Child Hospital Research Articles

Exploring and comparing the relationship between maternal anxiety and children's anxiety during admission, hospitalization, and discharge in pediatric wards of Iranian hospitals.

Parental anxiety levels increase during their child's hospitalization. Consequently, anxiety can disrupt parental functioning as a caregiver and potentially transfer distress to the child. This study seeks to explore how maternal anxiety affects the anxiety levels of hospitalized children across three key stages: admission, in-hospital stay, and discharge. A cross-sectional study was conducted with hospitalized children aged 8 to 15 years their mothers. The sample size was determined based on the formula. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and validated tools, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). The STAI measures state and trait anxiety, while the SCAS assesses various domains of child anxiety. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and fractional polynomial modeling to assess anxiety trends. The study involved 179 participants, with mothers averaging 36.95 years old. Most participants were homemakers (82.7%) and had less than a high school education (62.6%). The average number of children per mother was 2.02, and only 2.8% utilized assisted reproductive technologies. Maternal anxiety levels were notably high, with mean state anxiety scores decreasing slightly from 45.74 at admission to 44.53 at discharge. Trait anxiety scores followed a similar trend, averaging 42.79 at admission and dropping to 41.60 at discharge. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale scores were relatively stable, starting at 50.93 at admission and ending at 50.89 at discharge. Severe state anxiety affected 25.7% of participants, while 11.2% experienced severe trait anxiety. Importantly, significant positive correlations were identified between maternal anxiety and children's anxiety throughout the hospitalization period. This study reveals high levels of both maternal and pediatric anxiety throughout hospitalization. Mean scores for state and trait anxiety remained elevated at all stages, with significant correlations between maternal and child anxiety. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to address and manage anxiety in both mothers and children during hospital stays. Future research should focus on strategies to mitigate these anxieties and improve support for families.

The Correlation between Occupation and Birth Interval in Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage

ntroduction: Postpartum hemorrhage stands as one of the major contributors to maternal mortality globally. Postpartum hemorrhage is a rapid heavy vaginal bleeding that can cause signs and symptoms of hypovolemic shock. Many factors cause postpartum hemorrhage classified into indirect causes, namely type of delivery, age, parity, birth spacing, family income, education, and occupation. Objective: This study aims to determine the correlation between occupation and birth spacing with primary postpartum hemorrhage. Method: This study uses a case-control approach with a purposive sampling technique. The sample for this study included multigravida mothers and mothers diagnosed with primary postpartum hemorrhage at Ananda Maternity and Child Hospital, Makassar, in 2021. The total sample was 174 consisting of 84 cases and 84 control samples. The research instrument data is in the form of secondary data, namely medical records. Data analysis employed the chi-square test for bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression for multivariate analysis, with a significance level of 0.05 Result: The results of the bivariate analysis showed a relationship between occupation (p-value: 0.000) and delivery distance (p-value: 0.000). Working mothers are 6 times at risk for experiencing primary postpartum hemorrhage (OR= 5.833) while mothers whose delivery interval is < 2 years or > 5 years have 4 times the risk (OR= 3.719). The results of the multivariate analysis show that the work and pregnancy distance is significantly related to the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (value P: 0,000) where the odds ratio for work (OR = 6,178) is higher than the distance of pregnancy (OR = 4.008). Conclusion: Occupational factors and birth spacing are significantly associated with primary postpartum hemorrhage, working mothers have a higher risk of experiencing primary postpartum hemorrhage. Pregnant women and women of childbearing age should receive more education about postpartum hemorrhage and its influencing factors to help prevent and identify it early.

An online survey of perspectives towards the impact of the covid-19 pandemic amongst caregivers of adolescents with ASD.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a negative impact on the health and mental health of adolescents and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their caregivers, have been disproportionally affected. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on Thai caregivers and adolescents with ASD. This study used an online survey with closed and free text questions to investigate how the pandemic had impacted on social skills development and psychological variables, and perceived needs for support. The survey link was shared to parents via the Yuwaprasart Withayopathum Child and Adolescent Hospital and the social media platforms of known ASD stakeholder networks in Thailand. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, service use, and social skills problems experienced by adolescents during the pandemic. Content analysis was applied to analyse free-text data. A total of 376 caregivers of adolescents with ASD aged 10-19 years completed the survey, of which 364 were included in the analysis. In total, 38.7% of caregivers reported that during the pandemic the social skills of their adolescent family member had worsened. Most families reported that they were able to continue to access support from healthcare and educational services, albeit in different ways than pre-pandemic, during the acute stages of the pandemic which benefited the maintenance of ASD symptoms and social skills. Factors identified as reducing the odds of a worsening in social skills during the pandemic included; regular access to treatment for adolescents (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55, confidence interval 95% (CI) 0.32-0.98, p = 0.044), caregivers feeling that they had sufficient support from hospitals (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.26-0.81, p = 0.007) and older age of adolescents (OR = 0.53, CI 0.29-0.99, p = 0.047). The qualitative free text comments showed that the caregivers felt that greater information on managing adolescent behaviours, opportunities for adolescents to practice social skills, and the provision of greater emotional support and material assistance from healthcare professionals during the pandemic would have helped them to care for the adolescents with ASD. Regular access to services, support from hospitals during the pandemic and older age in adolescence may have helped prevent the worsening of the social skills problems of adolescents with ASD.

Analysis of Risk Factors for the Incidence of Hyperemesis Gravidarum at RSIA Fatimah and at RSUD Haji Makassar

Background: 32.26% of pregnant women in South Sulawesi in 2018 experienced disorders or complications during their pregnancy, 24.3% of them experienced disorders in the form of continuous vomiting / diarrhea. If nausea and vomiting occurs more than 5 times a day, it is called hyperemesis gravidarum. One of the risk factors for hyperemesis gravidarum is education. a person's education greatly affects the ability to think and the level of understanding and acceptance of something that is conveyed. Objective: This study aims to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of hyperemesis gravidarum in pregnant women at the Fatimah Mother and Child Hospital and at the Regional General Hospital Haji Makassar. Method: This type of research is an observational analytic research with a case control approach. The population and sample used are all pregnant women who are recorded in the register book for 2020-2022 at RSIA Fatimah Makassar and RSUD Haji Makassar with a sample of 75 cases and controls that met the inclusion criteria. Result: The results showed that the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum at RSIA Fatimah Makassar and RSU Haji Makassar 2020-2022 was 50% (n = 75). The results of statistical analysis were mother's age OR 0.389 (95% CI = 0.174-0.870), Parity OR 0.469 (95% CI = 0.244-0.901), Education OR 3.083 (95% CI = 1.536-6.190), Occupation OR 1.158 ( CI 95% = 0.547-2.451), The results of bivariate analysis, namely maternal education OR 3.083 (95% CI = 1.536-6.190) is a risk factor for the occurrence of hyperemesis gravidarum. Conclusion: Maternal education is a risk factor for hyperemesis gravidarum with an OR value of 3.083 > 1 and a p-value = 0.002 <0.05.

Abstract 4135928: Externally Validated Deep Learning Model for Patent Ductus Arteriosus Detection by Echocardiography in Preterm Infants

Introduction: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common form of congenital heart disease in premature infants and a source of significant morbidity. Echocardiography is the mainstay modality for diagnosis and monitoring but is resource-intensive and requires expertise for interpretation. Aims: To develop and externally validate a deep learning model to identify PDA in preterm infants by echocardiography. Methods: We trained, validated, and tested a convolutional neural network to detect PDA in raw echocardiogram clips from infants (gestational age <37 weeks) with and without PDAs and no significant additional congenital heart disease at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). For training and validation, we employed a 12-fold cross-validation procedure. Experienced cardiologists defined the ground truth labels. We assessed classification performance on an internal model naïve dataset using the area under the receiver operator curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. For external multicenter testing, we used studies from Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), both of which utilize a different ultrasound system vendor. Results: Training and validation were completed using 1,145 color/color-compare clips (661 clips with PDA and 484 no PDA) from 66 patients. The internal test dataset consisted of 142 clips from 16 patients. The external CHOC and BCH cohorts consisted of 146 clips from 50 patients and 294 clips from 68 patients, respectively. Model performance was similar for internal and external testing (Table 1). Conclusions: Our deep learning model detected the presence of PDA with acceptable performance. This performance generalized well across multiple institutions and ultrasound vendors. This work shows promise for the future development of an automated tool for PDA diagnosis enabling the democratization of pediatric cardiology resources.

Validation of the SCOFF as a Simple Screening Tool for Eating Disorders in an Inpatient Sample Before and During COVID-19.

Eating disorders (EDs) represent a significant public health concern, with a high prevalence among adolescent girls. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a marked increase in EDs, underlining the need for a brief screening tool in clinical settings. The present study compared ICD-10-based ED-diagnoses with SCOFF-identified at-risk female patients in a clinical setting and assessed the tool's reliability. Routine data (n = 955 participants) from a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital were evaluated regarding the incidence of ED-diagnoses before (n = 312) and during the pandemic (n = 643) and compared with SCOFF results. The SCOFF's sensitivity and specificity were examined. ED-diagnoses significantly increased, almost doubling from before to during the pandemic. The number of at-risk patients identified by the SCOFF likewise differed between the two time points. The SCOFF showed high sensitivity at cut-offs of 2 (pre-pandemic) and 3 (peri-pandemic) but low specificity. Internal consistency was poor. The findings align with previous research indicating an elevated rate of admission to clinical care for ED-diagnoses during the pandemic, a trend also reflected in the SCOFF results. However, the SCOFF's low specificity and poor internal consistency raise concerns about its applicability among adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

Barriers and facilitators to antenatal care services utilisation in Somaliland: a qualitative study.

To explore the barriers and facilitators of antenatal care (ANC) utilisation in Somaliland. An exploratory qualitative study design. Various settings were considered for study including maternal and child health clinics, hospitals and community. 74 study participants including 33 pregnant women, 22 healthcare providers, 10 community elders and ten religious leaders were purposively selected. Data was collected via focus group discussion and in-depth interviews in the local Somali language. The data was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English and imported into NVivo V.12 software. Thematic framework analysis was used to assess barriers and facilitators of ANC utilisation. Six main themes were identified as barriers of ANC utilisation. These include lack of awareness, long distance and lack of transportation access, economic barriers, lack of social support, beliefs and thoughts and health facility-related factors such as caregivers approach, waiting time and inadequate skill of providers. Proper dissemination of ANC information, adequate spousal support and cheap pricing of services were found to be facilitators of ANC uptake. A strategy that focuses on raising awareness about ANC, making it accessible by reducing the cost-of-service charge, encouraging partner involvement, improving the quality of services and making it customer-friendly will help to overcome the barriers of antenatal utilisation.

The Relationship Between TSH and Indirect Bilirubin Levels in Neonates Suspected of Having Jaundice

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a condition of thyroid hormone deficiency that occurs at birth. The TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) test is crucial for diagnosing hypothyroidism. CH is known to cause prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between TSH and indirect bilirubin levels in neonates suspected of having jaundice. Methods: This is a non-experimental, retrospective study conducted at Lombok Dua Dua Lontar Mother and Child Hospital in Surabaya. The study involved data collection on neonates aged 2–7 days suspected of jaundice, whose TSH and indirect bilirubin levels were measured between November 2022 to April 2024. Results: Among 100 neonates, 62% were aged 2-4 days, while 38% were aged 5-7 days. The majority were male (56%), with female comprising 44%. Of the 100 neonates, only 1 (1%) had borderline TSH levels, while 99% had normal TSH levels. Hyperbilirubinemia was observed in 94% of the neonates, while 6% had normal indirect bilirubin levels. Statistical analysis using the Spearman correlation showed no significant link between TSH and indirect bilirubin levels (p = 0.802). Conclusions: While this study did not find a clear connection between TSH and indirect bilirubin levels in neonates suspected of having jaundice, one case of borderline TSH was identified. This neonate required referral to pediatric endocrinology, as untreated congenital hypothyroidism can lead to mental retardation. Despite limited research linking TSH and bilirubin levels in jaundiced neonates, routine screening for congenital hypothyroidism using TSH testing should be reconsidered. Future studies could benefit from focusing on specific causes of neonatal jaundice to help narrow down research questions in this area.

Prevalence of Bottle‐Feeding Practice and Associated Factors Among Mothers of Children Under Five in the World, 2024: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACTBackgroundChild‐feeding practices, particularly breastfeeding, significantly impact children's health and survival. However, bottle feeding, although historically practiced, presents numerous disadvantages affecting optimal child nutrition and health. Despite World Health Organisation and The United Nations Children's Fund recommendations against bottle feeding, it remains prevalent globally, affecting roughly 59% of infants worldwide and 85% in Australia by 5 months of age.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the prevalence and determinants of bottle feeding among mothers of children under five globally.MethodsThis systematic review and meta‐analysis adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis guidelines. We comprehensively searched electronic databases for English‐language articles published between 2014 and 2024. The quality of studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. Data were analysed in STATA version 17, including summary tables, narrative descriptions, forest plots, and statistical heterogeneity and publication bias assessment.ResultsThe pooled prevalence of bottle feeding among mothers was 57%. Subgroup analysis revealed higher prevalence in larger sample sizes (> 2151) and lower prevalence in smaller ones. Factors significantly associated with bottle feeding included mode of delivery (OR = 1.953; 95%, CI: 1.272, 2.635), child hospitalisation (OR = 1.984, CI: 1.593, 2.376), mother's occupation (OR = 1.579; CI: 1.467, 1.690), post‐natal care (OR = 2.965; CI: (1.358, 4.571), age of children (OR = 2.836; CI: 1.895, 3.777), place of residence (OR = 1.423; CI: 0.994, 1.852), and mother's education (OR = 3.366, CI: 1.949, 4.783).ConclusionEfforts to promote optimal child‐feeding practices should address the identified determinants, emphasising the importance of breastfeeding and providing support to mothers, especially those facing challenges such as cesarean delivery, child hospitalisation, and maternal employment.

Child-Centered Care: A Qualitative Study Exploring Pediatric Hospitalization Through Children's Perspectives.

Background/Objectives: Hospitalization can be stressful for children due to the influence of unfamiliar environments, separation from family, and interactions with healthcare professionals. This study aimed to explore children's hospitalization experiences from a child-centered care perspective to develop interventions that better meet their emotional and psychological needs. Methods: This qualitative study employed Husserl's descriptive phenomenology to explore hospitalization experiences among children aged 9-13 years. Conducted at a primary health center in Spain from October 2022 to June 2023, the study used purposive sampling to select participants hospitalized within the past six months. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and children's self-created drawings, analyzed using thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti software. Results: A total of 10 school-age children (five boys and five girls) were interviewed. Three main themes emerged: (1) Emotions and Feelings-children described fear, anxiety, and loneliness during their hospital stay; (2) Experiences of Pain and Discomfort-participants reported physical pain and discomfort; (3) Interactions with Medical Staff-children expressed a need for more detailed explanations and clearer communication. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of family-centered care and improved communication between healthcare providers and children. Strategies like art therapy and flexible visiting hours could provide better emotional support. Tailored communication to children's developmental levels is crucial. Integrating these strategies into clinical practice could enhance the well-being of hospitalized children. Future research should focus on evaluating these interventions to improve pediatric care.

The Relationship Between Response Time and The Effect of Hospitalization on Preschoolers

Objective : Response time is the speed of health workers in treating patients starting from the time the patient comes to the emergency room until he gets health care . The indicator of success is the speed of officers in providing assistance to emergency patients ≤ 5 minutes. One of the first units to go to at the hospital is the emergency room. In children, not all treatments given are acceptable and even these treatments can have an impact or effect on the child's hospitalization. This study aims to analyze the correlation between response time and the effect of hospitalization on preschool children in the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital. Methods : This type of research is analytic with a cross-sectional approach with a patient population of preschool children (3-6 years) who come to the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital with a total of 132 children as respondents. And using purposive sampling method. Data analysis in this study used the Chi-Square test to determine the relationship between response time and the effect of hospitalization on preschool children with a significant p value = <0.05. Results : Preschoolers children in the emergency room of Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital Most (54.5%) experienced the effects of anxious hospitalization, namely as many as 72 children. Response time of nurses to preschool children in the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital, almost all of them were fast (89.4%), namely 118 children.. Conclusion : There is no correlation between response time and the effects of hospitalization in preschool children with a p-value = 0.056 Keywords: Hospitalization Effect, Response Time

Knowledge and perception of asthma among parents of children with asthma.

Parents' knowledge is an integral part of healthcare quality, impacting treatment adherence, patient loyalty and healthcare utilisation in pediatric asthma. Parental knowledge is particularly crucial as parents influence decision-making for their child's healthcare. To assess parents' knowledge and perceptions of their children's asthma and to identify areas for weakness in therapeutic education. This is transversal survey study based on validated and translated self-administered questionnaire (Arabic asthma knowledge questionnaire AAKQ). The study was conducted in 2 departments: pediatric primary care department at Elomrane and pediatric pneumology outpatient clinics at Bechir Hamza children's hospital of Tunis during 6 months (March2022- October2022). One hundred forty-four parents were involved in the study. Most of the participants were mothers. The mean age was 38 years. Only 27,0% had higher education and smoking in parents was observed in 58% of cases. Our results showed moderate knowledge in 67,9% of participants. The mean of the total knowledge score was 57,7/85. Forty-six per cent of parents had poor knowledge for the first category of the questionnaire. The second category was the most successful part where only 14% had poor knowledge. The mean score of the third category was 13,5/20 with 35,4% of parents having poor knowledge. The mean of total knowledge was found to be higher among participants with higher education (P=0,000), when the gender of the child is masculine (P=0,038), when the parents were asked in Hospital of children of Tunis (P=0,003) and when there is a history of asthma in the siblings (P=0,05). No difference in caregiver's knowledge was based on their age or gender or history of asthma, on the age of the child, his hospitalization for asthma, his asthma control level or his compliance with medication. Knowledge of parents and their children suffering from asthma is acceptable but insufficient. An approach focusing on improving patient education skills is needed to help families understand and accept the disease and achieve optimal control.

Immunohistochemical expression of netosis markers (MPO, H2A, H2B) in placenta of RPL women in Basrah Province

Background. Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) is a multifactorial disorder significantly impacting women’s health globally. Emerging research has implicated Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) in the pathophysi­ology of RPL, suggesting an immunological underpinning to miscarriage occurrences. Aim. The study aim to evaluate the role and expression of NETosis markers (MPO, histones H2A, H2B) in women with RPL in comparison to pregnant women. Methods. This prospective cohort study, conducted from January 2022 to July 2023, included 30 participants (20 RPL patients and 10 controls) from Al Basrah Maternity and Child Hospital. Immunohistochemical technique were employed to detect Myeloperoxidase and histones in placental samples. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with significance set at p<90.05. Results. Immunohistochemical analysis of placental tissues indicated significant overexpression of Myelo­peroxidase (MPO), and histones H2A and H2B, in RPL patients compared to control, emphasizing the potential involvement of NETs in placental pathology associated with miscarriage. The expression levels of MPO were positive in 80% of RPL patients but undetected in control (p = 0.0001). Histone expressions also differed significantly, with H2A detected in 55% of RPL patients compared to none in control (p = 0.001) and H2B in 70% versus 30% (both p <0.001).

Evaluation of Labour Care Guide: Labor progression in obese women from Basra, Iraq

The prevalence of maternal obesity has emerged as a significant global public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) has just introduced a revolutionary tool known as the WHO Labour Care Guide for the purpose of monitoring the well-being of mothers and infants throughout the process of labor. The study aims to evaluate the impact of obesity on the progression of labor, mode of delivery, and subsequent neonatal complications. Our research was conducted on 176 women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria at Basra Maternity and Child Hospital, the number of women with normal BMI was 100, while the class 1 obese was 76 cases. The results show the risk of emergency caesarean section is significantly increased among the class 1 obese woman, the percentages were 40.7%, and 14% respectively (p-value <0.001), regarding the neonatal outcome assessed by the APGAR scoring system, there was a relatively low APGAR score among the total deliveries of class 1 obese women regardless of the mode of delivery, (p-value was significant <0.001) compared with the average Body Mass Index women, the neonatal birth weight was significantly different between the two Body Mass Index groups, there is an increase in the birth weight among class 1 obese women (p-value <0.001). The study concludes obesity has a substantial influence on the increased incidence of caesarean section deliveries among women classified as having obesity class I, and there is a positive correlation between body mass index and the desire for oxytocin administration among obese women.

80 ЛЕТ НА СЛУЖБЕ ЗДОРОВЬЯ И РАЗВИТИЯ РЕБЁНКА В ОБРАЗОВАНИИ

The article discusses the history and mission of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Institute of Child Development, Health and Adaptation" (Director – E.N. Pristupa, Doctor of Sciences in Pedagogy, Professor), which was founded in November 1944. The article describes the main stages of the Institute's development, its scientific achievements and contributions to the study of child physiology, school hygiene, preschool education, physical education and hospital pedagogy. The main areas of the Institute's research are presented, including studies of children's morphophysiological development, the development of methods and standards for assessing and improving children's physical and mental health, and the methodological support of innovative approaches to health protection and child development in the educational environment. The article presents in chronological order the main scientific and practical achievements of the Institute, including research on functional development of children, cognitive activity, telemetric recording of heart rate and respiratory parameters, physiological bases of pubertal stages of children, and the development of scientific bases of physical education in educational organizations. The article also highlights the modern research of the Institute. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the significance of the Institute of Child Development, Health and Adaptation as a recognized center of innovation that significantly contributes to the development of science and education, and the role of the Institute in the creation of a healthy and successful society.

Factors affecting the level of parental knowledge about their children's congenital heart diseases and their care.

To assess parental knowledge about their children's congenital heart disease using a newly-designed scale. The cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2020 to May 2021, at Alkhansaa maternity and child hospital, Mosul Iraq; after approval from the ethics review committee of Ninevah Medical College, Ninevah University, Iraq, and comprised parents with children having congenital heart disease. Data, including age, gender, type of congenital heart disease as well as parents' educational and socioeconomic levels, residence, internet use and knowledge of the disease with respect to type, burden, bacterial endocarditis, outcome, etc. was noted. Parental knowledge levels were measured using a self-designed scoring scale, having a total score of 18 and 4 categories; <6 = some knowledge, 7-12 = good knowledge, 13-17 = very good knowledge, and 18 = full knowledge. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. There were 364 children with mean age 83.72±47.4 months and a male-female ratio of 0.98. The mean age at diagnosis was 12.1±8.32 months. The overall mean parental knowledge level was 8.41± 3.88, with 126(34.6%) parents having some knowledge, 178(48.9%) having good, 58(16%) having very good, and 2(0.5%) having full knowledge about their children's health condition (p<0.001) There was a significant association of parental knowledge with educational level, socioeconomic status and the type of doctor caring for the child (p<0.05). The duration of the illness showed a significant correlation with knowledge level (p=0.021). Heart Defects, Congenital, Endocarditis, Bacterial, Social Class.

Machine learning for HELLP syndrome prediction: algorithms, case study and challenges

Machine learning (ML) is a subsection of artificial intelligence (AI) that develops dynamic algorithms for data-making decisions. Medical science is an area where the application of ML can be very productive. The adoption of ML methods in medical sciences especially in the HELLP Syndrome prediction has been slow. Machine learning techniques have shown promise in predicting various complications of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and preterm birth. However, their application in predicting HELLP syndrome, a rare but serious condition, remains relatively understudied. This study investigates the application of machine learning algorithms to predict HELLP syndrome among pregnant women presenting with preeclampsia. The research population comprises 266 pregnant women between 28 and 38 weeks of gestation, recruited from the gynecology-obstetrics department of Mother and Child Hospital “Saadna Abdenour” in Setif, Algeria, between June 2020 and June 2021. The data collected includes epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, and evolutionary variables, with a focus on severe preeclampsia cases. The results highlight the potential of machine learning algorithms in predicting HELLP syndrome, providing valuable insights for clinical decision-making and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Cohort profile: Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital maternal HIV cohort, Johannesburg, South Africa

PurposeThe Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) maternal HIV cohort originated from data systems that were developed to support HIV-related birth care and track outcomes of a complete birth...

Daily Temperatures and Child Hospital Admissions in Aotearoa New Zealand: Case Time Series Analysis.

The influence of global climate change on temperature-related health outcomes among vulnerable populations, particularly young children, is underexplored. Using a case time series design, we analysed 647,000 hospital admissions of children aged under five years old in New Zealand, born between 2000 and 2019. We explored the relationship between daily maximum temperatures and hospital admissions across 2139 statistical areas. We used quasi-Poisson distributed lag non-linear models to account for the delayed effects of temperature over a 0-21-day window. We identified broad ICD code categories associated with heat before combining these for the main analyses. We conducted stratified analyses by ethnicity, sex, and residency, and tested for interactions with long-term temperature, socioeconomic position, and housing tenure. We found J-shaped temperature-response curves with increased risks of hospital admission above 24.1 °C, with greater sensitivity among Māori, Pacific, and Asian compared to European children. Spatial-temporal analysis from 2013-2019 showed rising attributable fractions (AFs) of admissions associated with increasing temperatures, especially in eastern coastal and densely populated areas. Interactive maps were created to allow policymakers to prioritise interventions. Findings emphasize the need for child-specific and location-specific climate change adaptation policies, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

Estimating the alcohol-related burden of child maltreatment among Māori in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

To assesses the alcohol-related burden of child maltreatment among Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. We compared the risk of child maltreatment among Māori (0-17 years) exposed to parents with alcohol-related hospitalisation or mental health/addiction service use. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to estimate the number of cases of maltreatment that could be attributed to alcohol among Māori. A cohort study of 16,617 Māori aged 0-17 and their parents from 2000 to 2017 was conducted using the Statistics New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure. A Bayesian piecewise exponential model estimated the risk of time to first child maltreatment event. This analysis used data from child protection, hospital, mortality and police records, and specifically focused on the risk associated with exposure to parents with an alcohol-attributable hospitalisation or mental health/addiction service use event. Potential confounders for both parents and Māori (0-17 years) were included. We calculated a population-attributable fraction to estimate the proportion of maltreatment cases that could be attributed to alcohol in 2017. Results showed a 65% increased risk for young Māori exposed to parents with heavy alcohol use. We estimated 17% of substantiated child maltreatment among Māori could be attributed to parental hazardous alcohol consumption. Severe or hazardous alcohol consumption among parents is a risk factor for child maltreatment among Māori. Māori alcohol consumption and harm are symptomatic of wider inequities related, among other things, to the ongoing effects of colonisation, as well as gaps in the regulation of alcohol sales.