public health

Unveiling Healthcare Disparities: Social Exclusion and Public Health Challenges in Rural Ganderbal, Kashmir

Published on: 22nd May, 2025

This study explores the dynamics of social exclusion in healthcare settings within the rural Ganderbal district of Kashmir, focusing on the availability of health facilities and the health-seeking behaviors of socially disadvantaged populations. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from interviews and qualitative insights from observation, the research reveals significant disparities in healthcare access between rural and urban areas. Key findings indicate that rural residents face exclusion due to a scarcity of hospitals, unavailability of 24-hour medical staff, inadequate infrastructure, staffing shortages, and systemic biases, compounded by environmental and occupational challenges. Communicable diseases predominate, with majority of respondents affected, and traditional healers and medical shops serve as primary care sources over formal institutions like government hospitals. Socio-economic factors, including low literacy, reliance on agriculture, and poverty, exacerbate these issues. The study highlights higher infant mortality and malnutrition rates in rural areas compared to urban centers, underscoring the need for attitudinal shifts among healthcare providers and systemic improvements in infrastructure and policy to enhance health equity. By addressing an underexplored gap in rural health research in India, this work aims to inform strategies for inclusive healthcare delivery, potentially yielding broader societal benefits through improved well-being and demographic dividends.
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COVID-19 Vaccines Development: Challenges and Future Perspective

Published on: 9th June, 2025

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbursts began at the end of 2019, which imposed a serious crisis on public health and the economy all over the world. To date, there is no antiviral drug available for SARS-CoV-2, and hence vaccination is the most preferred method to prevent people from getting attacked by this virus, especially for those who are at high risk. To counter coronavirus-2, there are various types of vaccines, which are being used, such as live attenuated vaccines, killed or inactivated vaccines, recombinant vaccines, mRNA vaccines, recombinant vector vaccines, and DNA vaccines. Novavax data shows that the vaccine is effective against severe diseases caused by B.1.351. The Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines show evidence of some protection against P.1. Due to the immune response, the Human body can recognize and protect itself against harmful foreign substances such as bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms. The immune system protects our body from these harmful substances by identifying them as antigens. Virus-infected cells release many chemicals such as chemokines and cytokines for the initiation of immune response. To control the pandemic situation, herd immunity is required by the immunization of a critical mass of the world population at once. In this review article, we have made an analysis of the immune response of the human body to SARS-CoV-2 infection, different types, and modes of action of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines along with the current status of vaccines.
Cite this ArticleCrossMarkPublonsHarvard Library HOLLISGrowKudosResearchGateBase SearchOAI PMHAcademic MicrosoftScilitSemantic ScholarUniversite de ParisUW LibrariesSJSU King LibrarySJSU King LibraryNUS LibraryMcGillDET KGL BIBLiOTEKJCU DiscoveryUniversidad De LimaWorldCatVU on WorldCat

The Use and Prevalence of Cannabis among Students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State

Published on: 26th June, 2025

Cannabis poses a growing public health challenge in Nigeria, affecting various groups, including students. Evidence shows a significant prevalence of Cannabis use among students nationwide, yet limited research has focused on university students, particularly in the Southeast region. This study aimed to assess the extent of Cannabis use and its impact on students at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire randomly distributed to select undergraduate students from the Faculties of Arts, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Health Sciences. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 27. Out of 377 participants, 113 (30%) reported using Cannabis. Female students accounted for 35.5% of the respondents, while males made up 65.5%. "Weed" emerged as the most prevalent form/identifier of Cannabis prevalent amongst students. The study identified the frequency and patterns of its use, with a majority (41.8% of the Cannabis users) reporting to use it occasionally. It went ahead to establish the various motivations for Cannabis use, including peer influence, confidence building, emotional issues, and recreational purposes, as well as the influence of the media on its prevalence. The media influenced 15.9% of users, while the leading motivation for Cannabis use was peer pressure (33.33%), and followed by emotional challenges (27.27%). Negative mental health effects were reported by 18.3% of users, while 25.8% experienced disrupted Sleep patterns as a result of Cannabis use. Additionally, 58.7% observed a significantly increased appetite as a result of the use of Cannabis. Consequently, engineering students exhibited the highest prevalence of Cannabis use (86.2%) compared to other faculties, and female students (68.5%) were found to be more significantly represented among Cannabis users than their male counterparts (50.2%). These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and faculty-specific strategies to address Cannabis use, while also paying attention to gender-specific factors contributing to its prevalence.
Cite this ArticleCrossMarkPublonsHarvard Library HOLLISGrowKudosResearchGateBase SearchOAI PMHAcademic MicrosoftScilitSemantic ScholarUniversite de ParisUW LibrariesSJSU King LibrarySJSU King LibraryNUS LibraryMcGillDET KGL BIBLiOTEKJCU DiscoveryUniversidad De LimaWorldCatVU on WorldCat
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