Journal Issue: Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024): Nepal Journal of Public Health
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Volume
Number
Issue Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
3059-9458
Journal Volume
Articles
Introducing the Nepal Journal of Public Health: Advancing Public Health Knowledge and Practice
(Central Department of Public Health, 2024) Karki, Khem B.
Greetings to our esteemed readers, contributors, and supporters,
It is with great pleasure that we introduce the first issue of the Nepal Journal of Public Health (NJPH). The NJPH is an official publication of Central Department of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University. Our aim is to publish and disseminate novel and innovative research articles that contribute to the public health sciences, policies, practices, and outcomes. NJPH seeks to promote interdisciplinary dialogue, support evidence-based public health practice, and inform key stakeholders in decision making at local, national, and international levels.
Nutritional Status and Its Associated Factors among Under-Five Children in Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot District, Nepal: A Secondary Data Analysis
(Central Department of Public Health, 2024) Pradhan, Pranil Man Singh; Pant, Smriti; Shrestha, Gambhir; Karki, Namrata; Mikrani, Tanweer Ahmad; Joshi, Deepak Raj; Shrestha, Sushan Man; Basel, Prem; Karki, Khem B.
Abstract
Background: Undernutrition among under-five children is a major public health problem in Nepal. The study's main objective was to assess the nutritional status and its associated factors among under-5 children of Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot district using secondary data analysis.
Methods: We analyzed the data of 667 under-five children from 3183 households collected from the Community Health Diagnosis 2023 program database stored in the Kobo toolbox. Nutritional status indicators were measured by using the WHO classification. The chi-square test was applied to find out the association of nutritional status with independent variables such as maternal age at marriage,
age at first child, antenatal, delivery, and post-natal care, exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding practices, and immunization status.
Results: Nearly 32% (95%CI: 28.3-35.8) of the children were stunted, 12.1% (95%CI: 9.7-14.7) wasted, and 13.9% (95%CI: 11.4-16.6) were underweight. Early age at marriage, less than four ANC visits by the mother, history of substance use during pregnancy, and not exclusively breastfeeding were significantly associated with different forms of undernutrition.
Conclusion: Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and a higher number of ANC visits and discouraging early-age marriage and substance use during pregnancy are necessary to prevent undernutrition in under-five children.
Keywords: Malnutrition, Nepal, under-five children
Prevalence of Abuse and its Associated Factors among Elder Population Living in Kawasoti Municipality of Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2024) Kafle, Bharat; Bhattarai, Preeti; Shrestha, Aman; Aryal, Umesh Raj; Joshi, Lok Raj; Amgain, Kapil; Koirala, Sagar; Sanjel, Seshananda
Abstract
Background:
Elder abuse is a growing public health problem. To tackle the elder issues World Health Organization, declare for the decade of healthy ageing from 2020 to 2030, where Nepal is not exception from this goal. Thus, the study aims to assess the prevalence of abuse and its associated factors among elder population living in Kawasoti Municipality. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted, taking 422 elders who were 60 years and above. The face-to-face interviews were conducted from October 2018 to January 2019. The collected data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and was exported to SPSS 26 version. The logistic regression was performed to measure associated between overall abuse and its covariates.
Results:
The overall prevalence of elder abuse was 43.8% and caregiver neglect was the most reported form of elder abuse. Study found that nuclear family [OR=0.42, 95% CI;0.18-0.97], illiterate [OR: 2.01, 95% CI; 1.11-3.96], family members have no migrated to another country [OR=0.57, 95% CI; 0.33-0.97], health condition was bad [OR= 1.92, 95% CI; 1.15-3.21], elder who did not depend on their daily activities on family members [OR=0.25, 95% CI; 0.12-0.52], and those who had consumed tobacco [OR= 1.91, CI; 1.19-3.06] were associated with elder abuse.
Conclusion:
The finding suggests that good health, a nuclear family, literacy, family members not migrated to another country, and independence in daily activities strongly reduce elder abuse. To address this, it is essential to implement awareness programs, and ageing population for their economic sustainability activities, and healthy and active aging life.
Mental Health Literacy and Associated Factors among Secondary School Students in Bhaktapur, Nepal
(Central Department of Public Health, 2024) Duwal, Sarita; Paudel, Rajan; Paudel, Mohan; Dhaubanjar, Manisha; Nepal, Jyoti; Acharya, Dilaram; Dhungana, Saraswati
Abstract
Introduction: Mental health problems like depression and anxiety are the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. Mental health problems are common in adults and children in Nepal, accounting for 13.2% and 11.2% of the population while only 21% sought treatment. Evaluation of mental health literacy is important in assisting the development of intervention and policies toward preventing mental health problems. This study aimed to assess the mental health literacy among the secondary school students of Bhaktapur municipality and identify the factors associated with it.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in December 2019 among 468 students of grade11 and 12. We selected the study sample using two-stage cluster sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection using a modified mental health literacy scale. Collected data were entered in EpiData 3.1 and SPSS 17.0. Descriptive analysis was done to find out the level of MHL. Variables that were found statistically significant (p<0.05) in the univariate analysis were further analysed using multiple linear regression method. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of the Institute of Medicine, Nepal.
Results: The participants exhibited moderate level of mental health literacy score of 110.9 8 (SD=±11.11).This study shows that age below 18 years (β= 2.13, 95% CI= 0.093to4.164), science faculty (β= 6. 41, 95% CI= 3.71to8.57), internet source for health information (β=2.31, 95% CI= 0.21to4.41), part-time job (β= -6.78, 95% CI= -9.30to -4.25) and mental distress (β= -3.37, 95% CI= -5.27to -1.47) were significantly associated with MHL in the students.
Conclusions: Awareness of existing MHL levels in the secondary school students is crucial for the evaluation of targeted educational interventions and for the further development and implementation of these interventions in the future. This study also emphasizes the need for school mental health program and to include mental health literacy in the school curriculum.
Keywords: Mental health literacy, Health literacy, School students