Delivery mode and altered infant growth at 1 year of life in India.

BACKGROUND: Cesarean section (C-section) delivered infants are more likely to be colonized by opportunistic pathogens, resulting in altered growth. We examined whether C-section (elective/emergency) vs vaginal delivery was associated with altered weight and linear growth at 1 year of life. METHODS: A total of 638 mother-infant pairs were included from MAASTHI cohort 2016-2019. Information on delivery mode was obtained from medical records. Based on WHO child growth standards, body mass index-forage z-score (BMI z) and length-for-age z-score (length z) were derived. We ran multivariable linear and Poisson regression models before and after multiple imputation. RESULTS: The rate of C-section was 43.4% (26.5%: emergency, 16.9%: elective). Percentage of infant overweight was 14.9%. Compared to vaginal delivery, elective C-section was associated with ß = 0.57 (95% CI 0.20, 0.95) higher BMI z. Also infants born by elective C-section had RR = 2.44 (95% CI 1.35, 4.41) higher risk of being overweight; no such association was found for emergency C-section. Also, elective C-section delivery was associated with reduced linear growth at 1 year after multiple imputation (ß = -0.38, 95% CI -0.76, -0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Elective C-section delivery might contribute to excess weight and also possibly reduced linear growth at 1 year of age in children from low- and middle-income countries. IMPACT: Our study, in a low-income setting, suggests that elective, but not emergency, C-section is associated with excess infant BMI z at 1 year of age and elective C (C-section) was also associated with altered linear growth but only in multiple imputation analyses. Elective C-section was associated with a higher risk of being overweight at 1 year of age. Our results indicate that decreasing medically unnecessary elective C-section deliveries may help limit excess weight gain and stunted linear growth among infants.

Mid-upper arm circumference in pregnant women and birth weight in newborns as substitute for skinfold thickness: findings from the MAASTHI cohort study, India.

BACKGROUND: Estimating total body fat in public hospitals using gold-standard measurements such as air displacement plethysmography (ADP), deuterium oxide dilution, or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is unaffordable, and it is challenging to use skinfold thickness. We aimed to identify the appropriate substitute marker for skinfold thickness to estimate total body fat in pregnant women and infants. METHODS: The study is part of a prospective cohort study titled MAASTHI in Bengaluru, from 2016 to 19. Anthropometric measurements such as body weight, head circumference, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and skinfold thickness were measured in pregnant women between 14 and 36 weeks of gestational age; while measurements such as birth weight, head, chest, waist, hip, mid-upper arm circumference, and skinfold thickness were recorded for newborns. We calculated Kappa statistics to assess agreement between these anthropometric markers with skinfold thickness. RESULTS: We found the highest amount of agreement between total skinfold thickness and MUAC (Kappa statistic, 0.42; 95 % CI 0.38-0.46) in pregnant women. For newborns, the highest agreement with total skinfold thickness was with birth weight (0.57; 95 % CI 0.52-0.60). Our results indicate that MUAC higher than 29.2 cm can serve as a suitable alternative to total skinfolds-based assessments for obesity screening in pregnancy in public facilities. Similarly, a birth weight cut-off of 3.45 kg can be considered for classifying obesity among newborns. CONCLUSION: Mid-upper arm circumference and birth weight can be used as markers of skinfold thickness, reflecting total body fat in pregnant women and the infant, respectively. These two anthropometric measurements could substitute for skinfold thickness in low- and middle-income urban India settings.

Health-care investments for the urban populations, Bangladesh and India.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the costs and mortality reductions of a package of essential health interventions for urban populations in Bangladesh and India. METHODS: We used population data from the countries' censuses and United Nations Population Division. For causes of mortality in India, we used the Indian Million Death Study. We obtained cost estimates of each intervention from the third edition of Disease control priorities. For estimating the mortality reductions expected with the package, we used the Disease control priorities model. We calculated the benefit-cost ratio for investing in the package, using an analysis based on the Copenhagen Consensus method. FINDINGS: Per urban inhabitant, total costs for the package would be 75.1 United States dollars (US$) in Bangladesh and US$ 105.0 in India. Of this, prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases account for US$ 36.5 in Bangladesh and U$ 51.7 in India. The incremental cost per urban inhabitant for all interventions would be US$ 50 in Bangladesh and US$ 75 in India. In 2030, the averted deaths among people younger than 70 years would constitute 30.5% (1027/3362) and 21.2% (828/3913) of the estimated baseline deaths in Bangladesh and India, respectively. The health benefits of investing in the package would return US$ 1.2 per dollar spent in Bangladesh and US$ 1.8 per dollar spent in India. CONCLUSION: Investing in the package of essential health interventions, which address health-care needs of the growing urban population in Bangladesh and India, seems beneficial and could help the countries to achieve their 2030 sustainable development goals.

Expanding healthcare coverage: An experience from Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna.

Background & objective: Given that Ayushman Bharat Yojna was launched in 2018 in India, analysis of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) become relevant. The objective of this study was to examine the scheme design and the incentive structure under RSBY. Methods: The study was conducted in the districts of Patiala and Yamunanagar in the States of Punjab and Haryana, respectively (2011-2013). The mixed method study involved review of key documents; 20 in-depth interviews of key stakeholders; 399 exit interviews of RSBY and non-RSBY beneficiaries in Patiala and 353 in Yamunanagar from 12 selected RSBY empanelled hospitals; and analysis of secondary databases from State nodal agencies and district medical officers. Results: Insurance companies had considerable implementation responsibilities which led to conflict of interest in enrolment and empanelment. Enrolment was 15 per cent in Patiala and 42 per cent in Yamunanagar. Empanelment of health facilities was 17 (15%) in Patiala and 37 (30%) in Yamunanagar. Private-empanelled facilities were geographically clustered in the urban parts of the sub-districts. Monitoring was weak and led to breach of contracts. RSBY beneficiaries incurred out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures (₹5748); however, it was lower than that for non-RSBY (₹10667). The scheme had in-built incentives for Centre, State, insurance companies and health providers (both public and private). There were no incentives for health staff for additional RSBY activities. Interpretation & conclusions: RSBY has in-built incentives for all stakeholders. Some of the gaps identified in the scheme design pertained to poor enrolment practices, distribution of roles and responsibilities, fixed package rates, weak monitoring and supervision, and incurring OOP expenditure.

Maternal depressiveness and infant growth outcomes: Findings from the MAASTHI cohort study in India.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to examine the association between depressiveness in mothers on infant obesity and stunting at one year of age. METHODS: We enrolled 4829 pregnant women, followed them up at public health facilities in Bengaluru for one year after birth. We collected information on women's sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, depressive symptoms during pregnancy and delivery within 48 h. We took infant anthropometric measurements at birth and one year. We used chi-square tests, and calculated an unadjusted odds ratio using univariate logistic regression. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the association between maternal depressiveness, childhood adiposity, and stunting. RESULTS: We found that the prevalence of depressiveness was 31.8% in mothers who delivered in public health facilities in Bengaluru. Infants born to mothers with depressiveness at birth had 3.9 times higher odds of having larger waist circumference than infants born to mothers with no depressiveness (AOR: 3.96, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.24,12.58) and 1.9 times higher odds of having a larger sum of skinfold thickness (AOR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.18,3.38). Additionally, we found that infants born to mothers with depressiveness at birth had 1.7 times higher odds of stunting than infants born to mothers with no depressiveness (AOR: 1.72; 95%CI: 1.22,2.43) after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights a high prevalence of depressiveness among mothers seeking antenatal care at a public hospital is associated with an increased risk of infant adiposity and stunting at one year. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and identify effective interventions.

Healthcare worker resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study of primary care providers in India.

Since 2020, the world saw a myriad of creative health-care policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article studied the experience of rural primary care providers (PCPs) in India deputized for COVID-19 care in urban areas. In-depth interviews were conducted with PCPs (n = 19), who served at COVID-19 facilities. Lack of epidemic management and intensive tertiary care experience, limited and inadequate training, and fear of infection emerged as the primary sources of distress, in addition to absent systemic mental health support and formalized recognition. Even so, resilience among the respondents emerged as a result of encouragement from their families, peers, and mentors through various means including social media, and from individual recognition from communities and local governments. Rural PCPs expressed an eagerness to serve at the frontlines of COVID-19 and demonstrated indomitable spirit in the face of an acutely understaffed health system, growing uncertainty, and concerns about personal and family health. It is imperative to reconfigure health-care education and continuing professional development, and equip all health-care professionals with mental health support and the ability to deal with public health emergencies and build a more resilient health workforce.

Pandemic preparedness and response to COVID-19 in South Asian countries.

INTRODUCTION: There was a low level of pandemic preparedness in South Asia, but the region has done well in mounting an appropriate response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The rate and proportion of deaths attributed to COVID-19 are lower despite case surges similar to the rest of the world. RESULTS: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the glaring vulnerabilities of the health system. In addition, the high burden of non-communicable diseases in South Asia multiplies the complexities in combating present and future health crises. The advantage offered by the younger population demographics in South Asia may not be sustained with the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and lack of priority setting for improving health systems. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a window for introspection, scaling up preparedness for future pandemics, and improving the health of the population overall.

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence: Findings from Slums of Four Major Metro Cities of India.

There are limited studies on COVID vaccine confidence at the household level in urban slums, which are at high risk of COVID-19 transmission due to overcrowding and poor living conditions. The objective was to understand the reasons influencing COVID-19 vaccine confidence, in terms of barriers and enablers faced by communities in urban slums and informal settlements in four major metro cities in India. A mixed method approach was adopted, where in field studies were conducted during April-May 2021. First, a survey of at least 50 subjects was conducted among residents of informal urban settlements who had not taken any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Delhi; second, a short interview with five subjects who had taken at least one dose of the vaccine in each of the four cities to understand the factors that contributed to positive behaviour and, finally, an in-depth interview of at least 3 key informants in each city to ascertain the vaccination pattern in the communities. The reasons were grouped under contextual, individual/group and vaccine/vaccination specific issues. The most frequent reason (27.7%) was the uncertainty of getting the vaccine. The findings show the need for increasing effectiveness of awareness campaigns, accessibility and the convenience of vaccination, especially among vulnerable groups, to increase the uptake.

Assessment of the public-private-partnerships model of a national health insurance scheme in India.

A single hospital admission can deplete household resources so considerably as to induce impoverishment, especially in the Indian context of low government healthcare expenditure. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was a national health insurance scheme for below-poverty-line Indian families, to provide improved access to hospitalization and greater financial protection via a public-private-partnership employing private sector implementation capacity. Study objectives were to understand governance (including regulatory) environment and contract arrangements; evaluate expansion of services to beneficiaries; and assess compliance of providers and user satisfaction. A case study approach in two districts met the need for in-depth information on scheme functioning, and RSBY implementation was examined between 2011 and 13 in Patiala (Punjab) and Yamunanagar (Haryana). Methods included 20 key stakeholder interviews, analysis of secondary datasets on beneficiaries and claims, primary data collection in 31 public and private hospitals and in greater depth in 12 hospitals, and an exit survey of 751 patients. Enrolled and non-enrolled hospitals were mapped in each district and service availability of enrolled hospitals assessed; enrollee characteristics were analysed; for the 12 hospitals, information was obtained on structural quality and process of care, and patient satisfaction and out-of-pocket payments. The Indian states and the government of India did not specify formal regulatory and implementation procedures in detail and states largely contracted out their functions to private insurance firms. Findings show regulatory weaknesses, and contractual breaches. Enrolment rates were low in both districts and more so for Patiala and there was limited access to services. There was little difference in process of care between public and private hospitals, though the structural capacity of private hospitals was better than public hospitals. RSBY helped improve accessibility and gave some degree of financial protection to patients. It also actively engaged with existing resources in the Indian health care and insurance markets.

Transforming health care through Bhutan's digital health strategy: progress to date.

Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayas with some of the most rugged and mountainous terrain in the world, is actively engaged in digital health strategy reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of the health information system. Aligned with Bhutan's e-Government master plan, the National eHealth strategy and action plan aims to improve health by empowering health-care providers and citizens through technology and by enabling data exchange for service delivery. The strategy has four primary areas of focus: (i) ensuring digital health governance arrangements; (ii) concentrating on strong foundations in terms of infrastructure and standards; (iii) prioritizing improvements in the current health system in a phased, selective manner; and (iv) building the digital skills and knowledge of health workers. With support from the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization, phase 1 of the strategy has been completed and the blueprint for the digital health information system is in development. Phase 2 of the strategy will be implemented during 2020­2023 and will include work on (i) identity management for the health workforce; (ii) the implementation of a master patient index and a secure longitudinal patient information system; and (iii) enabling all health facilities to access the systems. Bhutan's eHealth strategy has the potential to fundamentally transform the delivery of health services, strengthen primary health care and enable the development of a "One Health" public health surveillance system.