NIMHANS study finds higher degrees of depression among ‘severely injured' road traffic accident victims
Aimed at understanding the 'quality of life', anxiety, and depression levels among the victims of RTA, the study has recommended that following medical treatment, RTA victims and their families must undergo psychosocial counselling to lessen their anxiety and enhance their quality of life.
The study titled Quality of life, anxiety and depression among non-fatal road traffic accidents victims in South India was published in Social Sciences and Humanities Open, an open access scientific journal, on June 28.
Financial hardship
Road traffic accidents, whether fatal or non-fatal, can be the cause of substantial financial hardships and significant mental health issues to victims and their families. While several studies done in the past have shown that RTAs lead to stigma, stress and anxiety, depression and economic burden on individuals and their families, there are a limited number of studies available on the association between RTA victims' quality of life (QoL) and their stressful conditions. QoL assessment is widely used for many ailments, for instance on stroke-affected, hypertensive, and diabetic patients.
'These conditions and their relationship with QoL have been reported in many studies. However, there is no Indian research available on depression, anxiety or the quality of life among RTA victims. Our study recommends that psychosocial counselling following medical treatment is a must for RTA victims and their families,' Palaniappan Marimuthu, professor and head of the Department of Biostatistics at NIMHANS, told The Hindu.
Non-fatal RTA victims
'The objective of this paper is to understand depression among non-fatal RTA victims in terms of quality of life, anxiety and associated socio-demographic variables. This paper is part of a larger study funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),' said Dr. Marimuthu, who is the corresponding author of the study.
For the study, the researchers randomly selected a total of 407 non-fatal RTA victims from the State Crime Record Bureaus (SCRBs) of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Data collection was done using socio-demographic and accident information, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and WHO Quality of Life tools.
'The four domains of QoL (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment) apart from education and age were employed along with the Quantile Regression approach to examine how they affect the dependent variable of depression score. Non-fatal victims were classified into 'Severely Injured' and 'No Serious Injury'. When age, education and expenditure on RTA treatment were compared, except age the other two variables were statistically significant. The four domains of QoL also significantly differed between these two groups,' the doctor explained.
Anxiety as variable
Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology, who also heads SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS and is part of the research team for this study, said anxiety is the most important variable which contributed in almost all the quantiles of depression followed by psychological health, social relationship, environmental health and age of the RTA victims.
Asserting the importance of not using mobile phones while driving, Dr. Sharma said using a phone while driving distracts the driver's attention from the road, slows reaction time, and increases the chances of accidents.
'Even a few seconds of looking at a screen can lead to a serious crash. Safe driving requires full concentration on the surroundings, road signs, and other vehicles, which is impossible if someone is texting or calling. Therefore, avoiding mobile phone use while driving helps ensure safety for everyone on the road,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
6 minutes ago
- Indian Express
HP to seek help from IITs, ISRO to study causes of repeated natural disasters
Worried over frequent natural calamities, the Himachal Pradesh government would seek assistance from the Indian institutes of technology (IITs) in Mandi and Roorkee, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other expert agencies to study the causes of such repeated disasters in the hill state, minister Vikramaditya Singh said on Wednesday. The public works minister, who visited Mandi town along with local MLA Anil Sharma and Mayor Virendra Bhatt Sharma to assess the damage and loss on Jail Road and other places due to flash floods triggered by a cloudburst on Monday night, said the Congress government in the state is extremely sensitive about the recurring natural disasters, particularly in Mandi district. Three people were killed in the Monday incident, a large number of vehicles were buried and several houses were inundated. So far, 21 people have died in Mandi district in rain-related incidents in the ongoing monsoon season. Of the victims, 17 died in cloudbursts, while 27 people are still missing. 'The state government is firmly standing by the affected people and providing relief to them. Restoration operations are going on in full swing and heavy machinery has been deployed to remove debris and clear the blocked roads,' Singh told reporters. The matter has been discussed in detail during a cabinet meeting and the government is preparing a report on an 'early-warning system' and climate change, the minister said, adding that the Centre's assistance would also be sought. Meanwhile, expressing concern over the rising frequency of natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, including cloudbursts and flash floods, Congress spokesperson and Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore Wednesday said that unchecked environmental interference, unscientific excavation, illegal mining, and excessive tree felling could be contributing factors.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
6 minutes ago
- Business Standard
TCS layoffs: How to keep your health insurance without losing benefits
As Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) proceeds with its plan to lay off approximately 12,000 employees—around 2% of its workforce—India's IT professionals are turning attention to a key benefit: company-sponsored group health insurance. If you're one of those affected or anticipating a job change, here's how to ensure uninterrupted healthcare cover. What Happened? TCS's layoffs follow a strategic shift amid rising AI and automation adoption and target primarily middle and senior management roles. This move is expected to cut roughly 4% in employee costs, equivalent to about 12% of TCS's net profit. Although layoffs are limited to 2% of total staff, concerns are widespread due to the broader implications for the IT industry. Why Health Cover Matters Post-Exit Group health policies provided by employers typically lapse once you leave the company. This poses a critical gap for those relying on the benefits for family members, especially senior parents, or managing chronic illnesses. Public policies often come with high premiums, long waiting periods, or outright exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Your Options to Maintain Health Coverage 1. Port Your Group Policy to an Individual Plan Indian insurers allow porting—moving from employer-sponsored group health insurance to personal or family floater plans with the same insurer. "Exploring the possibility of transitioning from your company insurance policy to a personal insurance plan through the same insurer is advisable. This, however, may necessitate reassessment and medical evaluations. Scheduling necessary tests and appointments before your employment ends ensures you can leave behind the stress related to your insurance. This will help you focus entirely on your job search," as per Tata AIG. You must initiate porting before exiting the company or within 5 days post-exit to retain continuity and avoid fresh waiting periods. This ensures: 2. If Porting Isn't Available, Buy a New Individual Policy If your insurer doesn't support porting, explore a new plan before your group cover expires. Choose a policy with: Adequate sum insured Provision for covering pre-existing conditions Short or no waiting period (especially critical if you or family members need ongoing care) What the New IRDAI Health Insurance Migration Rules Mean for You As per Irdai rules on migration: 'General insurers and health insurers offering indemnity-based [regular, cashless and reimbursement] health insurance policy, except personal accident and travel policies, shall provide an option of migration to an alternative health insurance product to the extent of the sum insured and the benefits available in the previous policy. The insurer may underwrite the proposal in case of migration, if the insured is not continuously covered for 36 months." Migration allows you to shift from a group health insurance policy (like the one your employer provides) to a retail health insurance plan (that you own individually). This applies to regular health insurance (cashless or reimbursement), but not to travel or accident-only plans. Big Advantage: Waiting Period Credit When you switch to a personal plan: You don't lose the credit for the waiting period served under your group plan. For example: If your new policy has a 3-year waiting period for pre-existing diseases… And you were covered for 2 years under your employer's plan… Then you only need to wait 1 more year for coverage of those conditions. But Insurer can say no: Migration is not automatic—the insurer can: Underwrite your health risk Reject your proposal Or charge you a higher premium based on your current health What to Watch Out For Clarify Waiting Period Rules If your employer has changed insurers during your employment, you may not get the full waiting period credit. Always check with your insurer about how much waiting period credit you're eligible for. Read the Fine Print Group policies often come with better features than retail plans. Don't assume you'll get the same benefits in the new plan. Look at room rent limits, co-pay clauses, disease-specific caps, etc. Some benefits (like maternity cover, zero waiting period) may not carry over. Your insurer will try to offer a retail plan that is similar, not identical, to your group policy. Be prepared for changes in benefits and new terms. Point to note: You can only port to a retail product with your current insurer. Once migrated, you may port to another insurer in future years FAQS: What happens to my group insurance if I am laid off? Once you leave your job or face a sudden layoff, your group health insurance will no longer provide you with coverage. How can I know when my health insurance plan will be terminated after my layoff? You can determine when your health insurance ends after a job loss by reviewing your policy details or consulting with your HR for termination date clarification. It is also advisable to discuss potential extended coverage with your employer. Can I continue to access health insurance at the same premium after being laid off? As per Acko Insurance, if your company has a group policy that covers existing employees and those laid off for some duration then you can continue at the same premium. However, if you are opting for an individual plan, you would need to be evaluated regarding your medical status, etc., based on which your premium would be decided. Individual policies typically have a higher premium than group policies.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
India is losing its best and brightest
Could Aravind Srinivas have achieved his full potential by remaining in India instead of moving to Silicon Valley? The co-founder and CEO of the AI-powered search engine Perplexity, which Mr. Srinivas, 31, describes as 'a marriage of Wikipedia and ChatGPT," is the latest tech superstar to be feted by the Indian media. Following a new round of funding this month, Perplexity is valued at $18 billion. Early investors in the startup include Jeff Bezos, former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, and entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan. Mr. Srinivas sees search engine behemoth Google as ripe for disruption. On one level, the answer is obvious. Mr. Srinivas couldn't have built a cutting-edge tech company in India, but neither could he have done so in France, Brazil or Russia. The unique mix of talented engineers and risk-taking investors that defines Silicon Valley doesn't exist anywhere else on the planet. But Mr. Srinivas's story also highlights an issue that Indians tend to overlook. The Indian media has published countless laudatory stories about Indian tech titans in the West. According to the Times of India, for instance, the roots of Mr. Srinivas's success lie in his mother's early encouragement to study one day at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology in his hometown, Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Among educated Indians, Google's Sundar Pichai, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, IBM's Arvind Krishna and Adobe's Shantanu Narayen—all Indian-born tech CEOs—are household names. Sanjaya Baru, an Indian author and journalist, believes Indians are too sanguine about a sustained brain drain from their country. In a new book, 'Secession of the Successful," he points out that nearly 1.9 million Indians renounced their citizenship between 2011 and 2023. That's a small fraction of India's 1.45 billion people, but it includes some of the country's most talented engineers, doctors and scientists. Since independence in 1947, no Indian working in India has won a Nobel Prize in science or a Fields medal, the equivalent in mathematics. The last Indian in India to win a Nobel Prize for science was the physicist C.V. Raman in 1930. A 2023 National Bureau of Economic Research paper found that of the top 1,000 students who cleared the grueling nationwide entrance exam for the Indian Institutes of Technology in 2010, 36% had migrated eight years later, mostly to the U.S. At the very top—the top 10 students to clear the exam that year—the migration rate was 90%. 'It's not accurate to look at this as a pinprick on an elephant," Mr. Baru says in a phone interview from Hyderabad. 'Why has no Indian government been able to get some of the top guns to come back?" Why do so many Indians leave and so few go back? Economic opportunity plays a big part. In purchasing power parity terms, which takes into account the lower cost of most goods and services in poor countries, India's gross domestic product per capita of $11,000 is roughly an eighth of America's $86,000. But it isn't only about money. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, an Indian-born scientist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2009, has pointed out that a lack of infrastructure, excessive bureaucratic and political interference, and overly complex rules make it hard for India to attract scientific talent. India spends only 0.6% to 0.7% of its GDP on research, a far smaller fraction than the U.S. or China. Urban squalor is another problem. The flashy Delhi suburb of Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon) pays a large chunk of the state of Haryana's taxes. But due to a lack of urban planning, and a political class beholden to voters in the countryside, Gurugram lacks a proper drainage system. Videos of luxury cars in Gurugram drowning in murky brown rainwater are a staple of Indian social media. The richest neighborhoods of Bangalore feature garbage rotting on the streets. Delhi has some of the most expensive real estate in Asia and some of the least breathable air in the world. India's failure to retain and attract global talent has geopolitical implications. Over the past two decades, China, with which India shares a disputed 2,200-mile border, has moved aggressively to attract global scientific talent to its shores. In 2008 the Chinese government launched the Thousand Talents Plan to bring top-tier scientific talent to China. Since then scores of high-profile scientists, many of Chinese origin, have moved to Chinese universities and laboratories. The Nature Index, which tracks 'high-quality" research, counts 45 Chinese universities in the top 100. (The U.S. has 31.) The highest ranked Indian institution, the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, is ranked 212. Mr. Baru believes that rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the West may make it easier for India to retain or attract back some of its smartest people. But arguably the deeper cause—a political and intellectual culture geared toward redistributive justice rather than individual excellence—may be hard to overcome.
