India is widely recognized as a "pharmacy of the world", holding a profitable share of the global market. Intensification of competition among the pharmaceutical products and increasing market saturation influences the buying intentions, and buying behavior of the consumers positively or negatively, where the image of brands plays a pivotal role. Considering the role of brand image and its association with buying intentions and consumers buying behavior, the current study targeted to explore the impact of the brand image on buying intention, and buying behavior, as well as to analyze the mediation role of attitude between brand image and buying intentions of over-the-counter drug consumers in Haryana state. The research targeted on the most populated districts, Hissar and Faridabad, and utilized multistage-convenience sampling techniques to gain the responses on a 5-point Likert scale from 132 OTC drug analysis used SPSS software (version 23) and PLS-SEM (version 4) for analysis. The research work reported a significant and positive relationship between the image of brands, buying intentions (b-value: 0.0.230, t-value: 2.785, p-value: 0.005), and buying behavior (b-value: 0.369, t-value: 4.338, and p-value: 0.000). Furthermore, a significant (p-value 0.000) partial mediation role of attitude was analyzed between brand image and buying intentions. The research concludes that brand image significantly influences the consumers buying intentions, buying behavior and attitude serves as a mediation mechanism between image of brands and the buying intentions of consumers. The study remained limited to Haryana state and over-the-counter drugs only. The sample size was small 132 consumers. Employing a larger sample size across multiple states and countries may enhance the generalizability of the results. The study results will give insight to the marketing companies to develop new and refine the existing marketing strategies to improve the market share and to achieve organizational goals. From the social perspective positive image of brands will improve consumer confidence towards the brands and reduce the perceived risks, leading to the responsible usage of the over-the-counter drugs, which will further help to prevent drug abuse/misuse and to better handle emergency health conditions.
Mental illnesses have been on the rise globally, especially in the low- and middle-income countries, including India. India is amid an epidemic of mental illness, ranging from minor anxiety, depression and substance abuse that affects 1 in 20 Indians, to severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and various forms of psychosis. The National Mental Health Survey also revealed poor access and availability of mental health care; even 60%-70% of cases of severe mental illnesses did not have access to appropriate and effective treatment. The health systems are not prepared to tackle the emerging mental health challenges. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of frontline health workers in identifying mental health disorders in the rural population. The quasi-experimental implementation research study was conducted in two primary health centres of the Rajgarh block (Alwar). Frontline health workers were trained to screen for mental health disorders using the Global Mental Health Assessment Tool (GMHAT) as a digital tool. A pre- and post-test assessment was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of training and GMHAT. The prevalence of mental health disorders was 8.9%. The training of frontline health workers increased their knowledge of mental health illnesses and competencies in identifying mental diseases using a digital tool. As a result, there was a significant change in access to and availability of mental health care. Training frontline health workers in mental health and harnessing digital technologies would make mental health services more accessible and available in rural areas through primary health care based on district systems.
Background:The Bangladesh government took an important step towards preventing cervical cancer by initiating a widespread HPV vaccination campaign directed at girls aged 10 to 14. The campaign aims to reach 10 million girls in three phases. Assessing knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer and willingness to get vaccinated is essential for government success. Objective:This study examines Bangladeshi girls' knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer, and their willingness to receive the HPV vaccine, providing information needed to improve vaccination strategies and programs. Methods:We used a communitybased cross-sectional survey of 416 girls aged 10 to 15 years to assess their knowledge of cervical cancer, vaccination against HPV, and factors influencing their willingness to vaccinate. Parental consent was obtained from all participants before data collection, ensuring ethical compliance for the study. Logistic regression models and descriptive statistics were used to find significant predictors of vaccine uptake. Results:The study's findings highlighted that awareness levels regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination were low among Bangladeshi girls. Among participants, only 23% identified HPV as the primary cause of cervical cancer. Overall, 45% of the girls expressed a willingness to receive the HPV vaccine. This willingness was significantly associated with discussions with their mothers (aOR = 6.64, 95% CI: 2.65-22.3, p < 0.001) and living in urban areas (aOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.32, p < 0.001). Participants who had heard about the HPV vaccination had 2.28 times the odds of being willing to receive the HPV vaccine (aOR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.27-4.29, p = 0.007). Conclusion:Despite moderate willingness to vaccinate, substantial knowledge gaps remain among Bangladeshi girls. This study highlights the necessity for comprehensive education and awareness programs. These conversations with mothers and healthcare providers can significantly increase vaccine acceptance, emphasizing the critical role of targeted communication in the success of vaccination campaigns.
Background: Cervical cancer is among the leading preventable cancers affecting women in India, with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) being its principal etiological agent. Despite the availability of effective HPV vaccines such as Gardasil and Cervavac, uptake remains low. Physicians play a crucial role in influencing vaccine acceptance through their knowledge, attitudes, and prescribing behaviours. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of physicians in Kochi, Kerala regarding HPV vaccine prescription and identify key factors influencing their recommendation patterns. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 physicians (gynaecologists, paediatricians, general practitioners, and physicians) in Kochi during April–May 2025. A structured 24-item questionnaire, validated through expert review and pilot testing, assessed participants' KAP related to HPV vaccination. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied using SPSS to explore associations between demographic variables and KAP scores. Results: High levels of awareness were observed: 99.2% recognized HPV as a cause of cervical cancer, and 83.3% correctly identified the recommended vaccination age (9–14 years). While 80% reported having recommended the vaccine at least once, only 55% did so routinely. Attitudinally, 96.6% believed in the vaccine's effectiveness, yet practical barriers such as cost (90.8%) and cultural resistance (87.5%) were frequently cited. Significant associations were found between medical specialty and both knowledge and prescription behavior (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite strong knowledge and positive attitudes, prescribing practices remain inconsistent, highlighting a need for systemic interventions such as Continuing Medical Education (CME), consultation prompts, and culturally sensitive patient education materials. Strengthening these elements may improve HPV vaccine uptake and contribute to cervical cancer prevention goals.
This study examined regional disparities, determinants, and wealth-related inequalities in Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in India using nationally representative NFHS-5 (2019–21) data. Eleven WHO–UNICEF IYCF indicators were analysed, with particular emphasis on Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Descriptive analyses, multivariate logistic regression models, and equity assessments employing Concentration Index and the Concentration Curves were conducted across six geographic regions. Findings demonstrate pronounced regional heterogeneity, alongside persistently inadequate dietary diversity and meal frequency nationwide. Less than one in four children met MDD and only one in ten achieved MAD, with the poorest outcomes concentrated in the Central, Western, and Northern regions. Maternal education, household wealth, child age, and maternal nutritional status emerged as significant predictors of dietary adequacy, although wealth-based inequalities remained relatively modest. Overall, the pervasive deficits in complementary feeding underscore the need for context-specific interventions to strengthen young children’s diets in India.
