Bengaluru City Research Articles

Awareness and Professional Responses in Managing Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) among Dental Students, General Dentists, and Pedodontists of Bengaluru City, India.

The aim is to assess the awareness and professional responsibilities of pedodontists, general dentists, and dental students concerning suspected child abuse and to explore their professional experiences with this issue. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 400 conveniently selected general dentists, pedodontists, and dental students in Bengaluru city. Self-administered, structured, both open- and closed-ended questionnaires were used to elicit information about their experience (if any) with suspected/confirmed cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN). Responses to open-ended items were grouped based on common responses. Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared tests were used to analyze the data. About 15.6% suspected a case of CAN based on physical indicators, and 8% reported a confirmed case of CAN that was based on conflicting history from child to parent. Counseling of both child and parent, followed by a proper recording of history, was the action taken for suspected cases. In addition, counseling of parents followed by reporting to concerned authorities was done for confirmed cases. About 18.4% observed a change in the child's behavior that was predominantly scared and submissive. Counseling of the child/parent/caretaker was the preferred approach, followed by reporting to concerned authorities. Pedodontists preferred to create public awareness, and dental students preferred to report to concerned authorities. The exposure to a suspected or confirmed case of CAN was very less in the present study. Not many participants who encountered a child abuse case opted to report it to higher authorities and rather focused on counseling the parent/family. The role of pedodontists was found to be crucial since most reported cases were from their end; however, dental students showed a greater interest in managing a case of CAN. There is a need to create more awareness regarding the management of CAN cases among dentists and students. CAN is a major problem around the world that can have long-term adverse effects on Children. The first step in intervention is awareness and identification of CAN cases. Sampangi Ramegowda AB, Kumar VD, Bhatnagar S, et al. Awareness and Professional Responses in Managing Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) among Dental Students, General Dentists, and Pedodontists of Bengaluru City, India. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(4):619-625.

Consumer Loyalty Towards Supermarket in Bengaluru City

Supermarket is a place where the people purchase their daily needs and groceries. Supermarket implements various strategies to make the consumer to stay loyal towards supermarket. Consumer loyalty is the vital accomplishment feature for any supermarket in current competitive market. With a comprehend the competitive market scenario, the most suburb after launch of many new supermarkets and malls, an effort was made to ascertain and analyse consumer views and preferences for the consumer loyalty. In order to analyse the reasons for consumer is staying loyal towards supermarket and what strategies the supermarkets are implementing to make their consumers to stay loyal, this work has been carried out. This paper focuses on consumer loyalty towards supermarket in Bengaluru city and the focus of the study is to know the various factors influencing the consumers to stay loyal towards supermarket in Bengaluru city.

A STUDY ON THE CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF FINTECH ON AMONG GENERATION Y AND GENERATION Z IN BENGALURU SOUTH

Fintech, short for financial technology, has emerged as a dynamic and disruptive force in the financial sector, reshaping how consumers access and manage their financial accounts in an era of rapid technological advancement. The city of Bengaluru, situated in the southern part of India, is not only a thriving technological hub but also home to a diverse and tech-savvy population. It is within this dynamic and digitally inclined environment that this study is conducted. The study on the Consumer Perception of Fintech Among Generation Y and Generation Z in Bengaluru South delves into the transformative impact of fintech on the banking industry, with a particular focus on the tech-savvy Generation Y and Generation Z demographics in Bengaluru. These generations, born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s, have grown up amidst rapid technological advancements, readily embracing digital platforms and fintech solutions. The research aims to uncover valuable insights into how these young consumers in Bengaluru perceive and utilize fintech services, their preferred digital financial services, and the motivating factors behind choosing fintech over traditional banking channels. Moreover, it examines the convenience, accessibility, security, and privacy concerns associated with fintech adoption and assesses the changing dynamics of their relationships with traditional banks in this digital age. KEY WORDS: FinTech, Banking industry, Consumer perception, Generation Y, Generation Z ,

Consumer Buying Behaviour Towards Electric Vehicles in Bengaluru City, Karnataka, India

Electric vehicles are environment friendly powered by electricity, reducing emissions & dependence on fossil fuels. They offer efficient, quiet & smooth driving, contributing to a sustainable transportation. Every day, we come across a wide range of issues and publications that highlight the crucial part that electric vehicles play in changing the face of transportation. In an effort to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality, governments all over the world are moving quickly to implement legislation to stimulate the use of electric vehicles. The dependability & safety of electric vehicles are questioned. In order to analyse how people, perceive the advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicle and the technology they include, this work has been carried out. This paper focuses on consumer buying behaviour towards electric vehicle and the focus of the study is to know the various factors influencing consumer while purchasing elective vehicles.

Affordable and sustainable transportation: Key drivers and policy choices for a megacity in India

The city of Bengaluru is one of the latest entrants to the list of 33 mega cities in the world. The transportation infrastructure of the city is expanding to accommodate the rapidly increasing population. As such, there is a need to reevaluate public transport policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 11.2. In this study, we conducted a socio-economic survey of 1350 households belonging to the low and low-middle income categories in Bengaluru city to understand their travel behaviour and transportation mode choices in the event of changing transport infrastructure dynamics of the city. While two-wheelers are the dominant mode among employed working males in the age group of 18–45 years, buses are preferred for long-distance travel. Metro ridership is low even where metro stations are accessible at the start of the journey because low- and middle-income groups are unable to afford metro services. Additionally, we used Random Forest model to assess the contribution of each explanatory variable in mode choice determination. The results shows that travel cost followed by travel time and travel distance are the most important explanators in determining the mode choice for our sample population. Based on these findings, the authors have created two scenarios to assess the impact of metro fare rationalisation on metro ridership. This study quantifies the co-benefits of the proposed policy changes in terms of economic benefits to the operators and the avoidance of air pollution and CO2 emissions.

The adverse impact of headway variability on bus transit ridership: Evidence from Bengaluru, India

This study examines the impact of bus service headway variability on bus transit ridership using direct demand models at different levels of spatial aggregation – route level and stop-route level – using transit demand and supply data from the city of Bengaluru, India. In addition, auxiliary models are developed to understand the determinants of service frequency and headway variability and to address the endogeneity of these service characteristics in the demand models. This is perhaps the first study in the public transit literature to compare and contrast the endogeneity and non-linearity effects of service frequency and headway variability in transit demand models using both a conceptual framework and empirical evidence from a large transit system. The empirical results offer evidence that variability in headways adversely impacts transit ridership and passenger-kilometres. The strength of the adverse effect increases with increasing variability. On the other hand, the influence of service frequency decreases with increasing frequency. Furthermore, it is shown conceptually and demonstrated empirically that ignoring the endogeneity of service variability results in an underestimation of its adverse effect on transit demand. On the other hand, the empirical results suggest that ignoring the endogeneity of service frequency would result in an overestimation of its beneficial effect. An important takeaway from these results and additional policy simulations is that transit agencies can potentially gain greater ridership and revenue by reducing headway variability rather than simply allocation more buses and crew to high-frequency routes.

Intersections of informal work status, gender and tuberculosis diagnosis: Insights from a qualitative study from an Indian setting.

There is evidence that more than one third of tuberculosis (TB) cases in India go undiagnosed each year and it is more pronounced among female patients. While there are studies available on the socioeconomic, cultural and gender-related dimensions of TB diagnosis delays among female patients in India, intersections of gender, informal work and diagnosis delays are not sufficiently studied. The present study aims to fill this gap by examining the TB diagnosis delay that are linked to the contingencies of working in informal arrangements for women from lower socio economic background. The study draws on 80 qualitative in-depth interviews conducted among female patients from lower socio-economic background, who were working or recently stopped working in informal arrangements and undergoing Directly Observed Therapy, Short-course (DOTS) treatment in Bengaluru (India) city and 60 willing significant others of the patients. The participants were identified through a scoping survey that covered 188 female patients from 18 DOTS centres in the city. Other than the already known reasons for the delay in TB diagnosis for women such as normalisation of symptoms, stigma and the gender-related discrimination leading to low prioritisation of women's illness, the present study identifies reasons related to work informality. These are normalisation of symptoms as workplace health problems; work related concerns that restricted formal help seeking; non TB specific narratives of symptoms, often incorrectly assumed to be work related health issues or comorbidities and thus confounding the early accurate diagnosis by the medical personnel and shifting between formal and informal systems of help-seeking. Further, the study found that mere knowledge of TB symptoms did not always translate to early diagnosis for patients from the lower socioeconomic groups working in informal arrangements due to the fear of losing work and wages owing to hospital visits. The workplace focus, especially the informal sector where a huge majority of India's workforce is employed, is notably absent in the TB elimination programme. The study indicates the need to adopt a comprehensive approach in the ongoing TB elimination programme in India in which family, living environment and workplace should be integral parts.

Evaluation of Noise Pollution in Bengaluru City, India During COVID-19 Pandemic

Evaluation of Noise Pollution in Bengaluru City, India During COVID-19 Pandemic

An Analytic Case Study of Lentic Ecosystem and Rejuvenation of Bellandur and Varthur Lakes in Bengaluru, India

Bengaluru, the town of Kempegowda was known as the city of lakes till the sixties decade of the twentieth century now transformed into pools of sewage over the years. The natural drainage system has been completely obliterated in the name of development and resulting in unprecedented floods in the south eastern part of the city during the 2022 monsoon and before. There were 612 lakes (live as well as disused) in the present area of Bengaluru city (except Anekal taluka). It is observed that the rejuvenation of lakes could not be succeeded because of the continuous inflow of sewage in them. Bellandur and Varthur lakes are no exception. Public and judiciary intervention has put pressure on the State to attempt rejuvenation of many lakes. Despite regular monitoring of rejuvenation works in the initial stages by a Committee appointed by National Green Tribunal, the works are not yet completed. Treatment of sewage generated in the catchment of Belandure and Varthuru lakes is around 453.50 MLD million litter per day (MLD) against the flow of 553 MLD. To regulate the outflow and foam formation, sluice gates are constructed and waste wear are renovated in both lakes. Desilting is a major task among the other works for rejuvenation. The silt removed from Varthuru lake is non-hazardous and used by farmers in their fields but the silt removed from Bellandur lake is dumped in the abandoned stone quaries since being contaminated. The results of soil analysis have been given in various tables. The groundwater is fond non -contaminated. Belandure lake play a role of buffer zone for Varthur lake.

Young adult sexual health: Masturbation behaviors among para-medical trainees

Abstract Background: Students’ life is a very exciting phase of life fraught with many challenges in sex and sexuality. Understanding masturbation is important in maintaining a positive attitude toward sex and sexuality. Materials and Methods: It is a descriptive study conducted among 150 bachelors of nursing students from three different nursing colleges in Bengaluru city, Karnataka. The sociodemographic data, semi-structured questionnaire, and the attitudes toward masturbation scale were used for data collection. Results: Masturbation is more common among male students than among female students. 45% of males reported that after masturbation they felt relaxed, whereas 41% of females were ashamed of their masturbation. Most nursing students view sex as an important aspect of life and masturbation as a natural practice of human sexuality. Conclusion: Health professionals have a distinct role to play in society in spreading healthy sexual behaviors.

Care-seeking practices for non-communicable chronic conditions in a low-income neighborhood in Southern India.

Given that access to healthcare is less challenging in urban India, evidence shows that affordable government healthcare services are underutilized by the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. There are emerging studies on healthcare seeking behavior in the context of short-term morbidities and communicable diseases that attempted to understand this gap of underutilization of government healthcare services, but similar studies are rare in the context of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and associated chronic conditions. Given the urban health system is ill- prepared and ill-equipped to deliver NCD services, it is important to understand how the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups seek healthcare for chronic conditions. This article investigates the care-seeking practices of these individuals living in a low-income neighborhood and care-seeking pathways for chronic conditions. The study is conducted at Kadugondanahalli-a low-income neighborhood with the presence of a recognized slum, in Bengaluru city. A total of twenty in-depth interviews are conducted with individuals diagnosed with non-communicable chronic conditions. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling method. The data is collected between January 2020 to June 2021. The study participants practice a wide range of care-seeking practices based on the management of comorbidity and multimorbidity, recognizing the symptoms and severity, experiences of family members, belief, and purchase and consumption of medicines. These practices clearly highlighted not only the nuances of non-adherence to the long-term treatment and medications, but it also strongly influences the care-seeking behavior, which in turn make the care-seeking continuum very complex. The care-seeking continuum attempted each of the components (i.e. the screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control) of NCD care cascade but participants often failed to do screening on time, delayed diagnosis, and did not meet the treatment goals, leading to their conditions becoming further uncontrolled due to the care-seeking practices they practice. These practices delayed not only the diagnosis but also the completion of each component of the care cascade. This study emphasizes strengthening of the health system in addressing the individual and community level practices, that significantly affect the entire care-seeking continuum, in the sustained monitoring and adherence to the treatment of chronic conditions.

Risk assessment of toxic metals and groundwater quality assessment in an industrial hotspot of Bengaluru, India – case study

The present study was conducted across 28 sampling locations in an industrial zone (Peenya) of Bengaluru city to characterize the various chemical parameters of groundwater. Groundwater chemistry was evaluated using Water Quality Index (WQI) and Piper plots. The WQI results showed that around 78% of sampling points were unfit for drinking water consumption. Results of Piper plots categorized groundwater samples principally into Ca·Mg-HCO3 type (39%) and mixed Ca·Mg − Cl · SO4 type (53.5%). The study used principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to evaluate possible sources of water pollution. The five major principal components were extracted, and it showed that the water quality in the study area was likely influenced by both natural geogenic and anthropogenic sources. Water was not typically used for drinking purposes, but was used for various industrial uses. Human health risk assessment showed that in most sampling locations (86%), values of the Hazard Index were greater than 1, which indicated that water was not suitable for drinking because of its potential to cause non-carcinogenic health effects in adults and children. Long-term monitoring of contamination in the study area revealed that the concentration of Cr(VI) still existed at concerning levels in groundwater. Thus, the current study aids in identifying risks associated with heavy metal contamination and serves as a foundation for developing a remediation plan to address environmental issues.

Role of Social Media in Influencing Consumer Purchase Behaviour and Brand Loyalty in Bengaluru City

This study explores the role of social media in influencing consumer purchase behavior and brand loyalty. Social media platforms have become powerful tools in shaping consumer decision-making processes. They give buyers admittance to tremendous measures of data, item surveys, and client produced content, empowering them to go with informed buy choices. Furthermore, web-based entertainment forces to be reckoned with and online networks assume a pivotal part in impacting buyer inclinations and sentiments. Besides, web-based entertainment stages work with two-way correspondence among brands and customers, taking into account customized connections and commitment. Brands can give client assistance, address concerns, and fabricate associations with their main interest group, prompting expanded trust and steadfastness. Online entertainment likewise fills in as a virtual commercial center, giving comfort and customized proposals that energize rehash buys. Besides, web-based entertainment assumes a huge part in building brand dependability. It is observed that social media has a lasting impact in people due to its accessibility and transparency. Both customers and companies can leverage social media to fullest to understand purchase patterns and behaviour. Keywords: Social Media, Marketing, Brands, Brand Loyalty, Consumer Purchase Behaviour, Advertisement

The mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between job satisfaction and commitment of employees working in the textile industry

Purpose This study aims to explore the mediating role of self-efficacy and the relationship between job satisfaction and employee commitment. Design/methodology/approach The study is designed based on social cognitive theory. To collect the data, survey method is used in the present study. Questionnaires were distributed to the 75 randomly selected textile industry registered and located in Bengaluru city, India. Employees of 71 organizations participated in the survey. Out of 700 employees who received the email survey, 452 valid responses were considered for the data analysis. To examine the defined research hypothesis, a structural equation model is used. Findings The mediating analysis explored that the direct effect is 0.700, the indirect effect is 0.1730 and the total effect is 0.8731; it indicated that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between job satisfaction and employee commitment. Research also reveals that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy, employee commitment and job satisfaction of employees working in the textile industry. The proposed measurement model statistics are as follows: CMIN = 2.322; df = 49; GFI = 0.958; AGFI = 0.934; NFI = 0.943; RFI = 0.923; IFI = 0.967; TLI = 0.955; CFI = 0.966. All these indices were nearer to unity. Practical implications The research findings provide insights to the management, practitioners and employers about the status of job satisfaction, self-efficacy and commitment of employees in textile organizations which will help make the strategies to increase the overall performance of the organization by enhancing the levels of job satisfaction, self-efficacy and commitment of textile industry employees. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that tests the relationship among self-efficacy, job satisfaction and the mediating effect of self-efficacy of employees in Indian textile industries.

An Investigative Study on the Awareness of BioDiesel and its Sustainable Impact on Environment in the City of Bengaluru

Abstract: The use of fossil fuels has been a major cause of environmental pollution. This has led to the development of alternative energy sources such as biodiesel, which are considered a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option. However, awareness and acceptance of biodiesel as a fuel is still limited in many parts of the world. The aim of this study is to investigate the awareness of biodiesel and its environmental impact in Bengaluru, India. Literarybasis: Previous studies have highlighted the benefits of biodiesel as a sustainable fuel source. However, adoption and awareness of biodiesel varies by region and country. Research onawareness and adoption of biodiesel in India is limited, especially in urban areas such as Bengaluru. Purpose: The main objective of this study is to investigate the level of awareness about biodiesel and its impact on the environment in Bengaluru. The purpose of the research is also to find out the factors that influence the adoption of biodiesel as a fuel. Analytical method: This study uses a descriptive research design to collect data from individuals in Bengaluru. Data collection methods include surveys and interviews to assess awareness of biodiesel and factors influencing its adoption. Observations: The results of this study indicate that awareness of biodiesel and its potential environmental impact in Bengaluru is low. The study also identified several barriers to biodiesel adoption, such as lack of availability, cost and lack of knowledge. Future Dimension: The study highlights the need for further research to understand the social and environmental impacts of biodiesel. The findings of this study can be used to develop strategies to increase awareness and use of biodiesel in Bengaluru and other urban areas. In summary, it can be stated that the scope of this topic is wide and it has the potential to influence variousaspects of society, from health care to education

Infrastructure Planning for TOD Zone of Chikkabanawara of Sub-urban Station, Bengaluru

Abstract: One of Karnataka, India's cities with the fastest population growth is Bengaluru. Inadequate walking and cycling infrastructure made people choose personal vehicles over sustainable transport options more often while the city focused on infrastructure to reduce traffic. By 2035, the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) Bengaluru (2020) seeks to expand public transportation's mode share from 42% to 70%. In order to reach this goal, it is crucial to guarantee that more people have easy access to public transport options in addition to increasing the mass transit infrastructure, as increased access to PT tends to encourage more people to utilise it rather than their own motorised vehicles. To this end, the city of Bengaluru has developed a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy. Walkability, Cyclability, Quality of Public Transport Infrastructure, Safety Infrastructure at Junctions, Quality of Intermediate Public Transport, and Public Amenities that Support the Uptake of Sustainable Mobility Modes are the parameters taken up as part of. The study region of Chikkabanawara is situated on the outskirts of the city of Bangalore and has the distinctive feature of greenfield development with prominence of educational institutions, commercial businesses, residential areas, and high-rise flats in the 500-meter buffer zone.

Challenges Inebriated by HR Professionals of Startups in Bengaluru City During COVID-19

Challenges Inebriated by HR Professionals of Startups in Bengaluru City During COVID-19

Bus priority lane in Bengaluru: A study on its effectiveness and driver stress

This paper studies the effectiveness of the bus priority lane (BPL) for public transport buses in the city of Bengaluru in India. We use the travel times on the BPL corridor as a measure of the effectiveness of the BPL. We find that there is a significant improvement in the travel times after the introduction of the BPL; for the worst 10% of the travel times, we find an improvement between 4% and 28%. Our methodology involves extracting trips on the BPL and computing the travel times for these trips from a time series of GPS information. Our methodology is scalable and can be used to compute the travel times between any two given points in other similar studies. We supplement our results with a novel test (called the D-test) for comparing the levels of stressful driving in the following scenarios: (a) morning peak hours (IST 07:00 h to 11:00 h) versus evening peak hours (IST 17:00 h to 21:00 h), and (b) northward trips versus southward trips on the BPL. We are able to infer that the drivers are generally more stressed during the morning peak hours and during the southward trips on the BPL. Partitioning the BPL into segments, we show that a majority of the segments exhibit similar effectiveness and driver stress trends as the full BPL stretch. We anticipate that corrective measures for the betterment of travel times and driver stress levels (e.g., introducing additional buses subject to vehicle re-balancing constraints, carefully planning the bus schedules to regulate bus traffic throughout the day, etc.) in some segments can lead to further improvements in travel times and reduction in driver stress levels.

The homeless of urban India under COVID‐19 lockdown: Rethinking their rights and the role of public policy

AbstractHomelessness comes with a slew of challenges and a never‐ending struggle for survival. This study examines the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on the homeless population of urban India. The study reflects on the experiences of the homeless in the major cities of India during the first wave of the pandemic as well as explores the aspect of their rights and the role of government policy in this regard. The methodology of the study is qualitative in nature, where secondary data collected from various sources such as news articles, blogs, books, journals, and reports are put to analysis for deriving the findings. The study reveals the sufferings of the homeless in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chennai. Their fight is not merely with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus but also with hunger, unemployment, and neglect faced by them. The study highlights the fact that their rights are being compromised due to drawbacks relating to policy implementation. The study concludes with certain suggestions such as, addressing the loopholes in policy implementations and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Will Users Continue Using Banking Chatbots? The Moderating Role of Perceived Risk

AI-powered chatbots have become game-changers for the financial industry. They enable banks to boost customer engagement and improve operational efficiency by lowering the traditional cost of customer support. This study analyses the impact of perceived service quality dimensions on user confirmation, satisfaction and use continuance. The present study also analyses the moderating effect of perceived risk on the relationship between user confirmation, satisfaction and chatbots use continuance. A total of 447 customers, all residing in the Indian city of Bengaluru and having recently used banking chatbot services, were surveyed. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to examine the relationships between the variables used in the study. Findings from the study show that all five chatbot service quality dimensions (reliability, interactivity, assurance, responsiveness and understandability) significantly impact the user’s post-use confirmation, influencing their satisfaction and continuance behaviour. Perceived risk negatively moderates the relationship between user confirmation and user satisfaction. Chatbot service developers and e-service providers can leverage these findings to understand user expectations from chatbots. They will also be helpful to other service sectors, such as insurance, travel and tourism, hospitality and healthcare.