scholarly journals Students’ attitude and sleep pattern during school closure following COVID-19 pandemic quarantine: a web-based survey in south of Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keivan Ranjbar ◽  
Hamidreza Hosseinpour ◽  
Reza Shahriarirad ◽  
Haleh Ghaem ◽  
Khoubyar Jafari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
First Grade ◽  
General Information ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Sleep Pattern ◽  
Fars Province ◽  
Sleep Patterns ◽  
Online Questionnaire

Abstract Background School closure is one of the main policies of global health care strategies performed worldwide. Despite all benefits, there might be some threats for younger groups spending their time in quarantine. This study aims to determine the impacts of lockdown and school closure on children’s major lifestyle aspects, especially their leisure and sleep pattern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods For the purpose of this study, an online questionnaire was distributed from 14th to 31st of March 2020 among the schools and students from the first grade to the 12th grade (before university) in Fars province, southern Iran. The questionnaire consisted of five sections which included data regarding the students’ general information, activity priorities, adherence to quarantine, attitude toward school closure, and sleep patterns. Results In our study, 20,697 filled questionnaires were received from the participants with an average age of 13.76 years; 29.7% of them were male, 80.6% were from urban areas, and 83.3% were from public schools. The overall first preference of students during school closure was mobile and computer games (30.1%), followed by studying (26.6%) and watching television (13.8%). Our results demonstrated that the majority of students adhered to social distancing and there was also a significant correlation among education levels and desire for schools to be closed till the end of the semester (P = 0.015). Also, regarding sleep patterns, the majority (53.5%) had above 12 h of sleep throughout the day. Conclusion It seems that lockdown following COVID-19 pandemic has changed various aspects of the students’ lifestyle remarkably, especially by increasing screen time and even sleep duration and pattern. We believe that certain strategies should be implemented by the Health and Educational Ministry to control not only the visible side effects of the quarantine period, but also the collateral consequences on their psychological and mental health.

scholarly journals Addressing migrants’ well-being during COVID-19: An analysis of Chinese communities’ heritage language schools in Germany

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Educational Programmes

Abstract The coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown affected social life in every regard. In critical times, the well-being of vulnerable groups is often at stake. Migrants represent a case in point because language barriers and the lack of social networks impede their seeking help from public institutions and information access. In migration policy and research, current attention overwhelmingly focusses on COVID-19’s impact on travel restrictions and healthcare. This article contributes a new perspective by demonstrating how migrants’ well-being needs (understood as emotions and sense of achievement) in education during the COVID-19-induced school closure were addressed by community educational organisations. Focussing on the Chinese community in Germany, data were collected in Chinese heritage language (CHL) schools from three urban areas. This article argues that CHL schools’ reaction to public schools’ closure had a positive impact on their members’ well-being. Such organisations achieved this by expanding their educational programmes during and after the lockdown. These measures ensured continuity in migrant children’s education beyond the realm of heritage language instruction, while enabling migrant parents to seek employment as the economy reopened. Overall, the results of this study underscore the potential of community organisations’ educational programmes in maintaining migrants’ well-being, especially in trying times.

scholarly journals Relationship between Sleep and Hypertension: Findings from the NHANES (2007–2014)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7867
Author(s):  
Chunnan Li ◽  
Shaomei Shang
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Sleep Disorder ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Pattern ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Sleep Patterns ◽  
Short Sleep Duration ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Definition Of

Background: To evaluate the association of sleep factors (sleep duration, self-reported trouble sleeping, diagnosed sleep disorder) and combined sleep behaviors with the risk of hypertension. Methods: We analyzed 12,166 adults aged 30–79 years who participated in the 2007–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sleep duration, self-reported trouble sleeping and sleep disorders were collected using a standardized questionnaire. We included three sleep factors (sleep duration, self-reported trouble sleeping and sleep disorder) to generate an overall sleep score, ranging from 0 to 3. We then defined the sleep pattern as “healthy sleep pattern” (overall sleep score = 3), “intermediate sleep pattern” (overall sleep score = 2), and “poor sleep pattern” (0 ≤ overall sleep score ≤ 1) based on the overall sleep score. The definition of hypertension was based on self-reported antihypertensive medication use or biological measurement (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg). We used weighted logistic regression models to investigate the associations between sleep and hypertension. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 37.8%. A short sleep duration (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.33, p = 0.001), self-reported trouble sleeping (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.28 to 1.65, p < 0.001) and sleep disorder (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.66, p = 0.012) were related to the risk of hypertension. Poor sleep patterns were closely correlated with the risk of hypertension (OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.62 to 2.24). Conclusions: Participants with poor sleep patterns were associated with an increased risk for hypertension.

scholarly journals Meeting the Challenges of Longitudinal Cluster-Based Trials in Schools: Lessons From the Chicago Trial of Positive Action

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra M. Lewis ◽  
David L. DuBois ◽  
Peter Ji ◽  
Joseph Day ◽  
Naida Silverthorn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Student Mobility ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Study Planning ◽  
Positive Action ◽  
Cluster Randomized

We describe challenges in the 6-year longitudinal cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) of Positive Action (PA), a social–emotional and character development (SECD) program, conducted in 14 low-income, urban Chicago Public Schools. Challenges pertained to logistics of study planning (school recruitment, retention of schools during the trial, consent rates, assessment of student outcomes, and confidentiality), study design (randomization of a small number of schools), fidelity (implementation of PA and control condition activities), and evaluation (restricted range of outcomes, measurement invariance, statistical power, student mobility, and moderators of program effects). Strategies used to address the challenges within each of these areas are discussed. Incorporation of lessons learned from this study may help to improve future evaluations of longitudinal CRCTs, especially those that involve evaluation of school-based interventions for minority populations and urban areas.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a European-wide survey on paediatric endoscopy training

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse Julia Broekaert ◽  
Joerg Jahnel ◽  
Nicolette Moes ◽  
Hubert van der Doef ◽  
Angela Ernst ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Society ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
General Information ◽  
Simulator Training ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Endoscopy Training ◽  
Procedural Volume ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ileal Intubation

ObjectiveTo evaluate quality of paediatric endoscopy training of Young members of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).MethodsAn online questionnaire designed by the Young ESPGHAN Committee was sent to 125 Young ESPGHAN members between February 2014 and September 2015. The questionnaire comprised 32 questions addressing some general information of the participants and the structure of their paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition programmes; procedural volume and terminal ileal intubation (TII) rate; supervision, assessments, participation in endoscopy courses and simulator training; and satisfaction with endoscopy training and self-perceived competency.ResultsOf 68 participants, 48 (71%) were enrolled in an official training programme. All alumni (n=31) were trained in endoscopy. They completed a median of 200 oesophagogastroduodenoscopies (OGDs) and 75 ileocolonoscopies (ICs) with a TII rate of >90% in 43%. There is a significant difference in numbers of ICs between the TII rate groups >90%, 50%–90% and <50% (median 150 vs 38 vs 55) (p<0.001). 11 alumni (35%) followed the ESPGHAN Syllabus during training. 25 alumni (81%) attended basic skills endoscopy courses and 19 (61%) experienced simulator training. 71% of the alumni were ‘(very) satisfied’ with their diagnostic OGD, while 52% were ‘(very) satisfied’ with their IC training. The alumni felt safe to independently perform OGDs in 84% and ICs in 71% after their training.ConclusionsDespite reaching the suggested procedural endoscopy volumes, a rather low TII rate of >90% calls for end-of-training certifications based on the achievement of milestones of competency.

scholarly journals Improvement of sleep patterns and serum melatonin levels in children with autism spectrum disorders after consumption of beta-1,3/1,6-glucan in a pilot clinical study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kadalraja Raghavan ◽  
Vidyasagar Devaprasad Dedeepiya ◽  
Ramesh Shankar Kandaswamy ◽  
Mangaleswaran Balamurugan ◽  
Nobunao Ikewaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Conventional Therapy ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Sleep Pattern ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Melatonin Level ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Sleep Patterns ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Abstract Study objectives: Poor sleep quality is a major problem that patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face, which is attributed to their low melatonin levels. Melatonin supplementation is recommended, but its effectiveness is varied. Beta-glucans have previously been reported to improve melatonin levels in animal studies. Therefore, we examined the effectiveness of Aureobasidium pullulans (Nichi Glucan), a species of black yeast that contains beta-1,3/1,6-glucan, in a pilot study of children with ASD. Methods Thirteen children (age = 2.5 to 13 years) with ASD were recruited into the study. The control group consisted of four patients (Gr. 1), while nine patients were in the treatment group (Gr. 2). Gr. 2 received 1 g of Nichi Glucan along with conventional therapy, whereas Gr. 1 underwent conventional therapy alone for 90 days. The serum melatonin levels and sleep patterns, assessed using a subjective questionnaire, were evaluated before and after treatment. Results In Gr. 2, the average serum melatonin level increased from 238.85 ng/dl pre-intervention to 394.72 ng/dl post-intervention. Eight out of nine subjects (88%) in Gr. 2 group showed and improvement in their sleep pattern and quality, while this improvement was not observed in the control group. Conclusions Our study is the first in the literature to report that consumption of Nichi Glucan for 90 days showed visible improvement in sleep quality, sleep pattern, and serum melatonin levels. A larger multicentre study is warranted to validate our findings.

scholarly journals Sealant Utilization and its Influence on Caries Reduction in First Permanent Molars in Saudi Female School Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 583-590
Author(s):  
Fatimah Albaeejan ◽  
Doaa Bakhashwain ◽  
Alanoud Alsubaie ◽  
Azza Tageldin ◽  
Muhammad Nazir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Fourth Grade ◽  
First Grade ◽  
World Health ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Fissure Sealants ◽  
Monthly Family Income ◽  
Permanent Molars ◽  
First Permanent Molars

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the utilization of fissure sealants and their influence on caries reduction in first permanent molars (FPMs) among 6-9 years old female schoolchildren in Dammam, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: First to fourth grade female children from public schools in Dammam participated in this cross-sectional study. Dental caries and fissure sealants in FPMs were examined clinically using the World Health Organization guidelines. In addition, the parents of the participants responded to a self-reported questionnaire. Results: The study analyzed the data of 449 children. Almost 44.3% of the participants had at least one FPM affected with caries. There were 8.7% of the participants who had fissure sealants in at least one FPM, and out of these, only 2.2% had four FPMs filled with sealants. A significantly greater proportion of participants with sealed FPMs had no caries than the lower proportion of participants without sealants who had caries (P=<0.05). The use of sealants increased significantly from first grade (10.3%) to second grade (30.8%), third grade (38.5%), and fourth grade (20.5%) (P=0.006). High monthly family income (P= 0.047) and having insurance (P=0.017) were significantly associated with increased sealant application. Nearly 21.9% of participants’ parents were aware of caries protective effects of dental sealants. Conclusion: The application of sealants was significantly associated with reduced caries in FPMs. Class year, monthly family income, and insurance were significantly associated with having sealants. Caries prevention programs for children should incorporate sealant application.

Mass School Closures and the Politics of Race, Value, and Disposability in Philadelphia

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-44
Author(s):  
Julia A. McWilliams ◽  
Erika M. Kitzmiller
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
School Choice ◽  
Individual Case ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Urban District ◽  
School Closures ◽  
School Communities ◽  
State And Local

Background With the expansion of charter school networks, population losses in urban district schools and stretched budgets have encouraged struggling districts to adopt closure-as-reform. School closings have received considerable attention in the media as a controversial reform, reconfiguring the educational landscapes of over 70 post-industrial cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New Orleans. However, in the last decade, few scholars have considered the project of examining closures—their process and their effects—empirically. Purpose In this article, we examine the rollout of 30 school closures in Philadelphia in 2012 and 2013 to explain how school closures have become yet another policy technology of Black community and school devaluation in the United States. Moving beyond educational studies that have focused on the outcomes of mass school closures like student achievement and cost savings, we argue that a thorough theorization of how race, violence, and community values relate to school closure as process could help to explain the ways in which contemporary educational policy reforms are creating new modes of communal disposability in cities’ poorest zip codes. Setting/Participants Data collection occurred in two comprehensive high schools in Philadelphia slated for closure in 2012 and 2013: Johnson High and Franklin High. Participants at both schools included students, teachers, parents, community members, and district officials. Research Design The authors spent several years in their respective schools recording observations of instructional practice, community meetings, and district events and interviewing key informants such as students, teachers, administrators, and district officials. The first author spent three years at Johnson High School, from September 2011 to June 2013. The second author spent five years at Franklin High School, from September 2008 to June 2013. She also spent hundreds of hours at the high school examining archival materials and interviewing students, teachers, and alumni about their experiences in the school and community. In addition to their individual case studies, the authors jointly transcribed and coded over two dozen community and district meetings’ video recordings during the 2012 and 2013 closures. In the aftermath of the school closures process, we used a comparative ethnographic method to compare and contrast the events that occurred at these two schools. Findings Suturing anthropologies of violence and education to frame the analysis, we explore moments of collision between policy discourses deployed by state and local officials that crafted closures as inevitable and threatened school communities’ articulations of the racialized implications of the closures. We further localize our analysis to demonstrate how two school communities—one majority Asian and another majority Black—with similar performances and characteristics met dramatically different fates. Given the lack of transparency in how decisions were made around which schools to close, the ways in which these communities read and responded to the closure threat offer a window into the ways in which race informed the valuation process across schools. Conclusions/Recommendations We conclude with a plea to state and federal policymakers to consider the long-term ramifications of school choice expansion and state disinvestment for the health and stability of traditional public schools. We encourage policymakers to move in a more reparative direction, prioritizing the needs of those “unchosen” by choice and imagining a system that might serve all students more equitably.

Principal’s Administrative Effectiveness with respect to their Institutional Academic Performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohan Lal Arya ◽  
Rajkumari Singh
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Urban Schools ◽  
Rural Schools ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rural Government ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Administrative Effectiveness ◽  
Selection Of

This research paper is a description of the Principal’s Administrative Effectiveness and his Institutional Academic Performance in the important salient aspect of School Administration and Management. The study under this division: Urban Government, Rural Government, Urban Public and Rural Public. This division is done to keep proper representation of schools from all areas whether Government or Public schools, Urban or Rural areas. It has been decided to select the final sample consists of 27 principals and 154 teachers and 8803 students. The prepared lists are useful for other categories such as Government and Public schools, urban and rural schools. Under all these categories 14 Government and 13 Public schools, 15 Urban and 12 rural schools were selected from U.P. Board and C.B.S.E. The selection of the schools indicates the selection of principals and academic performance of that school. To get data on Principal’s Administrative Effectiveness, “Administrative Effectiveness Scale” was administered on teachers of that school. All students of X and IIX classes were selected from 27 secondary and senior secondary schools for getting scores on ‘Institutional Academic Performance’. The paper finally recommended that that schools those are located in urban areas show high academic performance and rural schools keep low academic performance. The academic standards of urban schools are high then that of rural schools. It is regarded by this finding that students those are studying in urban schools perform better academic level. The students of rural schools show low academic performances.

scholarly journals Evernia Goes to School: Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals and Photosynthetic Performance in Lichen Transplants Exposed Indoors and Outdoors in Public and Private Environments

Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Paoli ◽  
Zuzana Fačkovcová ◽  
Anna Guttová ◽  
Caterina Maccelli ◽  
Katarína Kresáňová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fluorescence Emission ◽  
Photosynthetic Performance ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Evernia Prunastri ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban

Recently indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a key issue, especially in schools, where children spend most of the day. Only in a few cases IAQ was investigated using lichens as biomonitors. During autumn 2017, lichens (Evernia prunastri) were exposed for two months indoors and outdoors in public (schools) and private (dwellings) environments, in both rural and urban areas of Slovakia. The bioaccumulation of selected elements and the physiological status of the samples were considered. The content of heavy metals increased in samples exposed outdoors for 11 out of 12 elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, S, Sb, V and Zn, but not Ca) in the urban area and for 5 (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Sb) in the rural area. Indoor concentrations were overall similar, both in rural and urban buildings, independently of the outdoor conditions. An indoor accumulation occurred only for Cd, Cu and Pb. An indoor origin was suggested for Cd, while for Cu and Pb, outdoor penetration (car traffic) is the likely cause of indoor values. Indoor exposed lichens maintained their vitality (as reflected by chlorophyll a fluorescence emission). This latter result further supports the use of lichen biomonitoring as a suitable method for assessing IAQ.

scholarly journals Environmental Characteristics and Student Physical Activity in PE Class: Findings From Two Large Urban Areas of Texas

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine A. Skala ◽  
Andrew E. Springer ◽  
Shreela V. Sharma ◽  
Deanna M. Hoelscher ◽  
Steven H. Kelder
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Class Size ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Environmental Characteristics ◽  
Class Time ◽  
Percent Time ◽  
Lesson Context

Background:Physical education (PE) classes provide opportunities for children to be active. This study examined the associations between specific environmental characteristics (teacher characteristics; class size, duration and location; and lesson context) and elementary school-aged children’s moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) during PE.Methods:Environmental characteristics and student activity levels were measured in 211 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade PE classes in 74 Texas public schools using SOFIT direct observation.Results:Students engaged in less than half their PE class time in MVPA (38%), while approximately 25% of class time was spent in classroom management. Percent time in MVPA was significantly higher in outdoor classes compared with indoors (41.4% vs. 36.1%, P = .037). Larger (P = .044) and longer (P = .001) classes were negatively associated with percentage of MVPA and positively correlated with time spent in management (P < .001).Conclusions:Findings suggest that children’s activity may be influenced by environmental factors such as class size, location, and lesson contexts. These findings hold important policy implications for PE class organization and the need for strategies that maximize children’s MVPA. Further research is needed to test the causal association of these factors with student MVPA.

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