Associations between Exposure to Tobacco Smoke and Behavioral Problems in Preschool Japanese Children

Background. A few studies related to pediatric behavior have measured secondhand smoke exposure in children using valid objective biochemical markers. We aimed at investigating the associations between current and cumulative exposure to tobacco smoke, measured both subjectively and objectively, and behavioral problems in children. Methods. Subjects were 437 Japanese children, aged 3–6 years in 2006. Exposure to tobacco smoke was evaluated from a parent-administered questionnaire and urinary cotinine concentrations. The cotinine concentrations were measured using first-void morning urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Children’s behaviors were assessed by the parent-completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results. After multiple adjustments for covariates, higher total difficulty scores of children were significantly associated with the larger number of cigarettes parents smoke, more smokers among cohabiters, and more pack-years of exposure to tobacco smoke from parents and cohabiters. The total difficulty scores were 8.72, 9.09, and 10.52, respectively, for children in the low, middle, and high tertiles of creatinine-corrected cotinine concentrations in urine (p=0.002, trend p=0.005). There was no substantial sex difference in the positive associations between passive smoking and the SDQ scores. Conclusions. Exposure to tobacco smoke in early childhood may be involved in the development of pediatric behavioral problems. The importance of reducing the exposure of children to tobacco smoke, particularly in the home, was further emphasized for the prevention of psychological and behavioral problems in childhood.

Prevalence of mental health problems by using strength and difficulty questionnaire in school going adolescents (11-17 years) of Jaipur city, Rajasthan

Background: Adolescents constituting 21% of India’s population. Most mental disorders begin before age 14, though they are often first detected later in life. Detecting these disorders and individual prone to these disorders at earlier ages can facilitate better treatment. With this in mind the present study was planned to find out the prevalence and pattern of mental health problem and their association with socio-demographic factors (age, gender, religion and socio-economic status) in school going adolescents in Jaipur.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 994 school going adolescents (11-17 years) studying in 6th to 12th class of Jaipur city, Rajasthan. The simple random sampling and self reported version of Strength & Difficulty questionnaire (SDQ) were used to assess mental health. Chi-square was used to test significance.Results: The 8.35% school going adolescents had abnormal SDQ score indicating probable mental disorders. The borderline and normal adolescents on total difficulty score were 14.19%, 77.46% respectively. Conduct Problem was the most prevalent (12%), followed by emotional (10%), peer (7%), hyperactivity (6%) and prosocial problem (5%). Impact of total difficulty was abnormal in 13.78% adolescents. The age and SES were found significantly associated with mental health problems (p<0.05). The mental health was not associated with gender, religion and school type.Conclusions: The proportion of borderline and abnormal adolescents was more than one fifth on total difficulty score that need further evaluation and appropriate counselling/treatment by psychiatrist.

Processing of proposals for land consolidation in the foothills conditions

Land consolidation, made pursuant to the Act No. 139/2002 Coll., have different variations and elaborateness according to specific conditions. The hilliness of the terrain, sloping, systems of transport connecting the plots, water in the landscape, the size of the plots and number of owners are the decisive factors for the preparation of the land consolidation. They influence the possibility of changes, decisions on the shapes of the plots, total difficulty in reaching the best situational layout and transport accessibility, reduction of erosion danger as well as incorporation of elements that increase the ecological stability of the plots of individual owners. The experience and knowledge collected during the implementation of land consolidation in the district of Ústí nad Orlicí provides the first opportunity to describe and evaluate the impact of specific conditions associated with the design and implementation of land consolidation in the different morphological, soil and climatic areas. The selected method was to compare some outputs of the land consolidation proposals as well as natural and other conditions of individual land consolidation from different cadastre territories of the Ústí nad Orlicí district, where the land consolidation has already been terminated or shall be terminated.