Asian Institute of Public Health University is a Privately operated Public health university located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. It was established in 2008 to bring the much needed expertise in various domains of public health to Odisha, emerging from close to two decades of community, hospital, and laboratory-based research and training in public health & expanding its contribution to a larger audience in the rest of country and in the neighboring Asian countries sharing population health problems of similar nature and magnitude. It was later conferred with university status after the AIPH University, Odisha Bill, 2017 was passed by the Odisha Legislative Assembly. It is the first Public health institute of India & the only entity in the country conducting public health education, research and service with expertise in all major domains of public health as well as the only institution that imparts required education at Masters and PhD level in the major domains of public health and conducts population-based hospital and laboratory research. The university has collaborated with well known Indian & global healthcare associations like AIIMS New Delhi, ICMR, WHO, UNICEF, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine etc.
Introduction Obesity and its downstream non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the greatest health challenges of the 21st century, even in low-income and middle-income countries such as India. As traditional diseases of poverty wane, obesity and NCD burden rise. A crucial lens for understanding this transition is nation/state-wise ‘economic gradient’ of obesity. Therefore, we aimed to study the socioeconomic gradient of obesity and its changes (2006–2021) across India’s major states vis-à-vis their varying prosperity from an equitable policy perspective.Methods We analysed data from non-pregnant women aged 15–49 years from National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-3 in 2006 and NFHS-5 in 2021), excluding the North-Eastern states and Union Territories. Obesity was defined as body mass index ≥25 kg/m². State-wise economic gradient was quantified using Slope Index of Inequality (SII) based on state-level wealth quintiles, assessed using gross state domestic product (GSDP). We examined associations between GSDP and both obesity prevalence and SII in both time periods.Results Obesity prevalence increased in all states as well as nationally between 2006 and 2021 (12.3% in NFHS 3 to 23.6% in NFHS 5), but the economic gradient neither flattened nor reversed. The association between GSDP and obesity prevalence remained positive. However, the relationship between GSDP and SII (r=0.69, p=0.001 in 2006 to r=0.05, p=0.8 in 2021) weakened over time in wealthier states and steepened in poorer ones.Conclusions Despite its ubiquitous growth, obesity was (2006) and remains (2021) concentrated among the rich in every state, though states are at varying stages of obesity transition. While none have experienced reversal of the economic gradient, green shoots of reversal are evident in affluent states through weakening of their economic gradients, while gradients intensified in poorer ones. These findings underscore the need for nuanced, state-specific strategies to ensure equitable distribution of healthcare resources to address rising obesity and NCD epidemic, without neglecting the unfinished agenda of communicable diseases.
The study examines the lead–lag relationship between foreign tourist arrivals in India and Sri Lanka from April 1989 to March 2023, with 408 observations. The study utilized various neural network approaches such as multilayer perceptron, gated recurrent unit (GRU) and long short-term memory to identify the lead–lag relationship. These models handle the more complex non-linear relationship between the variables. The results from all three models indicated a bidirectional lead–lag relationship between India’s and Sri Lanka’s foreign tourist arrivals, with India having a stronger directionality than Sri Lanka. The estimation shows that GRU outperformed the other two models based on the error vectors and hence is considered as the best fit. The findings would help policymakers, decision-makers and organizations in the tourism industry to acquire critical information for planning and making critical decisions.
Abstract Multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) defined as the co-occurrence of ≥2 chronic conditions are rising in low- and middle-income countries such as India. MLTCs can require continued medical support, investigations, and medications calling for health system strengthening. This highlights the need for assessing the burden of MLTC in the community. We estimated the prevalence of MLTCs and assessed their social determinants in Odisha, India. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two villages of Khordha district, Odisha, employing a systematic random sampling method. We recruited 530 adults aged ≥18 years between March and June 2023. Prevalence was presented as frequency and proportion, along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) as a measure of uncertainty. The relationship between MLTCs (≥2 conditions out of 28 assessed chronic conditions) and various sociodemographic traits – such as age, gender, education, and employment elicited using a validated Multimorbidity Assessment Questionnaire for Primary Care tool was examined through a multivariable logistic regression model. Results were expressed as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% CI. The overall prevalence of MLTCs was 29.21% (95% CI: 25.4–33.32). Individuals aged 60 years or older (AOR: 23.56 [95% CI: 7.55–73.53]), compared to those aged 18–30 years, and those residing in rural areas (AOR: 3.18 [95% CI: 1.70–5.92]), compared to their urban counterparts, were more likely to have MLTCs. Almost one-third of the adults had MLTCs that suggest an immediate need to develop, strengthen, and promote healthcare services for chronic conditions in the community that is accessible and cost-effective.
The adoption of solar energy in agriculture has the potential to significantly contribute to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to clean energy access (SDG 7), sustainable economic growth (SDG 8), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13). This review article examines the various applications of solar energy in agricultural practices, including irrigation, crop drying, greenhouse heating, and powering farm machinery. It analyzes the economic, environmental, and social benefits of transitioning to solar-powered agriculture, such as reduced reliance on fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy security, and increased income for farmers. The article also discusses the challenges and barriers to widespread adoption, including high upfront costs, lack of awareness and technical expertise among farmers, and inadequate policy support. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, this article highlights the immense potential of solar energy in transforming the agricultural sector and contributing to sustainable development. It concludes by emphasizing the need for concerted efforts from governments, international organizations, and the private sector to promote and facilitate the integration of solar energy in agriculture, particularly in developing countries where access to clean energy and sustainable farming practices are most crucial for achieving the SDGs.
The decline in dengue incidence and/or prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020- 22) appears to be attributed to reduced treatment-seeking rates, under-reporting, misdiagnosis, disrupted health services and reduced exposure to mosquito vectors due to prevailing lockdowns. There is limited scientific data on dengue virus (DENV) disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we conducted a community-based, cross-sectional, cluster-randomized survey to assess anti-DENV and anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and also estimated the spatial distribution of DENV-positive aedine mosquito vectors during the COVID19 pandemic across all the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Using real-time PCR, the prevalence of DENV in mosquito pools during 2021 was analyzed and compared with the previous and following years of vector surveillance, and correlated with anti-DENV IgM and IgG levels in the population. Results implicate that both anti-DENV IgM and IgG seroprevalence and DENV positivity in mosquito pools were reduced across all the districts. A total of 13464 mosquito pools and 5577 human serum samples from 186 clusters were collected. Of these, 3.76% of the mosquito pools were positive for DENV. In the human sera, 4.12% were positive for anti-DENV IgM and 6.4% for anti-DENV IgG. While the anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels significantly correlated with overall DENV seropositivity, COVID-19 vaccination status significantly correlated with anti-DENV IgM levels. The study indicates a profound impact of anti-SARS-CoV-2 levels on DENV-positive mosquito pools and seropositivity. Continuous monitoring of anti-DENV antibody levels, especially with the evolving variants of SARSCoV-2 and the surge in COVID-19 cases will shed light on the distribution, transmission and therapeutic attributes of DENV infection.
