Background This study examines the incidence, prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in South Asia, exploring the environmental, metabolic, and behavioural risk factors, and exploring changes in deaths and DALYs driven by population growth, aging, and mortality rates. Methods Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021, we estimated age-standardized incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs for four major NCDs: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases from 2010 to 2021. Gender and age-specific estimations were conducted across all NCDs, with 95% uncer tainty intervals and a decomposition analysis was employed to estimate change in death and DALYs attributable to NCDs. Findings The burden of NCDs in South Asia increased by 3.00% in incidence from 2010 to 2021, while overall prevalence decreased by 1.00%, yet the age-standardized prevalence rate remains above the global rate (91,570 per 100,000 population). Incidences of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases declined by 3.00% and 13.00%, respec tively, whereas diabetes and cancer rose by 21.00% and 13.00% in South Asia. Nepal faced the highest environmental impact (23.4% of DALYs), Bangladesh the greatest metabolic impact (25.62%), and India the highest from behavioural factors (23.95%). Population growth and aging were primary drivers of changes in deaths and DALYs across the region. Conclusion This finding emphasizes the need for targeted public health interventions addressing environmental, metabolic, and behavioral risks for NCDs in South Asia, alongside strategies to support healthy aging and effective disease management across diverse demographic groups.

Background Social isolation and loneliness can be detrimental to the overall functioning of the older adults. The study examines the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the psychological well-being of older adults residing in various old-age homes in India and investigates the mediating role of gender, marital status, and education level in the way social isolation and loneliness affect psychological well-being. Methods Data has been collected from 320 individuals aged sixty years or above. Data were collected using standardized measures like Lubben Social Network Scale- 6, revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and shortened version of psychological well-being scale by Ryff & Keyes (1995). Multivariate and mediation analysis were performed to understand the associations of social isolation and loneliness with psychological well-being. Results A statistically significant MANOVA effect was obtained for social isolation (F = 3.836, p < .01), and loneliness (F = 3.782, p < .01). Gender and education as independent factors were significantly associated with the psychological well-being of individuals. However, both gender and education did not mediate the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the psychological well-being of older adults. Further, marital status had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between social isolation, loneliness, and psychological well-being. Conclusions The findings of the study can be incorporated into measures aiming at alleviation of feelings of social isolation and loneliness among the elderly. Further, the findings can be used to design various intervention strategies aimed at the reduction of social isolation and loneliness among older adults and the restoration of their psychological well-being.

Introduction: Recent studies highlight the negative impact of social isolation and involvement in leisure activities on enhanced well‐being of individuals. However, there is dearth of evidence on relationship between social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive abilities and depression of older adults in the Indian context. The paper reports the impact of social isolation and leisure activities on cognitive functioning and depression of older adults. Methods: Data were collected from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), and 63,806 participants aged 45 years or above were considered for the study with adherence to the exclusion criteria. Multivariate analysis was carried out to analyse the group‐based differences. Results: Social isolation (F = 102.09, p < 0.01; η 2 = 0.09) and leisure (F = 224.54, = 0.07) had a statistically significant impact on the cognition and depressive symptoms of participants. Socially isolated older adults with little involvement in leisure activities had the worst cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41), whereas middle‐aged adults who were actively involved in leisure ac tivities and experienced the least social isolation exhibited the best cognitive functioning (M = 32.76, SD = 4.41). However, leisure and age as independent fac tors did not have a significant impact on depression. Conclusion: Socially isolated participants, irrespective of age, and involvement in leisure activities exhibit poor cognitive functioning and are more likely to suffer from depression as compared to their counterparts. The findings of the study can be used to design intervention strategies aimed at reducing social isolation by incor porating leisure activities to ensure the optimal functioning of middle‐aged and older adults.

Objectives: The article assesses the impact of loneliness and age on the mental health and cognitive functioning of individ uals aged 45 and above in the Indian context. The mediating effect of marital status and age on the way loneliness impacts individuals’ cognition and mental health is examined. Methods: Data were obtained from the pilot wave of Longi tudinal Ageing Study in India, and scores of 1578 participants wereconsidered for analysis. Standardised and validated mea sures were employed to measure loneliness, mental health and cognition of the participants. Multivariate analysis was employed to investigate the impact of loneliness and age on cognition and mental health. Structural equation mod elling was used for evaluating the mediating effect of age and marital status. Results: Loneliness significantly impacted mental health and global cognitive function, whereas age significantly impacted episodic memory and total cognition. Marital status had a significant mediating role on the impact of loneliness on individuals’ mental health and cognitive functioning. Discussion: Fostering social support among lonely individu als might help mitigate loneliness, enhance their mental health status, and slow down cognitive decline.

Purpose The deconstruction of sleep quality into its particular components may help to specify how each one of them influ ence academic performance and health. Thus, the current study aims to assess sleep quality among students and the associa tion of each component of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with academic performance, mental, and general health. Methods One hundred and forty-three students participated in the study and filled up demographic forms, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale- 21 (DASS 21). Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the correlation between PSQI, academic performance, and health among the participants. Logistic analysis was used to determine the significance of association between PSQI and factors like academic performance and health. Results Analysis of data shows 51.74% participants experienced bad quality sleep. Poor sleep quality was a significant pre dictor of depression (36.3%), anxiety (19.6%) and stress (29.9%), positive health (21.8%) and negative health (42.6%). Sleep latency as an individual component has a significant negative impact on academic performance. ‘Subjective sleep quality’ and ‘daytime dysfunction due to sleepiness’ had a significant impact on both physical and mental health. Logistic regression analysis of the association between scores on academic performance, mental health, and sleep quality demonstrated significant correlations between quality of sleep and mental health scores (odds ratio = 1.05:1.03–1.06, p < 0.01). Conclusion Sleep is an important determinant of academic performance, and health of the students. The findings of the study will aid to develop intervention strategies that address the overall health issues of students.