Persons In India Research Articles

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria.

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)'s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend.

Living longer: For better or worse? Changes in life expectancy with and without mobility limitation among older persons in India between 1995-1996 and 2004

This study estimates changes in life expectancy with and without mobility limitation to test whether older persons in India experienced compression or expansion of morbidity from the period 1995–1996 to 2004. Age-specific death rates and the prevalence of mobility limitation were obtained from the Sample Registration System and two rounds (1995–1996/2004) of the National Sample Survey. Sullivan’s method was employed to compute life expectancy with and without mobility limitation by gender and by place of residence. From 1995–1996 to 2004, at ages 60, 70, and 80, older men and older rural persons in India experienced a significant increase in life expectancy without mobility limitation and a significant reduction in the proportion of remaining life with mobility limitation, suggesting a compression of morbidity. However, over this same period, older women and older urban persons seem to have experienced an expansion of morbidity with an increase in life expectancy with mobility limitation and an increase in the proportion of remaining life with mobility limitation. These results call for the promotion and maintenance of physical mobility among all older persons in India, with special attention to older women and older urban persons.

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)’s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend.

Educational Development of Physically Challenged Persons in India – Policies and Challenges

Educational Development of Physically Challenged Persons in India – Policies and Challenges

Found a good match: Should I keep searching? — Accuracy and performance in iris matching using 1-to-First search

Iris recognition is used in many applications around the world, with enrollment sizes as large as over one billion persons in India's Aadhaar program. Large enrollment sizes can require special optimizations in order to achieve fast database searches. One such optimization that has been used in some operational scenarios is 1:First search. In this approach, instead of scanning the entire database, the search is terminated when the first sufficiently good match is found. This saves time, but ignores potentially better matches that may exist in the unexamined portion of the enrollments. At least one prominent and successful border-crossing program used this approach for nearly a decade, in order to allow users a fast “token-free” search. Our work investigates the search accuracy of 1:First and compares it to the traditional 1:N search. Several different scenarios are considered trying to emulate real environments as best as possible: a range of enrollment sizes, closed- and open-set configurations, two iris matchers, and different permutations of the galleries. Results confirm the expected accuracy degradation using 1:First search, and also allow us to identify acceptable working parameters where significant search time reduction is achieved, while maintaining accuracy similar to 1:N search.

A demographic dividend of the FP2020 Initiative and the SDG reproductive health target: Case studies of India and Nigeria.

Background: The demographic dividend, defined as the economic growth potential resulting from favorable shifts in population age structure following rapid fertility decline, has been widely employed to advocate improving access to family planning. The current framework focuses on the long-term potential, while the short-term benefits may also help persuade policy makers to invest in family planning. Methods: We estimate the short- and medium-term economic benefits from two major family planning goals: the Family Planning 2020 (FP2020)'s goal of adding 120 million modern contraceptive users by 2020; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3.7 of ensuring universal access to family planning by 2030. We apply the cohort component method to World Population Prospects and National Transfer Accounts data. India and Nigeria, respectively the most populous Asian and African country under the FP2020 initiative, are used as case studies. Results: Meeting the FP2020 target implies that on average, the number of children that need to be supported by every 100 working-age people would decrease by 8 persons in India and 11 persons in Nigeria in 2020; the associated reduction remains at 8 persons in India, but increases to 14 persons in Nigeria by 2030 under the SDG 3.7. In India meeting the FP2020 target would yield a saving of US$18.2 billion (PPP) in consumption expenditures for children and youth in the year 2020 alone, and that increased to US$89.7 billion by 2030. In Nigeria the consumption saved would be US$2.5 billion in 2020 and $12.9 billion by 2030. Conclusions: The tremendous economic benefits from meeting the FP2020 and SDG family planning targets demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of investment in promoting access to contraceptive methods. The gap already apparent between the observed and targeted trajectories indicates tremendous missing opportunities. Accelerated progress is needed to achieve the FP2020 and SDG goals and so reap the demographic dividend.

Data Protection: A Necessary Part of Indiaas Fundamental Inalienable Right of Privacy Submission on the White Paper of the Committee of Experts on a Data Protection Framework for India

Data Protection: A Necessary Part of Indiaas Fundamental Inalienable Right of Privacy Submission on the White Paper of the Committee of Experts on a Data Protection Framework for India

Hypoglycemic Effect of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L) among Pre Diabetics in India: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Cross Over Study

High prevalence of pre diabetes observed in many South Asian countries highlights a potential indicator of further progression of the diabetic epidemic in the region. Average expenditure related to diabetes per person in India is higher. Unless appropriate action is taken, this will place an economic burden, hence a food based approach was planned to reduce the incidence of pre diabetes. The main aim of the study was to investigate the hypoglycemic effect of bitter gourd (Mormordica charantia L.)among pre diabetics. A single blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over designed intervention study was conducted with freeze dried bitter gourd powder (2.5 g) to find out its hypoglycemic effect. In the first phase Group 1 (AB) started the bitter gourd juice (A) intervention followed by placebo (B), while the Group 2 (BA) started the supplementation with placebo (B) followed by bitter gourd (A). The intervention continued for a period of eight weeks. Between the two arms, 4 weeks were left as wash-out period to minimize the carry-over effect of one phase to the other. Cross over was done after the washout period. The mean initial fasting blood glucose level of pre diabetics in AB group was 110.66 mg/dl which reduced significantly (p<0.01) to 99.86 mg/dl at the end of intervention. In case of BA group the placebo treatment did not bring any appreciable change in FBG where as the bitter gourd treatment was found to have a significant (p<0.01) impact. No serious adverse effects were observed. The present study proved that the consumption of bitter gourd juice prepared with 2.5 g freeze dried bitter gourd powder (50g of the vegetable) reduced the fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol level among the pre diabetics.

Disabled Persons in India – Issues and Challenges

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Rural-urban disparities in prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls in India

Background: Anaemia continues to be a major public health problem at all ages worldwide. Today, every fifth person in India is an adolescent (Census, 2011). Anaemia effects adolescent girls critically by decreasing their capacity to do physical work, affects their growth as a result they are not well prepared for upcoming pregnancy and motherhood challenge. NFHS-3 reports indicated wide rural-urban disparity in prevalence of anaemia. The present study aims to explore rural-urban disparity in prevalence of anaemia and to study the factor associated with anaemia among adolescent girls in India. Methods: District levels household survey (DLHS-4, 2012-13) was used for the present study. The outcome variables included in the study was anaemia. Bivariate analyses including chi square tests were applied to determine the prevalence of anaemia and logistic regression models to understand the determinants of anaemia. The whole analysis was performed using STATA version 13.0 to take into account the survey design (i.e. sampling weights with clustering and strata), QGIS, and R CRAN. Results: The prevalence of anaemia was observed high in urban (65.3%) as compared to rural (57.3%). However, the prevalence of severe anaemia was high in rural area as compared to urban area. The mean hemoglobin level of the study population was 10.4±2.22. Prevalence of anaemia varies across key selected individual, household and community characteristics of adolescent girls. Finding of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that anemia has a strong relation with age, education, family size, religion, caste, economic status, sanitation facility and place of residence of adolescents. Conclusions: This study concludes that the prevalence of anaemia is a significant problem of adolescent girls in India. The study also proved that anemia is significantly associated with age, education, income strata and place of residence.

Cost variation analysis of various brands of anti-epileptic drugs currently available in Indian pharmaceutical market

Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting about 10 million persons in India. The compliance to a particular antiepileptic drug is highly dependent on the cost of the drug which directly translates into success or failure of therapy. Hence there is a need for all clinicians to keep themselves updated with the latest prices and price variation of the commonly prescribed drugs. This study aims to analyze cost variation of various brands of anti-epileptic drugs currently available in Indian pharmaceutical market.Methods: Current Index of Medical Specialities July-October 2016 edition was referred to know the maximum and minimum price in INR of various brands of anti- epileptic drugs in India. Further analysis was done by using Percentage Cost Variation.Results: There is wide variation in the prices of different brands of same antiepileptic agents in Indian market. The highest % cost variation was found for diazepam 5mg tablet (374.42), followed by lorazepam 2mg tablet (213.63), carbamazepine 100mg syrup/5ml-100ml (172.58), levetiracetam 1000mg FC-tablet (168.57), lamotrigine 25mg DIS- tablet (150), clobazam 10mg tablet (147.37), clonazepam 0.5mg tablet (145.90), oxcarbazepine 150mg tablet (89.46), gabapentin 300mg capsule (71.67), valproic acid 200mg FC-tablet (58.62), divalproex sodium 500mg ER-tablet (47.82), topiramate 50mg tablet (41.66) and lowest % cost variation was of phenytoin sodium 300mg tablet (0.23).Conclusions: The average percentage price variation of different brands of same oral anti-epileptic drug in Indian market is very wide. To counter act such cost variation, physicians should be encouraged to prescribe a medication brand with low cost. This in turn reduces the unnecessary economic burden to the patients.

Inclusive Education For Third Gender Persons In India

Inclusive Education For Third Gender Persons In India

Economic Status of the Aged Population: An Overview of Indian Literature

This paper reviews the economics status of aged persons in India. Aged Persons will be one of the major policy concerns of the twenty-first century. Population ageing will affect every single individual of the society in many ways. The review analysed economic status of the aged persons based on their family status, income status before and after retirement, saving and borrowing status of the aged persons in India. As the country is ageing, this will affect the economy, because the economic needs of the society will be different in an ageing society. Every ageing nation suffers from over dependency and lesser participation of younger Human Resources in productive processes. It is felt that the retired ageing populations start using the nation’s resources for social security needs, which is estimated to be a big burden on the exchequer of the state. Thus, the impact of ageing on Indian economy is multi-faced, which includes production, consumption, labour force and social expenditure on retirement. The developed world has already witnessed this and is looking for options to overcome this problem. However, this trend clearly reveals that aged persons will be a very big issue to the future society and vast resources need to be directed towards the support and care of the aged population. Thus, the present paper suggests the researchers in the field of aged population and their economics status to bring various researches for improving their economics status and assure the social status ofaged population.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in elderly: Experience from a tertiary care oncology center in South India.

Introduction:Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequent non-Hodgkins lymphoma in the elderly. With the rising proportion of older persons in India, it is important to study current patterns and management of this disease, given that data in this regard are scarce in Indian settings. The aim of this study was to document the clinical features of DLBCL among elderly patients and their outcome over 7 years at a tertiary care oncology center.Materials and Methods:This was a retrospective records review of 119 DLBCL cases between January 2007 and January 2015 aged 60 years and above done at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Clinical staging was done according to Ann Arbor staging as modified by Cotswold's and International Prognostic Index (IPI) calculated.Results:The mean age was 69.54 years (±5.44) with male: female ratio of 1.52:1. B symptoms were seen in 33% of patients. Thirty-six percent of the patients had stage II disease. The advanced stage was seen in 12% and bulky disease in 9.5%. Bone marrow was involved in 12%. The most common extranodal site was the head and neck region. The distribution according to the IPI was as follows: Low risk 38 (31.93%), low-intermediate risk 53 (44.54%), high-intermediate risk 20 (16.80%), and high risk 8 (6.72%). Among 119 patients, 98 (64.7%) received treatment with either combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, epirubicin, and prednisolone. Overall response rate was 63.26% with a complete response rate of 38.77%. The overall survival ranged from 2 to 123 months with the median being 9.5 months.Conclusion:In elderly, DLBCL is common in seventh decade and most of them present in an early stage and low IPI. The incorporation of rituximab to anthracycline based chemotherapy shows a significant improvement in survival in elderly DLBCL.

Religious differentials in morbidity prevalence and health care seeking behaviours among older persons in India

PurposeA plethora of studies have documented evidence on morbidity patterns and treatment-seeking behaviour among older persons in India. However, so far no attempt has been made to understand differences in the morbidity prevalence rates and utilization of health care services among older adults between religion groups in India. The purpose of this paper is to make an effort in this direction.Design/methodology/approachMultivariate logistic regression models were fitted to examine the association between socio-demographic conditions and morbidity prevalence and health care-seeking behaviours among the two religion groups: Hindu and Muslim. Data from the 60th round of the National Sample Survey in 2004 were used.FindingsThis study provided interesting evidence that, overall, the morbidity prevalence rate was higher among Muslim older persons than their Hindu counterparts by seven percentage points and Hindu scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) counterpart population (compared to SCs eight percentage points, and STs 20 percentage points); income had no association with the burden of disease among Muslim older population – an older person belonging to the first income quintile was equally likely to report ill-health as an older person of the fifth income quintile. However, despite the low socio-economic status, Muslim older persons were more likely to seek treatment for ill-health compared to Hindu older persons but spent less money for treatment. Also, loss of household income due to sickness was greater among Muslim compared to Hindu older adults.Originality/valueThe findings of this study are important to support the policy makers and health care providers in identifying individuals “at risk” and could be integrated into the current programs of social, economic and health security for the older persons.

An empirical comparison of two brand personality scales: Evidence from India

Aaker's (1997) brand personality scale has been widely used to measure the personality of brands. However, studies also show that Aaker's brand personality dimensions are not stable across cultures. In pursuance of this issue, we examine the structure of brand personality dimensions in India. This research presents the results of two studies conducted to develop a brand personality scale in Indian context, and to make an empirical comparison between Indian brand personality scale and Aaker's brand personality scale. Results reveal that brand personality in India can be described in six dimensions: sophistication, excitement, popularity, competence, trendiness and integrity. The findings empirically support the reliability and validity of the scale developed. The results also reveal that Indian brand personality scale is a suitable alternative to Aaker's brand personality scale in Indian context.

Prevalence and Health Seeking Behavior of Depressed Persons in India

Prevalence and Health Seeking Behavior of Depressed Persons in India

Gender Disparities in Health Outcomes of Elderly Persons in India

This article uses data from India’s National Sample Survey (NSS), relating to respondents’ health outcomes between January and June 2014, to quantify a particular form of gender inequality: inequality in self-rated health (SRH) outcomes between men and women aged 60 years and above. In so doing, it makes five contributions to the existing literature. The first is in terms of analytical technique; this study contains a more detailed and nuanced exposition of the regression results than in previous studies. Second, it controls for environmental factors—like poor drainage, lack of toilets or ventilation in the kitchen—which might have adverse impact on health and, in particular, affect the health of women more than that of men. Third, it takes an account of interaction effects by which the effect of a variable on an elderly person’s SRH differed according to whether the person was male or female. Lastly, it examines whether SRH is correlated with objective health outcomes. In particular, this study answers two central questions: Did men and women, considered collectively, have significantly different likelihoods of ‘poor’ SRH between the different regions/income classes/social groups/education levels? Did men and women, considered separately, have significantly different likelihoods of a ‘poor’ SRH within a region/income class/social group/education level?

Aging in India- The Role of State in Health care

<div><p><em>The <strong>world</strong> is amidst of an epochal demographic shift that will reshape societies, economies, and markets throughout the next century. The world population, as per United Nations forecasts, will either stabilize/ balance or peak around 2050, after growing for centuries at an ever-accelerating rate. The fundamental reason is the decline occurring in birth rates as nations advance economically. As birth rates drop and better health care services delay life </em><em>traverses ( prolongs life span), the world’s population is aging rapidly. However the demographic dynamics in the developing world including India are radically different. Birth rates are still high, and populations are both growing and getting younger. Throughout the following couple of decades, a considerable lot of these nations including India are prone to experience what David Bloom, chair of the department of global health and population at Harvard's School of Public Health, has called a "demographic profit" a rising Proportion of youngsters entering the workforce, driving efficiency and economic development. But our aging population is anticipated to increase fourfold in next decade and this is a growing concern for India. The share of India’s population ages 60 and older is anticipated to move from 8 percent in 2010 to 19 percent in 2050, as indicated by the United Nations Population Division (UN 2011. By mid-century, India’s 60 and older population is expected to encompass 323 million individuals, a number more noteworthy than the aggregate U.S. populace in 2012. This profound shift in the share of older Indians— occurring with regards to changing family connections and severely limited old-age income support— brings with it an assortment of social, economic, and medicinal services approach challenges. </em></p><p><em>This paper proposes to contemplate the probable impact of the aging population in India, the challenges to be met and the opportunities to be exploited by investigating demographic, social and economic trends and aspects of aging in India, and advocate the necessity of policy initiatives for the care of older persons in India in terms of their wellbeing needs and budgetary security as it would be obligation of the state to provide, address the need of general population in the nation irrespective of age, standing, caste, sexual orientation and so forth.</em></p></div>

Marriage a Norm and its Impact on the Life of Transgender Persons in India

This article focuses on the issue of assuring dignity to transgender persons and recognizing their presence by granting them the basic right to live with respect in society. In India where the subject of sex is not openly discussed or talked about, very often young gay boys/men are left alone and confused about their own sexual identity. The article tries to understand the plight of married transgender/homosexual men and their families in an unbiased way thereby focusing on emotions, feelings and their right to live their lives with equality and respect. Besides engaging the relevant academic literature, qualitative research methodology has been used. The authors have also applied legal and sociological methods to review and analyze the entire problem.