Diabetes mellitus is a major public health issue that considerably impacts mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc in diabetes management, too, like other spectrums of life. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was adopted to determine the effect of Social Support, Self-Care Behaviour and Self-Efficacy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) during this COVID-19 pandemic. Two hundred T2D patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were chosen using a convenient sampling procedure. The tool consists of four sections, including socio-demographic characteristics, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) Scale and modified Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale (DMS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the obtained data. The mean and SD of diabetic management self-efficacy is 5.74 (1.95) and 4.37 (1.4), respectively, for patients with HbA1c < 6.5% and HbA1c ≥ 6.5%. The self-care activities of the patients who had good glycemic control were 4.31 (2.06) compared to 3.50 (1.73) who did not. The social support received by the patients was 6.13 (2.13) vs. 5.31 (1.67) among patients with glycemic control vs. no control. The results show that social support (p = 0.04), self-efficacy (p =0.01) and self-care activities (p = 0.001) were significantly related to the level of glycemic control of the T2D patients. A significant relationship was also identified between gender (p = 0.036), age (p = 0.001) and education status (p = 0.000) with HbA1c control of the participants. This study demonstrates a significant relationship between social support, self-care behaviours, self-efficacy and glycemic management in T2D patients. During this COVID-19 pandemic, interventions to enhance the self-care activities like exercise and social support to boost their self-efficacy; for better diabetes management, reducing diabetes complications or prolonging their onset are the need of the hour.

Maternal and child nutrition has been a critical component of health, sustainable development, and progress in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). While a decrement in maternal mortality is an important indicator, simply surviving pregnancy and childbirth does not imply better maternal health. One of the fundamental obligations of nations under international human rights law is to enable women to endure pregnancy and delivery as an aspect of their enjoyment of reproductive and sexual health and rights and to live a dignified life. The aim of this study was to discover the correlation between the Maternal Observation and Motivation (MOM) program and m-Health support for maternal and newborn health. A comparative study was done among 196 pregnant mothers (study group—94; control group—102 mothers) with not less than 20 weeks of gestation. Maternal outcomes such as Hb and weight gain and newborn results such as birth weight and crown–heel length were obtained at baseline and at 28 and 36 weeks of gestation. Other secondary data collected were abortion, stillbirth, low birth weight, major congenital malformations, twin or triplet pregnancies, physical activity, and maternal well-being. The MOM intervention included initial face-to-face education, three in-person visits, and eight virtual health coaching sessions via WhatsApp. The baseline data on Hb of the mothers show that 31 (32.98%) vs. 27 (28.72%) mothers in the study and control group, respectively, had anemia, which improved to 27.66% and 14.98% among study group mothers at 28 and 36 weeks of gestation (p < 0.001). The weight gain (p < 0.001), level of physical activity (p < 0.001), and maternal well-being (p < 0.01) also had significant differences after the intervention. Even after controlling for potentially confounding variables, the maternal food practices regression model revealed that birth weight was directly correlated with the consumption of milk (p < 0.001), fruits (p < 0.01), and green vegetables (p < 0.05). As per the physical activity and maternal well-being regression model, the birth weight and crown–heel length were strongly related with the physical activity and maternal well-being of mothers at 36 weeks of gestation (p < 0.05). Combining the MOM intervention with standard antenatal care is a safe and effective way to improve maternal welfare while upholding pregnant mothers’ human rights.

Maternal and child nutrition has been a critical component of health, sustainable development, and progress in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). While a decrement in maternal mortality is an important indicator, simply surviving pregnancy and childbirth does not imply better maternal health. One of the fundamental obligations of nations under international human rights law is to enable mothers and teenage girls to endure pregnancy and delivery as an aspect of their enjoyment of reproductive and sexual health and rights and live a dignified life. The aim of this study was to discover the correlation between the Maternal Observation and Motivation (MOM) program and m-Health support for maternal and newborn health. A Comparative study was done among 109 pregnant mothers (study group-94; control group-102 mothers) with not less than 20 weeks of gestation. Maternal outcomes such as Hb, weight gain and newborn results like birth weight and crown- heel length was obtained on the baseline, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation. Other secondary data collected were abortion, stillbirth, low birth weight, major congenital malformations, twin or triplet pregnancies, physical activity and maternal wellbeing. The MOM intervention included initial face to face education, three in-person visits and eight virtual health coaching by WhatsApp. The baseline data on Hb of the mothers show that 31(32.98%) vs 27(28.72%) of the study and control group had anaemia, which improved to 27.66% and 14.98% among study group mothers at 28 and 36 weeks of gestation (p<0.001). The weight gain (p< 0.001), level of physical activity (p< 0.001), and maternal wellbeing (p< 0.01) also had significant differences after the Intervention. Even after controlling for potentially confounding variables, the maternal food practices regression model revealed that birth weight was directly correlated with consumption of milk (p 0.001), fruits (p 0.01), and green vegetables (p 0.05).As per the physical activity and maternal wellbeing regression model, the birth weight and crown heel length were strongly related with the physical activity and maternal wellbeing of mothers at 36 weeks of gestation (p <0.05). Combining the MOM intervention with standard antenatal care is a safe and effective way to improve maternal welfare while upholding pregnant mothers' human rights.

Background & Objective: Medical students in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) encounter high academic demands and complex psychosocial stressors, increasing their vulnerability to mental health disorders. Anxiety and depression are particularly prevalent, yet evidence on their burden and predictors across LMICs remain fragmented. This systematic review synthesizes the prevalence, predictors, and risk factors of anxiety and depression among undergraduate medical students in LMICs. Methodology: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and other sources for studies published in English between January 2020 to January 2025. Cross-sectional observational studies reporting prevalence of anxiety and/or depression among undergraduate medical students in LMICs were included. Risk of bias was assessed using JBI for cross-sectional studies and ROBIS for systematic reviews. Results: A total of 1,437 records were identified, of which 20 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 69,871 medical students from diverse regions including Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The pooled prevalence of anxiety was 52.5% (±11.6), and depression was 40.6% (±6.3). Female students consistently showed higher vulnerability to anxiety and depression, and clinical-year students were more prone to depressive symptoms. Lifestyle factors such as high screen use increased risk, whereas physical activity was protective. Overweight status was associated with increased likelihood of depression (OR = 2.58). Comorbidity between anxiety, depression, and stress was common. Barriers to help-seeking, cultural stigma, academic stress, and insufficient institutional support were frequently reported. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent among medical students in LMICs, influenced by academic, social, and lifestyle factors. Context-specific interventions, including mental health services, stress management, and anti-stigma initiatives, are essential to protect the well-being of future healthcare professionals.