Browsing by Author "Monika Arora"

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    A call to advance and translate research into policy on governance, ethics, and conflicts of interest in public health: the GECI-PH network
    (Global. Health, 2021) Rima Nakkash; Melissa Mialon; Jihad Makhoul; Monika Arora; Rima Afifi; Abeer Al Halabi; Leslie London
    Efforts to adopt public health policies that would limit the consumption of unhealthy commodities, such as tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food products, are often undermined by private sector actors whose profits depend on the sales of such products. There is ample evidence showing that these corporations not only try to influence public health policy; they also shape research, practice and public opinion. Globalization, trade and investment agreements, and privatization, amongst other factors, have facilitated the growing influence of private sector actors on public health at both national and global levels. Protecting and promoting public health from the undue influence of private sector actors is thus an urgent task. With this backdrop in mind, we launched the Governance, Ethics, and Conflicts of Interest in Public Health Network (GECI-PH Network) in 2018. Our network seeks to share, collate, promote and foster knowledge on governance, ethical, and conflicts of interest that arise in the interactions between private sectors actors and those in public health, and within multi-stakeholder mechanisms where dividing lines between different actors are often blurred. We call for strong guidance to address and manage the influence of private sector actors on public health policy, research and practice, and for dialogue on this important topic. Our network recently reached 119 members. Membership is diverse in composition and expertise, location, and institutions. We invite colleagues with a common interest to join our network.
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    Adolescent and adult perceptions of the effects of larger size graphic health warnings on conventional and plain tobacco packs in India: A community-based cross-sectional study
    (Tob. Induc. Dis., 2019) Gaurang P. Nazar; Monika Arora; Vinay K. Gupta; Tina Rawal; Amit Yadav; Nanda K. Kannuri; Surbhi Shrivastava; Nathan Grills; Premila Webster
    INTRODUCTION We studied adolescent and adult perceptions of the effects of larger size, 85% versus 40%, Graphic Health Warnings (GHWs) on conventional and plain tobacco packs, in India. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2121 participants (aged >= 13 years), during the period 2015-16, in Delhi and Telangana, India. Four categories of GHWs on tobacco packs were shown: A - 40% existing (April 2013-April 2016), B - 40% new (April 2016-present), C - 85% new, and D - plain packs (85% new). Regression models tested percentage differences in choice of categories for eight outcomes, adjusted for gender, area of residence, socioeconomic status, age, and tobacco use. RESULTS Of the total 2121 participants, 1120 were from Delhi, 1001 from Telangana, 50% were males, 62% were urban residents, 12% were adolescents, and 72% had never used tobacco. Among packs shown, the majority of participants perceived the 85% size GHWs more effective than the 40% size GHWs across all outcomes. The perceived increase in noticeability of GHWs was 45% for category C (p<0.05) and 43.5% for category D (p<0.05) versus category B. In Delhi, participants perceived plain packs to be most effective in motivating quitting, preventing initiation and conveying the health message. In Telangana, adolescents believed GHWs on plain packs were most noticeable, most effective for quitting and preventing initiation. CONCLUSIONS The larger size 85% GHWs were perceived to be more effective in increasing noticeability of warnings, motivating cessation, preventing initiation, and conveying the intended health message. Support for plain packaging was higher in Delhi and among adolescents in Telangana.
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    Compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics with National and International Standards: Quantitative findings from the i-Saathiya study
    (BMJ Open, 2024) Deepika Bahl; Shalini Bassi; Heeya Maity; Supriya Krishnan; Stefanie Dringus; Amanda Mason-Jones; Anku Malik; Monika Arora
    The paper assess the compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) in two of India's largest states, using both national benchmarks (under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram-RKSK) and global standards (by WHO).