Prevalence of dyslipidemia among teachers in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically analyze the current situation with dyslipidemia among teachers in China, to provide guidance for lipid management and prevention of ASCVD. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of dyslipidemia among teachers in China. Methods: We searched via 9 databases for studies published between June 1, 1996, and July, 25, 2024. The article were evaluated by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Article Quality Assessment Tool (2016) in Australia. RevMan5.0 and R4.3.1 software were used for statistical analysis to calculate the OR and RR values and the 95% confidence intervals. This systematic review and meta-analysis were reported in line with the PRISMA guidelines. Results: A total of 12 cross-sectional studies from 10 provinces (regions) were included, with the sample of 24,851, including 12,626 males and 12,198 females, the average age of about 40 (1,036 were aged ≤30, 5,872 were aged 30-40, 3,854 were aged 40-50, 4,607 were aged 50-60, and 3,425 were aged ≥60), including 9,114 people with dyslipidemia. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia among teachers in China was 38% (p < 0.01, 95% CI (1.27-1.95)). The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was 21.6% (p < 0.01, 95% CI (1.05-1.50)), that of hypercholesterolemia was 13.3% (p < 0.05, 95% CI (0.98-1.34)), that of hyper-LDL-Cemia was 9.4% (p < 0.01, 95% CI (1.04-1.59)), and that of hypo-HDL-Cemia was 4.3% (p = 0.25, 95% CI (0.61-6.52)). The heterogeneity of dyslipidemia among teachers of the different sexes was I2 = 92% (p < 0.01). The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia, as well as that of high TC, high TG, and high LDL-C levels, was greater in female teachers than in male teachers (df = 10, 95% CI:1.35-1.52, p < 0.01). The heterogeneity of dyslipidemia among teachers of different ages was I2 = 74% (p < 0.01), and the risk was lower for aged <50 years than those aged ≥50 years (df = 7, 95% CI: 0.38-0.44, p = 0.04). The year, region, school type, and these factors showed no effect on the prevalence of dyslipidemia (p = 0.7353). Conclusion: The prevalence of dyslipidemia in the teacher population in China is high and tends to increase with age. We should pay attention to the health management of the teachers, which can be done by appropriately adjusting the educational model settings, increasing the programs on physical activities, promoting the improvement of healthy lifestyles. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier [CRD42024567785].

A Possible Nocebo Effect in Children Following the Flint Water Crisis: Evidence From Schoolteacher Perceptions and Neuropsychological Evaluations.

OBJECTIVE: Special education enrollment increased in Flint following the 2014-2015 Flint Water Crisis, but lead exposure is not plausibly responsible. Labeling Flint children as lead poisoned and/or brain damaged may have contributed to rising special education needs (ie, nocebo effect). To better document this possibility, we surveyed schoolteachers and reviewed neuropsychological assessments of children for indications of negative labeling. METHODS: A survey of Flint and Detroit (control) public schoolteachers using a modified Illness Perception Questionnaire was conducted 5 years post-crisis. We also examined neuropsychological assessments from a recently settled class lawsuit. RESULTS: Relative to Detroit (n = 24), Flint teachers (n = 11) believed that a higher proportion of their students had harmful lead exposure (91.8% Flint vs 46% Detroit; P = 0.00034), were lead poisoned (51.3% vs 24.3%; P = 0.018), or brain damaged (28.8% vs 12.9%; P = 0.1), even though blood lead of Flint children was always less than half of that of Detroit children. Neuropsychological assessments diagnosed lead poisoning and/or brain damage from water lead exposure in all tested children (n = 8), even though none had evidence of elevated blood lead and a majority had prior learning disability diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Teachers' responses and neuropsychological assessments suggest Flint children were harmed by a nocebo effect.

School Violence Exposure as an Adverse Childhood Experience: Protocol for a Nationwide Study of Secondary Public Schools.

BACKGROUND: Poor mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predict extensive adverse outcomes in youth, including increases in long-term risk for chronic disease and injury, impaired emotional development, and poor academic outcomes. Exposure to school violence, specifically intentional gun violence, is an increasingly prevalent ACE. The anticipation of school shootings has led to the implementation of school safety and security interventions that may increase anxiety, depression, and other indicators of poor mental well-being among students and staff alike. Despite this, the association between exposure to existing school safety interventions and early adolescent student mental health outcomes, while accounting for one's history of ACEs, has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVE: The study protocol described here aims to determine whether there is a significant difference in the prevalence of mental health outcomes, perceived school safety, and academic engagement between adolescent students (grades 6-12) at schools who have experienced a school shooting and those who have not; whether existing interventions to promote school safety and security are associated with poor mental health outcomes among students and school staff; and what the strength of the association between school safety interventions and mental health outcomes among students and teachers is in schools that have experienced a school shooting versus schools that have never experienced a school shooting. METHODS: This observational study will collect cross-sectional survey data from a nationwide sample of students, teachers, and principals at 12 secondary public schools across the United States. The participants come from 6 randomly selected exposure schools that have either experienced a recent (<2 years ago) intentional school shooting or have experienced an intentional school shooting less recently (>2 years ago). Data from these schools are being directly compared with 6 secondary schools that have never experienced a school shooting. RESULTS: Institutional review board approval for this research project was obtained and the study subsequently began its recruitment and data collection phase in January 2024. Data collection is currently ongoing and the expected completion date is January 2025. The analytic plan is designed to determine if the strength of the association between school safety interventions and mental health outcomes differs among students and school staff in schools with varying levels of school violence exposure. Analyses will be used to evaluate the role of ACEs on the relationships among exposure to an intentional school shooting, exposure to school safety strategies, and student outcomes (ie, mental health and well-being, perceptions of school safety, and educational outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study promise to generate meaningful and novel findings on the extent to which having a prior history of ACEs moderates the relationships among exposure to intentional school gun violence, school safety strategies, and student outcomes (ie, mental health and well-being, and perceptions of school safety). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06153316; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06153316. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56249.

Mental issues, internet addiction and quality of life predict burnout among Hungarian teachers: a machine learning analysis.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is usually defined as a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that affects people in various professions (e.g. physicians, nurses, teachers). The consequences of burnout involve decreased motivation, productivity, and overall diminished well-being. The machine learning-based prediction of burnout has therefore become the focus of recent research. In this study, the aim was to detect burnout using machine learning and to identify its most important predictors in a sample of Hungarian high-school teachers. METHODS: The final sample consisted of 1,576 high-school teachers (522 male), who completed a survey including various sociodemographic and health-related questions and psychological questionnaires. Specifically, depression, insomnia, internet habits (e.g. when and why one uses the internet) and problematic internet usage were among the most important predictors tested in this study. Supervised classification algorithms were trained to detect burnout assessed by two well-known burnout questionnaires. Feature selection was conducted using recursive feature elimination. Hyperparameters were tuned via grid search with 10-fold cross-validation. Due to class imbalance, class weights (i.e. cost-sensitive learning), downsampling and a hybrid method (SMOTE-ENN) were applied in separate analyses. The final model evaluation was carried out on a previously unseen holdout test sample. RESULTS: Burnout was detected in 19.7% of the teachers included in the final dataset. The best predictive performance on the holdout test sample was achieved by random forest with class weigths (AUC = 0.811; balanced accuracy = 0.745, sensitivity = 0.765; specificity = 0.726). The best predictors of burnout were Beck's Depression Inventory scores, Athen's Insomnia Scale scores, subscales of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and self-reported current health status. CONCLUSIONS: The performances of the algorithms were comparable with previous studies; however, it is important to note that we tested our models on previously unseen holdout samples suggesting higher levels of generalizability. Another remarkable finding is that besides depression and insomnia, other variables such as problematic internet use and time spent online also turned out to be important predictors of burnout.

Prevalence of sickness presenteeism and associated factors among primary school teachers in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia.

Background: Sickness presenteeism, the phenomenon of people going to work despite being ill, is an occupational and psychosocial condition that hurts both the health of workers and organizational productivity. It negatively affects health, increases health-related costs, and the risk of contagious diseases. Primary school teachers are particularly vulnerable to this problem, although little is known about its scope and associated factors. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with sickness presenteeism among school teachers in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was employed and the study period was from April 18 to May 18, 2023. A sample of 633 primary school teachers was recruited using two-stage stratified random sampling. Data were collected using structured self-administered questionnaires. Epi-data version 4.6 and STATA version 14 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was used. A multivariable logistic regression model with an adjusted odds ratio was fitted for statistical significance. Results: A total of 603 school teachers participated in this study, with a response rate of 95.26%. The overall prevalence of sickness presenteeism in the last 12 months was 54.7% (N = 330) [95% CI (50.9, 58.7)]. Private school teachers [AOR: 2.21, 95% CI (1.14, 4.28)], low supervisor support [AOR: 1.53, 95% CI (1.06, 2.20)], lack of staff replacement availability [AOR: 2.74, 95% CI (1.85, 4.06)], low colleague support [AOR: 2.17, 95% CI (1.40, 3.37)], unsuitable household conditions [AOR: 1.49, 95% CI (1.08, 2.34)], and strict attendance control [AOR: 2.54, 95% CI (1.67, 3.85)] were factors significantly associated with sickness presenteeism. Conclusion: The prevalence of sickness presenteeism was relatively high among primary school teachers because of factors such as low support from supervisors and colleagues, strict attendance control, lack of staff replacement, unsuitable household conditions, and private school type. Strategies to promote teachers' health include fostering a culture of support and collaboration among colleagues, recruiting adequate staff, and implementing liberal attendance policies.

Women's health at work: a qualitative study on women's health issues in relation to work participation. Experiences and perspectives from female teachers and managers in Norwegian high schools.

BACKGROUND: Public health and working life are closely related. Even though Norway is one of the world's most equality-oriented countries, working life is still divided by gender. Women have a lower rate of participation in working life than men, they work more part-time and they have a higher sickness absence. Research has mostly focused on structural and cultural reasons for gender differences, rather than on the fact that women and men have different biology and face different health challenges. The aim of this project was to explore experienced associations between women's health and female participation in working life. METHODS: Qualitative methods were chosen for investigating women's experiences. We carried out in-depth interviews with 11 female high school teachers and supplemented the material with a focus group with five managers from the same organisation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the six steps of reflexive thematic analysis for consistency in the analysis process. RESULTS: The teachers shared a variety of experienced health issues within the field of women's health and perceived barriers in the work environment. Four main themes were identified: (1) invisibility of women's health at work, (2) complexity and lack of recognition of women's health at work, (3) women's health in work environment and (4) women's health and role conflicts. There were few contradictions between the two informant groups. We found that health, work and total life intertwine and that complexity, lack of recognition and invisibility of women's health appear at different levels in a mutual influence: for the women themselves, in the organisation and in society. CONCLUSION: Lack of recognition and invisibility of women's health in the work environment is suggested to influence women's work participation. The complexity of female health is not captured by gender-neutral structures in the work environment meant to protect and promote employees' occupational health. Recognition of women's health in the work context can therefore contribute to a gender-equal, health-promoting and sustainable working life.

Physical and psychological health consequences of intimate partner violence among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial Zone of Delta State, Nigeria: Implication for marital stability.

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious health issue among couples which is recorded more among married partners. Dishearteningly, IPV among couples who are teachers is underreported due to shame, thereby increasing the prevalence of IPV in the area of the study. Objectives: The study examined physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married primary school teachers. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted on married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria from 22nd February - 29th November, 2021. Three hundred and thirteen 313 (207 women and 106 men who have experienced various forms of IPV) who were identified as victims of IPV were used as participants in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married teachers. Conclusion: The researchers concluded that there are severe and serious physical and psychological health consequences associated with IPV among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Urgent interventions such as public enlightenment, campaigns, workshops, seminars, community health talk-shows should be organized by government stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, community leaders on the prevention of IPV and its dare consequences for marital stability.

Occupational health disorders among physical education teachers compared to classroom and subject specialist teachers.

During the course of their work, teachers may be subjected to conditions that cause different health problems. This study examines occupational health disorders in a representative sample of 858 teachers (528 female; age 44.0 ± 9.67 years) divided into three groups of teachers with specific occupational requirements: specialist physical education teachers (specialist PETs), classroom teachers, and specialist teachers. The number of health disorders in the last 12 months was recorded using the Chronic Health Disorders Questionnaire. The differences between the different types of teachers, controlled for sex and age, were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The results showed that 89% of teachers experienced colds as the most frequently reported health problem, followed by 58% for lower back problems, 57% for headaches, 51% for hoarseness, and 43% for neck problems. A binary logistic regression showed that specialist PETs were the group with the highest health risk. They were about twice as likely to have musculoskeletal or hearing disorders than the other two groups of teachers. They were also significantly more likely to suffer from hoarseness. Understanding these different health challenges is critical to developing targeted interventions and robust support systems. These interventions should include initiatives aimed at raising awareness of health risk factors, implementing injury interventions and vocal cord hygiene programs, making ergonomic adjustments, and promoting awareness of self-care (both mental and physical). Given that the teaching profession is currently struggling with an aging workforce and a shortage of teachers, addressing these challenges is critical to the continued well-being of the teaching professionals.

Burnout syndrome among preschool teachers in Serbia.

Pedagogical work, especially with preschool children, is one of the most stressful professions, and the incidence of stress-related illnesses among preschool teachers is higher than in the general population. The aim of this cross-sectional study, conducted between October 2018 and April 2019, was to examine the prevalence of the burnout syndrome in a representative sample of 482 preschool teachers in Serbia and the factors associated with it. For this purpose, the participants completed a questionnaire composed of six sections: the socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, health and lifestyle characteristics, workplace and employment characteristics; Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The frequency of the total burnout was 27.1 %. The frequency of burnout on the CBI was 25.4 % for personal burnout, 27.0 % for work-related burnout, and 23.4 % for client-related burnout. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with total burnout as an outcome variable showed that being single (OR: 0.18; 95 % CI: 0.05-0.58), having poor (OR: 6.05; 95 % CI: 1.05-34.91), or average (OR: 3.60; 95 % CI: 1.57-8.25) self-rated health, not having didactic/play tools (OR: 2.71; 95 % CI: 1.21-6.04), having a higher score on the BDI (OR: 1.19; 95 % CI: 1.09-1.29) or SAS (OR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.18) was significantly associated with the total burnout among our participants. Our study shows the worryingly high prevalence of the burnout syndrome among preschool teachers in Serbia and points to its association with mental health issues, depression, and anxiety.

Improving knowledge, attitude and practice on norovirus infection diarrhea among staff of kindergartens and schools: a before-after study.

BACKGROUND: Norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks were common in schools and kindergartens and were more related to faculty knowledge, attitude, and practice level. Gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by norovirus in educational institutions were the prominent cause of Public Health Emergency Events in China. This study aimed to explore the transformation in the contribution of KAP items related to outbreak prevention before and after intervention and the impact of demography factors on the intervention. METHODS: This study sampled 1095 kindergarten and 1028 school staff in Shenzhen, China. We created a questionnaire consisting of 35 items in 4 parts, and each item was rated on a scale of 1-5 according to the accuracy. Univariate analysis of non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression were used to estimate the score difference on demographic characteristics, each item and KAP. The odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence and intervals (CI) for the association between statistical indicators were mainly used to explain the effects before and after intervention. RESULTS: Overall, 98.72% and 74.9% of the kindergarten and school participants were female, and all respondents had the highest scores difference of practice. Following intervention, univariate analysis indicated that primary school and female respondents achieved higher knowledge scores. Staff age beyond 35 (OR = 0.56, CI:0.34-0.92; OR = 0.67, CI:0.50-0.90) and with more than ten years of service (OR = 0.58, CI:0.36-0.91; OR = 0.38, CI:0.17-0.84) demonstrated a significantly lower post-intervention score for attitude and practice in both kindergartens and schools. The staff members exhibited a general lack of familiarity with the transmission of aerosols and the seasonal patterns of NoVs diarrhea pandemics. Item analysis revealed that kindergarten staff aged 26 and above demonstrated superior performance in terms of the efficacy of medical alcohol for inactivation (OR = 1.93, CI:1.13-3.31) and management strategies for unexplained vomiting among students (OR = 1.97, CI:1.21-3.18). Private school personnel displayed more significant improvement in their practices following educational interventions. School administrators' negative attitudes were primarily evident in their perspectives on morning inspections (OR = 0.11, CI:0.05-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: The potential negative impact of faculty age on NoVs-related knowledge can be mitigated by the positive attitudes fostered through seniority. Furthermore, it is imperative to urgently address the lack of knowledge among administrators, and the identification and treatment of vomiting symptoms should be emphasized as crucial aspects of school prevention strategies. Therefore, education authorities should implement comprehensive public health interventions in the future.

Improvement of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet through a Nutrition Education Teaching Pack for Teachers within the "School Fruit Scheme" Program: An Italian Long-Term Trial in School Children.

A previous short time span study related to the effectiveness of a teaching pack (TP) in improving the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) showed positive results. The present study was aimed at investigating and confirming those results, with a follow up data collection, in the same sample, a year after the baseline intervention. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted. Weight and height were measured. Eating patterns/lifestyle were assessed by the KIDMED test and questionnaires. Thirteen schools in three areas with low, medium and high prevalence of overweight/obesity (North, Center and South respectively) were involved, with a representative baseline cluster sample of 494 fourth class children (8-10 years old) in 2015. An intervention group and a control group were recruited in each school; the intervention group (n = 395) got the intervention, the control group (n = 99) did not. The children's KIDMED score changes were the main outcome measures. Differences in percentages of adherence and in yes/no answers on the KIDMED test, at baseline and after one year, for both the intervention and the control groups, were assessed through contingency tables and statistical tests. Improvements in the high and low adherence rates to MD were observed (high adherence: 24.4% to 43.3%; low adherence: 15.0% to 3.9%, p < 0.0001). The percentages of subjects with optimal adherence improved in both sexes (females: 25.5% to 49.5%, p < 0.0001; males: 23.1% to 36.6%, p < 0.0001) in all the geographical areas and ponderal status classes. Accompanying free distribution of fruit and vegetables with a nutritional intervention led by trained teachers with a cross-curricular approach can be successful in promoting healthy eating in children.

Associations between Preschool Teachers' Food-Based Learning Frequency, Level of Personal Priority and Identified Resources and Challenges: A Needs Assessment.

Food-based learning (FBL) is the use of food as a teaching tool in the classroom, which can expose children to healthy foods to improve preference and consumption. However, more research is needed on the use and perception of FBL in the Head Start (HS) preschool classroom. In an online survey, we explored associations between North Carolina HS teachers' (n = 168) experiences (e.g., resources, challenges, needs, and preferences) with FBL, how frequently teachers implemented it, and how much they prioritized it. We used frequencies and chi-square tests of independence to assess associations between study variables. Teachers reported using FBL regularly with access to FBL resources (e.g., books and center play materials) and experiencing challenges (e.g., lack of funding and material resources). Teachers partnered with parents and farmers markets and expressed a need for additional FBL professional development. Our needs assessment findings revealed specific resources, challenges, and perceptions significantly associated with how often teachers used FBL and their priority level. Additional research should investigate how to alleviate FBL challenges and strategies to create policy and environmental changes that facilitate early FBL.

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.

Symptoms and Risk Factors of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome among Schoolteachers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study.

CONTEXT: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel into the wrist. It is the most common peripheral mononeuropathy and accounts for a large proportion of occupational upper extremity disorders. Teaching is an occupation associated with musculoskeletal disorders. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CTS symptoms and related risk factors among schoolteachers in Al-Ahsa. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted on schoolteachers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, during 2023. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We distributed the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire to the teachers' groups through social media in the form of an online questionnaire, and we visited schools to encourage participation. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Our study included 619 schoolteachers. The syndrome symptoms were present in 71.1% of individuals, and functional disruption was present in 52.7%. The likelihood of exhibiting the symptoms is increased by being female, not participating in sports, having a chronic illness, writing for more than 4 h, and having symptoms in both hands. CONCLUSIONS: We found a comparatively high percentage (71.1%) of the syndrome symptoms among schoolteachers working in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, which suggests that any signs of CTS in schoolteachers should be evaluated to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.

Résumé Contexte:Le syndrome du canal carpien (CTS) est causé par la compression du nerf médian lorsqu'il traverse le canal carpien jusqu'au poignet. Il s'agit de la mononeuropathie périphérique la plus courante et représente une grande proportion des troubles professionnels des membres supérieurs. L'enseignement est une profession associée aux troubles musculo-squelettiques.Objectifs:Dans une étude récente menée à Riyad, il y avait un pourcentage relativement élevé (40,0 %) de symptômes du syndrome chez les enseignants.Paramètres et conception:une étude transversale a été menée auprès d'enseignants à Al-Ahsa, en Arabie Saoudite, en 2023.Sujets et méthodes:nous avons distribué le questionnaire du canal carpien de Boston aux groupes d'enseignants via les médias sociaux sous la forme d'un questionnaire en ligne., et nous avons visité les écoles pour encourager la participation.Analyse statistique utilisée:Les données ont été analysées à l'aide du progiciel statistique pour les sciences sociales. P < 0,05 était considéré comme statistiquement significatif.Résultats:Notre étude a porté sur 619 enseignants. Les symptômes du syndrome étaient présents chez 71,1 % des individus et des troubles fonctionnels étaient présents chez 52,7 %. La probabilité de présenter ces symptômes est augmentée par le fait d'être une femme, de ne pas faire de sport, d'avoir une maladie chronique, d'écrire pendant plus de 4 heures et d'avoir des symptômes dans les deux mains.Conclusions:Nous avons trouvé un pourcentage relativement élevé (71,1 %) de symptômes du syndrome chez les enseignants travaillant à Al-Ahsa, en Arabie Saoudite, ce qui suggère que tout signe de SCC chez les enseignants doit être évalué pour garantir un diagnostic et un traitement appropriés.

High School Teacher Bullying and Student Risk Behavior.

PURPOSE: Although the harmful outcomes of peer bullying are well-established, the effects of bullying by teachers are less understood. Teacher bullying occurs when a teacher uses their authority to punish or disparage a student beyond appropriate discipline. METHODS: This study investigated the prevalence of teacher bullying and its relationship with student risk-taking behaviors in a sample of 106,865 high school students who completed a statewide school climate survey. Students were classified into four groups: no bullying (91%), only peer bullying (4%), only teacher bullying (4%), and both peer and teacher bullying (2%). RESULTS: Logistic regression results indicated that all victimization groups were more likely to participate in risk behaviors (substance use, weapon carrying, fighting, suicidal ideation, and attempts) than nonbullied peers, and students bullied by both peers and teachers were at greatest jeopardy of participation. DISCUSSION: These results support greater attention to teacher bullying in antibullying efforts.

Prevalence of Hypertension and Associated Factors among Schoolteachers in Calabar, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Africa has the highest prevalence of hypertension at 46%. Schoolteachers are vulnerable to hypertension due to work-related and general risk factors. Identifying these factors is key to providing interventions. AIM: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors among schoolteachers in Calabar, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 427 randomly selected schoolteachers who were recruited through a multistage sampling technique. Questionnaires were self-administered, and blood pressure measurements were done. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with hypertension at a 5% significance level. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 38 ± 9 years, and 65% of them were females. The prevalence of hypertension was 32%. The adjusted model showed that age and body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with hypertension. The teachers in the 30-39 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-7.43, P = 0.07), 40-49 (aOR = 6.27, 95% CI: 2.08-18.91, P < 0.01), and ≥50 (aOR = 7.95, 95% CI: 2.24-28.20, P < 0.01) year age categories had increased odds of being hypertensive than those in the 20-29-year-old age group. Those who were overweight (aOR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.52-4.57, P < 0.01) or obese (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.21-3.85, P = 0.01) had two-fold increased odds of having hypertension compared with those who had normal weight. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing age and BMI are risk factors for hypertension in this study. Health interventions should focus on weight control, especially among older teachers.

Mental health status and influencing factors of retired teachers.

Introduction: The wellbeing of retired teachers is often easily overlooked. This study aims to explore the mental health status and influencing factors of retired teachers. Method: From October to December 2022, a convenient sampling survey was conducted on retired teachers using the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), mainly using the χ2-test and logistic regression analysis. Results: A sampling survey was conducted on 353 retired teachers, with an overall positive detection rate of 16.1%. The five factors with the highest positive detection rate were found to be obsessive-compulsive disorder (30.3%), interpersonal sensitivity (21.5%), paranoia (20.1%), anxiety (19.3%), and others (19.3%). The detection rates for the five factors, namely psychosis, depression, hostility, terror, and somatization, are all below 19%. The data on sex (χ2 = 4.626, P = 0.043), professional title (χ2 = 17.670, P = 0.003), income (χ2 = 9.960, P = 0.041), life satisfaction (χ2 = 27.348, P = 0.000), family relationships (χ2 = 51.451, P = 0.000), and physical health status (χ2 = 50.361, P = 0.000) show that the difference in mental health among retired teachers is statistically significant. The multivariate binary logistic regression analysis revealed that family relationships, life satisfaction, and physical health were important factors leading to mental health problems among retired teachers. Discussion: Retired teachers should cultivate a wide range of interests and hobbies, engage in regular physical exercise, develop healthy living habits, foster a positive family atmosphere, establish harmonious family relationships, promote community cultural construction, strengthen psychological intervention, and prevent psychological diseases.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in secondary school teachers: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Mid-March 2020, Belgium went in lockdown to combat the COVID-19-pandemic. Having to provide school-based day care and adapt to online teaching, while all social, cultural and sports events and activities were cancelled, secondary school teachers' physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) may have been affected considerably. This study investigates the impact of the first Belgian lockdown on PA and SB in Flemish secondary school teachers. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted throughout the 2019-2020 school year. PA and SB measured in March/April 2020 were compared with a pre-lockdown measurement in January/February 2020. Other pre-lockdown measurements (September/October 2019 and November/December 2019) and one other during-lockdown measurement (May/June 2020) allowed us to control for confounding. Validated questionnaires were used to assess participants' PA and SB. Generalized linear mixed models were applied in R. RESULTS: Among 624 participants (77·2% females, 43·3 ± 10·3 years), increases were observed for total PA (+ 108 min/week; p = 0·047), moderate PA (+ 217 min/week; p = 0·001), domestic and garden PA (+ 308 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time PA (+ 131 min/week; p < 0·0001), whereas work-related PA (-289 min/week; p < 0·0001) and active transportation (-38 min/week; p =0·005) decreased. No differences were observed for walking (p = 1·0) and vigorous PA (p = 0·570). Increases were found for total SB (+ 972 min/week; p < 0·0001), work-related SB (+ 662 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time SB (+ 592 min/week; p = 0·0004), whereas transport-related SB (-290 min/week; p < 0·0001) decreased. CONCLUSION: During the lockdown, we found in our sample that Flemish secondary school teachers showed an increase in SB that was 9 times as high as their PA increase. As a government, education network or school, it is crucial to sensitize, promote, and facilitate sufficient MVPA and/or walking, but likewise to discourage SB during pandemic-induced lockdowns.

Digital health literacy among primary and secondary school teachers-a quantitative study.

Introduction: Digital health literacy (DHL) is a key competency for individuals' daily decisions toward their health behavior and wellbeing. While there is much focus on health literacy (HL) among the general population, teachers have been rarely addressed. Given the shortages in the teaching workforce in Europe and the impact of demanding working conditions on their health, it is important to address DHL in teachers. This paper examines the DHL of primary and secondary teachers and its associations with sociodemographic and school-related factors. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,600 German primary and secondary school teachers between October and December 2022. To assess DHL, the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI) including seven subscales was used. Statistical analyses were conducted on item and subscale level and an overall DHL score was calculated. Next to descriptive analyses, bivariate and regression analyses were conducted to explore potential associations with sociodemographic and school-related factors. Results: The frequency of difficulty in using digital health information varied across DHL dimensions and was greatest for protecting privacy (70.9%) and evaluating reliability (40.0%). In multivariate analysis, females more often reported a sufficient ability of adding content (OR = 1.61, CI = 1.05-2.48), while males more often reported a sufficient ability to protect their privacy (OR = 0.45, CI = 0.27-0.75). Teachers with leadership positions more often reported a sufficient ability in adding content (OR = 1.78, CI = 1.07-2.98). Regarding the ability to determine the relevance of online health-related information, no associations with a predictor variable were found. Discussion: The results suggest that it is important to examine the individual dimensions of DHL and their distinct associations with sociodemographic and school-level factors, rather than just to rely on the overall level of DHL. The differential patterns identified in this study suggest a greater intervention need for teachers from higher age groups, primary and secondary general schools, and those without leadership roles. However, based on the limited predictive power of the variables included, further individual and school-level factors and their potential association with DHL should be investigated in the future. The promotion of DHL should be integrated into both teacher education and in-service training.

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.