Browsing by Author "Bhattacharya, Sudip"

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Citation - WoS: 6
Citation - Scopus: 8
Dietary Salt Consumption Pattern as an Antecedent Risk Factor for Hypertension: Status, Vision, and Future Recommendations
(Elsevier, 2022) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Bera, Om Prakash; Saleem, Sheikh Mohd; Hossain, Md Mahbub; Varshney, Deep Shikha; Kaur, Ravneet; Rana, Rishabh Kumar; Gokdemir, Ozden
Multiple salt reduction strategies have been devised from time to time, addressing the issues of hypertension without considering the other essential factors, like the variability of salt sensitivity from the person to person. In this paper, we discuss how high salt consumption is one modifiable risk factor associated with hypertension among Indians, and there needs to be updated cut-off values. A thorough literature search on salt consumption articles on well-known search engines like Cochrane Library, PubMed, Google Scholar and Embase electronic database revealed a paucity of data in this field for India. Several studies revealed that the mean salt intake among the Indian populations ranges between 5.22 and 42.30 g/day. Moreover, among other risk factors analysed, salt intake (> 5 gm/day) was significantly associated with the development of hypertension. Although the need to address reduced salt intake for primordial prevention of hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in India is well acknowledged by the key stakeholders, social and cultural beliefs, unorganized food retail sector and lack of existing food policing are some of the potential barriers that affect the progress and employment of such effective strategies. Some multinational food companies have already research is warranted to evaluate the contextual barriers and facilitators and to adopt effective strategies to improve awareness among consumers, to encourage the endorsement of salt reduction by the food industry, and to facilitate the adoption of countrywide consumer-friendly food labelling. We concluded that salt consumption is high in India, although this assessment has been done primarily by subjective methods in India. People all across are recommended the same cut-off value of dietary salt consumption regardless of the diversity in dietary patterns and environmental conditions across the country. There is an urgent need to address these issues through evidence-based population research. (C) 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Citation - WoS: 4
Citation - Scopus: 3
Domestic Violence: Rehabilitation Programme for the Victim and Violent / Predator
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2022) Gokdemir, Ozden; Cabrita, Ana Luisa; Pavlov, Renata; Bhattacharya, Sudip
Evan Stark claims that partner-perpetrated physical abuse and other forms of violence against women ought to be understood as a human rights violation. Domestic violence effects not only the women involved, but the whole of society. Thus, the identification of the victims and perpetrators is necessary, not only to prevent further abuse and injury to the victims, but also to create a violence-free society. In this paper we aim to identify the patterns, the financial and social burden of domestic violence, and ongoing rehabilitative programmes within low- and middle-income countries. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google scholar, and Scopus databases for the key terms domestic violence, partner abuse, rehabilitation programmes, and/or partner-perpetrated physical abuse. All relevant articles were included in this narrative review. According to a Survey of Violence against Women in Turkey, there is high exposure to domestic violence at all ages. Globally, violence against women, children, and the elderly are much more common than is reflected in forensic medicine. Domestic violence in some communities is often considered as a socially normal phenomenon, and is often underreported or unreported for various reasons, such as lack of awareness, lack of security, and feelings of shame and fear. For individuals injured physically and psychologically, timely referral to health organizations for treatment/ rehabilitations and judicial authorities is important for physical as well as mental health reasons; it is also important to provide crucial medical evidence to ensure prosecution of the perpetrator. It is important for all countries to have proper rehabilitation programmes to protect victims of domestic violence, implemented through family physicians at primary care centers. However, we have observed that some programmes have bottlenecks, such as long wait times for child victims. This problem can be addressed by the appropriate measures taken at individual, community, and national level. Policymakers should urgently implement sustainable and well-structured preventive and rehabilitation programmes for the sake of both the victims and the abusers/individuals engaging in violence. Corrective programmes pertaining to the domestic violence have the potential to reveal the extent of the problem, shed light on issues underlying the violence and increase awareness of the damage caused to society.
Citation - WoS: 5
Citation - Scopus: 6
Editorial: Health Literacy and Disease Prevention
(Frontiers Media Sa, 2023) Shikha, Deep; Kushwaha, Poonam; Gökdemir, Özden; Marzo, Roy Rillera; Bhattacharya, Sudip
[No Abstract Available]
Educational Needs During COVID-19: MOOCs Experiences Among Global Family Physicians
(Galenos Publishing House, 2024) Küçükerdem, Halime Seda; Gökdemir, Özden; Bakola, Maria; Bhattacharya, Sudip; Shariff, Mohammed Idris
Amaç: Aile hekimleri (AH) dünya genelinde hastalığın dolaylı etkilerini en aza indirmek için seferber olmuştur. AH’leri her zaman ön saflarda yer almakta, “ilk giren-son çıkan” olarak hareket etmektedir ve koronavirüs hastalığı-2019 (COVID-19) salgınının akut evresinde virüs kaynaklı hastalıkla mücadelede öncülük etmiştir. Birinci basamak sağlık merkezlerinde ve COVID-19 için özel olarak kurulmuş merkezlerde hastaları muayene etme, bilgilendirme ve izleme konusunda hayati bir rol oynadılar. Ancak hızla değişen COVID-19 konusundaki yetersiz bilgi nedeniyle, AH’leri bu yeni koronavirüs hakkında pratik ve teorik bilgilerini günlük olarak güncellemek zorunda kalmıştır. Kitlesel açık çevrimiçi dersler (KAÇD), çevrimiçi bir uygulama kullanarak dünya çapında erişim sağlayan kurslardır. Bu çalışmada, AH’lerinin COVID-19 ile ilgili eğitim ihtiyaçlarını KAÇD’ler aracılığıyla karşılama konusundaki görüş ve önerilerini belirlemeyi ve çözüm önerileri geliştirmeyi amaçladık. Yöntemler: Çalışma, KAÇD eğitimini tamamlamış ve anketi doldurmuş AH’lerle gerçekleştirilmek üzere planlanmıştır. Uluslararası katılım nedeniyle anket İngilizce olarak yapılmıştır. Etik onay, İzmir Ekonomi Üniversitesi Etik Kurulu’ndan alınmıştır. Katılım tamamen gönüllülük esasına dayanmaktadır. Bulgular: Çalışmamız, AH’lerin yaşı arttıkça hastaları tedavi etme konusundaki güvenlerinin de arttığını ortaya koymuştur. AH’ler, KAÇD’lere sürekli tıp eğitimi ve grup etkinliği olarak olumlu bir yaklaşım sergilemişlerdir (p<0,005). Çalışmanın nitel kısmında üç tema öne çıkmıştır: “i) birinci basamak sağlık hizmetlerindeki değişikliklere dair endişeler hakkında görüşler, ii) bilgi ihtiyacı ve bilgiye erişim konusundaki görüşler ve tutumlar, iii) KAÇD’ler hakkında tutumlar ve inançlar”. Sonuç: Bu kursun tamamlanmasıyla birlikte AH’ler, COVID-19 yönetimi konusunda bilgilerini genişletmişlerdir. Bu, onlara dünya genelinde yeni koronavirüsle enfekte olmuş sayısız hastanın hayatını kurtarma ve iyileştirme kapasitesi sağlamıştır. COVID-19 ile ilgili deneyimlerini paylaşmak, stresle başa çıkmanın bir yolu olabilir.
Citation - WoS: 17
Citation - Scopus: 17
Family Physicians' Knowledge About and Attitudes Towards Covid-19 - a Cross-Sectional Multicentric Study
(Korean Soc Antimicrobial Therapy, 2020) Gokdemir, Ozden; Pak, Halil; Bakola, Maria; Bhattacharya, Sudip; Hoedebecke, Kyle; Jelastopulu, Eleni
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected every country on earth, and family physicians (FPs) have helped patients at every stage. The first objective of our study was to study the FPs' knowledge about COVID-19 and second objective was to assess their attitudes, stress and death anxiety surrounding the current pandemic. Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire was prepared to collect responses from FPs between March-April 2020. A descriptive and correlational design was utilized. Results: 240 FPs from eight countries were evaluated. The majority reported that they received most information from medical journals (77%). Most of the respondents also noted that the most common symptoms were acute respiratory syndrome and fever - with the most effective treatment in most cases consisting of symptomatic treatment (41%). Although FPs generally had a positive attitude, most of them (68%) were concerned about contacting COVID-19 from patients and as a result, they experienced increased stress (64%). Conclusion: The research was conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak while the FPs were working on the frontline of the pandemic. This research revealed that most of the FPs had good knowledge of, and a positive attitude towards COVID-19 treatment. It was observed that participants who tended towards conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience, and who had higher life satisfaction, and lower levels of death anxiety also reported more positive attitudes towards COVID-19. While the main target population of COVID-19 disease were the older age groups, FPs' attitudes and fear levels were not associated with age, gender, or years of experience.
Citation - WoS: 3
Citation - Scopus: 2
Is It the Right Time To Introduce the Hepatitis B Booster Vaccine in National Immunization Schedule? an Analysis From the Available Evidence
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2021) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Gokdemir, Ozden; Bashar, Md Abu; Thiyagarajan, Arulmani; Singh, Amarjeet
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health concern, and it is considered one of the deadliest infections in the world, having nearly 1.2 million deaths annually. Around 75% of all global HBV carriers live in the Asia-Pacific region. In this regard, India has a prevalence ranging between 2% and 7% with exposure rates of 10%-60%. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease. In India, the World Health Organization protocol for hepatitis B vaccination has been followed, and it is given free of cost in public health facilities under the National Immunization Schedule. Despite the free hepatitis vaccination program in India, coverage and awareness are low. Low awareness, followed by low coverage of hepatitis vaccination, can prove dangerous for the Indian population in the long run. A majority of chronic hepatitis cases progress silently to end-stage liver disease without having many signs and symptoms. Once occurred, a complete cure is not possible with currently available drugs. The studies from neighboring countries such as China and Taiwan documented that the impact of single-dose booster for children of 10 years has made a significant difference from the cost-effectiveness perspective. They have also included the booster dose in their national vaccination program. Considering the low level of vaccination awareness, small coverage, high disease burden, and high treatment cost, now, it is high time for India to introduce hepatitis B booster vaccine.
Citation - WoS: 9
Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology To Improve Public Health Practice: Prospects and Barriers
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2020) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Hossain, Md. Mahbub; Hoedebecke, Kyle; Bacorro, Madonna; Gokdemir, Ozden; Singh, Amarjeet
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is increasingly being used in different sectors, including public health. Common applications of UAVs in public health are delivering logistics in remote areas, transporting biomedical samples, providing community-based health care, and public health surveillance. UAVs have contributed to efficient public health ensuring better health services activities at a lower cost. Across diverse health-care settings, UAVs are used to minimize human labor and physical barriers such as distance or hazards associated with different tasks. This technology has shown notable success in advancing public health in resource-constrained countries. In Rwanda, the use of UAVs has resulted in robust logistic support and improved vaccine coverage. Faster transportation and coordination between points of health services have facilitated the overall health service delivery. Despite these advancements, there are several challenges in using UAVs in public health, which include technical difficulties in operating UAVs, maintenance of devices and systems, regulatory challenges, safety concerns, air traffic congestion, and cost of using UAVs. These challenges should be addressed with empirical research and innovative interventions to leverage UAVs in preventing health-care problems and saving lives around the world.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover-The Socio-Cultural Aspects of Non-Epileptic Seizures in India-A Case Study
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2023) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Tripathi, Shailesh; Marzo, Roy Rillera; Gökdemir, Özden; Borocco, Maddona
Health for All will never be attained if sociocultural bias and pervasive hypocrisy are not eliminated. The patient mentioned in this case study had difficulty gaining access to health care for more than two decades. The seizure history was modified due to social pressure. The primary healthcare workers' ability to provide timely access to healthcare regardless of caste, religion, or gender, even in the most remote regions of the country, is of paramount importance. The patient was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism and treated with calcium and vitamin D in high oral doses. The case also illustrates the significance of medical examination in preventing future difficulties in patients with presenile cataract.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover-The Socio-Cultural Aspects of Non-Epileptic Seizures in India-A Case Study
(Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2023) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Tripathi, Shailesh; Marzo, Roy Rillera; Gökdemir, Özden; Borocco, Maddona
Health for All will never be attained if sociocultural bias and pervasive hypocrisy are not eliminated. The patient mentioned in this case study had difficulty gaining access to health care for more than two decades. The seizure history was modified due to social pressure. The primary healthcare workers' ability to provide timely access to healthcare regardless of caste, religion, or gender, even in the most remote regions of the country, is of paramount importance. The patient was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism and treated with calcium and vitamin D in high oral doses. The case also illustrates the significance of medical examination in preventing future difficulties in patients with presenile cataract.
Citation - WoS: 6
Citation - Scopus: 7
Smiling Depression (an Emerging Threat): Let's Talk
(Indian Assoc Preventive & Social Medicine, 2019) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Hoedebecke, Kyle; Sharma, Neha; Gokdemir, Ozden; Singh, Amarjeet
In today's world of chaos and stressful life dealing with the situations alone with no family, friends or financial support makes people vulnerable to developing depression. It is a worldwide major public health problem and Smiling depression a.k.a. atypical form of depression is on the rising trend. People wear masks to prevent the inner turmoil and the need to overcome it. Mostly, this affects the middle-aged cohort - the working force for any nation. It significantly leads to morbidity, disability, mortality and ultimately, socio-economic loss. Addressing this type of depression at an early stage will not only help in reducing self-harm and suicides but will also improve the quality of life of those affected. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment can be provided in different settings by people in either health or non-health professionals. Health system strengthening through proper counselling and psychotherapy, appropriate referral mechanisms, and continuity of care is the point of need to tackle this escalating concealed problem.
Strengthening Primary Health Care Through Moocs (massive Open Online Courses): a Cross-Sectional Study
(2023) Gökdemir, Özden; Hoedbecke, Kyle; Bojaj, Gazmend; Küçükerdem, Halime Seda; Bhattacharya, Sudip; Bakola, Maria; Jelastopulu, Eleni
Objective: After the increased number of COVID-19-positive patients, a plateau phase and a decrease in the numbers were expected, followed by a second phase which could lead to an increased health system workload. The importance of training well-educated and qualified healthcare professionals (HPs) has been reconsidered. The rapid spread of the epidemic revealed the limitations of traditional method education. Massive online courses (MOOCs) were offered as a solution to keep the information up-to-date and accessible. The aim of our study was to evaluate the perceptions and experiences of healthcare professionals on strengthening the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional multi-centered study, an online survey was applied to HPs between February-May 2021. There were 28 participating countries. Due to international participation, the survey was conducted in English. Results: There were 88 female and 87 male participants. Most of the participants were from Europe and Euroasia. Most of them reported their income as $501-$1500 US Dollars). The duration of job experience was between 5-15 years. 111 of them have completed a postdoctoral degree. Conclusion: According to the survey, all the groups reported as the effect of strengthening primary care by MOOC was positive.
Violence at Healthcare
(2020) Bhattacharya, Sudip; Gökdemir, Özden
Violence, a problematic phenomenon experienced in different forms (physical, verbal, symbolic, sexual,etc.), is increasingly prominent in sociological analysis. Violence is an unwanted aspect of everyday lifeexperience; it is common in traffic incidences, in the family, in the workplace, and in personal interactionsalmost everywhere. In recent years, women and health professionals (doctors and non-doctors) in particularhave been subjected to violence. Violence against women and children has become remarkablycommonplace. An increase in violence against physicians and healthcare professionals as part of this morehostile environment could be observed.Violence against doctors is now a global problem.The well-being ofhealth workers has been disrupted not only by the changing dynamics in doctor-patient relationships, butalso by the general environment of insecurity. All forms of violence must be condemned; not only healthcareworkers but also the decion makers have to deal with the issue of violence collectively and systematically.