Volume 14 | Issue 6 |

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Keywords: Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology, CKDu, Farmers, Community Health Nursing, Planned Teaching Programme, Knowledge, Prevention, Occupational Health, Rural Health.

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 Abstract

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Keywords: Geriatrics, Elderly, Polypharmacy, >=4 Medications, Prevalence, Ajmer, Rajasthan, Chronic Disease, Adverse Drug Reactions.

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Low-cost concrete block work is an economical and sustainable construction technique widely used in residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. Concrete blocks are manufactured using cement, sand, aggregates, and water, and are molded into uniform shapes and sizes. Compared to traditional burnt clay bricks, concrete blocks offer several advantages such as lower construction cost, faster construction speed, better strength, durability, and reduced environmental impact. Due to their lightweight nature and ease of handling, they help in minimizing labor requirements and construction time, making them suitable for affordable housing projects and large-scale infrastructure developments. The production of low-cost concrete blocks involves the careful selection of raw materials and a controlled manufacturing process to ensure quality and performance. The blocks may be solid, hollow, or cellular depending on the intended application. Hollow concrete blocks are particularly popular because they reduce the overall dead load of structures and provide better thermal and sound insulation. The use of locally available materials further decreases transportation costs and contributes to sustainable construction practices. In many developing regions, low-cost concrete blocks have become an effective solution for meeting the growing demand for affordable housing.

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Concrete, Aggregate, Residential, Environmenta

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Keywords: Elderly; Polypharmacy; Medication safety; Nurse-led intervention; Quasi- experimental study; Rajasthan

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Employee attrition has become a persistent human resource challenge in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector, particularly in large urban employment hubs where skilled employees have access to multiple alternative job opportunities. Bengaluru, being one of India's major IT-BPM and BPO centres, provides a suitable context for examining employee mobility and turnover tendency. The present article examines the extent and pattern of employee attrition among employees working in selected BPO firms in Bengaluru. The article is based on primary data collected from 390 employees working in six selected BPO firms: Infosys BPM Ltd., TCS BPO, Wipro BPO, Accenture Operations, Cognizant BPO and Genpact. The analysis focuses on previous job changes, reasons for joining the current organization, thoughts of leaving, job search behaviour, interview attendance, likelihood of leaving, perceived level of attrition and common exit periods. The findings show that job mobility is a strong feature of Bengaluru's BPO workforce. A considerable proportion of employees had changed jobs at least once in the BPO/ITES sector, and nearly half had thought of leaving their present organization during the previous twelve months. Low salary, better outside opportunities, work pressure, poor work-life balance and lack of promotion emerged as major reasons for possible exit. The study concludes that attrition in the BPO sector is not merely an individual decision but a structured outcome of early-career mobility, competitive labour markets, work pressure and limited long-term attachment to organizations.

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Keywords: Employee attrition, turnover tendency, job mobility, BPO, ITES, Bengaluru, employee retention.

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ABSTRACT Background: Chronic bronchitis is a major component of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and is strongly associated with long-term smoking. Smoking cessation is the most effective intervention to slow disease progression. However, knowledge and attitude toward smoking cessation among patients remain inadequate in many settings. Objectives: 1. To assess the knowledge regarding smoking cessation among chronic bronchitis patients. 2. To assess the attitude toward smoking cessation among chronic bronchitis patients. 3. To determine the association between knowledge and attitude scores with selected demographic variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 chronic bronchitis patients in selected hospitals of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. A structured knowledge questionnaire and Likert attitude scale were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings revealed that 58% of patients had moderate knowledge, 28% had inadequate knowledge, and 14% had adequate knowledge. Regarding attitude, 62% showed a favorable attitude, 25% moderately favorable, and 13% unfavorable attitude. A significant association was found between knowledge and education level (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that although patients have a moderately favorable attitude toward smoking cessation, knowledge levels remain insufficient. Structured educational interventions are recommended.

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Keywords: Chronic bronchitis, Smoking cessation, Knowledge, Attitude, COPD

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Financial literacy has emerged as an increasingly vital competency in the context of a rapidly evolving financial ecosystem, particularly for younger generations who face complex decisions regarding savings, budgeting, investments, and digital financial tools. This study examines the level of financial literacy among Generation Z individuals residing in Ranchi District, Jharkhand, and investigates how it influences their financial decision-making behaviour. The research focuses on specific dimensions, including digital payment usage, social media influence, investment awareness, savings habits, and budgeting practices. Using a descriptive research design, primary data were collected from 100 respondents through a structured questionnaire administered using convenience sampling. Secondary data were drawn from published literature, government reports, and prior scholarly studies. The percentage method was employed for data analysis, complemented by hypothesis testing. Key findings indicate that while the majority of Gen Z respondents in Ranchi use digital payment platforms regularly, their awareness and participation in formal investment instruments remain limited. Social media influences basic financial awareness but does not significantly translate into disciplined financial behaviour. The study concludes that there exists a substantial financial literacy gap among Gen Z in Ranchi, and that targeted financial education programs integrated with digital financial tools are essential to bridge this gap. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on youth financial literacy in Tier-2 Indian cities and offers practical recommendations for policymakers, educators, and financial institutions

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Financial Literacy, Generation Z, Financial Decision-Making, Digital Payments, Investment Awareness, Ranchi District, Jharkhand

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Background: Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices are fundamental determinants of child growth, development, and survival. Inadequate maternal knowledge regarding breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices remains a major contributing factor to childhood malnutrition, particularly in developing countries like India. Hospital settings offer a valuable opportunity to assess maternal knowledge and provide appropriate nutrition counseling. Objectives: To assess maternal knowledge regarding Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and to find the association between maternal knowledge and selected demographic variables. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 mothers of infants and young children aged 0-24 months attending the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clinic and Paediatric Outpatient Department of a selected hospital in Guwahati, Assam. Mothers were selected using non-probability purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured and validated knowledge questionnaire on IYCF practices. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used for data analysis. Results: The study revealed that 50.8% of mothers had poor knowledge, 35.8% had average knowledge, and 13.4% had good knowledge regarding IYCF practices. Maternal age, education, and parity showed a statistically significant association with knowledge levels (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that maternal knowledge regarding Infant and Young Child Feeding practices among mothers attending a selected hospital in Guwahati, Assam is inadequate. Strengthening hospital-based nutrition education and counseling services is essential for the primary prevention of childhood malnutrition.

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Keywords: Infant and Young Child Feeding; Maternal Knowledge; Malnutrition; Descriptive Study; Hospital Setting; Guwahati, Assam

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Abstract: The term 'Governance' refers to a method or system of government or management; in other words, the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; or it is termed as an act of governing and exercising authority. Governance belongs to those important pillars that work together for the purpose of assuring that an organization meets its objectives. Now, good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions. It's not about making 'correct' decisions, but about the best possible process for making those decisions. Good decision-making processes, and therefore good governance, share several characteristics. All have a positive effect on various aspects of local government including consultation policies and practices, meeting procedures, service quality protocols, councilor and officer conduct, role clarification and good working relationships. Good governance is an indeterminate term used in international development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources. Governance is 'the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Main features of a good governance are accountability, transparency, responsibility, equitability, inclusiveness, effectiveness, participatory. Accountability is a fundamental requirement of good governance. Further, Right to Information means every citizen's right to get information and copies of documents. The government has a duty to provide the information, though not absolute, for a smooth functioning and establishing a good exercising of various policies in the country like India. Earlier, the Central Government passed the freedom of Information Act, 2000. But it was never brought into force. After the UPA government came into power in 2004, the National Advisory Council (NAC) was set to monitor the passing of the legislation. The Lok Sabha passed the RTI Bill on 11th May 2005 and on the following day the Rajya Sabha passed the Bill. On the 15th June 2005, the Right to Information Act received the assent of the President of India and a historic landmark Act was presented to us.

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Key words: Governance, accountability, transparency, responsibility, equitability, inclusiveness, effectiveness, participatory.

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Faculty members in higher education institutions increasingly face complex professional demands which include heavy teaching workloads and research expectations together with administrative responsibilities and performance accountability requirements. The resulting challenges from these obstacles lead to negative effects which impact their psychological health and job satisfaction and subsequently affect their individual work performance and the overall institutional productivity. Meditation-based interventions have gained recognition as effective methods which enhance mental health and boost workplace productivity during the last few years. The Brahma Kumaris organization teaches Rajyoga meditation through its particular approach which teaches practitioners to develop soul awareness and positive thinking and self-control and inner peace, which makes it useful for academic professionals. Research studies demonstrate that meditation offers psychological and behavioral benefits yet there exist few studies which investigate how Rajyoga meditation practice affects faculty job satisfaction. Researchers have not yet studied how Rajyoga meditation affects job satisfaction through its underlying psychological pathways. The present paper establishes a conceptual and quantitative framework which explains how Rajyoga meditation practice affects job satisfaction through psychological regulation as the proposed mediating factor between the two variables. The framework is grounded in Self-Regulation Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, which provide a theoretical basis for understanding how meditation-related psychological resources may contribute to improved occupational outcomes. The proposed model conceptualizes Rajyoga meditation practice as the independent variable, psychological regulation as the mediating variable, and job satisfaction as the dependent variable. To facilitate future empirical investigation, the paper proposes a quantitative research design employing a cross-sectional survey of faculty members using structured measurement scales and appropriate statistical techniques, including correlation, regression, and mediation analyses. The proposed framework contributes to the literature on Rajyoga meditation, occupational psychology, and higher education management by offering an integrative explanation of how meditation practice may enhance faculty job satisfaction. The paper also provides practical implications for faculty development, institutional well-being initiatives, and employee engagement strategies within higher education institutions.

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Rajyoga Meditation, Psychological Regulation, Job Satisfaction, Faculty Members, Higher Education, Self-Regulation Theory, Occupational Well-Being, Conceptual Framework.

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