BackgroundQuarantine of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID -19 confirmed cases is a well-... more BackgroundQuarantine of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID -19 confirmed cases is a well-known strategy for limiting the transmission of infection. However, there is need of evidence-based guidelines for quarantine of HCWs in COVID -19.MethodsWe describe our experience of contact tracing and risk stratification of 3853 HCWs who were exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases in a tertiary health care institution in India. We developed an algorithm, on the basis of risk stratification, to rationalize quarantine among HCWs. Risk stratification was based on the duration of exposure, distance from the patient, and appropriateness of personal protection equipment (PPE) usage. Only high-risk contacts were quarantined for 14 days. They underwent testing for COVID-19 after five days of exposure, while low-risk contacts continued their work with adherence to physical distancing, hand hygiene, and appropriate use of PPE. The low-risk contacts were encouraged to monitor for symptoms and repor...
Maternal anemia has been reportedly associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidit... more Maternal anemia has been reportedly associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth have been reported to be associated with anemia. However, different studies have shown inconsistent results. In the present study, we report the association between maternal hemoglobin levels at the time of delivery and outcomes among women at a secondary care hospital in northern India. Secondary analysis of routinely collected hospital data from January 2015 to December 2016 was carried out. Sociodemographic details, hemoglobin levels at the time of admission, and birth outcomes were retrieved from the records of women admitted for delivery. The outcomes were compared among anemic and nonanemic women. About 78% of the women were found to have anemia at the time of delivery. A significantly higher proportion of anemic women had preterm labor.
The maternal mortality ratio in India is high. An effective emergency obstetric care (EmOC) strat... more The maternal mortality ratio in India is high. An effective emergency obstetric care (EmOC) strategy has been identified as a priority to reduce maternal deaths. Since the capacity of different levels of public health facilities to provide EmOC is varied, an effective referral system is crucial. However, few studies have evaluated the functioning and quality of referral systems in India. A systematic monitoring of referrals helps to identify current gaps in the provision of essential obstetric care. This study was conducted to identify the medical and logistic reasons for emergency obstetric referrals from a subdistrict hospital (SDH). An audit of emergency referrals during the period January 2015-December 2015 was carried out. Records of all obstetric patients referred from the maternity ward during the study period were reviewed. The referral rate was found to be 31.7%. Preterm labor (30.6%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (17%), and fetal distress (10.6%) were the main reasons fo...
To combat anemia among pregnant women, in Haryana, Northern India, administration of intravenous ... more To combat anemia among pregnant women, in Haryana, Northern India, administration of intravenous iron sucrose (IVIS) was initiated in 2014 as a public-health measure. We assessed the effect of IVIS on hemoglobin (Hb) levels among the pregnant anemic women. Pregnant women identified as moderately or severely anemic (Hb <10.0 g/dL) in the second or third trimester during routine antenatal care were prescribed IVIS in a standard-dose of 400 mg given as 100 mg on alternate days. Neither dose calculation, nor allowance for iron-store, was included in this study. We analyzed the data collected between June 2014 and December 2015, at the two primary-health-centers, on Hb level (by HemoCue method) before start of the therapy (baseline), and 4-week or more after the last infusion (endline). A total of 990 women received IVIS. Both baseline and endline Hg-levels were available for 763 (77%), who were included in the analysis. At baseline, the proportion of moderate and severe anemia was 87...
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 2009
... WHO steps 1 approach. Anita Nath, Suneela Garg, Sila Deb, Ananya Ray, Ravneet Kaur Maulana Az... more ... WHO steps 1 approach. Anita Nath, Suneela Garg, Sila Deb, Ananya Ray, Ravneet Kaur Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India Click here for correspondence address and email Date of Web Publication, 10-Jun-2010. ...
Beliefs and myths about cancers are major hurdle in seeking health care among people particularly... more Beliefs and myths about cancers are major hurdle in seeking health care among people particularly among those who need the most.
Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine
Every pregnancy is a joyful moment for all mothers who dream of a safe pregnancy and a healthy ba... more Every pregnancy is a joyful moment for all mothers who dream of a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. However, every pregnant woman faces the risk of sudden, unpredictable complications that could end in death or injury to herself or to her infant. Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPACR) is a strategy that encourages pregnant women, their families, and communities to effectively plan for births and deal with emergencies, if they occur. It is a key component of globally accepted safe motherhood programs. The objective of our study was to assess the status of BPACR among pregnant women and to study the socio-demographic factors affecting BPACR. We conducted a facility-based cross-sectional study among 417 antenatal attendees at a primary health center, Palam, New Delhi from January to April 2012. Knowledge about danger signs, planning for transport, place, and delivery by skilled birth attendant, financial management, and outcome were assessed. BPACR index was calculated....
The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of behavioural risk factors of non commu... more The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of behavioural risk factors of non communicable diseases among urban adult population. The study participants included 531 adults residing in Mata Sundari road, which is an urban colony in New Delhi. They were interviewed using the WHO STEPS 1 questionnaire on lifestyle factors. Smoking prevalence was found to be 18.4% out of which over three fourth smoked more than one packet of cigarettes per day. Almost one third of known hypertensive patients were not on any treatment regimen. 80.6% did not undertake any kind of physical activity. 43% consumed only one serving of green vegetable in a day while 58% included fruits as a part of diet only once or twice in a week. There is a need to develop strong community based lifestyle behavioural intervention programs.
Rabies, though a disease of low public health priority, still continues to be a major public heal... more Rabies, though a disease of low public health priority, still continues to be a major public health problem in India. In humans, rabies is almost invariably fatal once clinical symptoms have developed. WHO reports around 50 000 rabies deaths every year, out of which 20 000 are estimated to occur in India alone. There is often gross under-reporting of human rabies deaths in India. Despite potent anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins available, rabies is far from control and elimination. An effective strategy for control of rabies takes into account the epidemiology of animal bites, rabies and factors influencing post exposure treatment. Hence it becomes pertinent to review the current status of rabies and strategies for its control in the country. In this article, an attempt has been made to discuss the epidemiology of Rabies, pathogenesis, diagnosis and its prevention and control including the various regimens of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins available for post-exposur...
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 says that any act, conduct, omission or ... more The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 says that any act, conduct, omission or commission that harms or injures or has the potential to harm or injure will be considered domestic violence by the law. Even a single act of omission or commission may constitute domestic ...
Adherence assessment is another issue of concern since it is an important component of monitoring... more Adherence assessment is another issue of concern since it is an important component of monitoring HIV ART. In the Indian context, electronic devices like medical event monitoring system (MEMS) are not available. Laboratory facilities to monitor CD 4 / CD 8 counts and viral ...
Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental ill health of women and is eviden... more Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental ill health of women and is evident, to some degree, in every society in the world. The World Health Organization reports that globally 29% to 62% of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Ending gender discrimination and all forms of violence against women requires an understanding of the prevailing culture of bias and violence. The present study was conducted in a rural area in India. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among married women in the age group of 18 to 35 years. Physical violence was a major cause of concern among these women. Some women had to suffer even during pregnancy. An alcoholic husband emerged as the main cause for domestic violence. Husbands’ relatives instigating wife beating was also common. Majority of the women preferred to remain silent despite being victimized. The women feared to resort to law because of implications such as social isolation. T...
BackgroundQuarantine of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID -19 confirmed cases is a well-... more BackgroundQuarantine of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID -19 confirmed cases is a well-known strategy for limiting the transmission of infection. However, there is need of evidence-based guidelines for quarantine of HCWs in COVID -19.MethodsWe describe our experience of contact tracing and risk stratification of 3853 HCWs who were exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases in a tertiary health care institution in India. We developed an algorithm, on the basis of risk stratification, to rationalize quarantine among HCWs. Risk stratification was based on the duration of exposure, distance from the patient, and appropriateness of personal protection equipment (PPE) usage. Only high-risk contacts were quarantined for 14 days. They underwent testing for COVID-19 after five days of exposure, while low-risk contacts continued their work with adherence to physical distancing, hand hygiene, and appropriate use of PPE. The low-risk contacts were encouraged to monitor for symptoms and repor...
Maternal anemia has been reportedly associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidit... more Maternal anemia has been reportedly associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth have been reported to be associated with anemia. However, different studies have shown inconsistent results. In the present study, we report the association between maternal hemoglobin levels at the time of delivery and outcomes among women at a secondary care hospital in northern India. Secondary analysis of routinely collected hospital data from January 2015 to December 2016 was carried out. Sociodemographic details, hemoglobin levels at the time of admission, and birth outcomes were retrieved from the records of women admitted for delivery. The outcomes were compared among anemic and nonanemic women. About 78% of the women were found to have anemia at the time of delivery. A significantly higher proportion of anemic women had preterm labor.
The maternal mortality ratio in India is high. An effective emergency obstetric care (EmOC) strat... more The maternal mortality ratio in India is high. An effective emergency obstetric care (EmOC) strategy has been identified as a priority to reduce maternal deaths. Since the capacity of different levels of public health facilities to provide EmOC is varied, an effective referral system is crucial. However, few studies have evaluated the functioning and quality of referral systems in India. A systematic monitoring of referrals helps to identify current gaps in the provision of essential obstetric care. This study was conducted to identify the medical and logistic reasons for emergency obstetric referrals from a subdistrict hospital (SDH). An audit of emergency referrals during the period January 2015-December 2015 was carried out. Records of all obstetric patients referred from the maternity ward during the study period were reviewed. The referral rate was found to be 31.7%. Preterm labor (30.6%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (17%), and fetal distress (10.6%) were the main reasons fo...
To combat anemia among pregnant women, in Haryana, Northern India, administration of intravenous ... more To combat anemia among pregnant women, in Haryana, Northern India, administration of intravenous iron sucrose (IVIS) was initiated in 2014 as a public-health measure. We assessed the effect of IVIS on hemoglobin (Hb) levels among the pregnant anemic women. Pregnant women identified as moderately or severely anemic (Hb <10.0 g/dL) in the second or third trimester during routine antenatal care were prescribed IVIS in a standard-dose of 400 mg given as 100 mg on alternate days. Neither dose calculation, nor allowance for iron-store, was included in this study. We analyzed the data collected between June 2014 and December 2015, at the two primary-health-centers, on Hb level (by HemoCue method) before start of the therapy (baseline), and 4-week or more after the last infusion (endline). A total of 990 women received IVIS. Both baseline and endline Hg-levels were available for 763 (77%), who were included in the analysis. At baseline, the proportion of moderate and severe anemia was 87...
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 2009
... WHO steps 1 approach. Anita Nath, Suneela Garg, Sila Deb, Ananya Ray, Ravneet Kaur Maulana Az... more ... WHO steps 1 approach. Anita Nath, Suneela Garg, Sila Deb, Ananya Ray, Ravneet Kaur Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India Click here for correspondence address and email Date of Web Publication, 10-Jun-2010. ...
Beliefs and myths about cancers are major hurdle in seeking health care among people particularly... more Beliefs and myths about cancers are major hurdle in seeking health care among people particularly among those who need the most.
Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine
Every pregnancy is a joyful moment for all mothers who dream of a safe pregnancy and a healthy ba... more Every pregnancy is a joyful moment for all mothers who dream of a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby. However, every pregnant woman faces the risk of sudden, unpredictable complications that could end in death or injury to herself or to her infant. Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPACR) is a strategy that encourages pregnant women, their families, and communities to effectively plan for births and deal with emergencies, if they occur. It is a key component of globally accepted safe motherhood programs. The objective of our study was to assess the status of BPACR among pregnant women and to study the socio-demographic factors affecting BPACR. We conducted a facility-based cross-sectional study among 417 antenatal attendees at a primary health center, Palam, New Delhi from January to April 2012. Knowledge about danger signs, planning for transport, place, and delivery by skilled birth attendant, financial management, and outcome were assessed. BPACR index was calculated....
The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of behavioural risk factors of non commu... more The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of behavioural risk factors of non communicable diseases among urban adult population. The study participants included 531 adults residing in Mata Sundari road, which is an urban colony in New Delhi. They were interviewed using the WHO STEPS 1 questionnaire on lifestyle factors. Smoking prevalence was found to be 18.4% out of which over three fourth smoked more than one packet of cigarettes per day. Almost one third of known hypertensive patients were not on any treatment regimen. 80.6% did not undertake any kind of physical activity. 43% consumed only one serving of green vegetable in a day while 58% included fruits as a part of diet only once or twice in a week. There is a need to develop strong community based lifestyle behavioural intervention programs.
Rabies, though a disease of low public health priority, still continues to be a major public heal... more Rabies, though a disease of low public health priority, still continues to be a major public health problem in India. In humans, rabies is almost invariably fatal once clinical symptoms have developed. WHO reports around 50 000 rabies deaths every year, out of which 20 000 are estimated to occur in India alone. There is often gross under-reporting of human rabies deaths in India. Despite potent anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins available, rabies is far from control and elimination. An effective strategy for control of rabies takes into account the epidemiology of animal bites, rabies and factors influencing post exposure treatment. Hence it becomes pertinent to review the current status of rabies and strategies for its control in the country. In this article, an attempt has been made to discuss the epidemiology of Rabies, pathogenesis, diagnosis and its prevention and control including the various regimens of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins available for post-exposur...
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 says that any act, conduct, omission or ... more The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 says that any act, conduct, omission or commission that harms or injures or has the potential to harm or injure will be considered domestic violence by the law. Even a single act of omission or commission may constitute domestic ...
Adherence assessment is another issue of concern since it is an important component of monitoring... more Adherence assessment is another issue of concern since it is an important component of monitoring HIV ART. In the Indian context, electronic devices like medical event monitoring system (MEMS) are not available. Laboratory facilities to monitor CD 4 / CD 8 counts and viral ...
Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental ill health of women and is eviden... more Domestic violence is a major contributor to physical and mental ill health of women and is evident, to some degree, in every society in the world. The World Health Organization reports that globally 29% to 62% of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Ending gender discrimination and all forms of violence against women requires an understanding of the prevailing culture of bias and violence. The present study was conducted in a rural area in India. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among married women in the age group of 18 to 35 years. Physical violence was a major cause of concern among these women. Some women had to suffer even during pregnancy. An alcoholic husband emerged as the main cause for domestic violence. Husbands’ relatives instigating wife beating was also common. Majority of the women preferred to remain silent despite being victimized. The women feared to resort to law because of implications such as social isolation. T...
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Papers by Ravneet Kaur