Journal Issue: No. 1 (2025): Nepal Journal of Public Health
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Volume
Number
Issue Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
3059-9458
Journal Volume
Articles
Geopolitics, Aid Retraction, and the Fallout on Global Health: Lessons from the USAID Closure and Tariff Regime under the President Donald John Trump Administration
(Central Department of Public Health, 2025) Aryal, Arjun
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Awareness, Utilization and Satisfaction of Social Health Insurance Scheme among Residents of Letang Municipality, Koshi Province, Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2025) Zobegow, Poba; Adhikari, Shuvechha; Rawal, Kabindra; Joshi, Thaneswor Prasad; Singh, Suman Bahadur; Khanal, Vijay Kumar
ABSTRACT
Background: Social Health Insurance Scheme is a step towards attaining Universal health coverage. Health insurance program by government of Nepal has been scaled up nationwide to achieve one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Ensuring the continued engagement of social health insurance scheme members remains a significant concern. This study aims to assess awareness, utilization and satisfaction of SHIS and the determinants for dropping out the scheme.
Methods: A community-based cross sectional study was conducted including 527 participants who were permanent residents of Letang municipality. Five out of nine wards were selected randomly. A semi structured questionnaire was used to interview the head of household. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to assess independent predictors.
Results: Participants who were highly aware about the social health insurance scheme (SHIS) were 45.8% (215). Our study had SHIS enrollment rate of 73.24% (386) and utilization rate of 32.1% (124) whereas 16.6% (64) was dropout rate. 23.5% (124) of the participants were highly satisfied with the health services provided by SHIS. Age, gender and difficulty to pay SHIS cost had independent effect for dropping out of SHIS.
Conclusion: One in ten participants had no knowledge at all of the SHIS. More than half of the insurer need services that weren't covered by SHIS. Expanding coverage and attaining universal health care can be accomplished through raising government health spending and allocating proceeds from an effective sin tax.
Nutritional Status and its Associated Factors among Elderly Population in Suryabinayak Municipality, Bhaktapur, Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2025) Mishra, Prativa; Shrestha, Gambhir; Shakya, Sujata
Background:Malnutrition, which compromise immunity and functional ability jeopardizing quality of life, is common in elderly. The Sustainable Development Goals focus on healthy and active aging rather than just longevity, with nutrition being a key component to achieving this. This study aimed to determine the nutritional status and its associated fators among the elderly population of
Suryabinayak municipality, Bhaktapur, Nepal.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to study elderly population of 60 years and above from September 2022 to March 2023. Multistage cluster random sampling with probability proportionate to size was applied to select 473 samples. A face-to-face structured interview was conducted by using standard questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were also performed. The test of association between nutritional status and related variables was performed using binary and multiple logistic regression.
Results: Among 473 participants, 53.1% were at risk of malnutrition and 12.3% were malnourished. The mean quality of life score was 26.4±4.3. Age more than 70 years (AOR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.76-5.56), those with non-paid occupation (home makers) (AOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.02-3.24), belonging to the lower socio-economic status (AOR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.52-3.80), and smokers (AOR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.02-2.60) were found to be the predictors of malnutrition. There was a significant positive correlation between nutritional status and quality of life (r=0.612).
Conclusion: The elderly population is at high risk of malnutrition in Suryabinayak municipality. Periodic assessment of nutritional status helps to identify elderly who are at risk of malnutrition at its initial stage, and early preventive measure can improve their quality of life.
Womens' Satisfaction on Post Natal Health Care Services in Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2025) Devkota, Smriti Poudel; Ghimire, Srijana
Introduction: Maternal satisfaction is a key indicator of healthcare quality, particularly during the postnatal period. Positive postnatal experience is important for enhancing service utilization and maternal well-being. This study aimed to evaluate postnatal satisfaction levels and associated factors among women.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 274 postnatal women at Chitwan Medical College from March to April 2020. Using a structured questionnaire based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS), satisfaction levels across various aspects were assessed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and odds ratio were used for analysis.
Results: Approximately 54.7% of women reported satisfaction with hospital postnatal services with higher satisfaction in domains related to nursing behaviour (77.4%), and hospital cleanliness (96.4%). Satisfaction was associated with factors such as age, religion, education, income, and parity (p<0.005). Prim parous women, those over 24 years of age, and higher-income families reported greater satisfaction.
Conclusion: Most of the women were satisfied with nursing care while areas such as medication, counselling, and cleanliness require attention. Enhancing maternal satisfaction can foster improved healthcare utilization which makes it necessary for health systems to align services with maternal expectations and cultural contexts.
Nutritional Status of Under-five Children and its Associated Factors in Dhulikhel Municipality, Kavrepalanchok, Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2025) Acharya, Indra; Acharya, Ambika; Pant, Smriti; Pradhan, Pranil Man Singh
Introduction: The nutritional status of children under five years is not only a crucial indicator of their present health status but also offers insight into socio-economic and other factors within a community. The study aimed to assess the nutrition status of under-five children with its associated factors and the household food security status in Dhulikhel municipality, Nepal
Methods: This study was quantitative cross-sectional conducted among 323 under-five children in all 12 wards of Dhulikhel municipality. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with the mothers of under-five children using standard questionnaires, and anthropometric tools.
Results: This study found that the prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight, and overweight was 33.6%, 9.3%, 23.5%, and 14.5% respectively. Nearly 86.4% of the households of Dhulikhel municipality were food secure whereas 13.6% of the households were insecure. Availability of kitchen gardens showed a statistically significant association with a lower prevalence of wasting (6.2%) and underweight (18.6%). The proportion of stunting and underweight children was significantly higher (56.8% and 50% respectively) among households that were not food secure.
Conclusion: Among the surveyed children, nearly half had at least one form of malnutrition. Food insecurity was associated with a higher prevalence of stunting and underweight. Availability of kitchen gardens was associated with a lower prevalence of wasting and underweight in this study. Food insecurity and agro-health-based programs must be considered while designing interventions to curb various forms of malnutrition.