Effect of short-term intensive design-based STEM learning on executive function: an fNIRS study of the left-behind children.

Design-based STEM learning is believed to be an effective cross-disciplinary strategy for promoting children's cognitive development. Yet, its impact on executive functions, particularly for disadvantaged children, still need to be explored. This study investigated the effects of short-term intensive design-based STEM learning on executive function among left-behind children. Sixty-one Grade 4 students from a school dedicated to the left-behind children in China were sampled and randomly assigned to an experimental group (10.70 ± 0.47 years old, n = 30) or a control group (10.77 ± 0.43 years old, n = 31). The experimental group underwent a two-week design-based STEM training program, while the control group participated in a 2-week STEM-related reading program. Both groups were assessed with the brain activation from 4 brain regions of interest using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and behavioral measures during a Stroop task before and after the training. Analysis disclosed: (i) a significant within-group time effect in the experimental group, with posttest brain activation in Brodmann Area 10 and 46 being notably lower during neutral and word conditions; (ii) a significant between-group difference at posttest, with the experimental group showing considerably lower brain activation in Brodmann Area 10 and Brodmann Area 46 than the control group; and (iii) a significant task effect in brain activity among the three conditions of the Stroop task. These findings indicated that this STEM learning effectively enhanced executive function in left-behind children. The discrepancy between the non-significant differences in behavioral performance and the significant ones in brain activation implies a compensatory mechanism in brain activation. This study enriches current theories about the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning on children's executive function development, providing biological evidence and valuable insights for educational curriculum design and assessment.

Possible determinants of physical fitness in Japanese school children: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Physical fitness is one of the most important health indicators in children. Although appropriate body composition or certain lifestyle factors such as frequent physical activity are thought to improve physical fitness, results of previous studies are inconsistent, and most studies were from Western countries. OBJECTIVES: We investigated associations of body composition and modifiable lifestyle factors such as physical activity, screen time, diet and sleep duration with physical fitness in Japanese primary school children. METHODS: 2308 children (age 10-12 years old) in 12 primary schools were analysed in this cross-sectional study. Physical fitness was evaluated by sports battery tests conducted routinely and annually at schools. The total score of sports battery tests, 20-m shuttle run (laps) and grip strength (kg) were selected as outcomes. Information about lifestyle factors was collected by two questionnaires. Associations between lifestyle factors and physical fitness were assessed by multivariable linear mixed models by sex. RESULTS: Frequent exercise was related to better overall physical fitness. Regarding the 20-m shuttle run, many unfavourable lifestyle factors such as higher BMI in boys (ß -7.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] -8.39, -6.35) and girls (ß -3.54, 95% CI -4.50, -2.58), longer screen time (ß -4.31, 95% CI -7.29, -1.34) in boys and girls (ß -5.65, 95% CI -9.01, -2.30); shortest (reference) versus longest, breakfast skipping in boys (ß -5.24, 95% CI -8.71, -1.77) and girls (ß -3.57, 95% CI -6.84, -0.30); consumers (reference) versus skippers were associated with worse performance. Better quality of diet was associated with better results in the 20-m shuttle run only in girls (ß 2.58, 95% CI 0.24, 4.93); lowest (reference) versus highest. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent exercise was related to better physical fitness. Higher BMI and unfavourable lifestyle factors such as longer screen time and breakfast skipping were associated with worse results of the 20-m shuttle run.

Investigating young children's physical activity through time and place.

BACKGROUND: Previous research indicates the start of primary school (4-5-year-old) as an essential period for the development of children's physical activity (PA) patterns, as from this point, the age-related decline of PA is most often observed. During this period, young children are exposed to a wider variety of environmental- and social contexts and therefore their PA is influenced by more diverse factors. However, in order to understand children's daily PA patterns and identify relevant opportunities for PA promotion, it is important to further unravel in which (social) contexts throughout the day, PA of young children takes place. METHODS: We included a cross-national sample of 21 primary schools from the Startvaardig study. In total, 248 children provided valid accelerometer and global positioning (GPS) data. Geospatial analyses were conducted to quantify PA in (social) environments based on their school and home. Transport-related PA was evaluated using GPS speed-algorithms. PA was analysed at different environments, time-periods and for week- and weekend days separately. RESULTS: Children accumulated an average of 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), both during week- and weekend days. Schools contributed to approximately half of daily MVPA during weekdays. During weekends, environments within 100 m from home were important, as well as locations outside the home-school neighbourhood. Pedestrian trips contributed to almost half of the daily MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several social contexts relevant for children's daily MVPA. Schools have the potential to significantly contribute to young children's PA patterns and are therefore encouraged to systematically evaluate and implement parts of the school-system that stimulate PA and potentially also learning processes. Pedestrian trips also have substantial contribution to daily MVPA of young children, which highlights the importance of daily active transport in school- and parental routines.

Food and nutrition information requirements of Australian primary school parents.

OBJECTIVE: To explore what Australian primary school parents want to learn about food and nutrition to improve their children's eating behaviours, as well as the associations between parents' personal and demographic characteristics and their views regarding their food and nutrition knowledge needs. DESIGN: An online nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2021 using a mixed-methods approach. Logistic regression analysis was utilised to examine the relationship between parents' demographics, personal values and their views. Content analysis was performed using Leximancer. SETTING: Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and eighty-seven parents. RESULTS: Fifty-one per cent wanted to learn more about food and nutrition to improve their children's healthy eating habits, and 77% of those preferred schools to provide that information. Online/printed newsletters and YouTube were the most preferred methods for receiving food and nutrition related information. Higher universalism-concern value (concern for the welfare of those in the larger society and world) scores were positively associated parents' preference for schools to provide food and nutrition-related information. Parents with non-English-speaking backgrounds and younger parents were more likely to want to learn about food and nutrition. Parents wanted to learn more about encouraging healthy eating, ideas for the lunchbox, food labels and age-specific portion sizes and recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings can inform public health educators and assist them in designing future food and nutrition education programmes and resources targeting primary school parents.

Understanding the link between theory of mind and loneliness among primary school students: A cross-lagged panel model analysis.

This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between theory of mind (ToM) and loneliness as well as the potential moderating effects of parenting style on this association. A total of 689 Chinese third-grade students (341 girls and 348 boys; Mage = 9.23 years, SD = 0.66) were recruited from eight primary schools and were followed from Grade 3 to Grade 5. These students reported their primary caregivers' parenting style in third grade and completed the same ToM task and loneliness questionnaire at each time point from Grade 3 to Grade 5. The study's results indicated a bidirectional relationship between ToM and loneliness, implying that children with less developed ToM abilities tend to feel lonelier and, conversely, that higher levels of loneliness are associated with lower ToM skills. Moreover, the study demonstrated that parenting style influenced the association between ToM and loneliness. Specifically, the impact of ToM at Grade 3 on reducing loneliness at Grade 4 was greater among children who experienced high levels of rejection from their caregivers compared with those with low levels of rejection. In addition, this study found that loneliness at Grade 3 had a greater influence on ToM at Grade 5 for children experiencing low levels of emotional warmth from their caregivers than for those who experienced high levels of emotional warmth. These findings highlight the significance of ToM as both a precursor and consequence of children's loneliness and emphasize the variation in these longitudinal relationships based on the parenting styles of primary caregivers.

The impact of family socioeconomic status on parental involvement and student engagement during COVID-19 in promoting academic achievement: A longitudinal study in Chinese children.

With a three-wave longitudinal design, the current study examined the impact of family socioeconomic status (SES) on parental involvement and student engagement in promoting children's academic achievement during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We recruited data from 246 mother-primary school student dyads, and the mean age of children at Wave 1 was 10.57 ± 0.97 years (range = 9-13 years). The academic achievement of these children was measured both before and after school closures. Family SES, parental involvement, and student engagement were assessed during the school closures. The results indicated that family SES could predict children's later academic achievement after accounting for their prior academic achievement and other demographics (i.e., the significant total effect in the model). Moreover, parental involvement and student engagement played chain-mediating roles in the effect of family SES on children's later academic achievement. Neither parent involvement nor student involvement alone mediated the relationships between family SES and subsequent academic achievement. Suggestions are provided to minimize the negative impact of low family SES on children's academic achievement during pandemics.

Preschool emergent literacy skills as predictors of reading and spelling in Grade 2 and the role of migration background in Germany.

Children's emergent literacy skills are essential for the development of later literacy abilities and school success. However, children with migration background often show poorer language skills in the majority language and are at a greater risk of developing literacy deficits. In addition, there is evidence for the predictive role of emergent literacy skills in reading comprehension, but there has been relatively little research concerning the association between preschool emergent literacy skills and word reading and spelling in Germany, especially for children with migration background. This study examines the associations of emergent literacy skills (vocabulary, phonological awareness [PA], letter knowledge, and rapid naming) with word reading and spelling from kindergarten to the end of Grade 2 and evaluates the role of migration background (i.e., use of the majority or minority language at home) in these associations. Data from 187 preschool children were obtained before school entry (Mage = 63.58 months, SD = 4.45). The results show that vocabulary and letter knowledge were strong predictors of word reading, whereas letter knowledge and PA were significant predictors of spelling. Furthermore, children's migration background was negatively associated with preschool vocabulary and PA. For children with migration background, vocabulary was a significant predictor of word reading, whereas letter knowledge was the best predictor of word reading for children without migration background. The results reflect the complexity of language development and the relevance of emergent literacy skills as predictors for word reading and spelling. Specific interventions should be developed to promote children's literacy abilities.

Prevalence and associated factors of head lice infestation among primary school children in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Head lice infestation remains a persistent public health concern among primary school children in resource-limited settings, affecting their well-being and academic performance. Despite previous studies, there is no consistent evidence on the prevalence and factors associated with head lice infestation. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to head lice infestation among primary school children in low and middle-income countries. METHODS: This review was conducted by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. Relevant electronic databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Science Direct, AJOL, and Google Scholar, were used to retrieve articles. The study included only published articles written in English languages between December 01, 2014 to January 31, 2024 for studies reporting the prevalence of head lice infestation or associated factors among primary school children in low- and middle-income countries. This review has been registered on PROSPERO with Prospero registration number CRD42024506959. The heterogeneity of the data was evaluated using the I2 statistic. A meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 17 software, with a 95% confidence interval. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and statistical tests, such as Egger's and Beggs's tests, to identify publication biases in the included studies. Meta-regression was also carried out to assess the source of publication of publication bias. RESULTS: The review included 39 studies involving 105,383 primary school children. The pooled prevalence of head lice infestation among primary school children in low- and middle-income countries was 19.96% (95% CI; 13.97, 25.95). This review also found out that being a girl was 3.71 times (AOR = 3.71; 95% CI: 1.22-11.26) more likely to have head lice infestation as compared to boys, while children with a previous history of infestation were 4.51 times (AOR = 4.51; 95% CI: 2.31-8.83) more likely to have head lice infestation as compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of head lice infestation among primary school children in low- and middle-income countries was found to be high. Female gender, children who had a previous history of infestation, and family size were significant predictors of head lice infestation. As a result, policymakers and program administrators should focus on the identified determinants.

The interplay between ego-resiliency, math anxiety and working memory in math achievement.

Previous research has suggested that math anxiety may contribute to poor math performance by interfering with working memory. However, only a limited number of studies investigated the mediating role of working memory in the math anxiety-math performance link in school-aged children. Unlike math anxiety, ego-resiliency is a personality resource that promotes the management of challenges and has been positively associated with math performance and negatively with anxiety. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding regarding the specific role of ego-resiliency in math learning and how it relates to math anxiety. This study aimed to investigate conjunctly the interplay between primary school children's ego-resiliency, math anxiety, working memory, and performance on two different math tasks (i.e., arithmetic task and word problem-solving task), after controlling for general anxiety and age. The study involved 185 Italian children from grades 3 to 5. Serial multi-mediational analyses revealed that: (1) ego-resiliency has a positive indirect effect on math achievement through two paths - math anxiety, and math anxiety and working memory; (2) the study replicated previous findings showing that working memory partially mediated the relationship between math anxiety and math performance; (3) similar patterns of results were found for both math skills. The study identifies ego-resiliency as a possible protective factor in the development of math anxiety and suggests that ego-resiliency could be worth considering when designing interventions aimed at reducing negative emotions towards mathematics.

Unpacking the cost of the lunchbox for Australian families: a secondary analysis.

Ninety per cent of Australian school children bring a home-packed lunch to school, with 44% of the food consumed during school hours being unhealthy. Among other factors, cost is a key consideration for food provision; however, the costs to Australian families are not well understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine what families are currently paying for school lunchboxes in Australian primary schools and to examine associations between food costs and socio-demographic factors with dietary quality. An audit of local retail outlets was used to determine the food costs of lunchbox contents. Costs (AUD) were adjusted for inflation as of early 2023. The lunchboxes of 1026 children aged 4-12 years at 12 Catholic primary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were assessed at the start of the day, using photography assessment methods and a validated School Food Checklist. The mean cost of lunchbox contents was $4.48 AUD (SD 1.53), containing a mean energy of 2699 kJ (SD 859), with 37.3% (SD 23.9) of energy sourced from unhealthy foods. Multiple linear regression analyses found that the strongest predictors of higher lunchbox cost (P < 0.05) were a higher proportion of energy from unhealthy foods (B = 0.016) and lower Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (B = -0.178), when controlling for child socio-demographics. The results indicated that lunchbox food costs to Australian families are comparable to alternative school food service models in Australia and internationally. Results demonstrate the cost of food is not the only barrier to providing a healthy school lunchbox. Demonstrating a need for cost-considerate systematic interventions addressing food provision challenges and socio-economic disparities faced by families.

Physical Activity Levels During School Recess in a Nationally Representative Sample of 10- to 11-Year-Olds.

PURPOSE: School recess provides a valuable opportunity for children's daily moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). This study aimed to quantify MVPA during school recess in a representative sample of Scottish children and examine whether recess MVPA varied by gender, socioeconomic status, season, urban/rural residency, and recess length. METHOD: Five-day accelerometry MVPA data were analyzed from 773 children (53.9% girls, 46.1% boys, 10- to 11-y-olds) from 471 schools. Binary logistic regression explored associations between meeting/not meeting the recommendation to spend 40% of recess time in MVPA and the aforementioned risk factors. Descriptive recess data were also analyzed. RESULTS: Participants spent an average of 3.2 minutes (SD 2.1) in MVPA during recess. Girls engaged in 2.5 minutes (SD 1.7) of MVPA compared with 4.0 minutes (SD 2.2) for boys. Only 6% of children met the recess MVPA recommendation. The odds of girls (odds ratio 0.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.25) meeting the recommendation was lower (P < .001) compared with boys. No statistically significant differences were observed in meeting the recommendation for the other risk factors. CONCLUSION: Levels of MVPA during school recess are very low in Scottish children, and interventions aimed at increasing MVPA during recess are needed.

Association of Recess Provision With Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in a Representative Sample of 6- to 11-Year-Old Children in the United States.

PURPOSE: To assess the association between the amount of recess provision and children's accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) levels. METHODS: Parents/guardians of 6- to 11-year-olds (n = 451) in the 2012 National Youth Fitness Survey reported recess provision, categorized as low (10-15 min; 31.9%), medium (16-30 min; 48.0%), or high (>30 min; 20.1%). Children wore a wrist-worn accelerometer for 7 days to estimate time spent sedentary, in light PA, and in moderate to vigorous PA using 2 different cut points for either activity counts or raw acceleration. Outcomes were compared between levels of recess provision while adjusting for covariates and the survey's multistage, probability sampling design. RESULTS: Children with high recess provision spent less time sedentary, irrespective of type of day (week vs weekend) and engaged in more light or moderate to vigorous PA on weekdays than those with low recess provision. The magnitude and statistical significance of effects differed based on the cut points used to classify PA (eg, 4.7 vs 11.9 additional min·d-1 of moderate to vigorous PA). CONCLUSIONS: Providing children with >30 minutes of daily recess, which exceeds current recommendations of ≥20 minutes, is associated with more favorable PA levels and not just on school days. Identifying the optimal method for analyzing wrist-worn accelerometer data could clarify the magnitude of this effect.

Perspectives of primary school teachers on the capacity of schools to support post-pandemic health needs emerging among school-age children.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on capacity building for health promotion in primary schools from the perspectives of primary school teachers. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted via an anonymous online survey between February and May 2022. Three-quarters (n2460) of all schools in the Republic of Ireland were invited to participate. Demographics such as gender, teaching experience, school type and delivering equality of opportunity in schools (DEIS) designation were collected. Perceived capacity for health promotion was measured on a 10-point Likert scale. Facilitators and barriers related to health promotion and aspects of child health prioritised for health promotion in the 2 years after restrictions eased were explored via closed- and open-ended questions. RESULTS: Of the 595 responses, 493 were eligible for analysis. Participants were based in schools in every county in the Republic of Ireland, with most (85.4%, n421) being female. Almost a third (30.5%, n150) were 11-20 years post-qualification, and a quarter (25.2%, n124) had over 30 years' teaching experience. Mean capacity for school-based health promotion pre-pandemic was moderate, at 6.6 ± 2.2 on a 10-point scale. Mean capacity in spring 2022 decreased significantly (p < 0.001) to 4.1 ± 2.4, indicating poor capacity. Capacity ratings did not significantly differ by school type (p = 0.31), socioeconomic designation (p = 0.27) or years post-qualification (p = 0.08). Capacity decrements were most frequently (49.7%, n245) attributed to organisational factors, while individual and community-level factors were cited by 27.6% (n136) and 21.5% (n106) of respondents, respectively. Healthy eating significantly (p < 0.001) decreased as a priority for health promotion between pre-pandemic times (76.3%, n376) and spring 2022 (23.1%, n114). Mental health significantly (p < 0.01) increased as a priority, being listed by 38.1% (n188) as a priority pre-pandemic and doubling to 72.6% (n358) in spring 2022. CONCLUSIONS: Fostering a holistic approach to health promotion in schools remains a challenge. Further efforts are needed to support schools to implement sustainable and balanced systems of health promotion.

An exploration of primary school teachers' perspectives on children's rights.

This study endeavors to scrutinize the perspectives of primary school teachers regarding children's rights. Employing qualitative research methods, particularly a case study approach, the research delves into the insights of 14 teachers working in a primary school within the Turkish Cypriot region during the 2022-2023 academic year. Data collection was facilitated through the utilization of a semi-structured interview form, and subsequent analysis was conducted via content analysis. The findings underscore a discernible lack of adequate knowledge among teachers pertaining to children's rights, particularly in the context of violations occurring on social media platforms. In response, recommendations are posited, advocating for the implementation of in-service training programs to enhance teachers' awareness, the integration of children's rights throughout all stages of primary education, collaborative efforts between the Turkish Education Institution and the Information Technologies Communication Authority to raise awareness among families and educators, and the inclusion of a dedicated course on children's rights in the curriculum of the Turkish Cypriot Region Teacher Academy and university faculties of education.

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Intervention Programme to Improve Attention in Primary Schools.

The importance of attentional capacity for academic performance is highlighted by the increasing demands placed on students during primary school. Between the ages of 7 and 12, there is an evolutionary improvement in attentional capacity and the school environment is considered an appropriate setting in which to develop programmes to improve attention. Heart rate variability is an appropriate indicator of attentional capacity. For all these reasons, a heart rate variability biofeedback intervention focused on breathing was developed and implemented to improve attention. The intervention consisted of two phases. In the first phase, the school teachers were trained to develop the intervention; in the second, students received five individual sessions from their teachers. In each individual session, they learned to breathe to increase their heart rate variability. A total of 272 girls and 314 boys (N = 586) aged 7-12 years participated in the programme. To study the impact of the intervention on three primary school age groups, the attention of Control and Experimental groups was assessed before and after the implementation of the programme. According to the data obtained, despite developmental improvements, the students who participated in the programme showed an increase in heart rate variability and an improvement in attentional capacity, with a greater impact on the first cycle of primary school. The usefulness of heart rate variability biofeedback interventions in improving attention in primary school is discussed and arguments for their use in children are presented.

Intervention for School Anxiety and Absenteeism in Children (ISAAC): Mixed-Method Feasibility Study of a Coach-Assisted, Parent-Focused Online Program.

The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen an increase in persistent school absenteeism and Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA). However, suitable evidence-based psychological interventions are often unavailable. We aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a new parent-focused online program, Intervention for School Anxiety and Absenteeism in Children (ISAAC), which has been co-designed with parents and practitioners. This exploratory mixed-method study recruited participants from three schools in southern England, enrolling N = 9 parents for whom a child, aged 5-11 years, was experiencing signs of EBSA. The intervention consisted of three web-based psychoeducational modules respectively addressing parental stress, accommodating parenting behaviors, and communication with school staff. Module completion was assisted by weekly calls with a non-specialist "coach." Feasibility was measured using indicators of retention, module participation, overall program completion and coaching fidelity. Acceptability was assessed using semi-structured interviews, module ratings and written qualitative feedback. We also explored baseline-post change in parent-reported measures of children's school avoidance, absences, anxiety, parental stress, accommodating parenting behaviors, and quality of parent-school communication. Overall, the intervention was feasible to deliver to parents with six (67%) participants completing the full intervention. Participants found the intervention acceptable across thematic domains of affective attitude, burden, coherence, self-efficacy and perceived effectiveness. Participants particularly appreciated the coach's support. We observed small to moderate reductions in school avoidance behaviours (d with Hedges correction = 0.36), child anxiety (d with Hedges correction = 0.33) and accommodating behaviours (d with Hedges correction = 0.44) at the post timepoint compared to baseline. In conclusion, ISAAC shows early promise with the potential to deliver scalable online support for families affected by emerging EBSA. Future research should move toward establishing effectiveness in a randomized controlled trial.

Teaching Strategies to Enhance Knowledge and Understanding of Opisthorchis viverrini and Cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand: Lessons for Asian Countries.

Although Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) is a neglected tropical disease, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) listed it as a human carcinogen 30 years ago. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the ultimate pathology outcome. However, it remains a significant public health problem in the Greater Mekong Subregion and Asia. Its widespread impact on human health requires urgent action using various strategies. This study aimed to investigate and prioritize the need for developing teaching and learning management of OV and CCA among primary school students in Thailand endemic areas. The samples consisted of 36 Grade 6 students. This study was conducted by using a needs questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Mean and Standard Deviation. The needs were prioritized using the Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI modified). The findings revealed a moderate overall need for teaching and learning management development. The area with the highest need was learning activity organization (PNI = 0.410), followed by audiovisual equipment (PNI = 0.276) and buildings (PNI = 0.265). The teaching content the students needed most included CCA prevention, risk factors, and disease symptoms (58.33%). Based on the findings, it is suggested that teachers design various learning activities and emphasize hands-on activities for students. Additionally, administrators should allocate budgets to improve buildings and audiovisual equipment, and relevant organizations should establish policies to promote learning on these issues in educational institutions. Essential lessons from this study can provide a starting point for executives and public health personnel worldwide to apply to develop educational strategies for cancer education and cancer prevention and control.

What matters in low-threshold collaboration? Perceptions of interprofessional collaboration between education and social and healthcare professionals in Finnish primary schools.

This study examined the factors linked to low-threshold interprofessional collaboration in the context of Finnish primary schools. The main purpose of the study was to analyze how education and health and social care professionals perceived their mutual collaboration. The PINCOM-Q scale was used to identify factors related to interprofessional collaboration in professionals' work settings. The results indicate that individual factors such as work motivation and personal power are prominent in low-threshold collaboration. At the group level, communication has an important role to play in interprofessional collaboration. Professionals (n = 204) perceived mutual exchange of information as an important aspect of working together. The aspects that matter in the low-threshold mode of interprofessional collaboration are a complex combination of individual, group and less obvious organizational factors, all of which both reflect and are reflected in an individual's motivation and commitment to cooperation. The establishment of long-term and systematic low-threshold, interprofessional collaboration presupposes that individual interests are realized in good interaction in equal encounters between different organizational domains.

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.

Parents face several barriers in providing a healthy school lunch for their primary school children: A survey of Victorian (Australian) parents.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: This paper aims to explore Victoria parents' perceptions of their current practices and barriers in providing school lunches for their primary school children. METHODS: Respondents were asked via an online survey about their lunch provision practices, perceptions of the healthiness of school lunches, and barriers to providing healthy school lunches. Data were analysed using different statistical techniques: Chi-square test, Spearman correlation analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: In total, 359 respondents completed the survey. Most respondents (84%) reported their child takes a home-packed lunch to school every day. Most respondents provided fruits (94%), vegetables (57%), and sandwiches (54%) every day for school lunches, whilst other core food items such as milk, meats, and legumes were provided less frequently. A substantial proportion of respondents provided some discretionary food items frequently (e.g., the proportion of respondents providing selected discretionary food items daily or 3-4 times/week: salty crackers-50%, sweet cookies/biscuits-40%, chips-20%). Respondents strongly agreed or agreed with several barriers; examples include not packing certain foods due to food spoilage concerns (50%) (school-related), the allocated time at their child's school is not enough to eat and enjoy school lunch (48%) (school-related), need more meal ideas (61%) (parent-related), healthy foods take more time to prepare (51%) (parent-related), and children request easy-to-eat food for school lunches (50%) (child-related). Core food score (an indicator of frequency of preparing/packing core food) was negatively correlated with parent-related and child-related barrier scores, whilst discretionary food score (an indicator of frequency of preparing/packing discretionary food) was positively correlated with these barrier scores. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, home-packed lunches remain the main option in primary schools in Victoria, and parents face several challenges in providing healthy lunches for their primary school children. SO WHAT?: The findings suggest the need for strategies from school leaders, education authorities, and policymakers to improve the quality of lunch content and address the barriers faced by parents.