Villages In Tamil Nadu Research Articles

Relative contribution of biomedical, demographic, and socioeconomic factors to COVID-19 vaccine receipt in rural India.

In the first year of roll-out, vaccination for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prevented almost 20 million deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Yet, little is known about the factors influencing access to vaccination at the individual level within rural poor settings of low-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine determinants of vaccine receipt in rural India. A census of a rural village in Tamil Nadu was undertaken from June 2021 to September 2022. We surveyed 775 participants from 262 households. Household-level data on socioeconomic status (SES), water, sanitation, and hygiene practices, and individual-level demographic information, travel history, and biomedical data, including anthropometry, vital signs, and comorbidities, were collected. Logistic regression models with 5-fold cross-validation were used to identify the biomedical, demographic, and socioeconomic determinants of vaccine receipt and the timing of receipt within the first 30 days of eligibility. Vaccine ineligible participants were excluded leaving 659 eligible participants. There were 650 eligible participants with complete biomedical, demographic, and socioeconomic data. There were 68.0% and 34.0% of individuals (N = 650) who had received one and two vaccine doses, respectively. Participants with household ownership of a permanent account number (PAN) or ration card were 2.15 (95% CI:1.32-3.52) or 3.02 (95% CI:1.72-5.29) times more likely to receive at least one vaccine dose compared to households with no ownership of such cards. Participants employed as housewives or self-employed non-agricultural workers were 65% (95% CI:0.19-0.67) or 59% (95% CI:0.22-0.76) less likely to receive at least one vaccine dose compared to salaried workers. Household PAN card ownership, occupation and age were linked to the timing of vaccine receipt. Participants aged ≤18 and 45-60 years were 17.74 (95% CI:5.07-62.03) and 5.51 (95% CI:2.74-11.10) times more likely to receive a vaccine within 30 days of eligibility compared to 19-44-year-olds. Biomedical factors including BMI, vital signs, comorbidities, and COVID-19 specific symptoms were not consistently associated with vaccine receipt or timing of receipt. No support was found that travel history, contact with COVID-19 cases, and hospital admissions influenced vaccine receipt or timing of receipt. Factors linked to SES were linked to vaccine receipt, more so than biomedical factors which were targeted by vaccine policies. Future research should explore if government interventions including vaccine mandates, barriers to vaccine access, or peer influence linked to workplace or targeted vaccine promotion campaigns underpin these findings.

Open Defecation, Livestock Ownership, and Child Nutritional Status in India.

South Asian children are among the most severely malnourished worldwide. One prominent hypothesis is that open defecation in the local area exposes children to human fecal pathogens that can cause diarrhea and malnutrition. Much of the existing research uses district-level measures of open defecation, which could mask important local-area variation. A second hypothesis is that animal fecal matter is a major source of exposure. This analysis tested these dual hypotheses using census data collected from 949 villages in Tamil Nadu, India, and a survey conducted in a random sample of 5,000 households in the same area. The final analytic sample consisted of 2,561 children aged 0-10 years. We estimated the association between the measures of village- and household-level open defecation, household livestock ownership, and child height-for-age Z-scores in a regression framework, controlling for potential confounders. Results revealed that village- and household-level open defecations are negatively associated with child height. There was an estimated difference of approximately 0.5 height-for-age Z-score between children living in villages with no open defecation and children in villages where all households practiced open defecation (P = 0.001) and a 0.2 Z-score difference between children living in households that practiced open defecation and those living in households that did not (P = 0.001). Livestock ownership was not associated with child height. Overall, the findings provide evidence on the centrality of open defecation in explaining persistent child malnutrition in India and the higher risk of exposure to human fecal pathogens compared with animal feces in the south Indian context.

Adaptive innovation and ethical dilemmas: a participatory action research study amongst cyclone-impacted households in Tamil Nadu, India

PurposeThis paper showcases how the PAR embedded in posthumanist perspectives enabled us to navigate several complexities in the field through methodological situatedness and pluralism. It also attempts to critically outline the drivers and barriers that shaped our capacities to engage with the PAR.Design/methodology/approachThe Tamil Nadu state in the Bay of Bengal along the southeast coast of India is one of the six regions in the world where severe tropical cyclones originate throughout the year. Storm surges in this region are well known for their destructive potential due to strong winds and heavy rainfall. This paper describes our participatory action research (PAR) journey towards strengthening grassroots action by providing access to safe and affordable housing for cyclone-impacted households (CIHs) in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India. The PAR was guided by an adaptive innovation model (AIM) that draws inspiration from posthumanism, action research and reflective practice traditions.FindingsThe insights from the PAR insist that we must recognise and work with diverse knowledge systems and situated practices to develop meaningful disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate adaptation strategies. Our approach has to be rooted in the lived experiences of various vulnerable groups, their entanglements with nature and their everyday struggles of interacting with a complex social-ecological system.Originality/valueThis paper is an outcome of a PAR in a cyclone-impacted village in Tamil Nadu, India. The discussions and findings of the paper are original in nature and have not been published elsewhere.

A Comparative Study of ‘Kāman Festival’ in Tamil Nadu and the Archaeological Remains of Madan Kamdev Temple in Assam

Rathi and Manmadha are the epitomes of beauty who stand as witnesses of unrequited love in Puranas. The story of Manmadha who holding his sugarcane bow and stirring the hearts of lovers with flowers, burning to ashes due to Shiva’s anger and coming back to life due to Rathi’s prayer, is widely popular among the people. The event is celebrated under the name ‘Kaman festival’ as one of the popular festivals of Tamils. Many Tamil classical texts refer to this festival which was celebrated as a grand festival. The story of Manmadha being burnt by Shiva is still celebrated as a common festival every year in the villages of Tamil Nadu. Kaman, who was regarded as the god of love, has many accounts of his early beginnings as a deity to be worshipped. Similarly, the common story is presented with variations across the India. It is now served as ’Kamandi’ in some parts of Tamil Nadu. This article aims to compare the social environment of the time by analyzing the festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu in the southern part of India, the history of the Madan Kamdev temple discovered by the archeology department of Assam state in the north-eastern part of India, and the sculptures of the temple and the sentiments of the people.

Profile of Screen Time and Its Determinants in Under-five Children in a Rural Indian Population

Background: Excess screen viewing can deteriorate the well-being of under-five children. Identifying the modifiable screen determinants can pave the way to develop strategies for optimization. Objectives: The objective of the study was to study the profile of screen time among children between 12 and 59 months of age and to determine the risk factors associated with increased screen time. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was done in rural villages of Tamil Nadu among 418 children aged 12–59 months by universal sampling method during August 2021 to January 2022. Parents of the children were interviewed using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of screen viewing among the study population was 96.9% and their average screen time was 106.85 ± 77.95 min/day. The prevalence of excess screen time (nonadherence to the WHO recommendations) was estimated to be 70%. The most common reason for offering screen time to children was feeding/mealtime (45.7%). The risk determinants identified for higher screen time were access to multiple gadgets (P < 0.001), first screen exposure before 1 year of age (P < 0.001), having erratic screen-viewing hours (P = 0.002), snacking during screen time (P < 0.001), screen time before bed (P < 0.001), and those who were overweight (P = 0.027). Maternal screen time and children’s screen time had a positive association (r = 0.367, P < 0.001), whereas children’s screen time and sleep duration were negatively associated (r = −0.139, P = 0.004). Conclusions: This study reiterates the high prevalence of excess screen time among the study population. Multiple risk determinants identified can be utilized to plan interventions and awareness programs to regulate screen time in under-five children.

Performance of community‐based tank irrigation system and its determinants: Evidence from Tamil Nadu, India

Irrigation tanks are classic examples of common pool resources that have been traditionally managed by local communities. However, the tank performance under community management in Tamil Nadu has declined over the last few decades and threatened the local livelihoods. This study investigates the effect of community management on irrigation tank performance using village‐level two‐period data collected across 100 tank‐intensive villages in Tamil Nadu. To address the problems encountered in the subjective measures, this study adopts an objective assessment method using the satellite imageries of Landsat‐7 to derive tank performance measures. Satellite‐derived data are then incorporated with the field survey data and used in the analysis. The results show that community participation in tank management has a significant positive impact on tank performance, suggesting that strengthening traditional institutions in irrigation tank management can be a viable strategy for reviving tank irrigation systems.

Efficacy of an Automated Algorithm for Screening Diabetic Retinopathy in Gradable and Ungradable Images in Real-Time Conditions.

Background: To examine the effectiveness of a computer-assisted device (CAD) for diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening from retinal photographs at a vitreoretinal outpatient department (VR OPD), telecamps, and diabetes outpatient clinic by an ophthalmologist. In particular, the effectiveness of CAD in gradable and ungradable retinal images was examined. Methods: A total of 848 eyes of 485 patients underwent 45° retinal photographs at the VR OPD of a tertiary care hospital in southern India. A total of 939 eyes of 472 patients with diabetes were examined in the telecamps conducted in remote villages in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. A total of 2,526 eyes of 1,263 patients were examined in a diabetes clinic using 45° field retinal photographs. The algorithm was validated under physiological dilatation (without pharmacological dilatation) in all three arms. Results: Seventy-one percent of 848 eyes in VR OPD, 13% of 939 eyes in telecamps, and 7% of 2,526 eyes in diabetes clinic were diagnosed to have DR. The algorithm showed 78.3% sensitivity and 55.1% specificity for all images and 78.9% sensitivity and 56.8% specificity for gradable images in the VR OPD; 80.1% sensitivity and 79.2% specificity for all images and 84.8% sensitivity and 80.0% sensitivity for gradable images in telecamps; 63.0% sensitivity and 79.6% specificity for all images and 63.2% sensitivity and 78.1% specificity for gradable images in the diabetes clinic. The algorithm had an overall accuracy of 76.4%. The ungradable rate was variable. Conclusion: The algorithm performs equally well in identifying DR from gradable and ungradable photographs and may be used for DR screening in a rural setting with limited or no access to eye care.

Women adjusting their sails: The role of motility in women's livelihood strategies in a fishing village in Tamil Nadu, India

This article draws on research conducted in a fishing village in southern India to examine the ways in which middle‐aged women in a precarious socio‐economic position used mobility and immobility strategies to improve their livelihoods, both inside and outside of fisheries. Kaufmann et al.'s (2004) work on motility is applied to show how the mobility decisions and livelihood needs and plans of five women (occupying different socio‐economic positions) were influenced by socio‐economic structures. The study shows that the women's mobility decisions allowed them to improve their socio‐economic positions and reconfigure their gendered identities in the local village, outside the fishing sector. Motility (which encapsulates socio‐spatial mobility) empowered these women by allowing them to move out of the increasingly precarious small‐scale fisheries industry. We argue that the concept of motility provides a useful analytical framework for understanding mobility, and we use the women's narratives to exemplify this claim.

MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF ENDEMIC MARINE SPONGE AND THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ASSOCIATED BACTERIA

Objective: The primary objective is to morphologically identify a marine sponge from Sethubavachatram village in Tamil Nadu, India. Then to identify the bacteria associated with the sample to synthesize silver nanoparticles and to know antimicrobial property of the samples. Methods: The sponges is identified by morphology and found to be Hippospongia intestinalis. The bacteria associated with the sponges is Lysinibacillus macrolides. Silver nanoparticles were synthesikzed and analyzed by SEM and TEM. Results: The sponge that was recovered was identified using a number of sources that were derived from earlier publications. The sponge that was recovered was identified as Hyattella intestinalis Conclusion: The antimicrobial assay confirmed that the synthesized particles are effective in inhibiting disease causing bacterial and fungal strains.

Implementing a ventilation index for assessing indoor air PM2.5 concentrations in biomass-using households

Biomass combustion in indoor kitchens contributes a lot to the PM2.5 exposure burden among millions of people worldwide. Emitted potential pollutants from the biomass combustion oven may enormously degrade indoor air quality during cooking time and impact crowded rooms with inadequate indoor ventilation. The concept of developing a "ventilation index" may be a valuable alternative to assess indoor air quality. A new empirical formula of the ventilation index has been proposed recently, in which multiple studies need to be validated by various studies. This study is a part of the validation process and has ended up with supportive evidence-based insight into residential indoor air quality. Ninety-three households were selected from 25 villages of Tamil Nadu, India, to monitor the parameters required to apply in the empirical formula. However, the association between indoor air velocity and PM2.5 (considered a surrogate component of indoor air quality) was focused on emphatically. Other important variables, e.g., used amount of biomass cooking fuel, kitchen room index, room temperature, and relative humidity, were also monitored to observe the ventilation index. Indoor PM2.5 data were compared categorically with variable air velocities. Those who were using only biomass for cooking in indoor kitchens were recruited in the study. The air pollution exposure burden among the community population is expected to be minimized when the desired ventilation index is optimized and applied in configured kitchens and living rooms. Then, it may attract government policy to accept the ventilation index as a critical parameter for green housing schemes.

Techno-economic optimization of desalination process powered by renewable energy: A case study for a coastal village of southern India

India is facing severe ground water crisis. India has a long coast line. This study explores an optimized desalination unit driven by renewable energy for the coastline villages of Tamil Nadu, a south eastern state of India. This area is suffering from acute water crisis. In this analysis, economy and environmental impacts are simultaneously optimized. Demand and supply are estimated by the optimization process followed by multi criteria decision making approach. Renewable PV-wind-battery supported by a small diesel generator with reverse osmosis desalination technique is the optimum solution. Methodology may be used by policy makers for other places also. A minimum cost of water ($4.57/m3) and per year carbon di-oxide productions (2887 kg) are assessed for an assured water supply throughout the year.

How to reduce Domestic Violence against married women? a mixed methods study from rural Tamil Nadu.

:Background:Despite government legislations for protection of women, domestic violence (DV) continues to remain as a public health problem in India. Objectives: 1. To find out the prevalence of various types of self-reported DV among married women of 18-45 years of age and to identify its social determinants and their help-seeking behavior. 2. To understand the solutions from key informants’ point of view. Methods:It was a sequential explanatory mixed methods study design, which consisted of quantitative (Survey) followed by qualitative (Interviews) phase. A representative sample of 360 married women was chosen by two-stage cluster sampling from villages in Tamil Nadu, South India. The female investigator conducted the survey by house to house visit. Post-survey, six key informant interviews were conducted to explore the solutions and suggestions from experts’ point of view. Bivariate and multivariate regression analysis was carried out to identify the significant predictors of DV. Manual content analysis of qualitative data was done. Results:The overall prevalence of spousal DV was 49.5% [95% CI: 44.3-54.6] in the last one year. In multivariate analysis, two factors namely 'current alcoholism in husband' and 'controlling behavior of husband' were found to be the significant predictors of DV. In order to prevent alcoholism in husband, the key informants suggested deaddiction services and measures to limit access to alcohol. Furthermore, to prevent controlling behavior of husband, the key informants suggested women’s empowerment, employment, helplines, responsible parenting, social change in dowry practice and gender equality. Conclusions:The prevalence of spousal DV was found to be high. Current alcohol consumption and controlling behavior of the husband were the important determinants of domestic violence. Key informants suggested interprofessional approach consisting of deaddiction services, women empowerment and strengthening of family life to address the problem of DV.

Morbidity profile of the out patients in Swasthya Rakshan Programme of Siddha Central Research Institute, Chennai

Introduction: Siddha medicine is an ancient system and it is based on holistic health principles with main aim on preventive health care. Goal of public health is to improve health outcomes by preventing disease, promoting behaviors that reduce the risk of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and ensure the public access to quality health services. Swasthya Rakshan Programme (SRP) is a nationwide program to propagate Ayush systems. The purpose of the program is to promote health and health education in villages. The objective of this study is to develop a morbidity profile of the patients attending the SRP for further research in the particular area. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study has been done in the outreach outpatient department (OPD) and the data were collected from the old records maintained in the Statistical and Survey Division, Department of Clinical Research, Siddha Central Research Institute from April 2017 to March 2020. This record contains the demographic data, socioeconomic status, literacy, and diseases follow-up with diseases codes in the Ayapakkam, Mangadu, and Vanagaram villages in Tamil Nadu, India. Results: Totally 5409 cases who were attending the SRP OPDs from April 2017 to March 2020 have been included in the study. These patients have been repeatedly visiting the Siddha OPD for various illnesses. The women were seeking the Siddha treatment more than the male with Female-1114 cases, Male-553 cases, Female children-42 cases, Male children-29 cases. The diseases have been classified as per the National Siddha Morbidity codes in National Ayush Morbidity standardized terminologies Electronic Portal (NAMASTE Portal). The topmost category of diseases is musculo skeletal diseases and osteo arthritis (41%). diabetes mellitus (10%), cough (8%), and eczema (8%) are the diseases which have a greater number of cases. Conclusion: The success of a public health program depends on the public need. The more revisits of the patients show good response of the Siddha medicine. Hence this morbidity profile shows that there is a great need among the public toward the traditional medicines particularly Siddha medicine and it has been achieved to some extent through SRP program.

​An Annotated Checklist of Finfish and Shellfish Diversity of Pulicat Lake, Southeast Coast of India

Background: Pulicat lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in the country, lying partly in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states along the Coromandel Coast of South India. The present paper gives information on occurrence, habitat preference, trophic level, human utility and fishery status of finfish and shellfish species of the Pulicat Lake. Methods: An extensive survey was conducted on finfish and shellfish diversity of Pulicat Lake from November 2019 to March 2021, selecting four fish landing centres viz, Pazhaverkadu, Arambakkam (fishing villages in Tamil Nadu), Venadu and Vatembedu (fishing villages in Andhra Pradesh) situated along the Lake. Result: In the present study, A total of 145 species including species of finfishes (95), prawns (8), crabs (7) and 35 molluscs (35) were documented from the Lake. Among the four selected landing centres, the highest diversity was observed in Pazhaverkadu, registering 143 species followed by Arambakkam (123), Vatembedu (85) and Venadu (77).

Association of Agriculture Occupational Exposure With Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in South Indian Villages: REDSI Study.

There has been a huge increase in diabetes and its associated cardiovascular complications over the last decade, predominantly in the middle- and low-income countries. In these countries, the majority live in rural areas. The Rural Epidemiology of Diabetes in South India (REDSI) study was aimed to analyze the prevalence of diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, and its complications in rural farming and non-farming villages in Tamil Nadu, South India. A research survey on the prevalence of self-reported diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, alcohol and tobacco use) and agricultural occupational exposure was executed among 106,111 people from 61 villages in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India, during 2015–2018. Overall, we observed a diabetes prevalence of 11.9% in rural South India. A nearly two-fold higher prevalence of diabetes was observed among the farming community (15.0%) compared to that among the non-farming population (8.7%). Logistic regression analyses revealed a strong association with agrochemical exposure (P < 0.0001) and diabetes prevalence among rural farming people. Our survey indicates a high prevalence of diabetes in rural South India particularly among the farming community. This survey in conjunction with other epidemiological and experimental studies raises the need for understanding the etiology of diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors in rural communities.

Characterization and antibacterial activity of violacein producing deep purple pigmented bacterium Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea (Gauthier, 1982) isolated from coral reef ecosystems

The present study describes the isolation, characterization and antibacterial activity of two strains of the deep purple pigmented bacterium Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea designated P42 (Accession no. MN647538) and M64 (Accession no. MN647537), isolated from two coral reef regions viz . Minicoy Lagoon in the Lakshadweep Sea and Palk Bay, off Olaikuda village in Tamil Nadu, India. Ultrastructural examinations were done using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Presence of violacein pigment was qualitatively analysed by chemical methods; UV-VIS spectrophotometry and FTIR spectroscopy. The strains, P42 and M64 were found to have antibacterial activity against 13 out of the 36 marine bacterial species tested. Antibiogram analysis revealed the sensitivity of both the strains to all the antibiotics tested, except for the resistance of P42 to Penicillin G and Trimethoprim. This study reports the isolation and characterization of P. luteoviolacea for the first time from India. Since both the isolated strains have shown clear evidence for the presence of violacein as well as antibacterial activity against selected marine bacteria, both P42 and M64 can be suggested as potent antibacterial agents.

Buffalopox Disease in Livestock and Milkers, India.

Buffalopox outbreaks caused by vaccinia virus were observed in villages of Tamil Nadu, India, among lactating buffaloes and cows. Milkers also had lesions on their fingers. Because vaccinia virus is known to have extended its host range in Brazil, we recommend continuous surveillance to understand cross-species transmission and to curtail disease effects.

Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: Linking Women’s Motivations to Skill, Knowledge, and Capabilities

The rapid growth of the microfinance sector has attracted a considerable amount of research claiming controversial results, whereby some support, and others not, the assumption that microfinance can promote income-generating activities (IGAs). This article advocates looking beyond microfinance in making such correlations. It attempts to demonstrate that the livelihood framework can be useful in such assessment. The article proposes this framework, given its scope for exploring and drawing attention to women’s strategies, their motivations, skills, knowledge, and capabilities, which the article argues are the focal points in understanding women’s role in generating income. Using qualitative data (life experiences of six women) from two villages in Tamil Nadu, South India, the article demonstrates the significance of paying attention to socioeconomic dynamics through this approach.

“Divali is for The Dead”: Abiding Relatedness and Bittersweet Revelries in a Tamil Nadu Village

In the face of orthodox ritual imperatives to alienate and render them ineffable, how are ancestors made present to and represented by their living kin, specifically during festivities? This article juxtaposes Divali’s customary overtones of triumph over evil and darkness and cultivations of prosperity with additional, if not alternative, associations with mortality, mourning, and memory in a village in Tamil Nadu. In delineating the funerary and melancholic nuances of this “festival of lights,” I demonstrate how—contrary to Hindu ritual norms—the deceased are not simply exiled to an otherworldly realm to be invoked only on discrete occasions. Instead, they continue to be part of a lingering intimacy and an everyday sociality that hinges upon cooking, eating, gifting, and sharing. Through the material infrastructure underpinning rituals and the casual routinization of remembrance, these villagers evoke, include, and continue to care for their deceased kin. The dead haunt festivities not as unwelcome ghosts or unexpected guests but as intensely longed for kin. In the process, an alternative and intimate theology of death, mourning, and remembrance emerges.

Providing Microinsurance to Smallholders to Increase Overall Yield

This paper examines different types of agricultural insurance to find the best product to increase the yield of farmers in Aruppukottai, a small village in Tamil Nadu, India. The paper explores the best way to maximize the resources of​ my ​NGO, Khasanam, so as to have maximum impact in reducing the level of hunger in the village. It is found that a meso-level insurance policy is the most effective method to be used. The paper also puts forth a proposal that outlines how the meso-level insurance will be implemented to aid the farmers in the village.