Characteristics of staff–child interaction in 1–3-year-olds’ risky play in early childhood education and care

Despite increased interest in children’s risk-taking in play, little is known of this aspect considering children under three years. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the concept of scaffolding to potentially describe patterns in staff–child interaction in 1–3-year-olds’ risky play. Empirical data were taken from an exploratory study, executed as a focused ethnography with multiple data collecting techniques, resulting in a sample of 198 instances of risky play. Findings indicate that scaffolding is a pertinent theoretical foundation for describing high-quality staff–child interaction in risky play, leading to increased opportunities for developmentally appropriate stimulation. Of the 171 instances where staff were present, staff did not interact at all in 70 of the instances (41%). Staff–child interaction, directly related to children’s risky play, occurred in the remaining 101 instances. Of these 101 instances, ‘Scaffolding’- and ‘Non-scaffolding’-interaction were observed in 78% and 22% of the instances, respectively. Implications are discussed.     

Perceived ideal body size of Ghanaian women: “Not too skinny,but not too fat”

ABSTRACT

Body size issues are gaining public health attention because of the fast rising epidemic of overweight and obesity across the globe. This study explored Ghanaian women’s subjective perceptions regarding ideal body size for women. A purposive sampling strategy was employed in recruiting 36 women across the body weight spectrum from Tamale (n = 17) and Accra (n = 19) in Ghana. Qualitative data were obtained from in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Data from the interviews were analyzed deductively. The mean body mass index of participants was 33.5 ± 10 kg/m²: sixteen of the participants were obese, eight were overweight, eleven were normal weight, and one was underweight. The participants almost unanimously had a preference for an ideal body size slightly above the normal, but not necessarily obese. Typically described as “not too skinny, but not too fat,” this preferred ideal reflected a fuller, curvier, and shapelier body, as opposed to the Western ideal of thinner body type. Women often felt pressured by peers and family members to have a slightly heavier body size. Health education efforts are needed to focus on messages that seek to challenge existing body size perceptions that may inhibit women’s willingness to maintain a healthy body weight.     

A qualitative study exploring women’s journeys to becoming smokers in the social context of urban India

ABSTRACT

In India, the prevalence of smoking among women is increasing, and the reasons behind this are unclear. We aimed to study the factors leading to initiation and maintenance of the smoking habit in women in Pune, India. Twenty-seven urban women smokers, ranging from 21 to 60 years of age (31.96 ± 10.70 years), were interviewed between September 2015 and February 2016. The in-depth interviews consisted of questions on pre-decided categories, including initiation, motivation to continue smoking, and risk perception. Thematic analysis revealed that peer pressure, curiosity, fascination, experimentation, and belonging to a group were factors that led to initiation, while lack of alternatives for stress relief, work environments, and lack of leisure time activities provided circumstances to continue smoking. Participants recognized a sense of liberation and independence from smoking cigarettes and perceived health risks as minor and distant. These findings can be used to develop or modify interventions to prevent and control smoking among urban Indian women.     

Ecological analysis of college women’s physical activity and health-related quality of life

ABSTRACT

Despite significant health benefits of regular physical activity, over 60 percent of college women do not meet recommended physical activity guidelines to promote their health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), a comprehensive construct including physical and psychosocial health functioning. The major purpose of this study was to examine the influences of individual (e.g., self-efficacy, enjoyment), social (e.g., family and friend support), and physical environmental factors (e.g., crime safety) on college women’s physical activity and HRQoL. Participants were 235 (Mean age = 21.0 years) college women from a public research university located in the southwest region of the United States. They completed validated surveys assessing their perceptions of physical activity, HRQoL, and social ecological factors during the spring semester of 2012. The findings of three multiple linear regressions, entering individual factors first, followed by social and physical environmental factors, revealed that self-efficacy and crime safety were significantly related to physical activity. For HRQoL-physical functioning, significant factors were self-efficacy, enjoyment, and crime safety. Enjoyment was the only factor related to HRQoL-psychosocial functioning. These findings indicated that physical activity professionals need to foster safe environments, enhance self-efficacy, and provide enjoyable activities to promote college women’s physical activity and HRQoL.     

Screening tools for depressed mood after childbirth in UK-based South Asian women: a systematic review

Aim. This paper is a report of a systematic review to answer the question: what is the relevance, acceptability, validity and effectiveness of tools designed to screen for postnatal depressed mood for South Asian women living in the UK? Background. Standard methods to screen women for postnatal depressed mood were developed with Caucasian populations. This study reviews postnatal screening tools adapted or developed for United Kingdom‐based South Asian women. Method. A structured systematic review of English language studies initially was completed between 1980 and May 2003, and later updated to January 2005. The review was based on an a priori search strategy with inclusion and exclusion criteria and analysis included a quality assessment tool. Findings were tabulated against criteria for acceptability and effectiveness of diagnostic tools. Results. Seven papers were included in the review. None addressed all preset quality criteria. Four papers among them reported on translations of two existing tools (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and General Household Questionnaire). Two new tools were reported between the remaining three papers (Punjabi Postnatal Depression Scale and ‘Doop Chaon’©). Doop Chaon is a visual tool. The other tools used either Bengali or Punjabi, based on written scales. The General Household Questionnaire did not appear to be appropriate for this population. None of the studies were rigorous enough to demonstrate generalizable sensitivity or specificity. Qualitative data indicated that women preferred face‐to‐face interviews to self‐complete questionnaires. Conclusions. None of the tools are currently sufficiently evaluated for clinical practice. Questions are raised specifically about use of language‐based tools to measure postnatal depressed mood in this population and about the extent to which focused interviews could be used as an alternative for specific sub‐sections of population groups.     

Determinants of coronary heart disease risk for women on a low income: literature review

AIM: This paper is a report of a literature review of the determinants of health and health behaviour relevant to coronary heart disease risk for women living on a low income. BACKGROUND: Coronary heart disease is now recognized as the biggest killer of women in both developed and developing countries. As in men, women's mortality rates for coronary heart disease seem to be directly related to income inequality and social deprivation. METHOD: The Medline, British Nursing Index, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Psychinfo and Web of Science databases were searched from 1996 to 2006 using the search terms 'women and CHD risk', 'women and health behaviour', 'women low income and health behaviour', 'women low income and smoking', 'women low income and diet' and 'women low income and exercise'. In relation to the wider determinants of health 'women low income and CHD', 'women education and CHD', 'women employment and CHD' and 'women housing and CHD'. Seminal research reports before this period were included if they proved highly influential on later research. A narrative review was conducted. FINDINGS: All the wider determinants of health considered had a negative impact on heart disease risk for women living on low incomes. The latter also appears to have a negative impact on health behaviour. CONCLUSION: Although the impact of the wider determinants of health on coronary heart disease risk are well-understood, their impact on health behaviour (specifically diet, exercise and smoking) is less well-understood. If effective interventions are to be designed to tackle inequalities in health, then this deficiency needs to be addressed urgently.     

孕早中期孕妇肠道菌群差异与子痫前期发病关系的研究

背景 子痫前期病情严重者可进展至子痫并威胁母婴生命安全,而肠道菌群构成变化可能参与子痫前期的发生、发展,但尚无明确证据。 目的 探讨孕早中期孕妇肠道菌群差异与子痫前期发病的关系。 方法 选取2019年1月至2021年1月桂林医学院第二附属医院产科招募且符合本研究纳入标准的孕妇455例。将妊娠20周后确诊为子痫前期的孕妇作为子痫前期组（n=32）,未发生子痫前期的孕妇作为非子痫前期组（n=423）。收集孕妇的临床资料,并分别留取孕早期（≤12+6周）、孕中期（13~27+6周）粪便标本进行肠道菌群生物信息学分析,分析其与子痫前期发病的关系。 结果 子痫前期组和非子痫前期组年龄、孕早期Shannon指数和Simpson指数比较,差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,年龄≥35周岁〔OR=1.894,95%CI（1.432,2.369）〕、孕早期Shannon指数下降〔OR=0.709,95%CI（0.465,0.921）〕、孕早期Simpson指数下降〔OR=0.612,95%CI（0.354,0.893）〕是孕妇发生子痫前期的独立危险因素（P<0.05）。孕早期Shannon指数预测孕妇子痫前期发病的受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线下面积为0.745〔95%CI（0.652,0.838）〕,截断值为6.255,灵敏度为76.58%,特异度为60.00%;孕早期Simpson指数预测孕妇子痫前期发病的ROC曲线下面积为0.724〔95%CI（0.623,0.826）〕,截断值为0.945,灵敏度为62.90%,特异度为60.61%。 结论 孕早期粪便肠道菌群Shannon指数、Simpson指数降低是孕妇发生子痫前期的独立危险因素,且对子痫前期发病具有早期预测价值。     

几种常见儿童孤独症谱系障碍筛查及诊断量表的比较研究

近年来,儿童孤独症谱系障碍（ASD）患病率逐年升高,需要更加科学有效的量表来进行儿童ASD的筛查和诊断。本文通过对儿童ASD筛查及诊断量表所适用的年龄、评估方式、计分方法、评定标准和基本内容进行归纳、整理,从多维度分析、总结常用的一级筛查量表、二级筛查量表和诊断量表的特点、用途、灵敏度和特异度方面的优缺点和差异。基于专业使用与家庭使用的双视角对ASD量表进行深层次地解析与重构,探索可用于儿童ASD筛查和诊断的新方法,旨在缓解专业人员资源短缺的问题,提高儿童ASD筛查与诊断的准确性,并降低误诊率和假阳性率,为儿童ASD早期干预数据的收集以及后期治疗提供可靠的科学依据。     

腹腔镜下全子宫加双附件切除术治疗早期子宫内膜癌患者的效果

目的:观察腹腔镜下全子宫加双附件切除术治疗早期子宫内膜癌患者的效果。方法:选取78例早期子宫内膜癌患者为研究对象,按照随机数字表法分为观察组与对照组各39例。对照组行腹腔镜广泛子宫切除术治疗,观察组行腹腔镜下全子宫加双附件切除术治疗,比较两组手术相关指标(手术时间、术中出血量、术后首次排气时间、住院时间)水平、住院期间并发症发生率和术后2年生存率。结果:观察组手术时间、术后首次排气时间、住院时间均短于对照组,术中出血量少于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组并发症发生率为5.13%(2/39),低于对照组的25.64%(10/39),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组术后2年生存率为97.44%(38/39),高于对照组的76.92%(30/39),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:腹腔镜下全子宫加双附件切除术治疗早期子宫内膜癌患者可缩短手术时间、术后首次排气时间、住院时间,降低术中出血量和并发症发生率,以及提高术后2年生存率,效果优于腹腔镜下广泛全子宫切除术。     

三黄化瘀汤治疗早期2型糖尿病肾病患者的作用分析

目的探讨三黄化瘀汤治疗早期2型糖尿病肾病患者的作用。方法选取2019年1月至2020年7月本院接收的84例早期2型糖尿病肾病患者作为研究对象,采用随机数字表法分为对照组与观察组,各42例。对照组采用缬沙坦治疗,观察组在对照组基础上采用三黄化瘀汤治疗。比较两组中医症候积分、肾功能水平、血清指标水平。结果治疗后,观察组中医症候积分明显低于对照组。治疗后,观察组肾功能水平、血清指标水平均低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论三黄化瘀汤治疗早期2型糖尿病肾病患者疗效显著,有助于改善患者肾功能、中医症候,降低血清指标水平。