Prevalence of dental caries and associated factors among primary school children in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries (decay or cavities) is the breakdown of teeth as a result of bacteria. Dental caries is one of the most preventable oral health problems and the most common chronic disease in primary school children. Poor dental and oral health affects the quality of children's lives. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to synthesize the existing literature on the prevalence and associated factors of dental caries among primary school children in Ethiopia in 2024. METHODOLOGY: Studies were searched through the search engines of Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library. Searching was made using keywords and MeSH terms for dental caries, dental plaque, primary school children, and Ethiopia. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Cochran Q test and I2 statistics. A random-effects model with a 95% confidence interval was used for prevalence and odds ratio estimations. RESULT: The result of seven studies disclosed that the overall prevalence of dental caries in primary school children in Ethiopia was 35% (26-45%). high intake of sweets (OR = 2.71,95%CI:1.968-3.451), a poor habit of tooth cleaning (OR = 2.46; 95% CI: 2.761-5.045), Grade level 1-4(OR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.523-3.397), having a history of toothache(OR = 2.99; 95% CI: 2.679-3.314), absence of toothpaste use(OR = 1.42; 95% CI: -1.278-4.109), reduction of the previous year's academic score(OR = 5.51; 95% CI: 1.952-9.066), had a significant microbial load(OR = 3.82, CI: 3.439-4.192) and have acid bacillary pH on their teeth(OR = 2.42, CI: 1.494-3.335) were independent variables associated with dental carries among primary school children. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of dental caries among primary school children in Ethiopia is 35%, ranging from 26 to 45%. However, variations in prevalence rates are observed based on sampling techniques. Studies using simple random sampling report a higher prevalence rate of 42%, while those employing multi-stage random sampling and systematic random sampling show lower rates of 30% and 35%, respectively. This indicates that the choice of sampling technique can impact reported prevalence rates, with simple random sampling yielding higher estimates compared to other methods.

Mobile App Intervention to Reduce Substance Use, Gambling, and Digital Media Use in Vocational School Students: Exploratory Analysis of the Intervention Arm of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: During adolescence, substance use and digital media exposure usually peak and can become major health risks. Prevention activities are mainly implemented in the regular school setting, and youth outside this system are not reached. A mobile app ("Meine Zeit ohne") has been developed specifically for vocational students and encourages participants to voluntarily reduce or abstain from a self-chosen addictive behavior including the use of a substance, gambling, or a media-related habit such as gaming or social media use for 2 weeks. Results from a randomized study indicate a significant impact on health-promoting behavior change after using the app. This exploratory study focuses on the intervention arm of this study, focusing on acceptance and differential effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were (1) to examine the characteristics of participants who used the app, (2) to explore the effectiveness of the mobile intervention depending on how the app was used and depending on participants' characteristics, and (3) to study how variations in app use were related to participants' baseline characteristics. METHODS: Log data from study participants in the intervention group were analyzed including the frequency of app use (in days), selection of a specific challenge, and personal relevance (ie, the user was above a predefined risk score for a certain addictive behavior) of challenge selection ("congruent use": eg, a smoker selected a challenge related to reducing or quitting smoking). Dichotomous outcomes (change vs no change) referred to past-month substance use, gambling, and media-related behaviors. The relationship between these variables was analyzed using binary, multilevel, mixed-effects logistic regression models. RESULTS: The intervention group consisted of 2367 vocational students, and 1458 (61.6%; mean age 19.0, SD 3.5 years; 830/1458, 56.9% male) of them provided full data. Of these 1458 students, 894 (61.3%) started a challenge and could be included in the analysis (mean 18.7, SD 3.5 years; 363/894, 40.6% female). Of these 894 students, 466 (52.1%) were considered frequent app users with more than 4 days of active use over the 2-week period. The challenge area most often chosen in the analyzed sample was related to social media use (332/894, 37.1%). A total of 407 (45.5%) of the 894 students selected a challenge in a behavioral domain of personal relevance. The effects of app use on outcomes were higher when the area of individual challenge choice was equal to the area of behavior change, challenge choice was related to a behavior of personal relevance, and the individual risk of engaging in different addictive behaviors was high. CONCLUSIONS: The domain-specific effectiveness of the program was confirmed with no spillover between behavioral domains. Effectiveness appeared to be dependent on app use and users' characteristics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00023788; https://tinyurl.com/4pzpjkmj. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s13063-022-06231-x.

Relationship between childhood trauma and non-suicidal self-injury in high school students: the mediating role of the stress perception and the moderating role of teacher-student relationship.

This study delves into the correlation between childhood trauma and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors among high school students. Additionally, it examines the mediating role of stress perception and the moderating role of the teacher-student relationship in this association. A questionnaire survey was administered to 1,329 high school students in Yunnan Province to assess childhood trauma, NSSI behaviors, and stress perception. Firstly, the survey revealed a 12% prevalence of NSSI, with girls exhibiting a higher occurrence compared to boys (OR = 0.413, 95% CI: 0.280-0.609). Secondly, childhood trauma emerged as a significant predictor of NSSI behavior, irrespective of gender or whether the individual was an only child (r = 0.17, P < 0.01). Thirdly, stress perception functioned as a mediator in the relationship between childhood trauma and NSSI among high school students (t = 4.65, P < 0.01). The mediation effect occupies 26.56% of the total effect. Furthermore, the teacher-student relationship moderated the mediating effect of stress perception on the link between childhood trauma and NSSI (ß = 0.0736, P < 0.01). Notably, individuals with strong teacher-student relationships exhibited a significant elevation in stress perception upon exposure to childhood trauma. The findings of this study support a moderated mediation model in the association between childhood trauma and NSSI, suggesting profound implications for the development of targeted interventions and prevention strategies among high school students.

Caries prevalence among children at public and private primary schools in Riyadh: a retrospective study.

Dental caries is a global oral health issue, especially critical in children, affecting their growth, nutrition, and education due to school absences or distractions from dental pain. The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between school types (indicative of socioeconomic conditions) and dental caries prevalence among primary school children in Riyadh, alongside assessing the overall caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Riyadh. Retrospective study on 28,343 first and fourth-grade students from 960 public and private schools in Riyadh, using data from the Saudi Ministry of Health (Feb-April 2019). Utilized the DMFT/dmft index for assessment and collected demographic data. Most of the schools were public (76.1%), private national (17.1%), and private international (6.8%). Overall, the mean DMFT index for permanent teeth and the dmft index for primary teeth were 1.78 and 1.94, respectively. 58% of school children had no dental caries, 25% had mild caries, and 17% had moderate to severe caries. Public school children showed a higher caries prevalence than private schools. Oral disease rates were higher in girls than in boys, and grade four students had a higher prevalence than grade one students. Saudi Arabia, a developing nation, faces challenges in addressing oral health, especially in public schools. Targeted initiatives are crucial for awareness, preventive measures, and meeting oral health needs.

Prevalence and determinant factors of premenstrual syndrome among secondary and preparatory school students in Dessie city administration, Northeast Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was predominantly studied among university students who were in their early 20s; as a result, little is known about the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girls. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and identify factors associated with premenstrual syndrome among secondary school female students in the Dessie city administration, 2023. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted involving a sample of 630 participants. A structured self-administered data collection tool was used to gather the necessary information. To ensure data quality, the pretesting and training of the data collectors and supervisors were conducted. The collected data were entered into Epi-data software and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Frequency tables, graphs, means, and medians were used to describe the characteristics of the study participants. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify significant factors. Variables with a p-value ≤ 0.05 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of adjusted odds ratio (AOR) in the final multivariable logistic regression were reported as statistically significant factors associated with PMS. Model fitness was evaluated using the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. RESULTS: In the present study, the prevalence of PMS was 22%, 95% CI = 19-26%. FACTORS: Age ≥ 18 years (AOR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.86), duration of menstruation ≥ 7 days (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI: 1.25, 10.37), presence of chronic illness (AOR = 2.08; 95% CI:1.04, 4.16), coffee intake (AOR = 6.05; 95% CI: 2.05, 17.87), alcohol intake (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.86), use of pain medication (AOR = 2.06; 95% CI:1.10, 3.86), use of hormonal contraceptives (AOR = 3.9; 95% CI:1.58, 9.62), sleep disturbance (AOR = 3.82; 95% CI: 2.29, 6.42) and physical exercise (AOR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.87) were significantly associated with PMS. CONCLUSION: A significant number of students in this study were affected by premenstrual syndrome. Age, duration of menstruation, presence of chronic illness, coffee intake, use of pain medication, use of hormonal contraceptives, and sleep disturbance were significantly associated with PMS. Students should avoid excessive use of alcohol, coffee intake and use of pain medication without prescription.

Development and Utility of an Interactive Online Dashboard for Monitoring Data Collection and Data Processing During a School-Based Health Survey.

We built an interactive online dashboard using Google Looker Studio to monitor data collection and data processing activities during the Adolescent Health Survey (AHS) 2022, a large-scale nationwide survey conducted among school-going adolescents in Malaysia. Through user testing and training, refinements were made to the initial dashboard, resulting in a more streamlined and concise dashboard design. The dashboard comprised 2 pages that provided key metrics on the progress of data collection and data processing, respectively. The introduction of the dashboard enhanced the quality and ease of weekly progress reporting during meetings of the survey's central coordinating team, while its drill-down and filtering functionalities helped us detect arising issues early and supported collaborative problem-solving. Research teams coordinating comparable school-based health surveys are invited to duplicate the dashboard using Looker Studio's built-in "Make a copy" function and customize it further based on their country- or survey-specific requirements.

Does School Health Promotion Have Additional Value for Educational Performance? A Repeated Cross-Sectional Multilevel Study.

Little information is available regarding the influence of the interplay between the school context and school health promotion on educational performance. Therefore, we examined whether the variation between primary and secondary schools regarding the educational performance of students could be explained by general school characteristics, school population characteristics, and school health promotion and to what extent these factors interact. We performed multilevel analyses using existing data on 7021 primary schools and 1315 secondary schools in the Netherlands from the school years 2010-2011 till 2018-2019. Our outcomes were the final test score from primary education and the average grade of standardized final exams from secondary education. School health promotion was operationalized as having obtained Healthy School (HS) certification. For the test score, 7.17% of the total variation was accounted for by differences at the school level and 4.02% for the average grade. For both outcomes, the percentage of disadvantaged students in a school explained most variation. HS certification did not explain variation, but moderated some associations. We found small to moderate differences between schools regarding educational performance. Compositional differences of school populations, especially socioeconomic status, seemed more important in explaining variation in educational performance than general school characteristics and HS certification. Some associations were moderated by HS certification, but differences remained small in most cases.

Epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of tuberculosis aggregation in schools in Wuhan, China during 2017-2022.

Background: Wuhan is located in the hinterland of China, in the east of Hubei Province, at the intersection of the Yangtze River and Hanshui River. It is a national historical and cultural city, an important industrial, scientific, and educational base, and a key transportation hub. There are many schools in Wuhan, with nearly a thousand of all kinds. The number of students is ~2.2 million, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the resident population; college or university students account for ~60% of the total student population. The geographical location of these colleges is relatively concentrated, and the population density is relatively high, making it prone to tuberculosis cluster epidemic. Objective: This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of tuberculosis aggregation in schools in Wuhan, China, during 2017-2022 to provide the basis for the scientific development of tuberculosis prevention and control strategies and measures in schools. Methods: This study adopted the methods of descriptive epidemiology to analyze the epidemic characteristics of tuberculosis aggregation in schools in Wuhan from January 2017 to December 2022, collecting the relevant data on tuberculosis prevention and control in all kinds of schools in the city using Questionnaire Star, an application of the China network questionnaire survey, and analyze the influencing factors of tuberculosis aggregation by using multifactor logistic regression analysis. Results: From 2017 to 2022, 54 outbreaks of pulmonary tuberculosis aggregation in schools were reported in Wuhan, which involved 37 different schools, including 32 colleges or universities and five senior high schools; 176 cases were reported, among which 73 were positive for pathogens and 18 were rifampicin or izoniazid resistant. The median duration of a single cluster epidemic was 46 (26,368) days. Universities were more prone to cluster outbreaks than middle schools (χ2 = 105.160, P = 0.001), and the incidence rate among male students was higher than that of female students in cluster epidemics (χ2 = 12.970, P = 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that boarding in school (OR = 7.60) is the risk factor for a tuberculosis cluster epidemic in schools. The small number of students (OR = 0.50), the location of the school in the city (OR = 0.60), carry out physical examinations for freshmen (OR = 0.44), carry out illness absence and cause tracking (OR = 0.05), dormitories and classrooms are regularly ventilated with open windows (OR = 0.16), strict implement the management of sick student's suspension from school (OR = 0.36), and seeking timely medical consultation (OR = 0.32) were the protective factors for a tuberculosis cluster epidemic in schools. Conclusion: We successfully identified the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of tuberculosis aggregation in schools in Wuhan. The results revealed the influence and status of various factors and indicated ways for schools to improve their TB prevention and control measures in their daily activities. These measures can effectively help curb the cluster epidemic of tuberculosis in schools.

Headgear mandates in high school girls' lacrosse: investigating differences in impact rates and game play behaviors.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Headgear designed to protect girls' lacrosse athletes is widely available and permitted for voluntary use; however, it remains unknown how policies mandating headgear use may change the sport and, particularly regarding impacts during game-play. Therefore, this study compares the impact rates and game play characteristics of girls' high school lacrosse in Florida which mandates headgear use (HM), with states having no headgear mandate (NHM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Video from 189 randomly-selected games (HM: 64, NHM: 125) were analyzed. Descriptive statistics, Impact Rates (IR), Impact Rate Ratios (IRR), Impact Proportion Ratios (IPR), and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were calculated. IRRs and IPRs with corresponding CIs that excluded 1.00 were deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: 16,340 impacts (HM:5,821 NHM: 10,519; 86.6 impacts/game, CI: 88.6-93.3) were identified using the Lacrosse Incident Analysis Instrument (LIAI). Most impacts directly struck the body (n = 16,010, 98%). A minority of impacts directly struck a player's head (n = 330, 2%). The rate of head impacts was significantly higher in the HM cohort than NHM cohort (IRR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.7-2.6). Most head impacts (n = 271, 82%) were caused by stick contact in both groups. There was no difference in the proportion of penalties administered for head impacts caused by stick contact between the HM and NHM cohorts (IPR IRRHM/NHM = 0.98; CI = 0.79-1.16). However, there was a significantly greater proportion of head impacts caused by player contact that resulted in a penalty administered in the HM cohort (IPR = 1.44 CI = 1.17-1.54). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that mandating headgear use was associated with a two-fold greater likelihood of sustaining a head impact during game play compared to NHM states. A majority of head impacts in both HM and NHM states were caused by illegal stick contact that did not result in penalty.

High school girls' lacrosse athletes participating in a state with a headgear mandate was twice as likely to sustain a head impact than those participating in states without headgear mandates.Stick contact remains the most common mechanism of head impacts in girls' lacrosse, regardless of mandating headgear.Regardless of whether headgear was or was not mandated, most head impacts caused by stick contact did not result in a penalty.

Association of School Instructional Mode with Community COVID-19 Incidence during August-December 2020 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Remote and hybrid modes of instruction were employed as alternatives to in-person instruction as part of early mitigation efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the impact of a public school district's instructional mode on cumulative incidence and transmission in the surrounding community by employing a generalized estimating equations approach to estimate the association with weekly COVID-19 case counts by zip code in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, from August to December 2020. Remote instruction only (RI) was employed by 7 of 20 school districts; 13 used some non-remote instruction (NRI) (2-15 weeks). Weekly incidence increased in all zip codes from August to peak in late fall before declining. The zip code cumulative incidence within NRI school districts was higher than in those offering only RI (risk ratio = 1.12, p = 0.01; risk difference = 519 per 100,000, 95% confidence interval (123-519)). The mean effect for NRI on emergent cases 2 weeks after mode exposure, controlling for Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), was significant only for high SVI zip codes 1.30, p < 0.001. NRI may be associated with increased community COVID-19 incidence, particularly in communities with high SVI. Vulnerable communities may need more resources to open schools safely.

Polysubstance Use among Maryland High School Students: Variations across County-Level School Districts.

BACKGROUND: Polysubstance use is a highly prevalent public health issue, particularly among adolescents, and decisions on prevention programming and policies are often made at the local level. While there is a growing literature examining patterns of polysubstance use among adolescents, little is known about differences in those patterns across geographic regions. METHODS: Using a large, representative sample of high school students from the state of Maryland (n = 41,091) from the 2018 Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) of adolescent substance use along nine binary indicators, including past 30-day combustible tobacco, e-cigarette, alcohol, and cannabis use, as well as lifetime use of prescription opioids, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and injection drug use. Measurement invariance across counties was examined using the Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) procedure. RESULTS: The results of the LCA show three classes of adolescent substance use for the total sample: (1) low substance use, (2) commonly used substances (i.e., e-cigarette, alcohol, and cannabis use), and (3) polysubstance use. The results from the MIMIC procedure demonstrated geographic differences in students' endorsement of specific indicators and their class membership. CONCLUSIONS: These differences demonstrate the need for an examination of local trends in adolescent polysubstance use to inform multi-tiered prevention programming and policy.

Predictors and Prevalence of Alcohol and Cannabis Co-use Among Filipino Adolescents: Evidence From a School-based Student Health Survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the prevalence and predictors of alcohol and cannabis co-use among 9263 Filipino adolescents, using data from the 2019 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of the GSHS, targeting adolescents aged 13-17 years and excluding cases with incomplete data on alcohol and cannabis use. Our analysis employed the bivariate chi-square test of independence and multivariable logistic regression using Stata version 18 to identify significant predictors of co-use, with a p-value threshold set at 0.05. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence of co-users was 4.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4 to 5.3). Significant predictors included male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.50; 95% CI, 3.31 to 6.10; p<0.001) and being in a lower academic year, specifically grade 7 (aOR, 4.08; 95% CI, 2.39 to 6.99; p<0.001) and grade 8 (aOR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.30 to 3.72; p=0.003). Poor sleep quality was also a significant predictor (aOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.29 to 2.44; p<0.001), as was a history of attempted suicide (aOR, 5.31; 95% CI, 4.00 to 7.06; p<0.001). Physical inactivity was associated with lower odds of co-use (aOR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.62; p<0.001). Additionally, non-attendance of physical education classes (aOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.05; p=0.021), infrequent unapproved parental checks (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.80; p=0.024), and lower parental awareness of free-time activities (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45 to 0.87; p=0.005) were associated with higher odds of co-use. Factors not significantly linked to co-use included age group, being in grade 9, always feeling lonely, having no close friends, being bullied outside school, and whether a parent or guardian understood the adolescent's worries. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the critical need for comprehensive interventions in the Philippines, addressing not only physical inactivity and parental monitoring but also focusing on sex, academic grade, participation in physical education classes, sleep quality, and suicide attempt history, to effectively reduce alcohol and cannabis co-use among adolescents.

Which students skip school? A comparative study of sociodemographic factors and student absenteeism using PISA data.

This article explores which students-with regard to gender, socio-economic background and migration background-skip school in Germany, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) according to PISA data. Students who skip school are observed in many countries, but there is not much systematic research that studies this across countries. Comparable data is to a large extent missing. PISA data offers an opportunity to use comparable data. In PISA, students were asked in 2018, 2015 and 2012 whether they had skipped school a whole day in the last two weeks prior to their completion of the PISA student questionnaire. Patterns of how absence relates to sociodemographic factors vary in countries and school systems. In the comparison between the four countries the UK stands out as having a higher percentage of students who have reported that they have skipped school than in the other countries. This does not seem to be related to any specific group of students. Japan also stands out with a lower percentage of students who have reported that they have skipped school. According to PISA data, skipping school is more related to socio-economic background than any other of the variables studied. The socio-economic background seems to be related to skipping school in all three PISA studies in Sweden and the UK. Gender seems not to be an important factor in the four countries. In Sweden and Germany there is a lower percentage of non-immigrant students who report that they have skipped school than first-and second-generation immigrant students. In the UK the figures are more ambiguous. When the percentages of students skipping school are compared over time and in the countries, it is difficult to find any trends, but the data only covered three measurements during a period of six years, which may be too short a time span to see trends.

The burdens attributable to primary headache disorders in children and adolescents in Iran: estimates from a schools-based study.

BACKGROUND: We recently found headache disorders to be highly prevalent among children (aged 6-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-17) in Iran (gender- and age-adjusted 1-year prevalences: migraine 25.2%, tension-type headache 12.7%, undifferentiated headache [UdH] 22.1%, probable medication-overuse headache [pMOH] 1.1%, other headache on ≥ 15 days/month [H15+] 3.0%). Here we report on the headache-attributed burden, taking evidence from the same study. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, following the generic protocol for the global schools-based study led by the Global Campaign against Headache, we administered the child and adolescent versions of the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) structured questionnaire in 121 schools, purposively selected to reflect the country's diversities. Pupils self-completed these in class, under supervision. Headache diagnostic questions were based on ICHD-3 criteria but for the inclusion of UdH (defined as mild headache with usual duration < 1 h). Burden enquiry was across multiple domains. RESULTS: The analysed sample (N = 3,244) included 1,308 (40.3%) children and 1,936 (59.7%) adolescents (1,531 [47.2%] male, 1,713 [52.8%] female). The non-participating proportion was 3.4%. Mean headache frequency was 3.9 days/4 weeks, and mean duration 1.8 h. Estimated mean proportion of time in ictal state was 1.1% (1.4% for migraine, 16.5% for pMOH). Symptomatic medication was consumed on a mean of 1.6 days/4 weeks. Lost school time averaged 0.4 days/4 weeks overall (2%, assuming a 5-day week), but was eleven-fold higher (4.3 days; 22%) for pMOH. For most headache types, days of reported limited activity were several-fold more than days lost from school (45% for pMOH, 25% for other H15+). Almost one in 12 parents (7.9%) missed work at least once in 4 weeks because of their son's or daughter's headache. Emotional impact and quality-of-life scores reflected these measures of burden. CONCLUSIONS: Headache, common in children and adolescents in Iran, is associated with symptom burdens that may be onerous for some but not for most. However, there are substantial consequential burdens, particularly for the 1.1% with pMOH and the 3.0% with other H15+, who suffer educational disturbances and potentially major life impairments. These findings are of importance to educational and health policies in Iran.

Prevalence of school related violence in seven countries: A cross-sectional survey.

Violence against children in schools harms the affected children, limits their learning and educational attainment, and extends its harms to families and the broader communities. However, to date, comparable cross-country data on violence against children in schools has not been available. We utilize the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) to estimate school-related violence against children in seven countries (Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia). Leveraging the unique comparability of the surveys, we are able to estimate both physical and sexual violence experienced in childhood and adolescence among youth aged 13-24. Where possible, we also disaggregate by gender and perpetrator type. Overall, within our sample seven countries, we find that 12.11-44.63% of females and 14.28-53.85% of males experienced at least one form of violence. Males experience higher levels of school-related violence and a significant portion of this is due to experiencing physical violence perpetrated by male classmates.

Prevalence of comorbidity of autism and ADHD and associated characteristics in school population: EPINED study.

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity in the school population have been understudied. This study estimates its prevalence considering both parents' and teachers' reports and clinical diagnosis. Sociodemographic, clinical, and cognitive data were compared by diagnostic groups: autism, ADHD, autism and ADHD, subthreshold autism spectrum disorder (ASD), subthreshold ADHD, and children without neurodevelopmental conditions. Following a two-phase design, 3727 parents and teachers (1802 preschoolers, 1925 school-age children) participated in the first phase. Subsequently, 781 participants underwent individual assessment for DSM-5 diagnoses. The estimated prevalence of the comorbid diagnosis was 0.51% (0.28%-0.74%), with significant sex differences (0.16% girls, 0.89% boys). The cooccurrence of symptoms of autism and ADHD reported by parents or teachers was 3.2% and 2.6%, respectively. ADHD comorbidity was observed in 32.8% of autistic children and 31.4% of those with subthreshold ASD. ASD comorbidity was observed in 9.8% of children with ADHD and 5.7% of those with subthreshold ADHD. Comorbidity was reported by at least one informant in 95% of children. Only 15.8% of children with autism and ADHD had been previously diagnosed with both conditions. Early detection and accurate comorbidity diagnosis are crucial to address the clinical and socio-educational needs of these children.

Utility of data from the Danish National School Test Program for health research purposes: Content and associations with sociodemographic factors and higher education.

The Danish National School Test Program is a set of nationwide tests performed annually since 2010 in all public schools in Denmark. To assess the utility of this data resource for health research purposes, we examined the association of school test performance with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as correlations with ninth-grade exams and higher educational attainment. This nationwide descriptive register-based study includes children born between 1994 and 2010 who lived in Denmark at the age of six years. Norm-based test scores (range 1-100, higher scores indicate better performance) in reading (Danish) and mathematics from the Danish National School Test Program were obtained for children aged 6-16 attending public schools in Denmark from 2010 to 2019. Population registers were used to identify relevant demographic and socioeconomic variables. Mean test scores by demographic and socioeconomic variables were estimated using linear regression models. Among the full Danish population of 1,137,290 children (51.3% male), 960,450 (84.5%) children attended public schools. There were 885,360 children who completed one or more tests in reading or mathematics (test participation was 77.8% for the entire population, and 92.1% for children in public schools). Mean test scores varied by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, most notably with education and labour market affiliation of parents. For every 1-point decrease in the test scores, there was a 0.95% (95% CI: 0.93%; 0.97%) lower probability of scoring B or higher in the ninth-grade exam and a 1.03% (95% CI: 1.00%; 1.05%) lower probability of completing high school within five years after graduating from lower secondary school. In this study of schoolchildren in Denmark, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were associated with test scores from the Danish National School Test Program. Performance in school tests correlated closely with later educational attainment, suggesting that these early measures of school performance are good markers of subsequent academic potential.

A multivariate multilevel approach to unravel the associations between individual and school factors on children's motor performance in the REACT project.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to (1) estimate the relationship between physical fitness (PF) and object control fundamental movement skills (FMS), (2) identify child characteristics that relate with PF and FMS, and (3) examine associations between the school environment, PF, and FMS. METHODS: The sample included 1014 Portuguese children aged 6-10 years from the REACT project. PF was assessed via running speed, shuttle run, standing long jump, handgrip, and the PACER test. Object control FMS were assessed with stationary dribble, kick, catch, overhand throw, and underhand roll. Test performances were transformed into z-scores, and their sum was expressed as overall PF and FMS. Child-level variables included body mass index (BMI) z-scores, accelerometer-measured sedentary time and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and socioeconomic status (SES). School size, physical education classes, practice areas, and equipment were also assessed. RESULTS: Approximately, 90% of the variance in object control PF and FMS was at the child level, and 10% at the school level. The correlation between PF and object control FMS was .62, which declined to .43 with the inclusion of covariates. Older, more active, and higher SES children had higher object control PF and FMS, and boys outperformed girls. BMI was negatively associated with PF but not with object control FMS. Sedentary time and number of physical education classes were not significant predictors. Most school predictors did not jointly associate with PF and object control FMS. CONCLUSION: PF and object control FMS z-scores were moderately related. Not all child characteristics were associated with both PF and object control FMS, and their effect sizes were different. School characteristics only explained 10% of the total variation in PF and object control FMS.

Associations of excessive internet use, sleep duration and physical activity with school absences: a cross-sectional, population-based study of adolescents in years 8 and 9.

BACKGROUND: Internet use has increased and sleep and physical activity (PA) have decreased in recent years among adolescents. Besides sleep and PA, another determinant of future health for adolescents is education. Our aim was to evaluate the associations of excessive internet use (EIU), short sleep duration and low PA with both unexcused absences and medical absences during lower secondary school. METHODS: The School Health Promotion study is a national survey of adolescents conducted biennially in Finland. We used data collected in 2019, when EIU was assessed for the first time. Cumulative odds ratio analysis was conducted with unexcused absences and medical absences as outcome variables. Besides EIU, sleep duration and PA, the associations of maternal education and parental relations were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age of the 86 270 participants was 15.3 years. Girls scored higher than boys on EIU. In all, 34.7% of participants slept less than 8 hours per night during the school week, and 34.3% reported low PA (ie, less than 3 days per week with minimum 1 hour of PA per day). EIU, short sleep and low PA were associated with both unexcused absences and medical absences from school. Longer sleep during weekends showed no association with absences, but good parental relations had the strongest protective association with both unexcused and medical absences. CONCLUSIONS: EIU, short sleep duration and low PA were associated with both unexcused and medical absences from school. This has important implications for both the promotion of general health and the support offered to students with alarming school absences.

Influence of School Type and Class Level on Mean Caries Experience in 12-Year-Olds in Serial Cross-Sectional National Oral Health Survey in Germany-Proposal to Adjust for Selection Bias.

The objective of this study is to analyse the effects of attended school type and class level on the reported caries experience (DMFT) obtained in the serial cross-sectional National Oral Health Study in Children in Germany (NOHSC) for the WHO reference group of 12-year-olds. METHODS: Caries data from the 2016 NOHSC were adjusted for each federal state on the basis of two additional large-scale datasets for school type and class level. RESULTS: Twelve-year-olds in all grades in Saxony-Anhalt (n = 96,842) exhibited significantly higher DMFT values than 12-year-olds in 6th grade (n = 76,456; +0.10 DMFT; ~14.2%, p < 0.001). Adjustments for school type had effects on DMFT on the level of federal states but almost balanced out on the national level (-0.01 DMFT; ~2%). Due to putatively similar structures of the federal states, the national mean DMFT for 12-year-olds in the latest NOHSC (2016; n = 55,002) was adjusted from 0.44 to 0.50 DMFT, correcting for selection bias. CONCLUSION: Selection bias in this NOHSC leads to an underestimation of caries levels by about 15%. Due to very low caries experience in children in Germany, these precise adjustments (+0.06 DMFT) have only a minor effect on interpretations of the national epidemiologic situation. Consequently, other national caries studies worldwide using the robust marker of DMFT should also adjust for systematic selection bias related to socio-economic background rather than increasing efforts in examination strategy.