School Absenteeism, Health-Related Quality of Life [HRQOL] and Happiness among Young Adults Aged 16-26 Years

Economic burden of varicella in Bangkok, Thailand: A multicenter medical chart review study

Our multicenter, medical chart review, cost-of-illness study used a micro-costing approach to evaluate the economic burden associated with varicella in Bangkok, Thailand, from a societal perspective. We reviewed medical charts of adults and children with a primary diagnosis of varicella (2014-2018) from 4 hospitals in Bangkok. Reported healthcare resource utilization and missed school or workdays were extracted from medical charts. Mean direct, indirect, and total costs per patient were estimated for overall, adult, and pediatric patients (2020 USD). Of the 200 children and 60 adults, 99.6%, 5.4%, and 5.4% had a varicella-related outpatient visit, emergency department visit, and hospitalization, respectively. The mean direct medical cost was 33 USD for pediatric and adult patients. The mean cost of outpatient visits (8 vs 13 USD, P<0.001) and medications (7 vs 9 USD, P<0.001) was significantly lower among pediatric patients. Forty-eight children reported a mean of 5.8 school days lost, and 32 adult patients reported a mean of 7.4 workdays lost. The mean total cost per varicella patient was 89 USD, with the mean total cost higher for adult than pediatric patients (145 vs 72 USD, P<0.001). Indirect cost accounted for 63% of the total cost per patient (54% for pediatric patients and 77% for adult patients). There is a substantial economic burden associated with patients seeking varicella-related healthcare in Thailand, including considerable indirect costs.

School refusal profiles maintained by negative reinforcement and their relationship with self-perceived health

Health alterations and school refusal behavior may significantly affect student evolution in all areas of student lives. The objective of this study was to use latent profile analysis to identify school refusal profiles sustained by negative reinforcement and to determine their relationship with distinct self-perceived health variables (Satisfaction, Well-being, Resilience, Performance, and Risk-Taking). The School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised (SRAS-R) and the Child Health and Illness Profile (CHIP-CE/CRF) were administered to 737 students (60.9% male) aged between 8 and 10 (M = 8.76, SD = 0.74). Three profiles of school refusal maintained by negative reinforcement were obtained: no risk, moderate risk, and high risk. It was confirmed that school refusal through negative reinforcement correlates negatively with health dimensions, also finding that a higher risk profile for school refusal is associated with lower levels of self-perceived health. Similarly, it was determined that the high-risk profile is the most maladaptive, with significantly lower data in four of the five self-perceived health dimensions that were evaluated. In conclusion, remaining in situations with no or moderate risk of school refusal due to negative reinforcement encourages higher levels of self-perceived health, while being at high risk of school refusal due to negative reinforcement is associated with worse self-perceived health.

Medical advice for sick-reported students in a Dutch vocational school: a process evaluation

Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students (MASS) is an intervention that aims to reduce medical absenteeism and prevent dropout among students. The current study reports on a process evaluation of the implementation of MASS at a vocational school in the Netherlands. The evaluation included the implementation process, fidelity, context, and participant satisfaction. The study had a qualitative case study design. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders, including a child and youth healthcare physician, MASS coordinators, career advisors, mentors, and students with concerning sickness absence. MASS was largely implemented as intended, but some deviations from the original intervention were found. For example, not all mentors identified concerning sickness absence through recommended criteria. A fit between the intervention and the values of the involved organizations was found. Facilitating contextual factors were identified, such as a perceived need for reducing school absence recognized within the care network, as well as hampering contextual factors, for example the limited visibility of students' absence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were generally satisfied with MASS and its implementation. Overall, MASS was implemented well according to interviewees, but several improvement points for both the implementation and execution of MASS were identified. These include full implementation across the setting, providing and repeating necessary trainings, minimizing administrative burden, and securing financial and human resources for sustainment of the intervention. These points could help to guide future implementation efforts, as they may help to overcome common barriers to implementation.

A Meta-analysis of ADIPOQ rs2241766 polymorphism association with type 2 diabetes

Objective

There is extensive research on the association between polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The present meta-analytic study explored the association between ADIPOQ rs2241766 polymorphisms and T2D.

Metolds

Articles were collected by searching Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed electronic databases until 2021. They were searched using a systematic search of original and sensitive English keywords and their equivalent keywords based on the keywords "type 2 diabetes", "ADIPOQ", and "rs2241766". The article selection criteria were based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram.

Results

The results revealed that there was no bias in this study. Some studies, such as Joshaghani et al. (odds ratio [OR] = 2.18), Hussain et al. (OR = 2.12), Momin (OR = 4.45), and Amal et al. (OR = 1.84), showed an increasing effect of ADIPOQ rs266729 polymorphism on T2D with 95% CI (P ˂ 0.01), while some have shown no significant association between them.

Conclusion

The results of this meta-analytic study showed the relationship between ADIPOQ and rs2241766. Also, it was found that Rs2241766 polymorphism and allele increase the risk, and rs2241766 increases the risk of developing T2D (OR = 1.29).

Clinical practitioners' experiences of psychological treatment for autistic children and adolescents with school attendance problems: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

School attendance problems (SAPs) are common among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Currently, there is a lack of guidelines for treatment or interventions aimed at this group.

METHOD

Twelve clinical practitioners were interviewed via in-depth interviews using a semi-structured question guide. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and initially independently coded by two coders. The interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The majority of the clinicians reported that it was common that children and adolescents with ASD at CAP had prolonged SAPs. A total of four themes and 22 sub-themes were identified in the analysis: the treatment situation; treatment goals at CAP; treatment interventions; and desired development. Insufficient adaptations in response to core impairment of ASD and lack of support in their daily life could be factors to the development of SAPs. Prolonged social isolation in combination with severe psychiatric comorbidities was reported as a treatment barrier. Also, insufficient collaboration between mental health care services, school and social services obstructed the return to school for this group of students. Favorable factors for positive treatment outcome were: early detection, accurate assessment and coordination between mental health care and schools and environmental adaptation at school as well as at home, parent support and sometimes change of school. Concerning useful therapeutic techniques, exposure from cognitive-behavioral treatment was reported.

CONCLUSION

Children and adolescents with ASD with limited societal support tend to develop SAPs. Important factors that impact the outcome of treatment were the length of the absence from school and the severity of psychiatric comorbidities. Tailored and adapted interventions at school, parent support and mental health care are needed. Research about assessment and treatment for children and adolescents with ASD and SAPs is needed.

The Negative Impact of Tobacco Smoking on Health-Related Quality of Life among Saudi Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cigarette smoking and health-related quality of life among Saudi secondary vocational students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 328 answered a web-based self-administered questionnaire based on the Youth Risky Behavior Monitoring System (YRBSS) plus the Short Form 12 (SF-12) were included in the study. The target population included all Saudi students enrolled at the Secondary Industrial Institute in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, during December 2020 and February 2021.

RESULTS

Out of the total of 328 male participants, representing a response rate of 38.59%, the highest percentage of respondents were in the first year (45.4%), the mean age of the participants was 17.73 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 1.85 years. The prevalence of current smokers, past smokers, and never smokers accounted for 30.2%, 21.3%, and 48.5%, respectively. First-year students reported relatively high levels of smoking prevalence and low physical scores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The overall mean of HRQoL of current smokers, past smokers, and never smokers accounted for 58.60, 58.38, and 63.66, respectively. In addition, current smokers reported a relatively low physical score of HRQoL 55.73.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report to explore the impact of smoking on HRQoL of Secondary Industrial Institute students in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that smoking has a negative impact on the quality of life of vocational students. Therefore, a health strategies plan may be developed to improve the quality of life for vocational students in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of cigarette smoking and health-related quality of life among Saudi secondary vocational students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 328 answered a web-based self-administered questionnaire based on the Youth Risky Behavior Monitoring System (YRBSS) plus the Short Form 12 (SF-12) were included in the study. The target population included all Saudi students enrolled at the Secondary Industrial Institute in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, during December 2020 and February 2021.

RESULTS

Out of the total of 328 male participants, representing a response rate of 38.59%, the highest percentage of respondents were in the first year (45.4%), the mean age of the participants was 17.73 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 1.85 years. The prevalence of current smokers, past smokers, and never smokers accounted for 30.2%, 21.3%, and 48.5%, respectively. First-year students reported relatively high levels of smoking prevalence and low physical scores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The overall mean of HRQoL of current smokers, past smokers, and never smokers accounted for 58.60, 58.38, and 63.66, respectively. In addition, current smokers reported a relatively low physical score of HRQoL 55.73.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report to explore the impact of smoking on HRQoL of Secondary Industrial Institute students in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that smoking has a negative impact on the quality of life of vocational students. Therefore, a health strategies plan may be developed to improve the quality of life for vocational students in Saudi Arabia.

Holes in the wall: Examining gaps in knowledge in child and adolescent mental health in Tanzania - Scoping review

OBJECTIVES

To perform scoping review of the existing literature available specific to child and adolescent mental health in Tanzania.

METHODS

An extensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE and EMBASE was undertaken to identify studies that focussed specifically on mental illness in children and young people in Tanzania. This included neurological and functional disorders, affective disorders, psychosis, epidemiological, intervention and treatment-based studies. Qualitative analysis of the studies was then undertaken to assess what is currently known about the subject and how reliable this information is and to identify areas for further research.

RESULTS

Of 23 studies were included in the final synthesis, which could be broadly split into studies focussing on the prevalence and incidence of child and adolescent mental illness, hypothesised causes and correlations, identified treatments and interventions and qualitative studies of human experience.

CONCLUSION

There is a dearth of published research regarding child and adolescent mental health in Tanzania. Although some high-quality studies allow us good insight into the epidemiology of mental illness, interventional studies are often small and low-power, and significant correlational relationships are yet to be drawn. There is significant scope for further child and adolescent mental health research in Tanzania.

Addressing sickness absence among adolescents and young adults: an evaluation of the Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students intervention

Background

Sickness absence is associated with lower school achievements and early school leaving. The Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students (MASS) intervention is a proactive school-based intervention focused primarily on early identification and reduction of sickness absence. This study used a program evaluation framework to evaluate the MASS intervention among intermediate vocational education students and Youth Health Care professionals. Outcome indicators were primarily number of sick days, education fit, and school performance, and secondarily, seven health indicators. Process indicators were dose delivered and received, satisfaction, and experience.

Methods

The MASS intervention evaluation was conducted in ten intermediate vocational education schools. Students with extensive sickness absence from school in the past three months were included in either the intervention or control condition. Students completed a baseline and a six-month follow-up self-report questionnaire. Linear and logistic regression analyses were applied. Students and Youth Health Care professionals completed an evaluation form regarding their satisfaction and experience with the intervention.

Results

Participants (n = 200) had a mean age of 18.6 years (SD = 2.02) and 78.5% were female. The MASS intervention showed positive results on decreasing sickness absence in days (β = -1.13, 95% CI = -2.22;-0.05, p < 0.05) and on decreasing depressive symptoms (β = -4.11, 95% CI = -7.06;-1.17, p < 0.05). No effects were found for other health indicators (p > 0.05). A significant interaction revealed a decline in sickness absence in males (p < 0.05) but not in females (p > 0.05). Youth Health Care professionals found the application of the MASS intervention useful (n = 35 forms). The mean rating of students for the consultation within the MASS intervention was an 8.3 (SD = 1.3) out of 10 (n = 14 forms).

Conclusions

Our study provides some indication that the MASS intervention has positive effects on decreasing both sickness absence and depressive symptoms among intermediate vocational education students. The Youth Health Care professionals who provided the consultation as part of the MASS intervention considered the intervention to be useful and stated that the consultation was delivered as intended in almost all cases. Students were generally satisfied with the intervention. We recommend that future research evaluates the MASS intervention in a large randomized controlled trial with a longer follow-up.

Trial registration

This study was prospectively registered in the Netherlands Trial Register under number NTR5556, in October 2015.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-020-09809-9.

Transition to Employment Program (SUPER) for Youth at Risk: A Conceptual and Practical Model

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the transdisciplinary “Successful Pathways to Employment for youth at Risk” (SUPER) program to raise the transition readiness of youth at risk (YAR) from school into participation in adults’ responsibilities and employment. More than 10% of adolescents are at risk of dropping out of school following poor academic attainments. Schools appraise academic merit but do not develop relevant educational programs to prepare youth to transition into adult working life. The SUPER program addresses a range of knowledge and skills required for this transition. Sixty YAR from three high schools participated in the 18-week SUPER program. Comparing the pre- and postintervention results revealed that the students’ engagement with responsibilities, objective knowledge about the work world, and self-rated self-advocacy skills improved as did their supervisor-rated work performance capacity. This study confirms the contribution of the SUPER model. Its concepts, tools, principles, and community labor-market involvement through workplace internships were effective and could apply in other contexts. The SUPER model provides evidence-based knowledge translation that can bring conceptual and practical changes towards successful transition and participation of YAR in adult working roles.