Chettinad Health City Medical Journal (E-2278-2044 & P-2277-8845)

Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine in the Age of Infodemics: A Call to Action

Raja D — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:25:03 +0000

The rise of the digital era has transformed not only how healthcare information is disseminated but also how misinformation spreads. The COVID-19 pandemic starkly revealed the fragility of public trust in scientific knowledge, giving birth to what the World Health Organization termed an “infodemic” - an overabundance of information, both accurate and false, that makes it difficult for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when needed most.1 In this milieu, teaching Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) to future healthcare professionals assumes unprecedented importance.

How to cite this article:
Raj D. Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine in the
Age of Infodemics: A Call to Action. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):1-2.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202516

Alcohol use among patient with Tuberculosis: Findings from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Sellappan Senthil , Kanaga Govindarajan — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:34:58 +0000

Introduction: Alcohol consumption is a global issue with diverse cultural, social, and economic implications. It affects individuals and communities in multifaceted ways, ranging from social behaviors to health outcomes. There is a paucity of information on the association between alcohol use and tuberculosis (TB) patients in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Aim: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of alcohol use among TB patients in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among TB patients to collect information on demographics, education, occupation, type of TB, and smoking status. Alcohol use was assessed using the WHO-recommended Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with alcohol use among TB patients.
Results: Out of 274 TB patients, 17% (46/274) were identified as alcohol users. A higher proportion of working patients reported alcohol use compared to non-working patients. Alcohol use was significantly higher in those employed in the organized sector (OR = 13.4; 95% CI: 3.00–59.86; p < 0.01) and unorganized sector (OR = 10.6; 95% CI: 2.43–46.23; p < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol use was 2.2 times more common among TB patients with depression compared to those without (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.06–4.8; p < 0.05). Additionally, alcohol use was more prevalent among smokers than non-smokers (AOR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.21–7.34; p < 0.05).
Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence of alcohol use among TB patients in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The key findings indicate that alcohol users often exhibit dual habits of smoking and alcohol consumption, along with dual burdens of TB and depression. There is a clear need for targeted intervention strategies addressing alcohol use among TB patients to improve treatment outcomes and overall well-being.

How to cite this article:
Senthil S, Govindarajan K. Alcohol use among
patient with tuberculosis: Findings from
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):3-9.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202517

Motives for Making Instagram Reels and Awareness of Hazards Inherent in Instagram Reel Making Among Students

Seetal Devi, Veena Sharma, Saliqua Sehar — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:51:13 +0000

Introduction: Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms. Many young people are engaged in making Instagram short form videos known as reels. They gain popularity by posting reels, but when their posts receive fewer likes and comments, it can lead to a sense of losing control and can trigger feelings of inadequacy, causing depression and instability, negatively affecting mental health, leading to anxiety, stress, and other disorders.
Objective: The study aims to assess students’ motives for creating Instagram reels, evaluate their awareness of associated hazards, assess the effectiveness of an educational video in raising awareness, and explore the relationship between demographic variables (age, year of study, family income, and religion) and awareness of risks related to Instagram reel-making.
Methodology: The study used a quantitative pre-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design with 150 purposively selected students. An educational video on reel-making hazards was presented using power
point presentation with slide explanations. Awareness was measured using a self-structured questionnaire and analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Findings revealed that 80% of students had high motivation, with affiliation as the top motive, followed by achievement and power motives. Awareness rose from 67.33% to 91.33% post-test, with a significant t-value of 10.5. A significant association was found between the student’s age and pre-test awareness.
Conclusion: The study found that affiliation motives mainly drove students to create Instagram reels, and the educational video effectively raised awareness about its hazards.

How to cite this article:
Devi S, Sharma V, Sehar S. Motives for Making
Instagram Reels and Awareness of Hazards
Inherent in Instagram Reel Making Among
Students. Chettinad Health City Med J.
2025;14(2):10-15.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202518

Malnutrition and Nutrition Impact Symptoms Among Preoperative Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sowmiya J, Thilagamani S — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:00:51 +0000

Relationship Between Body Image Concerns and Eating Disorder Risk, Social Fear and Quality of Life in School and College Girls

R M Sobana, P Mohamed Nisha, H Shafia Banu, B Jishnu Deva — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:10:26 +0000

Introduction: Body image concerns involve negative perceptions and attitudes about body size and shape. It is a significant public health concern linked to emotional distress, low self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders (ED), particularly among adolescent females.
Objectives: To examine the impact of body image concerns on eating disorder risk, social fear and quality of life among female students aged 15–21 years.
Method: A sample of 400 school and college girls was surveyed, those with body image concerns were selected for further analysis of ED risk, SF and QoL using a modified, pretested questionnaire, and the data
were statistically analysed.
Results:The study found that 40.4% of participants had negative body image concerns, with schoolgirls (24.4 ± 3.4) showing a higher prevalence than college girls (25.9 ± 3.1). Eating disorder risk and combination(ED &SF) were more common among schoolgirls, while social fear prevalence was similar in both groups. Both groups reported poor quality of life, but schoolgirls with body image concerns had significantly lower quality
of life linked to ED risk (t = 3.96**) and combination of ED risk & SF (t= 2.75**). No significant difference was observed in quality of life for SF alone. A strong negative correlation was found between quality of
life and ED risk (r = -0.31*, -0.28*) or SF (r = -0.46*, -0.34*), but not for those with both ED risk and SF.
Conclusions: The study highlights how negative body image concerns contribute to other problems and affect the quality of life of female students. Interventions like self-monitoring, healthy eating, exercise, media literacy, self-esteem building, and psychoeducation can help reduce body image dissatisfaction.

How to cite this article:
Sobana R M, Nisha P M, Banu H S, Deva B J.
Relationship Between Body Image Concerns and
Eating Disorder Risk, Social Fear and Quality of
Life in School and College Girls. Chettinad Health
City Med J. 2025;14(2):25-31.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202520

Stress and Coping Strategies among Mothers with Preterm babies admitted in NICU- A Descriptive Correlational Study from South India

Atreyee Dey, U S Latha, M S Radha, P Srinivasan — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:19:31 +0000

Background: Mothers of newborns admitted to NICU have reported a loss of control over a vital life event. This stress may be aggravated by the child’s appearance, difficult medical technologies, use of medical equipment, and fear of newborn death. When the baby is born preterm with complications, parents undergo severe mental stress and experience heightened distress, including increased anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms, compared with parents of healthy infants when their child is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Aim: To assess the stress and coping strategies among mothers of preterm babies admitted to the NICU.
Methods: A quantitative research approach with a non-experimental descriptive correlational design was adopted to study stress and coping strategies among mothers with preterm babies. Seventy mothers with preterm babies admitted to the NICU at a selected tertiary hospital, Karnataka were selected by convenience sampling technique. The standardised Parental Stress Scale (PSS), and Brief Cope Scale (BCS) were used for collecting the data regarding stress and coping strategies among mothers of preterm babies.
Results: The data were analysed with descriptive statistics for a description of sample characteristics and research variables and inferential statistics like Pearson correlation for correlation. Results revealed that the majority of the mothers (82.8%) had higher stress, and the most (51.4%) of them employed moderate coping strategies. Stress and coping strategies had shown a significantly high negative correlation to support the existence of an inverse relationship between them.
Conclusion: The study concluded that stress and coping strategies among mothers of preterm babies admitted to the NICU are measurable constructs, and both were found to be negatively correlated. Most of the mothers had higher levels of stress, and the majority of them were using moderate levels of coping strategies to overcome the stressful situations.

How to cite this article:
Dey A, Latha U S, Radha M S, Srinivasan P. Stress
and Coping strategies among Mothers with
Preterm babies admitted in NICU- A Descriptive
Correlational study from South India. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):32-39.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202521

Role of Environmental Enrichment on the Motor Proficiency of Institutionalized and Non Institutionalized Children - An Experimental Study

Sanjiv Kumar, Vinuta Deshpande, Roohina Sheikh — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:26:45 +0000

Introduction: Environmental influences play an important part for the development of motor skills in children.
Aim: The current study assessed the impact of environmental influences on motor proficiency among children in Institutionalized (IN) and Non Institutionalized (NI) residences.
Methods and Materials: This experimental study was carried out in orphanages and schools, among children of 4-8 years for a period of one year. There was total 32 children, and each group consisted of 16 children. Bruininks- Oseretsky Test (BOT-2) was used to asses Motor proficiency. Association among the groups was assessed using the independent t-test, with p<0.05 seen as statistically significant.
Results: Significant improvements were observed in various motor skills in both institutionalised and non-institutionalised groups following the intervention. Among institutionalized, (p= 0.008) Fine Motor Precision, (p=0.0001) Fine Motor Integration, (p=0.002) Manual dexterity, (p= 0.01) Upper limb coordination, (p=0.0001) Bilateral coordination, (p< 0.0001) Strength, (p< 0.0001) Total motor composite and Running
speed and (p< 0.0001) Agility were considered significant. For NI, Fine Motor Integration(p=0.0001), Manual dexterity (p=0.02), Upper limb coordination (p= 0.003), Bilateral coordination (p=0.003/0.001), Total motor composite (p< 0.001) and Balance (p= 0.03) were proved to be statistically significant. When pre and post intervention difference was compared between the groups, Balance (p= 0.03), Strength (p< 0.0001) and Total motor composite (p= 0.03) were found to be significant.
Conclusion: The present study observed that there was an evident difference in. the motor proficiency of IN and NI children and hence it is imperative that the care takers in the institutions contribute towards enriching the motor proficiency at a younger age.

How to cite this article:
Kumar S, Deshpande V, Sheikh R. Role of
Environmental Enrichment on the Motor
Proficiency of Institutionalized and Non
Institutionalized Children - An Experimental
Study. Chettinad Health City Med J.
2025;14(2):40-45.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202522

Exploring the Impact of Pranayama on Emotional Stability in Post-Graduate Students: Correlation with Serum Cortisol and Haemoglobin Levels

Lakshmikant Nagar, Chintaharan Betal, Jairam Kushwaha, Archana Bhat — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:40:06 +0000

Background: Postgraduate students (PGs) are often facing extreme pressure to excel academically and produce high-quality research, by which they often become the victim of emotional instability, stress and anxiety states. Pranayama breathing exercise (PBE), a traditional form of breathing exercises has been recommended to optimise psycho physiological health, i.e., body, mind and consciousness.
Aim: Hence, this research is meant to investigate the potential impact of PBE on serum cortisol (SC) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels of PGs; those are directly related to emotional instability.
Methods: Sixty participants with ages ranging from 21 to 24, meeting the eligibility requirements were randomly distributed into two equal groups i.e., 30 in the pranayama and control groups, respectively. The
pranayama group received 45 minutes of PBE daily for three months. Data collected at pre-phase, post-phase 1 and post-phase 2 by using the ESQ questionnaire and SC and Hb levels measured through lab tests. The SPSS version 2.5.11 (110) was applied for data analysis.
Results: No significant changes were recorded between the groups at pre-phase, whereas participants in the pranayama group (i) indicated a notably higher emotional stability (ES) at post-phase 1 (P=.019) and post-phase 2 (P<.001), (ii) significant reduction of SC level at post phase 1 (P<.001) and post-phase 2 (P<.001) and (iii) also confirmed a significantly higher Hb level at post-phase 1 (P<.001) and post-phase 2 (P<.001) as vis-a-vis to the control group.
Conclusion: The result confirmed that PBE improved ES by minimising the SC level and increasing Hb level efficiency, benefiting oxygen transport to body cells, which indicates stress reduction, parasympathetic dominance and enhanced physiological well-being.

How to cite this article:
Nagar L, Betal C, Kushwaha J, Bhatt A. Exploring
the Impact of Pranayama on Emotional Stability in
Post-Graduate Students: Correlation with Serum
Cortisol and Haemoglobin Levels. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):46-54

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202523

A Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of Mirror Therapy (Mt) and Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (Cimt) for Improving Hand Function and Recovery in Acute Stroke Patients

Kunal Patowary, Jasmina Khanom, Redeem Karap, S K Shahina Aktar — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:52:12 +0000

Introduction: A stroke may be caused by a disruption in the blood flow to the brain. The brain cells run out of oxygen when there is an interruption in blood flow, and they start to die. MT and CIMT are both non-invasive interventions that improve function and recovery in stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the speed of recovery and compare the efficacy of CIMT and MT in hand rehabilitation for stroke patients who had acute disability.
Aim: To compare the effectiveness of mirror therapy and constraint induced movement therapy for hand improvement and recovery in acute stroke patients.
Methods: 50 subjects were selected and allocated into two groups using a simple random sampling method. 25 subjects were allocated to group A (CIMT group) where they underwent CIMT protocol and 25 subjects were recruited to group B (MT group) where they underwent MT for 3 weeks, 4 sessions per week. Subjects were assessed at the start of treatment and reassessed after 3 weeks to find the persisting effects of the same.
Results: Data was analysed using a t-test for both groups, both protocols used in the study were effective, but group A (CIMT) showed a greater effect than group B (MT).
Conclusion: The study’s findings demonstrate that both CIMT and MT significantly improve the gross and fine motor skills of patients with acute stroke in their upper extremities during treatment, giving better results than conventional therapy alone. The CIMT group showed better results than the MT group.

How to cite this article:
Patowary K, Khanom J, Karap R, Aktar S K S. A
Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of Mirror
Therapy (Mt) and Constraint-Induced Movement
Therapy (Cimt) for Improving Hand Function and
Recovery in Acute Stroke Patients. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):55-60.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202524

An Exploratory Study to find out the Factors Affecting the Utilization of Antenatal Care Services Among Married Women of Reproductive Age Group (15-45 Years) During Covid-19 Pandemic in Selected Hospital of Delhi

Asha Sharma, Thokchom Somibala, Chhugani Manju — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:00:57 +0000

Introduction: Mother and child must meet their health needs, which differ from those of others. Health services for mothers are considered critical health services that should be maintained throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a descriptive study was undertaken to find out the factors affecting the utilisation of ANC services during COVID-19 pandemic in a selected hospital in Delhi.
Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the awareness and utilisation pattern of ANC services, factors affecting the utilisation of ANC services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to seek an association between factors affecting and selected demographic variables.
Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted, and a convenient sampling technique was used. The sample of the present study comprised 100 antenatal women who come under the 15-45 age group and utilised the antenatal care services (ANC) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a selected hospital of Delhi. The data was collected in the month of January 2022 through a structured interview schedule. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.
Result: The study showed that the majority of the married women of the15-45 years age group had moderate utilisation of ANC services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: The study concluded that the majority of antenatal women used ANC services moderately because the fear of getting a COVID-19 infection, distance from the house to the hospital, and anxiety about delivery during COVID-19 were the factors that affected the utilisation of ANC services.

How to cite this article:
Sharma A, Somibala T, Manju C. An Exploratory
Study to find out the Factors Affecting the
Utilization of Antenatal Care Services Among
Married Women of Reproductive Age Group (15
45 Years) During Covid-19 Pandemic in Selected
Hospital of Delhi. Chettinad Health City Med J.
2025;14(2):61-67.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202525

Narratives of Resilience: Unveiling the Human Side of Cancer Amidst the Covid-19 Era

Jessita Mary Anil, Govind R — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Health and medicine, as an instrument of interventional and therapeutic interaction, encompasses both public and popular culture. The labels ‘cancer’ and ‘cancer patient’ evoke overwhelming stress. During the course of the disease, cancer patients are required to make multiple visits to hospitals for clinical examinations, laboratory and imaging tests, and different types of medical procedures and surgical intervention as part of the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of the treatment regime. The Covid pandemic has further exacerbated the challenges faced by the immunocompromised cancer survivors, sometimes affecting their access to treatment and care. The paper examines in detail the first person accounts furnished by cancer survivors as well as the physicians who treated them, with the intention of gauging the extent to which the pandemic impinged on the prospects of cancer patients and cancer survivors getting diagnosed, treated and continually cared for. The cancer testimonials studied herein invariably point to the fact that the very act of reflecting on the journey of their struggle, especially during the adverse times of a pandemic, and sharing their experiences with others makes them feel empowered, both against the disease and the systemic discriminations inherent in the medical establishment. The article emphasises the need for compassionate communication and open conversation to address the challenges posed by Covid-19 in the cancer community.

How to cite this article:
Anil J M, Govind R. Narratives of Resilience:
Unveiling the Human Side of Cancer Amidst
the Covid-19 Era. Chettinad Health City Med J.
2025;14(2):68-77.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202526

Revolutionizing Pharmacovigilance: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Patient Safety

Sachin Kumar, Prabhat Agarwal, Sachin Kumar — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:47:03 +0000

Background: Pharmacovigilance (PV) is responsible for monitoring drug safety, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a promising technology that has the potential to transform this field.
Objective: This article will investigate the role of AI in PV and its potential benefits for patient safety and healthcare providers.
Methods: A structured review of relevant literature was conducted to identify studies that demonstrate the applications of AI in PV. The identified studies were analysed to determine the specific roles of AI in PV and its potential benefits.
Results: The practice of AI in PV allows for the analysis of large datasets, adverse event reporting, the detection of safety signals, the prioritisation of safety issues, data mining, and predictive modelling. The benefits of AI in PV include improved efficiency, increased accuracy, enhanced patient safety, faster analysis of safety issues related to drugs, and reduced healthcare costs.
Conclusion: AI has enormous potential to improve PV by streamlining case processing and improving the identification of adverse events. However, there are also challenges that need to be addressed in
implementing AI in PV. Overall, AI has significant promise for enhancing patient safety and reducing healthcare costs.

How to cite this article:
Kumar S, Agarwal P, Kumar S. Revolutionizing
Pharmacovigilance: The Role of Artificial
Intelligence in Enhancing Patient Safety. Chettinad
Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):78-86.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202527

Ayurvedic Pain Management of Sprengel’s Deformity: A Case Report

Devasmita Dash, Amit Kumar, Sonam Jaguri, Shilpy Gupta, Vijendra Kumar — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:03:39 +0000

Introduction: Sprengel’s Deformity is a rare congenital disease of unknown etiology characterized by acute pain and disability of the shoulder and neck.
Main Clinical Findings: This is a case report of a 15-years- old female child suffering from pain symptoms and movement restriction of the neck and shoulder.
Diagnosis: Unilateral Sprengel’s Deformity Grade II (Ayurvedic diagnosis: Vata-vyadhi).
Interventions: Shrotoshodhan (cleansing of channels), Dosha shaman (balanced state of body humors), Bahya snehana (external oleation), and Swedana (sudation) to nourish Asthi-dhatu (bone tissue), pacify Vata-kapha dosha, and increase the flexibility of Mamsa dhatu (muscle tissue). Yogasanas like Greeva sanchalan (neck movements), Skandha sanchalan (shoulder movements), Shalabhasana (locust pose), and Salamba bhujangasana (Sphinx pose) are advised after reduction of acute pain symptoms.
Outcome: Assessment was done by the shoulder pain and disability index, and improvement was observed in pain and movement restriction.
Conclusion: The case was effectively managed with Ayurveda oral medication, therapy, and Yoga practices.

How to cite this article:
Dash D, Kumar A, Jaguri S, Gupta S, Kumar
V. Ayurvedic Pain Management of Sprengel’s
Deformity: A Case Report. Chettinad Health
City Med J. 2025;14(2):87-95.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202528

Behçet Diseases: A Puzzling Case of Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers – A Comprehensive Report

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:15:42 +0000

Behçet’s illness is an unidentified multisystem autoimmune ailment that frequently causes oral and genital ulcers and ophthalmic and cutaneous damage as well as indications for arthritis and may also affect the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. In this research, we focus on the clinical characteristics and management of
a case with recurrent aphthous ulcer having Behcet syndrome.

How to cite this article:
Gadhiya H, Shingala R, D Gajipara D, Radhanpura
Y, Sanja S, Patel D, Kalaria K. Behçet Diseases: A
Puzzling Case of Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers – A
Comprehensive Report Chettinad Health City
Med J. 2025;14(2):96-98.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202529

Effectiveness of a Video-assisted Training Programme on Diabetes Mellitus Patient’s Knowledge of Diabetic Retinopathy Prevention at Tertiary Care Hospital Dehradun

Kanchan Negi, Sheeba Philip — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:26:01 +0000

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a disease of metabolism that is characterised by abnormally increased blood sugar levels. Visual impairment is more commonly seen among diabetes people than non diabetic persons. Diabetic retinopathy has come out as the main cause of visual challenges leading to permanent blindness among adults. Across the world, most diabetic patients are unaware of the fatality of this condition, yet research predicts that awareness programmes need to be insisted on and administered for better DR prevention and management.
Study and Design: Quantitative research was conducted at Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital in Dehradun using a single- group pre-test and post test design.
Methods and Material: The study employed purposive sampling to enrol a total of 60 patients. Data was gathered using a structured knowledge questionnaire, and differential and inferential statistics were used to
analyse the results.
Results: In comparison to the mean knowledge scores before the test (13.15.276) and after the test (20.121.9239) the latter was higher. The results were very significant, as indicated by the calculated “t”
value’s being higher than the tabular value (t 59 =2, P0.05) of 22.8. When it comes to increasing their understanding of how to prevent diabetic retinopathy, the intervention was helpful for the customers
who were diabetic.
Conclusions: The video-assisted programme as an intervention was found highly beneficial in improving knowledge of the prevention of diabetic retinopathy.

How to cite this article:
Negi K, Philip S. Effectiveness of a Video-assisted
Training Programme on Diabetes Mellitus
Patient’s Knowledge of Diabetic Retinopathy
Prevention at Tertiary Care Hospital Dehradun.
Chettinad Health City Med J. 2025;14(2):99-102.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2278.2044.202530