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Twenty-first century has dawned with substantial achievements in population health outcome indicators in India. However, very little is known on patterns in causes of death in India. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

In this paper, data was drawn from two sources namely, National Family Health Survey (NFHS-1, 1992-1993 and NFHS-2, 1998-1999) and published reports of Survey of Cause of Death (Rural). Three-years moving average causes-of-death estimates were calculated based on World Health Organization classification of causes of death. Negative binomial regression models were fitted to capture the effect of socio-demographic and behavioural determinants of patterns in causes of death.

The leading causes of death were heart diseases, tuberculosis, asthma, paralysis, prematurity and cancer. Three-fifth of the deaths to children under the age of ten was from communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions. On the other hand, about two-third persons aged 45 years and above were dying from non-communicable diseases. Female were at greater risk of dying from non-communicable diseases (IRR: 1.22, 95 per cent CI: 1.11-1.34, p < 0.001).

The epidemiologic transition in India has produced a shift in mortality from communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions to non-communicable diseases, with little or no role played by injuries regardless of the level of all-cause mortality. Coupled with the effects of population age structures, other factors were also responsible for the bulk of the inter-regional disparities. These factors include differences in the populations’ health risks associated with the natural or built environments, prevalence of behavioural risk factors, or gaps in the capacities of health systems to respond to specific disease challenges, social stratification and others.

This paper described the trends, patterns and geographic variability in India’s causes-of-death profile in terms of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and injuries, and socio-economic and demographic determinants of patterns in the profile.

Elderly patients suffering from non-communicable disease face a dilemma in the selection of healthcare providers. This study attempts to identify the key variables playing a crucial role and identify the appropriate healthcare destination with the help of a combination of Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) techniques. The primary objective is to introduce the DEMATEL and AHP as efficient decision-making methods to choose the right healthcare provider for elderly patients suffering from non-communicable diseases.

An integrative approach utilizing DEMATEL and AHP is used to reach the ideal solution for healthcare provider selection decisions. The DEMATEL approach is used to segregate the cause and effect variables. Similarly, the AHP is used to identify the weights of the top five cause-inducing variables, and the paired comparison method is used to select the healthcare provider.

The variables such as dependency on family members, easily accessible services, and patient autonomy play a vital role in the selection decision of healthcare providers in elderly patients suffering from non-communicable diseases.

In terms of priority, home healthcare should be considered the preferred provider for elderly patients suffering from non-communicable diseases followed by neighbourhood registered medical practitioners and hospitals.

This is the first of its kind study which has attempted to solve the healthcare provider selection decision with the combined approach of DEMATEL and AHP.

The rising incidence of non-communicable diseases in the developing world has remained a cause of concern for health workers. Childhood and adolescent obesity is on the increase as a result of several issues including dietary habits. This paper aims to assess the pattern of snacking and sweetened beverage consumption among in-school adolescents in Sagamu, Nigeria.

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 620 in-school adolescents, selected via multi-stage sampling, using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Relevant descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated, with p < 0.05.Participation was fully voluntary and strict confidentiality ensured.

All respondents consumed sugar-sweetened beverages, at different regularity; 78.5 per cent preferred carbonated drinks; 44.2 per cent consumed energy drinks, with a significant difference between males and females regarding the pattern of consumption of sweetened beverages (p = 0.042) and reasons for the choice of drinks (p = 0.009). Almost all (95.3 per cent) respondents snacked at varying frequencies, with more women (97.2 per cent) snacking than men (p = 0.008). Over 51.7 per cent of respondents snacked daily with no significant difference (p = 0.147) between males and females respondents regarding frequency of snacking. Pies and pastries were most frequently consumed. There was a significant difference (p = 0.007) between the preferences of male and female respondents.

The consumption of refined sugars was high among respondents, indicating presence of unhealthy dietary habits. Concerted efforts at nutrition education through the school system should be made to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases among adolescents.

The World Health Organisation recognises that health and well-being are essential to achieve the United Nations Development Agenda 2030. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of ill-health worldwide. Much of the global burden of NCD is caused by individual unhealthy behaviours. A behavioural mindset shift is needed to reduce premature NCD mortality. This article provides an exploratory analysis to understand whether Portuguese society is on the path to achieving better health by considering certain unacceptable individual lifestyles that contribute to diseases and could be avoided.

An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 558 Portuguese citizens. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used to (1) assess whether respondents were aware of premature mortality caused by NCDs, (2) explore whether individuals should be accountable for their disease-related behaviours, and (3) test for associations between this accountability and respondents sociodemographic and health characteristics.

Overall, respondents were unaware of the rate of premature mortality associated with chronic diseases and were unwilling to hold fellow citizens accountable for their unhealthy lifestyles. Following a healthy lifestyle proved relevant in the moralisation of others' unhealthy lifestyles, especially those who practice physical exercise.

This study is the first attempt to awaken attention to the impact that societies' procrastination for others' harmful health behaviours may have on achieving Sustainable Development GoalS (SDGs) and sustainable development.

There is limited evidence on the determinants of hospitalisation and its causes in India. This study aims to examine the differential in the hospitalisation rates and its socioeconomic determinants. This study also examines the causes of diseases in hospitalisation among the elderly (≥60 years) in India.

This study used data from the 75th round of the National Sample Survey Organizations, collected from July 2017 to June 2018. The elderly samples in this survey are 42,759, where 11,070 were hospitalised, and 31,689 were not hospitalised in the past year or 365 days. This study estimated hospitalisation rates and carried out binary logistic regression analysis to examine the associations of hospitalisation with the background variables. The cause of diseases in hospitalisations was also calculated.

The hospitalisation rate was lower among elderly female compared to elderly male. Elderly who belongs to middle-old aged groups, non-married, North-Eastern region, Southern region, general caste, health insurance, partially and fully economically dependent have a higher chance of being hospitalised. About 38% elderly were hospitalised due to communicable diseases (CDs), 52% due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and 10% due to injuries and others (IO). Nearly 40% elderly were hospitalised in public hospitals due to CDs, whereas 52% were hospitalised in private hospitals due to NCDs and 11% due to IO.

Firstly, this study is based on cross-sectional survey due to which temporal ambiguity averted to draw causal inferences. Secondly, other significant factors can also predict hospitalisations and provide insightful results, such as lifestyle factors, behavioral factors, obesity, mental state and several personal habits such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, consuming tobacco or other harmful substances. But this information was not available in this study. Even with these limitations, the hospitalisation issues among the elderly are beneficial to understand the current circumstances of CDs, NCDs and injury and other diseases for India and its states to formulate health policy.

Early screening and early treatment for NCDs are needed, which are non-existent in almost all parts of India. It is essential to necessitate and identify the important factors that best predict hospitalisation or re-visit of hospital admission. Although, the medical advances in India have made rapid strides in the past few decades, it is burdened none the less, as the doctor–patient ratio is very low. It is important to develop preventive measures to minimize the accidents and causalities to avoid substantial cost associated with elderly health care.

Raising awareness, promotion of healthy life style and improving the quality of good health-care provisions at primary level is a necessity.

The findings, practical and social implications provide a way forward for the health policymakers to potentially alter the future research to reduce associated comorbidities, unnecessary hospitalisations and other medical complications.

The study examined the utilisation patterns of healthcare services among tea garden workers and analysed the factors influencing utilisation in an Indian context.

The authors employed a mixed-method approach and an explanatory sequential design for the study. A survey was conducted in the beginning followed by in-depth interviews in a north-eastern state of India (Assam). Andersen health behaviour model was used to explore the factors influencing healthcare utilisation. The sample size for the survey and in-depth interviews were 300 and 19, respectively, recruited employing multistage random and purposive sampling techniques.

Out of 300 workers surveyed, 169 (56.3%) were females, 257 (85.7%) were married, 77 (25.7%) were illiterates and 229 (76.3%) had monthly household income less than 100 US$. The survey also found that 47.3% and 15.3% had non-communicable and communicable disease respectively. Most of the workers (67.3%) utilised government facilities, and close to one third (28.7%) utilised tea garden hospitals. About 63.3% had health insurance, but a majority (78.9%) did not use it previously. The analyses of interviews explored the need, enabling, predisposing factors under three important themes influencing utilisation of healthcare services among the workers.

The study generates evidence to strengthen the Indian Plantation Labour Act, 1951 for tea garden worker's welfare protection and warrants transition from colonial-era policies to contemporary industry realities in order to improve their living, employment, nutritional and health conditions.

The research adds to the existing literature on overall healthcare services utilisation (including coverage and utilisation of health insurance) among blue collar workers who usually lack access to healthcare facilities and explores important factors that determine utilisation in the Indian context.

This article focuses on the assessment of the practical knowledge of cardiac patients and health care professionals of a heart‐healthy diet. Based on our findings, we proposed that cardiac patients in Mauritius should be referred to dieticians on a more routine basis if effective dietary change is to be successfully implemented. Our findings lend further support for the need of continuing education for health care professionals in the field of nutrition.

The influx of refugees and asylum-seekers over the past decade into the European Union creates challenges to the health systems of receiving countries in the preparedness and requisite adjustments to policy addressing the new needs of the migrant population. This study aims to examine and compare policies for access to health care and the related health outcomes for refugees and asylum-seekers settling both in the UK and Germany as host countries.

The paper conducted a scoping review of academic databases and grey literature for studies within the period 2010-2017, seeking to identify evidence from current policies and service provision for refugees and asylum-seekers in Germany and the UK, distilling the best practice and clarifying gaps in knowledge, to determine implications for policy.

Analysis reveals that legal entitlements for refugees and asylum-seekers allow access to primary and secondary health care free of charge in the UK versus a more restrictive policy of access limited to acute and emergency care during the first 15 months of resettlements in Germany. In both countries, many factors hinder the access of this group to normal health care from legal status, procedural hurdles and lingual and cultural barriers. Refugees and asylum-seeker populations were reported with poor general health condition, lower rates of utilization of health services and noticeable reliance on non-governmental organizations.

This paper helps to fulfill the need for an extensive research required to help decision makers in host countries to adjust health systems towards reducing health disparities and inequalities among refugees and asylum-seekers.