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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) has caused more than 6 million deaths globally. Understanding predictors of mortality will help in prioritizing patient care and preventive approaches. This was a multicentric, unmatched, hospital-based case-control study conducted in nine teaching hospitals in India. Cases were microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 patients who died in the hospital during the period of study and controls were microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the same hospital after recovery. Cases were recruited sequentially from March 2020 until December-March 2021. All information regarding cases and controls was extracted retrospectively from the medical records of patients by trained physicians. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was done to assess the association between various predictor variables and deaths due to COVID-19. A total of 2,431 patients (1,137 cases and 1,294 controls) were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 52.8 years (SD: 16.5 years), and 32.1% were females. Breathlessness was the most common symptom at the time of admission (53.2%). Increasing age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 46-59 years, 3.4 [95% CI: 1.5-7.7]; 60-74 years, 4.1 [95% CI: 1.7-9.5]; and ≥ 75 years, 11.0 [95% CI: 4.0-30.6]); preexisting diabetes mellitus (aOR: 1.9 [95% CI: 1.2-2.9]); malignancy (aOR: 3.1 [95% CI: 1.3-7.8]); pulmonary tuberculosis (aOR: 3.3 [95% CI: 1.2-8.8]); breathlessness at the time of admission (aOR: 2.2 [95% CI: 1.4-3.5]); high quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at the time of admission (aOR: 5.6 [95% CI: 2.7-11.4]); and oxygen saturation < 94% at the time of admission (aOR: 2.5 [95% CI: 1.6-3.9]) were associated with mortality due to COVID-19. These results can be used to prioritize patients who are at increased risk of death and to rationalize therapy to reduce mortality due to COVID-19.

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BACKGROUND: India is in the middle of epidemiological and demographic transitions, with an estimated 63% of the deaths attributed to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Primary health centers (PHCs) can deliver a package of services to prevent and control NCDs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this sudy is to assess the status of health promotion activities and availability of resources for screening and the treatment of NCDs in PHCs of Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional facility-based assessment of all the 65 functioning PHCs (2016-2017) was conducted for the status of health promotion activities, and availability of resources using a checklist evolved from the World Health Organization Package of Essential NCD Interventions framework and Indian Public Health Standards. RESULTS: Forty-eight (74%) PHCs had displayed materials on the intake of healthy foods and avoiding junk food. Warning signs of cancer were displayed at 43 (66%) PHCs. The availability of drugs for the management of hypertension (Atenolol and Amlodepine) and diabetes mellitus (Metformin) were seen in all the PHCs. Insulin was available in 64 (98%) PHCs. Sorbitrate and Nifedefine were found in 11 (17%) and 7 (11%) PHCs. More than a quarter of the PHCs were not having the medical officer and other health-care professionals to manage NCDs. CONCLUSIONS: Preparedness of the PHCs in the health promotion domain was good. The availability of human resources, laboratory support and emergency drugs for the management of NCDs needs improvement.

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BACKGROUND: An alarming trend of sustained blood pressure elevation among children and adolescents has been found. Health education to schoolchildren in their formative age is the most effective method to be able to modify their habits, and further, they can be enrolled as an effective health educator for their parents. OBJECTIVE: To study the effectiveness of health education module on study participants about prevention and control of hypertension (HTN) and the effectiveness of child as a health educator on parents' knowledge about prevention and control of HTN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a control group among high school students in two urban secondary schools. There were 110 students and 100 parents each in the intervention and control groups. Modular training with interactive teaching-learning methods was conducted for students in the intervention group. They, in turn, educated their parents. RESULTS: Postintervention, the study results showed a higher median for various domains in the intervention group as compared to the control group among both students and parents. On applying Mann-Whitney test, this difference was statistically significant with P < 0.001. CONCLUSION: The increase in the knowledge of parents belonging to the intervention group suggests the effective transfer of knowledge from the students to their parents.

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Noise is pervasive in everyday life and can cause both auditory and nonauditory health effects. Noise-induced hearing loss remains highly prevalent in occupational settings. Nonauditory effects of noise can cause tinnitus, headache, auricular plenitude, dizziness, and gastric, visual, sleep, and mood disorders, endocrine imbalance, and cardiovascular disorders. A cross-sectional study among resident above the age of 18 years of the selected urban slum near railway track of Raipur City with a sample size of 400 was conducted. 23.0% of the study subjects responded of facing auditory fatigue, followed by 11.5% of the study subjects reported of hearing loss, 6% of the study participants perceived that the surrounding noise led to an increase in their blood pressure. Loss of sleep/insomnia was reported by 6% of resident in our study. Health effects of environmental noise are manifold, serious and, because of the widespread exposure, very prevalent. These factors stress the need to regulate and reduce environmental noise exposure.

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SARS CoV2 is an emerging infectious pandemic. The preemptive measures taken to curtail the spread has its effects far and wide across different sectors and all age groups. The most unspoken sufferers are adolescents. In this article, we have reflected on how adolescent issues addressed by the government's dynamism, have had collateral damage due to the COVID initiatives. Globally, around 89% are currently not in school because of COVID-19. They will pave a way to unforeseen collateral effects on the physical, social, psychological health, and future of the young minds. From an increase in school drop-outs, interrupted learning, worsening of the gender gap in education to technology dependence and addictions, this pandemic is going to unravel the uninvited social evils. The regular benefits of adolescents from the government have not been paid heed to. Supply of IFA tablets, sanitary napkins, provision of supplementary nutrition, health education, and implementation of immunization activities are a few of the services to mention which are being hampered. We have recommended a few strategies like establishing the peer educator system in disseminating COVID-related awareness, engaging them in a smooth public distribution system, and act as a potential linkage for the families in distress. We have proposed a few modus operandi like direct cash transfer or food supplements as take-home rations will be able to sustain the nutrition of the adolescents to keep the flow of uninterrupted amenities to adolescents in education, nutrition, mental health, personal hygiene, and other such sectors.

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BACKGROUND: Hygienic sanitation facilities are crucial for public health. Investment on sanitation brings the single greatest return for any development intervention. Poor sanitation, open defecation and lack of awareness about hygiene have detrimental effect on the health of women and children living in slums. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perceive/assess the barriers to access of hygienic sanitary facilities for adolescent girls in an urban slum. METHODOLOGY: This study included 98 adolescent females (10-19years) living in urban slums Ward no 19 Raipur. Simple random sampling by 'note method' was used to select one administrative division of this area. RESULT: Mean age of adolescent girls in the present study was 15.44 ±2.2years (Range: 12 to 19 years) and a majority of them were in High School 60 (60.2%). About half (42%) of the study subjects were living in Semi pucca house and only 38% had access to an independent toilet facility, 9% were practicing open defecation and remaining (51%) were using public toilets. CONCLUSION: The availability of sanitation facility and latrine utilization rate of the households were satisfactory. Privacy is a concern in public toilet, uses of sanitary pad was also less and changing of absorbent material in toilets was also a matter of concern for the girls.

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