Biography
Key areas of interest - Epidemiology, Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Health care planning and policy design, Health economics, Behavioural Sciences, Tobacco control, Oral Cancer, Non communicable Diseases, Social Determinants of health, Quality of Life-related to health
Adept research writer with 80+ research publications in esteemed national and international journals (including Lancet and Annals of Oncology). Awarded the Young Investigator award by Crohn’s and colitis Foundation of America and Young Researcher Award by NIDA USA. Fellow Cancer prevention Summer curriculum 2018, NCI, USA.
Key Impacts
Depression as a comorbid factor in people with TB attending the rural Government TB Hospital in Tamil Nadu, India
Depression is a common disorder among tuberculosis patients in rural Tamil Nadu. Almost half of these patients have concomitant depression, and up to 90% present low to moderate treatment adherence. This poor adherence puts them at risk of becoming treatment defaulters, which increases the risk of development of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Comorbid depression is an important issue in this patient population, and its effective management may improve treatment outcomes and lessen the burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis in rural communities. Effective symptom control, particularly of coughing, and actions to enhance the socioeconomic position of this group of patients should be included in initiatives to minimize depression among TB patients.
Source: Conference 2024