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School Population (school + population)
Selected AbstractsPrevalence of persistent primary reflexes and motor problems in children with reading difficultiesDYSLEXIA, Issue 4 2004M. McPhillips Abstract It has been shown that some children with reading difficulties have underlying developmental delay and that this may be related to the persistence of primary reflexes. This study investigated the prevalence of persistent primary reflexes in the ordinary primary school population and how this related to other cognitive and social factors. Three groups of 41 children were drawn from a representative, cross-sectional sample of 409 children (aged 9,10 years) attending 11 ordinary primary schools in N. Ireland. The three groups represented the bottom, middle and top 10% respectively of readers from the total sample population. The relative persistence (on a scale of 0 to 4) of the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) and the prevalence of motor difficulties were assessed for these 3 groups. The rôle of 5 predictor variables (verbal IQ, social deprivation, sex, month of birth and religious affiliation) in determining the reading level of the total sample was also investigated. It was found that the lowest reading group had a significantly higher mean level of ATNR (1.56 [95% CI 1.22,1.90]) compared with the middle reading group (0.56 [0.22,0.90]) and the top reading group (0.59 [0.25,0.92]). 17% of children in the lowest reading group had extremely high levels of the ATNR while 24% showed no presence of ATNR. This contrasted with 0% and 66%, respectively for both middle and top reading groups. It was also found that there was a significant difference between the lowest reading group and the top reading group on a standardised test of motor ability. Furthermore, there was evidence that ATNR persistence but not motor ability was associated with the sex of the child with boys, in particular, at risk. There was no evidence that ATNR persistence or motor ability was significantly associated with social deprivation. It was also found that there were no significant differences between dyslexic and non-dyslexic children with reading difficulties in motor (including balance) performance. This study highlights the high levels of primary reflex persistence in children with reading difficulties and it provides further evidence of the association between reading difficulties and movement difficulties in young children. However, while the implications for intervention are discussed, it is stressed that the persistence of primary reflexes cannot be used as a causal model for reading difficulties, including dyslexia. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] African hair length in a school population: a clue to disease pathogenesis?JOURNAL OF COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2007FCDerm, N P Khumalo MBChB Summary Background, Anecdotal data suggest that combed natural African hair reaches a length steady state. Easier grooming and anticipated long hair have made relaxers popular. Objectives, These hypotheses were tested in a cross-sectional survey of 1042 school children using a piloted questionnaire and hair length measurements done on four scalp regions. Results, Participants included 45% boys and 55% girls. Girls consider length important for hairstyle choice (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in mean length at 2 to 5 vs. > 5 years (P = 0.3) and at 1 to < 2 vs. 2 to 5 years (P = 0.99), suggesting that a steady state is reached within 1 year after a hair cut for combed natural hair [mean, 5.1 cm (4.3)]. Relaxed hair reached length steady state > 2 years after a haircut [mean, 10.9 cm (3.6)], was longer than natural hair (P < 0.0001), shorter than expected, and significantly shorter on the occiput than the rest of the scalp (P < 0.0001). Conclusions, Persistently short combed natural hair years after a hair cut suggests that breakage eventually equals new growth (i.e., steady state), which is likely to be variable. Relaxed hair, irrespective of last haircut, is also short; chemical damage as a limit to potential lengths needs confirmation. Relatively short occipital relaxed hair could be a clue to disease pathogenesis. [source] Factors associated with childhood constipationJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 10 2007Mustafa Inan Aim: To evaluate factors associated with constipation, determine its risk factors and identify common methods of managing constipation among schoolchildren from ages 7,12 in Edirne, Turkey. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study and 1900 children were stratified by the school population, age and gender. The questionnaire collected information from parents about the prevalence of constipation and associated factors as well. It asked about bowel movements, socio-demographic data, personal and family stressors, parental concern about constipation, and treatment methods. Results: The overall prevalence of constipation was 7.2%. It was 7.3% in boys and 7.2% in girls (P > 0.05). The parameters of siblings with health problems, constipation history in family members, abnormal oral habits, and little regular sporting activity were more common in constipated children than in non-constipated ones (P < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, never having used school toilets (OR: 5.9) and having problem to control their bowel after 2 years of age (OR: 3.1) were found to be major risk factors for constipation in schoolchildren ages 7,12 years. Constipated children had a lower consumption rate of fruits and vegetables and a higher consumption rate of milk-group foods, biscuits and macaroni than non-constipated children. Parental concern was at 90% and the rate of medical consultation was 23.2% for constipated children. Conclusions: The risk factors for childhood constipation may be genetic, psychological or organic. Bowel functions may be affected by dietary habits. Parents, health and education professionals should give special attention to childhood constipation. [source] Comparing Frequent and Average Users of Elementary School-Based Health Centers in the Bronx, New York CityJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 4 2002Raymundo S. Baquiran ABSTRACT: This study analyzed health care utilization at three school-based health centers (SBHCs) in the Bronx, New York City, and compared characteristics of "frequent" and "average" service users. Encounter form data for visits by 2,795 students who received services at least once between September 7, 1998, and June 30, 1999, were reviewed. Demographic comparisons between clinic users and the total school population, and between "frequent" (five or more visits/year) and "average" (one to four visits/year) users were made. The two groups also were compared after primary diagnoses were classified into five general categories. Some 96% (3,469/3,614) of students were registered in the SBHCs, of whom 81% (2,795/3,469) used clinic services at least once during the school year. Clinic users did not differ from the general school population by gender, but were younger (p < 0.01). "Frequent" users were more likely than "average" users to be older (p < 0.01), but they did not differ by gender, race/ethnicity, or insurance status. "Frequent" users comprised 28% of the clinic-using population, but accounted for 72.5% of all visits. Similarly, "average" users comprised 72.4% of the clinic-using population, but accounted for 27.5% of all visits. "Frequent" users generated most visits for mental health and chronic medical conditions, while "average" users generated most visits for preventive care, acute medical care, and injuries/emergencies (p < 0.01 for all). Important challenges for elementary SBHCs include developing new approaches that meet children's needs while protecting clinic resources, like scheduling group interventions for those with on-going health care needs who require frequent use of school health services. [source] Asking the Right Questions: Utilizing a Judicial Checklist to Track the Educational Success of Youth in Foster CareJUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 2 2006SUSAN A. WEISS ABSTRACT Asking about the educational objectives for children in foster care has not been a priority in most juvenile and family courts. Research has shown that compared to the general school population, children in foster care have lower grade point averages, change schools more frequently, earn fewer credits toward graduation, and are more likely to be placed in special education programs. In response, Casey Family Programs, in collaboration with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges' Permanency Planning for Children Department, developed a Judicial Checklist with key educational questions to be asked from the bench. The Checklist has become a useful tool for juvenile and family court judges when assessing the effectiveness of current educational placements of the children who come before their courts, tracking their performance, and in making a positive future impact on their educational outcomes. [source] The school-based health center as a resource for prevention and health promotionPSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 1 2008Michael B. Brown The importance of school-based health centers (SBHCs) in overall prevention and health promotion programming is growing as they become increasingly common in schools. SBHCs can improve access to comprehensive physical and mental health services for children and families, and make a significant contribution to universal prevention efforts in schools. Partnering with school-based health centers in the overall prevention and health promotion programming provides an opportunity for school psychologists to broaden their impact on the entire school population. This article describes the role and primary functions of SBHCs and how these centers can provide important prevention and health promotion services for children and adolescents. Research regarding SBHCs' primary prevention outcomes is also reviewed with the goal of providing school psychologists the necessary background to work collaboratively with SBHCs. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Prevention of Smoking Behaviors in Middle School Students: Student Nurse InterventionsPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2001Marilyn P. Miller Ph.D. This article examines the use of the Tar Wars curriculum with the public health problem of preteen smoking and outlines interventions with a middle school population by community health student nurses from a state university. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disability. Three million people die worldwide each year as a result of smoking. Cigarette smoking has now been labeled a pediatric disease. Estimates are that 3,000 children will begin a lifelong addiction to cigarettes every day. They will face a life of poor quality based on the medical consequences of smoking cigarettes. Mortality from tobacco use is annually greater than that from drug abuse, AIDS, suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents combined. Preteen and teenage smoking is now a public health problem, therefore implications for service learning, nursing advocacy, and interventions with this health problem are discussed. [source] An alternative design for small-scale school health experiments: does daily walking produce benefits in physical performance of school children?CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 6 2009E. Mřnness Abstract Background The mainstream randomized clinical trial is not always feasible in a school setting. There might be practical and ethical issues that make dividing school classes into an intervention and a control group impossible or undesirable, and there is a need to explore the validity of alternative designs and analyses. Methods An alternative to a randomized clinical trial in a physical performance experiment at a school is introduced and evaluated. The before-intervention data are utilized as control data for the intervention data in addition to adjust for pre-intervention differences. The strict class year structure of school data makes this possible. In a rural school in inland Norway, all school children joined the project of walking in a rugged terrain outside school for 20 min every school day during one school year. Measurements of low back static endurance, hamstrings flexibility, standing balance and cardiovascular fitness were made before and after the intervention. As intervention and ,aging' were confounded, the special use of the pre-intervention data, ,age-adjusted', is proposed to solve this issue. A comparison with having an independent control group is performed. Results The alternative analysing method is judged to yield valid results without having an independent control group. The age-adjusted analyses showed 11% increase in low back static endurance, 8% increase in hamstrings flexibility, 69% increase in balance and 6,13% increase in cardiovascular fitness. The effects were largest among those children who had the lowest performances before the intervention. Conclusion The introduced statistical methods display that, in a school population, evaluations from an experiment can be made without an independent control group. A 20-min walk during school time for 1 year seemed to improve physical performance. [source] Metabolic syndrome in youth: a cross-sectional school-based surveyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 12 2007Dirk Vissers Abstract Aim: To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among students attending vocational secondary school (VSE). VSE provides practice-oriented education in which young people learn a specific occupation. Previously we reported VSE to be the type of education with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity. Methods: All data were collected in a cross-sectional school-based survey. Subjects were recruited from a community sample of 869 adolescents in 14 secondary schools. In this total sample all components of the metabolic syndrome were assessed in a subgroup of 506 students. MetS was defined analogous to National Cholesterol Education Program: Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, with modifications for students under 19 years of age. Results: In the subsample (n = 506) 4.1% of the students had metabolic syndrome. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among BMI categories (p < 0.001). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was higher in obese students (39.1%) than in overweight students (2.8%) and normal weight students (0.3%). Conclusion: Being overweight or obese substantially increases the risk for metabolic syndrome, even in an adolescent school population. [source] Prevalence and epidemiologic characteristics of FASD from various research methods with an emphasis on recent in-school studiesDEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESEARCH REVIEW, Issue 3 2009Philip A. May Abstract Researching the epidemiology and estimating the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) for mainstream populations anywhere in the world has presented a challenge to researchers. Three major approaches have been used in the past: surveillance and record review systems, clinic-based studies, and active case ascertainment methods. The literature on each of these methods is reviewed citing the strengths, weaknesses, prevalence results, and other practical considerations for each method. Previous conclusions about the prevalence of FAS and total FASD in the United States (US) population are summarized. Active approaches which provide clinical outreach, recruitment, and diagnostic services in specific populations have been demonstrated to produce the highest prevalence estimates. We then describe and review studies utilizing in-school screening and diagnosis, a special type of active case ascertainment. Selected results from a number of in-school studies in South Africa, Italy, and the US are highlighted. The particular focus of the review is on the nature of the data produced from in-school methods and the specific prevalence rates of FAS and total FASD which have emanated from them. We conclude that FAS and other FASD are more prevalent in school populations, and therefore the general population, than previously estimated. We believe that the prevalence of FAS in typical, mixed-racial, and mixed-socioeconomic populations of the US is at least 2 to 7 per 1,000. Regarding all levels of FASD, we estimate that the current prevalence of FASD in populations of younger school children may be as high as 2,5% in the US and some Western European countries. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2009; 15:176,192. [source] | |||||||||||||