[Effect of Family Environment on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Middle School Students During the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Mediating Role of Depression].

Objective: To study the current status of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) incidents among middle school students in Chengdu during the COVID-19 epidemic and to explore the mechanism of action of depression on the relationship between family environment and NSSI. Methods: Data were obtained from the Chengdu Positive Child Development (CDPD) cohort. In June and July 2020, after primary and secondary schools were reopened after the closure due to the COVID-19 epidemic, on-site questionnaire surveys were conducted with the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI), the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument (C-FAI), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), thereby obtaining the data of 3595 middle school students. Two-sample t-test and χ 2 test were used to compare the incidence of NSSI among middle school students of different grades and genders, and the Model 58 test of the SPSS PROCESS component was used to analyze the mediating effect of gender-mediated depression. Results: 1) The incidence of NSSI among middle school students in Chengdu during the COVID-19 epidemic was 49.67%. The incidence of NSSI among ninth-graders (80.70%) was significantly higher than those of the eighth graders (33.82%) and seventh graders (32.32%), and the incidence of NSSI among female middle school students (54.75%) was significantly higher than that of male students (44.52%). 2) Family environment ( r=0.34, P<0.001) and depression ( r=0.50, P<0.001) were positively correlated with NSSI. 3) Depression partially mediated the effect of family environment on NSSI, with the mediating effect accounting for 64.64% of the total effect. Compared with that of male students, the positive predictive effect between family environment and depression and that between depression and NSSI in female middle school students were more significant. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, middle school students in Chengdu had a high incidence of NSSI, which indicates that the family environment should be improved, more attention should be given to gender differences, and early screening and intervention for depression should be strengthened to reduce the incidence of NSSI.

[Epidemiological analysis of selected congenital limb malformations in Hengyang].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of selected congenital limb malformations (CLM) in newborns of Hengyang. METHODS: During the period of 2008-2010, cluster sampling survey was adopted to investigate the congenital limb malformations of neonates born to women resident in Hengyang, including Nanyue District, Zhuhui District, Changning City and Hengshan County. Each newborn was examined for the screening of CLM after birth. Limb malformations were grouped into the isolated (ILM) and the syndromic (SLM) form, depending on associated malformations of the affected. Prevalence rates, CLM spectrum and clinical manifestations were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 170 CLM cases were identified among 52,307 newborns during the study period, resulting overall rate of 32.50/10(4). The rates for isolated and syndromic CLM were 28.29 and 4.21 per 10 000 births respectively. The rates for polydactyly, congenital talipes equinovarus, syndactyly and limb reduction defects were 13.00/10(4), 9.56/10(4), 5.16/10(4) and 3.63/10(4), respectively. No significant difference in rates of overall CLM or specified CLM was observed across urban-rural, gender and maternal age groups. Of the cases affected by polydactyly, syndactyly and limb reduction defects, malformation involved upper limbs, lower limbs and the both accounted for 68.14%, 14.16% and 17.70%. Preterm birth, low birth-weight, still birth and neonatal death were observed more frequently in syndromic cases than in isolated patients. CONCLUSION: The high CLM prevalence rate and fatality rate in Hengyang suggest that effective measures should be taken to prevent malformations and to improve survival of the affected.

[Quality of life of heroin dependent patients with methadone maintenance therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the quality of life of heroin dependent patients with methadone maintenance therapy and its influencing factors. METHODS: A total of 216 heroin dependent patients who were receiving methadone maintenance therapy in Zigong of Sichuan Province were surveyed with the WHOQOL-BREF. RESULTS: The patients had a score of 12.06 +/- 3.73 for total quality of life and wellbeing and a score of, 13.14 +/- 2.79, 12.17 +/- 3.38, 12.20 +/- 3.17, 11.94 +/- 3.31, for physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental function respectively. Age, length of drug addiction, job status, family relationship, arrested in last three months, frequency of sex activity, taking tranquilizer, confidence of treatment, duration of treatment, ways of using drugs had an impact on quality of life (P<0.05). Age, length of drug addiction, job status, family relationships, frequency of sex activity, arrested last three months, taking tranquilizer, and confidence of treatment entered into the multiple regression model. CONCLUSION: It is vital to take measures to improve quality of life of the drug addicted patients according to their different individual and family status.