Survey In Bangladesh Research Articles

Prevalence and predictors of musculoskeletal health complaints among sedentary, monotonous urban workers: A survey in Bangladesh.

Monotonous and sedentary work is significantly associated with the worst health of workers. There is a scarcity of data investigating the musculoskeletal health of sedentary workers working in low-income and middle-income settings. This study aimed to measure the prevalence and predictors of musculoskeletal health complaints (MHC) among Bangladeshi shopkeepers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data from 1553 Bangladeshi shopkeepers aged 18 years and above were analyzed. MHC was measured using the musculoskeletal subscale of the subjective health complaints scale. The descriptive analysis helped to compute MHC prevalence and compare the prevalence across groups. Regression analysis revealed the predictors of MHC for the shopkeepers. The prevalence of MHC among shopkeepers was 58.0%. The prevalence of low back pain was the highest (55.5%), followed by neck pain (48.0%) and upper back pain (43.5%). Regression analysis identified sex (aOR 1.301, CI 0.996 to 1.700), age (aOR 1.405, CI 1.047 to 1.886), body mass index (aOR 0.495, CI 0.397 to 0.617), and substance abuse (aOR 1.998, CI 1.136 to 3.514) as independent predictors of MHC among the shopkeepers. Furthermore, significantly higher odds of MHC have been found among tobacco users (OR 1.234, CI 1.009 to 1.510). This study revealed a high prevalence of MHC and unhealthy lifestyles among shopkeepers in Bangladesh. Shopkeepers should be provided with better health literacy to follow healthy lifestyles and prevent MHC among this cohort.

Customer Fintech Readiness (CFR): Assessing customer readiness for fintech in Bangladesh

Financial technology (fintech) has disrupted the traditional financial system by decoupling, decentralizing, and demystifying finance. Effective and scalable adoption of fintech, however, is key to financial inclusion and value creation through new business models. While theoretical frameworks and models in the literature investigate technology adoption in general, a measurement scheme for customer readiness specifically for fintech is absent. We conduct a National Citizen Survey in Bangladesh (N = 1282), review extant literature on fintech adoption factors and variables, distill major themes into seven dimensions. In this paper, we propose the Customer Fintech Readiness (CFR) index to assess readiness to adopt and use customer facing fintech product, platforms and services. We validate the index and establish its easy replicability, albeit with small contingent adjustments. We find that customers in Bangladesh lag behind in readiness for fintech. Our dimension specific scores provide important insights for policy intervention and planning. While our dataset remains gender-imbalanced and depends on customer self-reporting, we delineate ways to fine-tune its construction for better replication of CFR in other countries.

Participative leadership effects on followers' radical creativity: role of creative process engagement and supervisor support for creativity

PurposeDrawn on self-determination (SDT) and social cognitive theory (SCT), this study examines how participative leadership (PL) influences the creative process engagement of followers (CPE) on fostering followers' radical creativity (FRC) through the supervisor support for creativity (SSC). It also demonstrates the CPE as a cognitive mediator between PL and FRC and SSC as a behavioral moderator between PL and CPE in Asia's manufacturing settings.Design/methodology/approachThe research is quantitative, and data are gathered using a questionnaire and a survey of Bangladesh's 252 textile and apparel industry respondents. SPSS 26 and SMART PLS 3.8 evaluated the measurement and structural models and other descriptive analyses for hypothesis testing and result confirmation.FindingsThe findings revealed that PL positively impacted followers' creative process engagement. Again, the CPE of followers was used to mediate PL and FRC to promote and determine radical creativity. Moreover, the research also found a substantial correlation between PL and the creative process involved in supervisor support for creativity, which increases followers' radical creativity.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the current literature by extending the scope of PL, CPE, FRC, SDT and SCT theory incorporating supervisor support.Practical implicationsThe findings showed that textile and apparel industry managers, leaders and practitioners could use participatory leadership to engage in collaborative leader-follower creativity goal setting, creativity-relevant thinking and talent flourishing to encourage and motivate creativity through supervisor support to followers to foster radical creativity.Originality/valueThe results demonstrate the colloquial expression in behavioral mechanism (creative process engagement) nurtured with the cognitive tool, shedding insight into the link between PL and radical creativity in followers (SSC for promoting radical creativity).

Psychosocial health of school-going adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a nationwide survey in Bangladesh.

Common psychosocial health problems (PHPs) have become more prevalent among adolescents globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the psychosocial health of school-going adolescents has remained unexplored in Bangladesh due to limited research during the pandemic. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of PHPs (i.e., depression and anxiety) and assess associated lifestyle and behavioral factors among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3,571 school-going adolescents (male: 57.4%, mean age: 14.9±1.8 years; age range: 10-19 years) covering all divisions, including 63 districts in Bangladesh. A semi-structured e-questionnaire, including informed consent and questions related to socio-demographics, lifestyle, academics, pandemic and PHPs, was used to collect data between May and July 2021. The prevalence of moderate to severe depression and anxiety were 37.3% and 21.7%, respectively, ranging from 24.7% in the Sylhet Division to 47.5% in the Rajshahi Division for depression, and from 13.4% in the Sylhet Division to 30.3% in the Rajshahi Division for anxiety. Depression and anxiety were associated with older age, reports of poor teacher cooperation in online classes, worries due to academic delays, parental comparison of academic performance with other classmates, difficulties coping with quarantine situations, changes in eating habits, weight gain, physical inactivity and having experienced cyberbullying. Moreover, being female was associated with higher odds of depression. Adolescent psychosocial problems represent a public health problem. The findings suggest a need for generating improved empirically supported school-based psychosocial support programs involving parents and teachers to ensure the well-being of adolescents in Bangladesh. School-based prevention of psychosocial problems that promote environmental and policy changes related to lifestyle practices and active living should be developed, tested, and implemented.

Behind the Scene of the Prevalence of Anaemia: An Extended Way of Reporting.

To develop the methods for an extended reporting of anaemia and to measure the status of the key contextual underlying factors of anaemia. Statistical appraisal of haemoglobin vs. key influencers of anaemia in Bangladesh--the intake of animal source food (ASF), concentration of iron in the drinking groundwater (GWI) and the prevalence of congenital haemoglobin disorder (CH) are conducted. The primary data of the National Micronutrient Survey 2011-12 and the British Geological Survey 2001 are analysed to assess the intake of ASF and the GWI concentration respectively. The prevalence of thalassaemia from a national survey is used to appraise the CH. ASF is evaluated relative to the 97.5th percentile intake and group-scores are assigned. Association of the GWI and haemoglobin is examined by the linear-fit and the mspline-fit and the group-scores are allocated. Group-score is allocated for prevalence of thalassaemia. Inflammation adjusted ferritin is considered to report haemoglobin. A nationwide survey in Bangladesh. Preschool children (PSC, 6-59 months), School Age Children (SAC, 6-14 years) and Non-pregnant Non-lactating Women (NPNLW, 15-49 years). The extended reporting to the prevalence of anaemia in Bangladeshi preschool children, school children and women are -- anaemia 33% [ASF: 2.08; GWI: 1.75; CH: 2], anaemia 19% [ASF: 1.98; GWI: 1.56; CH: 2], and anaemia 26% [ASF: 2.16; GWI: 1.58; CH: 2] respectively. The extended reporting of anaemia is a useful tool to understand the status of the key influencers of anaemia, to design the context-customised intervention and to monitor the intervention.

Perceptions and reasons for quitting and transitioning between smoking and smokeless tobacco products: Findings from four waves of the ITC Bangladesh survey.

Transitions between different tobacco products are frequent among tobacco users in Bangladesh; however, the reasons leading to such transitions and why they quit are not well researched. The aim of the study is to examine perceptions and reasons reported by tobacco users in Bangladesh to transition to other products or quit. Data from four waves (2009-2015) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey were used. Repeated data on perceptions and reasons for exclusive cigarette (n=520), bidi (n=130), and SLT users (n=308) to either start using other products or quit were analyzed with sampling weights. The percentages of responses across waves were used to calculate the pooled proportion data using a meta-analysis approach. Common reasonsig for respondents switching to other tobacco products were influence of friends/family (73.8-86.0%), and curiosity (44.4-71.3%). The perceived calming effect of smoking cigarettes and bidis (43.2-56.9%), and the impression that bidis were less harmful (52.3%) and taste better (71.2%) were major reasons for exclusive SLT users to switch products. Health concerns (16.5-62.7%) and disapproval from friends/family (29.8-56.4%) were generally the main reasons for quitting. For smoked tobacco users, doctor's advice (41.6%), package warning labels (32.3%), and price (32.4%) seemed to be the major driving factors to quit. Results highlight that the reasons for switching between tobacco products and quitting include social factors (e.g. friends/family) and (mis) perceptions regarding the products. Tobacco control policy could emphasize cessation support, increased price and education campaigns as key policies to reduce overall tobacco use in Bangladesh. Data from four waves (2009-2015) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey were used. Repeated data on perceptions and reasons for exclusive cigarette (n=520), bidi (n=130), and SLT users (n=308) to either start using other products or quit were analyzed with sampling weights. The percentages of responses across waves were used to calculate the pooled proportion data using a meta-analysis approach.

Trend and risk factors of fatal pregnancy termination: A long-term nationwide population-based cross-section survey in Bangladesh.

Pregnant women often experience the fatal outcome of their pregnancy both in developed and impoverished countries. Due to strong health systems and services, factual and historical data are available from developed countries. However, the prevalence trend and risk factors of a fatal termination of pregnancy in developing countries like Bangladesh are still lacking. The objective of the current study was to determine the 20 years trend of prevalence and risk factors of fatal pregnancy termination from 1997 to 2018 in Bangladesh. This study utilised the publicly available seven consecutive cross-data on Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys data since 1997 following identical methods among women of reproductive age. Respondent was asked if they had had a fatal pregnancy termination ever. A Generalised Linear model with a log-Poisson link was used to estimate the relative risk of different predictors for four survey time points (1998, 2004, 2011, 2018). The proportions of fatal pregnancy termination in urban and rural areas were 24% vs. 19% and 24% vs. 22% in 1997 and 2018, respectively. In multivariable analysis, maternal age 30 years and above and obesity were strongly associated in all survey time points. The richest wealth index had a weak association in 1997 but was strongly associated in 2011 and 2018. A significant modest association with secondary complete education level was only observed in 2018. The overall proportions of fatal pregnancy termination in Bangladesh remain nearly static; however, its risk factors differed across different survey time points.

Shoreline Change Assessment in the Coastal Region of Bangladesh Delta Using Tasseled Cap Transformation from Satellite Remote Sensing Dataset

Bangladesh is a global south hotspot due to climate change and sea level rise concerns. It is a highly disaster-prone country in the world with active deltaic shorelines. The shorelines are quickly changing to coastal accretion and erosion. Erosion is one of the water hazards to landmass sinking, and accretion relates to land level rises due to sediment load deposition on the Bay of Bengal continental shelf. Therefore, this study aimed to explore shoreline status with change assessment for the three study years 1991, 2006, and 2021 using satellite remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) approaches. Landsat 5, 7 ETM+, and 8 OLI satellite imageries were employed for onshore tasseled cap transformation (TCT) and land and sea classification calculations to create shore boundaries, baseline assessment, land accretion, erosion, point distance, and near feature analysis. We converted 16,550 baseline vertices to points as the study ground reference points (GRPs) and validated those points using the country datasheet collected from the Survey of Bangladesh (SoB). We observed that the delta’s shorelines were changed, and the overall lands were accredited for the land-increasing characteristics analysis. The total accredited lands in the coastal areas observed during the time periods from 1991 to 2006 were 825.15 km2, from 2006 to 2021 was 756.69 km2, and from 1991 to 2021 was 1223.94 km2 for the 30-year period. Similarly, coastal erosion assessment analysis indicated that the results gained for the period 1991 to 2006 and 2006 to 2021 were 475.87 km2 and 682.75 km2, respectively. Therefore, the total coastal erosion was 800.72 km2 from 1991 to 2021. Neat accretion was 73.94 km2 for the 30-year period from 1991 to 2021. This research indicates the changes in shorelines, referring to the evidence for the delta’s active formation through accretion and erosion processes of ‘climate change’ and ‘sea level rise’. This research projects the erosion process and threatens land use changes toward agriculture and settlements in the coastal regions of Bangladesh.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Daily Life and the Workplace: A Qualitative Statistical Survey in Bangladesh

Artificial Intelligence is changing our world day by day. In this research, we investigate how AI is affecting our daily lives and different fields of work. Artificial intelligence is highly affecting our education system, jobs, inventions, healthcare, production, and so on. In our research, we have collected 252 primary data using the qualitative method by setting up different questionnaires on AI-related topics in our day-to-day lives and conducting workspace surveys among different fields of people in the Chattogram region. The objective of this research paper is to find out how AI is affecting our lives and its future impacts on our daily lives and work. Secondary data has been used with relevant literature on different topics in AI that supports our research cause. To analyze the data, different methodologies have been used, such as reliability tests, scale statistics, ANOVA with Cohran's test, T-Square test, KMO, and Bartlett's test. This test will help us discuss and understand the situation of Artificial Intelligence’s significance in our lives and the work we do. The research paper will help the reader determine the extent to which "Artificial Intelligence" is affecting our daily lives and places of employment through scientific elucidation and precise data analysis.

Status of mental health in South Asian countries

Status of mental health in South Asian countries

Mother's functional difficulty is affecting the child functioning: Findings from a nationally representative MICS 2019 cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh.

Functional difficulties in children can be transmitted from mother to child, which is a major concern. We sought to determine whether there was a correlation between a mother's functional difficulty and functional difficulty in kids between the ages of 2-4 and 5-17. We also want to evaluate other fundamental aspects that influence on child's functionality. We used Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data sets. For two different age groups, the children's difficulty status was evaluated. The sociodemographic factors served as explanatory variables in this study. We used χ 2 tests and survey logistic regression models to analyze the data. Functional difficulties were less common in children aged 2-4 years (2.78%) but 8.27% in those aged 5-17 years. The study specifies that the mother's functional difficulty (odds ratio [OR]: 2.66, confidence interval [CI]: 1.35-5.24 for children aged 2-4 years and OR: 3.36, CI: 2.80-4.03 for children aged 5-17 years) were significantly associated with the functional difficulty of both age groups'children. Not attending early childhood education programs (OR: 1.89, CI: 1.16-3.10 for children aged 2-4 years and OR: 2.66, CI: 2.19-3.22 for children aged 5-17 years) and divisions were also significantly affecting the functional difficulty of both age groups' children. Moreover, area of residence and gender were significant factors for the older age group. The prevalence of difficulty among children in Bangladesh is high. Children's functional difficulty, regardless of age, is greatly influenced by the functional difficulty of their mothers, their absence from early childhood education programs, and divisions. Reducing the prevalence of child functioning difficulties will be more successful if the government and NGOs consider these factors while developing appropriate intervention programs.

Job satisfaction of local extension agents for fisheries: Insights from farm level survey in Bangladesh

The present study was conducted to assess job satisfaction of local extension agents for fisheries (from here and later in LEAFs) in Melandaha and Islampur sub-districts under Jamalpur district of Bangladesh. Data were collected by the researchers from LEAFs during September to November 2021 through face-to-face interviews by using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, rank order, and coefficient of correlation were used to analyze the data. Almost all of LEAFs (97.8 percent) had low to medium job satisfaction in extension service delivery. Among fifteen job satisfaction indicators, ‘supervisor’s guidance’ was identified as the most important one. The least ranked indicator was ‘job security’. Correlation analysis showed that age, level of education, job experience, training exposure, and organizational participation of LEAFs are significantly associated with their job satisfaction. All of the LEAFs (100 percent) faced medium to high problems in the research area. The most severe of the fourteen problems was ‘farmers’ reluctance to accept new technologies,’ followed by ‘shortage of manpower’. The least important problem of LEAFs was ‘farmers are non–cooperative’. Therefore, it is highly recommended that if an advance training program for LEAFs could be organized to solve their problems, it would be great to get quality extension services and build a well-organized fisheries sector in Bangladesh which will finally help to enhance nutritional security and poverty reduction in the country.

Prevalence, correlates and common conditions associated with adolescent dietary supplement use: a cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh.

There is a broad spectrum of dietary supplements (DS) and their accessibility worldwide. However, little is known about the prevalence of DS use among Bangladeshi adolescents. This study estimates the prevalence, correlates and common conditions related to DS use. A cross-sectional, convenient sampling strategy was adopted using an interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire. Kurigram and Patuakhali districts of Bangladesh. 702 adolescents aged 10-19 years. The overall prevalence of DS use was 83 %. The majority of participants (93·4 %) agreed that DS were good for health, and 28·3 % reported general health and well-being as the reason for using DS. The most frequently used supplements were multivitamins (38·6 %) and Ca (37 %). DS use was more common among adolescents who had ≤5 siblings, good health status, no chronic diseases, a positive impression that DS are good for health and who had the tendency to encourage DS to others. DS use was also higher among those who received DS information from healthcare providers, professional literature, friends, family and relatives. The prevalence of DS use is relatively higher among Bangladeshi adolescents compared to Bangladeshi adults and adolescents from other countries, highlighting the inclination towards DS use. Guidelines for safe DS use for adolescents are warranted to control DS use and prevent adverse effects.

First report of knowledge and practices towards toxoplasmosis among cat owners: A cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh.

Raising awareness about Toxoplasma gondii infection among cat owners in Bangladesh is indispensable to formulate persuasive management tactics to avoid zoonotic infections from pet cats. However, to the authors' best knowledge, no studies have been performed in Bangladesh to determine knowledge and practices of toxoplasmosis in cat owners. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to cover this research gap. We carried out a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh from June 2020 through December 2021. A structured online questionnaire was distributed to cat owners, which were voluntarily completed by them. The questionnaire included socio-demographic data, aetiology, transmissions, clinical signs, and preventive practices towards toxoplasmosis. Overall, 1,019 cat owners participated voluntarily in the cross-sectional survey. Among them, 793 (77.82%) participants showed poor knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis. Under specific knowledge sections, 62.51% of the participants revealed incorrect knowledge that toxoplasmosis was a zoonotic disease. In the same way, (72.03-85.77) % of the cat owners were unaware that the disease could be transmitted from improperly washed vegetables, raw or undercooked meat and fish, and contaminated water and milk with cat faeces. Respondents' age, education, occupation, residence type, and marital status were significantly (p < .05) associated with their knowledge level. Besides, 94.11% of cat owners had a good practice level. They followed good practices in different issues; however, they practiced those activities without knowing their impacts on disease control. Cat owners' age, education, occupation, and residence type had a significant (p < .05) association with the practice level against toxoplasmosis. This is the first study highlighting the low level of knowledge among cat owners about toxoplasmosis in Bangladesh. These knowledge gaps could increase the risk and transmission of Toxoplasma gondii infection among them and their families. The survey recommends the arrangement of educational training and programmes to increase the awareness of toxoplasmosis among cat owners.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among rural population: A national survey in Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh, there is a scarcity of nationally representative data on the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To estimate the COPD prevalence in rural settings, this cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh, and involved adults aged 40 years and above. By using multi-stage random sampling, 2,458 individuals were enrolled. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines were used to diagnose COPD based on post-bronchodilator lung function, while additional participant data was gathered through computer-assisted personal interviews. A 2% COPD prevalence (95% CI: 1.45, 2.55) was found in the study sample with a statistically significant difference between males (2.7%; 95% CI: 1.8, 3.6) and females (1.2%; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.81). Increasing age significantly inflated the odds of having COPD irrespective of sex (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05; P value < 0.05). Furthermore, prevalence of COPD was higher among manual workers, cigarette smokers, and those that used the indoor kitchen and did not have a primary education. Sex-based analysis showed that smokeless tobacco consumption was significantly associated with COPD occurrence among males (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.05, 4.37; P value < 0.05), but not females. Further, using an indoor kitchen increased the odds of developing COPD by 400% among female participants (OR: 4.39; 95% CI: 1.37, 14.10; P value < 0.05). This study provides a comprehensive sex-based estimation of COPD prevalence among rural population and imparts significant contribution to the growing database on COPD prevalence in Bangladesh.

The Perception of Health Professionals in Bangladesh toward the Digitalization of the Health Sector.

Bangladesh is undertaking a major transformation towards digitalization in every sector, and healthcare is no exception. Digitalization of the health sector is expected to improve healthcare services while reducing human effort and ensuring the satisfaction of patients and health professionals. However, for practical and successful digitalization, it is necessary to understand the perceptions of health professionals. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh to investigate health professionals’ perceptions in relation to various socio–demographic variables such as age, gender, location, profession and institution. We also evaluated their competencies, as digital health-related competencies are required for digitalization. Additionally, we identified major digitalization challenges. Quantitative survey data were analyzed with Python Pandas, and qualitative data were classified using Valence-Aware Dictionary and Sentiment Reasoner (VADER). This study found significant relationships between age ; location ; and profession ; with technical competency. These variables also have similar influences on psychological competency. According to VADER, 88.1% (583/701) of respondents have a positive outlook toward digitalization. The internal consistency of the survey was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha score (0.746). This study assisted in developing a better understanding of how professionals perceive digitalization, categorizes professionals based on competency, and prioritizes the major digitalization challenges.

COVID-19 associated fear & anxiety among students: Findings from a large-scale online survey in Bangladesh

Objective: The study aimed to assess anxiety and fear of COVID-19 among home-staying Bangladeshi students. Participants: A total of 3997 university students across Bangladesh participated in the study. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the generalized anxiety disorder scale and the fear of COVID-19 scale to measure anxiety and fear, respectively. Results: 40.11% of participants had anxiety. Fear of death by COVID-19 (β1’=4.45; 95% CI: 3.99-4.90) and perceiving COVID-19-like symptoms as having COVID-19 (β1’=2.47; 95% CI: 1.76-3.18) were associated with higher fear. Exposure to COVID-19 news on social media was a predictor of fear and anxiety. Furthermore, the severe educational loss was associated with fear (β1’=2.88; 95% CI: 2.25-3.50) and anxiety (β2’=1.91; 95% CI: 1.41 to 2.41). Physical exercise and recreational activities were protective factors for fear and anxiety. Conclusion: The study reports a higher level of psychological difficulties among students during the COVID-19 pandemic which needs further longitudinal exploration to design appropriate interventions.

Remittances and multidimensional energy poverty: Evidence from a household survey in Bangladesh

This paper explores the impact of remittances on multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh by employing a nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES)-2016 with a sample size of 46,080 households. Remittance is one of the sources of household income that can be utilized for energy services. Energy poverty is generally described and quantified at the household level, exposing potential household characteristics in terms of energy costs and benefits and access to energy services. Controlling for the relevant characteristics of investigated households, mixed-effect linear regression, two-stage least square, and generalized ordered logistic regression reveal that households with remittance income have a significantly lower level of multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh. The outcomes of this work advocate that an upsurge in remittance inflow engenders a strong contribution toward alleviating energy poverty in Bangladesh and likely in other developing nations. National programs should be established for devising policies to promote migrant workers, lowering energy costs at the household level, and investing remittance income into modern energy technologies to ensure and enhance access to clean energy sources.

Self-medication Practices and Associated Factors among COVID-19 Recovered Patients to Prevent Future Infections: A Web-based Survey in Bangladesh

Background: Human health is largely affected by self-medication in both ways, adversely and favorably, as evidenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fear of spreading novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from health workers and hospital environments has led many Bangladeshi people to practice self-medicate for as the preventive strategy against this disease. Consequently, this practice entails an improper and injudicious use of medicine to cure self-recognized symptoms. To date, the COVID-19 has no effective treatment. The lack of a cure for COVID-19 and the continual progression of the diseases in educational settings induce a substantial population to practice self-medication. Therefore, a study of self-medication practices is necessary for the framework of the pandemic. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with selfmedication to prevent or manage future COVID-19 infections among recovered COVID-19 patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted since September 2020 to February 2021 using an e-survey along with 360 participants (&gt;18 years). Data were collected using a pre-tested self-reported questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and correlations analysis were performed in the study. Results: Among 360 (male 69.7% and female 30.3%) participants, the prevalence of selfmedication is 11%, and monthly family income, residence, education, occupation, and previous history of SM are the associated factors. Among the participants, 29.7% use antibiotics, and 30% use herbal products/drugs as medication. Conclusion: The present study found SMP is moderately prevalent among COVID-19 recovered patients. To minimize the rate of SMP, adequate health care– access systems and public education should be introduced, and media and community should be engaged in rational use of medication.

Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances Contribute to Sustainable Energy Consumption in Developing Country: Moral Norms Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Since energy consumption in developing countries has increased significantly, motivating energy-saving habits among citizens is an important issue both from the academic and industrial perspectives. Thus, this study aims to predict consumer purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances based on an extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This study incorporated two additional constructs of moral norms and environmental concern in the model of the TPB. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 1155 Bangladeshi consumers, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results show that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control significantly influence consumer purchase intention of energy-efficient appliances (EEAs). This study also proved that the extension of moral norms is a significant predictor of consumers’ purchase intention in the classic theory of planned behavior (TPB). However, environmental concerns had no significant influence in the Bangladesh context. As far as the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical survey in Bangladesh to predict energy-efficient household appliance (EEHA) purchasing intentions using an extended model of the TPB. Marketers and policymakers can use the findings of this study to design strategies for generating more value for green consumers. The study also provides insights into environmental marketing and sustainable energy consumption in developing countries from theoretical and practical perspectives.