Association between Second-Time Mother's Prenatal Depression and Firstborn's Behaviour Problems: The Mediation Role of Parenting Daily Hassles.

BACKGROUND: With the relaxation of birth control policy in China in recent years, second-time mothers' mental health has raised concerns. However, the impact of firstborn children's behaviour problems on second-time mothers' prenatal depression in families transitioning to siblinghood has received little attention from family psychologists. AIMS: This research aims to investigate whether firstborn children's behaviour problems affect second-time mothers' prenatal depression and the mediation role of daily parenting hassles, i.e., minor stressors associated with parenting, on this relationship. METHODS: Data about second-time mothers' prenatal depression, parenting daily hassles, and firstborn children's behaviour problems were collected from 105 families transitioning to two children families using mother-reported questionnaires. Regressions were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: About half of the mothers in the sample have depressive symptoms. Firstborns' behaviour problems did not have a direct effect on the mother's prenatal depression, but the problems did have an indirect effect via parenting daily hassles. The mothers' age was significantly associated with prenatal depression. CONCLUSIONS: The mediation role of parenting daily hassles in the association with firstborn's behaviour problems and mother's prenatal depression suggests the need for support that reduce the levels of daily parenting hassles from firstborn children.

Smart Supervision for Food Safety in Food Service Establishments in China: Challenges and Solutions.

ABSTRACT: Foodborne diseases are a burden in countries worldwide. Several countries have successfully implemented policies that establish innovative systems for the inspection and grading of food service establishments (FSEs), which have greatly contributed to a reduction in foodborne diseases. China's government has also responded by developing policies to protect consumers' food safety, including the routine inspection policy and the risk-based grading policy. However, implementation of both policies has been poor to date. The aim of this study was to identify regulatory challenges and design a smart supervision solution. The results of a national survey showed that the major barriers to policy implementation were a heavy individual workload, the high turnover rate of FSEs, lack of a monitoring and evaluation system, lack of social support, low development of food safety training programs in FSEs, and a lack of financing. A smart supervision solution to these challenges was designed based on mobile Internet and two-dimensional (2D) barcode technology. A pilot application in Jilin province assisted local supervisors in carrying out regulatory work on FSEs, which proved the feasibility of smart supervision. This study can be used as an example for food safety supervision in other regions, and it can assist other governments that wish to implement similar policies to ensure food safety in their countries.