Assessment and Early Diagnosis of Dysphagia

Health care providers who are knowledgeable in assessing and diagnosing individuals with or at risk for dysphagia in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team can ameliorate the complications of dysphagia and optimize outcomes through focused interventions. Health care costs may be reduced through decreased need for hospitalization, length of stay when hospitalized, and overall health care expenditures.     

Psychometric properties of the Parental Feeding Behaviours Questionnaire for Indonesian parents of young children

Purpose

The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Parental Feeding Behaviours Questionnaire (PFBQ) to measure feeding behaviours of Indonesian parents of toddlers (young children).

Methods

A total of 696 parents of toddlers were obtained by convenience sampling during September 2013 to April 2014. To validate the PFBQ, confirmatory factor analysis and the contrasted group technique were conducted. Reliability of this instrument was examined by construct reliability and test‐retest reliability.

Results

Results showed that the regression coefficients of all 56 indicators were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The contrasted group technique showed significantly different parental feeding behaviours between parents of well‐nourished and malnourished toddlers (P = 0.047). The test‐retest reliability of the PFBQ was acceptable (Pearson correlation = 0.644), and the construct reliability ranged from 0.88 to 0.96.

Conclusions

The PFBQ is a valid and reliable instrument; however, more studies are required to identify acceptable tools to measure more culturally diverse range of parental feeding behaviours.     

Methodological considerations in a community-based longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES: To describe methodological issues and strategies relevant to conducting a community-based longitudinal study. METHODS: Study participants (N=1117 youth/parent pairs) residing in neighborhoods that were randomly selected using a multistage sampling procedure and 2000 census data. Data were collected annually using in-home, in-person, computer-assisted interviewing methods. Numerous retention methods were used to track and retain participants. RESULTS: The initial response rate was 61%. The retention rate is 97%, and the valid interview completion rate is 93% after nearly 4 waves of data collection. CONCLUSIONS: In order for community-based longitudinal studies to overcome barriers to enrollment and retention, particular attention must be given to appropriate planning and available resources.     

Parental communication and youth sexual behaviour

The role of parental communication and instruction concerning sexual behaviour were studied in a community-based sample of 1083 youth aged 13-17 (mean age of 15 years; 51% girls, 49% White). The Youth Asset Survey was administered along with items measuring demographics and youth risk behaviours. After controlling for demographic factors, multivariate analysis revealed that youth were much less likely to have initiated sexual intercourse if their parents taught them to say no, set clear rules, talked about what is right and wrong and about delaying sexual activity. If youth were sexually active, they were more likely to use birth control if taught at home about delaying sexual activity and about birth control. Having only one sexual partner was associated with having an adult role model who supports abstinence, being taught at home about birth control, and being taught at home how to say no. If parents reported talking with youth about birth control and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention, youth were significantly more likely to use birth control. Our conclusion is that parents have the opportunity and ability to influence their children's sexual behaviour decisions.     

Antioxidant status alters levels of Fas-associated death domain-like IL-1B-converting enzyme inhibitory protein following neonatal hypoxia-ischemia

Activation of Fas death receptor (Fas DR) signaling cascade is seen after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Cell survival is favored when signaling through the death-inducing signaling complex and cleavage of caspase 8 to its active form is blocked by FLIP, a dominant negative of caspase 8. H2O2 quickly downregulates expression of FLIP. Neonatal mice overexpressing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) have less injury and less H2O2 accumulation compared with neonatal mice overexpressing superoxide dismutase (SOD) or wild-type (WT) littermates. Expression of both FLIP(L) and FLIP(S) is increased in GPx-oxerexpressing mice relative to WT mice at 24 h and relative to SOD-overexpressing mice at 2 and 24 h following neonatal HI (ANOVA, p < 0.05). There is an increase in Fas DR expression at 24 h in both WT and GPx-overexpressing mice and significant differences between WT and SOD-overexpressing mice (ANOVA, p < 0.01). There is no difference in FADD expression among the 3 groups 24 h after HI. At 24 h following HI, the ratio of FLIP to Fas DR expression supports a significant negative correlation with injury score (r2 = 0.99, slope = -4.01), and expression of both the active fragment of caspase 8 and caspase 8 activity is increased in SOD overexpressors compared to GPx overexpressors at 24 h after HI (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The overall degree of injury previously seen in these 3 strains correlates well with changes in expression of Fas DR signaling proteins favoring neuroprotection in the GPx-overexpressing mice, i.e. increased FLIP expression and decreased caspase 8 activity compared to SODtg mice. The mechanism by which antioxidant status alters FLIP levels following neonatal HI may be related to the ability to detoxify H2O2 produced following neonatal HI.