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Background: Adolescence has been defined by the WHO as the period of life spanning the ages between 10 to 19 years. This is a vulnerable period in the human life cycle for the development of nutritional anaemia. The prevalence of anaemia among adolescents is 27% in developing countries and 6% in developed countries. The study was done with the objective to study the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls of selected urban slum of Bhopal.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted for a period of 3 months on adolescent girls residing in selected urban slum of Bhopal. 98 adolescent girls who were registered in Anganwadi and present at time of study were interviewed. The data regarding their socio-demographic profile, anthropometric measurements were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Hemoglobin level was also estimated using Hemocue (Hb 201) and participants were classified as having no, mild, moderate and severe anaemia based on WHO grading of anaemia. Data was compiled using MS Excel and analysed using Epi info 7.Results: Anaemia was present in 57.65% girls. Out of which 34.7% had mild, 44.9% had moderate and 20.4% had severe anaemia. 29.4% knew improper diet as a cause of anaemia followed by Vitamin deficiency (25.8%) and iron deficiency (22.3%). 29.4% girls did not know any cause of anaemia. Similarly 29.4% and 51.7% of study participants did not know of any symptoms and treatment of anaemia respectively.Conclusions: The overall prevalence of anaemia was high among study participants. Knowledge regarding anaemia, its symptoms, causes and treatment was very poor among study participants.

Background: India is facing critical problem of paucity of certified physicians in rural areas, although majority of the population resides in rural areas. According to rural health statistics report 2015, there is a deficit of 659 doctors in rural areas. The study was done with the objective to capture the perception among medical students (interns / postgraduates) about their preference of work place after graduation/post-graduation and to know the factors responsible for preference / non-preference.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out, among 203 medical students in a government medical college of Bhopal (M.P) from January to March 2016. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding their preference to serve in rural areas and reasons associated with their choices. The data was entered in MS excel and analysis was performed using Epi-Info7.Results: The study participants included 203 medical students, only 33 (16.26%), were willing to work in rural area. The major reasons for non-preference of rural area were lack of primary facilities like equipments, paramedical staff, non favorable working conditions. Majority of them responded that good salary, better lifestyle and security for doctors especially for females would make them work there.Conclusions: Very less proportion of study participants preferred rural area as their preferred work place. Our study has shown a need for intervention to overcome these perceptions and attitudes of the students towards practice in rural area in order to reverse this disparity.

Objectives: To find out the early neonatal outcome (morbidity and early neonatal mortality) of the babies born by caesarean section (CS) and to compare the outcomes between elective and emergency CS. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. Maternal and neonatal characteristics were noted. Results: A total of 750 neonates were enrolled and 37% were born by elective CS. Out of 750 children 55% were male newborns and 45% were females. The NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) admission requirement was 24%, whereas 3.33% of neonates died within 7 days of life. Neonatal morbidity was higher in emergency CS, similar to respiratory depression at birth (OR: 6.00, 95% CI 3.06-11.78, P < 0.001), respiratory distress (OR: 4.6, 95% CI 2.74 -7.82, P < 0.001) and requirement of resuscitation (OR: 5.54, 95% CI 2.98 -10.32, P < 0.001). Factors such as emergency CS [adj OR: 13.35(1.69 -105.38), P = 0.014], prematurity .47), P < 0.001] and Apgar score < 7 at 10 minutes .50), P < 0.001] were independently associated with NICU admissions and neonatal mortality. Conclusions: Newborns delivered through emergency CS had a higher morbidity and mortality rate compared to elective CS. Adequate antenatal care and early referral may convert this emergency CS to normal or elective CS and can reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among chronic disease patients can severely impact individual health with the potential to impede mass vaccination essential for containing the pandemic. The present study was done to assess the COVID-19 vaccine antecedents and its predictors among chronic disease patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted among chronic disease patients availing care from a primary health facility in urban Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Factor and reliability analysis was done for the vaccine hesitancy scale to validate the 5 C scale. Predictors assessed for vaccine hesitancy were modelled with help of machine learning (ML). Out of 520 patients, the majority of participants were female (54.81%). Exploratory factor analysis revealed four psychological antecedents’ “calculation”; “confidence”; “constraint” and “collective responsibility” determining 72.9% of the cumulative variance of vaccine hesitancy scale. The trained ML algorithm yielded an R2 of 0.33. Higher scores for COVID-19 health literacy and preventive behaviour, along with family support, monthly income, past COVID-19 screening, adherence to medications and age were associated with lower vaccine hesitancy. Behaviour changes communication strategies targeting COVID-19 health literacy and preventive behaviour especially among population sub-groups with poor family support, low income, higher age groups and low adherence to medicines may prove instrumental in this regard.