Ghose Bishwajit

University of Ottawa

Objective The objectives of this study are twofold. First, it attempts to show the general situation and production trend of rice. Then by relating it to the current status and future potential, it proposes that reaching self-sufficiency in rice production is the paramount item on the food security agenda in this region. South Asia is world’s most...

Background: Asthma, dyspnea, and chronic cough are well-established risk factors of COPD and often associated with exacerbation of the disease, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in South Asian countries. Objective: The aims of this study were to, 1) measure the prevalence of asthma, dyspnea, and chronic cough, and 2) assess the...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between self-reported health (SRH) and quality of life (QoL) with five lifestyle-related behaviors including tobacco smoking, drinking alcohol, physical activity status, consumption of fruits, and consumption of vegetables among men diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Participants were 786...

Background Malaria burden is still worrisome, while empirical evidence from malaria-eliminated countries including China may provide inspiration for the world.Objective This study aimed to investigate China's malaria hospitalization costs and explore its determinants.Methods Stratified multistage sampling across provincial, municipal, and county ho...

Participation in microcredit programs has so far received widespread research and policy attention in the context of health and empowerment among Bangladeshi women. However, not much is known regarding the relationship between participation in microcredit programs and healthcare autonomy (HA) among women. In the present study, we analyzed two natio...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/21099.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s42650-021-00050-2.].

Use of electronic media has been shown to be associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption behavior among adult population. Currently, not much is known about the risk factors of tobacco and alcohol consumption in Guyana. The present study aimed to explore the association between exposure to electronic media and tobacco and alcohol consumption by...

Introduction Cervix, breast and oral cancers account for about one-third of all cancers in India which as a group is a major contributor to all non-communicable disease-related morbidity and mortality among women. Existing evidence suggests that early diagnosis plays a pivotal role in the prevention and intervention of these cancers, and many commu...

UNSTRUCTURED This is a corrigendum for MS 21099.

Measures related to subjective well-being such as perceived happiness and life satisfaction are becoming increasingly popular among health researchers due to their strong correlation with longevity and all-cause mortality. Previous studies have focused on the role of environmental safety on female empowerment. However, not much is known about the i...

Background: The African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) men living in Canada share a heightened risk of infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus and other sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs) and the associated risky behaviours such as suboptimal use of family planning services such as condom use. The African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) heterosexual m...

The challenges of identifying and eliminating racial disparities regarding the exposure, transmission, prevention, and treatment of communicable diseases within the healthcare system have been a mounting concern since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) populations in Canada represent a fast-expanding and underprivi...

BACKGROUND: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as an unprecedented challenge for public and private life, and healthcare systems worldwide. African, Caribbean, and Black communities (ACB) represent some of the most vulnerable populations in terms of their susceptibility to health hazards, difficulty receiving adequate health care and relativ...

Background Difficulties accessing health care services can result in delaying in seeking and obtaining treatment. Although these difficulties are disproportionately experienced among vulnerable groups, we know very little about how the intersectionality of realities experienced by immigrants and visible minorities can impact their access to health...

This study aims at exploring the trends and socioeconomic inequalities in the use of maternal healthcare utilization between 1997 and 2014. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate regression methods. Women in the higher wealth quintiles (Q4 and Q5) generally had higher prevalence of using health facility delivery and postnatal care se...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the third coronavirus to emerge in the past decade after the 2010 SARS-CoV and 2012 MERS-CoV, which originated in China and Saudi Arabia, respectively. The virus is transmitted via small droplets which are produced during activities such as coughing, sneezing, and talking and spread th...

There is growing evidence that the risk and burden of COVID-19 infections are not equally distributed across population subgroups and that racialized communities are experiencing disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality rates. However, due to the absence of large-scale race-based data, it is impossible to measure the extent to which immigr...

Background: The emerging burden of high blood pressure (HBP) and diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa will create new challenges to health systems in African countries. There is a scarcity of studies that have reported associations of diabetes and HBP with socioeconomic factors on women within the population. We assessed the prevalence and socioeconomic...

Objective To examine the relationship between women’s empowerment and maternal healthcare utilisation in Bangladesh. Design This cross-sectional study uses data from the most recent nationally representative Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2017–2018. Setting Bangladesh. Participants Married women aged 15–49 years who had a live birth w...

PurposeWomen’s sexual health and wellbeing with cervical or vaginal cancer may be largely affected by complications from external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and utero-vaginal brachytherapy (BT), of which vaginal stenosis is the main complication. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of support by a nurse sexologist on sexuality, vagin...

Background Women empowerment has been linked to increased skilled antenatal care (ANC) service use. However, there is no evidence on the net effect of women empowerment on ANC in the Sub-saharan African (SSA) region. We aim to address the knowledge gap on whether or not women empowerment positively influences the uptake of ANC at the SSA regional l...

In Ontario, African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) men account for almost 60% of the estimated number of HIV-positive people (through heterosexual contact), although they constitute less than 5% of the province’s population. However, current HIV research, programming and policy in Ontario are not aligned with heterosexual ACB men’s healthcare needs an...

Social wellbeing constitutes a critical aspect of one’s health, quality of life, and overall psychosocial wellbeing. Social isolation and perceived loneliness are growing public health concerns as they are considered to be important risk factor for poor physical and mental health outcomes. Not much is known about how the level of one’s social parti...

We determined the association of demographic, behavioral, and structural factors with risk of HIV exposure through heterosexual contact among Black men in Ottawa (n=210) and Windsor (n=156), Ontario. We applied hierarchical linear regression model in the analysis. Mean HIV exposure risk scores were Windsor (12.08±8.42) and Ottawa (17.16±11.80) in O...

African, Caribbean, and black (ACB) men living in Canada share a heightened risk of HIV infection and the associated risk factors such as suboptimal use of family planning services such as condom use. In this study, we assessed the factors associated with knowledge, attitude, and condom use among ACB men in Ontario. Methods. This was a cross-sectio...

Introduction: Using data from Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (2015-16), in the present study, we aimed to assess the role of exposure to family planning information through various mass media on the utilization of maternal healthcare services. Methods: The sample population included 13,217 women aged 15-49 years with a history of at least...

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injection is widely used in clinical settings, but its adverse drug reactions (ADRs) can be a serious public health concern. The objective is to study the safety of TCM injection and provide suggestions for clinical use. ADR reports collected by the Hubei Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center from 2014 to 2019 w...

Background In low-middle-income countries, unmet need for family planning (FP) constitutes a major challenge for prevention of unintended pregnancies and associated health and psychological morbidities for women. The factors associated with unmet need for family planning have been studied for several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, but not much is...

Objectives With about one-third of the population living below the poverty line, Jordan faces major healthcare, social and national development issues. Low insurance coverage among the poor and high out-of-pocket expenditure worsens the financial insecurity especially for the marginalised population. The Government of Jordan aims to achieve univers...

Heterosexual exposure is the second highest means of HIV transmission; and African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) men face greater risks. Black men can reduce the disproportionately high HIV prevalence in their communities by changing their socially misconstrued masculine role. We analysed factors predisposing heterosexual ACB men to risky sexual beha...

The progress of African countries towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is uneven, with the Northern African countries and small island states taking the lead. Little is known about the influence of population size, growth, urbanization, age structure/dependency ratio on SDGs 1-3, which border on eradication of poverty, hunger...

The progress of African countries towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is uneven, with the Northern African countries and small island states taking the lead. Little is known about the influence of population size, growth, urbanization, age structure/dependency ratio on SDGs 1-3, which border on eradication of poverty, hunger...

Studies have demonstrated that health communication programmes, through community health workers or mass media, are a key strategy to promote awareness and uptake of essential maternal health services. This study investigated whether or not family planning communication through mass media and health workers has any association with maternal health...

Maintaining a physically active life is an important determinant of overall health and psychosocial wellbeing among adults. Physical exercise behavior can be influenced by various social and environmental circumstances including neighborhood safety. Using data from South Africa Quality of life Survey 2015/16, this study aimed to assess the hypothes...

Background: The reduction of childhood malnutrition has been identified as a priority for health and development in sub Saharan African countries. The association between women's empowerment and children's nutritional status is of policy interest due to its effect on human development, labour supply, productivity, economic growth and development....

This study investigated the patterns of antenatal care (ANC) utilization and insufficient use of ANC as well as its association with some proximate socio-demographic factors. This was a cross-sectional study using pooled data Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys from years 2008, 2013 and 2018. Participants were 52,654 women of reproductive age wh...

Background Great efforts have been made to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including national initiatives to promote the change of personal behaviors. The lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak indicate that knowledge and attitudes about infectious diseases are related to panic among the population, which may further complicate efforts to prev...

Background Contextual factors, especially where people live, has been linked to various health outcomes, therefore, there is an increasing focus on its implication for policies and implementation of health interventions. Polygyny is a widespread practice in sub-Saharan Africa that also reflects socioeconomic and sociocultural features. This study i...

Background Difficulties in performing the activities of daily living (ADL) are common among middle-aged and older adults. Inability to perform the basic tasks as well as increased healthcare expenditure and dependence on care can have debilitating effects on health and quality of life. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship bet...

Background: The objectives of this study were to 1) measure the percentage of women who received SMS-based family planning communication, and 2) its association with modern contraception and maternal healthcare services among mothers. In recent years, there has been a growing interest surrounding mobile phone-based health communication and service...

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19), with its complex and unique pathophysiology, is an emerging threat for global health and is affecting the health and social wellbeing of the population in unprecedented ways, one of the most noticeable of which is skyrocketing sales of alcoholic beverages. Increased alcohol drinking is strongly correlated with weak...

Background: Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country and has one the highest rates of maternal and child mortality with inadequate use of maternal healthcare services in the region. The present study aimed to analyse the progress made in terms of using maternal healthcare services since 2000. Methods: Two rounds of Demographic and Health Surveys (D...

In developing countries, older adults (65 years of age and above) share an increased vulnerability to catastrophic health expenditures and financial stress which can have significant bearing on their health and well-being. Currently, research evidence on how financial stress correlates with health and well-being among older adults in the developing...

Background: In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of studies on inequality in caesarean section using methodologically rigorous and well-established approaches. In this study, we showed extent and the overtime dynamics of inequality in caesarean section in Ethiopia following rigorous methodologies. Methods: The data for analysis came from Ethiopia Dem...

Background: The persistently high and stalled total fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa, including in Nigeria, calls for new efforts towards fertility reduction. Most efforts on fertility desire in sub-Saharan Africa have focused either on individual men or women with little focus on couples as a unit of analysis. Moreover, the influences of different...

Background: Immunization of women during pregnancy to protect them and their infants against tetanus, pertussis and influenza is recommended by the World health Organization (WHO). However, there is limited information about the coverage rate and associated factors in low-income countries. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and pr...

Background In absolute numbers, India has more undernourished people than all the countries in sub‐Saharan Africa combined. In parallel with the high rates of hunger and undernutrition, the country has been undergoing rapid demographic and dietary transition marked by an increased prevalence of overweight/obesity, particularly among women. Objecti...

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors have flagged that the article contains the following errors.

Background Exploring the trends and socioeconomic inequalities in the use of maternal healthcare utilisation between 1997 and 2014. Methods Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate regression methods. Results Women in the higher wealth quintiles (Q4 and Q5) generally had higher prevalence of using health facility delivery and postnatal...

Background: The healthcare system in Mozambique is striving to reduce the high maternal and child mortality rates and stay on par with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3.1). A key strategy to curb maternal and child mortality is to promote the use of professional childbirth services proven to be highly effective in averting maternal deaths....

Background: Improving the coverage of antenatal care is regarded as an important strategy to reduce the risks of maternal and child mortality in low income settings like Gambia. Nonetheless, a large number of countries in Africa, including Gambia, are struggling to attain an optimum level of healthcare utilization among pregnant women. The role of...

Objectives: The Chinese household debt has been increasing rapidly in recent years because of the expansion of consumers' spending and mortgage. Its effects on individuals’ mental and physical well-being are poorly known. This study aims to examine the relationship of household debt with hypertension and depressive symptoms among the middle- and...

Introduction: Although South Asians are considered to be at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, research evidence on the health impacts of physical activity (PA) remains very limited. In this study we aimed to explore the patterns of PA and to investigate whether engaging in regular PA is associated with better Self-Rated Health (SRH) among Sout...

Background: Over the last two decades, Gambia has made noticeable progress in the reducing the high maternal mortality rates and improving child survival rates. Nonetheless, numerous infrastructural and financial constraints continue to restrict access to institutional delivery care, a key component of achieving the maternal and child health relat...

Background Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country and has one the highest rates of maternal and child mortality with inadequate use of maternal healthcare services in the region. The present study aimed to analyse the progress made in terms of using maternal healthcare services since 2000. Methods Two rounds of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS 20...

Cereal serves asa very important and vital staple food for many smallholder farming communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In this paper, we examined changes in land under cereal production; changes in cereal yield; and changes in cereal production between 1990 and 2015 in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). The paper looks at the threats and potential of c...

Background: Timely initiation of breastfeeding or breastfeeding within 60 min of birth has been shown to be associated with significantly lower risk of infant mortality. The World Health Organization recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, yet many women in sub-Saharan Africa do not observe this recommendation. To date, t...

Persistent urban-rural disparity in subjective health and quality of life is a growing concern for healthcare systems across the world. In general, urban population performs better on most health indicators compared with their rural counterparts. However, research evidence on the urban-rural disparity on perceived health, happiness, and quality of...