Indian Journal of Preventive Medicine

Background: Persistent health inequities disproportionately affect marginalized and underserved communities. Public Health Nurses (PHNs) are instrumental in bridging these gaps through localized, community-based interventions. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), new possibilities have emerged for more accurate identification and resolution of health disparities. Objective: This article examines the evolving role of AI in public health nursing and proposes a structured framework for the equitable integration of AI to address community health disparities. Methods: A narrative review approach was used to synthesize findings from national health datasets, global pilot programs, and current academic literature related to AI in healthcare, public health disparities, and nursing practice. Results: The use of AI in nursing and public health includes applications such as predictive analytics, personalized care planning, health education via chatbots, and wearable health monitoring. However, AI tools often carry risks of bias, lack of transparency, and inequitable deployment, especially in low-resource settings. Conclusion: AI, when ethically and inclusively implemented, can enhance the ability of PHNs to identify, address, and monitor community health disparities. A community focused, PHN-led framework is essential for AI to serve as a tool for equity rather than exclusion.

Background: Poor sleep quality is a growing public health concern, with dietary behaviors playing a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms and overall restfulness. Mindful eating, a practice emphasizing awareness and intentionality in food choices, has shown potential in improving sleep outcomes. Objective: To explore the perceptions, experiences, and behavioral changes associated with a community-based mindful eating intervention on sleep quality among adults aged 18–45 years. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 35 participants (18 male, 17 female) using in-depth interviews. The intervention included a four-week community program on mindful eating principles, meal timing, and caffeine/ sugar reduction strategies. Pre and post-intervention interviews captured behavioral changes, perceived improvements in sleep, and barriers. Results: Thematic analysis revealed increased awareness of diet-sleep connections, with participants describing reduced sleep onset latency, fewer nocturnal awakenings, and enhanced overall sleep quality. Key themes included shifts toward avoiding late-night sugary foods, reduced pre-sleep anxiety, and greater adherence through community support. Conclusion: Community-based mindful eating interventions can significantly enhance sleep quality and efficiency. Public health programs should integrate dietary awareness campaigns to address modifiable lifestyle determinants of poor sleep.

Forensic medicine frequently addresses deaths that are sudden, unexpected, or legally significant, with a substantial proportion attributable to clinically significant natural diseases. These include cardiovascular, neurological, endocrine, and infectious conditions, which can pose diagnostic challenges in differentiating natural from unnatural causes of death. Sudden cardiac death (SCD), often the most common natural cause, requires careful assessment to rule out external triggers and to identify underlying heritable disorders through postmortem genetic testing. Neurological conditions such as epilepsy, particularly sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), and acute metabolic derangements including diabetic ketoacidosis or adrenal crisis, demand targeted pathological and biochemical evaluation. Infectious diseases ranging from fulminant bacterial infections to emerging viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 carry both medicolegal and public health implications, with the forensic pathologist serving as a sentinel for disease surveillance. The interplay between clinical pathophysiology, forensic investigation, and public health response underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach. This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on the forensic relevance of diseases spanning from SCD to infectious outbreaks, highlighting investigative strategies, diagnostic challenges, and preventive opportunities.

Rhinosporidiosis, a chronic granulomatous infection that can be prevented and is mainly caused by community practices such as bathing in contaminated ponds, is endemic in places like Tamil Nadu, India. The treatment of a 10-year-old girl from Palakkad, Kerala, who presented with a reddish mass jutting from her left nasal cavity resulting in nasal obstruction and epistaxis, is detailed in this case report. Contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed a nasal mass with reduced central density was discovered at the inferior turbinate. An endoscopic nasal polypectomy with cauterization was performed. Rhinosporidiosis with distinctive sporangia was confirmed by histopathological examination. The higher prevalence of Rhinosporidium seeberi in neighbouring Tamil Nadu raises the possibility of exposure through pond bathing, even though Palakkad’s ponds are not officially recognized as reservoirs for the disease. This case emphasizes the preventable nature of rhinosporidiosis and the effectiveness of combined surgical and medical management through public health initiatives in endemic areas.

The landscape of diabetes and obesity management has undergone unprecedented transformation in recent years, driven by innovative pharmacological developments, landmark clinical trials, and evidence-based guideline revisions. This comprehensive review examines the therapeutic revolution initiated by novel agents including bexagliflozin, next-generation incretin-based therapies such as tirzepatide, investigational triple receptor agonists, and promising combination regimens like CagriSema. We analyse pivotal clinical evidence, particularly from the SURMOUNT trial series, which has established tirzepatide’s superiority over semaglutide in achieving substantial weight loss, durable glycaemic control, and cardiovascular protection. The integration of these findings into updated American Diabetes Association guidelines represents a paradigmatic shift toward early, aggressive intervention strategies, while the introduction of teplizumab for presymptomatic type 1 diabetes prevention marks a historic milestone in immunomodulatory therapy. Policy advances, including expanded Medicare coverage for obesity pharmacotherapy, signal progress toward equitable healthcare access. These developments collectively position obesity treatment as a cornerstone of diabetes prevention and metabolic health optimization, fundamentally altering our approach to these interconnected conditions.