or meta-analytic review reporting the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among people with ASD with no age or geographical restriction were included. From a total of 2755 records, 26 articles representing 14 systematic reviews and 12 meta-analyses met the criteria of this review. The synthesized findings reveal a high burden of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD, including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar and mood disorders, schizophrenia...
Burnout is a major occupational problem among healthcare providers. During coronavirus disease (C... more Burnout is a major occupational problem among healthcare providers. During coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the frontline health workforce is experiencing a high workload and multiple psychosocial stressors, which may affect their mental and emotional health, leading to burnout symptoms. Moreover, sleep deprivation and a critical lack of psychosocial support may aggravate such symptoms amidst COVID-19. Global evidence informs the need for adopting multipronged evidence-based approaches addressing burnout during this pandemic. Such interventions may include increasing the awareness of work-related stress and burnout, promoting mindfulness and self-care practices for promoting mental wellbeing, ensuring optimal mental health services, using digital technologies to address workplace stress and deliver mental health interventions, and improving organizational policies and practices emphasizing on addressing burnout among healthcare providers. As COVID-19 may impose unique workpl...
Background: Homelessness is a major problem that critically impacts the mental health and well-be... more Background: Homelessness is a major problem that critically impacts the mental health and well-being of the affected individuals. This umbrella review aimed to evaluate the current evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders among homeless people from evidence-based systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for umbrella reviews. We searched 12 major databases and additional sources to identify systematically conducted reviews and meta-analyses reporting the prevalence of mental disorders among homeless populations. Results: We evaluated 1,277 citations and found 15 reviews meeting our criteria. Most studies were conducted among high-income countries with samples from different age groups. Studies reported high prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders, substance use diso...
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted not only physical health but also mental health a... more The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted not only physical health but also mental health and wellbeing globally. These impacts can be critically higher among marginalized individuals and populations like farmers in India. While most of them live in poor socioeconomic conditions, recent psychosocial challenges due to the COVID-19 lockdown had brought endless suffering in their lives. In this article, we describe a case of suicide of an Indian farmer amid COVID-19 lockdown, who had debts and could not find laborers during the lockdown leading to a helpless situation committing suicide. In India, nearly 16,500 farmers commit suicide each year, which can aggravate if psychosocial and economic challenges like COVID-19 continues to affect them. We recommend psychosocial interventions among vulnerable farmers alongside strengthening economic support and institutional measures alleviating socioeconomic challenges and minimizing disparities in social determinants of suicidal behavior ...
Discussion of ethics in the public health arena has primarily focused on the practices of public ... more Discussion of ethics in the public health arena has primarily focused on the practices of public health doctors and professionals. The community could not get the required attention in terms of their role in compliance with the communication in the form of public health advisory in times of public health crisis. Even though public health is the societal approach to protecting and promoting health, ethics in public health have prioritised behaviours of and moral dilemmas faced by public health professionals only. Leaving out the community’s responsibility makes the entire gamut of public health efforts incomplete and deficient. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, non-compliance to the public health advisory raised an important aspect of expectation of ethical behaviour by the community and what could facilitate and hinder compliance of ethical behaviour ensuring the safety of self and others. Public health ought to consider the community as not only an important but also responsible stakehol...
Authors affiliations: a. Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of ... more Authors affiliations: a. Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, TX 77843, USA. b. The IIHMR University, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302029, India. c. Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK. d. Department of Community Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. e. Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child, New Delhi 110048, India.
Due to the restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, diff... more Due to the restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, different population groups have adapted to varying screen time levels, which may have profound implications on their physical and mental wellbeing. Several empirical studies included in this review reported a sudden upward change in screen time across different population groups. A higher number of people with increased screen time compared to their pre-pandemic state and prolonged duration of total screen time substantiates such assertions. The available evidence suggests that screen time is associated with obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, myopia, depression, sleep disorders, and several non-communicable diseases. This elevated burden of diseases is more prevalent among individuals who have sedentary lifestyles and other unhealthy behaviors that are likely to increase during quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. Hence, it is critical to assess the adverse health outcomes that may...
International Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 2020
Introduction: In today’s world, social media plays a major role in young people’s lives. Social m... more Introduction: In today’s world, social media plays a major role in young people’s lives. Social media has the potential to reach and deliver information far and wide, including information on health behavior and lifestyle which could benefit in long term. The objective of this paper was to examine the use, reach and effectiveness of social media in health promotion and behavior change of young people. Method: In order to carry out this study, a review of secondary literature was done. PubMed, Cochrane Library and reference lists of relevant articles from 2012-2018 were searched to identify social media interventions. Studies included in the review had used social media interventions for health behavior change. Results: Nine studies were identified as relevant to the study objective. Studies mainly used Facebook (n=6) as a social media platform to carry out behavior change interventions. Findings suggest that social media interventions are not only feasible but acceptable in the you...
A critical situation pushes human behaviour towards different directions with some aspects of beh... more A critical situation pushes human behaviour towards different directions with some aspects of behaviour being irrevocable. COVID-19 pandemic is not a normal crisis, and to control the spread of disease various measures were taken including complete and then partial lockdown. Since all elements of the economy are intricately interrelated with public health measures and lockdown, this resulted in economic instabilities of the nations hinting towards change in market dynamics. In every market, consumers are the drivers of the market competitiveness, growth and economic integration. With economic instability, consumers are also experiencing a transformation in behaviour, though how much of transformation experienced during the crisis will sustain is a question. This article looks at the consumer behaviour during COVID-19 crisis and in the subsequent lockdown period when the world stood still for more than a quarter of a year. Further, the article attempts to weave through the maze of li...
Background: In India, public social protection schemes for marginalized populations are extended ... more Background: In India, public social protection schemes for marginalized populations are extended to people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their households. Care and Support Centres (CSCs) linked to antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres play a key role in linking PLHIV to the schemes. In three districts of Rajasthan, India, we assessed the linkage of PLHIV registered at CSCs (2016–18) to social protection schemes and explored PLHIV and provider perspectives into barriers and suggested solutions for improving linkage. Methods: This was an explanatory mixed method study involving a descriptive quantitative phase using secondary data, followed by a descriptive qualitative phase involving face-to-face in-depth (five PLHIV) and key informant (three CSC staff) interviews. Results: Of 1123 registered PLHIV at CSCs, 1026 (91%) expressed willingness to avail social protection schemes. Of 1026, 94% were linked to any one scheme; 52% to Palanhar, 51% to bus fare concession and 42% to widow pension ...
The use of digital screens, including television, computers, mobile phones, and smart devices, ca... more The use of digital screens, including television, computers, mobile phones, and smart devices, can be associated with a wide range of health outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, different population groups may have been adapted to varying levels of screen time, which may have profound implications on their health and wellbeing. The available evidence suggests that screen time is associated with obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, myopia, depression, sleep disorders, and many other noncommunicable diseases. This elevated burden of diseases is prevalent among individuals who have sedentary lifestyles and other unhealthy behaviors that are likely to increase during quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. As several empirical studies have reported a rising trend of screen time during this pandemic, it is critical to assess the adverse health outcomes that may appear as its long-term consequences globally. Researchers and practitioners need to revisit the available guidelines and...
Communication for all hazards including widespread public health emergencies is a massive task. T... more Communication for all hazards including widespread public health emergencies is a massive task. The crucial element is to reach and cover maximum people in a timely manner. This article is based on a systematic content analysis of videos on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on National Television by Indian Public Service Broadcaster and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A total of 36 videos were telecasted on National Television channel Doordarshan from 3 March to 21 April 2020 in between programme breaks. The article analyses the presentation characteristics of these videos with respect to timing, duration, language, characters, format and key message content of communication videos on COVID-19. The article deliberates about the manner in which the chronology of the communication messages synced with the external events of the trajectory of the pandemic and thereby information-need of the community in India. All the messages which evolved in these videos (real and animated) were ...
With ever-increasing prevalence of various mental disorders worldwide, a comprehensive evaluation... more With ever-increasing prevalence of various mental disorders worldwide, a comprehensive evaluation of the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric disorders among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is needed to strengthen the knowledge base. This umbrella review aims to summarize the current evidence on the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD. A systematic search of 12 major databases and additional sources was conducted. Any systematically conducted narrative, qualitative, or meta-analytic review reporting the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among people with ASD with no age or geographical restriction were included. From a total of 2755 records, 26 articles representing 14 systematic reviews and 12 meta-analyses met the criteria of this review. The synthesized findings reveal a high burden of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD, including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar and mood disorders, schizophrenia...
Burnout is a major occupational problem among healthcare providers. During coronavirus disease (C... more Burnout is a major occupational problem among healthcare providers. During coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the frontline health workforce is experiencing a high workload and multiple psychosocial stressors, which may affect their mental and emotional health, leading to burnout symptoms. Moreover, sleep deprivation and a critical lack of psychosocial support may aggravate such symptoms amidst COVID-19. Global evidence informs the need for adopting multipronged evidence-based approaches addressing burnout during this pandemic. Such interventions may include increasing the awareness of work-related stress and burnout, promoting mindfulness and self-care practices for promoting mental wellbeing, ensuring optimal mental health services, using digital technologies to address workplace stress and deliver mental health interventions, and improving organizational policies and practices emphasizing on addressing burnout among healthcare providers. As COVID-19 may impose unique workpl...
Background: Homelessness is a major problem that critically impacts the mental health and well-be... more Background: Homelessness is a major problem that critically impacts the mental health and well-being of the affected individuals. This umbrella review aimed to evaluate the current evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders among homeless people from evidence-based systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for umbrella reviews. We searched 12 major databases and additional sources to identify systematically conducted reviews and meta-analyses reporting the prevalence of mental disorders among homeless populations. Results: We evaluated 1,277 citations and found 15 reviews meeting our criteria. Most studies were conducted among high-income countries with samples from different age groups. Studies reported high prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia spectrum and psychotic disorders, substance use diso...
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted not only physical health but also mental health a... more The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted not only physical health but also mental health and wellbeing globally. These impacts can be critically higher among marginalized individuals and populations like farmers in India. While most of them live in poor socioeconomic conditions, recent psychosocial challenges due to the COVID-19 lockdown had brought endless suffering in their lives. In this article, we describe a case of suicide of an Indian farmer amid COVID-19 lockdown, who had debts and could not find laborers during the lockdown leading to a helpless situation committing suicide. In India, nearly 16,500 farmers commit suicide each year, which can aggravate if psychosocial and economic challenges like COVID-19 continues to affect them. We recommend psychosocial interventions among vulnerable farmers alongside strengthening economic support and institutional measures alleviating socioeconomic challenges and minimizing disparities in social determinants of suicidal behavior ...
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