scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in school settings during the second COVID-19 wave: a cross-sectional study, Berlin, Germany, November 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (34) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Theuring ◽  
Marlene Thielecke ◽  
Welmoed van Loon ◽  
Franziska Hommes ◽  
Claudia Hülso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Attendance ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Igg Antibodies ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
School Students ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Household Members ◽  
Walking To School

Background School attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic is intensely debated. Aim In November 2020, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 infections and seroreactivity in 24 randomly selected school classes and connected households in Berlin, Germany. Methods We collected oro-nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples, examining SARS-CoV-2 infection and IgG antibodies by RT-PCR and ELISA. Household members self-swabbed. We assessed individual and institutional prevention measures. Classes with SARS-CoV-2 infection and connected households were retested after 1 week. Results We examined 1,119 participants, including 177 primary and 175 secondary school students, 142 staff and 625 household members. SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred in eight classes, affecting each 1–2 individuals. Infection prevalence was 2.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–5.0; 9/338), 1.4% (95% CI: 0.2–5.1; 2/140), and 2.3% (95% CI: 1.3–3.8; 14/611) among students, staff and household members. Six of nine infected students were asymptomatic at testing. We detected IgG antibodies in 2.0% (95%CI: 0.8–4.1; 7/347), 1.4% (95% CI: 0.2–5.0; 2/141) and 1.4% (95% CI: 0.6–2.7; 8/576). Prevalence increased with inconsistent facemask-use in school, walking to school, and case-contacts outside school. For three of nine households with infection(s), origin in school seemed possible. After 1 week, no school-related secondary infections appeared in affected classes; the attack rate in connected households was 1.1%. Conclusion School attendance under rigorously implemented preventive measures seems reasonable. Balancing risks and benefits of school closures need to consider possible spill-over infection into households. Deeper insight is required into the infection risks due to being a schoolchild vs attending school.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in school settings during the second wave in Berlin, Germany: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Theuring ◽  
Marlene Thielecke ◽  
Welmoed van Loon ◽  
Franziska Hommes ◽  
Claudia Hülso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Attendance ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Igg Antibodies ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
Household Members

AbstractBackgroundSchool attendance during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is intensely debated. Modelling studies suggest that school closures contribute to community transmission reduction. However, data among school-attending students and staff are scarce. In November 2020, we examined SARS-CoV-2 infections and seroreactivity in 24 randomly selected school classes and connected households in Berlin, Germany.MethodsStudents and school staff were examined, oro-nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples collected, and SARS-CoV-2 infection and IgG antibodies detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. Household members performed self-swabs. Individual and institutional infection prevention and control measures were assessed. Classes with SARS-CoV-2 infection and connected household members were re-tested after one week.Findings1119 participants were examined, including 177 primary and 175 secondary school students, 142 staff, and 625 household members. Participants reported mainly cold symptoms (19·4%). SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred in eight of 24 classes affecting each 1-2 individuals. Infection prevalence was 2·7% (95%CI; 1·2-5·0%; 9/338), 1·4% (0·2-5·1%; 2/140), and 2·3% (1·3-3·8%; 14/611) among students, staff and household members, respectively, including quarantined persons. Six of nine infected students were asymptomatic. Prevalence increased with inconsistent facemask use in school, way to school on foot, and case-contacts outside school. IgG antibodies were detected in 2·0% (0·8-4·1%; 7/347), 1·4% (0·2-5·0%; 2/141) and 1·4% (0·6-2·7%; 8/576), respectively. For three of nine households with infection(s) detected at cross-sectional assessment, origin in school seemed possible. After one week, no school-related, secondary infections appeared in affected classes; the attack rate in connected households was 1·1%.InterpretationThese data suggest that school attendance under preventive measures is feasible, provided their rigorous implementation. In balancing threats and benefits of open versus closed schools during the pandemic, parents and society need to consider possible spill-overs into their households. Deeper insight is needed into the infection risks due to being a schoolchild as compared to attending school.FundingSenate of Berlin.

scholarly journals Epidemiological Aspects of Nicotinism Among Students of Antananarivo Suburban High School (Madagascar)

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 297
Author(s):  
Narindrarimanana Avisoa Randriamihangy ◽  
Raphael Fidelis Randrianarivo ◽  
Xavier Delmas Milijaona ◽  
Rado Olivier Rakoto Sedson ◽  
Solofonirina Rakotoarimanana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional

Introduction: Nicotinism is of world-wide growing concern among adolescents. The goal is to describe the epidemiological aspects of nicotinism among Antananarivo suburban high school students. Methods: This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 2015 through a cluster sampling. A standardised, anonymous self-completion questionnaire was given to 903 high school students. Results: We enrolled 901 students. The prevalence of students who experimented with tobacco use was 46.3% next to 11.7% of active smokers . Among active smokers, 47.6% were non-dependent, 14.3% slightly dependent, 29.5% moderately dependent and 6.7% strongly dependent on tobacco. The motive of 70.3% of smokers was to test tobacco. Among former smokers 72.7% stoped smoking for fear of the drawbacks of tobacco-related diseases. Fear of heart disease (p = 0.004) and cancer (p = 0.008) was significantly associated with non-smoking status. Female gender (p = 0.000, OR 0.261 [0.164-0.415], 95% IC) and having been informed on tobacco consequences (p = 0.003, OR 0.401 [0.213-0.753, 95% IC] were protecting factors against tobacco use. The existence of a smoking circle was a risk factor of being a smoker: close friend (p = 0.000, OR 2,677 [2,027-3,534], 95% IC), cousin (p = 0.002, OR 1,529 [1,174-1,993], 95% IC), brother/sister (p = 0.023, OR 1,478 [1,054-2,072], 95% IC). Conclusion: The prevalence of nicotinism is significant despite the current prevention measures. The influence of the smoking circle and education are paramount. An active participation of nonsmokers adolescents in passing the message or raising awareness could improve the outcomes because they have influence on their peers.

CONSUMO DE ALIMENTOS PROCESSADOS E ULTRAPROCESSADOS POR ESCOLARES DE ARROIO DO TIGRE, RS

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
Rubiane Inara Wagner ◽  
Patrícia Molz ◽  
Camila Schreiner Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Public School ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Private School ◽  
Food Habits ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
Cereal Bars

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a frequência do consumo de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados e verificar a associação entre estado nutricional por adolescentes do ensino público e privado do município de Arroio do Tigre, RS. Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado com adolescentes, com idade entre 10 e 15 anos, de uma escola pública e uma privada de Arroio do Tigre, RS. O estado nutricional foi avaliado pelo índice de massa corporal. Aplicou-se um questionário de frequência alimentar contendo alimentos processados e ultraprocessados. A amostra foi composta por 64 adolescentes com idade média de 12,03±1,15 anos, sendo 53,1% da escola pública. A maioria dos adolescentes encontravam-se eutróficos (p=0,343), e quando comparado com o consumo de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados, a maioria dos escolares eutróficos relataram maior frequência no consumo de balas e chicletes (50,0%) e barra de cereais (51,0%), de 1 a 3 vezes por semana (p=0,004; p=0,029, respectivamente). Houve também uma maior frequência de consumo de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados como pizza (73,5%; p0,001), refrigerante (58,8%; p=0,036) e biscoito recheado (58,8%; p=0,008) entre 1 a 3 vezes por semana na escola pública em comparação a escola privada. O consumo de suco de pacote (p=0,013) foi relatado não ser consumido pela maioria dos alunos da escola particular em comparação a escola pública. Os dados encontrados evidenciam um consumo expressivo de alimentos processados e ultraprocessados pelos adolescentes de ambas as escolas, destacando alimentos com alto teor de açúcar e sódio.Palavras-chave: Hábitos alimentares. Adolescentes. Alimentos industrializados. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to compare the frequency of consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods and to verify the association between nutritional status by adolescents from public and private schools in the municipality of Arroio do Tigre, RS. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with adolescents, aged 10 to 15 years, from a public school and a private school in Arroio do Tigre, RS. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index. A food frequency questionnaire containing processed and ultraprocessed foods was applied. The sample consisted of 64 adolescents with a mean age of 12.03±1.15 years, 53.1% of the public school. Most of the adolescents were eutrophic (p=0.343), and when compared to the consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods, most eutrophic schoolchildren reported a higher frequency of bullets and chewing gum (50.0%) and cereal bars (51.0%), 1 to 3 times per week (p=0.004, p=0.029, respectively). There was also a higher frequency of consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods such as pizza (73.5%, p0.001), refrigerant (58.8%, p=0.036) and stuffed biscuit (58.8%, p=0.008) between 1 to 3 times a week in public school compared to private school. Consumption of packet juice (p=0.013) was reported not to be consumed by the majority of private school students compared to public school. Conclusion: The data found evidenced an expressive consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods by the adolescents of both schools, highlighting foods with high sugar and sodium content.Keywords: Food Habits. Adolescents. Industrialized Foods.

scholarly journals The number of household members as a risk factor for peptic ulcer disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Hong Yim ◽  
Keun Ho Kim ◽  
Bum Ju Lee
Keyword(s):  
Peptic Ulcer ◽  
Peptic Ulcer Disease ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Household Members ◽  
H Pylori

AbstractPeptic ulcer disease (PUD) is caused by many sociodemographic and economic risk factors other than H. pylori infection. However, no studies reported an association between PUD and the number of household members. We showed the number of family members affected by PUD based on sex in a Korean population. This cross-sectional study used 1998–2009 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Multiple binary logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were constructed to analyze the association of PUD with the number of household members. The number of household members was associated with PUD, age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, glucose, location (urban/rural), income, education level, stress, current drinking, and smoking in both sexes. Men with other household members had a higher PUD risk compared to men or women living alone (reference), and the opposite was observed for women. Men with 4 household members had a higher PUD risk than men living alone in the model adjusted for age, BMI, income, location, education, and stress (OR = 2.04 [95% CI 1.28–3.27], p value = .003). Women with more than 6 household members had a lower PUD risk than women living alone in the adjusted model (OR = 0.50 [0.33–0.75], p value = .001). Women with more household members had a lower PUD risk. However, more men had PUD than women regardless of the number of household members.

scholarly journals Patient health engagement model: explaining citizens noncompliance and maladaptive behaviors

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Graffigna ◽  
S Barello ◽  
L Palamenghi ◽  
M Savarese ◽  
G Castellini
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Prevention ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
High Level ◽  
Restrictive Measures

Abstract Background At the end of February 2020 a new case was diagnosed with COVID-19 in north Italy, suddenly followed by new cases. Italian health authorities decided to enforce restrictive measures. Northern areas of Italy were identified as “red areas” to slow down the epidemic and its impact on the healthcare system. From this perspective, the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy constitutes a testing ground for the assessment of the ability of consumers to cope with this health risk. Methods A cross-sectional study on a representative sample of 1000 Italian citizens was conducted over the period 27 February- 5 March exploring the following hypotheses: 1) less engaged individuals are more concerned for the health emergency and feel more vulnerable; 2) less engaged have higher probability to develop negative attitudes and dysfunctional behaviors. Results only the 16% the interviewees presented a high level of engagement. Lower levels of engagement were measured in the southern parts of Italy (not yet touched by the epidemics at the time of data collection). People with lowers levels of engagement reported higher fears for the contagion and sense of vulnerability. Furthermore, they showed the lower levels of trust in the Public Health Authorities, in medical research and in vaccines. Finally, they appeared more dismissive in their preventive behaviors and more disorganized in the fruition of the healthcare services. Conclusions A psychological analysis of processes of attitudinal and role change in the direction of becoming more engaged in health prevention is worthy in order to forecast potential dysfunctional reactions to restrictive health prevention measures and to orient personalized education initiatives to consumers with different level of engagement. Key messages Profiling based on the levels of health engagement is important in order to plan more effective healthcare measures during epidemics. Targeted educational initiatives should take into account citizens' engagement profiles.

scholarly journals Bullying and Its Associated Individual, Peer, Family and School Factors: Evidence from Malaysian National Secondary School Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 7208
Author(s):  
Vikneswaran Sabramani ◽  
Idayu Badilla Idris ◽  
Halim Ismail ◽  
Thiyagar Nadarajaw ◽  
Ezarina Zakaria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
School Students ◽  
School Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Public School Students ◽  
Distress Level ◽  
Physical Health Problems ◽  
The Individual

Adolescents involved in bullying can be at risk of developing behavioural problems, physical health problems and suicidal ideation. In view of this, a quantitative research design using a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of bullying and associated individual, peer, family and school factors. The study involved 4469 Malaysian public-school students who made up the response rate of 89.4%. The students were selected using a randomized multilevel sampling method. The study found that 79.1% of student respondents were involved in bullying as perpetrators (14.4%), victims (16.3%), or bully–victims (48.4%). In a multivariate analysis, the individual domain showed a significant association between students’ bullying involvement and age (OR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.12–1.70), gender (OR = 1.73; 95% CI 1.47–0.91), ethnicity (OR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.47–0.91), duration of time spent on social media during the weekends (OR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.09–1.87) and psychological distress level (OR = 2.55; 95% CI 1.94–3.34). In the peer domain, the significantly associated factors were the number of peers (OR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.56–0.86) and frequency of quarrels or fights with peers (OR = 2.12; 95% CI 1.24–3.26). Among the items in the school domain, the significantly associated factors were students being mischievous in classrooms (OR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.06–2.06), student’s affection towards their teachers (OR = 1.53; 95% CI 1.06–2.20), frequency of appraisal from teachers (OR = 1.49; 95% CI 1.16–1.94), frequency of friends being helpful in classrooms (OR = 1.92; 95% CI 1.09–3.38) and frequency of deliberately skipping class (OR = 2.91; 95% CI 2.90–1.72). As a conclusion, the study revealed high levels and widespread bullying involvement among students in Malaysia. As such, timely bullying preventions and interventions are essential, especially in terms of enhancing their mental health capacity, which substantially influences the reduction in the prevalence rates of bullying involvement among students in Malaysia.

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