Background Although a known risk factor for several respiratory diseases, the relationship between cooking smoke and tuberculosis has not been conclusively established. Hence, a case–control study was conducted among adult women of Chandigarh Union Territory in India. Methods Physician-diagnosed cases of sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis (n=126) and age- and residence area-matched controls (n=252) were enrolled from clinics in urban, rural and slum areas. Interviews were conducted in the clinic using a pretested questionnaire to collect information on type of cooking fuel, education, occupation, socio-economic status, smoking, overcrowding and type of kitchen, etc. The conditional logistic regression model was used for control of confounding. Results The study population was predominantly in the 20–29-year-old age group (58%) and lived in urban areas (67%). The majority were illiterate (52%) and housewives (93%), and nearly half (46%) had an income of no more than Rs 25 000. Among the cases, 20.6%, 27% and 52.4% used biomass fuel, kerosene and liquid petroleum gas (LPG), respectively, whereas among controls, the respective figures were: 12.3%, 26.2% and 61.5%. The unadjusted OR for biomass fuel compared with LPG was 2.33 (95% CI 1.18 to 4.59, p 0.01). Adjustment for confounding factors (education, type of kitchen, smoking tobacco and TB in a family member) and interaction between cooking fuel and smoker in family revealed an OR of 3.14 (95% CI 1.15 to 8.56, p=0.02) for biomass fuel in comparison with LPG. Conclusions Cooking with biomass fuel increases the risk for pulmonary tuberculosis.

Targeted interventions (TIs) have been a major strategy for HIV prevention in India. We evaluated the impact of TIs on HIV prevalence in high HIV prevalence southern states (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra).

Introduction. With the advent and extensive use of the Internet and smartphones, social networking has become a pervasive part of human interaction. The use of these social networking sites or the Internet affects the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the people. Hence, there is need to understand how the time spent on social networking is affecting the quality of life (QOL) as a whole, especially among college-going students who are most likely users of social networking sites (18–21 years). Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 220 college-going students (18–21 years) in Chandigarh in 2012. The data were collected using a pretested self-administered questionnaire, adapted from Young’s Internet usage questionnaire. Appropriate statistical analysis was done. Results. Almost all (98%) of the respondents use the Internet. As compared to nondaily users of social networking sites, daily users were better able to handle stress related to (1) relationships (moderate to severe stress among daily users vs. nondaily users, 15.2% vs. 30.5%) and (2) work (moderate to severe stress among daily users vs. nondaily users, 18.2% vs. 35.4%). The daily users of social networking sites feel significantly more satisfied with their classmates, the way they handle the problems, their physical appearance, and their accomplishments in their life. Conclusion. Social networking sites are steadily penetrating in the lives of adolescents in India. The advantages on quality of life for daily users of social networking sites versus nondaily users are enormous. Also currently, Internet use might not have reached the levels where it embarks on the existing state of health; therefore, continuous and critical observation of the changing trends is warranted.

Background: Diabetes self-care behaviour plays a crucial role in managing the diabetes effectively and preventing complications. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and health care professionals (HCPs) of rural areas often face unique challenges when it comes to diabetes self-care practices (SCPs). Therefore, this study aim to explore the perspectives of patients with T2DM and HCPs on diabetes SCPs. Methods: Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) among individuals with T2DM and In-depth interviews (IDIs) with 15 HCPs were conducted in rural areas of Punjab, North India. Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behaviour model (COM-B) was employed for thematic framework analyses. Results: The study participants perceived that a limited understanding of diabetes mellitus (DM), beliefs in alternative therapies, drug side effects, attitudes towards DM (psychological capability), comorbidities (physical capability), family support (social opportunity), financial and time constraints, and weather conditions (physical opportunity) contributed to lack of DM SCPs. Physicians’ guidance and support were motivating them to adhere to SCPs, especially when aligned with their sense of self-efficacy (reflective motivation). HCPs constraints in providing patient-centred care are due to training limitations (psychological capability) and a lack of essential resources (physical opportunities). Participants expressed need for comprehensive diabetes care (automatic motivation) through structured diabetes education intervention to improve diabetes SCPs. Conclusions: The study findings indicate that various factors influence diabetes SCPs from the perspectives of both patients with T2DM and HCPs and emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach to improve diabetes SCPs in rural areas. Implementing a structured diabetes self-care intervention strategy in rural areas may help for preventing and mitigating the impact of diabetes-related complications in rural areas.