Changes in quality of life among Norwegian school children: a six-month follow-up study

Background  

A considerable gap exists in regard to longitudinal research on quality of life (QoL) in community populations of children and adolescents. Changes and stability of QoL have been poorly examined, despite the fact that children and adolescents undergo profound developmental changes. The aims of the study were to investigate short-term changes in student QoL with regard to sex and age in a school-based sample.     

Injury-related behaviours and sensation seeking: an empirical study of a group of 14 year old Norwegian school children

Two aspects of injury-related behaviours among a group of youngNorwegian adolescents were studied: risk-seeking behaviours,i.e. the engagement in potentially dangerous activities, andsafety-seeking behaviours, i.e. actions which reduce the riskof accidents or injuries by the use of safety equipment. Confirmatoryfactor analysis provided empirical support for the contentionthat these behaviours constituted two separate dimensions. Furthermore,respondents' sex, their perceived likelihood of being involvedin an accident and four sensation seeking scales were used asexternal variables to assess whether the variables were differentiallyrelated to the two factors. Three of the external variablesdid relate differentially, providing additional support forthe existence of two distinct behaviour patterns. However, sensationseeking seemed to account for portions of both patterns. Theinterpretation of the relationships is discussed with regardto what the risk-seeking and safety-seeking behaviour patternsmay reflect.     

Associations among health-related behaviours: sociodemographic variation in Finland

SummaryObjectives The study examines sociodemographic variation in associations and co-occurrence of health behaviours that contribute to multifactorial chronic diseases.Methods Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios were used to examine pairwise associations among smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and diet across categories of sociodemographic characteristics. Breslow-Day test for homogeneity was used to test for sociodemographic differences. In addition, co-occurrence of each two unhealthy behaviours was examined across sociodemographic groups using nationwide population survey data from 26 014 Finnish adults.Results Most of the health behaviours examined were interrelated and sociodemographic differences in the associations were few. Differences were inconsistent for all sociodemographic characteristics. Variation was observed only in the strength of the associations, not in their direction. However, due to unequal distribution of the individual behaviours, cooccurrence of unhealthy behaviours varied strongly across sociodemographic groups.Conclusions Associations between health behaviours were relatively similar across sociodemographic groups. Since co-occurrence of unhealthy behaviours depends on the prevalence of individual unhealthy behaviours and the strength of their association, their co-occurrence in any particular sociodemographic group was primarily determined by the prevalence of individual unhealthy behaviours.

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ZusammenfassungFragestellung Gegenstand der Untersuchung war die soziodemographische Variation im Zusammenhang und bei gleichzeitigem Auftreten von Gesundheitsverhaltensweisen, die zu chronischen Krankheiten beitragen.Methoden Mantel-Haenszel-Odds-Ratios wurden verwendet, um Zusammenhänge zwischen Rauchen, Alkoholkonsum, physischer Aktivität und Diät in den Kategorien mit soziodemographischen Merkmalen paarweise zu untersuchen. Der Breslow-Day-Homogenitätstest wurde benutzt, um soziodemographische Unterschiede zu untersuchen. Ausserdem wurde das gleichzeitige Auftreten von zwei ungesunden Verhaltensweisen in den soziodemographischen Gruppen anhand von Daten untersucht, die bei einer Bevölkerungsuntersuchung an 26 014 finnischen Erwachsenen landesweit erhoben wurden.Ergebnisse Die meisten überprüften Gesundheitsverhaltens-weisen standen in einem Zusammenhang miteinander, aber die Zusammenhänge zeigten nur wenige soziodemographische Unterschiede auf. Die Unterschiede waren für alle soziodemographischen Merkmale inkonsistent. Unterschiede wurden nur in der Intensität der Zusammenhänge, nicht in ihrer Richtung festgestellt. Aufgrund der ungleichmässigen Verteilung der individuellen Verhaltensweisen variierte ein gleichzeitiges Auftreten von ungesunden Verhaltensweisen jedoch stark innerhalb der soziodemographischen Gruppen.Schlussfolgerungen Die Zusammenhänge zwischen den gesundheitlichen Verhaltensweisen innerhalb der soziodemographischen Gruppen waren verhältnismässig gleich. Da gleichzeitiges Auftreten von ungesunden Verhaltensweisen vom Auftreten von individuellen ungesunden Verhaltensweisen und von der intensität ihrer Zusammenhänge abhängt, wurde ihr gleichzeitiges Auftreten in einer speziellen soziodemographischen Gruppe hauptsächlich beim Auftreten von individuellen ungesunden Verhaltensweisen festgestellt.

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RésuméObjectifs L'étude porte sur la variation socio-démographique des associations et co-occurrences des comportements liés à la santé contribuant à des maladies chroniques multifactorielles.Méthodes L'odds-ratio de Mantel-Haenszel a été utilisé pour examiner par paires des associations entre le tabagisme, la consommation d'alcool, l'activité physique et les régimes alimentaires dans plusieurs catégories socio-démographiques. Le test d'homogénéité de Breslow-Day a été utilisé pour les différences socio-démographiques. En outre, la co-occurrence de deux comportements nuisibles à la santé a été examinée par catégorie socio-démographique en utilisant des données concernant 26 014 adultes finlandais.Résultats La plupart des comportements examinés étaient interconnectés et les différences socio-démographiques peu nombreuses. Les différences n'étaient pas en relation directe avec les caractéristiques socio-démographiques. Des variations ont été observées dans l'intensité des associations mais non dans leur direction. Cependant, en raison de la distribution inégale des comportements individuels, la co-occurrence des comportements nuisibles à santé variait fortement entre les groupes socio-démographiques.Conclusions La co-occurrence des comportements nuisibles à la santé dans tous les groupes socio-démographiques était principalement déterminée par la prédominance des comportements individuels.

     

Swimming pools and health-related behaviours: results of an Italian multicentre study on showering habits among pool users

Objectives

Showering before entering a swimming pool is highly recommended to reduce the risk of biological and chemical contamination. This study evaluated the behaviour of indoor swimming pool users; analysed the variables associated with lack of showering; and assessed awareness of the importance of showering.

Study design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data about users of swimming pools located in five different Italian cities. The association between specific variables and the lack of showering was assessed. P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

Results

In total, 4356 questionnaires were analysed. Sixty-five percent of interviewees always showered before entering the pool. The main reason given for pre-swim showering was ‘to wash oneself’ (50.5%); or ‘to get used to the temperature of the water’ (44.3%); and 5.2% answered ‘for both reasons’. Risk factors significantly associated with lack of showering were: female sex (odds ratio (OR) 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–1.59), age 14–17 years (OR 5.09, 95% CI 3.40–7.64); not reading the swimming pool rules (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.10–1.41); living in Central Italy (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.65–4.1) or Southern Italy (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.18–1.55); and previous/current attendance of a swimming course (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.48–1.97).

Conclusions

The results revealed low compliance with the rule of showering before entering a swimming pool, and little awareness of the preventive role of showering in the hygienic management of swimming pools. There is a need for targeted educational interventions to inform swimming pool users of the reasons for the importance of showering before entering a pool.     

Associations between general self-efficacy and health-related quality of life among 12-13-year-old school children: a cross-sectional survey

Background  

While research on school children's health has mainly focused on risk factors and illness, few studies have examined aspects of health promotion. Thus, this study focuses on health promotional factors including general self-efficacy (GSE) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). GSE refers to a global confidence in coping ability across a wide range of demanding situations, and is related to health. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between GSE and HRQOL, and associations between HRQOL and socio-demographic characteristics. Knowledge of these associations in healthy school children is currently lacking.     

Health logic and health-related behaviours

In this paper, the author develops the notion of health logic, which prescribes ‘judgemental’ and ‘cause–effect’ logic to the way that smoking, eating, drinking alcohol and exercise as health-related behaviours are approached within the field of health promotion. The problem, which is raised through the concept of health logic, is concerned with the utilization of health-enhancing or damaging classifications for ‘everyday’ issues (e.g. spending time with peers, eating out) relevant to smoking, eating, drinking alcohol and exercise. While such classifications can be rationalized under the field of health promotion, which aims at the promotion of healthy choices, they can be relatively misguiding. The emphasis on just a binary concept of health promotion conceals the understanding of these behaviours in people's everyday lives. The health logic critique is established first through a discussion of three main health promotion concepts: ‘lifestyle’, ‘choice’ and ‘empowerment’. Second, the health logic is highlighted through the empirical tendency within the field of health promotion that favours separating aspects of the everyday life of individuals into positive and negative influences. This paper suggests a different viewpoint of health-related behaviours by centring on people's everyday lives and avoiding the binary divisions created by the health logic, such as healthy/unhealthy, or the role of an enhancing or obstructing social context. Such a strongly value-laden approach seems unlikely to tell us very much about how people make sense of health-related behaviours within the context of their everyday lives.     

Overweight and obesity at school entry among migrant and German children: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Overweight and obesity have become a global epidemic and are increasing rapidly in both childhood and adolescence. Obesity is linked both to socioeconomic status and to ethnicity among adults. It is unclear whether similar associations exist in childhood. The aim of the present study was to assess differences in overweight and obesity in migrant and German children at school entry.     

2010年中国学生体质与健康调研结果公告

  目的  了解中国不同地区城市中小学生营养状况及认知现状,为儿童肥胖防治提供科学依据。  方法  于2017年3 — 6月采用分层随机整群抽样方法,在7个“营养校园”试点区县抽取1 755名8～17岁城区学生。测量晨起空腹身高、体重,通过问卷了解学生对营养状况的认知和满意度。  结果  调查学生的营养不良和超重肥胖检出率分别为11.5 % 和23.4 %,分别有27.5 %、49.0 %、23.6 % 的学生认为自己营养不良、正常、超重肥胖。仅59.4 % 的学生对营养状况的认知与实际一致,27.9 % 低估,12.7 % 高估,一致性较差（Kappa = 0.32,P < 0.01）;不同地区和营养状况学生对营养状况的认知不同。仅56.6 % 的学生对自己的体形感到满意,不同地区、性别、年级和营养状况学生对自己体形的满意度不同。  结论  学生对营养状况的认知存在偏差,低估现象较为普遍,对自己体形的满意度较低。     

Adolescent smoking and health-related behaviours: interrelations in a Greek school-based sample

Background   Although several studies have reported findings concerning the interrelationship between smoking and specific health behaviours, little research has investigated how smoking behaviour may be associated with a cluster of health-related behaviours. The present study was an effort to extend previous research through assessing smoking status, patterns of physical and sedentary activity, as well as eating behaviours and diet quality, in order to gain some insight regarding the relationship between cigarette smoking and a cluster of health behaviours in a Greek sample of adolescents.
Methods   A sample of 2008 students (1021 male and 987 female, 12–17 years of age, 7th–12th grade) was selected from all schools of a representative Athens suburb in Greece. All children completed a questionnaire that was developed for the purposes of the study which retrieved information about age, sex, school class, individual and family smoking status, dietary habits and physical activity. Various statistical tests were performed.
Results   Age, playtime, consumption of soft drinks and foods from school canteens were positively associated with smoking status while the consumption of fruit juice, dairy products for breakfast and the frequency of breakfasts were inversely associated the aforementioned dependent variable.
Conclusions   This study supports the interrelationships between multiple lifestyle behaviours and tobacco use in adolescents. Future research is needed in order to elaborate on the nature of these relations, especially for those at higher risk.     

Two approaches to school health promotion--a focus on health-related behaviours and general competencies. An ecological study of 25 Swedish municipalities

The school is an important potential health-promoting setting for children and adolescents. Two main perspectives on school health promotion have been identified, one addressing health-related behaviours, the other stressing the development of general competencies. From a policy perspective, it is important to establish whether these two approaches are complementary or competing. This question was analysed by examining school administrations in 25 municipalities in Stockholm County, Sweden. An attempt was made to relate level of activity in line with each approach to general adolescent health outcomes. Data related to the two approaches were collected through the administration of a questionnaire. Outcome variables, measured as fraction of students qualified for upper secondary school, fraction of students with high alcohol intake, and fraction of 15-18 year olds suspected of crime, were measured on the basis of registry data. To control for structural patterns, socio-economic, demographic and system characteristics were gathered from public statistics. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were computed. Clusters of determinants assignable to each of the two approaches--promotion of health-related behaviours and supporting the development of student competencies--were identified. The two approaches were found to be negatively correlated. Thus, the perspective focusing on promotion of student health-related behaviours and the one emphasizing general development of student competencies seem to be competing rather than complementary. If this result is confirmed by other studies, it will have important policy implications.     

上海市嘉定区中学生健康知识和行为现况调查

目的了解上海市嘉定区中学健康知识和健康行为状况,为更好的开展针对中学生的健康教育工作提供科学依据。方法采用整群抽样方法,抽取了上海市嘉定区4所中学高一年级全体学生进行问卷调查,共调查1 348名学生,其中男643人,女705人。结果中学生总体健康知识知晓率为76.3%,其中男生为75.1%、女生为77.4%,且差异有统计学意义(χ2=21.163,P<0.001);中学生总体健康行为形成率为70.6%,其中男生为69.9%、女生为71.2%,且差异有统计学意义(χ2=5.536,P=0.019)。结论应进一步加强中学生健康教育工作,尤其是针对男生,提高中学生的健康知识水平,促进健康行为的形成。     

Prioritising family health needs: a time--space analysis of women's health-related behaviours

Much has been made over the years of the view that health-related geographical research has failed fully to explore the complex and mutually reinforcing impact of social and spatial relations on individual health-related behaviours. At the same time, there is a growing awareness elsewhere in the social sciences and in health services research of the generally inadequate exploration of the role of place particularly at the scale of the local community--in the social construction of health, illness and health care use. This paper aims to contribute to the debate by offering a clear framework within which to analyse the impact of spatially configured social relations at the micro-level. In-depth interview evidence from Liverpool shows that, looking at the problem from the perspective of the opportunity-costs of time-space constraints, is a useful means to understand the distinct ways in which health services are used, when and why, across different social groups and geographical areas. Particular attention is drawn to the different thresholds for decision-making depending upon whose health-related needs are being negotiated within the family. The paper concludes with the latest policy developments in UK primary care which offer professionals the clear opportunity to develop much more sophisticated understandings of what constitutes locally-sensitive health service provision. The argument is that such developments must be based on a firm sense of how individual time-space circumstances interact with conditions in the local area if the best possible use of increasingly scarce and valuable resources is to be achieved--particularly in communities characterised by poverty and social exclusion such as those in Liverpool.     

Injury risk behaviours among young Asian New Zealanders: a national survey of secondary school students

Objective: To investigate injury risk behaviours among young Asian New Zealanders. METHOD: Secondary analysis of data from Youth2000, a nationwide cross-sectional youth health survey conducted in 2001 in a random sample of New Zealand (NZ) secondary schools using a multimedia, computer-assisted, self-administered interview. Of the 9,567 survey participants (aged 12 to 18 years), this study was restricted to students who identified with an 'Asian' ethnic category (n=922). RESULTS: Many young Asian New Zealanders report engaging in injury risk behaviours, including: not using helmets when cycling; dangerous drink and drug driving; and being intentionally physically harmed by others. NZ-born Asian students are more likely than overseas-born Asian students to report most of these risky behaviours. Chinese and Indian students are less likely to engage in most of these behaviours than their NZ European peers. CONCLUSION: While young Asian New Zealanders are a relatively healthy population, many engage in well-recognised injury risk behaviours. The lower levels of these risky behaviours in Indian and Chinese students compared with NZ European students, and the positive dose-response effect seen in relation to duration of residence in NZ, are likely to be due to the effect of acculturation. IMPLICATIONS: Injury prevention strategies for young people in NZ need to specifically consider the diversity, context and specific risk profiles of young Asian New Zealanders. Health promotion efforts for this group should target the use of safety equipment and risky driving behaviours and consider traditional cultural practices that may be protective.     

Computer habits and behaviours among young children in Singapore

This exploratory research project was aimed at developing baseline data on computer habits and behaviours among preschool children in Singapore. Three sets of data were collected from teachers, parents and children which are (1) why and how young children use computers; (2) what are the key physical, social and health habits and behaviours of children when using the computer and (3) what is the role of adults during children's computer use. The information gathered from the study can be used to inform teachers, parents and other stakeholders on preschool children's computer habits and behaviours and if necessary, to develop preventive programmes to protect preschool children against potential physical, health and social risks of computer use as well as address any potential negative habits or behaviours as early as possible and before they have an impact on their later schooling years.