Background Advantages due to immunization are numerous and cannot be avoided but at the same time... more Background Advantages due to immunization are numerous and cannot be avoided but at the same time pain inflicted on babies needs to be addressed when possible. Pain associated with immunization injections has often been overlooked when remedies are available. Objective To find out the effect of breastfeeding on relieving pain during immunization injection in infants. Method An experimental study was conducted at Immunization clinic of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS). Total 124 subjects were divided randomly into two groups. Experimental subjects were allowed to breastfeed for 5-10 minutes before immunization while control group was immunized without breastfeeding. Interview Questionnaire was used to obtain demographic variables and measurements were obtained. Measures of pain was recorded using duration of cry and Modified Behavior Pain Scale, by Taddio et al. Data was analyzed by using SPSS 20.0 where variables were assessed with frequency tables, Pearson’s Chi-S...
Background: The Internet has become a major source of health-related information. In order to pro... more Background: The Internet has become a major source of health-related information. In order to provide better health services and health-care education to society, nurses should have acceptable electronic health (eHealth) literacy. Objective: The main aim was to measure eHealth-literacy skills among nursing students of Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital, Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 152 Bachelor of Science nursing students at the hospital. Data were collected using the self-administered eHealth Literacy Scale. This is an eight-item tool that is assessed on 5-point likert scale to measure consumers' perceived skills at finding, evaluating, and applying eHealth information to health problems. Demographical and personal variables were collected to explore their relationship with eHealth literacy. Results: A total of 152 nursing students with mean age of 19.84±1.62 years participated in the study. While 44.7% perceived that they had average Internet skills, 65.1% found the Internet useful in helping them make decisions about their health. Nursing students had a moderate self-perceived level of eHealth literacy (median 3.69, IQR 0.87). Related factors included students' Internet skills, frequency of using the Internet for health related purposes, and self-perception of the usefulness and importance of the Internet. Conclusion: This study represents a baseline reference for eHealth literacy among nursing students. Students have some basic necessary skills, while other skills still need to be improved. There is a need to pay attention to eHealth-literacy needs of nursing students.
Introduction: Smoking and use of other tobacco products are a global public health threat. The ob... more Introduction: Smoking and use of other tobacco products are a global public health threat. The objective of the study was to predict the initiation and sustenance of smoking cessation (SC) by applying the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the face-to-face interview was conducted by visiting different public places and coffee shops in Kathmandu Metropolitan, Nepal. A 30-item valid and reliable MTM-based survey instrument was administered to the participants who smoked cigarettes. Stepwise multiple regressions were conducted to explain SC behavior. The entire value of the Cronbach alpha coefficient (α) of the subscales and the scale was 0.91 which is excellent internal consistency. Results: A total of 132 participants completed the study (93.6%). The median age of participants was 35.53 years and 75% of them were males. The median number of cigarettes smoked per day was 7. Behavioral confidence (β = 0.06, P = 0.02) and changes in ...
Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of deaths and disability in Nepal... more Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of deaths and disability in Nepal. Health systems can improve CVD health outcomes even in resource-limited settings by directing efforts to meet critical system gaps. This study aimed to identify Nepal’s health systems gaps to prevent and manage CVDs. Methods We formed a task force composed of the government and non-government representatives and assessed health system performance across six building blocks: governance, service delivery, human resources, medical products, information system, and financing in terms of equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability. We reviewed 125 national health policies, plans, strategies, guidelines, reports and websites and conducted 52 key informant interviews. We grouped notes from desk review and transcripts’ codes into equity, access, coverage, efficiency, quality, safety and sustainability of the health system. Results National health insurance covers l...
IntroductionIn Nepal, approximately 31% of adult industrial employees have diabetes. While the pr... more IntroductionIn Nepal, approximately 31% of adult industrial employees have diabetes. While the prevention of type 2 diabetes through behavioural intervention has been disseminated, worksite could be an effective platform for the translation of this knowledge into action as employed adults spend most of their workday waking hours at workplaces.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a behavioural and a canteen intervention on diabetes risk reduction among those who are prediabetic at two worksites in eastern Nepal. We will recruit 162 adult full-time factory workers with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 5.7%–6.4% at baseline or fasting blood sugar of 100–125 mg/dL. The 8–14 months’ control period will be followed by the behavioural intervention where half of the participants will be randomised to receive the behavioural intervention and half will act as a control and will not receive any intervention. Then, all participants will rece...
Introduction: Male involvement in reproductive health is an essential component in promoting mate... more Introduction: Male involvement in reproductive health is an essential component in promoting maternal and family health. In Nepal, men are not actively engaged in most maternal and child health (MCH) services nor in other reproductive health programs. There is a need to know about the understanding of key professionals in such practices. This study explores gendered perspectives among teachers and health professionals to understand the factors contributing to male involvement in reproductive health. Methods: The data were collected through two focus group discussions (FGDs) and seven key informant interviews (KIIs). FGDs were held among male teachers of selected schools, and KIIs were conducted with health professionals of the health post of Bungamati, Lalitpur. An unstructured interview guide was used to explore their experiences and perceptions. All KIIs and FGDs were recorded, translated and transcribed verbatim. Results: Findings show limited male involvement in reproductive health. Participants reported several hindering and challenging factors such as sociocultural and psychological norms, lack of education, and misinformation and dominance of female as health care providers in many MCH clinics. Perceived motivating factors included positive attitude in men, literacy and awareness, inclusion of reproductive health in school curriculum and certain incentives. Participants also recommended a range of strategies for increasing men's involvement in reproductive health in Nepal. Conclusion: Men's education and attitude, knowledge and awareness, sociocultural factors, psychological factors, health system factors, and policies play important roles in male involvement in reproductive health. Programs on effective implementation of men involvement in reproductive health initiatives should address the barriers and challenges to men's supportive activities. This study also suggests increasing literacy of reproductive health among men that enhances their positivity and motivates them to participate in reproductive health services.
Background: Sexual minorities are at high risk of contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS. Several stu... more Background: Sexual minorities are at high risk of contracting and spreading HIV/AIDS. Several studies in Nepal and around the world depict issues of HIV/AIDS and other problems of sexual minorities.Objective: The present study was carried out with the aim to investigate and evaluate knowledge and attitude of sexual minorities regarding HIV/AIDS.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of eight months starting from June 2009. Sixty six respondents accomplished quantitative interviews and face-to-face interviewer-administered demographic, knowledge and attitude of HIV/AIDS survey. Descriptive and inferential analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. A five point Likert scale was used to assess attitude of the respondents. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to compare the association between knowledge and selected socio-demographic variables. Spearman’s correlation test was used to make out the degree of relationship between knowledg...
International Journal of Cardiovascular Research, 2017
Background: Although in recent decades risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) have markedl... more Background: Although in recent decades risk factors of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) have markedly increased, little is known about its relationship among Asian females. The principal aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of CAD risk factors among a target female population in Nepal. Methods: A case control study was conducted at tertiary cardiac centre of Kathmandu from August 2013 to September 2014. Study participants identified with CAD (n=52) were matched for age with controls (n=52). Anthropometric and laboratory data were collected and a semi-structured interview was utilized to obtain information on socio-demographic, behavioural, psychosocial and physiological/ biochemical risk factors. Variables were assessed using frequency tables and Pearson's Chi-Square tests for two independent proportions. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the potential predictors of CAD. Results: CAD was significantly associated with ethnicity, ever smoked, harmful use of alcohol, moderate physical activity, more than 12 sitting hours per day, family history, total cholesterol, HDL-C and hypertension. Regression analysis indicated alcohol intake (P<0.01), LDL-C, diabetes (P<0.01), BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m 2 (P<0.01) as significant predictors of CAD. Diabetes, drinking alcohol, LDL-C and generalized obesity were found to be significant predictors of CAD. Aside from family history, all associated risk factors within our study population are modifiable risk factors. CAD has been identified as public health priority in Nepal given the current and predicted burden of all forms of heart disease within the country. Further research in women in developing countries will be key, given the rising levels of risk factors and morbidity rates within the region.
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Papers by Sumitra Sharma