Child Contact Research Articles

Acceptance and Completion Rates of 3-Month Isoniazid-Rifampicin (3HR) Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (TPT) Among Contacts of Bacteriologically Confirmed TB Patients—Patients’ and Healthcare Workers’ Perspectives

Providing tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) to close contacts of persons with TB is a core strategy recommended by WHO for the prevention and control of TB. Nigeria rolled out the 3-month Isoniazid-Rifampicin (3HR) shorter regimen TPT as a pilot for use among eligible adult and child contacts. This study assesses acceptance and completion rates of 3HR TPT among contacts and determines the perspectives of healthcare workers (HCWs) and contacts on acceptance and completion of 3HR TPT in Nigeria. In this cross-sectional descriptive study using mixed methods, records of TPT-eligible clients were retrospectively reviewed, while 18 purposely selected HCWs and 18 contacts on 3HR were interviewed. Of the 30,012 eligible contacts, 12,040 (40.1%) were initiated on TPT. Among these, 8213 (68%) were enrolled on 3HR, and 6972 (84.7%) of them completed treatment. Perceived facilitators include belief in its effectiveness, training among HCWs, and a good understanding of TPT from HCW counseling sessions. Barriers reported were linked to stockouts, misconceptions about side effects, non-disclosures, and disincentive follow-up strategies. The acceptance and completion rate for 3HR TPT was good. Scaling up 3HR TPT will require redesigning policies towards addressing identified barriers and utilizing interventions linked to capabilities, opportunities, and motivations among contacts of TB patients and HCWs.

A Judge Is the Person Who Decides Who Sings Better: Children’s Comprehension of Legal Terminology

Children in contact with the law are especially vulnerable to misunderstandings due to their lack of knowledge about judicial proceedings and contexts that are complex for their level of development. This study examined whether children understand legal terminology commonly used at Portuguese courts. Three hundred twenty-two Portuguese-speaking schoolchildren aged 6 to 13 years participated in this study and were randomly distributed into two groups. We asked the children to define a list of 18 legal terms (9 for each group), which were previously identified after analyzing 33 children’s statements in cases of alleged sexual abuse. Their answers were categorized into five categories that reflect the mistakes children made when defining legal terms and the different strategies used in this task. As expected in light of the results of previous works, our results show that children do not understand the legal terms used at court: 47.2% do not show comprehension about any of the 9 terms presented. No child has been able to define all of them correctly. Age and school grade show a significant relationship with the level of understanding. No differences were found based on gender and children's contact with justice. Findings have implications about a necessary adaption of courts to children.

Assessment of heavy metal concentrations, environmental risks and human health implications in marine sediments along the coastal ecosystems of the Republic of Congo.

The aim of this study is to assess the level of heavy metals (HMs) in surface sediments along the coastal estuaries of the Republic of Congo. A variety of approaches were employed, integrating elemental analysis (Atomique Absorption Spectroscopy), environmental, ecological, health risk assessment, and source identification techniques to evaluate the distribution, origin, environmental, ecological and health risks of potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination in sediments. The ascending mean concentration (mg/kg) of Cd (0.4) < Cu (18.6) < Pb (28.8) < Zn (62.1) < Mn (107) < Mg (569.6) complied with the local background, except for Cd and Pb. However, notable variations across sampling points and sites were observed, with a strong relationship between metals and organic matter. The comparing of PTEs with USEPA international standards and sediment toxicity guidelines showed compliance. The assessment of environmental risk parameters, based on the calculation of the geo-accumulation index, concentration factor and pollutant load indices showed low pollution of sediments. The ecological risk assessment, on the other hand, revealed a low level of pollution of biota and a low toxicity risk of ecosystems related to Cd and Pb and then to Cu in some sites. Regarding human health risk assessment, related to the PTEs, the cancerogenic effect indices were calculated for Cd and Pb through ingestion and inhalation pathways, and the non-cancerogenic effect indices were calculated for all HMs through ingestion, inhalation, and cutaneous contact routes, for children and adults, and showed that the results comply with the international standards set by USEPA, ranging from 10-4 to 10-6 and less than 1, respectively, where children were more sensitive and vulnerable than adults to the effects of the PTEs. Ultimately, this study revealed sediment lithology, anthropogenic activities, and mixed origins of HMs, with a large contribution from industrial activities. However, no significant impacts are discernible in the study area. In addition to the importance of this study, it forms part of the region database and could serve as a reference for future monitoring studies, since no data are available in th Congolese coastal environment.

КОНСТРУКТИВНИТЕ ИГРИ – ОСНОВНО СРЕДСТВО ЗА СЕНЗОРНО ВЪЗПИТАНИЕ НА ДЕЦАТА

The child's contact with his environment is organically connected with the course of sensory processes. The task of the educator is to organise, guide and explain this interaction with the environment, drawing on scientific paradigms from psychology, pedagogy, methodology, as well as the use of specialised literature, but last but not least – drawing on his own experience. The place of ideas, imagination and pictorial thinking occupy a significant share in the planning of the upcoming construction activity. However, in the actual implementation of the conception, the necessity of the sensory processes of sensation and perception, without which the realisation of the constructive game is impossible, comes to the fore again.

Rabies in a child in Рenza region (clinical case)

Rabies is a dangerous viral disease characterized by severe damage to the brain and spinal cord. A clinical case of rabies in a 14-year-old teenager with a fatal outcome is presented. After the child's contact with a hedgehog was registered, post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies was not administered to the child. The complexity of timely diagnosis of rabies and the need for emergency prophylaxis of rabies after contact with wild animals are demonstrated.

Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Soils

Soil organic pollution (such as heavy metals, PAHs, etc.) has caused serious environmental problems, which have resulted in unexpected effects on contaminated soil ecosystems. However, knowledge of the interactions between environmental PAHs and bacterial and fungal communities is still limited. In this study, soil samples from different PAH-contaminated areas including non-contaminated areas (NC), low-contaminated areas (LC), and high-contaminated areas (HC) were selected. Results of toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) indicated that Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DBahA) constituted the main TEQs of ∑16PAHs. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) assessment revealed that the main pathway of exposure to soil PAHs was dermal contact in adults and children. Furthermore, adults faced a higher total cancer risk (including dermal contact, ingestion, and inhalation) from soil PAHs than children. The microbial community composition analysis demonstrated that soil PAHs could decrease the diversity of bacterial and fungal communities. The relative abundance of Acidobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, Fimicutes, Bacteroidota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota exhibited varying degrees of changes under different concentrations of PAHs. Benzo[a]anthracene (BaA) and Chrysene (Chr) drove the bacterial community composition, while BaP and DBahA drove the fungal community compositions. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed the high contamination levels of PAHs that could change the relationships among different microorganisms and reduce the complexity and stability of fungal and bacterial networks. Overall, these findings provide comprehensive insight into the responses of bacterial and fungal communities to PAHs.

Do Positive and Negative Intergroup Contact Create Shifts in Ingroup and Outgroup Attitudes Over Time: A Three‐Wave Longitudinal Study Testing Alternative Mediation Models

ABSTRACTThe current study investigated how contact experiences may be associated with attitudes towards the ingroup and the outgroup using a three‐wave longitudinal study. We assessed Turkish native children's contact with Syrian refugees (N = 487, Mage = 10.60, SDage = 0.90) and explored relationships between initial contact and later ingroup and outgroup attitudes testing alternative mediation models. We also examined whether negative contact with outgroup members may directly or indirectly predict more positive ingroup attitudes. Findings demonstrated that positive contact was associated with both reduced ingroup positivity and increased outgroup positivity over time. However, unlike the traditionally suggested mediational pathway in contact‐deprovincialization literature, initial positive contact (T1) was associated with less positive ingroup attitudes (T3) through more positive outgroup attitudes at T2. There was no evidence for the role of negative intergroup contact on ingroup or outgroup attitudes. Findings are discussed within the broader scope of contact theory and the recently growing deprovincialization literature. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) Household Contact study: a study protocol, statistical analysis and modelling plan

Household case-contact studies are an established method to estimate the relative infectiousness of people with pulmonary tuberculosis. Testing of child household contacts with a QuantiFERON TB Gold plus (QFT) assay provides a proxy measure of M. tuberculosis infection in exposed household members. This study aims to generate data about the effect of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and of tuberculosis symptoms on risk of intra-household M. tuberculosis transmission to children and investigate the conditions under which symptom-agnostic screening should be considered, which could provide evidence to support a paradigm shift in tuberculosis screening strategy. Index people diagnosed with bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis who have been identified by routine health services and starting tuberculosis treatment at one of the 12 health facilities serving the population of the Africa Health Research Institute health and demographic surveillance area will be eligible for recruitment. For each consenting index participant, we will enroll all household members aged 2-14 years who will undergo a symptom screen and provide a blood sample for a QFT and HIV test. We will compare the proportion of child contacts who are QFT-positive in households of (i) index adults who are living with HIV and taking ART vs not taking ART and (ii) index adults engaged in ART care who report no symptoms vs those who report symptoms. We will use a novel mathematical model, incorporating new insights into TB natural history and transmission, to determine the circumstances under which screening for TB, regardless of reported symptoms, would have most impact on tuberculosis incidence and mortality, and explore comparative cost-effectiveness of interventions along the diagnostic pathway at different levels of the health system. Estimates of relative risk of intra-household M. tuberculosis transmission, combined with healthcare utilisation and cost data, will allow us to generate mathematical model estimates of the potential epidemiological impact and relative cost-effectiveness of different approaches to tuberculosis case-finding including symptom-agnostic tuberculosis screening at different levels of the health system.

Characteristics, Source Apportionment, and Health Risk of Heavy Metals in the Soils of Peri-urban Shanghai Chongming Island.

Heavy metals resulting from human activities pose significant threats to human health and the soil ecosystem. In the current study, 917 soil samples from Chongming Island in Shanghai, China, were examined for eight heavy metals. The sources of contamination were identified by using a Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model. Meanwhile, spatial interpolation and Moran's I index were applied to validate the model in terms of spatial linkages. The results revealed that the average concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni in the soil were 8.87, 0.19, 0.06, 28.75, 76.01, 37.74, 88.93, and 30.33 mg kg-1, respectively. The PMF analysis proved that heavy metals in the soil of the study area are mainly influenced by traffic sources (Cr and Pb), industrial sources (Zn, Cd, and Cu), station sources (Hg), and natural sources (As and Ni), with contribution rates of 22.23, 26.25, 36.38, and 15.14%, respectively. The combination of Moran's index and the spatial analysis method not only verified the analytical results of the receptor model on the one hand but also served as a supplementary explanation for the sources of heavy metals in the soil. The health risk assessment indicated that noncarcinogenic values were below the threshold values. The total carcinogenic risk (R T) of different heavy metals has a descending order of Cr > As > Ni > Cd. The R T values of multiple heavy metals for children and adults were 5.28 × 10-04 and 4.10 × 10-05, respectively, which were close to the risk threshold. Therefore, attention should be paid to the health risks, especially for children's skin contact, which is the main exposure pathway.

AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER

This article is part of the conclusion of the Postgraduate Course in Special Education from Favimo University. It focuses on discussing some educational proposals aimed at students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which are inserted in the regular school classrooms. It is the classroom teacher who will mediate the whole of the inclusive process, he is the one who promotes the child's initial contact with other children in the class and is responsible for including him in everyday activities. In this perspective, this theme reaffirms the need that everyone understands and accepts human diversity, and can contribute to the construction of a fairer and more egalitarian society. The article will be divided into three great moments. In the first one will be made a global contextualization of special education. Then the autistic spectrum disorder will be presented- Tea its main characteristics and needs. Finally, some pedagogical proposals that can be used in the classroom will be presented. It is concluded that a lot has changed since the beginning of history when we talk about people with ASD. Of schizophrenics there are numerous distinct characteristics even in the same disorder. Of communication difficulty to high skills. Autism is one of the syndromes as the largest variants of behavior, without modeled patterns.

Reasons for encounter in video contacts at a Danish out-of-hours primary care service: a questionnaire study

ObjectiveTo investigate reasons for encounter in telephone triage contacts to an out-of-hours primary care service for which general practitioners (GPs) use video consultations (video contact), overall and stratified for patient...

Gender inequality in intergenerational contact after parental separation in the digital era

AbstractObjectiveThe goal of this brief report is to analyze parent‐adult child contact frequency in intact and non‐intact families by focusing on parent and child gender and the type of contact.BackgroundParental separation increases gender differences in parent–child relationships, with separated fathers having less frequent contact with their adult children compared to separated mothers. We investigate whether the father–mother gap in post‐separation contact varies according to parent–child gender mismatch and the type of contact, that is, face‐to‐face, phone, or digital (e.g., via video calls).MethodWe use data on Italian families from the Family and Social Subjects survey to examine parent–child contact frequency among 6770 adult children aged 30–55 (11,041 parent–child dyads). We estimate random and fixed effects models on the probability of having frequent contact with biological parents in intact and non‐intact families (parental separation before age 18).ResultsFathers' reduced contact frequency compared to mothers is particularly evident with daughters, more pronounced in face‐to‐face and phone contact than in digital contact, and greater among younger daughters at the time of separation. Gender differences in phone and digital contact are larger for fathers who have also less frequent face‐to‐face contact compared to mothers.ConclusionWe interpret these findings by focusing on the centrality of mother–daughter ties and the loyalty that children have with the same‐gender parent. We also suggest that different types of contact reinforce gender differences between parents and may lead to a polarization of older parents with “strong” and “weak” family ties.

Within-household SARS-CoV-2 transmission and vaccine effectiveness in the first three COVID-19 school outbreaks in northern Viet Nam, September-December 2021.

The risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from schoolchildren to their household and the protective effects of vaccination in these settings remain poorly understood. We assessed the transmission dynamics of schoolchildren with SARS-CoV-2 within their households and the protective effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination among household members in Viet Nam. We estimated the attack rate, vaccine effectiveness and adjusted risk ratio (aRR) of factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 transmission to household contacts of children confirmed to have COVID-19 who attended three schools in Ha Nam, Phu Tho and Thanh Hoa provinces between September and December 2021 using multivariable regression with household-level random effects. This retrospective cohort study included 157 children infected with SARS-CoV-2 and their 540 household contacts. The attack rate among household contacts was 24.6% (133/540). Overall, vaccine effectiveness among household contacts was 39% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1 to -63), higher among males than females and higher in adults aged >40 years. COVID-19 transmission was greater among female household contacts compared with males (aRR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.95), although not statistically significant, and highest among those aged 19-39 years (aRR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.50 to 4.21). Fully vaccinated household contacts had significantly lower infection risk (aRR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.84). We found substantial onward transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from schoolchildren to household members, and older people were more likely to be protected by vaccination. We recommend that schoolchildren and all household members living with schoolchildren receive at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Recognizing the role of schoolchildren in the onward transmission of COVID-19 is an important lesson learned by Viet Nam that can help not only in managing other outbreaks but also in protecting schoolchildren by predicting the progress of the outbreak and preparing for a timely response.

Parent-child relationship quality and older parents’ cognitive trajectories

This study assesses the bidirectional link between parent-child relationship quality and older parents’ cognitive trajectories over time, with particular attention to potential variations by parents’ gender. Methods: Using a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of parents aged 50 and older from the Health and Retirement Study 2006–2016, the analysis examines three dimensions of the relationship quality between parents and children—contact, support, and strain—in relation to parents’ cognitive function. Parallel latent growth curve models (LGCMs) estimate how baseline relationship quality relates to subsequent change in parents’ cognition and how parents’ baseline cognitive function relates to subsequent change in relationship quality over time. Results: Higher initial levels of relationship strain with children predicts a faster cognitive decline for older parents. Neither initial contact frequency nor initial relationship support is associated with subsequent change in a parent’s cognition, however, good cognitive function predicts a more rapid increase or a slower decline in contact frequency and relationship support over time. No gender difference was found. Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of the “linked lives” of aging parents and their children as well as the potential for bidirectional associations between cognition and family relationships.

Post-separation Child Contact and Domestic Violence and Abuse: The Experiences of Children with a Disability

Post-separation Child Contact and Domestic Violence and Abuse: The Experiences of Children with a Disability

Impact of being taken into out-of-home care: a longitudinal cohort study of First Nations and other child welfare agencies in Manitoba, Canada

Across Canada, Child Protection Services (CPS) disrupt Indigenous families by apprehending their children at alarmingly high rates. The harms borne by children in out-of-home care (OoHC) have been extensively documented. We examined the impact of OoHC on Manitoba children's health and legal system outcomes to provide rigorous evidence on how discretionary decision-making by CPS agencies can affect these outcomes. In partnership with First Nations researchers, we used linked administrative data to identify Manitoba children (born 2007-2018) served by First Nations and other Manitoba CPS agencies. We compared those taken into OoHC (n=19,324) with those never in care but with an open CPS file due to child protection concerns (n=27,290). We used instrumental variable analysis (CPS agency rates of OoHC as the instrument) to obtain odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for child, maternal, and family factors. Mean age (yrs±standard deviation) at first CPS contact for children taken into OoHC was 2.8±3.7 (First Nations) and 3.0±3.8 (other), and for children never in care was 4.5±4.5 (First Nations) and 5.1±4.7 (other). Among children served by a First Nations agency, males made up 50.6% (n=5496) in OoHC and 51.0% (n=6579) never in care. Among children served by other agencies, males made up 51.0% (n=4324) in OoHC and 51.0% (n=7428) never in care. Odds of teen pregnancy (First Nations aOR 3.69, 1.40-9.77; other aOR 5.10, 1.83-14.25), teen birth (First Nations aOR 3.23, 1.10-9.49; other aOR 5.06, 1.70-15.03), and sexually transmitted infections (other aOR 7.21, 3.63-14.32) were higher for children in care than children never in care, as were odds of being accused (other aOR 2.71, 1.27-5.75), a victim (other aOR 1.68, 1.10-2.56), charged with a crime (other aOR 2.68, 1.21-5.96), or incarcerated (First Nations aOR 3.64, 1.95-6.80; other aOR 1.19, 1.19-8.04). Being in OoHC worsened children's health and legal system outcomes. The importance of reducing the number of children taken into care was emphasized in briefings to provincial and First Nations governments. The government response will be monitored. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (no. 890-2018-0029).

Differences in health visiting contacts for children of mothers with and without a history of adversity-related hospital admissions in England (2018/19 to 2019/20): an analysis of novel linked community health and hospital data.

ObjectiveExplore differences in children’s contact with health visiting (HV) services by pre-birth exposure to maternal adversity. ApproachFor the first time, we linked the Community Services Dataset (CSDS), which records HV contacts for children in England from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2020, to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) which contains births and mothers’ hospital admissions in the preceding 3 years. We used admissions that included ICD-10 codes related to mental health, substance use and violence to identify children born to mothers with a history of adversity. We compared characteristics of children’s HV contacts (i.e. number, mode, location, duration) stratified by maternal adversity. ResultsOverall, 85.2% of 626,478 children in CSDS linked to a birth record in HES. Among children receiving HV contacts, 11.7% were exposed to maternal adversity: 11.1% mental health, 1.3% substance use, 0.4% violence. Children with maternal adversity had more HV contacts than other children (mean = 3.8 vs 2.7, p&lt;0.001). There were no differences in contact mode (i.e. face-to-face or phone) for children with maternal adversity compared to others, but their contacts were longer (44.5% lasting &gt;30 minutes vs 35.1%, p&lt;0.001) and more likely to be at home (56.3% vs 47.8%, p&lt;0.001). ConclusionsHV services respond in different ways to children with and without pre-birth exposure to serious maternal adversity, reflecting the “proportionate universalism” that underpins HV services in England. ImplicationsThe differential service response for vulnerable children may require additional resources (e.g. staff, training) which should be considered when designing and funding HV services.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in children with a novel skin test and the traditional tuberculin skin test: An observational study.

A novel skin test-called Diaskintest (DT)-containing specific M. tuberculosis antigens is in clinical use in the Russian Federation (RF). This test may improve diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) infection. The use and performance of the DT was described and compared to the tuberculin skin test (TST). Data on children <18 years referred to a TB reference centre (Jan/2018- Dec/2019) with ≥1 DT and TST result available were analysed. An immune correlate of TB infection was defined as a positive TST (≥10 mm induration) or a positive DT (any induration). Of 2710 included cases, the median age was 9.0 (IQR 5.7-13.1) years and 97.5% were BCG immunised. Overall, 1976 (79.9%) were TB uninfected, 724 (26.7%) had an immune correlate of TB infection and 10 (0.4%) TB disease. Reasons for referral were: positive or increasing skin test results in routine screening (992, 36.6%), screening before admission to a health care institution (501, 18.5%) and TB contact (457, 16.9%). DT was positive in 11.7% (308/2625) and TST in 63.1% (467/740) (Kappa 0.08, 95% CI:0.013-0.14). A positive DT was associated with older age (OR 1.16 (95% CI: 1.13-1.19) per year). Among TB contacts DT positivity was associated with contagiousness: highest proportion of positivity of 12.0% was observed when the index case was smear positive. In a setting with universal BCG vaccination and regular screening with TST, DT was used to rule out TB infection as TST was commonly positive. We found an association of DT positivity and contagiousness of the index case in children contacts. These observations may suggest improved specificity and sensitivity of DT compared to TST.

Intermodal Bilinguals: Acquisition of Sign Language as L1 and Written Language as L2

Based on a bibliographical review and re-readings of different authors, we aim to bring visibility to the discussion regarding inter modal bilingualism and, consequently, to present a reflection on the acquisition of the first and second languages (L1 and L2) by deaf children. We aim to highlight the importance of the first language, in this case, sign language, as a means for developing competence in the second language, the oral language, in its written modality. We divided the article into an explanation of the contact of deaf children with sign language (SL) as their first language. It discusses the development of oral language (OL) as the second language: first addressing writing and then moving on to issues related to reading. Finally, it reflects on using visual resources and how these visual modes can enhance the second language teaching and learning process for deaf children.

The social language environment – domain: ECEC teachers’ self-reported ratings of strategies in teaching literacy

ABSTRACT ECEC settings are children's first contact with early education, and ECEC teachers are expected to encourage and support children's early literacy development. This study aims to pilot test the self-assessment tool Social Language Environment – Domain, (SLE-D), in order to gain more knowledge about teachers’ strategies when teaching literacy. Fifteen ECEC teachers used the tool as a support to focus on didactic strategies that provide conditions for children's early literacy development over 22 months. The data consists of (N = 299) self-reported and rated teaching activities across four time-points. Cronbach's alpha showed satisfactory internal consistency for the entire self-assessment tool, while each domain showed somewhat lower levels of consistency. Principal component analysis suggested a 5-factor solution, indicating subdimensions of the three dimensions. However, item mean values showed notable changes in ECEC teachers’ ratings, which can be interpreted as teachers developing their strategies in literacy-related play activities by using the tool.