Background The majority of people in rural developing counties still rely on unclean and solid fuels for cooking, putting their health at risk. Adult and elderly women are most vulnerable due to prolonged exposure in cooking areas, and Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) may negatively impact their health and cognitive function. This study examines the effect of IAP on the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly rural women in India. Methods The study utilized the data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI 2017–18, Wave-1). Bivariate analysis and multilevel linear regression models were applied to show the association between IAP and the cognitive abilities of rural women and results from regression were presented by beta coefficient (β) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Confounding factors such as age, education, health risk behaviours, marital status, monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE), religion etc. were adjusted in the final model. Results The study found that 18.71 percent of the rural women (n = 3,740) lived in Indoor Air Pollution exposed households. IAP was significantly found to be associated with the cognitive functional abilities among the middle and older aged rural women. Middle and older aged rural women exposed to IAP had lower cognitive functional abilities than non-exposed women. Comparing to the non-exposed group, the cognitive score was worse for those exposed to IAP in both the unadjusted (β = -1.96; 95%CI: -2.22 to -1.71) and the adjusted (β = -0.72; 95%CI: -0.92 to -0.51) models. Elderly rural women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to have cognitive impairment as a result of IAP. Conclusion Findings revealed that IAP from solid fuels could significantly affect the cognitive health of elderly rural women in India, indicating the need for immediate intervention efforts to reduce the use of solid fuels, IAP and associated health problems.

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This study aimed to examine the association of mass media exposure (MME) with enrolment in health insurance (HI) and its moderating effect on the associations among older adults in India. The data of 29,935 older adults aged 60 + were used from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI-2017-18). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, moderated multivariable logistic regression models, and Fairlie decomposition were all used to achieve the objectives of the research. The results showed that enrolment in HI and MME among older individuals in India was at about 18.3% and 43.5%, respectively. Older adults who had MME, one or more years of schooling, and non-poor consumption expenditure (MPCE) were 1.39 times [adjusted odd ratio (aOR): 1.39, CI: 1.30–1.49], 1.23 times [aOR: 1.23, CI: 1.15–1.32] more likely, and 0.88 times [aOR: 1.39, CI: 1.30–1.49] more likely to be enrolled in health insurance than those with no MME, no schooling, and poor MPCE, respectively. Additionally, MME increases the likelihood of enrolment in HI and modifies associations between schooling, MPCE, and enrolment in HI. The study's conclusions imply that it would be wise to consider the use of these communication channels when developing strategic communication plans to promote HI enrolment in India.

Since March 2020, all academic institutions have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and have been encouraged online mode of education to the students in West Bengal, India. The most profound negative effect of the school closure has been noticed on primary education. This research examines how school closures in both government and private primary schools in West Bengal result in uneven teaching-learning opportunities in formal and non-formal education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study was conducted based on an online survey in West Bengal using a structured questionnaire. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, Shapiro-Wilk Test, Pearson Chi-squared (χ2) test, and logistic regression were used to check the relationships among the variables. Based on 473 responses to an online survey administered to the parents and educated family members of 3–10 years aged children from both government and private primary schools in West Bengal. The authors' analysis shows the teaching-learning opportunities varied significantly. Further, the study revealed a noticeable gap between government and private primary schools. The study depicts that students from urban areas have more accessibility to online education than those living in rural areas. The study revealed that 98.7% of private schools and 33.7% of students from government primary schools could access online education. Statistically significant differences were observed between both categories of schools in academic affairs during the pandemic.

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