World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 6 months interpregnancy interval after an abortion. Pakistan has a low contraceptive prevalence rate and a high unmet need for contraception. Post-abortion women are the potential clients for contraception but national data reveal low uptake of the contraceptive methods by these clients. This study aimed to explore the barriers to adopting contraception among post-abortion clients in the district of Sargodha, Pakistan. A qualitative research design was used. Study participants were recruited from three private and three public sector hospitals in the district of Sargodha, Pakistan. The study was conducted from July 2018 to November 2018. Ninety-nine in-depth interviews (IDIs) of post-abortion women were conducted using an unstructured interview guide within the period of one month after abortion. Detailed field notes were made. Interviews continued until thematic saturation had reached. The content was organized into a matrix based on themes and sub-themes. A descriptive thematic analysis using both inductive and deductive coding was conducted. Reasons for not adopting contraceptive methods were explored Although many clients expressed a desire to limit fertility, some barriers were found to be hindering the uptake of contraception. Major barriers expressed by clients were the unwillingness of the husband, the resistance of other family members and real or perceived fear of side effects of contraceptive methods. Lack of adequate knowledge about fertility and contraception was another factor which contributed to the decision not to adopt contraception. Socio-cultural norms to have large family sizes were also reported by some clients. Other barriers include religious beliefs, focus on other health issues, financial unaffordability, infrequent intercourse and plan for tubal ligation. The study concluded that without addressing the barriers post-abortion contraceptive uptake is unlikely to improve. Identification of barriers is the first step to addressing the existing unmet need for contraception.

Human health, worldwide, is in great peril due to pollution and climate change. The sheer scale and expanse ofclimate change manifested as extreme weather conditions, changes in air quality, natural calamities, and vectorecology are negatively impacting human health. Frequent floods, wildfires, erratic rainfall, sea-level rise, andcyclones were documented across the globe in countries including Australia, Algeria, Brazil, China, Italy,Greece, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye and USA.1 The growing number of adversehealth outcomes due to climate hazards is increasing the burden in the health services already impacted by theCOVID-19 pandemic, co-epidemics (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis) and double burdenof disease (communicable and non-communicable diseases). Anthropogenic activities have drasticallyincreased atmospheric greenhouse gas levels leading to a significant increase in the global mean surfacetemperature by 1.1° Celsius, warmer than the pre-industrial levels. The past seven years were declared thewarmest, the 1.5-degree climate target agreed upon at the Conference of the Parties (COP21 )in Paris seems far out of reach as the global mean surface temperature is projected to rise to a dangerous level of between 1.5oCelsius and 3.5 Celsius by the end of this century.1 The ongoing climate stressors affect the populations that are most vulnerable and marginalised, like olderpeople, pregnant women, new-born babies, people who are socially deprived and people working outdoors.Human exposure to intense heat is associated with heatstroke, adverse pregnancy outcomes (includingpremature birth), acute kidney injury, disturbed sleep patterns, mental health problems, cancers andworsening of underlying respiratory and cardiac disease. Annually, three million deaths are attributable toinfections caused by outdoor PM2-5 air pollution.1 Asthma, the most common respiratory illness amongadolescents, is influenced by higher and longer pollen seasons and poor air quality, increasing the risk of acuteasthma episodes. Vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue have increased in Africa and Asia. Rare severeinfectious diseases caused by Naegleria fowleri, Nipah virus, and Coccidiodes spp have also increased. Extreme climate events also disrupt the food supply; leading to malnutrition and disease susceptibility. Humancontact with environmentally mediated pathogens through food, water, animals, or insect vectors, causessubstantial morbidity and mortality globally. Waterborne diseases are rising globally, especially in LMICs, withoutbreaks of diarrhoea, hepatitis, cholera, malaria, dengue, salmonellosis, typhoid, dysentery, schistosomiasis,and giardiasis.2 Moreover, Vibrio pathogens are more transmissible due to rising coastal water temperatures. In Pakistan, waterborne diseases are becoming more frequent due to climate-based increased variations intemperatures and rainfall patterns, which have led to the challenges of water unavailability and exposure tounsafe water. In 2017, an epidemic of drug-resistance typhoid resulted in an untreatable and prolongedinfection in Pakistani citizens resulting in many deaths in children below 15 years of age. The footprint of climate change is becoming more extreme in South Asia; India, Pakistan and the Philippinesare in the “high” bracket” of the vulnerability assessment that has been most severely impacted by extremeweather events, according to the latest report by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Pakistan,a negligible contributor to the overall carbon footprint, is still among the top ten countries vulnerable to climatechange by Global Climate Risk Index 2021.1 The recent heavy rainfall and floods in Pakistan have resulted in theloss of life and livelihood. Human suffering, socioeconomic constraints, involuntary migration anddisplacement in climate emergency are massive. The response to the needs of the disaster-affected population remains a key challenge in terms of resourceconstraints, afflicted health systems, changing disease burden, the provision of shelter and emergency reliefitems, delivering lifesaving and livelihood assistance, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs, preventionof disease outbreaks, addressing malnutrition, Gender-based violence (GBV), Psychosocial Support (PSS),dignified protection, and family tracing. The recent 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) concluded with a cover decision known asthe Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan. COP27 concluded to provide “loss and damage” funding forvulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. The other decisions included cutting greenhouse gasemissions and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, boosting finance and technology support,and widening the capacity building needed by LMICs. The planet's warming is jeopardising human health, demanding immediate climate action for mitigation andadaptation, fossil fuel reduction, building resilient communities, investing in emerging green technology, andintegrating climate education into medical and school curricula.1-3 In our efforts towards a sustainable planet, itis critical to accelerate climate action by strengthening multisectoral engagement. Editor-in-Chief How to cite this: Alamgir W, Shan H. The Multifaceted Consequences of Climate Change on Human Health. Life and Science. 2023; 4(1): 1-2. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.343

Objectives: To study the effects of Nicotine on the survival rate of chick embryo and to evaluate the preventive role by the antioxidant green tea camellia sinensis. Study Design: Laboratory-based experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from Nov 2011 to Nov 2012. Methodology: A total of 75 Fayoumi fresh fertilized eggs were kept at Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi. Experimental solutions were injected to the eggs of four groups at forty-eight hours of incubation and the effect on the growth was recorded and compared with the control group. The control and experimental groups were observed to assess the effects of Nicotine and the role of antioxidant green tea Camellia sinensis on the survival rate and growth of chick embryo’s femur. Results: The control group (group-1) showed 100% survival rate of embryos. The experimental group-2 showed survival rate of 100% embryos and the group-3 and group-4 showed survival rate 50% and 70% of embryos, respectively. Conclusion: It was concluded that green tea decreases the oxidative stress caused by the Nicotine.

Objective: To assess the frequency of antibiotic use with or without prescription and the source of purchasing antibiotics in relation to social determinants among residents of Wah, Pakistan.Study Design: Cross sectional.Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the community of Wah Cantt from January 2017 to December 2017.Materials and Methods: A two stage cluster random sampling technique was used. 400 participants aged 16 years and older, completed the validated questionnaire. Chi-square test of significance was applied to determine the relationship between categorical variables and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Use of antibiotics in the preceding month was reported by 110 (27.6%) participants, 101 (25.3%) reported having taken antibiotics in the last six months. Use of antibiotics was more in males in all categories as compared to females (chi-square= 15.778, p = 0.008). The analysis showed that individuals between 55-64 years of age had taken antibiotics in last month (69.2%). Government employees showed the highest percentage (36.5%) of respondents who consumed antibiotics in last one month as compared to any other profession. Overall, most respondents 277 (82.7%) reported that they got their antibiotics on a prescription from doctors.Conclusion: Effective education along with close vigilance for the judicious use of antibiotic prescribing should be aimed at both the prescribers and the public. Better knowledge is associated with correct behavior of antibiotic/antimicrobial use. How to cite this: Shan H, Javaid A, Zeb A, Maqbool S.  Socio Demographic Aspects of Antibiotic Consumption Practices in Residents of Wah. Life and Science. 2020; 1(1): 17-23.  doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/L&S.1.1.28

Objective: To assess the knowledge of epidemiology, transmission, prevention and control of rabies and to find the effect of an educational intervention in paramedical students of HITEC-IMS, Taxilla. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: HITEC-IMS, Taxilla, from Mar to Sep 2019. Methodology: Study was carried out among paramedical students enrolled in 2 years diploma course in HITEC-IMS, Taxilla. Students were included by non-probability consecutive sampling. Results: Out of the total of 89 participants, the fatality of rabies was identified by 63 (70.8%) respondents in pre-test and by 84 (94.4%) respondents in post-test (p<0.001). Less than half of the participants knew about bats as a reservoir of rabies (22, 24.7%) in pre-test that raised to 59 participants (66.3%) in post-test (p<0.001). The proper sequence of protocol for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) in un-vaccinated persons was identified by 42 (47.2%) respondents with an improvement of 27% in post-test (p<0.001). Proper order of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccine schedule in humans were identified by 16 (18.0%) respondents with an improvement of 6% in post-test (p=0.031). Conclusion: Knowledge of reservoir, mode of transmission, prevention and control of rabies after educational intervention showed a significant increase in the students.