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Authors
Infanta, A. Quiny https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8528-3115
Thomas, M. Benson https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2103-6355
Kumar, A. H. Sruthi Anil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5638-2736
Joseph, Alex https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9053-4895
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Article History
Received: 24 July 2025
Accepted: 12 December 2025
First Online: 18 December 2025
Declarations
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: The study received approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC) of the School of Public Health, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed to be University), India, on December 11, 2023. The research was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the IEC and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Field investigators were selected based on their proficiency in Tamil and Hindi to ensure effective communication during interviews. A pilot survey was conducted from January 2024 to February 9, 2024, followed by the main data collection from July 2024 to October 2024.
: Informed verbal consent was obtained from all participants prior to their inclusion in the study. The participants were clearly informed about the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and their right to decline or withdraw at any time. The informed consent process was conducted in a language understood by the participants, and only those who voluntarily agreed to participate were included.
: The authors declare no competing interests.
