1.Global Awareness of Myocardial Infarction Symptoms in General Population: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Akash SHARMA ; Karavadi VIDUSHA ; Harshini SURESH ; Ajan M. J. ; Kavinkumar SARAVANAN ; Madhvi DHAMANIA ; Nisha B ; Rabbanie Tariq WANI
Korean Circulation Journal 2021;51(12):983-996
Background and Objectives:
Knowledge about myocardial Infarction (MI) symptoms is crucial because inadequate awareness ensures direct association with patient delay and adverse health events subsequently.
Methods:
PRISMA guidelines were followed while conducting the systematic review with PROSPERO number CRD42020219802. An electronic search was conducted comprehensively through 5 databases to find those relevant articles systematically. Prevalence was calculated for each typical symptom of MI separately and subgroup analysis according to continent, country, gender and ethnicity was done. Meta-Analysis was conducted by using statistical software R version 3.4.3. A random-effects model was used.
Results:
Studies from 35 different countries with 120,988,548 individuals were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of chest pain awareness was highest, while it was lowest for jaw, back, and neck pain. There was no difference in terms of awareness in males and females. Prevalence of awareness of typical MI symptoms was higher in the Caucasian white, white, and non-Hispanic white groups than in other groups. The prevalence varies from less than 5% in African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Asian countries such as Nepal to as high as 90% in Germany.
Conclusions
People are well aware of chest pain as a symptom of MI. However, there is limited knowledge regarding other typical symptoms of MI.
2.Psychological impact of suspension/postponement of fertility treatments on infertile women waiting during COVID pandemic
Parul JAISWAL ; Reeta MAHEY ; Shalini SINGH ; Perumal VANAMAIL ; Monica GUPTA ; Rohitha CHELUVARAJU ; J B SHARMA ; Neerja BHATLA
Obstetrics & Gynecology Science 2022;65(2):197-206
Objective:
To assess the psychological impact of suspension/postponement of various fertility treatments on infertile women during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study conducted as an online survey among infertile women consulting either through teleconsultation or physical consultation at a fertility clinic of a tertiary care referral unit. A validated questionnaire was given as a WhatsApp link to the women who were consulting for the resumption of services. Questions asked were based on their socio-demographic parameters, fertility treatment at the time of suspension, anxiety (self-reported) and stress (perceived stress scale-4, PSS-4) due to delay in treatment, psychosocial effect of pandemic, and wishes regarding the resumption of fertility services.
Results:
Of 430 patients who received the questionnaire, 250 completed the survey (response rate: 58%). The mean age of participants was 29.26±4.18 years and the majority (70.4%) had lower socioeconomic status. The average PSS-4 score was 7.8±0.71, and the prevalence of self-reported anxiety was 72%. Those who suffered migration during the pandemic had significantly higher PSS-4 scores, and increasing age was associated with increased self-reported anxiety due to the suspension of fertility services. The top three priorities reported were infertility and treatment delay (48.4%), job loss (19.2%), and the risk of contracting COVID-19 infection (16%). The degree of spousal support was significantly correlated with lower PSS-4 scores (r=-0.30, P<0.01). On multivariate logistic analysis, duration of infertility, delay in treatment due to suspension of services, and fear of COVID-19 infection were significant predictors of stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
This study emphasizes the need to investigate psychosocial health and to provide psychological support to this vulnerable population in addition to triaging fertility treatments in a phased manner.
3.Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the Northeastern states of India.
Amal Chandra KATAKI ; Malcolm J SIMONS ; Ashok Kumar DAS ; Kalpana SHARMA ; Narinder Kumar MEHRA
Chinese Journal of Cancer 2011;30(2):106-113
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a rare disease in most parts of the world, except for Southeast Asia, some parts of North Africa and the Arctic. It is mostly seen in people of Chinese origin. In India, NPC is also rare, except for the Hill States of Northeast India, particularly Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram. The striking feature of NPC in Northeast India is that the incidence ranges over the complete spectrum from the lowest (as 0.5/100 000 to 2.0/100 000 among Caucasoid) to the highest (as about 20/100 000 among Cantonese/Zhongshan dialect Chinese). The age-adjusted rate of NPC in Kohima district of Nagaland State is 19.4/100 000, which is among the highest recorded rates. By contrast, in Assam, one of the so-called Hill States but not itself a hilly state, NPC is much less common. The Northeastern region is distinguished by a preponderance of the Tibeto-Burman languages and by variable mongoloid features among peoples of the region. The nature of the migratory populations who are presumed to be bearers of the mongoloid risk is unknown, but these NPC occurrence features provide an outstanding opportunity for NPC risk investigation, such as that of the hypothesis of Wee et al. for westward displacement of Chinese aborigines following the last glacial maximum.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
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genetics
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Emigration and Immigration
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Genetic Predisposition to Disease
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epidemiology
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Genetics, Population
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Humans
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Incidence
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India
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epidemiology
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Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms
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epidemiology
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ethnology
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genetics
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Sikkim
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epidemiology