Young and Old - Teacher's Guide: Promoting a Positive Attitude to Ageing and Older People

Young and Old has been specifically designed for use in the context of the new Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. It covers seven different themes on ageing and older people at each of the four levels in primary school and includes different strategies for active learning which are used to explore facts, figures, and attitudes. There are also exercises designed to stimulate classroom discussion and activities to encourage contact and communication between children and older people Download the Report here

Fat intake and adiposity in 8 to 11-year-old obese children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between diet composition, body composition, and macronutrient oxidation at rest in obese and non-obese children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study on fat intake, adiposity and postabsorptive macronutrients oxidation rates. SUBJECTS: 82 prepubertal (age: 9.1 +/- 1.1 y) children, 30 obese (FM = 32.6 +/- 6.1%) and 52 non-obese (FM = 15.6 +/- 5.1%). MEASUREMENTS: Subcutaneous skinfold thickness for body composition, diet history for energy and nutrient intake, indirect calorimetry for resting metabolic rate (RMR) and RQ measurement. RESULTS: Energy intake (EI) was comparable in obese and non-obese children. Adjusted for RMR by ANCOVA, using RMR as the covariate, EI was significantly lower in obese than in non-obese children indicating either a blunted physical activity or a systematic underestimation of EI. Protein and carbohydrate intakes expressed as a percentage of total energy intake (%EI) were not significantly different in the two groups. Lipid intake (%EI) was slightly but significantly higher in the obese than in the non-obese group either unadjusted or adjusted for RMR by ANCOVA. The postabsorptive RQ was significantly lower in obese than in non-obese children. In the total group, %FM was weakly but significantly correlated to lipid intake (%EI). CONCLUSION: Obese prepubertal children have a higher relative fat intake than non-obese children and their FM is associated with this factor. The lower postabsorptive RQ of obese children may indicate a compensatory mechanism to achieve fat equilibrium by enhanced fat oxidation.

Eculizumab to treat antibody-mediated rejection in a 7-year-old kidney transplant recipient.

We report on successful early eculizumab administration to treat acute antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in a highly sensitized kidney transplant recipient. The recipient is a 7-year-old boy who received, 6 months after a desensitization protocol with monthly intravenous immunoglobulin infusion, a second kidney transplant in the presence of low donor-specific antibodies (DSAs). Both pretransplant lymphocytotoxic and flow cytometric crossmatch were negative. Allograft function recovered promptly, with excellent initial function. On postoperative day (POD) 4, the child developed significant proteinuria with an acute rise in serum creatinine. Allograft biopsy showed severe acute ABMR. Intravenous eculizumab (600 mg), preceded by a single session of plasmapheresis, was administered on POD 5 and 12 along with a 4-day thymoglobulin course. After the first dose of eculizumab, a strikingly rapid normalization of allograft function with a decrease in proteinuria occurred. However, because circulating DSA levels remained elevated, the child received 3 doses of intravenous immunoglobulin (POD 15, 16, and 17), with a significant subsequent decrease in DSA levels. At 9 months after transplant, the child continues to maintain excellent allograft function with undetectable circulating DSA levels. This unique case highlights the potential efficacy of using early eculizumab to rapidly reverse severe ABMR in pediatric transplantation, and therefore it suggests a novel therapeutic approach to treat acute ABMR.

Trends in violent deaths among young people 10-24 years old, in Switzerland, 1969-1997.

PURPOSE: To assess violent death rates and trends between 1969 and 1997 among young people aged 10-24 years old in Switzerland. METHODS: Total causes of death, all external causes of injuries, traffic injuries, suicides and overdoses were retrieved from the databank of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO), using the eighth and tenth revisions of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Mortality rates per 100,000 individuals were computed by gender and by age (10-14, 15-19, 20-24) using census records as denominators. RESULTS: In 1995-1997, violent deaths represented the primary cause of fatalities among young people. Rates of violent death were much higher among males than among females, with a ratio of 3.5:1 in 1995-1997 and also became increasingly elevated from the age range of 10-14 to 20-24 years (1.9:1-4.4:1). In 1995-1997, violent deaths accounted for 66% (n = 1221) of all fatalities among young people. Among violent deaths, 36% were due to traffic injuries, 13% to other types of injuries, 32% to suicide, 15% to overdoses, 3% to homicides and 1% to undetermined intent. Between 1969 and 1997, rates of traffic injuries decreased in both genders and in the three age groups considered, while rates of suicide remained stable and rates of overdoses stabilised during the nineties after a sharp increase during the eighties. CONCLUSION: Although violent deaths in Switzerland have become significantly less frequent over the last 30 years, they still represent the single greatest cause of fatalities among young people and, as such, constitute a major public health challenge.

Immunisation for pre-school children three to five years old (English and 10 translations)

This booklet contains the facts about the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis) and polio, and the MMR booster given to children before they start school

The origin and dispersion of human parasitic diseases in the Old World (Africa, Europe and Madagascar)

The ancestors of present-day man (Homo sapiens sapiens) appeared in East Africa some three and a half million years ago (Australopithecs), and then migrated to Europe, Asia, and later to the Americas, thus beginning the differentiation process. The passage from nomadic to sedentary life took place in the Middle East in around 8000 BC. Wars, spontaneous migrations and forced migrations (slave trade) led to enormous mixtures of populations in Europe and Africa and favoured the spread of numerous parasitic diseases with specific strains according to geographic area. The three human plasmodia (Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and P. malariae) were imported from Africa into the Mediterranean region with the first human migrations, but it was the Neolithic revolution (sedentarisation, irrigation, population increase) which brought about actual foci for malaria. The reservoir for Leishmania infantum and L. donovani - the dog - has been domesticated for thousands of years. Wild rodents as reservoirs of L. major have also long been in contact with man and probably were imported from tropical Africa across the Sahara. L. tropica, by contrast, followed the migrations of man, its only reservoir. L. infantum and L. donovani spread with man and his dogs from West Africa. Likewise, for thousands of years, the dog has played an important role in the spread and the endemic character of hydatidosis through sheep (in Europe and North Africa) and dromadary (in the Sahara and North Africa). Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni have existed since prehistoric times in populations living in or passing through the Sahara. These populations then transported them to countries of Northern Africa where the specific, intermediary hosts were already present. Madagascar was inhabited by populations of Indonesian origin who imported lymphatic filariosis across the Indian Ocean (possibly of African origin since the Indonesian sailors had spent time on the African coast before reaching Madagascar). Migrants coming from Africa and Arabia brought with them the two African forms of bilharziosis: S. haematobium and S. mansoni.

The state of the art of paleoparasitological research in the old world

Paleoparasitology in the Old World has mainly concerned the study of latrine sediments and coprolites collected from mummified bodies or archaeological strata, mostly preserved by natural conditions. Human parasites recovered include cestodes, trematodes, and nematodes. The well preserved conditions of helminth eggs allowed paleoepidemiological approaches taking into account the number of eggs found by archaeological stratum. Tentatively, sanitation conditions were assessed for each archaeological period.

The presence of Fasciola hepatica (Liver-fluke) in humans and cattle from a 4,500 Year old archaeological site in the Saale-Unstrut Valley, Germany

During an excavation of a site of the corded ware culture in the Saale-Unstrut-Valley (ca. 3000 BC) in Germany, a soil sample from the pelvis of a human skeleton was studied under palaeoparasitological aspects. Eggs of the trematode Fasciola hepatica and of the nematode genus Capillaria were found. This is the first case of a direct association of a F. hepatica-infestation to both a prehistoric human skeleton and domesticated animal remains. Sheep and cattle bones were present at the same site and F. hepatica eggs were found in bovine samples. This strongly points toward an existing infection cycle, involving humans as a final host.

Unintentional injuries among 16 to 20 year old students in Switzerland.

In our society, accidents constitute a major public health problem, especially among youth. The objective of this paper was to describe the incidence of nonfatal injuries that required medical care among 16 to 20 year-old in Switzerland, its distribution by type of injury and whether there were differences by gender or by academic track and whether these injuries had sequels (hospitalisation, physical and psychological sequels). Overall, 28.3% of the sample reported at least one accident needing medical care in the previous 12 months, with males having more accidents than females and apprentices more than students. By type of accident, sports were the most frequently reported, followed by traffic, leisure time and work accidents. Half of males and one-third of females reported more than one accident, and 16% and 8% of them, respectively, reported four or more. Both physical and psychological sequels were more frequent among females, while hospitalisation was more frequent among males. Accident prevalence rates remain high among adolescents. Safety counselling and environmental measures need to be implemented.

Immunisation for babies up to a year old (Eglish and translations)

This booklet provides information on the routine immunisations that are given to babies up to a year oldto protect them from serious childhood diseases.

Body Weight and Eating Habits in 5-12-Year Old Irish Children

A shared goal of safefood and the Health Service Executive (HSE) is to improve the health of the Irish population. One of the greatest public health threats facing all developed countries today, including the island of Ireland, is obesity. It is crucial that the various sectors and disciplines in the country work together to successfully deal with this growing issue. The Department of Health and Children (DoHC) published a strategy for obesity in 2005 which identified children and young people as a vulnerable, at-risk group. Both safefood and the HSE recognise the growing trend towards obesity, physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits in Ireland. Both organisations have been actively engaged in addressing the obesity epidemic. A number of initiatives targeted at school-aged children have already been established. These include the ‘Little Steps’ mass media campaign (www.littlesteps.eu) – a campaign aimed at supporting parents/guardians of children, as well as various school-based initiatives and relevant training programmes for health professionals.

Brain aging in the oldest-old.

Nonagenarians and centenarians represent a quickly growing age group worldwide. In parallel, the prevalence of dementia increases substantially, but how to define dementia in this oldest-old age segment remains unclear. Although the idea that the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) decreases after age 90 has now been questioned, the oldest-old still represent a population relatively resistant to degenerative brain processes. Brain aging is characterised by the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and senile plaques (SPs) as well as neuronal and synaptic loss in both cognitively intact individuals and patients with AD. In nondemented cases NFTs are usually restricted to the hippocampal formation, whereas the progressive involvement of the association areas in the temporal neocortex parallels the development of overt clinical signs of dementia. In contrast, there is little correlation between the quantitative distribution of SP and AD severity. The pattern of lesion distribution and neuronal loss changes in extreme aging relative to the younger-old. In contrast to younger cases where dementia is mainly related to severe NFT formation within adjacent components of the medial and inferior aspects of the temporal cortex, oldest-old individuals display a preferential involvement of the anterior part of the CA1 field of the hippocampus whereas the inferior temporal and frontal association areas are relatively spared. This pattern suggests that both the extent of NFT development in the hippocampus as well as a displacement of subregional NFT distribution within the Cornu ammonis (CA) fields may be key determinants of dementia in the very old. Cortical association areas are relatively preserved. The progression of NFT formation across increasing cognitive impairment was significantly slower in nonagenarians and centenarians compared to younger cases in the CA1 field and entorhinal cortex. The total amount of amyloid and the neuronal loss in these regions were also significantly lower than those reported in younger AD cases. Overall, there is evidence that pathological substrates of cognitive deterioration in the oldest-old are different from those observed in the younger-old. Microvascular parameters such as mean capillary diameters may be key factors to consider for the prediction of cognitive decline in the oldest-old. Neuropathological particularities of the oldest-old may be related to "longevity-enabling" genes although little or nothing is known in this promising field of future research.

Inequalities in Old Age: The impact of the recession on older people in Ireland, North and South CARDI Grants

Inequalities in Old Age: the impact of the recession on older people in Ireland, North and SouthAbout the research:This research, led by Professor Paddy Hillyard, Emeritus Professor Queen’s University Belfast, was carried out with funding from CARDI’s Grants Programme Call 2. The purpose of the study was to analyse the impact of the recession on older people in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and the extent to which inequalities within the older population have been affected by the economic crisis.Research Brief:This brief, authored by CARDI staff, is based on the findings of the research project and also contains additional information of interest.Research Team:Professor Paddy Hillyard, Emeritus Professor Queen’s University Belfast - lead researcher;Dr Francesca Lundstr̦m, Research Consultant;Dr Demi Patsios, Policy Research Consultant;Sarah Machniewski, Researcher;David Taylor, Chartered Accountant and Management Consultant;Dr Maureen Lyons, Research Manager, School of Social Justice, UCD.Methodology and availability of data:Several methods were used in the research, including:�� a review of relevant literature;����a detailed analysis of many databases relevant to older people’s incomes and lives;��building a model to assess the impact of the recession on older people;surveys of financial advisers in voluntary, private and public sectors;��six focus groups, three each in NI and RoI.Availability of data:Despite the huge amount of information which is officially collected and published in NI and RoI, very little is directly comparable. ��The development of a mechanism to encourage the production of more comparable data North and South would be very beneficial.��For example, this study identified a basket of 25 factors that can be used to compare the living standards of older people in NI and RoI and to monitor changes in future yearsTo access the full report please click on the following link:Inequalities in Old Age: the impact of the recession on older people in Ireland, North and SouthPlease find the presentation from the launch below:Inequalities, Pensions and the Recession by Prof Paddy Hillyard, Queen’s University Belfast and Dr Demi Patsios, Policy Research Consultant, Dr Francesca Lundstr̦m, Research Consultant.��������

Inequalities in old age - old news or new debate: Presentations

On October 20th, 2010, CARDI hosted an event entitled��'Inequalities in old age - old news or new debate?’. The event marked the launch of a CARDI funded research report Inequalities in Old Age: the impact of the recession on older people in Ireland, North and South��and the launch of a discussion paper prepared for CARDI by Dr. Maria Pierce and Dr.��Virpi Timonen, Trinity College Dublin��Theories of Ageing and Approaches to Welfare in Ireland, North and South [summary]. The event also featured a number of other presentations. Please find a selection of the presentations from the day below:Theories of Ageing: Lenses for Understanding, Signposts for Reforming Social Protection in Old Age by Dr Virpi Timonen, Director of SPARC and Dr Maria Pierce, Research Fellow, Trinity College Dublin.Inequalities, Pensions and the Recession by Prof Paddy Hillyard, Queen’s University Belfast and Dr Demi Patsios, Policy Research Consultant, Dr Francesca Lundstr̦m, Research Consultant.Pensions and Older Women by Dr Aine N�_ L̩ime, Programme Co-ordinator, ICSG (Irish Centre for Social Gerontology), NUI Galway.����

Prevalence of injuries among three-year-old children in the Republic of Ireland in 2011

The Institute of Public health in Ireland (IPH) produces population prevalence estimates and forecasts for a number of chronic conditions among adults. IPH has now applied the methodology to examine health conditions and injuries among young children across the island of Ireland.This short report is a supplement to a previous IPH report that examines health conditions among three-year-olds in the Republic of Ireland. It provides estimates of the prevalence of injuries that required hospital admission or treatment among three-year-olds in the Republic of Ireland in 2011. The analysis identifies risk factors associated with child injuries and provides estimates of the prevalence of these conditions for each of the 34 administrative cities and counties.