Children's Separation Anxiety Scale (CSAS): Psychometric Properties

This study describes the psychometric properties of the Children's Separation Anxiety Scale (CSAS), which assesses separation anxiety symptoms in childhood. Participants in Study 1 were 1,908 schoolchildren aged between 8 and 11. Exploratory factor analysis identified four factors: worry about separation, distress from separation, opposition to separation, and calm at separation, which explained 46.91% of the variance. In Study 2, 6,016 children aged 8–11 participated. The factor model in Study 1 was validated by confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency (α = 0.82) and temporal stability (r = 0.83) of the instrument were good. The convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated by means of correlations with other measures of separation anxiety, childhood anxiety, depression and anger. Sensitivity of the scale was 85% and its specificity, 95%. The results support the reliability and validity of the CSAS.

Factors associated with obesity in Brazilian children enrolled in the School Health Program: a case-control study

Case-control studies evaluating the factors associated with childhood obesity are scarce in Brazil. We aimed to analyze the factors associated with obesity in Brazilian schoolchildren enrolled in the School Health Program.A case-control study was conducted on 80 schoolchildren aged 7 to 9 years, 40 of them obese and 40 of normal weight according to the cut-off points established by the World Health Organization (2007). Weight, height and waist circumference were obtained. Socioeconomic, demographic, health, eating behavior and lifestyle data were collected by applying a questionnaire to the person responsible and by determining his/her nutritional status. A binary unconditional logistic regression model (univariate and multivariate) was used for data analysis. The prevalence of obesity was 7.21%. The final model showed that duration of breast-feeding ≥6 months of age (OR 5.3; 95% CI: 1.3-22.1), excess weight of the person responsible (OR 7.1; 95% CI: 1.2-40.2), a sedentary level of physical activity (OR 4.1; 95% CI: 1.115.5), and fast chewing (OR 7.4; 95% CI: 2.1-26.9) were significantly associated with childhood obesity. The factors associated with obesity in schoolchildren were duration of breast-feeding ≥6 months, persons responsible with excess weight, and sedentary children who chew fast. The present study contributes information to be used for the health actions planned by the School Health Program.

Ergonomics as authoritarian or libertarian: Learning from colin ward's politics of design

Ergonomics is intrinsically connected to political debates about the good society, about how we should live. This article follows the ideas of Colin Ward by setting the practices of ergonomics and design along a spectrum between more libertarian approaches and more authoritarian. Within Anglo-American ergonomics, more authoritarian approaches tend to prevail, often against the wishes of designers who have had to fight with their employers for best possible design outcomes. The article draws on debates about the design and manufacturing of schoolchildren's furniture. Ergonomics would benefit from embracing these issues to stimulate a broader discourse amongst its practitioners about how to be open to new disciplines, particularly those in the social sciences.

Assessing caries status according to the CAST instrument and WHO criterion in epidemiological studies

ABSTRACT: Background: The Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST) is a new epidemiological instrument for detection and treatment of dental caries. Worldwide, the WHO criterion constitutes the epidemiological tool most commonly used for caries detection. The objective of the present study is to determine the levels of similarity and difference between the CAST instrument and WHO criterion on the basis of caries prevalence, dmf/DMF counts, examination time and reporting of results. Methods: An epidemiological survey was carried out in Brazil among 6-11-year-old schoolchildren. Time of examinations was recorded. dmft, dmfs, DMFT and DMFS counts and dental caries prevalence were obtained according to the WHO criterion and the CAST instrument, as well the correlation coefficient between the two instruments. Results: Four hundred nineteen children were examined. dmft and dmfs counts were 1.92 and 5.31 (CAST), 1.99 and 5.34 (WHO) with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. DMFT and DMFS counts were 0.20 and 0.33 (CAST), 0.19 and 0.30 (WHO), with r = 0.78 and r=0.72, respectively. Kappa coefficient values for intra-examiner consistency were CAST = 0.91-0.92; WHO = 0.95-0.96 and those for inter-examiner consistency were CAST = 0.90-0.96; WHO = 0.94-1.00. Mean time spent on applying CAST and WHO were 66.3 and 64.7 sec, respectively p = 0.26. The prevalence of dental caries using CAST (codes 2, 5-8) and the WHO criterion for the primary dentition were 63.0% and 65.9%, respectively, and for the permanent dentition they were 12.7% and 12.8%, respectively. Conclusions: The CAST instrument provided similar prevalence of dental caries values and dmf/DMF counts as the WHO criterion in this age group. Time spent on examining children was identical for both caries assessment methods. Presentation of results from use of the CAST instrument, in comparison to WHO criterion, allowed a more detailed reporting of stages of dental caries, which will be useful for oral health planners.

Removable orthodontic appliances: frequency and cleaning agents used by students and recommended by dentists

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and hygiene habits of 13-19 years-old adolescent users of removable orthodontic appliances (ROA) and to determine hygiene methods for the appliances prescribed by dentists, in the city of Pelotas. Methods: The study had two stages. The first stage was a telephone interview with dentists. Dentists were interview by telephone calls in order to obtain information regarding the hygiene methods for cleaning acrylic appliances. Second stage was a cross-sectional study performed with schoolchildren. Children from public and private schools with secondary level were included in the sample. A questionnaire was applied to the students using any type of ROA. Questionnaires included demographic information and behavioral characteristics. Data collected were subjected to Chi-square test and logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of children using ROA was 5.4%. Students (89.7%) and dentists (47.2%) reported to prefer mechanical methods to clean their ROA. Cleaning with soup, hydrogen peroxide or effervescent tabs were less used. High frequency of use was associated with higher frequency of hygiene on the ROA. Conclusions: The prevalence of schoolchildren using removable appliances was low. The common cleaning method used by children and prescribed by dentists was mechanical. Hygiene frequency was significantly associated with the routine of use of the appliance and with the type of hygiene method.

National Myths and Heroes: a Case of Vytautas the Great in Lithuania

The main focus of the thesis concentrates on nationalism and how it is expressed through national myth and a hero. As a case study for Lithuania the cult of Vytautas the Great is used. Theses present how the myth of Vytautas the Great was created and why particularly the Grand duke became a national symbol. It also examines how main nationalism theories are reflected in this case. The main purpose of the thesis is to find out how this myth matches the needs of the current Lithuanian society – the last year schoolchildren (eighteen – nineteen years old) in particular. The main method used in the empirical part of the thesis is qualitative analysis: primary source material was gathered by using semi – structured interviews and the results were analyzed by employing thematic analysis. The theoretical part of the study presents the core nationalism and ethnic identity theories and describes the concepts of national myth and hero as well as their connection and influence for the society and Lithuanians precisely. In this study nationalism is understood as a phenomenon that holds a nation together and is reflected via certain national symbols such as national myths and heroes by forming a national identity the meaning of which is different for each generation. The analysis of the results in this study has showed that the idea of Vytautas the Great as a national hero – symbol, created in the interwar Lithuanian society has lost its significance for the current schoolchildren and has been replaced by other images. However, at the same time the Grand duke is still perceived as an embodiment of the main national Lithuanian virtues.

Valores hematológicos y bioquímicos, y su asociación con el estado nutricional, en escolares urbanos. Cuenca

Objetivo: Determinar los valores hematológicos y bioquímicos y su asociación con el estado nutricional, en escolares urbanos de Cuenca. Materiales y métodos: Estudio transversal analítico, muestra aleatorizada por conglomerados, de 585 escolares entre 5 y 12 años de las escuelas urbanas de Cuenca, periodo 2012-2013. Se determinó el estado nutricional usando curvas de crecimiento para niños yadolescentes (z-score), índice de masa corporal por edad y sexo, según las recomendaciones de la Organización Mundial de la Salud; con los valores de los análisis hematológicos y bioquímicos practicados, se relacionaron los resultados de laboratorio con el estado nutricional. Resultados: La media de edad en la población fue de 8.87±1.9 años; promedio en valores hematológicos: glóbulos rojos 4.82±0.31 x 106/ml; glóbulos blancos 7.15±1.86 x 103/ ml; hemoglobina 13.66±1.34 g/dL; hematocrito 40.59±3.92%; volumen corpuscular medio (VCM) 83.64±4.03fl; hemoglobina corpuscular media (HCM) 38.31±1.27pg. Promedio de valores bioquímicos: proteína total 6.92±1.04g/ dL, albúmina sérica 4.37±0.7g/dL, hierro sérico 87.40±35.31μg/dL. El 19.3% presentó malnutrición (desnutrición 1.2%, sobrepeso 12.8% y obesidad 5.3%), existiendo asociación estadísticamente significativa (p<0.05) con glóbulos rojos. Existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas, entre niños y niñas, en valores de hierro, VCM y HCM; y respecto de malnutrición, en hierro sérico, glóbulos rojos, glóbulos blancos, hematocrito y VCM. Conclusiones: Se encontró asociación entre el estado nutricional y los valores hematológicos y bioquímicos. Se determinó prevalencia alta de sobrepeso y obesidad en población escolar urbana de Cuenca, similar a la reportada en otros estudios.

Asociación de anemia ferropenica y rendimiento escolar en niños de 2º A 7º año de Educación Básica Escuela 12 DE OCTUBRE TAMBO. 2015

Anemia ferropénica, enfermedad común en niños afecta su desarrollo psicomotriz y cognitivo, se ha asociado a una disminución en su rendimiento escolar. OBJETIVO GENERAL Determinar la asociación entre la anemia ferropénica y rendimiento escolar en niños de 2º a 7º año de educación básica de la escuela “12 de Octubre” del cantón el Tambo, 2015. DISEÑO METODOLÓGICO Estudio tipo analítico transversal, a una población de 92 escolares de 2º a 7º año de educación básica, matriculados en el año lectivo 2015 – 2016. Previo a su inclusión representantes de los escolares firmaron consentimiento informado, luego llenaron un formulario que determinó variables como edad, sexo, año escolar, lugar de residencia. Un análisis sanguíneo permitió establecer la presencia de la variable anemia ferropénica; y la variable rendimiento escolar fue tomada de los libros de registro de calificaciones. Recolectada la información se ingresó al ordenador para un análisis ulterior en los programas Microsoft Office Excel 2010 y SPSS V22. RESULTADOS De los 92 escolares investigados, el 53,3% fueron mujeres y el 46.7% hombres. El promedio de edad fue de 9,38 (DS 2,10). El mayor número según grupo de edad fue entre 10 y 11 años con el 43,48%. Se presentó anemia por deficiencia de hierro en 25% de los escolares, la relación con el rendimiento escolar fue no significativa (RP 0,6 IC 95 0,14-2,51, valor de p=0,51)

Centile curves and reference values for height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference of peruvian children and adolescents

This study aimed to provide height, body mass, BMI and waist circumference (WC) growth centile charts for school-children, aged 4–17 years, from central Peru, and to compare Peruvian data with North-American and Argentinean references. The sample consisted of 8753 children and adolescents (4130 boys and 4623 girls) aged 4 to 17 years, from four Peruvian cities: Barranco, La Merced, San Ramón and Junín. Height, body mass and WC were measured according to standardized techniques. Centile curves for height, body mass, BMI and WC were obtained separately for boys and girls using the LMS method. Student t-tests were used to compare mean values. Overall boys have higher median heights than girls, and the 50th percentile for body mass increases curvilinearly from 4 years of age onwards. In boys, the BMI and WC 50th percentiles increase linearly and in girls, the increase presents a curvilinear pattern. Peruvian children are shorter, lighter and have higher BMI than their counterparts in the U.S. and Argentina; in contrast, age and sex-specific WC values are lower. Height, body mass and WC of Peruvian children increased with age and variability was higher at older ages. The growth patterns for height, body mass, BMI and WC among Peruvian children were similar to those observed in North-American and Argentinean peers.

Estudio de los indicadores de rendimiento de aprendizaje tras la implementación de un programa de intervención tradicional y alternativo para la enseñanza del baloncesto

El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar las diferencias en el aprendizaje adquirido por alumnos que aprenden bajo dos metodologías de enseñanza-aprendizaje diferentes. La muestra estuvo conformada por 47 escolares, 38.3% chicos y el 61.7% chicas, distribuidos en dos grupos escolares de quinto de Educación Primaria, a los que se aplicó un programa de intervención bajo una metodología comprensiva (n=24) y otro bajo una metodología tradicional o técnica (n=27). Los programas de intervención fueron validados por un panel de expertos. La codificación de las variables y el cálculo de los indicadores de aprendizaje se realizó con el instrumento para la medición de los aprendizajes y rendimiento en baloncesto. El análisis de confiabilidad inter-observadores a través del Multirater κfree fue óptimo (κ≥.80). Se realizó un análisis descriptivo de los indicadores de aprendizaje, un ANOVA para identificar las diferencias entre programas y se exploraron los efectos reales de las puntuaciones a través del cálculo de las inferencias basadas en la magnitud. Los resultados muestran la mejora del alumnado que recibió el programa bajo una metodología alternativa, observándose mayores aprendizajes tanto en los indicadores de rendimiento de toma de decisión (p≤ .01), de eficacia (p≤ .05), e indicador de rendimiento total (p≤ .05).

Centile curves and reference values for height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference of peruvian children and adolescents

This study aimed to provide height, body mass, BMI and waist circumference (WC) growth centile charts for school-children, aged 4–17 years, from central Peru, and to compare Peruvian data with North-American and Argentinean references. The sample consisted of 8753 children and adolescents (4130 boys and 4623 girls) aged 4 to 17 years, from four Peruvian cities: Barranco, La Merced, San Ramón and Junín. Height, body mass and WC were measured according to standardized techniques. Centile curves for height, body mass, BMI and WC were obtained separately for boys and girls using the LMS method. Student t-tests were used to compare mean values. Overall boys have higher median heights than girls, and the 50th percentile for body mass increases curvilinearly from 4 years of age onwards. In boys, the BMI and WC 50th percentiles increase linearly and in girls, the increase presents a curvilinear pattern. Peruvian children are shorter, lighter and have higher BMI than their counterparts in the U.S. and Argentina; in contrast, age and sex-specific WC values are lower. Height, body mass and WC of Peruvian children increased with age and variability was higher at older ages. The growth patterns for height, body mass, BMI and WC among Peruvian children were similar to those observed in North-American and Argentinean peers.

Índice general de fuerza y adiposidad como medida de la condición relacionada con la salud en niños y adolescentes de Bogotá, Colombia: Estudio FUPRECOL

Objetivos: El presente estudio tuvo por objetivo general (1) determinar los valores de referencia de la condición muscular mediante el índice general de fuerza (IGF) y como objetivo específico, (2) estudiar si el IGF está relacionado con indicadores de adiposidad en niños y adolescentes escolares de Bogotá, Colombia. Métodos: Del total de 7.268 niños y adolescentes (9-17.9 años) evaluados en el estudio FUPRECOL, 4.139 (57%) fueron mujeres. Se evaluó el IGF como marcador del desempeño muscular a partir de la tipificación de las pruebas de fuerza prensil (FP) y salto longitud (SL). El IGF se recodificó en cuartiles (Q), siendo el Q4 la posición con mejor valor del IGF. El índice de masa corporal (IMC), la circunferencia de cintura (CC), el índice cintura/talla (ICT) y el porcentaje de grasa corporal (%GC) por Bioimpedancia eléctrica, se midieron como marcadores de adiposidad. Resultados: La edad media de los evaluados fue 12,8±2,3 años. Se aprecia una tendencia hacia un incremento del nivel de condición física muscular en los varones conforme aumenta la edad, y hacia la estabilidad o un ligero aumento en el caso de las mujeres. El IGF se relacionó inversamente con el ICT y %GC en los varones (r= -0,280, r= -0,327 p<0,01), respectivamente. Los escolares ubicados en el Q4 del IGF, presentaron menores valores en marcadores de adiposidad IMC, CC, ICT y %GC, p<0,01 que su contraparte del Q1. Conclusión: Se presentan valores de referencia del IGF a partir de la estandarización de los resultados obtenidos en la FP y SL. La evaluación de la fuerza muscular en edades tempranas permitirá implementar programas de prevención de riesgo cardiovascular y metabólico futuro

Estado nutricional y etapas de cambio comportamental frente a la actividad física niños y adolescentes de Bogotá, Colombia: Estudio FUPRECOL

Objetivo: El propósito del estudio fue relacionar la etapa en el cambio en el comportamiento frente a la actividad física y el estado nutricional en escolares entre 9 y 17 años de Bogotá- Colombia, pertenecientes al estudio FUPRECOL. Método: Se trata de un estudio transversal, en 6.606 niños y adolescentes entre 9 y 17 años, pertenecientes a 24 instituciones educativas, de Bogotá-Colombia. Se aplicó de manera auto-diligenciada el cuestionario de cambio de comportamiento en función a la intensión de realizar actividad física (CCC-Fuprecol) y se midió el peso y la estatura para determinar el estado nutricional con el índice de masa corporal (IMC). Resultados: El porcentaje de respuesta fue 94% y se consideraron válidos 6,606 registros, siendo 58.3 % (n=3.850) niñas con un promedio de edad de 12,7±2,3 años. En la población general, el 5,3 % de los escolares se encontraban en etapa de pre-contemplación, 31,8 % en contemplación, el 26,7 % en acción y el 36,2 % en etapa de mantenimiento. Al comparar la etapa de cambio con el estado nutricional por IMC, los escolares clasificados en obesidad mostraron mayor frecuencia de respuesta en la etapa de pre-contemplación, mientras que los escolares con peso saludable acusaron mayores porcentajes en la etapa de mantenimiento. Conclusión: En escolares de Bogotá, Colombia, se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativa entre a la intensión de realizar actividad con el estado nutricional medido con el IMC. Fomentar la promoción de la actividad física y monitorear el estado nutricional, deberá ser una prioridad en las agendas y políticas públicas dentro del ámbito escolar.

Etapas de cambio conductual relacionado al consumo de frutas y verduras en escolares de Bogotá, Colombia

Objetivo: Describir la relación de las etapas de cambio conductual frente al consumo de frutas y verduras con el estado nutricional en un grupo de escolares de Bogotá, Colombia, pertenecientes al estudio FUPRECOL. Métodos: Estudio de corte transversal en 1.922 niños y adolescentes entre 9 y 17 años, pertenecientes a nueve instituciones educativas oficiales de Bogotá. Se aplicó de manera auto-diligenciada el cuestionario de cambio de comportamiento (CCC-Fuprecol) validado en el “estudio FUPRECOL” y se calculó el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) como marcador del estado nutricional. Se calcularon prevalencias y se establecieron asociaciones mediante modelos de regresión logística binaria. Resultados: La muestra estuvo conformada por 1.045 niños-niñas y adolescentes vs hombres (45.6%) y mujeres (54.3%) y 877. La mayor proporción de consumo de frutas en el subgrupo de hombres (niños entre 9 y 12 años vs. adolescentes entre 13 y 17 años) se observó en la etapa de mantenimiento, (53.3 % vs. 38.8 %, X2 p<0.001), seguido de preparación/acción (25.0 % vs. 32.4 %, X2 p<0.001). En mujeres entre 9 y 12 años, la mayor proporción se ubicó en la etapa de mantenimiento (54.4 %), a diferencia de las adolescentes entre 13 y 17 años que acusaron mayor frecuencia la etapa de preparación/acción (42.0 %). Se observó que pertenecer al grupo de mujeres, se asociaba como variable para el cumplimiento de la recomendación mínima de frutas y verduras con valores de OR 1.54 (IC95% 1.22-1.93) y OR 1.48 (IC95% 1.19-1.84), respectivamente. Conclusiones: Aproximadamente, 66 % de los participantes tienen la intención o la voluntad de cumplir las recomendaciones de consumo de frutas y verduras. La identificación temprana de niños y adolescentes con bajo consumo de alimentos vegetales, permitirá implementar intervenciones para promover comportamientos saludables a fin de prevenir el riesgo cardiometabólico en la edad adulta.

LMS tables for waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio among Colombian children and adolescents: The FUPRECOL study

Background: Indices predictive of central obesity include waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). The aims of this study were 1) to establish a Colombian youth smoothed centile charts and LMS tables for WC and WHtR and 2) to evaluate the utility of these parameters as predictors of overweight and obesity. Method: A cross-sectional study whose sample population comprised 7954 healthy Colombian schoolchildren [boys n=3460 and girls n=4494, mean (standard deviation) age 12.8 (2.3) years old]. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), WC and WHtR and its percentiles were calculated. Appropriate cut-offs point of WC and WHtR for overweight and obesity, as defined by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) definitions, were selected using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The discriminating power of WC and WHtR was expressed as area under the curve (AUC). Results: Reference values for WC and WHtR are presented. Mean WC increased and WHtR decreased with age for both genders. We found a moderate positive correlation between WC and BMI (r= 0.756, P < 0.01) and WHtR and BMI (r= 0.604, P < 0.01). The ROC analysis showed a high discrimination power in the identification of overweight and obesity for both measures in our sample population. Overall, WHtR was slightly a better predictor for overweight/obesity (AUC 95% CI 0.868-0.916) than the WC (AUC 95% CI 0.862-0.904). Conclusion: This paper presents the first sex- and age-specific WC and WHtR percentiles for both measures among Colombian children and adolescents aged 9–17.9 years. By providing LMS tables for Latin-American people based on Colombian reference data, we hope to provide quantitative tools for the study of obesity and its comorbidities.