Urban Indian Adults Research Articles

Self-efficacy in the urban Indian culture- exploring values, self-construal and personality

Background: Personality and cultural influences on self-efficacy have not been examined among urban Indian adults, though they are relevant. Of specific importance is the relationship between self-efficacy and an individual’s perceptions of relatedness and autonomy, and their values. Methods: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between self-efficacy with self-construal, personality and individual values in an urban community sample from Bangalore city, India. A snowballing technique was used to recruit community participants (N=304, mean age=24.80±4.35 years). The tools used were the self-efficacy scale, the self-construal scale, the temperament character inventory-revised, and the portrait values questionnaire. Data was fitted into a linear regression model. Results: About seventy percent of self-efficacy was associated with was positively associated with personality dimensions of persistence and self-directedness, and negatively associated with novelty seeking and harm avoidance. Moreover, there was a significant positive association with the family value of benevolence and a negative association with security. Conclusions: It is important to study self-efficacy which has implications for domains such as quality of life, sense of contribution to society, well-being and positive beliefs held by individuals and the community at large regarding their self-worth and control. The study highlights the role of personality and values; all suggestive of a shift from the collectivist.

Development and standardization of a COVID-19 Vaccination Anxiety scale for Adult Urban Indian Population (CVAS-A)

ABSTRACT Given the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive across the globe, a significant amount of confusion, mistrust, misunderstanding, and hesitancy had surfaced regarding the vaccine. A standardized tool to understand the possible reasons of COVID-19 vaccination anxiety and hesitancy would be valuable in this context. The current study aimed at developing a standardized tool to measure COVID-19 Vaccination Anxiety among Urban Indian adults. A 19-item scale was administered to an Urban adult Indian population (N = 760) between the period of February 2021- May 2021 to obtain factors associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Anxiety and establish reliability estimates of the scale. Infection-related anxiety, information-related anxiety and vaccine side-effect-related anxiety were the three factors determined through Factor Analysis. The scale was validated with Convergent and Discriminant Validity by finding correlation between the three factors of the scale and five factors of the Brief version of the Big-Five personality Inventory (extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and neuroticism). It is expected that a tool such as CVAS-A would help in understanding and managing COVID-19-related vaccination hesitancy.

An Empirical Study of Ancient Wisdom : Effect of Anasakti (Non-Attachment) and Ahamkara (Ego) on Well-Being Amongst Indians

Introduction: According to Indian psychology, anasakti (non-attachment) and ahamkara (ego) play a significant role in determining true happiness. Aims: To study the role of anasakti (non-attachment) and ahamkara (ego) on the level of well-being amongst Indian adults. Methods: For the current study, 240 educated, urban Indian adults (Females = 104, Males = 136) were surveyed to investigate the relationship of anasakti (non-attachment) and ahamkara (ego) with well-being variables. Results: Anasakti (“non-attachment”) was revealed to be a significant factor in ensuring life satisfaction and experiencing positive emotions. Although ahamkara (“ego”) contributed significantly toward higher cognitive well-being and affective states, it better predicted negative emotions. Conclusions: The current study’s findings may widen our understanding of “What makes people happy?” and may add to the global well-being literature.

Multidimensional Assessment of Internet Addiction: Scale Development and Validation

The current study attempts to explore and measure the multidimensional nature of Internet Addiction in India. Based on prior studies and respondent interviews, certain themes were developed. These themes were combined with items from Young’s Internet addiction test (IAT) to propose an initial 25-item questionnaire. The scale was first administered on a sample of 294 urban Indian adults and subjected to an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This resulted in four factors, namely Internet compulsive disorder (ICD), Internet craving (IC), Internet obsession (IO) and addictive behaviour (AB). Eight items with loadings below 0.5 were removed. The obtained 17-item scale was validated on a new sample of 320 Internet users. Findings from the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) further confirmed the four-factor structure. The goodness of fit indices were found to be within acceptable limits. The instrument had satisfactory construct validity and high reliability scores. The study makes a unique contribution towards measuring and evaluating Internet addiction as a multidimensional construct and is aimed at enhancing our understanding of the impact of Internet platform on human psychology and behaviours.

Consumption of Canola Oil vs. Other Common Oil(s) in Dyslipidemia Management among Urban Indian Adults

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of consuming canola oil vs. other common oil(s) on the lipid profile and anthropometric parameters of dyslipidemic adults. Eighty urban affluent dyslipidemic adults (40 experimental, 40 control) of age 30–45 years were enrolled from hospital based preventive health check programs for a 16-week non-randomized intervention trial. Dietary and lifestyle modification advice for management of lipid levels was provided to both the groups. Canola oil was provided for routine consumption only to the experimental group whilst the control group was advised to consume their usual oil(s) in recommended amounts (15ml/day). Height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Total Cholesterol (TC) and Triglycerides (TG) were measured at the beginning of the study (0 weeks), post run-in period (4 weeks) and post intervention period (12 weeks). Self-reported checklist was used to measure monthly compliance. Mixed effect linear regression and quantile linear mixed models were used to analyze the change in the parameters over time. There was no significant difference in the compliance towards dietary and lifestyle advice between both the groups (p=0.525; 0.795). The difference of changes in the lipid profile and anthropometric measurements between the groups observed over time was not statistically significant (Weight: p=0.206, BMI: p=0.553, WC=0.40, TC: p=0.505, TG: p=0.167, LDL: p=0.271, HDL: p=0.504). Hence, there was no difference in the effects of consuming canola oil vs. other common oil(s) in managing dyslipidemia. Similar beneficial changes were observed with consumption of both canola as well as other common oil(s).

Assessment of Portion Sizes of Food Items Commonly Consumed by Urban Indian Adults: A Preliminary Study

Assessment of Portion Sizes of Food Items Commonly Consumed by Urban Indian Adults: A Preliminary Study

Materialistic consumption amongst young Indians: An ethnographic approach

Materialism is perceived as a socially undesirable construct, especially in collectivistic societies like India. This exploratory study attempts to comprehend the manifestation of materialism amongst young-coming-of-age-Indian consumers. The authors have made use of a non-intrusive narrative ethnographic interview that helps establish a framework for understanding materialism as a consumer value. The ethnographic interviews were conducted amongst 49 urban Indian adults ranging in age from 15-24 years. The study also deployed the use of third-person projective technique by making use of photographs. The rich and insightful data validated and supported the use of ethnographic method of enquiry for exploring sensitive and adverse issues like materialism. The paper also revealed interesting possibility by bringing to light possible cyclic, self-propelling bidirectional relationship between a negative value (materialism) and a positive emotive state (happiness) which is further linked to compulsive consumption. There were also implications for moderation of the cycle by demographic, psychographic and social factors.

Retrospective assessment of oral health of urban indian adults using intraoral camera: cross-sectional study.

Objective: To determine the oral health status of the adult population of the country residing in the urban regions of India. Material and Methods: Data from oral examinations of 7,783 adults who presented themselves in oral health screening and awareness camps at 18 major regions of North and South India was analyzed to obtain the prevalence of periodontal disease in the adult population of the country. Prevalence of periodontal disease alongwith indicators of periodontal disease like presence of stains, calculus, mobility were studied in adults of 18 years and above. Results: The prevalence of periodontal disease was found to be 63.09% in the study population with no significant difference between males and females. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of periodontal disease among the urban adult population. Intraoral camera can be used as an effective tool in the diagnosis of periodontal disease and also as a device for oral health education and tele-dentistry. Keywords: Prevalence of periodontal disease, Oral hygiene status, Intraoral camera, Tele-dentistry, Oral hygiene education

Low knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk factors in urban Indian adults from Pune city, India.

To assess knowledge of osteoporosis and its risk factors and to explore associations between knowledge and various sociodemographic factors in Indian adults. Cross-sectional study. The Revised Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) was used to assess knowledge of osteoporosis. Four scores (OKT-total, range 0-32; OKT-exercise, range 0-20; OKT-nutrition, range 0-26; OKT-risk factors, range 0-14) were generated by giving 1 point to every correct answer and 0 points for incorrect or 'not known' answers. Tertiary-care hospital in Pune city, India.ParticipantsAdults aged 40-75 years (n 477; 234 males) enrolled through voluntary routine health checks and health camps. Mean age of the study population was 54·6 (sd 9·5) years. Half the participants were aware of osteoporosis and could correctly define it. Women showed significantly higher median OKT-total and OKT-nutrition scores than men (P0·1). Understanding about osteoporosis and its risk factors is low in the present cohort of Indian men and women. There is need to create awareness programmes aimed at both men and women especially targeting those with lower education, lower socio-economic status and no previous exposure to osteoporosis.

Looking Beyond Distress: A Call for Spanning the Continuum of Mental Health Care.

BackgroundDespite mental health’s definition as a state of well-being, mental health research and practice has often narrowly focused on pathology and distress. The identification, treatment, and rehabilitation of mental illness are the primary activities pertaining to the role of mental health professionals, but only focusing on these primary activities carries the risk of neglecting other legitimate responsibilities related to prevention of illness and promotion of wellness. Therefore, it becomes important to highlight the potential utility of separately examining levels of distress, alongside levels of well-being in community samples. The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which low levels of distress or a lack of significant distress co-occurs with high levels of well-being in a sample of urban Indian adults.MethodsStandardized measures of psychological distress, along with measures of emotional, psychological, and social well-being, were used in a sample of 300 adults aged 20 to 60 years. The participation of community-dwelling adults who could respond to the questionnaires in English or Hindi (the most widely spoken and official language in India) was solicited through posting announcements on various platforms in a metropolitan city in Southern India. The participants had the option to respond to the questionnaires via a paper-pencil version or through an online Google survey. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K-10) on which a score over 19 indicated significant distress. We used the 25th and 75th percentile points on the respective distributions of scores to determine high, low, and moderate ranges on the three measures of well-being.ResultsBoth men and women were well represented in the sample (47% and 53%, respectively). Approximately 41% were young adults, nearly 30% were in the 36 to 45-year age group, and 30% were in the 46 to 60-year age group. Approximately 48% of the overall sample (N = 143) exhibited an absence of significant distress. Patterns of well-being were examined in this group of low-distress participants. Only 13% of low-distress participants exhibited high emotional well-being (i.e., had a high positivity ratio) and high psychosocial functioning (i.e., had high psychological and social well-being). As many as 37.8% exhibited low well-being on at least one of the three measures of well-being, despite being low on distress. In other words, low well-being scores were fairly common in conjunction with non-significant levels of distress.ConclusionReliance on low distress for operationalization of mental health may mask lower levels of emotional well-being and psychosocial functioning in a given population. The findings underscore the need to span the entire continuum of mental health care by routinely including preventive and promotive aspects in research and practice.

Perspectives of Urban Indian Adults on Spirituality and Religiousness: Similarities and Differences with Western Literature

Hundred adults from Mumbai, representing both sexes, and a variety of ages, religions and occupations, were each asked to share their perspective on what it was to be spiritual and what it was to be religious. We analyzed their open-ended descriptions using qualitative data analytic strategies. The most prominent characteristic of being spiritual identified was transcending a particular religion and abstracting universalities across religions. Other examples of themes characterizing a spiritual person were: observing and experiencing unity between self and others, experiencing equanimity or inner peace, and being guided by the spirit of a religion rather than the letter. The most recurrent motif with regard to being religious was belief or faith in one religion, more specifically one’s own religion. Another example of a theme extracted was that being religious is practicing the rituals and rules of a particular religion. Some of the themes characterizing a spiritual person were counter-opposed to those characterizing a religious person, a few themes were qualitatively independent, and some were consonant. The similarity as well as distinctiveness of these findings with regard to Western literature is addressed. Conditions under which spirituality and religiousness can be overlapped versus polarized are discussed. It is concluded that inclusive conceptions in religiousness bridge the distance between spirituality and religiousness.

PRINCIPLES AND TREATMENT APPROACHES OF DYSLIPIDAEMIAS: A REVIEW

Dyslipidaemia is a common clinical problem globally. It includes abnormality in LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The prevalence of dyslipidaemia observed higher in males than females among urban Indian adults.(1) Hypertension and dyslipidaemia are well established risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. There is frequent coexistence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.(2) This prevalence varies globally. Causes of dyslipidaemia are either primary disorders of lipoproteins or secondary to metabolic causes. In addition to metabolic syndrome, other causes of combined dyslipidaemia are lack of physical activity, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus etc. Clinical conditions such as metabolic syndromes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, early atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes results due to Overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescents. Familial hypercholesterolemia is predominant during childhood with elevated Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Hypertriglyceridemia are elevations of either chylomicron, intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) or very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). Combined dyslipidaemia include abnormalities of severe lipoproteins, usually elevated LDL-C and triglyceride (TG) with low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Non pharmacologic management of several dyslipidaemias include lifestyle modification, regular exercise, weight management and nutritional approach. Pharmacologic management with statin is individualised based on overall risk, pattern of dyslipidaemia and associated medical conditions. Combination medication to treat cholesterol may be effective when a single agent is ineffective or there is a need to reduce the dosage of medication.

Making Meaning of Urban American Indian Identity: A Multistage Integrative Process

The cultural identity and tribal connectedness of American Indians are commonly believed to have been negatively affected by the urbanization process in which American Indians have been involved during the past half century. This phenomenological study examined the processes through which cultural identity was formed and maintained by a group of American Indians who had lived since childhood in urban areas, away from their reservations or tribal communities. Seven urban Indian adults, each from a different tribe, shared their experiences related to coming to understand what it means to be American Indian and the development of their American Indian cultural identity. Four themes emerged from participant interviews and were seen to correspond to stages that participants passed through, from their teens through their 30s, that led to understanding and integration of their American Indian identity. Findings point to the importance of considering issues of cultural identity development when providing social work services to urban American Indian young adults.

Validation of a Visual Function and Quality of Life Instrument in an Urban Indian Population with Uncorrected Refractive Error Using Rasch Analysis

Purpose: To develop and validate a patient-reported outcome measure of refractive error for persons living in developing countries.Methods: A 21-item visual function questionnaire was developed from existing instruments through pilot testing in 51 urban Indian adults with refractive error. This was then administered to 400 adults aged 18 to 45 in Delhi, India. Rasch analysis was performed to determine item fit, differential item functioning (DIF), targeting of the instrument to the study population, and instrument precision.Results: The removal of 5 items from the instrument resulted in better fit to the Rasch model. Reducing the number of possible responses from five to four further improved fit. Analysis of the person-item map including the Fisher information function demonstrated acceptable targeting of the instrument to this population. The person separation index was good (2.03), demonstrating ability to differentiate between 3 strata of respondents.Conclusions: Revisions to existing instruments to measure visual function in persons with refractive error resulted in an instrument that conformed to the Rasch model. Identifying activities that are more difficult to perform with refractive error in this setting might further improve the instrument. The 16-item instrument was able to differentiate among levels of impairment due to uncorrected refractive error and could be used to assess refractive programs in similar settings.

Parental History Lowers Body Mass Index Risk Cutoff for Hypertension among Urban Indian Adults

Objective: Parental history of hypertension, a commonly occurring nonmodifiable genetic risk factor, was examined for its influence on cutoff for body mass index (BMI) for identifying risk of hypertension.Design: Data on BMI, body fat (%), blood pressure (BP), parental history of hypertension, and lifestyle factors were collected through a cross-sectional study.Setting: Pune City, Maharashtra, India.Subjects: Urban Indian adults (330 men and 306 women, aged 30–60 years).Results: Age-related increases in prevalence of obesity and of hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or antihypertensive medication) were significant (p < 0.01 for all) in both sexes. Among nonobese subjects, age-adjusted systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure levels were significantly (p < 0.01) higher for those with positive parental history than for those without parental history, in both sexes. Adjusted odds ratios showed that obesity or positive parental history when considered in isolation increased the risk of hypertension (by 3 times in men and 5 times in women), while the presence of both increased it further (by 4 times in men and 10 times in women), indicating their synergistic influence. Further, the BMI cutoff obtained from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was lower by 1 to 1.5 units for subjects with parental history than for those without parental history, across different levels of sensitivity.Conclusions: Positive parental history lowers the BMI risk cutoff for hypertension. The implication is that parental history could be an important aid in developing preventive strategy for timely and early screening of individuals at risk of hypertension in many Asian populations in similar settings.

Diabetes mellitus in India: The modern scourge

India has a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and the numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. In India alone, diabetes is expected to increase from 40.6 million in 2006 to 79.4 million by 2030. Studies have shown that the prevalence of diabetes in urban Indian adults is about 12.1%, the onset of which is about a decade earlier than their western counterparts and the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is 4–6 times higher in urban than in rural areas. The risk factors peculiar for developing diabetes among Indians include high familial aggregation, central obesity, insulin resistance and life style changes due to urbanization. Screening for gestational diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance among pregnant women provides a scope for primary prevention of the disease in mothers as well as in their children. The problems of obesity and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (important predisposing factors) are not confined to adults alone but children are also increasingly getting affected. Most long standing macro and micro vascular complications are also more common among Indian diabetics as compared to other races and ethnic groups. A strong familial clustering of diabetic nephropathy among Indian Type 2 diabetics has also been noted. Clustering of cardiovascular risk factor like Syndrome X is common among urban Indians. The rising incidence of diabetes and its complications are going to pose a grave health care burden on our country. Timely effective interventions/measures and screening tests for complications at the time of diagnosis becomes imperative not only for early detection, but also to prevent progression to end stage disease. Screening for gestational diabetes among pregnant women would also go a long way in primary prevention of the disease. Life style changes/interventions and drugs like rosiglitazone are the current strategies that can prevent and/or delay the onset of diabetes. Simple interventional strategies like “Eat less, Eat on time and Walk more” can go a long way in preventing these chronic disorders among present as well as in the future generations.

The Role of Cephalometric Analysis in Obese and Non Obese Urban Indian Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome : A Pilot Study

Cephalometric data of 28 Urban Indian Obese (Group I) and 15 urban Indian non obese (Group II) Polysomnography (PSG) diagnosed Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) adult cases based on linear and angular measurements were compiled and compared with 20 age-sex matched controls (Group III).Co -relation of cephalometric variables with apnea Hypopnea index (AHI) was also evaluated and suitable statistical tests applied.

South Asians and Cardiovascular Risk

Case presentation: A 36-year-old nonsmoking, normotensive South Asian man presented to the emergency department of a community hospital with retrosternal chest pain of &60 minutes’ duration. His 12-lead ECG demonstrated 10 mm of ST-segment elevation in leads V2 through V6, and he received fibrinolytic therapy within 90 minutes of symptom onset. His pain resolved, but his ST segments only partially normalized; he had a peak creatine kinase of 4564 IU/L, and he showed signs of early heart failure. LDL cholesterol was 135 mg/dL, HDL 32 mg/dL, triglycerides 20 mg/dL, and total cholesterol 206 mg/dL; his body mass index (BMI) was 24 kg/m2. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated severe and diffuse triple-vessel disease, including occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery, as well as moderate left ventricular dysfunction. While in the hospital, he was diagnosed with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus and subsequently underwent uncomplicated coronary bypass surgery. South Asians are individuals whose ethnic roots originate from the Indian subcontinent, a large geographic area that includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Collectively, South Asians represent one fifth of the global population. In North America, more than 2 million South Asians reside in the United States and almost 1 million in Canada. It is important to recognize that the term “South Asian” refers to a heterogeneous population, with important differences in diet, culture, and lifestyle among different South Asian populations and religions. Multiple studies of migrant South Asian populations have, however, confirmed a 3- to 5-fold increase in the risk for myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death as compared with other ethnic groups.1–3 In an analysis of age-standardized coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in Canada over a 15-year period, South Asians had the highest CHD mortality compared with individuals of Chinese and European descent.4 In …

Energy costs of standard activities among Indian adults.

To estimate the energy cost of resting (RMR), sitting and standing for urban Indian adults and compare these estimates with the reported values. Energy costs were measured using oxylog while body fat was estimated using equipment (HBF300, OMRON Corporation, Japan) that works on the principle of bioelectrical impedance, for 24 men and 40 women, aged 20-50 y, engaged in sedentary activities. Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India. Mean energy cost (kJ/min) of resting (RMR), sitting and standing were significantly (P<0.01, for all) higher for men (4.01+/-0.42, 5.0+/-0.72 and 5.74+/-0.69, respectively) than women (3.54+/-0.28, 4.03+/-0.41 and 4.35+/-0.52, respectively). Gender difference increased with the level of activity, from 13% for RMR to 32% for standing. These differences reduced when adjusted (using analysis of covariance) for body weight and became non-significant on adjusting for fat-free mass (FFM) in the case of RMR and sitting activity. The measured values of energy cost (absolute and per kg weight) for these activities were similar to African subjects but lower compared to Asian or European subjects for both sexes. The stepwise regression analysis done separately by sexes showed weight (29%) in men and body mass index (44%) in women to be the best predictors of RMR, while regression analysis for combined sexes indicated FFM and height as predictors of RMR (r(2)=56%, P<0.01). If means to estimate body fat were not available, RMR could best be predicted with BMI and sex as predictors (r(2)=55%; P<0.01). This was mainly due to the fact that the sex differences in our population were more prominent in FFM than that in BMI. Our observations thus indicate the need to develop prediction equations separately for different populations owing to differences in their body compositions, especially in fat mass (FM) or FFM. The energy costs of activities were associated with body composition, especially with absolute fat-free mass, which may vary even with the same body fat percentage. Therefore, there is a need to develop separate prediction equations for different communities.