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Chan CCK, Fok EHW, Lo YTR, Ng WY, Botelho MG. Well-being of undergraduate dental students: Questionnaire design, findings and future directions. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR DENTAL EDUCATION IN EUROPE 2024; 28:740-756. [PMID: 38526000 DOI: 10.1111/eje.13003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of addressing well-being in the overall health of students. There is a need for support systems within dental schools to help students demonstrate resilience, adapt to learning environments and thrive in their professional careers. OBJECTIVES The main aim of the study was to evaluate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students' understanding and experience of well-being. The objectives were to create a suitable survey to assess students' well-being, investigate the factors affecting dental students' well-being and develop a student well-being action plan based on the analysis of the survey. METHODS A literature review was conducted to identify and critically assess existing measures of well-being in dental students. Four domains of well-being (emotional, physical, social, intellectual) relevant to dental students were identified. Through a comprehensive iterative process, a two-part survey was developed and tested, which measured individual experiences of well-being across the four domains and collected feedback on proposed initiatives to support student well-being. The survey was disseminated to all 452 dental students from Years 1 through 6, of which 71% (321) responded. RESULTS The survey revealed low levels of overall well-being among the dental student population, which worsened with increasing years of clinical study. Fear of failing exams presented the biggest challenge with regard to emotional well-being, while sleep deprivation and occupational health hazards most affected the physical well-being domain. Intellectual well-being was compromised by insufficient free time to pursue extracurricular interests and concerns about achieving the required skills. Despite a majority experiencing positive relationships with their peers and tutors, less than a fifth agreed that the Faculty of Dentistry 'supported my well-being as a dental student'. CONCLUSION As the first investigation of the well-being of dental students in Hong Kong, the key stressors identified were examinations, long schedules and the physical burden of dental work, which are consistent with international literature. The findings reveal students' needs and preferences for well-being initiatives which will be optimized in the implementation of student-centred curricular activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Cheuk Kwan Chan
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Elise Hoi Wan Fok
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yan Ting Rosealeen Lo
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing Yan Ng
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
| | - Michael George Botelho
- Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, The Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, China
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Chuang HH, Cherng WJ, Lin CH, Lee LA, Hsu KH, Lin RH. Physical fitness mediates and predicts for high blood pressure among children in relation to weight status. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1157351. [PMID: 37143976 PMCID: PMC10151579 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1157351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pediatric hypertension contributes to adulthood hypertension and target organ damage. Obesity is a well-known predictor for pediatric hypertension; however, the relationship between physical fitness and blood pressure (BP) is unclear among children. This study aimed to compare the differences in demographics, anthropometrics, and physical fitness across BP subgroups and investigate whether physical fitness was related to pediatric hypertension independent of weight status. Methods This quantitative, cross-sectional study investigated demographic, anthropometric, physical fitness, and BP measures among 360 healthy school-aged children. Continuous variables were compared across BP subgroups with the one-way analysis of variance. Mediation and moderation analyses were used to explore the mechanism. Multivariable regression models were used to assess independent associations for hypertension. Results There were 177 (49.2%), 37 (10.3%), and 146 (40.6%) children in the normotensive, elevated BP, and hypertensive subgroups, respectively. The hypertensive subgroup had higher body mass index (BMI) and waist/height ratio percentiles and performed worse in 800-m run, standing long jump (SLJ), and 1-min sit-ups than the normotensive subgroup. Furthermore, the 800-m run percentile (total effect: β = 0.308, standard error = 0.044, p < 0.001) and sit and reach percentile (total effect: β = 0.308, standard error = 0.044, p < 0.001) mediated the relationship between the BMI percentile and systolic BP percentile; the SLJ percentile was directly associated with the diastolic BP percentile (β,-0.197, 95% confidence interval,-0.298-0.097; p < 0.001). The parsimonious model of multivariable regression models revealed that the SLJ percentile (adjusted exp (β), 0.992, 95% confidence interval, 0.985-0.999; p = 0.042) and BMI percentile (adjusted exp (β), 1.024, 95% confidence interval, 1.016-1.032; p < 0.001) were two independent predictors for pediatric hypertension. Conclusion Physical fitness mediates the relationship between anthropometric and BP measures. The SLJ percentile is associated with pediatric hypertension independent of the BMI percentile. Proactive screening and health promotion for not only healthy weight status but also good physical fitness may be beneficial for BP control among school-aged students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Hua Chuang
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei and Linkou Main Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Metabolism and Obesity Institute, Taipei and Linkou Main Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Jin Cherng
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Main Branch, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hung Lin
- Metabolism and Obesity Institute, Taipei and Linkou Main Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Linkou Main Branch, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Ang Lee
- Metabolism and Obesity Institute, Taipei and Linkou Main Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Linkou Main Branch, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Kuang-Hung Hsu
- Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Laboratory for Epidemiology, Department of Health Care Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Ho Lin
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Rong-Ho Lin
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Hsu CY, Chen LS, Chang IJ, Fang WC, Huang SW, Lin RH, Ueng SWN, Chuang HH. Can Anthropometry and Body Composition Explain Physical Fitness Levels in School-Aged Children? CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 8:460. [PMID: 34072785 PMCID: PMC8229107 DOI: 10.3390/children8060460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Physical fitness (PF) is closely related to various health outcomes and quality of life among children. However, the associations between anthropometry, body composition (BC), and PF are not fully elucidated. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between demographic metrics (age, sex), anthropometric measures (body mass index z-score (BMI z-score) waist/height ratio (WHtR)), BC parameters (body-fat percentage (BF%), muscle weight), and PF levels (800-m run, sit-and-reach, 1-min sit-ups, standing long jump) in school-aged children. Continuous variables were dichotomized by median splits. The results of 180 girls and 180 boys (mean age: 10.0 ± 0.7 years; mean BMI z-score: 0.366 ± 1.216) were analyzed. Multivariable linear regressions revealed that BF% (regression coefficient (B) = 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.5-4.3) was independently correlated with the 800-m run. Sex (B = 4.6, 95% CI = 3.0-6.3), age (B = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.9-4.3), and BMI z-score (B = -0.7, 95% CI = -1.4--0.1) were independently related to sit-and-reach. Age (B = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.0-4.7), BF% (B = -0.3, 95% CI = -0.4--0.2), and muscle weight (B = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.2-1.2) were independently associated with 1-min sit-ups. In addition to demography, anthropometry and BC provided additional information concerning some PF levels in school-aged children. Weight management and PF promotion should be addressed simultaneously in terms of preventive medicine and health promotion for children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yu Hsu
- Department of Family Medicine, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-Y.H.); (L.-S.C.); (I.-J.C.); (W.-C.F.)
| | - Liang-Sien Chen
- Department of Family Medicine, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-Y.H.); (L.-S.C.); (I.-J.C.); (W.-C.F.)
| | - I-Jen Chang
- Department of Family Medicine, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-Y.H.); (L.-S.C.); (I.-J.C.); (W.-C.F.)
| | - Wei-Ching Fang
- Department of Family Medicine, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-Y.H.); (L.-S.C.); (I.-J.C.); (W.-C.F.)
| | - Sun-Weng Huang
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan; (S.-W.H.); (R.-H.L.)
- Graduate Institute of Urban Planning, College of Public Affairs, National Taipei University, New Taipei City 23741, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Ho Lin
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan; (S.-W.H.); (R.-H.L.)
| | - Steve Wen-Neng Ueng
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Linkou Main Branch, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Hai-Hua Chuang
- Department of Family Medicine, Linkou and Taipei Branches, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; (C.-Y.H.); (L.-S.C.); (I.-J.C.); (W.-C.F.)
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan; (S.-W.H.); (R.-H.L.)
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Obesity Institute, Geisinger, Danville, PA 17837, USA
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