Mohammad Romel Bhuia

Child malnutrition is a critical public health issue in Bangladesh, significantly affecting child development and health. This study analyzes the prevalenc

Anemia, mainly caused by hemoglobin (Hb) deficiency, is a serious health issue in countries that are developing, such as Bangladesh, India, Nepal, the Maldives, and Myanmar. This study examines the factors influencing Hb levels in women aged 15–49 across these nations using data from the Demographic Health Surveys (2011–2016). Analyzing 716,273 women from 71 subnational regions, we employed multilevel linear mixed‐effect modeling to identify key determinants. The study revealed that its mean Hb level was 117.5 g/L with a standard deviation (SD) of 16.5 g/L overall, with its highest mean in Nepal (123 g/L) with SD 15.4 g/L and the lowest in the Maldives (115.3 g/L) with SD 3.8 g/L. Anemia affected 51.3% of women, with the highest prevalence in the Maldives (58.5%) and the lowest in Nepal (40.6%). Regarding socioeconomic status and education level, Nepal exhibited the highest mean Hb levels among different socioeconomic groups, while the Maldives had the lowest. Linear mixed models identified several factors affecting Hb levels, including socioeconomic status, education level, contraceptive method, menstrual cycle, literacy, pregnancy, marriage, breastfeeding, amenorrhea, age, BMI, parity, access to water, and sanitation. Furthermore, a four‐level random intercept model proved more effective than other models in fitting the data. Our findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to reduce anemia rates in South and Southeast Asia, emphasizing socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental influences. These insights are crucial for policymakers and program managers aiming to enhance women’s health in these regions.

Aim: Triaging patients based on prognostic biomarkers may contribute to better management of at‐risk patients in resource‐constrained settings. This study aimed to explore readily available and cost‐effective predictors of mortality among COVID‐19 patients. Methods: This cross‐sectional study, conducted across multiple centers, involved patients with COVID‐19 admitted to four hospitals in Bangladesh. The analysis encompassed demographic information, clinical features, laboratory findings, and in‐hospital outcomes. Logistic regression was utilized to identify factors contributing to mortality risk. Results: Among 442 patients, 55 (12.44%) experienced mortality. The patients’ mean was 60 ± 14 years. DM (76% vs. 62%), IHD (42% vs. 19%), CKD (35% vs. 15%), and COPD (24% vs. 11%) were the most prevalent comorbidities in nonsurvivors. Compared to the survivor group, median NLR (7 vs. 4.1; p = 0.005), ferritin (507 vs. 328; p = 0.21), and D‐dimer (900 vs. 567; p = 0.12) were higher in the nonsurvivor group. Higher age (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.02–1.08), coexisting CKD (OR = 2.59; 95% CI = 1.27–5.29), leukocytosis (OR = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.21–5.28), thrombocytopenia (OR = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.12–0.61), lower SpO2 upon admission (OR = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.89–0.95), and more extensive lung involvement on CT (OR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.001–1.03) were significant risk factors of in‐hospital death.

Multimorbidity is a complex and highly prevalent health condition characterised by the coexistence of two or more chronic diseases within an individual. It is a growing public health issue worldwide, predominantly in low‐resource countries like Bangladesh. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of multimorbidity among the adult population in Bangladesh. A cross‐sectional study was carried out among 504 respondents who were 18 years or older. The generalised linear mixed model was used to identify the risk factors. Among the respondents, 65.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61.0 to 69.3) had multimorbidity. The most common chronic conditions were allergic disorder (34%, 95% CI: 30 to 39), gastritis (31%, 95% CI: 27 to 35), low back pain (28.4%, 95% CI: 24.6 to 32.5), oral diseases (27%, 95% CI: 23 to 29) and arthritis (21%, 95% CI: 18 to 25). Middle‐aged adults (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.97; 95% CI: 3.35 to 18.92) and older adults (AOR = 8.44; 95% CI: 1.90 to 36.64) had significantly higher odds of multimorbidity than young adults. Employed respondents had an 86% (AOR = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.36) lower odds of multimorbidity than non‐working individuals. Higher sleeping duration (6 to 8 h: AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.80; 8 to 10 h: AOR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.60), regular vegetable consumption (AOR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.80) and adequate water intake (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.79) were protective factors against multimorbidity, whereas obesity increased the odds (AOR = 3.32; 95% CI: 1.06 to 10.43). These findings emphasise the need to promote healthy lifestyle habits, such as maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated and engaging in regular physical exercise, to reduce the burden of multimorbidity in low‐resource settings.