BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown had a significant impact on mental health during the last two years. However, the majority of studies do not concentrate on the risk and protective factors that influence the relationship between COVID-19 and subjective well-being. Therefore, the present study aims to identify such stressful experiences and the influence of COVID-19 and various stressors. MethodologyWe have conducted this community-based, cross-sectional, analytical study in the Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu for four months. After obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, we gathered data for the study. Two field practice areas were involved in data collection. A convenient sampling procedure was used to select 291 households for the study. The lead investigator interviewed one individual from each household, preferably the head of the family. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the pertinent information. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) scale were used to assess anxiety and stress. All collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA), and SPSS software version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the results. ResultsAmong the participants, 34% had a history of COVID-19 infection, and 58.4% of the families had at least one chronic comorbidity among the family members. The CAS score was significantly associated with the residence (p = 0.049), marital status (p = 0.001), and previous history of COVID-19 (p = 0.016) of the study participants. The study found that gender was the only factor associated with both the PSS score (p = 0.022) and the GAD scale score (p = 0.010) of the study participants. ConclusionsEven though doctors can treat many mental health illnesses for a comparatively minimal cost, there is still a wide disparity between those who require care and those who have access to it. Governmental programs and regulations that conduct routine surveys to identify anxiety and stress can lead to successful preventative strategies.

BackgroundPublic health initiatives aim to decrease infectious diseases by enhancing sanitation, which is their primary goal. The practice of sporadically contaminating the environment with human feces has been around for generations and is embedded in the cultural behavior of villagers in India. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of people with access to latrine facilities and the proportion of people who practice open defecation in the villages of Perambalur, Tamil Nadu. MethodologyThis community-based, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in two rural villages in the Perambalur district for six months. After obtaining approval from the institutional ethics committee, we informed participants about the study's purpose. We conducted the study in selected rural areas and included every single residence in the hamlet, irrespective of whether the residents were permanent or temporary. We did not include families that were not reachable at any point during the survey. A convenient sampling procedure was used to select 330 houses for the study. The lead investigator interviewed one individual from each household, preferably the head of the family. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the pertinent information. All collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA), and SPSS software version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used to analyze the results. ResultsOnly around 3.6% of the study participants lived in kutcha households, and about 99.1% of participants identified as Hindu. The proportion of household latrines used was 64.1% among the study participants. Of them, 52.3% engaged in open defecation. Only 4.7% of participants had access to an underground drainage system. Most participants gained knowledge from medical professionals (84.8%). Social media was the second most used source, accounting for about 60.7% of the total. The most frequent reason given for practicing open-air defecation was the perception that constructing restrooms would be expensive (76.3%), while the second most frequent reason was a lack of land (53.4%). An independent t-test found no statistically significant relationship between the availability of household latrines and the number of girls or boys, age, or family income. Compared to those living in semi-pucca and kutcha households, most participants (77.3%) who lived in pucca houses had household latrines. The chi-square test revealed that this proportional difference was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). ConclusionsThe study participants used household latrines 64.1% of the time. Of the participants, 52.3% engaged in open defecation. The government's initiative to build toilets has only helped a quarter of the population, which needs to be improved. Only 5% of people living in rural areas have access to an underground drainage system. The results of our study provide a justification for the government program's mandate that healthcare practitioners must deliver health education. Therefore, a personalized appro...