Social Advertisements and Recall

Researches in the context of social advertisement are carried out in European nations with few exceptions from India where various social advertisement campaigns are run by central as well as state governments. Current study is an attempt towards measuring recall of popular social advertisement campaigns in India and to explore the reasons for the same using an exploratory study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. A total of 400 respondents participate in the study with a response rate of 86%. Findings revealed that Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan was the most recalled social advertisement campaign followed by Pulse Polio Abhiyan and Cancer advertisement campaign. Result revealed that social advertisements promoted using celebrity(ies) and politicians have more impact and high recall. It was also found that social advertisements using television and social networking sites as media tools are widely accepted among youths. Findings of the study will be helpful for policy makers who can use the findings to promote various social advertisement campaigns.

Childhood immunisation knowledge and timeliness among caregivers of children 0-5 years, attending immunisation clinic of a medical college in West Bengal

Background: Routine Immunization among children ensures nationally scheduled regular administration of vaccine dosages to infants at specified ages. Unequivocal knowledge and perceptions are essential at individual as well as community level about vaccinations throughout the country to achieve high immunisation coverage. Besides appropriate timeliness regarding childhood immunisation is also desirable. Present study was planned to assess knowledge and timeliness regarding childhood immunization among the caregivers as well as associated factors in relation to their current practice, if any.Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted at immunisation clinic of a Medical College. Considering 73% of parents were with good knowledge about immunization from previous study, sample size was calculated as 158. The data was collected administering a pre-designed, pre-tested schedule; in every visit at least 26 study subjects were selected in first-come-first basis after applying exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were applied.Results: Majority of the children (53.2%) were female and 1st baby in term of birth order (71.5%). Knowledge regarding certain aspects of immunization was reported varied from 95% (Pulse Polio should be given besides routine immunisation) to as low as 36.1% (vaccines can be given in minor illness). Overall, seven children (4.4%) missed their age appropriate immunisation and 38.6% of children was immunised in last quartile. Child immunisation in last quartile was found significantly associated with socioeconomic class (p=0.018) and occupation (p=0.019) of caregivers.Conclusions: Knowledge about certain aspects of childhood immunisation among caregivers was not satisfactory. Inappropriate timeliness regarding immunisation was noted in substantial portion of children.

Estimation of coverage of pulse polio immunization round on 28th January 2018

Background: India accounted for more than 50% of polio cases globally. India therefore started the intensive pulse polio immunization (IPPI) in 1995. The national immunization days (NID) were on 28th January and 11th March 2018. The objectives of this study were to determine the completeness of pulse polio immunization round on 28th January 2018, to evaluate the reasons for non-compliance of the community towards the vaccination round, to assess the demographic profile amongst the unvaccinated children.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 570 children of zero-five years were checked in major areas of Pune that is Katraj Zoo, Swargate, Saras baug and a school in Dhankawadi. The data was collected after the first round of PPI by viewing the ink mark on the left little finger nail of the child or by interviewing the parents. SIA monitoring chart was used to assess the completeness of immunization campaign. Statistical analysis: Microsoft Excel were used to calculate percentages.Results: Out of 570, 69 (12.1%) were unvaccinated with the highest number seen in nursery that is 28 (40.6%). Amongst the unvaccinated (n=69), 40 (57.9%) were males. In the unvaccinated children (n=69), 13 (18.84%) and 56 (81.15%) belonged to age group of zero-two years and two-five years respectively. Reasons for being unvaccinated were 29(42%) parents were unaware of time and place of PPI, 21 (30.4%) were outside Pune and 19 (27.5%) were unwilling due to false beliefs..Conclusions: Awareness should be increased about benefits of PPI through mass media, local leaders and teachers to enhance community participation. The authorities’ in charge of the PPI should be informed regarding areas lacking significant coverage so that they can be concentrated upon during subsequent PPI rounds ultimately contributing to eradicate poliomyelitis.

Reply to Comment on Dhiman, R. et al. Correlation of Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rate with Pulse Polio Frequency in India. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1755

We thank the authors for their interest in our paper [...]

Comment on Dhiman, R. et al. Correlation of Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rate with Pulse Polio Frequency in India. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1755

The authors of the published article ‘Correlation between Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rates with Pulse Polio Frequency in India’ [...]

Correlation between Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rates with Pulse Polio Frequency in India

The last case of polio from India was reported in 2011. That year, the non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) rate in India was 13.35/100,000, where the expected rate is 1–2/100,000. A previous study of data from 2000 to 2010 has detailed the NPAFP rate in a state correlated with the pulse polio rounds conducted there, and the strongest correlation with the NPAFP rate was found when the number of doses from the previous 4 years were used. However, a simple association being found with regression analysis does not prove a causal relationship. After publication of those findings, as the threat of polio had lessened, the number of rounds of OPV administration was brought down. The present study has been done to look at data till the end of 2017, to see if the incidence of NPAFP declined with this reduction in polio immunization rounds. We used polio surveillance data acquired by the Government of India from 2000–2017. Correlation of the NAFP rate to the number of polio rounds in the state was examined, and the cumulative effect of polio doses administered in previous years was sought. NPAFP rate correlated with the OPV pulse polio rounds in that year (R = 0.46; p < 0.001), and the NPAFP rate started to decrease from 2012 when the number of pulse polio rounds had decreased. NPAFP rates in the states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar were the highest in the country. Looking at the high-NPAFP states of UP and Bihar, we found that the correlation coefficient was strongest when doses used over 5 years was considered (R = 0.76; p < 0.001). The response to the reduction in OPV rounds (de-challenging) adds credence to the assumption that OPV was responsible for the change in the NPAFP rate. Now that India has been polio-free for over 6 years, we propose that we may be able to reduce NPAFP by further reducing pulse polio rounds.