The longitudinal associations between mental health indicators and digital media use and physical activity during adolescence: A latent class approach

IntroductionEvidence for the relationship between movement behaviors and mental health among adolescents is inconclusive. We aimed to identify profiles of digital media use (including related bedtime delay) and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in adolescence, and to examine whether preadolescent mental health predicted later behavior profiles.MethodsThis study included 1285 participants assessed at 11 years of age, and followed-up four years later. Participants completed the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) and Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) at baseline, and reported digital media use (active and passive use, gaming, and related bedtime delays) and LTPA at follow-up. A latent class approach was employed to identify behavior profiles, membership of which was then predicted with mental health and covariates, including baseline digital media use and LTPA.ResultsWe identified four behavior profiles: 1) high digital media use/moderate LTPA (20% of adolescents; 78% boys), 2) moderate digital media use/high LTPA (31%; 28%), 3) high digital media use/high LTPA (26%; 15%), 4) high passive digital media use and gaming/low LTPA (23%; 89%). After adjusting for covariates, higher LTPA and better perception of athletic competence at baseline associated with higher odds of belonging to any other profile than to the unhealthiest profile (4) at follow-up. Symptoms of depression or anxiety did not associate with later behavior profiles.ConclusionsLTPA and related self-esteem seem to be stronger predictors of future digital media use and LTPA behavior during adolescence than mental health symptoms alone.     

The association among demographic factors,health behaviors and sleep quality in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BackgroundA majority of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have disrupted sleep patterns, but there has been limited research examining factors associated with sleep in this population. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare demographic and lifestyle behaviors with sleep quality in youth with ASD. Methods: A total of 49 children (12.44 years; 78% male) with ASD wore the Actigraph GT9X accelerometer over seven days and nights to assess moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behavior (SB), total sleep duration, and sleep efficiency. Parents reported their child’s weekly amount of screen time and demographic information. Participants were classified according to whether they met sleep criteria for duration and efficiency (8–9 h of sleep duration and ≥85% sleep efficiency). T-tests and ANOVA were used to compare demographic and lifestyle factors between the groups. Results: Participants who meet both sleep duration and efficiency criteria had greater minutes of MVPA per day (113.65 min/day) than participants who only met sleep efficiency criteria (40.27 min/day) and participants who did not meet either sleep criteria (67.5 min/day; p < 0.0001). Additionally, participants who met both sleep criteria had fewer minutes of SB compared to those who only met sleep efficiency criteria (384.79 vs 526.05 min/day; p = 0.02). Conclusions: Youth who had indicators of good sleep quality had greater amounts of MVPA and lower amounts of SB. Studies should further examine the relationship between sleep and health behaviors in youth with ASD to determine causal mechanisms, leading to more effective sleep interventions.     

Gender,intoxication and the developing brain: Problematisations of drinking among young adults in Australian alcohol policy

In this article, we draw on recent scholarly work in the poststructuralist analysis of policy to consider how policy itself functions as a key site in the constitution of alcohol ‘problems’, and the political implications of these problematisations. We do this by examining Australian alcohol policy as it relates to young adults (18–24 years old). Our critical analysis focuses on three national alcohol policies (1990, 2001 and 2006) and two Victorian state alcohol policies (2008 and 2013), which together span a 25-year period. We argue that Australian alcohol policies have conspicuously ignored young adult men, despite their ongoing over-representation in the statistical ‘evidence base’ on alcohol-related harm, while increasingly problematising alcohol consumption amongst other population subgroups. We also identify the development of a new problem representation in Australian alcohol policy, that of ‘intoxication’ as the leading cause of alcohol-related harm and rising hospital admissions, and argue that changes in the classification and diagnosis of intoxication may have contributed to its prioritisation and problematisation in alcohol policy at the expense of other forms of harm. Finally, we draw attention to how preliminary and inconclusive research on the purported association between binge drinking and brain development in those under 25 years old has been mobilised prematurely to support calls to increase the legal purchasing age from 18 to 21 years. Our critical analysis of the treatment of these three issues – gender, intoxication, and brain development – is intended to highlight the ways in which policy functions as a key site in the constitution of alcohol ‘problems’.     

Parental Communication Not to Smoke and Adolescent Cigarette Smokers' Readiness to Quit: Differences by Age

There is limited information on the relationship between parental practices that specifically discourage current cigarette smoking and adolescent cessation, and how this relationship varies by age. Among 1629 adolescent smokers, self-reported receipt of parental communication not to smoke was significantly and positively associated with readiness to quit. The strength and significance of this association decreased from early to middle adolescence and was not significant in late adolescence.     

An ecologically based examination of barriers to physical activity in students from grade seven through first-year university

PurposeThe first purpose was to identify barriers to physical activity that students in grade seven through first-year university experienced. A second purpose was to classify barriers using an ecological framework and to examine the pattern of barrier categories (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, public policy, and physical environmental) and specific barrier types as grade increased. The use of an ecological model addressed limitations in prior research revolving around the identification of salient barriers in a manner that makes the design of effective interventions difficult.MethodsParticipants in grades 7–8 (n = 35), 9–10 (n = 67), 11–12 (n = 80), and the freshmen year of university (n = 109) listed barriers to physical activity on an open-ended measure.ResultsFindings revealed a trend for the average number of barriers reported per student to increase as grade in school increased. First-year university students reported significantly more barriers than all other grade groupings. The frequency of barriers reported within the ecological categories was dependent on the specific grade groupings. Further, within each ecological category, distinct barriers were reported across the different grade groupings.ConclusionsFindings highlight the utility of using an ecological model to categorize barriers, rather than simply classifying barriers as internal or external to an individual, as done in prior research. Understanding the pattern of ecologically based barrier categories and specific types of barriers will help to inform the content of future research and interventions designed to alleviate salient barriers to physical activity.     

青年维持性血液透析患者心血管疾病调查及危险因素分析

目的调查青年维持性血液透析（MHD）患者心血管疾病的发病情况和病变特点，并探讨其危险因素。方法采用横断面研究。MHD患者98例，以45岁为界分为青年组（47例）和中老年组（51例）。收集患者临床资料和生化指标。心脏超声检查测量心脏腔径及心功能参数。分析青年组患者心脏结构和功能异常的患病率、病变特点及其影响因素。结果（1）47例青年患者中有30例（63．8％）存在心脏结构异常，主要表现为左心室肥厚、左心房增大和瓣膜反流，患病率分别为61．7％、38．3％和34．0％。（2）青年组患者向心性肥厚的患病率为86．2％，离心性肥厚的患病率为13．8％，与中老年组相比，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。（3）与无心脏病变青年MHD患者相比，伴心脏病变者的超滤量、收缩压、血磷和甲状旁腺激素明显增高，而Kt／V、血红蛋白和血清白蛋白明显降低，差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。Logistic回归分析结果显示，超滤量、收缩压、血红蛋白和血甲状旁腺激素是青年MHD患者并发心脏病变的独立危险因素。结论青年MHD患者心血管疾病的患病率较高，主要表现为左心室肥厚、左房增大和瓣膜反流。超滤量、收缩压、血红蛋白和血甲状旁腺激素水平可能是影响青年MHD患者并发心脏病变的独立危险因素。     

Trends of youth suicide in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s – gender differences and implications for prevention

Youth suicide constitutes a considerable public health problem in many European countries. Suicide mortality in adolescents and young adults has increased during the 1980s and 1990s in several European countries and predominantly in young males. This paper summarises the international discussion on potential reasons for these trends, including changes in ascertainment practices, in the prevalence of psychopathology (mainly depression and substance abuse), in psychosocial and socio-economic conditions and in the methods chosen for suicidal behaviour. Potential reasons for the gender differences in trends are scrutinised.     

青年细支气管肺泡癌X线平片及CT表现分析

目的:研究青年细支气管肺泡癌的胸片与CT表现特征性和病理学发生基础及临床特点,提高对该病诊断认识水平。方法:回顾性对比分析24例。经纤支镜,穿刺活检,手术病理证实的细支气管肺泡癌的胸片及CT表现以及转移灶的特征表现,探讨各型病变的影像学特征。结果:根据大体病理及相对影像上病变形态和分布特点,可将细支气管肺泡癌分为孤立结节型5例占21%,多发结节型11例占46%,弥漫型8例占33%。其中孤立结节型相对特异型征象较多,如分叶征,支气管充气征,胸膜凹陷征;多发结节型;胸片表现为两肺中下叶棉球样征象,但CT显示为两肺弥漫多发结节状,碎路石征象,常伴有胸膜牵拉等征象;弥漫粟粒型:两肺中下叶呈粟粒样改变,部分病例有融合,实变现象,临床上易误诊为粟粒型肺结核,转移瘤或肺炎等疾病。另外,细支气管肺泡癌骨骼转移灶呈浸润性破坏,分布较广,以肋骨和锁骨侵犯为多见。结论:细支气管肺泡癌的影像表现复杂多样,对各型的征象表现进行深入细致地分析,结合临床特点,可提高对本病的诊断符合率。