- Working as Scientist E (Medical) in ICMR-Centre on Non-Communicable Diseases, Kolkata. Published over 90 research art... moreWorking as Scientist E (Medical) in ICMR-Centre on Non-Communicable Diseases, Kolkata. Published over 90 research articles and authored three books. Books: 1. Essentials of Biostatistics & Research Methodology, Third Edition, Indranil Saha, Bobby Paul, Academic Publishers, Kolkata. 2016; 2. Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, M C Gupta, B K Mahajan. Edited - R N Roy; 3. Community Medicine: Prep Manual for Undergraduates. 3rd edition. Chief Editor-Rajvir Bhalwaredit
Background: Long periods of working at a computer as most people do, can cause musculoskeletal problems, eyestrain, obesity, occupational stress and overuse injuries of the hands and wrists which can be reduced or eliminated with proper... more
Background: Long periods of working at a computer as most people do, can cause musculoskeletal problems, eyestrain, obesity, occupational stress and overuse injuries of the hands and wrists which can be reduced or eliminated with proper workstation design and improved posture. The daily experience is of repetitive, intensive and stressful work, which frequently results in employee "burnout”. Using the wrong chair or just sitting improperly in front of a computer for long time can lead to chronic debilities such as stiffness, headache, and backache. Muscles and tendons can become inflamed due to excess periods of sitting on computer. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common example of an overuse injury associated with computer work caused by pressure on the main nerve that runs through the wrist. The fingers are also prone to overuse injury, particularly the finger that clicks the mouse buttons. With this backdrop a study was conducted to find out the musculoskeletal morbidity among p...
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century, with increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality day by day. Hypertension is an “ice berg” disease and also known as silent killer. Naturally the submerged portion of iceberg is much more in a developing country like India,... more
century, with increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality day by day. Hypertension is an “ice berg” disease and also known as silent killer. Naturally the submerged portion of iceberg is much more in a developing country like India, with poor literacy, awareness, and less developed medical services where it is emerging as major public health problem. Evan and Rose in 1971 defined it as “the operational definition of hypertension is the level at which the benefits of action exceed those of inaction”. 1 Again, W.H.O defines hypertension as that level of blood pressure at which detection and treatment do more good than harm. 2
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Associação entre marcadores inflamatórios e fatores de risco cardiovascular em mulheres de Kolkata, W.B, Índia Asociación entre marcadores inflamatorios y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en mujeres de Kolkata, W.B, India Association between inflammatory markers and cardiovascular risk factors i...more
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Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency and frequent infections are the two common worldwide phenomenon among elderly. Recent studies have demonstrated that vitamin D regulates the expression of specific endogenous antimicrobial peptides like... more
Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency and frequent infections are the two common worldwide phenomenon among elderly. Recent studies have demonstrated that vitamin D regulates the expression of specific endogenous antimicrobial peptides like cathelicidin LL-37 of macrophages and neutrophils, which is active against a broad spectrum of infectious agents. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the level of cathelicidin LL-37 in macrophages of elderly women (classified according to serum 25(OH)D level) after exposure to Vibrio cholera infection and to find out the effect of 1,25(OH)2D added in vitro. Methods: This study was conducted among 40 randomly selected rural elderly women aged between 60 to 70 years of age. Their vitamin D status was assessed by the estimation of serum 25(OH)D and classified into three groups viz. sufficient (14 members), insufficient (13 members), and deficient (13 members). Later, their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolat...
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In today’s global scientific era, clinical trials are the mainstay for bringing newer and better drugs to market and it has become an indispensable part of the drug discovery process to ensure safety and efficacy of any new drug.... more
In today’s global scientific era, clinical trials are the mainstay for bringing newer and better drugs to market and it has become an indispensable part of the drug discovery process to ensure safety and efficacy of any new drug. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry, India is set to grab clinical trials business valued at approximately US$ 1 billion by 2010, up from US$ 200 million last year, making the subcontinent one of the world’s preferred destinations for clinical trials. Drug companies are drawn to India for several reasons, including a techni¬cally competent workforce, patient availability, low costs and a friendly drug-control system which is good news for Indian economy. On the contrary, the booming clinical trial industry is raising concerns because of lack of regulations regarding trials by private drug companies, uneven application of protocol for informed consent and proper ethical review 1.This article tries to give a general overview reg...
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Introduction: In menopause, changes in body fat distribution lead to increasing risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Therefore, the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by the presence of risk factors is of importance in... more
Introduction: In menopause, changes in body fat distribution lead to increasing risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Therefore, the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by the presence of risk factors is of importance in elderly women. Objective: To find out the conicity index (CI) and its association with different CVD risk factors among rural elderly women of West Bengal. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted among 236 rural elderly women, selected randomly from 30 villages of Amdanga block, West Bengal. Components of metabolic syndrome (MS), body fat percentage, different lipid profile fractions, CI, and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Statistical tests were calculated using SPSS software version 20.0. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: High CI (median 1.25 and interquartile range 1.05–1.45) was found. The proportion of participants with high CI were significantly higher among those with MS (87.95%), waist circumference having 80 cm or more (99.09%), blood pressure having ≥ 130/85 mm of Hg (75.66%), body fat percentage ≥25% (80.14%), and BMI ≥23 (93.18%). Conclusion: High prevalence of CI existed among rural elderly women. Significant correlation existed between CI and different CVD risk factors as well as some of the components of MS indicating a possible coexistence of different CVD risks.
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Introduction: Aging is associated with a variety of functional, demographic and immunologic changes, responsible for increasing the incidence and severity of infectious diseases in the elderly. Aim: To examine the association of serum... more
Introduction: Aging is associated with a variety of functional, demographic and immunologic changes, responsible for increasing the incidence and severity of infectious diseases in the elderly. Aim: To examine the association of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D status with antimicrobial activity of cultured macrophages isolated within an exclusively elderly population cohort and also to examine the effect of in-vitro 1,25 hydroxy vitamin D supplementation in it. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted among 113 elderly women aged between 60 to 70 years of age, during the period of April 2014 to August 2018, at Amdanga block, North 24th Parganas, West Bengal, India. Their vitamin D status was assessed by the estimation of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and classified into three groups, sufficient group (60 subjects), insufficient group (27 subjects) and deficient group (26 subjects). Later their Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) were isolated and cultured from fres...
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Background: Resilience is a dynamic capability which helps people to survive on challenges given appropriate social and personal contexts. Objective: To determine the resilience and to find out the association between resilience and... more
Background: Resilience is a dynamic capability which helps people to survive on challenges given appropriate social and personal contexts. Objective: To determine the resilience and to find out the association between resilience and selected socio-demographic variables, if any. Methodology: An institution based mixed method study was conducted among MBBS students from April to May, 2018 at IQ City Medical College by using Child and Youth Resilience Measures Questionnaire (CYRM-28). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed using SPSS-21software.Results: Older students, Males, 8th semester batch, and day boarder were more resilient in certain areas. In individual and contextual domain, score gradually increased with increase in age groups. Resilience score were more or less similar among both the sexes. 8th semester students were found to be more resilient in all the domains. Personal skills, social skills, psychological care giving, education, played much larger role ...
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The study aims to explore the association between age, nutritional status and depression among community dwelling women in Kolkata, India. Nutritional status and depression level according to age was assessed by Mini Nutritional... more
The study aims to explore the association between age, nutritional status and depression among community dwelling women in Kolkata, India. Nutritional status and depression level according to age was assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), respectively among 169 elderly women (≥ 60 years). 28.4%, 54.4.5% and 17.2% of the participants were well nourished, at risk of malnutrition and malnourished, respectively. 41.4%, 37.9% and 20.7% of them had no depression, mild depression and severe depression, respectively. Both, malnutrition and depression increased significantly with the advancement of age. Significant negative correlations were found between age and MNA as well as age and GDS. GDS score increased significantly with decrease in nutritional status. The study reveals that a) age is a risk factor for both malnutrition and depression and b) significant negative association exists between nutritional status and depression level among t...
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Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency has been found to be prevalent among Indian elderly women. Aging has a significant association with decreased concentration of 7-dehydrocholesterol, the precursor of Vitamin D3 in the skin. Objective:... more
Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency has been found to be prevalent among Indian elderly women. Aging has a significant association with decreased concentration of 7-dehydrocholesterol, the precursor of Vitamin D3 in the skin. Objective: The aim is to find out the association between the period of sun exposure and serum 25(OH) D level among rural elderly women of West Bengal, India. Subjects and Methods: The present study was conducted among 236 elderly women aged between 60 and 70 years residing at Amdanga Block, North 24th Parganas district of West Bengal, India. They were assessed for their period of sun exposure and serum 25(OH) D level. Results: The sun exposure index was low from sufficient to deficient Vitamin D status groups, but they were insignificant (P = 0.09). Spearman's correlation test revealed significant positive relationship (0.183 [P = 0.005]) between sun exposure and serum 25(OH) D level. Conclusion: Therefore, for maintaining optimum serum 25(OH) D level, adeq...
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Objectives: The study intends to observe nutritional status of the community dwelling elderly women using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) Questionnaire and its association with Body Mass Index (BMI). Design: A cross sectional study was... more
Objectives: The study intends to observe nutritional status of the community dwelling elderly women using Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) Questionnaire and its association with Body Mass Index (BMI). Design: A cross sectional study was conducted between the months of November, 2013 to September, 2014. Participants: 169 community dwelling elderly women ( ≥ 60 years ). Measurements: Nutritional status was assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA ®) Questionnaire and Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Based on the MNA scores, 54.4% and 17.2% of the elderly women were at risk of malnutrition and malnourished, respectively, while 28.4% of them had normal nutritional status. Both MNA scores and BMI were found to decrease significantly with age. Average BMI was found to 25.56± 5.8 Kg/m 2 . Although significant positive association was found between MNA scores and BMI but overweight is common in all MNA groups. 66.3% of the participants had BMI> 22.9 kg/m 2 . Conclusion: Despite havi...
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Despite continued progress in improving the quality and safety of foods worldwide, food borne disease remains a serious public health concern, particularly during transient large gatherings of people like during fairs and festivals. Due... more
Despite continued progress in improving the quality and safety of foods worldwide, food borne disease remains a serious public health concern, particularly during transient large gatherings of people like during fairs and festivals. Due to the sudden spurt in demand, large quantities of foods are manufactured, stored, and sold, often under unsafe and unhygienic conditions along with improper washing facilities. In addition to threat of contamination of food with microorganisms, there is also a risk of adulterants and contaminants by vendors. The universal principles of food safety need to be applied very stringently with a coordinated effort from festival planners, vendors, and the individual consumers. It is a challenge for public health authorities to ensure that these principles are followed so that food borne illness can be avoided and festivals remain a happy occasion for the community.
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Introduction: DREEM stands for Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure is an internationally accepted checklist for assessment of educational status in medical schools. Objective: To find out the reliability of DREEM scale and its... more
Introduction: DREEM stands for Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure is an internationally accepted checklist for assessment of educational status in medical schools. Objective: To find out the reliability of DREEM scale and its different domains like Students' Perceptions of Learning (SPL), Students' Perceptions of Atmosphere (SPA), Students' Perceptions of Teachers (SPT), Students' Academic Self- Perceptions (SASP), and Students' Social Self-Perceptions (SSSP). Methods: The study was conducted at IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, West Bengal from April–September, 2018 among 407 students with a response rate of 72.5%. Reliability analysis was evaluated by the Cronbach’s alpha, corrected item total correlation and Cronbach’s alpha if item deleted values by SPSS software. Results: Overall DREEM scale had excellent reliability with Cronbach’s α value 0.905. Regarding different sub domains SPL, SPT and SPA had acceptable reliability with a score more than 0.7...
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Background: Tobacco smoking habit is imbibed at a very early stage of life and once it is taken up it becomes very difficult to give up. In fact the vast majority of tobacco users worldwide begin the use of tobacco during adolescence.... more
Background: Tobacco smoking habit is imbibed at a very early stage of life and once it is taken up it becomes very difficult to give up. In fact the vast majority of tobacco users worldwide begin the use of tobacco during adolescence. Objective of the study was to develop and evaluate a need-based training curriculum on healthy life style in terms of addiction for Madrasah students of rural West Bengal.Methods: It was a school-based health educational intervention study in rural area of Hooghly district, West Bengal among 189 Madrasahs students.Results: The mean pre-test knowledge score in study Madrasah was 6.06±2.69 and post test score was 10.83±1.69. The calculated t-value was 24.06 and p value was 0.00 with effect size 2.12 (Cohen’s D). The observed increase in the knowledge of consequences of smoking in the study Madrasah after the health education was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the knowledge of the control Madrasah on the health consequen...
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Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of adult mortality and morbidity worldwide now days. The NCD like hypertension is emerging as a major health problem in India with increasing prevalence significantly in... more
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of adult mortality and morbidity worldwide now days. The NCD like hypertension is emerging as a major health problem in India with increasing prevalence significantly in both urban and rural population. The objectives of the study were to find out the prevalence of hypertension and its association with socio-demographic factors among the study subjects, if any. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May, 2013 to April, 2014 in rural communities of Singur block among 651 individuals, aged 20 years or above of both sexes except pregnant and seriously ill subjects. Data were collected about education, type of family, family history of hypertension, income etc. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 26.1% (male 21.8% and female 29.9%). Prevalence increased with increase in age group. Muslim religion, less education and sedentary life styles were found to be significantly associated with hypert...
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The 3rd edition of “Essentials of Biostatistics & Research Methodology” by Dr. Indranil Saha & Dr. Bobby Paul is one of the complete books on Biostatistics & Research Methodology for Undergraduates, Postgraduates & Ph.D. students of... more
The 3rd edition of “Essentials of Biostatistics & Research Methodology” by Dr. Indranil Saha & Dr. Bobby Paul is one of the complete books on Biostatistics & Research Methodology for Undergraduates, Postgraduates & Ph.D. students of health disciplines. It contains 11 chapters of Essential Biostatistics which are explained from basic to higher statistical concepts in an easy, understandable language by using appropriate examples, tables, diagrams wherever possible. Chapter 1 explains basic data & its presentation with maximum examples accurately. Estimation of sample size is explained excellently with formulae, examples for each study method. Sampling technique and variability, correlation, regression concepts are explained in a way they gave complete insight into the concepts. The advanced topics are a good guide for biostatisticians.
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Background: HIV/AIDS is a chronic debilitating disease which has engulfed a significant number of people. 10% of the total People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) of the country live in the state of West Bengal. Objective: To study the... more
Background: HIV/AIDS is a chronic debilitating disease which has engulfed a significant number of people. 10% of the total People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) of the country live in the state of West Bengal. Objective: To study the different socio-demographic characteristics of HIV/AIDS patients receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). Methodology: It was an observational study with cross-sectional design conducted from July 2010 – June 2011 among 558 subjects in the ART Centre of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. HIV/AIDS patients who were 15 years of age or more, and had been on ART in this ART Centre till the end of June, 2010 were interviewed with a semi-structured schedule. Result: 63.1% patients were male. Number of male and female patients varied significantly according to age and literacy status in this study. Age group and educational status were significantly associated with sex. Conclusion: HIV/AIDS has been transmitted among the people of different socio-demographic ba...
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INTRODUCTION: Mobile phone dependence has become an emerging public health problem. This cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the mobile phone involvement and dependence among undergraduate medical students in a Medical College... more
INTRODUCTION: Mobile phone dependence has become an emerging public health problem. This cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the mobile phone involvement and dependence among undergraduate medical students in a Medical College of West Bengal, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study was conducted at IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, District Burdwan, West Bengal, India, during July–August 2015 among 252 undergraduate medical students. Involvement and dependence were elicited by mobile phone involvement questionnaire (MPIQ) and mobile phone dependence questionnaire (MPDQ), respectively. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 19.0) was used for analysis. RESULTS: About 14.9% of students were being highly involved with their mobile phone. The mean score of MPIQ was greatest in domain 5, i.e. euphoria followed by domain 2, i.e. behavioral salience and then domain 4, i.e. conflict with other activities. About 19.4% of males and 11.1% of females had...
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Objective: The present study aimed to find out the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH] D) status as well as their association among rural elderly women of West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: This... more
Objective: The present study aimed to find out the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH] D) status as well as their association among rural elderly women of West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly women residing at Amdanga Block, North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal, India, from April 2014 to August 2018. A total of 236 randomly selected rural elderly women aged between 60 and 70 years of age were included. Serum 25(OH)D, blood pressure (BP), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TGs), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured using standard procedures. MS was defined as per the International Diabetes Federation, 2005 (for Asian-Indians) criteria. Statistical tests were done using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (VDD)/Vitamin D insufficiency was 53.5%. The prevalence of MS was 34%. Of all the studied elderly having MS, 23.2% and 34% were Vitamin D insufficient and deficient, respectively. Among the studied women, 18.3% and 45% with WC ≤80 cm; 21.4% and 42.9% with FBG >100 mg/dl; 22.8% and 33.7% with TG ≥150 mg/dl; 22.1% and 31.1% with HDL-C <50 mg/dl; and 22% and 34.2% with BP ≥130/85 mm of Hg had Vitamin D insufficiency and VDD, respectively. Significant statistical association was found between WC (P = 0.003) and MS (P = 0.008) with serum 25(OH)D status using Chi-square test (P = 0.01). Significant negative correlation existed between WC, MS, and serum 25(OH)D level. MS itself found to predict the serum 25(OH)D level significantly. Conclusion: 25(OH)D had significant inverse and direct relationship with MS and WC. Low 25(OH)D may be one of the potential risk factors for developing MS in elderly women or vice versa.
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Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is gradually surging particularly among Asian Indians. Documented data on comparative studies based on different definitions with respect to MS prevalence among college students are few. Aim: The aim of... more
Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is gradually surging particularly among Asian Indians. Documented data on comparative studies based on different definitions with respect to MS prevalence among college students are few. Aim: The aim of this is to find the validity and degree of agreement between three different diagnostic criteria recommended by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III), and the Consensus definition for Asian Indians (CDAI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 477 college students aged 18–24 years of Kolkata selected by systematic random sampling from August 2011 to December 2014. Three different criteria, i.e., IDF, NCEP-ATP III, and CDAI, were used. Individuals signed a consent form before the study. Using IDF as a reference standard, validity of other criteria was measured by sensitivity and specificity. Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficient was used to identify the degree of agreement between three different definitions. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 19.0. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of MS among college students was highest using the CDAI criteria (5.7%), followed by the IDF criteria (4.5%) and the NCEP-ATP III criteria (2.9%) being significantly higher in females (P ≤ 0.05). Using IDF as a reference standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratio of positive test for CDAI were 100%, 98.9%, 81.5%, 100%, and 90.9, respectively; whereas, for the NCEP-ATP III criteria, these were 45.5%, 99.1%, 71.4%, 97.4%, and 50.56, respectively. IDF presented “almost perfect” agreement in relation to the CDAI with κ of 0.892 (95% CI: 0.798–0.986, P = 0.000) and “moderate” agreement with respect to the NCEP-ATP III criteria with κ of 0.539 (95% CI: 0.339–0.739, P = 0.000). Conclusion: At least 2.9% of the Kolkata college students studied had MS. The CDAI criteria were superior to the NCEP-ATP III criteria for predicting MS in this population, when compared with the IDF criteria.
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Introduction: Proper diet is essential from the very early stages of life for proper growth and development. Increasing the variety of foods and food groups in the diet helps to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients. The study was... more
Introduction: Proper diet is essential from the very early stages of life for proper growth and development. Increasing the variety of foods and food groups in the diet helps to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients. The study was conducted with the objective to assess the dietary diversity pattern and to find the association between dietary diversity score and selected sociodemographic variables among adult population, if any. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2016 and January 2017 among 216 adults with the help of dietary diversity questionnaire from rural and urban field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, West Bengal, India. Pearson's Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and binary multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed using SPSS software. Results: The median dietary diversity score of the participants was 6. Nearly 45.4% of participants had adequate dietary diversity scores. Most common food groups consumed by the participants were starchy staples (100%), followed by oil and oil-based items (99.5%) and milk and milk products (86.1%). Age, residency, type of family, and occupation have a significant association with adequate dietary diversity. Conclusion: Awareness program on dietary diversity should be organized to make people aware about the importance of dietary diversity. Proper diet is essential from the very early stages of life for proper growth and development. Increasing the variety of foods and food groups in the diet helps to ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients.
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Introduction: Depression and cognitive function are said to be the foes of the nutritional status of the older adults. Depression is the most common psychological problem in old age, while deterioration of cognitive function is also... more
Introduction: Depression and cognitive function are said to be the foes of the nutritional status of the older adults. Depression is the most common psychological problem in old age, while deterioration of cognitive function is also observed in this age group. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to find out the association of nutritional status with depression and cognitive function of older women. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 196 older women, residing in old-age homes of Kolkata. Nutritional status of the participants was assessed by the long version of Mini Nutritional Assessment tool (MNA®). Level of depression was assessed by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS 30). Cognitive function was checked by using the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient was calculated using SPSS software. Results: About 38.3% and 14.8% participants were suffering from mild and severe depression. 13.2% and 9.2% older women were found with borderline impairment and impairment in cognitive function, respectively. Significant correlation of nutritional status was found with both depression and cognitive function (P < 0.05), and this was supported by multinominal logistic regression model. Conclusions: Both depression and impairment in cognitive function can cause malnutrition or vice versa among older women.
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Background: Globally, more people are obese than underweight – this occurs in every region except parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. Objective: The objective... more
Background: Globally, more people are obese than underweight – this occurs in every region except parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. Objective: The objective of this study is to find the prevalence of overweight and obesity and its association with sociodemographic and behavioral factors, if any among adult population in rural communities of Singur block of West Bengal. Materials and Methods: This community-based study was conducted among 510 people aged 20 years and above from October 2014 to June 2015 in rural communities of Singur block, West Bengal, a rural field practice area of All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata. The study participants were interviewed using predesigned and pretested questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics supplemented with clinical and anthropometrical examination. Results: Among 510 participants, 22.4% were overweight and 30.4% fall in the obese category. Nearly half 46.5% of the participants (21.2% males vs. 68.2% females) had abdominal obesity. The prevalence of obesity was more among in the age group of 30–40 years (26.4%) and 20–30 and 40–50 years (each group, 25.3%, P < 0.001). Female participants were predominantly obese (58% vs. 42%) than males (P < 0.05). Higher prevalence of obesity was seen among participants belonging to Hindu religion (87%), general caste (48%), currently married (84.8%), and joint families (52%) which were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Nonworking group of participants was more obese (58.4% vs. 41.6%) than working group (P > 0.05). Less overweight/obesity was seen among those having family history (29%) of noncommunicable disease (P < 0.001), habit of consumption of alcohol (5.2%), and tobacco (20.4%) (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed rising trend of overweight and obesity among adults in rural area of West Bengal. Prevention of overweight and obesity has to be recognized as a public health priority, creating awareness among rural population.
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Tuberculosis (TB), one of the oldest diseases known to mankind has become a notifiable disease. Public private mixes guidelines for TB programme managers had already been published by Central TB Division in the Ministry of Health and... more
Tuberculosis (TB), one of the oldest diseases known to mankind has become a notifiable disease. Public private mixes guidelines for TB programme managers had already been published by Central TB Division in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. One of the tremendous challenges that impede private sector involvement in TB care is delayed diagnosis, treatment of variable quality, surveillance, adherence monitoring, contact investigation, and outcome recording. The present article has addressed the involvement of the private sector with special emphasis on Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative (THALI) model. The key elements of THALI being: (1) Identifying and scaling up of innovative approaches to improve the quality of private sector diagnosis, referral, and treatment of TB, (2) Strengthening the utilization of TB resources of the respective municipalities, (3) Testing of upcoming technological innovations, and (4) Improving data for evidence-based decision making. Nevertheless, sustainable parallel implementation framework adopting the strategies of THALI Model, along with prior Geographic Information System mapping of private health facilities e.g. hospitals/nursing homes, private providers, diagnostic centres, pharmacies etc. should be in place so as to correctly implement the slogan - "Unite to end TB: Leave no one behind".
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Abstract From time immemorial, the body of scientific knowledge has grown with incremental additions of research. Metrics-based research evaluation provides crucial information regarding research credibility that would be difficult to... more
Abstract From time immemorial, the body of scientific knowledge has grown with incremental additions of research. Metrics-based research evaluation provides crucial information regarding research credibility that would be difficult to understand by means of individual expertise. h-index and its modifications give an approximate quantitative measure of research output. Furthermore, g-index, e-index, ħ-index and i10-index address various intricacies involving authorship. Altmetrics and Plum X metrics are newer usage metrics that put an additional weightage on the impact on social media, usage, capture and scholarly networking. Indirect evaluation of research can also be obtained from the Journal Impact Factor in which the research is published but with certain limitations. While the scientific community is still waiting for a unique one-stop solution based on a high-quality robust process to exert judgement on research, the Leiden Manifesto comprising ten principles for research assessment can act as a guiding tool for development of a comprehensive evaluation system.
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Introduction: Rabies is a neglected disease of poor and vulnerable populations whose deaths are rarely reported. Although rabies is 100% fatal, it is 100% preventable also, but unfortunately, lots of death is occurring around the year.... more
Introduction: Rabies is a neglected disease of poor and vulnerable populations whose deaths are rarely reported. Although rabies is 100% fatal, it is 100% preventable also, but unfortunately, lots of death is occurring around the year. With this, the present study was performed to assess the sociodemographic profile and awareness and practice regarding management of animal bite among patients attending Rabies Clinic of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMC&H), Burdwan, India. Methodology: This study was conducted among 220 patients in Rabies Clinic of BMC&H, Burdwan, India, between July and December 2012. Information about sociodemographic characteristics, awareness, and practices of animal bite were collected. Results: More than half (120, 54.6%) of the participants got animal bite-related information from health personnel (doctors, nurses, etc.). Dog bite was seen in 80% (176) of the cases; interestingly, monkey bite was seen in 4.1% (9) of the cases. Nearly sixty-six percent (65.8%) patients were classified as Category III according to the World Health Organization classification of the severity of wounds. Almost half of the victims (102, 46.3%) washed wound with soap under running tap water, whereas 12.9% (28) had taken no action. Most of the animal bite victims (177, 80.5%) received injection of tetanus toxoid and anti-rabies vaccine following animal bite. Conclusion: The present study showed that more than half of the participants got animal bite-related information from health personnel (doctors, nurses, etc.) and 12.9% (28) had taken no action after animal bite. These indicate proper control of stray animals as well as right medical advice and adequate treatment of animal bite cases can reduce the incidence of rabies.
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Publishing allows the author to share with the world his original findings, reasoning, important breakthroughs and it also creates the avenue for mandates of promotion and career upliftment. In an endeavour to publish an article, the... more
Publishing allows the author to share with the world his original findings, reasoning, important breakthroughs and it also creates the avenue for mandates of promotion and career upliftment. In an endeavour to publish an article, the first vital technicality that the authors face is selection of an appropriate journal. There has been steady increase in the number of predatory publishers and journals. Knowledge of the different publication models, websites to check valid open access journals and reliance on certain reputable publishing houses may actually guide the authors in selecting legitimate journals. Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID ID) or Researcher ID is required during submission of articles. ResearchGate, Mendeley or Scholar Universe are useful sites to collaborate and disseminate research publication in an effective manner. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is another vital technicality that needs to be adopted by the authors before submission of the research work ...
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India has launched war against tobacco epidemic for the past few decades but with partial success; hence, challenges are still there which need to be identified and addressed for winning the battle. Targeted approach directed at... more
India has launched war against tobacco epidemic for the past few decades but with partial success; hence, challenges are still there which need to be identified and addressed for winning the battle. Targeted approach directed at motivating smoking cessation of female smokers, frequent changing of pictorial warnings depicting variety of health consequences in cigarette packets and devoid of logos and colors in conjunction with plain packaging, and display of toll-free number for quitting are expected to dissuade tobacco consumers to quit and save themselves from the devastating health, social, environmental, and economic consequences of tobacco consumption. Online reporting system for violating legal enforcements can also be implemented easily. Moreover, guidance from success stories of countries/states who have achieved smoke-free status along with concerted efforts such as innovative anti-tobacco campaigns, involvement of religious leaders in anti-tobacco propaganda, strict legisla...
Research Interests:
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and vitamin D deficiency was reported among postmenopausal women (PMW) in India. However, no report is available regarding the association of MS and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] among PMW in India.... more
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and vitamin D deficiency was reported among postmenopausal women (PMW) in India. However, no report is available regarding the association of MS and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] among PMW in India. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of MS and 25(OH)D status as well as their association among rural PMW of West Bengal, India. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 222 randomly selected rural PMW in Singur Block, West Bengal, India. Serum 25(OH)D, Blood pressure (BP), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured using standard procedures. MS was defined as per International Diabetes Federation, 2005 (for Asian-Indians) criteria. Statistical tests were done using SPSS software. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 46%. 51% and 19% PMW were vitamin D insufficient and deficient, respectively. 22% and 53% women having MS were vitamin D insuffic...
Research Interests:
India is the second largest country in the world as per the population statistics and has the privilege of having the highest number of medical colleges (412) with a turnover of approximately 50,000 fresh medical graduates per year.1 The... more
India is the second largest country in the world as per the population statistics and has the privilege of having the highest number of medical colleges (412) with a turnover of approximately 50,000 fresh medical graduates per year.1 The principal aim is to meet the health service needs of the vast population, but still, the current estimated doctor-population ratio in India is 1:1700 in comparison to the world average of 1.5:1000. The targeted average of 1:1000 to be achieved by the year 2031 as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines is probably possible in near future with input of adequate resources, but assuring academic quality at the same time is a fundamental prerequisite to ensure the intended outcome, i.e., a competent medical practitioner who would be committed to excellence, responsive and accountable to patients, community, and profession.2
Research Interests:
Silicosis is a slowly progressive chronic occupational lung disease, developed after a prolong period of exposure to high concentration of silica dust. In this longitudinal study, we enrolled old and new silicosis patients (n=19; 8... more
Silicosis is a slowly progressive chronic occupational lung disease, developed after a prolong period of exposure to high concentration of silica dust. In this longitudinal study, we enrolled old and new silicosis patients (n=19; 8 jewellery polishers, 11 from other occupations) seen at our Pulmonary Medicine Department from June 2009 to December 2012 to document the course of illness as per their occupational exposure. Six of the eight jewellery polishing workers had developed silicosis within five years of exposure, while six of the 11 other workers with other occupational exposure had developed silicosis after exposure of 10 years or more. Mean duration of exposure was significantly less among jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers (3.4 +/- 1.7 versus 9.3 +/- 4.1; p=0.001). Mean duration of illness (months) (14.9 +/- 5.8 versus 28.5 +/- 16.5; p=0.040) were significantly less among the jewellery polishing workers compared to other workers. At the end of the study pe...
Research Interests:
This study was conducted to profile nutritional risk factors in a population of community-dwelling older adults in Kolkata, India. We applied the short version of the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) questionnaire among 500... more
This study was conducted to profile nutritional risk factors in a population of community-dwelling older adults in Kolkata, India. We applied the short version of the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) questionnaire among 500 participants (65 to 75 years)-263 males and 237 females. The prevalence of undernutrition was 8.8% in females and 4.9% in males; a risk of undernutrition was found in 24.5% females and 17.5% males. All those with undernutrition or at-risk were studied further using the full version of the MNA. Data regarding education, occupation, socioeconomic status, and food intake pattern were also collected. Females had a significantly lower (P < 0.01) education level than males; 73.4% males were financially independent, whereas 72.7% females were financially dependent on others. Moderate appetite loss was commonly found (64.9%), and in 24.3% of the participants appetite loss was severe. Digestive and chewing problems were present in 32.4% and 21.6% of stud...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide. However, limited information is available regarding the risk factors for hypertension in postmenopausal women, particularly in urban populations in developing countries such as... more
Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide. However, limited information is available regarding the risk factors for hypertension in postmenopausal women, particularly in urban populations in developing countries such as India. To investigate whether adiposity measures, serum lipids and lipoproteins as well as fasting plasma glucose can predict the risk of hypertension in a population based sample of postmenopausal women in Kolkata, India, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 415 postmenopausal women (aged 40 to 85), selected by cluster sampling from 12 wards of Kolkata. After multivariate adjustment, apolipoprotein B (apo B) and waist circumference (WC) showed the strongest association with hypertension. The risk of hypertension in the highest tertile compared with the lowest tertile was 2.57 (95% confidence interval = 1.00-6.61) for apo B and 2.55 (95% confidence interval = 1.07-6.06) for WC. Apo B and WC were the strongest risk factors for predicting hypertension ...
Research Interests:
Hypertension is an important treatable public health problem both globally and in India with an increasing prevalence significantly in both urban and rural population. It is one of the leading causes of adult mortality and morbidity, but... more
Hypertension is an important treatable public health problem both globally and in India with an increasing prevalence significantly in both urban and rural population. It is one of the leading causes of adult mortality and morbidity, but poorly controlled hypertension remains a major health problem. The objective of this study was to find out awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among study population and association of hypertension awareness with sociodemographic factors, if any. This study was conducted from May 2013 to April 2014 in the rural community of Singur block, West Bengal. Data were collected with respect to sociodemographic characteristics as well as records related to hypertension such as awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) measurement of individuals aged 20 years and above of both sexes was done. Pearson's Chi-square test was performed to find out the association between the categorical variables. SPSS 19.00 software...
This book is a comprehensive, user friendly and easy to read resource on Biostatistics & Research Methodology. It is meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, AYUSH,... more
This book is a comprehensive, user friendly and easy to read resource on Biostatistics & Research Methodology. It is meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, AYUSH, Psychology, Nutrition, Anthropology, MSc and PhD students). Health researchers, research supervisors, and faculty members may find it useful as a reference book.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This text book is a comprehensive, user friendly and easy to read resource on Biostatistics and Research Methodology. It is meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing,... more
This text book is a comprehensive, user friendly and easy to read resource on Biostatistics and Research Methodology. It is meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, Psychology, AYUSH, Nutrition, MSc and PhD students). Health researchers, research supervisors and faculty members may find it useful as a reference book.
Unique features of 3rd Edition:
This book unveils -
• All the facets of research process i.e. from protocol development to publication technicalities
• How to conduct literature search using search engines
• Details of different research designs and methods of data collection
• Description of data presentation methods, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation, sampling techniques & variability, probability etc.
• Assumptions of tests of significance, correlation, regression and their interpretations
• Numerous examples on application of each statistical method
• Theory questions and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) at the end of each chapter for self assessment
Unique features of 3rd Edition:
This book unveils -
• All the facets of research process i.e. from protocol development to publication technicalities
• How to conduct literature search using search engines
• Details of different research designs and methods of data collection
• Description of data presentation methods, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation, sampling techniques & variability, probability etc.
• Assumptions of tests of significance, correlation, regression and their interpretations
• Numerous examples on application of each statistical method
• Theory questions and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) at the end of each chapter for self assessment
Research Interests:
Community Medicine: Prep Manual for Undergraduates. Author: Rajvir Bhalwar. Associate Editor: Indranil Saha. 2nd edition. Elsevier India
Research Interests:
Book for Undergraduate MBBS students and other researchers
Research Interests:
This text book is a comprehensive user friendly and easy to read introduction to biostatistics and research methodology meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, Psychology,... more
This text book is a comprehensive user friendly and easy to read introduction to biostatistics and research methodology meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, Psychology, Nutrition, MSc and PhD students).
Succinct yet thorough, it serves as an outstanding resource for students and health researchers for writing protocol for research projects as well as allows readers to acquire ability to apply appropriate statistical methods to summarize, analyze, and draw conclusions from biological research including data presentation methods.
Unique features of the book (2nd Edition):
Emphasis on key concepts of data presentation, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation and sampling techniques, probability, sampling variability, null hypothesis, and details on tests of significance, written in lucid language.
Numerous examples illustrate the application of each statistical method and further exemplified with tables and diagrams where necessary.
Complicated statistical issues such as correlation and regression with their interpretations are dealt with in simplified manner.
Theory questions from different university examinations across India at the end of each chapter.
Collection of Multiple Choice Questions from different post graduate entrance examinations at the end of each chapter with explanation of the answers.
Basic information about writing a research protocol.
Useful tool to write the thesis of postgraduate students, project of undergraduate students and other research reports.
Some useful tips on publication of research work in journals.
Succinct yet thorough, it serves as an outstanding resource for students and health researchers for writing protocol for research projects as well as allows readers to acquire ability to apply appropriate statistical methods to summarize, analyze, and draw conclusions from biological research including data presentation methods.
Unique features of the book (2nd Edition):
Emphasis on key concepts of data presentation, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation and sampling techniques, probability, sampling variability, null hypothesis, and details on tests of significance, written in lucid language.
Numerous examples illustrate the application of each statistical method and further exemplified with tables and diagrams where necessary.
Complicated statistical issues such as correlation and regression with their interpretations are dealt with in simplified manner.
Theory questions from different university examinations across India at the end of each chapter.
Collection of Multiple Choice Questions from different post graduate entrance examinations at the end of each chapter with explanation of the answers.
Basic information about writing a research protocol.
Useful tool to write the thesis of postgraduate students, project of undergraduate students and other research reports.
Some useful tips on publication of research work in journals.
Research Interests:
This text book is a comprehensive user friendly and easy to read introduction to biostatistics and research methodology meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, Psychology,... more
This text book is a comprehensive user friendly and easy to read introduction to biostatistics and research methodology meant for undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and allied biomedical sciences (Dental, Nursing, Psychology, Nutrition, MSc and PhD students).
Succinct yet thorough, it serves as an outstanding resource for students and health researchers for writing protocol for research projects as well as allows readers to acquire ability to apply appropriate statistical methods to summarize, analyze, and draw conclusions from biological research including data presentation methods.
Unique features of the book (2nd Edition):
Emphasis on key concepts of data presentation, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation and sampling techniques, probability, sampling variability, null hypothesis, and details on tests of significance, written in lucid language.
Numerous examples illustrate the application of each statistical method and further exemplified with tables and diagrams where necessary.
Complicated statistical issues such as correlation and regression with their interpretations are dealt with in simplified manner.
Theory questions from different university examinations across India at the end of each chapter.
Collection of Multiple Choice Questions from different post graduate entrance examinations at the end of each chapter with explanation of the answers.
Basic information about writing a research protocol.
Useful tool to write the thesis of postgraduate students, project of undergraduate students and other research reports.
Some useful tips on publication of research work in journals.
Succinct yet thorough, it serves as an outstanding resource for students and health researchers for writing protocol for research projects as well as allows readers to acquire ability to apply appropriate statistical methods to summarize, analyze, and draw conclusions from biological research including data presentation methods.
Unique features of the book (2nd Edition):
Emphasis on key concepts of data presentation, scales of measurement, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distribution, sample size calculation and sampling techniques, probability, sampling variability, null hypothesis, and details on tests of significance, written in lucid language.
Numerous examples illustrate the application of each statistical method and further exemplified with tables and diagrams where necessary.
Complicated statistical issues such as correlation and regression with their interpretations are dealt with in simplified manner.
Theory questions from different university examinations across India at the end of each chapter.
Collection of Multiple Choice Questions from different post graduate entrance examinations at the end of each chapter with explanation of the answers.
Basic information about writing a research protocol.
Useful tool to write the thesis of postgraduate students, project of undergraduate students and other research reports.
Some useful tips on publication of research work in journals.
Research Interests:
Essentials of Biostatistics & Research Methodology - 4th Edition: Book Review
Research Interests:
Essentials of Biostatistics and Research Methodology provides a comprehensive insight into the various aspects of biostatistics and research.
Research Interests:
It contains 11 chapters of Essential Biostatistics which are explained from basic to higher statistical concepts in an easy, understandable language by using appropriate examples, tables, diagrams wherever possible. Chapter 1 explains... more
It contains 11
chapters of Essential
Biostatistics which are
explained from basic to higher statistical concepts in an
easy, understandable language by using appropriate
examples, tables, diagrams wherever possible. Chapter 1
explains basic data & its presentation with maximum
examples accurately. Estimation of sample size is
explained excellently with formulae, examples for each
study method. Sampling technique and variability,
correlation, regression concepts are explained in a way
they gave complete insight into the concepts. The
advanced topics are a good guide for biostatisticians.
chapters of Essential
Biostatistics which are
explained from basic to higher statistical concepts in an
easy, understandable language by using appropriate
examples, tables, diagrams wherever possible. Chapter 1
explains basic data & its presentation with maximum
examples accurately. Estimation of sample size is
explained excellently with formulae, examples for each
study method. Sampling technique and variability,
correlation, regression concepts are explained in a way
they gave complete insight into the concepts. The
advanced topics are a good guide for biostatisticians.
Research Interests:
Essentials of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, 3rd edition, stands out from the usual books on statistics with its presentation style. Each chapter starts with the vital basics, yet manages to cover all the key topics. Authors have... more
Essentials of Biostatistics and Research Methodology, 3rd edition,
stands out from the usual books on statistics with its presentation
style. Each chapter starts with the vital basics, yet manages to
cover all the key topics. Authors have simplified every concept by
employing appropriate examples. Explanations are in the form of
crisp bullet points, which makes for an effortless read. Noteworthy
terms are highlighted, schematic diagrams and tables are aplenty
and chapters end with self review exercises; all of which will aid
in examination preparations. Moreover, there are boxes highlighting
important points and footnotes with supplementary facts which
provide much food for thought
stands out from the usual books on statistics with its presentation
style. Each chapter starts with the vital basics, yet manages to
cover all the key topics. Authors have simplified every concept by
employing appropriate examples. Explanations are in the form of
crisp bullet points, which makes for an effortless read. Noteworthy
terms are highlighted, schematic diagrams and tables are aplenty
and chapters end with self review exercises; all of which will aid
in examination preparations. Moreover, there are boxes highlighting
important points and footnotes with supplementary facts which
provide much food for thought