Young Indian Women Research Articles

Fostering Psychological Empowerment in Women: Exploring Transformative Group Dynamics and Empowerment-Based Interventions in Girl Up Ikhtiyar

Despite making substantial strides, contemporary societies across the globe continue to suffer from gender disparity and inequality. These issues have a significant impact on the lives of women, both in the public and private domains. To bring about sustainable change in attitudes towards women and non-binary genders, innovative solutions and transformative leadership are crucial. This research paper delves into the role of transformative group dynamics and empowerment-based interventions in promoting gender equality among women, specifically by studying the work of Girl Up Ikhtiyar (henceforth GUI), a student-led organization that aims to empower girls and young women in India through education, advocacy, and activism. The study’s findings and implications suggest that GUI can fully integrate psychological empowerment and transformative group dynamics into its programs and policies, leading it closer to gender equality.

Examining the linkages between maternity services and postpartum modern contraceptive adoption among young women in India: Insights from the 2015-16 and 2019-21 National Family Health Survey.

The adoption of maternity services and postpartum modern contraception are the two most crucial components that help in reducing maternal and infant mortality; still, India is consistently struggling with it. This paper, therefore, aimed to examine the linkages between use of maternity services and postpartum modern contraceptive adoption. The required reproductive calendar data were extracted from the 2015-16 and 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) datasets. The assessment was made based on a sample of currently married women aged 15-24 years who had given most recent childbirth in five years preceding the survey. For the analysis, a time-to-event approach was applied using the Kaplan-Meier survival statistic, Log-Rank Chi-square test and Cox-Proportional Hazard (Cox-PH) models. The results revealed that the proportion of postpartum modern contraceptive uptake among young users increased by 9%, from 33% in 2015-16 to 42% in 2019-21. The Cox-PH models revealed that, in both NFHS waves, the associations between various components of maternity services and postpartum modern contraceptive uptake were strongly significant, even after controlling for selected socio-economic and demographic correlates. The findings of this study reinforced urgent need for implementing integrated maternal-child health and family planning programmes and for boosting effective family planning counselling by health professionals to promote and motivate young women with a desire to early adoption of modern contraception in subsequent months after a recent childbirth.

Breast cancer in young Indian women: factors, challenges in screening, and upcoming diagnostics.

Breast cancer management for young Indian women are full of challenges. The National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) has predicted that nearly 2,30,000 cases of breast cancer will be reported annually by 2025; with a steady increase in cases of young women (< 45years of age) with breast cancer. In this review, the available literature is evaluated to understand the various risk factors contributing to the rise in cases of breast cancer in young women in India. Further, the challenges that are faced by the technicians in early diagnosis (e.g., physiology of young breasts, limited trained professionals, and awareness among patients, and cost of the treatment) of breast cancer. This review also focuses on the upcoming diagnostics like serum biomarkers and nanosensors for the early identification of the disease. For better prognosis and to reduce the chances of disease reoccurrence and metastasis, it is important that the disease has to be identified at an early stage.

Decomposing the Gap in Contraceptive Use Among Female Adolescents and Young Women Aged 15-24 in India: An Analysis of Appended Datasets of NFHS-4 and 5.

Owing to the reproductive health needs of the budding adolescent and young population, the present study aims to determine the factors associated with and decomposing the gap in contraceptive use among adolescents and young women in India. Cross sectional design.SettingThe present study is based in India using the appended datasets (IV and V rounds) of the Indian Demographic Health Survey (DHS), also known as National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted in 2015-16 and 2019-21. The adequate sample size was 475,294 adolescents and young women in NFHS-4 and 229,705 in NFHS-5, totaling 704,999 adolescents (appended for NFHS-4 and 5) for the present study. Sociodemographic, sexual and reproductive history and contraceptive measures. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a binary logistic regression model were executed. Additionally, a decomposition technique called Fairlie decomposition was employed to identify the primary causes of the difference in the prevalence of contraceptive use between the two survey periods. Almost 96% of young women aged 15-24 knew about contraception, but only 12% used it. Regression analysis revealed that contraceptive use was associated with higher age (AOR 1.09), higher education (AOR 1.28), married adolescents (AOR 4.08), richest wealth quantile (AOR 2.95), joint decision making (AOR 4.40), knowledge of ovulatory cycle (AOR 1.47), interaction with a health worker about any methods of family planning (AOR 3.29) and three and above children ever born (AOR 18.54). Decomposition analysis showed that factors like decision-making of contraception, age, interaction with family planning worker, the intention of last pregnancy, place of residence and age at first sex contributed to increasing the probability of contraceptive use from NFHS-4 to 5. A target-based approach dedicated to understanding the mindset of adolescents and keeping up with their unique needs is the need of the hour.

P-336 Presence of stage III/IV endometriosis associated with systemic inflammation poses as individual risk factor for coronary heart disease in Indian women: Inklings for the search

Abstract Study question Can investigating endometriosis—cardiovascular interaction identify women with stage III/IV endometriosis and elucidate pathophysiology of the female heart at a broader level? Summary answer Endothelial dysfunction can occur in absence of structural atherosclerotic changes in young Indian women with endometriosis urging lifelong multidisciplinary care to manage long-term health impact. What is known already Chronic inflammation, enhanced oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and cellular proliferation are hallmarks of both atherosclerosis and endometriosis with unveiled cellular and molecular overlaps between the duos. Further, treatment/s of endometriosis, like, hysterectomy or oophorectomy and/or analgesics confer increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) to women with endometriosis. However, CHD in women with endometriosis remains understudied, under-recognized, and underdiagnosed. Incidentally, early atherosclerosis cannot be explained exclusively by traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Aim of the present study was to correlate subclinical atherosclerosis with metabolic parameters and markers of endothelial inflammation in Indian women with stage III/IV endometriosis. Study design, size, duration This observational prospective cohort study constituted 1407 consented women diagnosed with laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis (Group A; n = 718) with age matched control (Group B; n = 689) (counterpart/s of male infertility) from October 2021 to September 2022. Sub-clinical atherosclerosis was investigated before laparoscopy by ultrasound evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Serum samples were stored at -80 °C for evaluation of biochemical and inflammatory parameters. European Society of Cardiology guidelines were followed for standard definition/s. Participants/materials, setting, methods Traditional (obesity, hypertension) and metabolic (dyslipidaemia, diabetes, hyperhomocysteinemia) cardiovascular risk factor/s were assessed during evaluation and chemiluminescence respectively. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-a, VEGF, and VCAM-1 were determined by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay/s. Univariate comparisons and bivariate correlations were conducted by Student’s t-test, and Spearman correlation respectively. Adjusted relative risks (aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by Cox-proportional hazard/s model among Group A vs Group B. Statistical significance was set at p &amp;lt; 0.05. Main results and the role of chance 62.95% and 37.04% women had stage III and stage IV endometriosis respectively as defined according to European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology 2014 guideline. aRR (adjusted for demographic, obesity, diabetes mellitus, reproductive history, and migraine), documented a higher risk of hypertension (aRR 1.43; 95%CI 1.33–1.54) in women with endometriosis. On stratification of group A in less than and more than 40 years, laboratory parameters were similar except for significantly higher (p &amp;lt; 0.01) serum values of homocysteine, low density lipoprotein and cholesterol, in both age range of group A. FMD, indirect marker of endothelial dysfunction, was found to be lower in group A compared to controls (mean difference: −7.54, 95% CI: -10.32− -4.73; p&amp;lt; 0.001, however, cIMT was similar between both cohort/s. aRR of endometriosis in relation with hypercholesterolemia (1.07; 95%CI 1.01–1.25; p &amp;lt; 0.001), hypertension (1.22; 95%CI 1.14–1.30; p &amp;lt; 0.001), and hyperhomocysteinemia (1.04; 95%CI 0.96–1.12; p &amp;lt; 0.08) decreased with increasing age (&amp;gt;40 years). Systemic inflammation markers, showed an inverse relationship (p &amp;lt; 0.001) between values of FMD and serum levels of IL-6 (r = –0.34), TNF-a (r = –0.85), and VCAM-1 (r = –0.28) in group A. Other correlations were not statistically significant. Limitations, reasons for caution This observational study is not supported by patients with typical cardiovascular risk factors and hence limits generalizability of evidence to other ethnicities. Further, no information on hormonal treatments, such as dianogest (a synthetic progesterone) and/or leuprolide (gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog) are available to assess extent of association between endometriosis and CHD. Wider implications of the findings Higher propensity of subclinical atherosclerosis in younger women with laparoscopically-confirmed endometriosis represent higher systemic inflammation cueing to increased risk for CHD. This suggests the need for risk awareness and subsequent screening for CHD and healthy lifestyle promotion among gynaecologist/s and public health specialists. Trial registration number Not applicable

Intra-urban differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods during menstruation among young women in India.

Menstrual hygiene among women is a critical public health issue in urban India, but it remains understudied and under-researched. However, to our knowledge, no national level study in India has yet examined the differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods among young women (aged 15-24) in urban India. This study attempts to fill this gap by analysing biodemographic, socioeconomic, and geographic differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods among these women. We analysed data on 54561 urban women aged 15-24 from National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-21. We used binary logistic regression to examine differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods. To examine spatial variation, we mapped exclusive use of hygienic methods across Indian states and districts. The study found that two-thirds of young women in urban India reported exclusive use of hygienic methods. However, there was significant geographic heterogeneity observed at both state and district levels. In states such as Mizoram and Tamil Nadu, the use of hygienic methods was over 90%, while in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Manipur, it was less than 50%. The district-level variation in exclusive use of hygienic methods was even more striking. In many states, districts with extremely low exclusive use (less than 30%) were located in close proximity to districts with high exclusive use. Being poor, uneducated, Muslim, having no mass media exposure, living in the north and central regions, not having a mobile phone, getting married before 18, and having an early experience of menarche were associated with lower exclusive use of hygienic methods. In conclusion, substantial biodemographic, socioeconomic, and geographic differentials in the exclusive use of hygienic methods suggest the need for context-specific behavioural interventions. Mass media campaigns and targeted distribution of subsidized hygienic methods could help reduce the existing inequities in the exclusive use of hygienic methods.

Examining the linkages between maternity services and postpartum modern contraceptive adoption among young women in India: Insights from the 2015-16 and 2019-21 National Family Health Survey

Examining the linkages between maternity services and postpartum modern contraceptive adoption among young women in India: Insights from the 2015-16 and 2019-21 National Family Health Survey

Menstrual Hygiene Practices and its Predictors Among Young Women in India: Findings from the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–2021)

Introduction India is moving towards menstrual hygienic practices. However, using unhygienic menstrual absorbents is still a reproductive health concern among women in India. Objective This study investigates the prevalence of menstrual hygiene practices by geographical location and socio-economic factors among women in India. Materials and Methods National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) (2019–2021) data were utilized to fulfill the study objectives. The study participant included 241,180 young women aged 15–24 years. A bivariate chi-square test was applied to present the percentage distribution of menstrual hygienic practices. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the predictors linked with hygienic practices related to menstruation. Results About 77% of the women used hygienic absorbents to protect menstrual bloodstains in India. The menstrual hygienic practices are significantly lower in the improvised states of central and eastern India. Multivariable analysis reveals that higher educated women (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 5.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.18–6.87) residing in the richest quintile households (AOR: 6.17; 95% CI: 4.61–8.26) have a higher probability of hygienic practices related to menstruation. Besides, higher autonomy and mass media exposure are positively associated with hygiene practices. Conclusion The study findings recommend opportunities for reproductive education among women, offering financial incentives, and improving women’s empowerment may increase menstrual hygienic practices. Additionally, interventions should focus on socioeconomically poor women to increase the use of sanitary napkin. Interventions should also focus on marginalized women to increase the use of sanitary napkin.

Contextualizing the socio-economic and spatial patterns of using menstrual hygienic methods among young women (15–24 years) in India: A cross-sectional study using the nationally representative survey

BackgroundUtilizing hygienic methods during the menstrual cycle reduces women's health vulnerabilities and promotes their overall well-being. However, the usage of unsanitary menstrual methods is sizable among young women in India. Therefore, the current study aims to determine the socioeconomic and geographic distribution and predictors of using menstrual hygiene methods among Indian women. MethodsThe present study used secondary data, i.e., the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–2021). The total sample of the study consisted of 241,180 young women aged 15–24 years. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis with the Pearson chi-square significant test, and multivariate analyses were applied to accomplish the study objectives. ResultsIn India, about 77% of women utilized hygienic menstrual methods. However, there were significant sociocultural and geographic differences in sanitary menstruation procedures. Menstruation hygiene practices were far less common in India's socioeconomically underperforming districts. Age, education level, social status, religion, place of residence, and geographic region were discovered to be significant factors in utilizing hygienic menstruation techniques. Women's exposure to mass media, autonomy, and household wealth were determined to be motivating factors for using clean menstrual procedures. ConclusionMajority of young women adopted hygienic menstrual methods, yet socioeconomic and geographic inequalities still raise questions. Therefore, the population and spatial stratification strategies should be used to diminish regional heterogeneity and encourage the use of hygienic menstruation practices by all. Further study is encouraged to investigate how behavioral and socioeconomic factors influence menstrual choice and practice in India using qualitative research approaches.

The influence of online short video formats on the shopping behavior of young women when buying their apparel

Online Short video formats are becoming extremely popular day by day. Especially in developing countries like India, which is a democratic country and where the cost of the internet is affordable to the middle class people of the country. The secondary data shows that Indian youth have been spending substantial amounts of time each day watching these short videos on platforms like instagram, YouTube, etc. These short video formats are successful in creating an influence on young people and developing a connection. Apparel is something that youth (young women) prefer to buy, referring to the latest fashion and trends in the market. Television and films used to be the major influencers of fashion among the youth. The place of Television &amp; Movies is at a fast rate taken by these online short videos.(Are the young women in India getting influenced or getting clues/suggestions about latest fashion from short video formats?) Factors such as economic, social, cultural, gender, family background, and social media have a strong bearing on the dressing styles of youth. In the said research paper, there is an attempt to identify the influence of online short videos on young women buying their apparel. The conclusion will be drawn using quantitative research methods. The research will also comment on the media usage habits of youth and their lifestyle.

Effectiveness of Nurse-led Lifestyle Modification Intervention on Obesity Among Young Women in India.

Obesity management in young women necessitates interventions that include dietary modification and physical exercise. High-intensity lifestyle modification is effective in managing obesity in young women. The study determined the effectiveness of a nurse-led lifestyle modification intervention (NLLMI) on obesity among young women in India. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pre- and post-interventional control group research design. The study was conducted among obese young women in the communities of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. The participants were selected using convenient sampling technique. The sample included 150 women in the study group and 150 in the control group. The NLLMI comprising of exercises and dietary modifications were taught to the participants for 30 min three times a week for 24 weeks. Thereafter, they were encouraged to follow the diet and perform the exercises on their own for the next 12 weeks. Practice diary was maintained by the participants and they were encouraged to continue the intervention through the phone. The participants in the control group did not engage in the NLLMI until the post-test. However, they did receive the same NLLMI after the trial was over. There was a high statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) between the study group and the control group the after 12th and 24th weeks of NLLMI. The study group had a significant reduction in BMI after the intervention. Young obese women may benefit from a NLLMI if they regularly follow the healthy eating habits and physical exercise.

Treatment seeking behavior among patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-A cross-sectional study from Northern India.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has now become a common problem among adolescent girls and young women in India. However, little is known about the treatment and satisfaction incurred from it. Our study aimed to assess the treatment-seeking behaviour among patients with PCOS. The cross-sectional study was carried out in gynecology OPD of PGIMER, Chandigarh. Women with PCOS, 275, visiting the gynecology OPD were included. The treatment-seeking behavior for PCOS was elucidated among cases using a questionnaire. This included parameters like healthcare consulted, preferred system of medicine, referral pattern, treatment efficacy, and expenses incurred. Univariate descriptive analysis was used to present the results. The majority (68%) of the study participants were less than 25 years of age. The average weight was 66.78 (±13.0) Kg. Half of the participants were students. More than 70% belonged to the upper or upper-middle class. The study participants were diagnosed with PCOS at an average age of 21.4 (±4.7) years. The minimum age reported at diagnosis was 11 years, and the maximum age of diagnosis was 36 years. Most respondents preferred Allopathic treatment followed by homeopathy and Ayurveda. Few also opted for other treatment choices like diet therapy, yoga & meditation, weight loss supplements, and home remedies. Treatment efficacy ranged between 17.3%-34.2%. The majority of respondents reported the treatment to be moderately expensive. Most respondents (58.91%) were hardly influenced, while 16% were quite influenced by PCOS medicine or treatment advertisements. PCOS patients opt for different treatment options but generally find the treatment less effective and expensive.

Incidence of Prediabetes/Diabetes among Women with Prior Gestational Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Prospective Observational Study.

This prospective longitudinal study aims to evaluate and compare the incidence of prediabetes/diabetes among women stratified at the baseline postpartum visit according to the prior GDM and NAFLD status. Of the 309 women with baseline postpartum assessment at a median of 16 months following the index delivery, 200 (64.7%) [GDM: 137 (68.5%), normoglycaemia: 63 (31.5%)] were available for the follow-up analysis (performed at median of 54 months following the index delivery) and were participants for this study. We obtained relevant demographic, medical and obstetric details and performed a 75 g OGTT with glucose estimation at 0 and 120 min. NAFLD status was defined by ultrasonography at the baseline visit. Participants were divided into four groups: no NAFLD and no prior GDM (group 1), NAFLD but no prior GDM (group 2), prior GDM but no NAFLD (group 3), and NAFLD and prior GDM (group 4). The mean age of study participants (n = 200) was 32.2 ± 5.1 years, and the mean interval between the two visits was 34.8 ± 5.5 months. A total of 74 (37%) women had progression to prediabetes/diabetes [incidence rate of 12.8/100 woman-years]. The incidence rates (per 100 woman-years) were 8.6, 8.9, 13.4 and 15.3 in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for incident (new-onset) prediabetes/diabetes in group 4 (reference: group 1) was 1.99 (95% CI 0.80, 4.96, P = 0.140). Among women with baseline NAFLD (irrespective of GDM status), the risk of incident prediabetes/diabetes increased with an increase in the duration of follow-up (3.03-fold higher per year of follow-up, P = 0.029) and was significantly higher in women who were not employed (6.43, 95% CI 1.74, 23.7, P = 0.005) and in women with GDM requiring insulin/metformin during pregnancy (4.46, 95% CI 1.27, 15.64, P = 0.019). NAFLD and GDM increased the risk for glycaemic deterioration in young Indian women. Future studies should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of lifestyle and behavioural interventions in such high-risk women.

Young Indian women's purchase intentions for green cosmetics: an empirical study

Young Indian women's purchase intentions for green cosmetics: an empirical study

Unwanted Teenage Pregnancy and Its Complications: A Narrative Review.

Teenage pregnancy may have a huge negative social and medical influence on mothers' and children's health globally. Compared to adult primigravida, young women experience more harmful perinatal problems, such as premature births, neonatal fatalitiesand stillbirths, and the delivery of children with low birth weight. With negative perinatal outcomes, in India, teenage pregnancy is still a widespread and important public health issue that needs urgent attention. One of the main causes of mortality for females between the ages of 15 and 19 is pregnancy and delivery problems. The health of young women in India is, therefore, seriously threatened by adolescent pregnancies. Neonatal and maternal difficulties are more common when a teen gets pregnant. To bring about change, avert problems, and lower the risk of maternal death, specialized antenatal care (ANC) and health education are crucial. In India, teenage pregnancy is very high. To prevent this, there is a need to focus on teenage education regarding safe sexual practices and pregnancy complications.

Feminist Resistance Through the Lens of Everyday Lived Experiences of Young Women in India

In this article, I examine the lived experiences of two young women from urban slums in India who participated in an after-school program focusing on issues of gender inequality within their homes, communities, and schools. Through unstructured and semi-structured interviews and observations, this paper argues that young women from marginalized spaces resist patriarchal structures of society through everyday acts of resistance. Using narrative inquiry, the data reveal that young women use different yet interconnected means to resist oppression in their daily lives. The article makes a case for expanding feminist resistance scholarship to be inclusive of young women at the periphery and their everyday resistance for finding a voice. Keywords: youth activism, narrative inquiry, lived experiences, pedagogical praxis, feminist resistance

Predicting Menstruation-Related Topic Avoidance between Daughters and Mothers in Two Regions of Northern India

Young women in India report that avoidant talk within families hinders their ability to communicate about menstruation, further promoting stigma and limiting knowledge. Participants included 287 college-attending women from one of two colleges in different locations in northern India. Participants completed surveys that were guided by the disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM) and asked about menstruation-related topic avoidance with mothers. Results find that the stigma of being dramatic is a consistent predictor across the two locations but that predictors otherwise differ. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

A novel method of intraovarian instillation of platelet rich plasma to improve reproductive outcome in young Indian women with diminished ovarian reserve

Introduction: To evaluate the effects of intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (IOPRP) instillation in young Indian women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). Methods: This prospective, ongoing, cohort study was performed by recruiting 45 consenting Indian women with DOR (group A). Up to 3 cycles of IOPRP instillation were performed after minimal ovarian stimulation. Outcome measures were changes in antral follicle counts (AFC), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, an increase in total and mature oocytes retrieved and establishment of pregnancy. The pregnancy rates in 51 women with the same inclusion criteria during the same time period were compared (group B). Results: In group A, baseline mean AFC was 3.44±2.35 (n=45); mean AFC increased after IOPRP-1 (3.89±2.21, n=45, P=0.1198&lt;0.05 vs. baseline), IOPRP-2 (4.91±2.79, n=33, P=0.0056&lt;0.05 vs. baseline), and IOPRP-3 (4.95±2.84, n=19, P=0.0002&lt;0.05 vs. baseline). Mean AMH was 0.85±0.44 ng/mL. The changes in average AMH levels showed significance after IOPRP-2 (P=0.048&lt;0.05). In group B, mean baseline AFC was 4.74±2.19, mean baseline AMH was 0.98±0.38 ng/mL. In group A, frozen embryo transfer was performed in 32/45 women and 15 clinical pregnancies were established. In group B, 44/51 women underwent frozen embryo transfer, 11 clinical pregnancies were established. The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer was 46.88%/embryo transfer in group A versus 25%/embryo transfer in group B. Conclusions: IOPRP instillation can improve AFC and can enhance pregnancy results in women with DOR. Increase in AMH levels and the number of total and mature oocytes was observed after 2 IOPRP. Significantly higher pregnancy rates (P=0.0009&lt;0.05) were observed in women with IOPRP versus matched controls without IOPRP.

Triple-negative breast cancer in young aged Indian women - An overview

The incidence of breast cancer has overtaken cervical cancer over the past decade and becoming the most common type of cancer among Indian women. Morbidity and mortality associated with the type of cancer are disproportionately higher in Indian women. Despite efforts being made to increase awareness about the causes, a large population of Indian women are already present with advanced stages of the disease. Reproductive factors are among the most well-established risk factors for breast cancer. However, their associations with different breast cancer subtypes defined by joint estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor/human epidermal growth factor status remain unclear. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are known for early age at presentation, large tumor sizes, and overall poor prognosis. However, Indian studies are scarce with limited follow-up data. Hence, the present study is aimed at characterizing nonmetastatic TNBC patients in our population and comparing their outcomes with the non-TNBC subset. TNBCs are a subset of tumors with poorly understood tumor biology and behavior. Despite being labeled as having aggressive tumor biology and behavior, not many differences are seen in their clinical outcomes when they present as locally advanced cases.

Revalidation of different circumference and skin fold methods of fat measurement in Indian condition

The aim of this study was to revalidate the skin folds methods and circumference methods for estimating the fat in Indian conditions. Fifty women of 18–26 years of age randomly selected from hostels of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore. The circumference and the thickness of fold of skin was measured with the help of a plastic with fiber glass freeman’s standard measuring tape and the ABS Plastic made skin fold caliper for the required sites. For establishing the validity of various circumference and skin fold methods for measuring the fat percentage Tanita body fat analyzer was used as criterion measure. For comparing the fat measurement calculated through various techniques of circumference and skin fold methods and the criterion bioelectrical impedance, one way analysis of variance statistics was applied. To establish the reliability, objectivity and validity of the instrument for estimating the fat percentage the level of significance was set at 0.05, which was considered adequate for the purpose of the study. All measurement technique viz. circumference / skin fold are having a positive significant correlation with criterion i.e. Bioelectrical Impedance analysis using Tanita body fat analyzer. Whereas, only US NAVY method 2 is very similar to criterion i.e. bioelectrical impedance analysis technique and the best circumference method for measuring body fat. The two formulas for us navy method abdominal circumference instead of waist circumference is more suitable for measuring body fat for young Indian women.