Indian Journal of Health Social Work
(UGC Care List Journal)
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CURRENT ISSUE
Volume 7 | Issue 1 | January-June, 2025
Editorial
BRIDGING THE GAPS IN HEALTH: RECENT TRENDS IN ACCESS AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS
Health is shaped not just by medical care, but
by the social conditions in which people live
and work. In recent years, especially in the
wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this reality
has gained global prominence. More than half
of the world’s population still lacks essential
health service coverage, and about 2 billion
people face severe financial hardship from
out-of-pocket healthcare costs (World Health
Organization & World Bank, 2023). The
pandemic further exposed how social
determinants of health (SDH) such as poverty,
housing, education, and gender can dictate
who gets sick and who recovers, often
widening existing health inequities (Institute
of Health Equity & World Health Organization,
2021). These challenges are acute in low- and
middle-income settings, including India and
other parts of the Global South, where
resources are constrained and social
disparities pronounced.
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Review Article
COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH INNOVATIONS: LEVERAGING PEER SUPPORT NETWORKS
Community-based mental health innovations
have gradually become an integral part of
meeting the ever-increasing burden of mental
health problems globally. The incorporation
of peer support networks sustains the
effectiveness of mental health care delivery
in the community. Peer support from people
with lived experience, enabling others with
similar experiences to draw on their
emotional, informational, and practical
support, embodies a sense of belonging,
reduces stigma, and inspires recovery.
Traditional frameworks of mental health train
and integrate peer supporters in collaborative
ways that seek to elevate service delivery for
holistic well-being.
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ASHA WORKERS IN INDIA: THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, CONSTRAINTS, AND PATHWAYS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Since the welfarist development model
started gaining traction among the democratic
and socialist regimes worldwide, the idea of
delivering essential services to marginalized
social groups became prominent. The welfare
regime implies a mandate to provide social
assistance for the populace’s fundamental
sectors like health, education, employment,
and pension. The social security mandate is
one of the hallmarks of the welfare state. The
Constitution of India reflects these provisions.
India, a nation that accounts for 17% of the
global population, is responsible for 19% of
global maternal fatalities and 21% of global
juvenile deaths. Nevertheless, it has made
substantial contributions, particularly since the
introduction of the National Rural Health
Mission (NRHM) program in 2005. “NRHM
contains a variety of strategies and schemes,
such as a conditional cash transfer scheme,
an emergency transport mechanism,
i mproved communitization through the
establishment of Village Health, Sanitation,
and Nutrition Committees (VHSNC), and
investments in health infrastructure and
health workforce, which include the
establishment of a new cadre of community
health volunteers as ASHAs” (Sheila C. Vir,
2023).
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ORIGINAL Articles
POSITIVITY AND PROSPERITY GO HAND-IN-HAND: THE STORY OF UNSUNG HEROES FROM PUNJAB
World Health organisation (WHO) in its 2013
report had accepted that since the AIDS
epidemic begun, close to seventy million
people have been infected with virus and half
of them have already died of AIDS. It also
l isted Sub-Saharan Africa as the most
severely affected, with nearly one in every
twenty adults living with HIV. After more than
ten years we see that HIV remains global
concern and has also affected people in India
in large numbers. According to the estimates
provided by National AIDS Control
Organisation in 2023, India has an estimated
24.69 lakhs persons living with HIV. In state
of Punjab closer to one lakh persons are
affected by HIV. The exact number is stated
to be 1, 05,791. Among the states, the rate
of positivity among the injection drug user
(IDU) population is most pronounced in Punjab
(Swain et al., 2017). IDU population is very
hard to track and deal with and they are at
higher risk of contracting infections (Rahimian
& Pach, 1999). Various government and non
government organisations and staff are
working in sync to sustainably deal with its
sustainable management which involves a
combination of preventative and curative
measures.
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IMPACT OF ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE ON QUALITY OF LIFE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Alcohol dependence is a persistent and
recurrent condition marked by an inability to
control alcohol consumption despite its
negative consequences on health, relationships, and daily functioning. In India,
alcohol is the most commonly used
psychoactive substance, with the National
Drug Use Survey (2019) estimating that 5.2%
of the population engages in harmful alcohol
use, and 2.7% meets the criteria for alcohol
dependence (Ambekar et al., 2019). Globally,
alcohol consumption is responsible for nearly
3 million deaths annually and contributes to
5.1% of the total disease burden (WHO,
2018).
Quality of Life (QoL) is a multidimensional
concept that encompasses an individual’s
physical health, psychological well-being,
social relationships, and environmental
factors (WHO, 1998). Research indicates that
alcohol dependence significantly impairs all
these domains, leading to deteriorated health,
cognitive deficits (including memory and
executive function impairments), emotional
distress, social isolation, relationship
difficulties, and unstable living conditions
(Patkar et al., 2019; Dash & Swain, 2020;
Olickal et al., 2021; Lahbairi et al., 2022;
Colaco et al., 2023).
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PRELIMINARY PHASE FINDINGS FOR APPLICABILITY OF MINDFULNESS BASED TRAINING ON PERCEIVED STRESS & MINDFUL AWARENESS OF HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
In the present times, most of us are living in
a world where we are constantly surrounded
by endless demands and challenges, leading
to high stress levels for us, and such
challenges are not limited to adults, but also
to the youngsters around us (Semple &
Willard, 2019). Children and adolescents are
experiencing heightened levels of stress,
which further contribute to the emotional
disturbances in the form of increased anger,
anxiety, depression, externalizing behaviors,
lower self-esteem, and confidence (Rempel, 2012). Advancing in school life from secondary
to higher secondary levels required adaptation
to the new stresses, academic workloads, and
much more, on the part of the students
There is a strong argument for implementing
mindfulness practices into the school
curriculum. There is convincing circumstantial
evidence that mindfulness practices improve
well-being. Training programs based on
Mindfulness are practices that induce focus
and attention in the practitioner. It is an
experience that can bring attention to the
present moment with a non-judgmental
attitude (Ma & Fang, 2019). Mindfulness
Meditation (MM), as taught historically by
Gautam Buddha, is an ancient Buddhist
meditation practice characterized as the heart
of the Buddha’s teachings, and is aimed at
reducing mental anguish (Ramel et al., 2004).
Originally developed for chronic pain
management by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)
training programs have been effectively used
for the management of anxiety and stress in
adults over the past 2-3 decades.
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EFFICACY OF SINGLE SESSION WORKSHOP USING PRINCIPLES OF ACT IN PROMOTING PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP-SEEKING IN HIGHER EDUCATION SETTINGS: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY
Mental health concerns among higher
education students are on the rise, with a
significant portion of students experiencing
stress, anxiety, depression, and adjustment
difficulties (Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010). Despite
the increasing prevalence of psychological
issues, a large number of students do not
actively seek professional psychological help.
Barriers such as stigma, lack of awareness,
cultural misconceptions, and negative
attitudes toward counselling contribute to this
help-seeking gap (Rickwood et al., 2007;
Eisenberg, Speer, & Hunt, 2012).
In recent years, researchers have worked to
understand and remove these barriers, with
a focus on designing brief, accessible, and
effective psychological interventions that
encourage people to seek mental health help.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
is one strategy that has produced encouraging
outcomes. Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson (1999)
developed ACT, a third-wave behavioural
intervention that stresses psychological
flexibility by encouraging people to accept their
internal experiences while doing meaningful,
value-driven behaviours.
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EXPLORING MENSTRUAL HYGIENE PRACTICES, KNOWLEDGE, AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES AMONG TRANSITIONED-AGED YOUNG WOMEN IN THE SIDDI TRIBAL COMMUNITY: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
Transition-aged youth (15-29 years) confront
several transitional challenges (Dar &
Sobhana, 2024). This transitional period is
marked by menarche, a significant milestone
often surrounded by traditions, myths, and
misconceptions within Indian culture.
Menstruation is a fundamental aspect of a
woman’s life, perceived differently across
various social and cultural landscapes.
Despite being a routine biological function, it
continues to be cloaked in stigma, taboos, and
secrecy (Mudi et al., 2023). Pervasive myths,
such as the prohibition of entering religious
spaces, designate women as impure, leading
to their exclusion from worship and imposition
of various domestic restrictions, including
cooking and handling certain foods. These
taboos, seldom confronted in public or private
discourse, foster misconceptions and
insufficient menstrual preparedness. The
consequent psychological distress and societal
constraints on daily life are acutely observed
in rural and tribal areas, notwithstanding
gradual changes among urban, educated
populations (Upashe et al., 2015).
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AN ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING OF YOUNG ADULT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND WITHOUT DISABILITY
Higher education can assist people with
disabilities in understanding their rights,
getting respect from others, finding better
jobs, and developing their interpersonal skills
(Nasir & Efendi, 2016; Singal et al., 2015).
The experience of life satisfaction and positive
affect, along with occasional and low levels
of negative affect, has been characterised as
psychological wellbeing (Diener et al., 1997).
According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), “humans’ perception of their position
in life in relation to their goals, expectations,
standards, and concerns as well as the culture
and value systems in which they live” makes
up quality of life (WHO, 1997).
According to research by Murtaza et al. (2022), pupils who are normal and those who
are impaired have significantly different self
esteem and quality of life. It was also found
that female normal and disabled students had
poor self-esteem and quality of life as
compared to male normal and disabled
students.
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QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS
A person’s or a community’s overall state of
well-being is regarded as their quality of life,
and health-related studies typically assess life
quality (Sathyananda & Manjunath, 2017).
According to the World Health Organization,
quality of life means “Individuals’ perception
of their position in life in the context of the
culture and value systems in which they live
and in relation to their goals, expectations,
standards and concerns. It is a broad-ranging
concept affected in a complex way by the
persons’ physical health, psychological state,
level of independence, social relationships,
and their relationship to salient features of
their environment’’ (The WHOQOL Group,
1995, p.1403). The World Health Organization
has defined four domains of measuring quality
of life, which are physical, psychological, social
relationships, and environmental factors.
Physical health refers to human functions such
as daily life, sleep, work capacity, rest,
energy, discomfort, weakness, and
medication. Psychological health includes an
individual’s thinking, feelings, appearance,
mental background, focus, and self
confidence. Social relationship creates
individual support systems, sexual needs, and
relationships with others. Environmental
factors include an individual’s ability to
appreciate freedom, the economy,
transportation, home and other environments,
l eisure activities, health services, skill development, and climate change (World
Health Organization, 1996). Quality of life
evaluates “an individual’s sense of wellbeing
and the degree to which he or she can
participate in the human experience” (Zhan,
1992, p. 779).
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EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH DISABILITY IN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a
chronic, debilitating neuropsychiatric condition
that significantly impacts an individual’s
quality of life and ability to function across
multiple domains. Characterized by the
presence of obsessions—recurrent and
persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that
are experienced as intrusive and distressing—
and compulsions—repetitive behaviors or
mental acts performed to reduce the distress
associated with obsessions—OCD often leads
to a vicious cycle of anxiety and maladaptive
coping. These symptoms are time-consuming
(typically taking more than an hour per day), ego-dystonic, and are not attributable to the
physiological effects of a substance or another
medical condition (ICD-10, WHO, 1992; DSM
5, APA, 2013). The condition can severely
disrupt an individual’s personal, social,
occupational, and academic functioning,
resulting in a marked decline in overall
psychosocial well-being.
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Brief COmmunication
PSYCHO-SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a
common reproductive endocrine disorder that
affects 5-10% of reproductive-age women
(Knochenhauer ES, 1998). The classic
symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome
include irregular menstruation, biochemical or
clinical hyperandrogenism, and ultrasound
evidence of polycystic ovaries (Wild RA,
2010). Any woman who displays at least two
of the following three symptoms can be
diagnosed with PCOS, according to the
Rotterdam criteria, which is the one that is
most frequently used. An ultrasound
examination may identify ovarian cysts, ovulation
failure,
biochemical
hyperandrogenism, or hyperandrogenaemia
(Dybciak P, 2022). PCOS increases the risk
of infertility, preeclampsia, early pregnancy
loss, and endometrial cancer in women.
Furthermore, since PCOS is linked to insulin
resistance, evidence suggests that women
with PCOS are more likely to develop type 2
diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and
heart disease (Bashir, 2020).
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PATTERN OF FERTILITY RATES AND FEMALE LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION IN MANIPUR
The fertility level of each developing country
is declining, and as a result, there has been
a change in the behaviour of females to
participate in the labour force. Women’s role
in gaining the opportunity for the demographic
dividend is an issue that is pertinent to
developing countries. The population boom in
working-age individuals has resulted in a rise
in the labour force participation rate during
the demographic transition caused by the drop
in the fertility rate. In addition, there is also
an increase in the number of women
participating in the labour force due to the
smaller family size brought up by the dropping
fertility rate (Torres, 2015). Women’s
involvement in the workforce has contributed positively to the Gross Domestic Product
(Aydin et al., 2019). As much as 12.2 percent
more GDP may be generated if gender
differences in labour force participation were
reduced (Marone, 2016). Therefore, to reap
the benefits of the demographic dividend,
gender equality in the workforce needs to be
given particular attention.
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Case reports
A CASE SERIES ON MANAGEMENT OF CONDUCT DISORDERS WITH POOR TREATMENT ADHERENCE AND PARENT-CHILD CONFLICT: EXPLORING PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORK AND MEDICATION INTERVENTIONS
Conduct disorder is a complex condition
marked by persistent behavioral and
emotional challenges in children. Those
children and adolescents find it hard to
adhere to rules, empathize with others, and
behave in socially acceptable ways, often leading to negative perceptions from peers,
adults, and social agencies. Diagnosing
Childhood Onset Conduct Disorder in young
children is challenging because they often
struggle to express their feelings. Symptoms
can vary depending on the child’s
developmental stage. For a diagnosis, at least
one symptom of conduct disorder must be
present before the age of 10(American
Psychiatric Association. (2013), these
symptoms may include aggression toward
people or animals (e.g., bullying, physical
fights, cruelty to animals), destruction of
property (e.g., deliberate fire-setting or
vandalism), deceitfulness or theft (e.g., lying
to obtain goods or favors, shoplifting), and
serious violations of rules (e.g., truancy from
school, running away from home). Identifying
these behaviors early is critical for timely
intervention and effective management.
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INSTRUCTION FOR AUTHORS
The “Indian Journal of Health Social Work” is a bi
annual E-journal which will be published in the month
of January and July in every year. The Indian Journal
of Health Social Work is an official publication of All
India Association of Medical Social Work Professionals
(AIAMSWP). The journal accepts original research
work, review articles, case reports, commentary,
forum, & brief communication related to social work
practice in health care.
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ISSN: 2582-1393 (online)
UGC Care List Journal