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Abstract: Disaster-affected children are among the most vulnerable populations and face a wide range of threats to their health and wellbeing. One of the most significant risks to children is separation from their family, a problem that occurs in most humanitarian contexts. Because separation can have lasting adverse consequences for children’s health and wellbeing, child protection actors frequently develop programs to respond to the needs of separated children. However, methods to measure prevalence, characteristics, and root causes of separation are scarce and rarely deployed in humanitarian settings. Existing measurement and programmatic approaches focus primarily on responding to already separated children and give little attention to the prevention of separation at a population level, the context and prevalence of separation, and the root causes of separation. Analyzing how a public health approach helps to fill these gaps, this paper presents a systematic, conceptual and practical case for incorporating a public health approach in the measurement of and programming for separation of children in humanitarian settings. It argues that a population-level, preventive approach to measurement and programming will complement the more common case-based, responsive approach to separation of children and enables children’s well-being amidst adversity. Keywords: Child protection, humanitarian, UASC, population-level, adversity. |
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Abstract: Background: Despite the recent advancements, negative appendectomy cases are notable, especially in children. We evaluated the prognostic value of serum fibrinogen level for the prediction of the severity of acute appendicitis. Keywords: Acute appendicitis, Serum fibrinogen, Children, Adults. |
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Abstract: Background: The …e vai con la frutta (let’s go with fruit) project was designed to respond to the worrying low consumption of fruits and vegetable in the large portion of population, especially in youth. The main objective was to increase fruit and vegetable consumptions at school level. Methods: In 2010/11, we randomly selected subjects from middle and high schools in five Italian regions. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (I) and control (C). A questionnaire on fruits and vegetables consumption was administered, at the baseline as well as at end of the period. The sample size was evaluated on the expected frequency of 0.5 for a binomial random variable, of ± 1.54% with IC of 95%. Results:These results confirmed that adolescent students at baseline survey eat less than the amount of fruits and vegetables consumption recommended by the International guidelines. After the intervention time, we observed an increment in fruits and vegetables consumptions both in middle and high school students. Regarding the impact of the intervention on the factors like knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, there was a positive change in the behaviour only in the intervention group, in coherence with the consumption variations examined. Conclusions: This study is the first time that fruits and vegetables were offered at such a large scale through vending machines at schools in five regions. Several vending companies under this project agreed to revise the list of healthy snacks offered to eliminate those clearly classified as junk foods. Keywords: School based intervention, Italian students, healthy vending machines, availability, accessibility.Download Full Article |
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Abstract: Objective: Examine dietary intake (DI), anthropometric measures, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and nutritional knowledge (NK) of school children. Design: Cross-sectional study. Food Diary, NK questionnaire and 550m walk/run test were used to assess DI, NK and CRF respectively. Blood pressure (BP) was also taken and body mass index (BMI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Setting: Two primary schools, Cork, Ireland. Subjects: Six (n = 49, age 5.9 ± 0.6 years) and ten (n = 52, age 9.8 ± 0.5 years) year olds. Results: Intakes of fruit and vegetables, fibre, calcium and iron were sub-optimal. Unhealthy snacks and saturated fat intakes were higher than recommended. A total of 24.4% of six year olds and 35.4% of ten year olds were classified as ‘fast’. Furthermore, 45.9% of six and ten year olds had high-normal BP and 27.9% had high BP. NK was negatively correlated with sugar intake (r = -0.321, p = 0.044) in ten year olds. WHtR was negatively correlated with servings of vegetables in six year olds (r = -0.377, p = 0.014). For ten year olds, there was a positive correlation between WHtR and run score (r = 0.350, p = 0.014) and BMI and run score (r = 0.482, p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights, for the first time, DI, NK, CRF, BP and anthropometric data for Irish children and their potential combined effect on overall health. Study results suggest preventive initiatives are needed, in children as young as 6 years of age. Keywords: Dietary Intake, Nutritional Knowledge, CRF, BP, Health Markers, Irish Children. |
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Abstract: Background: Breastfeeding problems are common during the early period but can often be prevented or overcome with adequate support. Child-health nurses meet almost all children during their first weeks of life and play an important role in promoting breastfeeding and in strengthening parents’ confidence and their belief in their own ability. It is, therefore, important to gain more knowledge about child-health nurses’ experiences. Objective: To describe child-health nurses’ experiences of providing breastfeeding support. Methods: This qualitative study is descriptive with an inductive approach. A purposive sample of eight child-health nurses recruited from district health care centers participated. Data were collected through focus group interviews and analyzed with content analysis. Results: Child-health nurses consider it to be important to provide early breastfeeding support and that early hospital discharge following birth can complicate breastfeeding. Furthermore, the introduction of infant formula and tiny tastes given to the baby can be a barrier to breastfeeding. Parents’ confidence had an effect on breastfeeding, and breastfeeding is promoted by confident parents. Trends and cultural differences have an influence on parents’ attitudes toward breastfeeding. Child-health nurses stated the importance of having a consensus breastfeeding policy. Conclusion and Recommendation: A number of factors affect breastfeeding, and breastfeeding support from child-health nurses is important in the early stages after birth. To conclude, the support must be individually tailored with a focus on the parents’ needs. There is a need for greater cooperation between the maternal care and child-health care staff in order to provide adequate and continuous breastfeeding support throughout the care chain. Keywords: Breastfeeding, child-health nurse, child-health service, focus group interview, qualitative content analysis. |