Martand Mani Mishra

This study examined spatio-temporal trends and geographical distribution across Indian states on a year by year basis (1995-2025) to assess the cases of malaria using linear regression (R square) values, Modified Mann-Kendall (MMK) Z-Score Test and Sen’s slope estimates as well as maps of cumulative burden for each state. Nationally, there has been a statistically significant and monotonic decrease in malaria cases over time with considerable support from both MMK Z-Score results as well as Sen’s slope estimates. Multiple states in central, eastern and southern India with historical endemicity for malaria had high R square Values indicating that they have had stable and predictable decreases in malaria cases over time. While major northeastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur exhibit high R square values and significant declining trends, other specific pockets within the northeastern region (such as Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura), along with Sikkim and the island regions, display low R square values and also non-significant MMK trends in some states, indicating that these localized areas continue to experience irregular, outbreak-driven transmission. The spatial clustering of malaria cases reveals a portion of the country that was once referred to as the Malaria Belt - Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining states - but has now shown a dramatic decline in the cases of malaria while retaining a history of having had a high cumulative burden of malaria in the past. The findings of this study demonstrate that there are multi-speed geographical transitions occurring across the country with respect to malaria. Therefore, while the national goal of malaria elimination is achievable, regionally specific vulnerabilities will remain and will require targeted, contextually relevant interventions. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202654 How to cite this article:Rathore Y S, Mishra M M, Prakash S, Choudhury A, Chakraborty A, Sahu N, Kumar A, Kesharwani R, Goel N. Dynamics of Spatio-Temporal Trend and Predictability of Malaria Across India (1995–2025). J Commun Dis. 2026;58(3):43-54.

This article investigates whether increasing economic status through adopting digital payment capabilities in Delhi fosters economic and financial inclusion among urban women street vendors in Mahila Haat. Digital freedom is a new step forward in technology for everyone. Still, a woman not only balances the social responsibilities of childbearing, caring for her children and family, and struggling with economic issues, health issues, and undernourishment, but can also balance the household job of street vending to increase self-esteem and financial independence. This research work conducted a sampling survey and applied the Kruskal–Wallis H-test with a p-value (0.05) significance level by evaluating 11 variables to investigate the relationship between the digital capabilities and economic independence of street vendors in Mahila Haat (a women’s market where the vendors are all women) in the Red Fort area of New Delhi. UPI systems were created using measurements based on a five-point Likert scale to analyze different levels of satisfaction in clusters of digital capabilities on digital platforms. Further, the ordinary least squares (OLS) method was used to estimate quality of life and social happiness in the context of digital empowerment. Digital payment systems positively influence women’s empowerment. Women vendors can adopt digital payment methods, making them economically independent. The positive relationship between women vendors and customer satisfaction before UPI use and after UPI use is also analyzed. This research will be helpful for both government and non-government organizations to provide financial assistance, informational awareness, skill development training, and advocacy for gender equality to increase women’s empowerment.

Mountain pastoral livelihoods in the Western Himalaya face compounded pressures from warming, shifting rainfall, and the spread of invasive alien plant species (IAPS), yet integrated evidence linking climate dynamics, vegetation change, and livelihood outcomes remains limited. This study examines how long-term climate trends, IAPS, and shifting livelihood conditions interact along the elevational migration routes of the Bakkarwal pastoralists (BPs) in Jammu and Kashmir, India. We integrate 42 years of gridded daily climate records (1980–2021) with focus group discussions (FGDs) and a structured questionnaire (n = 80) to assess climate variability, perceived vegetation change, and livelihood impacts. The results show that temperatures have risen (~ 0.85 °C daytime, ~ 0.70 °C nighttime) significantly in low and high-elevation districts, with stronger post-2000 signals and greater high-elevation sensitivity, while rainfall has redistributed seasonally rather than showing a uniform trend. Field and survey evidence point to the upslope spread of IAPS (Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Ageratum conyzoides) displacing the native fodder and increased overbrowsing pressure on remaining shrubs and trees. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of perception data identified latent dimensions of the vegetation and livelihood factors improving the interpretability of the observed dataset. These dimensions reveal how climate-induced vegetation dynamics interact with socio-economic changes such as youth’s preference for education and salaried jobs, policies that impact grazing access, and changes in herding and migration routines which are altering social relationships, reducing the intergenerational knowledge transfer, and gradually reshaping the cultural values that have long supported Bakkarwal pastoralism. The overall findings envisage that developing the resilience in their socio-ecological system will be subject to how they cope with the upcoming climatic risk, IAPS preservation, restoration of critical forage sites, and community-based social policies that support ease and conspicuous livelihood transitions for the BPs.

Handlooms in India are representative of the weavers’ skilled craftsmanship resulting from the traditional legacy that has persisted over centuries. Their contribution to India's overall employment is significant – ranking the second highest in rural and semi-urban employment, following agriculture. This research examines the contours of handloom weavers’ identity on its current landscape in India through the pervasive veracities of its socio-economic trajectories over a period that resonates with the conditions prevailing before independence to the present. We use mixed methods comprising basic statistics and Geographical Information System-based map along with the analysis of the Indian film ‘Kanchivaram,’ interwoven within a critical textual analysis of other scholarly work – all falling within the gamut of Digital Humanities – to support the narrative structure analysis of change/loss of identity and existence of these weavers – as portrayed in this film produced in 2008. This study walks us through the range and diversity of weavers’ spatial location, traits, and hardships, while traversing us through the slow loss of identity among handloom weavers. This study offers a critical and thorough grasp of the difficulties encountered by the weaving communities by highlighting trends of decline, changes in cultural identity, and the influence of political and economic forces on their traditional craft. Accordingly, we hope this study will be helpful to the researchers, artisans, and policymakers to trace and identify the undermining tangible and intangible factors responsible for framing the weavers’ landscape and help them strategise to protect and improve their identity.

Globally, there has been a lot of focus on climate variability, especially variability in annual precipitation and temperatures. Depending on the area, different climate variables have different degrees of variation. Therefore, analyzing the temporal and spatial changes or dynamics of meteorological or climatic variables in light of climate change is crucial to identifying the changes induced by climate and providing workable adaptation solutions. This study examined how climate variability affects tea production in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. It also looked at trends in temperature and rainfall between 1991 and 2023. In order to identify significant trends in these climatic factors and their relationship to tea productivity, the study used a variety of statistical tests, including the Sen’s Slope Estimator test, the Mann–Kendall’s test, and regression tests. The study revealed a positive growth trend in rainfall (Sen’s slope = 0.25, p = 0.001, R² = 0.032), maximum temperature (Sen’s slope = 1.02, p = 0.026, R² = 0.095), and minimum temperature (Sen’s slope = 4.38, p = 0.006, R² = 0.556). Even with the rise in rainfall, there has been a decline in tea productivity, as seen by the sharp decline in both the tea cultivated area and the production of tea. The results obtained from the regression analysis showed an inverse relationship between temperature anomalies and tea yield (R = −0.45, p = 0.02, R² = 0.49), indicating that the growing temperatures were not favorable for the production of tea. Rainfall anomalies, on the other hand, positively correlated with tea yield (R = 0.56, p = 0.01, R² = 0.68), demonstrating that fluctuations in rainfall have the potential to affect production but not enough to offset the detrimental effects of rising temperatures. These results underline how susceptible the tea sector in Darjeeling is to climate change adversities and the necessity of adopting adaptive methods to lessen these negative consequences. The results carry significance not only for regional stakeholders but also for the global tea industry, which encounters comparable obstacles in other areas.