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Health

How Finland’s Approach to SDG 3 Can Help India Improve Health and Well-being

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to, “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” Towards this goal of achieving a healthier world, India and Finland set targets for their health sector. Though the journeys of the two countries mirror jarring contrasts in both their health care systems, socio-economic conditions, and governmental policies.

India has traveled a long distance but has much more to cover in terms of dealing with issues like maternal mortality, malnutrition, and access to health delivery. Finland is often considered one of the best countries in the world to fall ill in because of its high-performing system with universal access and very strong preventive measures. This article examines the performance of the two countries on SDG 3 and explores what India can learn from Finland’s successes in health.

February 27, 2025 No Comments

Good Health and Well-being

Role of Parenting in psychological issues in children

Role of Parenting in psychological issues in children Children of today are given mobile phones, PCs, internet etc at a very young age. He or she has access to everything that can be a potential threat to them because they are at a vulnerable age where they are still developing and are easy to influence. These technologies are exposing them to media and content that is negatively impacting the children and the younger generations are a proof of it today. What is addiction ? Addiction refers to a condition wherein the person is unable to separate themselves from certain things, they need it, have increased tolerance to it that is they can keep increasing it’s consumption each time and if it is taken away from them they can’t live with that and may react very aggressively, lack of control etc. Addiction is not only to substances like caffeine, alcohol, opioids etc but in this digital world also to the internet, social media, games etc. Globally 26.99% children are smartphone addicted 17.42% are social media addicted 14.22% have internet addiction, and 6.04% are game addicts, boys are mostly game and internet addicted (Meng et al., 2022). While according to The Hindu there are 1.5 crore children between age 10 to 17 who are addicted to substances in India (The Hindu, 2022). Addiction is a complex process but it usually occurs due to changes in brain chemistry. Whenever we do something rewarding, “feel good” chemicals are released in the body that makes one do that thing again and again. In case of addiction ( a disease) certain things like substances, spending money, sex etc can stimulate a release of these chemicals in great amounts and the person finds themselves wanting to do that thing, with time they no longer feel the same pleasure as before as then they increase its consumption and get stuck in a loop where they constantly repeat it while also increasing its intake. Problem with addiction in children Addiction is especially very problematic in children because their brain is not completely developed so it is very easy for them to become addicted as well as it is more harmful as well as it can later traumatise them and develop into mental disorders. Today a child has a plethora of game options to choose from. While there are some games that are beneficial which are also used by psychologists on their clients for treatment and rehabilitation of certain disorders as these games help improve cognitive functioning. Similar effect of improvement in cognition is seen with activities like sports and arts (Rosyati et al., 2020). That is why for optimal development of a child games are also vital. It was seen in professional gamers that the brain volume and functionality in the insular region (region in the brain associated with language processing, taste, smell and interpersonal abilities) is increased (Rosyati et al., 2020). But mostly the games children are playing today are harming them because these are usually online games which glue them to their screens for long durations. This is impacting their physical health because there is lack of movement throughout the day which is very crucial at an age where they are growing and so their muscles need to be worked for a strong body. The problem with these games doesn’t end there, the children are addicted. They are spending hours playing online games. Research found that children and adolescents with game addiction show changed brain structure and function and have limited control on their impulses (Rosyati et al., 2020). They have phones and PCs which means they must also have access to the internet. Children are living virtually more than in real life, if they want to talk to their friends they would prefer texting them rather than meeting them. They spend hours on the internet and social media but they don’t have friends and they don’t know how to make friends in the real world, they compare themselves with people online and feel jealous or envious, acquire insecurities, feel lonely, feel less worthy. Internet addiction affects a child’s physical and mental health by interfering with their exercise time and sleep time (Zhou, Zhu et al., 2022). Not only this but high-risk Internet users don’t have proper diet quality and also ill dietary behaviour which can hinder in healthy growth and development of the individual (Kim, Park et al. 2010 ). Internet addiction is associated with higher sympathetic activity that indicates increased heart rate and lower parasympathetic activity (Pi-Chu Lin et al., 2014). There are a lot of adverse effects of addiction problems which can be categorised into : Physical health : They are at a higher risk of developing health issues like due to their lack of activities. They are at a risk of getting obese, having poor eyesight etc. They are also exposed to radiation coming from these devices for long periods of time. They also suffer from insomnia. Mental health : They are more likely to be lonely, anxious, stressed etc and have lower self esteem due to overconsumption of media online. They can feel they are lacking behind. In severe cases they may develop depression and anxiety disorder. Social health : Due to spending the majority of their time indoors virtually, they lack social skills, they won’t be able to build social bonds or maintain them. In severe cases they can develop disorders like social conduct disorder, antisocial behaviour etc. Academics : Many researches have shown that addicted children suffer academically. They are unable to score well, pay attention in the class, problem solve etc. Role of parenting in child development We know children grow up looking at their parents so parenting style and family environment matters for raising a healthy and happy child. The major types of parenting styles are authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful. Authoritarian parenting style is in which the parents exercise complete control over their children with no flexibility for child’s emotions, strict rules, no chance for children

February 26, 2025 No Comments

Health

SCHIZOPHRENIA

SCHIZOPHRENIA -By Eesha Madan 1) Key facts: 1.1 Schizophrenia does not involve split personalities. 1.2 Symptoms of schizophrenia usually emerge in adolescence. 1.3 Schizophrenia has both genetic and environmental causes. 1.4 The only way to diagnose schizophrenia is through a combination of tests. 1.5 Schizophrenia causes psychosis and is associated with considerable disability, potentially affecting all areas of life including personal, family, social, educational, and occupational functioning. 2) What is “Schizophrenia”? Schizophrenia is a complex, chronic mental health disorder characterized by an array of symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and impaired cognitive ability. In clinical settings, schizophrenia is ordinarily diagnosed through the observation of positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disordered speech, and behavioral disturbances) and negative symptoms (a volition, alogia, and anhedonia). However, schizophrenia has considerable overlap with other neurological disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and Huntington’s disease) at both the clinical and genetic levels. The study of schizophrenia is important because it can help us understand the brain and mind, the biological nature of the disorder, and the severity of its symptoms 3) What are the symptoms of Schizophrenia The symptoms of schizophrenia can be divided into three categories: 3.1 Positive symptoms (i.e. excesses of thoughts, emotions & behaviour ) 3.2 Negative symptoms (i.e. deficits of thoughts, emotions & behaviour) 3.3 Psychomotor symptoms 3.1 Positive Symptoms: Positive symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, and any changes in thoughts or behaviours. Positive symptoms are those that affect the individual’s thoughts or behaviours. They are pathological and bizarre additions to a person’s behaviour: delusions, disorganized thinking and speech. 3.1.1 Delusions : Delusions are fixed, false beliefs that conflict with reality. If a person is delusional, they can not let go of their untrue convictions despite contrary evidence. Types of delusions: Delusions of persecution: Most common in schizophrenia. People with this delusion believe they are being plotted against, spied on, slandered, threatened, attacked or deliberately victimized. Delusions of reference: In which they attach special and personal meaning to the actions of others. Delusions of grandeur: People believe themselves to be specially empowered persons. Delusions of control: They believe that their feelings, thoughts and actions are controlled by others. Erotomanic: Believing someone else is in love with you is an Erotomanic delusion. For example, an Erotomanic delusion might include thinking a celebrity loves you even when you’ve never met or corresponded. Nihilistic delusions: they get their name from the philosophical concept of nihilism, which suggests life has no fundamental meaning or purpose. Nihilistic delusions involve thoughts related to non-existence, like believing a major catastrophe will occur or that humanity is already in the afterlife. Somatic delusions: It involves a preoccupation with health and organ function. They can include irrational beliefs about how your body functions or inaccurate beliefs about how natural sensations predict illnesses—for example, attributing the typical sensation of hunger to progressive stomach cancer. Bizarre delusions: This includes any false belief that is completely implausible, isn’t derived from ordinary life experiences, and isn’t seated in cultural practices. 3.1.2 Formal thought disorder: People aren’t able to think logically and they may speak in peculiar ways, so this disorder can make communication extremely difficult. This includes rapidly jumping from one topic to another. So their normal structure of thinking is muddled and becomes illogical. 3.1.3 Hallucinations: A hallucination happens when you receive sensory information that doesn’t exist — it’s a disturbance in perception created by your brain. Types of hallucination : Auditory. The person most often hears voices in their head. They might be angry or urgent and demand that they do things. It can sound like one voice or many. They might whisper, murmur, or be angry and demanding. Visual. Someone might see lights, objects, people, or patterns. Often it’s loved ones or friends who are no longer alive. They may also have trouble with depth perception and distance. Olfactory and gustatory. This can include good and bad smells and tastes. Someone might believe they’re being poisoned and refuse to eat. Tactile. This creates a feeling of things moving on your body, such as hands or insects. Somatic. This includes the feeling and sensations of something happening inside the body. 3.1.4 Inappropriate Affect People with schizophrenia also show Inappropriate affect, i.e. showing or expressing emotions that are unsuited to the situation. For eg- laughing at your loved one’s funeral. 3.2 Negative Symptoms: Affective flattening: Impaired emotional expression 2. Alogia: decreased speech output Asociality: reduced desire to have social contact Avolition: reduced drive to initiate and persist in self-directed purposeful activities Anhedonia: decreased experience of pleasure Blunted affect: It includes showing emotions less for eg: less anger, sadness, joy and other feelings. Flat affect: This eludes showing no emotions at all. 3.3 Psychomotor Symptoms: Catatonic stupor: People who remain motionless and silent for long periods. Catatonic rigidity: It includes people who maintain rigid and upright postures for hours. Catatonic Posturing: In this people assume awkward and bizarre positions for long periods. 4) What causes Schizophrenia Medical researchers have not been able to find the exact causes of schizophrenia. Research now tells us that the disorder is linked to abnormalities in the structure of the brain. Some factors are believed to put a person at a greater risk of developing schizophrenia: Genetic factors: Having a parent or sibling with schizophrenia puts the person at increased risk A chemical imbalance in the brain Problems during pregnancy: The child may develop schizophrenia if the mother does not receive proper nutrition, or is exposed to viral illnesses

February 26, 2025 No Comments

Responsible Consumption and Production

The Role of Circular Economy in Plastic Waste Management

Plastic waste is a growing global problem, and finding sustainable solutions is more important than ever. This article explores how the circular economy can help manage plastic waste by shifting from the traditional “use and throw away” approach to a system where plastics are recycled, reused, and redesigned. By extending the life of plastic materials and reducing waste, the circular economy offers a way to tackle pollution and create a more sustainable future. While there are challenges, such as costs and technology limitations, the potential for positive change is clear. With cooperation from governments, businesses, and consumers, we can move towards a cleaner, more sustainable world.

February 26, 2025 No Comments

Health

The Dark Side of DNA: Genetic Markers Linked to Aggression

The MAOA and CDH13 genes are associated with aggression and criminal behavior, influencing neurotransmitter regulation. Genetics and environmental factors shape behavioral tendencies, with research highlighting their role in impulsivity and violence. Understanding these genes helps explore the biological basis of aggression, mental health disorders, and potential therapeutic interventions for at-risk individuals.

February 23, 2025 No Comments

Public Policies

TRACKING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SDGs LOCALIZATION: SELECTED COMPARATIVE CASE STUDIES OF INDIAN DISTRICTS

When the world is counting down the time to fulfill the 17 SDGs and associated 169 targets set for the Agenda @2030, countries adopt the tailored solution of SDGs localization for the faster addressal of the global risks, especially, with popular and enigmatic narratives like ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwaas and Sabka Prayaas’ in India. Thus, this paper undertakes the four selected comparative case studies of Indian districts to examine the country’s progress and loopholes in implementing SDG localization, namely, I.) North West (Delhi), ii.) Hyderabad (Telangana), iii.)Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and iv.)Kolkata (West Bengal). The paper employs a mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the synchronized data, i.e. National Indicator Framework (NIF) and District Indicator Framework (DIF) released by the nodal agencies responsible for the SDGs tracking in the respective locale in alignment with the Global Indicator Framework (GIF).

February 23, 2025 No Comments

How Decentralised Finance is Revolutionising Traditional Finance

In an era where traditional banking is riddled with inefficiencies, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is emerging as a game-changer, revolutionizing financial transactions through blockchain technology. Powered by smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and peer-to-peer lending, DeFi eliminates intermediaries, reducing costs and increasing accessibility.

From automated market makers (AMMs) optimizing liquidity to flash loans enabling instant, uncollateralized borrowing, the DeFi ecosystem is expanding rapidly. However, alongside its promise of financial inclusivity, it also brings risks—smart contract vulnerabilities, liquidity issues, and regulatory uncertainty remain key challenges.

As Decentralised finance reshapes global finance, will it replace traditional banking or remain a high-risk, high-reward niche? Let’s explore the future of finance, one block at a time.

February 23, 2025 No Comments

FINANCE

Digital Currencies: Evolution, Benefits, and Sustainability Challenges

Digital currencies have rapidly evolved, reshaping global finance and challenging traditional monetary systems. From Bitcoin’s emergence in 2009 to the rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), these innovations promise faster transactions, lower costs, and greater financial inclusion. However, they also present sustainability challenges, including high energy consumption, regulatory uncertainty, and financial stability risks. As blockchain technology and decentralized finance continue to advance, the future of digital currencies will depend on striking a balance between innovation, security, and regulatory oversight.

February 23, 2025 No Comments

Health

The Genetic Blueprint of Behavior: How MAOA and CDH13 Impact the Human Mind

The article explores the interaction between genetics (MAOA and CDH13 genes) and environmental factors (trauma, stress) in shaping behavior, linking these influences to aggression, ADHD, and antisocial tendencies. It emphasizes the complex gene-environment interplay, challenges “serial killer gene” myths, and highlights implications for mental health research, diagnosis, and treatment.

February 21, 2025 No Comments

International Relations

Leveraging India’s Informal Music Sector: National Economic Development, Cultural Diplomacy and Global Soft Power

India’s informal music plays a pivotal yet underrecognized role in the nation’s cultural and economic landscape. This paper highlights the potential of this sector as a tool for economic development and cultural diplomacy and provides policy recommendations with India’s neighbors and the Western nations with a large Indian diaspora population.

February 21, 2025 No Comments

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