Priya Jyothi Monteiro’s scientific contributions

Introduction Millions of individuals worldwide spend significant portions of their workdays standing or in static positions, which can pose health risks such as varicose veins. Globally, varicose vein prevalence ranges from 20 to 60%, with women being at two to three times higher risk compared to men. Varicose veins are characterized by dilated, palpable veins with a diameter larger than 3 mm. Nurses face a 16% risk of developing varicose veins, highlighting the importance of health care professionals' well-being for the effective functioning of the health care system. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insights into the prevalence of varicose vein symptoms among nurses. Methods A descriptive prospective study was conducted among 210 nurses with more than 1 year of experience, using purposive sampling. Demographic information and varicose vein symptoms were collected through a self-designed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. Results The study found that 8.6% of nurses were diagnosed with varicose veins. The majority of participants were female (97.6%) with a normal body mass index (86.7%). Prevalent symptoms included worsened leg pain (77.6%), night cramps (62.4%), and throbbing in lower legs (37.6%). Visible spider veins (19.5%) and other symptoms were reported less frequently. Conclusion A lower prevalence of varicose veins among nurses was identified, possibly due to demographic factors of the study population. It is recommended to conduct health education campaigns tailored for health care professionals, particularly nurses, and implement regular health checkups to screen for varicose veins. These proactive measures are essential for promoting occupational health and ensuring the well-being of the nursing workforce.

Introduction Cervical cancer manifests in the cervix cells, the lower part of the uterus connecting to the vagina. Similar to other cancers, the exact cause of cervical cancer remains uncertain and idiopathic. However, it is established that the human papilloma virus plays a significant role in initiating cellular changes in the cervix. In India, the lack of cancer awareness and screening facilities results in many women presenting at an advanced and deadly stage of the disease, negatively impacting their prognosis and clinical outcomes. Methods A total of 255 women aged between 18 and 45 years, who were either patients or accompanying bystanders at a tertiary care hospital, were selected using purposive sampling technique. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics were used to represent the sociodemographic characteristics levels. Association of sociodemographic variables levels is determined using chi-squared test. Results The mean age of the participants was 31.83 ± 6.83 years, majority (162 [63.5%]) were living in a rural area, most (175 [68.6%]) of the participants were married, majority (254 [99.6%]) of the subjects were not having any family history of cervical cancer, most (202 [79.2%]) of the participants were having a single sexual partner, majority (108 [42.4%]) were not having any information on cervical cancer, most (134 [52.5%]) of the participants were unaware of cervical cancer screening, 39 (15.3%) were aware but delaying, 26 (10.2%) were aware, 17 (6.7%) were aware but not decided to do, 16 (6.3%) were aware but undecided, and 21 (8.2%) were in “others” category. Conclusion Although women are having good knowledge and positive attitude toward cervical cancer screening and prevention, still there is a gap to transform it into practice. There is a need for more educational programs to connect identified knowledge slits and uplift regular practice of cervical cancer screening.