Indian journal of public health
-
Indian J Public Health · Sep 2017
Regulating smokeless tobacco and processed areca nut in South-East Asia region: The journey so far and the road ahead.
South-East Asia Region (SEAR) has more smokeless tobacco users as compared to smokers. The growing prevalence and cultural acceptance of consumption of flavored areca nut and related products, for example, supari and pan masala in many countries are confounding the scenario. The prevalence of a variety of tobacco products makes regulation a challenge which gets more complicated in view of weak enforcement of regulatory policies aggressive marketing of such products by the tobacco industry. ⋯ Relevant World Health Organization (WHO) documents and reports on tobacco products regulation were consulted. Generating the right evidence along with the need to build the capacity of the countries to test the smokeless tobacco and processed areca nut products by establishing testing facilities and providing practical guidelines is of paramount importance. The countries of the SEAR need to prioritize the implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to strengthen the regulation of smokeless tobacco and processed areca nut products.
-
Indian J Public Health · Apr 2017
The rise of global health diplomacy: An interdisciplinary concept linking health and international relations.
Global health diplomacy (GHD) is relatively a very new field that has yet to be clearly defined and developed though there are various definitions given by different experts from foreign policy, global health, diplomacy, international relations, governance, and law. With the intensification of globalization and increasing gaps between countries, new and reemerging health threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola, and Zika and a gradual rethinking on security concepts framed a new political context. The health problems addressed diplomatically have also become diverse ranging from neglected tropical diseases, infectious diseases, sale of unsafe, counterfeit drugs to brain drain crisis. ⋯ Recently, we are witnessing the increased priority given to the GHD because the issue of health is discussed by various actors outside the WHO to shape the global policy for health determinants. In fact, the area of health has become the part of UN Summit Diplomacy involving the G8, G20, BRICS, and the EU. The recent WHO Pandemic Influenza Framework, UN High Level Framework on Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are some of the examples of long-term negotiation processes for agreements that took place.
-
Indian J Public Health · Oct 2016
Descriptive evaluation of cigarettes and other tobacco products act in a North Indian city.
India is a signatory to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and also enacted cigarettes and other tobacco products Act (COTPA) in 2003. ⋯ The city of Chandigarh, which was declared the first smoke-free city of India, showed poor compliance with COTPA.
-
Indian J Public Health · Jan 2015
Compliance to anti-rabies vaccination in post-exposure prophylaxis.
Complete post-exposure prophylaxis is necessary to prevent rabies among all animal bite victims. It is essential for the bite victims to complete the full course of vaccination as recommended for complete protection. The present study was conducted to determine the compliance rate for anti-rabies vaccination by both intramuscular route and intradermal route and to determine the major constraints. ⋯ The compliance rate for intramuscular rabies vaccination was 60.0% and for intradermal rabies vaccination 77.0%. The major constraints were loss of wages, forgotten dates, cost incurred and distance from the hospital. Hence, the present study showed that the compliance to anti-rabies vaccination for post-exposure prophylaxis is low and is a cause of concern, as animal bite victims who do not complete the full course of vaccination are still at risk of developing rabies.
-
Indian J Public Health · Oct 2014
Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of primary headache disorders: results of a population-based survey from Bangalore, India.
Headache disorders are common and burdensome throughout the world, placing high demand on health care services. Good information on their prevalence and distribution through sectors of the population are a prerequisite for planning interventions and organizing services, but unavailable for India. ⋯ Headache disorders are a major health problem in India with significant burden. It requires systematic efforts to organize effective services to be able to reach a large number of people in urban and rural India. Education of physicians and other health-care workers, and the public should be a pillar of such efforts.