Background: The elderly population is continuously growing and respiratory diseases account for 20% of chronic diseases among ageing people; these diseases are often treated imprecisely. Thus, the health-care system should adapt to the growing health needs of the elderly population. Aims: To study health care utilisation by geriatric patients with respiratory diseases. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study of the elderly aged 60 years and over was conducted in the urban and rural areas of the National Capital Region and the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh. The first part of the study included socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported co-morbidities. In this first part, suspected respiratory cases were screened out, and a questionnaire regarding health-care utilisation was administered. The effect of socio-demographic factors on health-care utilisation was analysed. Results: In urban areas, 282/1522 (18.5%) and in rural areas, 298/1503 (19.8%) were found to suffer from respiratory illnesses. Health-care utilisation among elderly patients was significantly higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. In both areas, a large number of elderly people (70.5% rural and 61.7% urban) were insufficiently utilising health-care services. The socio-economic status (P = 0.034) and the source of income (P = 0.002) of urban residents were found to be significant factors. Among rural residents, health security (P = 0.05) and source of income (P = 0.002) were found to be statistically significant. Among the combined population (580), socio-economic status (P = 0.020) and source of income (P = 0.002) were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Health-care utilisation was better in urban residents than in rural elderly. However, majority of the elderly were utilising health-care services insufficiently in both areas. Socio-economic status and source of income had a significant effect on health-care utilisation.

Background: This study examined undergraduate MBBS and nursing students' quality of life with internet addiction and the association of anxiety and stress. Aim: We aimed to partially replicate the participant's online activities, changes in behaviour by internet addiction, quality of life when internet access was not possible and frequency of internet use. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was applied in included university involving 400 MBBS and nursing students. World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) scale for assessment of the personal quality of life. Scores of internet addiction test, Beck Anxiety Inventory and WHOQOL-BREF were compared by using the Mann–Whitney test or Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: The main findings revealed various risk factors associated with internet addictions, such as psychological distress, anxiety, mood disorders, suicidality, aggression, stress and sleep problems. Most of the intervention studies used an invariant behavioural therapy approach, although other interventions appeared effective in reducing addiction symptoms. Conclusion: Based on the students' addiction finding of an association between quality of life with internet addiction and anxiety and stress problems across combination with high prevalence rates amongst adolescents and university students, the individuals will use these tools. The implication of these findings is further discussed, and research is needed to develop and implement prevention strategies and treatment offers.

Introduction: Menstruation is still a taboo in India and it is common for people across society to feel uncomfortable about the subject. It is a normal physiological process. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess awareness and hygiene practices amongst adolescent girls and to study the menarche age of respondents in comparison to their mother's age at menarche. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, observational and prospective study was carried out in two private high schools of Mehsana city, Gujarat. Data were collected in a form of a structured questionnaire. Adolescent girls from 10 to 19 years were enrolled in the study. Ethical approval was obtained before initiating data collection. IBM SPSS version 2.0 was used for the analysis of the data. Results: Out of a total of 454 screened, 398 adolescents were enrolled in the study with an 87.76% response rate. The mean menarche age of adolescent girls was 13.33 ± 1.18 years. Mothers 316 (78.4%) were the first source of information. Majority of study respondents (68.5%) rated menstruation as a part of the physiologic process caused by hormonal changes. About 18.6% knew the uterus as a source of bleeding. About 59.8% of adolescent girls were scared and discomforted at their menarche. Most (93.5%) were using sanitary pads as absorbent material. Half of the respondents were using water to clean their genitals. Nearly half of the respondents felt hesitation for discussing their menstrual-related problems with others. The mean menarche age of the participants was 13.33 ± 1.18 years with a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 18 years, while their mother's age at menarche was 14.58 ± 1.27 years. Conclusion: Menstrual hygiene education must be provided to adolescent girls. Need to solve taboos and misconception amongst adolescent girls of India.

Many clinical trials and studies have already been conducted and published to find out the effects of yogic practice as well as pranayama on cardiovascular system of hypertensive patients. Many studies also conducted to find out the immediate effects of yogic practice on hypertensive patients. However, a review is rarely been published to find out the immediate effects of pranayama on hypertensive patients. Searching was made through PubMed, Google Scholar, PsychINFO and Scopus using the keywords pranayama and hypertension. A total of seven studies were selected for this review from a 17 articles. Patients of essential hypertension performed different pranayama and showed a result of a significant decrease in various cardiovascular parameters such as heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP). It may be concluded that pranayama practice immediately reduce BP and HR.

The diagnosis of infectious diseases has always been a matter of concern for clinicians worldwide. Although the conventional techniques like microscopy and culture have served the purpose since ages, they have been found to be inadequate now with the advent of modern technology including automated identification systems and molecular testing. The newer technology including Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization – Time of Flight and molecular tests such as multiplex polymerase chain reactions and Next Generation Sequencing, has undoubtedly paved the way for diagnosis and discovery of various novel pathogens. This has subsequently given rise to a mindset that the conventional techniques are redundant and hence, should be abandoned. The authors, through the current review, would like to present a perspective in favour of the conventional techniques which still are one of the simplest, most inexpensive methods for diagnosing infectious diseases and provide us with the precious antimicrobial susceptibility data to guide our antimicrobial stewardship programmes. Further, considering the limited availability of the state-of-the-art molecular testing facilities across the country, it is recommended that rather than using them exclusively or separately, conventional methods and the molecular tests be used in conjunction wherever available and feasible.

Surfactant therapy has been the mainstay of treatment in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Delivery of surfactant through endotracheal intubation has been the commonly used technique. Intubation requires expertise and is associated with complications. In addition, there is also an increased future risk of chronic lung disease. Newer techniques of surfactant delivery abating the need of intubation have been reported. One such minimally invasive technique is surfactant administration through a supraglottic airway device. In this report, we describe the delivery of surfactants using this technique.

Central nervous system (CNS) toxoplasmosis is one of the leading causes of secondary CNS infection and seizures in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients along with cryptococcosis and tuberculosis. Encephalitis can be a primary presentation in undiagnosed HIV patients. We are reporting a rare case of HIV/AIDS that presented to us with encephalitis and was later diagnosed as toxoplasma encephalitis. A 32-year-old male truck driver presented with altered behaviour for about 1 month and vomiting for 4 days. On clinical examination, papilloedema was present. Further investigations revealed serologically proven HIV with CD4 T lymphocyte count of 56 cells/microL. Brain imaging showed multiple ring-enhancing lesions in the bilateral cerebral hemispheres and right cerebellar hemisphere. Serum toxoplasma antibodies were found to be positive and a diagnosis of CNS toxoplasmosis encephalitis was made. Treatment with trimethoprim–sulphamethoxazole and highly active antiretroviral therapy was initiated following which there was a significant improvement in the patient's clinical condition. The patient is on regular follow-up now.