Epidemiology & Biostatistics

 

The Epidemiology and Nutrition Division at the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) for the North Eastern (NE) region is a cornerstone of public health research, addressing the unique health challenges of this diverse and geographically distinct area. This division is dedicated to understanding and improving the health of communities across the NE region through cutting-edge research and strategic interventions.

 

Impact and importance

The work of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division is instrumental in shaping a healthier future for the NE region. By focusing on the region's unique epidemiological and nutritional challenges, the division not only contributes to the well-being of local communities but also provides valuable insights that can inform national and global public health efforts. Through its research, interventions, and capacity-building activities, the division plays a pivotal role in enhancing the health landscape of one of India's most diverse and dynamic regions.

 

Achievements

Salt Intervention: IEC module to reduce dietary salt consumption:

  • Non-intervention: Usual Care, Intervention: IEC module
  • Result: Significant reduction extra salt consumption with reduction of BP and Prevalence of hypertension.

Mobile applications:

  • My Heart: A mobile application with decision support named "My Heart" was developed as an add-on to control and prevent hypertension. Short video presentation of the application: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16JQMI_fmBGDZb4wFYjHWRxEywqVs7Q5N/view?usp=sharing) (My Heart: 7.15 min duration)
  • ICMR (HDSS): For the collection of data on Family information, Individual information, Clinical information, Pregnancy form, Birth event form, Anthropometry (≥ 5 years), and Causes of death by verbal autopsy. The application facilitates Paperless data collection, geo-tagging of Surveyed Individuals, QR Code generation for easy follow-up, live viewing of surveyor location, linking of ASHA, ANM, and clinician, and Vital information in real-time. Short video presentation of the application: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aped_YdTSo1DddJZuK0vRun31PNuUZxX/view?usp=sharing) (ICMR-HDSS: 5.5 min duration)

 

Sl No. Name Designation
1 Dr. Prasanta Kumar Borah Scientist-F & Division Head
2 Dr. Hiranya Kumar Das Scientist-E
3 Mr. Manoj Kalita Scientist-C
5 Dr. Sanjib Kumar Phukan Scientist-C
4 Ms. Sandhya Gupta Laboratory Attendant-I

 

Present PhD Scholars under the supervision of Dr. Prasanta Kumar Borah

Sl No. Name University and year
2 Trishnakhi Swargiari Dibrugarh University
5 Mayurakhi Gogoi Don Bosco University

 

 

Sl No. Name of the Projects Funding Agency Status
20 Implementation Research to Enhance Screening, Early Diagnosis and initiation of Treatment for Oral, Breast and Cervical Cancer in Selected Districts of India. ICMR Ongoing
21 Cultural contextual adaptation and implementation of evidence based psychological intervention in young adolescents living in north east india : A pilot study of WHO EASE strategy. ICMR Ongoing
22 Strengthening continuum of care (COC) for patients of Hypertension and Diabetes in Dibrugarh District, Assam using Hybrid- III interrupted Time Series Design ICMR Ongoing
23 Developing a behavioral intervention module to reduce Dietary Sodium consumption in Nagaland, India ICMR Ongoing
24 Capacity building of self-help group (SHG) for blood pressure monitoring and use of mobile application software with decision support: Assessment of a task shifting model for reduction of blood pressure in rural population ICMR Ongoing (6 months no cost extension)
1 Expression profiling of inflammatory gene high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP) and Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) among COVID-19 patients and correlation with disease severity in Northeast India: A prospective study. ICMR Completed
2 Study on the Role of Angiotensin converting enzyme insertion deletion gene polymorphism in the development of Acute myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke ICMR Completed
3 Impact of community based dietary salt restriction in reduction of blood pressure among tea garden workers of Assam ICMR Completed
4 Assessment of Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and Functional Status of Community Dwelling Elderly Persons in a Rural Setting of Assam (Initially Dr. G. K. Medhi was the PI. I took the responsibility of PI after he had shifted to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong) ICMR Completed
5 Nutritional factors and severity of malaria-a study from the North eastern region of India ICMR Completed
6 ICMR- India Diabetes [INDIAB] Study (North East Component) ICMR Completed
7 Effectiveness of diet and lifestyle intervention through Information Education Communication (IEC) tools with Angan Wadi Centres (AWCs) as the centre of knowledge dissemination for hypertension (including hypercholesterolemia and diabetes) risk reduction – a cluster randomised controlled trial ICMR Completed
8 Study of Molecular Epidemiology of Lung cancer in Manipur and Mizoram. ICMR Completed
9 Study of Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology of Oral cancer in two states (Assam and Meghalaya) of N.E. Region of India. ICMR Completed
10 Study on prevalence of Hb E and thalassemia in malaria endemic zones of NE India. ICMR Completed
11 Mobile Application for Immunization Data in India-MAIDI (PILOTING PHASE I & II Target age– 0 to 1 yr.) (Initially Dr. U. Devi was the PI. I took the responsibility of PI after her sudden demise) ICMR Completed
12 An assessment of economic costs of harmful alcohol use in a sample of unorganized workers in Assam and Sikkim ICMR Completed
13 To study the bacterial aetiology, antimicrobial sensitivity pattern resistance determinants and associated risk factors of neonatal sepsis in 4 different districts of Assam (Initially Dr. U. Devi was the PI. I took the responsibility of PI after her sudden demise) ICMR Completed
14 Health system preparedness for interventions for diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease and deaths due to non-communicable diseases among the tribal population in India (Initially Dr. P. K. Mohapatra was the PI. I took the responsibility of PI after his superannuation) ICMR Completed
15 Self-monitoring of blood pressure and decision support with lifestyle intervention through Mobile Phone application to control blood pressure. ICMR Completed
16 Establishment of Population Based Stroke Registry and Clinical Stroke Care Pathway using Mobile Stroke Unit in Dibrugarh, Assam ICMR Completed
17 Progression of blood pressure of prehypertensive subjects from native rural Assamese and tea garden community: A two-year prospective follow-up study in a health and demographic surveillance cohort from Dibrugarh, Assam ICMR Completed
18 Assessment of haematological and biochemical parameters of the population under Dibrugarh-HDSS ICMR Completed
19 Establishment of health and demographic surveillance system in Dibrugarh district, Assam (Dibrugarh–HDSS) ICMR Completed

 

Recent Publications: Last 5 Years (2021-2026)

  • Sarmah K, Sarma K, Borah PK, Sharma A, Mahanta J, Borkakoty B. Mumps in Patients with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Assam, India during January 2018 to July 2021. Indian J Public Health. 2025;69(1):107-110. doi:10.4103/ijph.ijph_175_23
  • Bora, K., Kalimuthusamy, N., Gogoi, A.J., Garh, N., Rabidas, M., Chanda, G., Das, R., & Borah, P.K. (2025). A machine learning approach to predict hypertension using cross-sectional & two years follow up data from a health & demographic cohort of Assam, North East India. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 161, 394 – 405
  • Gogoi AJ, Sarmah C, Borah PK. Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO) Gene (rs9939609) Polymorphism and Metabolic Syndrome: A Study Among Two Rural Communities of Assam, Northeast India Having Different Ancestry. Am J Hum Biol. 2025;37(6):e70083. doi:10.1002/ajhb.70083
  • Gogoi AJ, Sarmah C, Borah PK, Saikia H. Prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome among adults: study among a rural tribal community residing in Assam, Northeast India. Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries. 2025. doi:10.1007/s13410-025-01522-w.
  • Sarmah K, Sarma K, Borkakoty B, Borah PK, Sharma A & Mahanta J. Molecular characterization of Mumps virus genotype C detected from Dibrugarh district of Assam, India. Indian J Med Res 159, June 2024, pp 663-670 DOI: 10.25259/ijmr_2312_23
  • Yadav, A. K., Patil, R., Juvekar, S., & Network, I. H. N. (2023). The Indian Health and Demographic Surveillance System Network: Opportunity to Generate Evidence for Public Health Policy. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 48(6), 808-810.
  • Sarmah, K., Sarma, K., Borah, P. K., Mahanta, J., Borkakoty, B., & Kaur, H. (2023). Co-circulation of two Mumps virus genotypes in Assam, India. Virus Genes, 59(4), 515-523. [2.198]
  • Anjana, R. M., Srinivasan, S., Sudha, V., Joshi, S. R., Saboo, B., Tandon, N., ... & Ghosh, S. (2022). Macronutrient recommendations for remission and prevention of diabetes in Asian Indians based on a data-driven optimization model: the ICMR-INDIAB National Study. Diabetes Care, 45(12), 2883-2891. [17.152]
  • Patel, K., Nayak, B., Rana, S., Krishnan, P., Tandale, B. V., Basak, S., ... & Palo, S. K. (2022). Enablers and barriers towards ensuring routine immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from a qualitative study across five different states in India. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 116(9), 814-821. [2.455]
  • Kaur, P., Borah, P. K., Gaigaware, P., Mohapatra, P. K., Das, N. K., Uike, P. V., ... & Mehendale, S. M. (2022). Preparedness of primary & secondary care health facilities for the management of non-communicable diseases in tribal population across 12 districts in India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 156(2), 260-268. [2.198]
  • Kaur, P., Borah, P. K., Uike, P. V., Mohapatra, P. K., Das, N. K., Gaigaware, P., ... & Mehendale, S. M. (2022). Non-communicable diseases as a major contributor to deaths in 12 tribal districts in India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 156(2), 250-259. [2.198]
  • Rasaily, R., Devi, U., Borah, K., Chetry, P., Saikia, H., Borah, N., ... & Borah, P. K. (2022). Cohort profile of the largest health & demographic surveillance system (Dibrugarh-HDSS) from North-East India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 156(4&5), 579-587. [5.274]
  • Rasaily, R., Chetry, P., Borah, K., Pathak, J., Borah, N., Saikia, H., & Borah, P. K. (2022). Predictors of Low Birth Weight: A Study in a Health and Demographic Cohort from Assam, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 89(10), 1019-1021. [5.319]
  • Rasaily, R., Pathak, J., Borah, K., Chetry, P., Borah, N., Dutta, M., & Borah, P. K. (2022). Correlates of breastfeeding in villages and tea-gardens in Assam, India. Indian Pediatrics, 59(3), 210-213. [3.839]
  • Paine, S. K., Bhattacharjee, C. K., Bhaduri, G., Pramanik, S., Borah, P. K., Mahanta, J., ... & Mondal, L. K. (2021). Pre-therapeutic biomarkers for ranibizumab therapy among type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic macular edema. Optometry and Vision Science, 98(1), 81-87. [2.106]

Past Publications: Last 2 Years (2018-2020)

  • Borah PK, Kalita HC, Paine SK, Khaund P, Bhattacharjee C, Hazarika D, Sharma M and Mahanta J. An information, education and communication module to reduce dietary salt intake and blood pressure among tea garden workers of Assam. IHJ, 2018; 70: 252-258. [0.43]
  • Borah PK, Paine SK, Kalita HC, Biswas D, Hazarika D, Bhattacharjee C, Mahanta J. Prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among Mizo population: A population based epidemiological study from North east India. Curr. Sci. 2018; 115 (10): 1-2. [1.169]
  • Borah PK, Sharma M, Kalita HC, Pasha M.A. Q., Paine SK, Hazarika D, Bhattacharjee CK, Mahanta J. Salt sensitivity phenotypes: a community based exploratory study from Northeast India. Natl Med J India, 2018; 31(3): 136-141. [0.0559]
  • Shankarishan P, Borah PK, Mahanta J. Renin-Angiotension System gene Polymorphisms and hypertension. J. Assoc. Physician India. 2018; 66: 79-84.
  • Bhattacharjee CK., Paine SK, Mahanta J, Borphukan S and Borah PK. Expression of inflammasome complex mRNA and its targeted microRNA in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A possible predictor of the severity of diabetic nephropathy. Journal of Diabetes, 2019; 11(1): 90-92.
  • Borah PK, Mahanta J, Kalita HC, Bhattacharjee CK. Distribution of hypertension subtypes in a hill tribe of Mizoram, Northeast India. IHJ 2020;72(5):398-402. doi: 10.1016/j.ihj.2020.08.003. [0.43]
  • Devi U, Baruah PJ, Dutta S, Paine SK, Gogoi N, Borah PK. Immune status against diphtheria toxin in tea garden population surveyed in Dibrugarh district, Assam. Natl Med J India, 2020; 33(3): 187-188.[0.559]

Dr. Prasanta Kr. Borah

Scientist-F & Division Head

Email id: pkborah.rmrcne@gov.in

ICMR-National Institute of Health Research ,Dibrugarh

Assam, India -786010

Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

 

Dr. Hiranya Kr. Das

Scientist-E

Email id: hkdas.rmrcne@gov.in

ICMR-National Institute of Health Research ,Dibrugarh

Assam, India -786010

Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

 

Dr. Sanjib Kr. Phukan

Scientist-C

Email id: skphukan.rmrcne@gov.in

ICMR-National Institute of Health Research ,Dibrugarh

Assam, India -786010

Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

 

Mr. Manoj Kalita

Scientist-C

Email id: kalita.manoj@icmr.gov.in

ICMR-National Institute of Health Research ,Dibrugarh

Assam, India -786010

Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

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