Document is current

Article History

Received: 8 February 2026

Accepted: 22 June 2026

First Online: 1 July 2026

Declarations

:

: This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), India. The ethical approval reference number is [Ref No-SMC/UECM/2025/1027]. Formal permission was also obtained from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Meerut, for the use of the beneficiary list of government health facilities. The study adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and its subsequent amendments. All participants were informed about the objectives and procedures of the study. A structured questionnaire was designed with a clear informed consent statement at the beginning, which was explained to participants in their local language before initiating the interview. Each participant voluntarily responded “Yes” before providing written informed consent. Data were collected only from respondents who agreed to participate after adequately understanding the study objectives, procedures, and confidentiality measures. Participants were also informed of their right to withdraw at any stage without obligation. Confidentiality and privacy of all respondents were strictly maintained throughout the study.

: The authors affirm that participants provided consent for anonymized data to be published in scientific journals. No personal identifiers were disclosed, and confidentiality was strictly maintained throughout the research process.

: The authors declare no competing interests.