•Measured child mental health,socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle and family environment factors during the pandemic•Low parent education and low GDP per capita were associated with child mental ...health problems.•Sleep disturbances, physical activity <1 h/day, media exposure ≥2 h/day, non-parental care, poor parental mental health, and harsh parenting were independently associated with child mental health problems, regardless of SES.•Interventions on unhealthy lifestyle and unfavorable family environment are needed to reduce socioeconomic inequality in child mental health problems.
There are increasing concerns that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic will disproportionately affect socioeconomically disadvantaged children. However, there lacks empirical evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in child mental health and associated factors.
We conducted a population-based online survey in 21,526 children in China, when children were confined at home for nearly two months during the pandemic. We assessed child mental health problems with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parental education level and provincial gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were treated as proxies for individual- and population-level socioeconomic status (SES), respectively. Lifestyle and family environment factors included sleep disturbances, physical activity, screen time, primary caregiver, parental mental health, and harsh parenting.
Of the children, 32.31% demonstrated mental health problems. Parental education from the highest (undergraduate and above) to the lowest (middle school and below) increased the adjusted odds ratio(aOR) for child mental health problems by 42% (aOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.29-1.57); provincial GDP per capita (RMB) from the highest (>¥100K) to the lowest (≤¥70K) increased aOR by 41% (aOR, 1.41; 95% CI%, 1.28-1.55). Sleep disturbances, physical activity <1 h/day, media exposure ≥2 h/day, non-parental care, poor parental mental health, and harsh parenting were independently associated with increased child mental health problems, regardless of SES.
The potential sampling bias, subjective measures, and the cross-sectional design are the main limitations.
The first evidence from China suggests socioeconomic inequality in child mental health during the pandemic. As unhealthy lifestyle and unfavorable family environment are contributory factors, prioritized interventions are needed to reduce socioeconomic inequality in child mental health problems.
Zika-related Twitter incidence peaked after the World Health Organization declared an emergency. Five themes were identified from Zika-related Twitter content: (1) societal impact of the outbreak; ...(2) government, public and private sector, and general public responses to the outbreak; (3) pregnancy and microcephaly: negative health consequences related to pregnant women and babies; (4) transmission routes; and (5) case reports. User-generated contents sites were preferred direct information channels rather than those of the government authorities.
Li et al presents a cohort study which was conducted before the arrival of the Omicron variant. They linked vaccination records with the Hong Kong territorywide electronic health record database ...through government-commissioned population-based COVID-19 vaccine safety surveillance. Among adolescents who received at least 1 dose of BNT162b2 between March 10 and Oct 18, 2021, inpatient myocarditis cases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (422.x and 429.0).
Background:
Rejection sensitivity (RS) is a personality disposition characterized by oversensitivity to social rejection; individuals who are sensitive to social rejection tend to anxiously or ...angrily expect, readily perceive, and overreact to it. The associations between (a) RS and aggression and (b) RS and victimization have been studied in recent years. However, the strength of these associations varied considerably between studies. This review aimed to synthesize the primary literature to improve our insight into these associations.
Method:
A comprehensive literature search yielded 52 studies (with a total of 66,405 participants and producing 203 effect sizes) on the RS-aggression and RS-victimization associations. Three-level meta-analytic models were used to synthesize effect sizes and to examine potential moderators of the RS-aggression association and the RS-victimization association, respectively.
Results:
There was a small but significant association between RS and aggression (pooled r = .183; p < .001) and a slightly below moderate and significant association between RS and victimization (pooled r = .298; p < .001). The RS-aggression association was stronger for angry RS than for anxious RS and stronger for reactive aggression than for proactive aggression. Similar results were obtained in analyzing the longitudinal associations only.
Conclusions:
RS is significantly associated with aggression and victimization. The implications of the results for clinical practice as well as directions for future research are discussed.
The sustained increase in their use of social networking facilitates the development of adolescents but comes with the risk of cyberbullying, which creates new challenges in regard to adolescent ...protection. Past evidence shows that family victimization may play an essential role in the way adolescents learn cyberbullying behaviors. Yet, research on the co-occurrence of family victimization and cyberbullying is limited. This study aims to investigate the associations between cyberbullying and family victimization among adolescents, and to examine the health correlates of cyberbullying and family poly-victimization. A large sample of 18,341 students, aged 15–17, from six cities in China, collected between 2009 and 2010 is employed in the present study, which investigated the association between various kinds of family victimization and adolescent cyberbullying. Data analysis was conducted in 2017. In-law conflict, intimate partner violence, elder abuse and neglect, and child maltreatment were associated with a higher possibility of children becoming internet victims. Parents’ divorce and separation, low family income, mother’s low level of education, and father’s unemployment were all associated with cyberbullying victimization. Cyber victimization was positively correlated to symptoms of PTSD and depression, self-harm, and other physical and mental health variables. Possible explanations for the relationships found in this study are discussed and implications for future research and services are provided. Proactive screening for family poly-victimization and cyberbullying is suggested. Schools are highly recommended to cooperate with parents to promote cyber safety.
Smartphone-based psychoeducation interventions may be a low-cost, user-friendly alternative to resource-consuming, face-to-face antenatal classes to educate expectant mothers.
This study aimed to ...empirically examine whether such an intervention would lead to reduced postnatal depression, anxiety, or stress and result in a better health-related quality of life.
A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Hong Kong. All first-time expectant mothers with less than 24 weeks of gestation remaining and attending the antenatal clinic at a public hospital were included. Participants were assigned to the intervention group or the control group by drawing lots. The lots, presented in sealed opaque envelopes, were randomly designated as "intervention" or "control" by stratified randomization. The intervention, a psychoeducational mobile app, was provided in addition to the treatment as usual (TAU) services from the hospital. Follow up with participants took place at 4 weeks postpartum. The primary outcome was the difference in the levels of antenatal and postnatal depression, assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The intention-to-treat approach was employed in the analyses.
The final sample was 660 expectant mothers (n
=330 and n
=330). The mean difference in EPDS scores between the two groups was -0.65 (95% CI -1.29 to 0.00; P=.049) after adjusting for confounding factors. Associations were found between participation in the intervention and reduced depression, and attendance in TAU classes and increased stress levels.
The smartphone-based intervention plus TAU services was effective in reducing postnatal depression at 4 weeks postpartum compared with a control condition of TAU only, making this a cost-effective alternative to TAU education for expectant mothers. Limitations of the study included the short postpartum period after which the follow-up assessment was conducted and the inclusion of first-time mothers rather than all mothers.
HKU Clinical Trials Registry HKUCTR-2024; http://www.hkuctr.com/Study/Show/ 34f62a2f6d594273a290491827206384.
Youth suicide has been increasing and became a public health concern worldwide. Identifying insufficient sleep as the potential risk factor is critical to reducing suicide risk and increasing trends. ...This study aimed to determine whether insufficient sleep is associated with increasing trends in suicidal behaviors and disparities by sex, age, and race/ethnicity among school adolescents.
The present study used biennial data from the US nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2007 to 2019. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate biennial percent changes (BPCs) and average BPCs (ABPCs) of suicidal behaviors by sleep duration. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between insufficient sleep and suicidal behaviors.
Of 73,356 adolescent students included (mean standard deviation age, 16.11 1.23 years), 50.03% were female. Suicidal ideation and suicide plan among insufficient sleep group increased from 2007 to 2019 (BPC = 2.88% 95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.65%, 4.13%; BPC = 3.42% 95% CI: 2.09%, 4.77%), but were nonsignificant among sufficient sleep group. Trends in suicidal ideation (ABPC = 3.03% 95% CI: 1.35%, 4.73%) and suicide plan (ABPC = 4.03% 95% CI: 2.47%, 5.62%) among female adolescents with insufficient sleep increased, but nonsignificant among male adolescents with insufficient sleep. Suicidal ideation (ABPC = 1.73% 95% CI: 0.51%, 2.97%) and suicide plan (ABPC = 2.31% 95% CI: 0.70%, 3.95%) increased among younger adolescents only with insufficient sleep, whereas suicide trends by sleep duration were similar among older adolescents. Suicide plan among insufficient sleep group increased across the four racial groups, with BPC highest for the White (BPC = 3.48% 95% CI: 1.31%, 5.69%), and lowest for the Hispanic/Latino (BPC = 1.18% 95% CI: 0.15%, 2.23%), but were nonsignificant among sufficient sleep group except for the White (BPC = 2.83% 95% CI: 0.62%, 5.09%).
Insufficient sleep was disproportionately associated with increasing trends in suicidal behaviors among female, younger, and non-White adolescent students. Ensuring sufficient sleep can potentially reduce suicide among school adolescents.
In response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional recruitment approaches were halted, causing the suspension of numerous clinical trials. Previously, Facebook ...(Meta Platforms, Inc) has emerged as a promising tool for augmenting participant recruitment. While previous research has explored the use of Facebook for surveys and qualitative studies, its potential for recruiting participants into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains underexplored. This study aimed to comprehensively examine the effectiveness of using Facebook groups and pages to facilitate participant recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic for an RCT on the effectiveness of a remote parenting program, 1-2-3 Magic, in families who have children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United Kingdom. We disseminated 5 Facebook posts with an attached digital flyer across 4 prominent ADHD UK support groups and pages run by the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Services, reaching an audience of around 16,000 individuals over 2 months (January 7 to March 4, 2022). Eligibility criteria mandated participants to be parents or caregivers of a child with diagnosed ADHD aged 12 years or younger, be residing in the United Kingdom, have access to stable internet, and have a device with the Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) app. Participants were required to have never attended 1-2-3 Magic training previously. Prospective participants expressed their interest through Microsoft Forms (Microsoft Corporation). The trial aimed to recruit 84 parents. It is important to note that the term “parent” or “caregiver” in the RCT and in this study within a trial refers to anybody who has legal responsibility for the child. Overall, 478 individuals registered their interest through Microsoft Forms within the stipulated 2-month window. After the eligibility check, 135 participants were contacted for a baseline meeting through Zoom. The first 84 participants who attended a baseline meeting and returned a completed consent form were enrolled. Subsequently, another 16 participants were added, resulting in a final sample of 100 participants. This recruitment strategy incurred negligible expenses and demanded minimal human resources. The approach yielded favorable outcomes by efficiently attracting eligible participants in a condensed time frame, transcending geographical barriers throughout the United Kingdom, which would have been tedious to achieve through traditional recruitment methods. Our experience demonstrated that digital flyers posted in the targeted Facebook groups were a cost-effective and quick method for recruiting for an RCT, which opened during the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdown restrictions were in place in the United Kingdom. Trialists should consider this low-cost recruitment intervention for trials going forward, and in the case of a global pandemic, this novel recruitment method enabled the trial to continue where many have failed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aims at providing a profile of the association between different types of child victimization and polyvictimization and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among school-aged children, ...and examining the impact of family structure and social support on the negative health consequences associated with violent victimization. We conducted a cross-sectional school survey in Hong Kong using a two-stage stratified sampling procedure. The final sample comprised 4139 children’s self-reports and proxy-reports (boys=51.5%; mean age=6.3). The main outcome was HRQoL measured with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Family structure was represented by parents’ marital status, major caregivers, number of siblings and the living arrangement of children. Child victimization, social support, and demographic characteristics were also measured. All types of child victimization were associated with compromised HRQoL, and the strength of association varied across different types of child victimization. Family structure (in particular the number of siblings and whether additional childcare was received from grandparents) and social support were associated with better HRQoL. The negative associations between child victimization and polyvictimization and HRQoL were reduced when there was an adjustment made for family structure and social support. Findings show that family structure and social support are related to a reduction in negative health consequences for child victimization. The varying strengths of negative associations between victimization and HRQoL highlight the possibility that the effects of child victimization on health might not be homogeneous.
Previous research has well-documented that family functioning is an important predictor of individuals' physical and mental health. However, relatively little research has explored family functioning ...at the family and population levels, such as changes in family functioning across years and whether predictors of family functioning differ across different family structures. Understanding of the changes in family functioning across years and factors promoting family functioning will inform the development of preventive measures to enhance family health and resilience. Objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the changes in family functioning across a 6-year study period and (2) to study protective factors associated with family functioning and the extent to which the factors are the same or different across different family structures.
The study involved secondary data analysis of the biannual Family Survey carried out by the Family Council, an advisory body to the Hong Kong government. A series of ANOVA and regression analyses were conducted using data of four population-based cross-sectional household surveys conducted in Hong Kong in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
There were some fluctuations in overall family functioning scores across the study period, but no significant difference was found between the scores in 2011 and 2017. Different predictors of family functioning were found for different family types, and frequent family communication was a common protective factor for most family types, including never married, married/cohabiting with children, and married/cohabiting with no children.
The study is among the first to examine changes in family functioning at the population level. Monitoring and addressing family functioning may help tackle various social problems and future public health crises. Interventions to promote family functioning should address both common and different protective factors of different family types.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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