French-speaking Community Of Belgium Research Articles

Beyond the split: re-imagining ‘Belgitude’ in contemporary Belgian cinema

ABSTRACT This article analyses how Belgian identity is articulated in contemporary Belgian cinema. Since the introduction of sound, Belgian cinema has been characterised by a divide between Flemish and Belgian francophone cinema. However, the twenty-first century has seen an increase in co-productions between the two communities. By analysing how these intranational co-productions relate to Belgium and Belgian identity, this article explores the textual implications of this industry trend. Drawing upon the concept of ‘Belgitude’, it teases out two ways in which Belgian identity is re-imagined. Some films explicitly thematise community issues by conveying a message of solidarity between Flanders and the French-speaking community of Belgium, while others show characters that embody Belgium’s cultural complexity, using multilingualism and the city of Brussels as implicit markers of Belgian identity. At odds with the country’s political climate of increasing tensions between the linguistic communities, the revival of ‘Belgitude’ in contemporary Belgian cinema can be considered as a reaction against Flemish nationalist discourses.

Use and misuse of prescription stimulants by university students: a cross-sectional survey in the french-speaking community of Belgium, 2018

BackgroundMisuse of prescription stimulants (PS) has been reported among students to enhance academic performance in Flanders (Belgium). However, PS misuse among students in the French-speaking community is unknown. The main purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence of medical use and misuse of PS by university students in the French-speaking community (Belgium), and to investigate the reasons and sources associated with PS misuse.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was performed in 2018. All university students 18 years and older were invited to participate and asked about PS use, including medical (i.e., used for therapeutic purposes) and nonmedical reasons and sources of PS.ResultsIn total, 12 144 students participated in the survey (median age = 21 years, 65.5% female). The estimated prevalence of PS use was 6.9% (ever use) and 5.5% (past-year). Among ever users, 34.7% were classified as medical users and 65.3% as misusers. Lifetime prevalence of misuse was estimated at 4.5%. The most common reason for medical use was treatment of attention disorder (85.9%). Reasons for misuse were mainly to improve concentration (76.1%) or to stay awake and study longer (50.7%). Friends or acquaintances inside the student community and general practitioners were the main sources of PS for misuse (41.5% and 23.5%, respectively).ConclusionsThis study found that rates of misuse of PS in French-speaking universities in Belgium were in line with studies conducted in Flanders and Europe. Academic institutions can use these results to tailor their drug prevention campaigns.

Does the School Context Really Matter for Teacher Burnout? Review of Existing Multilevel Teacher Burnout Research and Results From the Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 in the Flemish- and French-Speaking Communities of Belgium

It is widely believed that the school context plays a crucial role in teacher burnout. Against that background, we (1) critically review existing empirical multilevel studies on teacher burnout and (2) use data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018 to assess the school-level variance and its correlates in emotional exhaustion, cynical depersonalization, and personal accomplishment in 2,300 primary (183 schools) and 2,700 lower secondary (190 schools) teachers in the Flemish-speaking community of Belgium, and 2,135 lower secondary (120 schools) teachers in the French-speaking community of Belgium. Our results reveal that (1) conceptual confusion exists surrounding school-context variables and (2) the between-school variance in teacher burnout is small. Implications for educational policy and teacher burnout research are discussed.

ЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКИЙ АСПЕКТ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ ТЕНДЕРНЫХ ВЫЗОВОВ ВО ФРАНЦУЗСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ

The article discusses the morphological features associated with the formation of feminine words to designate professions, ranks and positions. The change in the social status of a woman – a politician, public figure, government official, professional – in the fields confined to male representatives – requires adequate expression in the language. The need search correct forms that do not violate the traditional structure of the language is felt both by linguists and authorities of the country. Their acceptance or non-acceptance by the language depends on the reaction of the native speaker, the media, representatives of the Internet community. The author reviews the possibilities presented by the French language in the formation of the feminine nouns – suffix formation, epicenes. Issues related to the peculiarities of matching plural nouns are also considered. The article does not only deal with the situation in France, but also with what is being done in this direction in Geneva canton, in the French-speaking community of Belgium, in Quebec. The author found it interesting to dwell on some of the reasons that impede the entry of new forms into modern French. The conclusion contains some observations covering the period of the last two years, made on the basis of viewing media materials.

On the Relation Between Teachers’ (In)formal Learning and Innovative Working Behavior: the Mediating Role of Employability

Teachers’ innovative work behavior and professional development is receiving more attention lately. More precisely, it is argued that teachers’ formal and informal learning is crucial to anticipate and deal with continuous changes and innovations in technology and didactics, for example. Therefore, this study researches the teachers’ innovative work behavior by studying relations between (in)formal learning activities, employability (i.e. five competences: occupational expertise, anticipation and optimization, personal flexibility, corporate sense and balance) and innovative working behavior (IWB, i.e. ideas generation, promotion and realization). Furthermore, the mediating role of employability between learning and innovative working behavior is studied, too. Based on path analysis conducted on questionnaire data from 301 primary and secondary school teachers from the French-speaking community of Belgium, findings conclude that employability competences are related to both formal and informal learning, but the relationship between informal learning and employability is stronger. Next, making a distinction between the frequency and use of social informal learning is relevant given the differentiated role the different components play. Feedback use in particular seems to play an important role in teachers’ employability and IWB. Finally, it can be concluded that employability partially mediates the relation between the undertaking of (in)formal learning activities and dimensions of innovative working behavior. Results imply that schools should pay more attention to supporting teachers’ informal learning since it’s crucial for improving their ability to innovate and to be able to deal with changes in the dynamic world of education.

How Big is the Handicap for Disadvantaged Pupils in Segregated Schooling Systems?

ABSTRACTThe effect of composition may be strong in systems where students are systematically sorted based on their socio-economic background. This paper aims to model the differential effect of class composition on pupils’ achievement in Belgium (French-speaking Community), France, Spain and Portugal. Multilevel models are consequently tested on the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2011 data (20,830 pupils in 1139 classes). Our results suggest that socio-economic composition does not have an equivalent effect on pupil achievement in the four countries included in our analysis: its effect is strong in the French-speaking Community of Belgium and France but smaller in Spain and Portugal.

Estimation de la prévalence de l’allaitement maternel au travers d’une enquête en population de couverture vaccinale en Belgique francophone en 2009

The objectives of this paper were to study the prevalence of breastfeeding in the French-speaking community of Belgium, to assess whether the targets of the Maternal and Child Health program (MCH) were met (prevalence of breastfeeding of 85, 70, 50, and 25% at the maternity hospital and at 3, 6, and 12 months of age, respectively), and to identify factors associated with breastfeeding at the maternity hospital and at 6 months of age. A sample (two-stage cluster sampling) was drawn from the population of children aged 18-24 months living in the area. A face-to-face questionnaire was administered by trained investigators. Anamnestic data on breastfeeding at the maternity hospital and at 3, 6, and 12 months as well sociodemographic information were collected from 522 mothers. The survey took place in 2009. At the maternity hospital, 75.7% (95%CI [72.7-79.5]) of the mothers were breastfeeding: 72.4% among the Belgians (and French) and 89.0% among foreign mothers. At 3 months of age, the breastfeeding prevalence was 48.3% (CI, 44.0-52.6): 42.5% among the Belgians (and French) and 72.0% among foreign mothers (p<0.001). At 6 months of age, 26.0% of the mothers were breastfeeding (CI, 22.3-29.8): 19.3% among the Belgians (and French) and 53.0% among foreign mothers (p<0.001). At 12 months of age, 10.0% (CI, 7.4-12.5) of the mothers were breastfeeding: 4.8% among the Belgians (and French) and 31.0% among the foreign mothers (p<0.001). When fitting a logistic model, the predictors associated with breastfeeding at the maternity hospital were educational level, nationality of birth, and parity. At 6 months, logistic models were fitted separately in the two strata. Among the Belgians, the level of education and attending a MCH consultation were significantly associated with breastfeeding. In the stratum of foreign mothers, the only factor associated with breastfeeding was working time. No association was observed between breastfeeding and the mother's age at the maternity hospital or at 6 months. The targets of the MCH were not reached in Belgian and French mothers, while they were in mothers of other nationalities. Until now, transversal surveys have been the only way of knowing the prevalence and the factors associated with breastfeeding in the French-speaking community of Belgium. These first representative data on breastfeeding came from the 2009 vaccine coverage survey.

Day-of-the-week variations in myocardial infarction onset over a 27-year period: the importance of age and other risk factors

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to analyze the day-of-the-week variations of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) over a 27-year period. The effects of sex, age, history of AMI, hypertension, fatality, and temporal changes over the 27-year period were also investigated. MethodsThe Charleroi register of ischemic cardiopathies is the oldest register of infarctions in the French-speaking community of Belgium and is one of the very rare registers that can track trends over 27 years. The analyses presented in our study relate only to patients in the 25- to 69-year age range over time from 1983 to 2009. The χ2 test for goodness of fit was used to test the difference among the frequencies of AMI events over 7 days during the week. ResultsData from 9732 cases of AMI were analyzed. Overall, there was a significant day-of-the-week variation (P < .001), with an excess of AMI observed on Mondays (n = 1495) and a minimum on Saturdays (n = 1259), corresponding to a relative increase in AMI of 18.2% over the 2 days. The Monday peak is more pronounced for the 35- to 44-year (P = .045) age bracket than for the 45- to 54-year (P = .27) and the 55- to 64-year (P = .032) brackets. The cases with (n = 2713) and without (n = 4931) arterial hypertension exhibited the same day-of-the-week variation. In contrast, the cases with antecedent AMI (n = 1888) exhibited a less pronounced excess of MI incidence on Mondays compared with the cases without antecedent (n = 5970). ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that there is a marked incidence peak in AMI on Mondays. This peak is similar for men and women but varies according to age. The Monday peak is not observed in subjects previously admitted for AMI or in fatal cases. The organization of the emergency medical services could take into account the day-of-the-week pattern of AMI to adapt emergency medical service capacity to needs.

Breastfeeding duration: a survival analysis-data from a regional immunization survey.

Objective. To report the duration of and factors associated with exclusive and any breastfeeding among the French-speaking community of Belgium (Wallonia). Material and Methods. A two-stage cluster sample was drawn from the population of children aged 18–24 months living in the area in 2012. Anamnestic data on breastfeeding and sociodemographic information were collected from 525 mothers. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to identify factors associated with discontinuing breastfeeding. Results and Discussion. Only 35.1% of the women were satisfied with their duration of any breastfeeding. At 3 months, 54.1% of the infants were breastfed, of which 40.6% exclusively, with these percentages falling to 29.1% and 12.6% at 6 months. Exclusive and any breastfeeding durations were independently positively associated (P < 0.05) with foreign-born mothers, awareness of WHO recommendations, and maternity leave >3 months. Exclusive BF duration was associated with higher parental income and the prenatal decision to breastfeed. The duration of any breastfeeding was associated with the mothers' age of ≥30 years and whether they were exclusively breastfeeding at discharge from the maternity unit. Conclusions. Programs promoting and supporting BF should concentrate on training prenatal health-care professionals. Prenatal professional advice may promote adherence to WHO BF guidelines. The benefits of exclusive BF should be emphasized. Pregnant women should be discouraged from introducing supplementary feeding in the maternity ward.

Infarctus aigu du myocarde à Charleroi : évolution des facteurs de risque et des pratiques thérapeutiques

ObjectivesThe aim of the study consists in analyzing the evolution of acute coronary risk factors as well as the 28 days case fatality and the therapeutic practices over 12 years of follow-up in Charleroi. The factors influencing the mortality of these patients are also investigated. MethodsThe Charleroi register of ischaemic cardiopathies is the oldest register of infarctions in the French-speaking community of Belgium. Analyses presented hereafter relate only patients in the 25–69-year age range over time from 1998 to 2009. Some analysis was extended to 25–74-year range. Treatment and risk factors evolutions over time were analysed using Chi2 tests. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing 28 days mortality. ResultsThe analysis shows a significant decline in 28 days mortality. A marked increase in the prevalence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia is highlighted as well as an increase of utilization of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) between 1998 and 2009. The use of ß-blockers and antiplatelet drugs remained fairly stable between 1998 and 2009 with approximately 75% and 90% of the patients treated, respectively. The factors associated with fatality were specifically age of patients, antecedents of diabetes and antecedents of myocardial infarction, hypercholesterolaemia as well as oral antiplatelet drugs, ß-blockers therapies and PTCA. ConclusionsThe evolution of the therapeutic data on AMI in this register confirms that PTCA becomes the main coronary reperfusion. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were without effect on mortality.

The General Practitioner and Children of Separated Parents in Belgium: A Qualitative Study and its Implications

Background: Many children are experiencing their parents’ separation and General practitioners (GPs) often have the responsibility to medically follow these young patients. Objectives: The goals were to identify the main difficulties GPs are confronted with when following children of separated (or divorced) parents and to find ways to improve the quality of these children’s continuous medical monitoring. Methods: Eight focus groups of GPs were organized in 2004 in the French-speaking Community of Belgium. Each meeting focused on couples separated for less than three years, with children aged 0 to 15. The debates were analysed with the QSR N5 software. Data saturation was obtained after four focus groups. Results: The viewpoint of GPs is: 1. Divorce affects the working conditions of GPs. 2. Conflicts between the parents cause difficulties for the GP, particularly the fact of being « exploited » by the parents. 3. All GPs do not have the same attitude towards conflicts between the parents; only some of them will try to « manage » the conflicts to improve the child’s situation. 4. Especially in the case of conflicts, parental separation brings a risk for the child: psychological disorders, physical health problems. 5. The professional attitudes of GPs can have a positive influence on the child’s development, including direct child-centred communication with the child. 6. Some actions, such as producing sickness certificates or official reports of neglect, can aggravate these children’s situation, especially in the case of conflicts between the parents. Discussion: Parental separation could be an independent risk factor for the child’s health by inducing some difficulties of tracking in primary care medicine. If this is confirmed, in case of a family breakdown, the GP should adapt the practice of prevention and care, recognizing young patients as most at risk. In order to confirm the possible impact of family status, cohort studies must be conducted either transverse observational targeting unselected paediatric populations of different ages, or even better in prospective research. Given the high prevalence of parental separation in Belgium, the influence of these situations should be measured in terms of public health.

Evaluating the 'Threat' Effects of Grade Repetition. Exploiting the 2001 Reform by the French-Speaking Community of Belgium

Like active labour market programmes (ALPMs), grade repetition could generate two types of effects. Better/worse outcomes due to programme participation (i.e. the fact that pupils repeat a particular grade). This is what the existing literature on grade repetition has focused on. Another potential outcome is the ‘threat’ effect of grade repetition. Pupils and/or their family could make significant efforts to avoid grade repetition and its important opportunity cost. Learning effort by pupils could be a function of the risk of grade repetition. This paper attempts to assess that relationship by exploiting a reform introduced in 2001 in the French-Speaking Community of Belgium, synonymous with a reinforced overall threat of grade repetition. The possibility to impose grade repetition sanctions and the end of grade 8-12 has always existed, but in year 2001, policy makers reinstated the possibility to repeat grade 7, putting an end to the regime of “social promotion” applicable to that grade since 1995. We use data from two waves of the PISA study (corresponding to periods before and after the reform) to evaluate the medium-term effects of this reform. The first measure of performance we consider is the position in the curriculum (or grade) reached at the age of 15, and we show that it deteriorated after 2001. We also consider the reform’s impact on test scores. Focusing on grade 10, we fail to verify the necessary condition for grade repetition threat to lead to higher test scores. The tentative conclusion is that an enhanced threat of grade retention after 2001 did not lead to better medium-term outcomes, even among the segments of the population the most at risk of grade repetition.

Evaluating the ‘threat’ effects of grade repetition: exploiting the 2001 reform by the French-Speaking Community of Belgium

Like active labour market programmes, grade repetition could generate two types of effects: better/worse outcomes due to programme participation (i.e. the fact that pupils repeat a particular grade). This is what the existing literature on grade repetition has focused on. Another potential outcome is the ‘threat’ effect of grade repetition. Pupils and/or their family could make significant efforts to avoid grade repetition and its important opportunity cost. Learning effort by pupils could be a function of the risk of grade repetition. This paper attempts to assess that relationship by exploiting a reform introduced in 2001 in the French-Speaking Community of Belgium, synonymous with a reinforced overall threat of grade repetition. The possibility to impose grade repetition sanctions and the end of grades 8–12 has always existed, but in year 2001, policy makers reinstated the possibility to repeat grade 7, putting an end to the regime of ‘social promotion’ applicable to that grade since 1995. We use data from two waves of the Programme for International Student Assessment study (corresponding to periods before and after the reform) to evaluate the medium-term effects of this reform. The first measure of performance we consider is the position in the curriculum (or grade) reached at the age of 15, and we show that it deteriorated after 2001. We also consider the reform's impact on test scores. Focusing on grade 10, we fail to verify the necessary condition for grade repetition threat to lead to higher test scores. The tentative conclusion is that an enhanced threat of grade retention after 2001 did not lead to better medium-term outcomes, even among the segments of the population the most at risk of grade repetition.

Trends in acute myocardial infarction treatment between 1998 and 2007 in a Belgian area (Charleroi)

To describe the evolution of the therapeutic practices over 10 years of follow-up of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Charleroi and to analyse the factors influencing the choice of treatments and the mortality of these patients. The Charleroi register of ischaemic cardiopathies is the oldest register of infarctions in the French-speaking community of Belgium and is one of the very rare registers that allows identifying tendencies over 25 years. Analyses presented hereafter relate only patients in the 25-69-year age range over time from 1998 to 2007. The data were analysed in five periods of 2 years. Treatment evolutions over time were analysed using chi-squared tests for trend and logistic regression analyses identify factors influencing the type of treatment. The present study shows a marked increase in the utilization of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) between 1998-1999 and 2006-2007. The use of thrombolytic agents on approximately one-third of the patients treated remained fairly stable between 1998 and 2007. A lower proportion of patients with a history of AMI received thrombolytic agents. Thrombolysis seems beneficial for men and without effect for women. The use of β-blockers continued to increase until the 2000-2001 period and remained fairly stable for the two following periods. 42% of patients were administered three medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antiplatelet drugs, and β-blockers). Association of PTCA with antiplatelet drugs, β-blockers, and thrombolysis was observed for 58.7, 50.6, and 25.7%, respectively. These associations were still observed after adjustment for gender, age, and comorbidity. The factors associated with fatality were specifically old-aged patients, antecedents of diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia and oral antiplatelet drugs, and β-blockers therapies and PTCA. The evolution of the therapeutic data on AMI in this register confirms the use and the efficacy of thrombolytic therapy. PTCA becomes the main coronary reperfusion treatment with less risk of bleeding. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were without effect on mortality.

Gender differences in acute myocardial infarction, twenty-five years registration

Background/objectivesThe French-speaking Community of Belgium has set up a register of ischaemic cardiopathies (1983–2007). The aim consists in analyzing the evolution of fatal and non-fatal acute coronary events rates as well as the 28days case fatality on a 25-year period and examine sex differences in lethality. MethodsThis register assures a standardized procedure according to the MONICA criteria. For each period, we present attack rates and trends analysis. Hospital lethality takes again in-patients and community lethality is calculated starting from all the cases. ResultsThe total attack rate is rather stable between 1983 and 2007 for women (from 12 to 19 per 10,000 residents). For men, there is a distinct decline of the total attack rate since 1991 till 1993 (63 to 43 per 10,000 residents). We systematically observe a reduction in risk between men and women according to the age. For each 5-year period, this risk decreases significantly with age and this difference is strongest during the periods 1993–1997 and 1998–2002. The analysis shows also a significant decline in lethality between the 1983–1987 and 1993–1997 periods. Among women, lethality is systematically higher than in men in spite of the presence or the absence of antecedents of myocardial infarction. ConclusionsFavourable evolutions in the attack rates of acute coronary events in the study population appear clearly on the 25-year period of observation. The whole lethality rates decreased during the first 15years of the register; after that, it stabilized.

Origins and Consequences of Schools’ Organizational Culture for Student Achievement

Purpose: Most studies on the impact of school culture focus only on teachers’ average perceptions and neglect the possibility that a meaningful increment to the prediction of school effectiveness might be provided by the variance in teachers’ culture perceptions. The objectives of this article are to (a) better understand how teachers’ collective decision making and principal’s leadership are related to the schools’ culture homogeneity and (b) test the moderating role of the schools’ culture homogeneity on the relationship between four cultural scales and the schools’ mathematics achievement. Method: The sample of this study consisted of 2,595 students nested in 52 schools and 125 classes from the French-speaking community of Belgium. Students performed two mathematics achievement tests and answered a self-reported questionnaire on their backgrounds. All the teachers ( n = 817) of the 52 schools answered a self-reported questionnaire dealing with the principal’s leadership, school culture, and teacher collegiality. Hypotheses are tested using correlation, regression, and hierarchical regression analyses. Research Findings: First, it was found that culture homogeneity is positively associated with (a) the principal’s transformational leadership (TL) and (b) the teachers’ collective decision making relative to pedagogical aspects. Second, it was shown that the impact of TL on culture homogeneity is partially mediated by teachers’ collective decision making. Third, the analyses found no moderation effect of culture homogeneity on the relationship between cultural values and students’ achievement but did show partial evidence of such an effect in specific groups of schools (with low or high socioeconomic status composition). Implications: This study provides a deeper understanding of how social arrangements and leadership processes within schools contribute to the emergence of collective cultural values. But the results also shed light on the weak associations between cultural values and student achievement, even when considering an appropriate definition and conceptualization of the school culture.

Information Literacy in Students Entering Higher Education in the French Speaking Community of Belgium: lessons learned from an evaluation

Although universities are providing more and more information literacy training for their undergraduate students, the students' real level of information literacy at the beginning of their studies has never been assessed. Hence EduDOC has decided to team up with the CIUF `Library' Commission in order to organize a wide study aiming at objectively describing this initial level of information literacy, at identifying the students' main weaknesses, as well as allowing instructors to adjust their training on this basis. The questionnaire was based on a similar study carried out in Québec and contains 20 questions grouped in five themes relating to information search steps. It was sent in September 2007 to a random sample of students entering a higher education institution in the French Speaking Community of Belgium for the first time. The students' rather poor results confirm that organizing an information literacy program is imperative if students are to perform well in their studies.

Enseignement francophone. On peut faire mieux, mais comment ?

Résumé Les enjeux de l’enseignement sont considérables, tant pour l’épanouissement personnel des jeunes que comme préparation à leur intégration dans la vie en société. Au vu d’études internationales, l’enseignement en Communauté française est relativement peu performant. Il est cependant plutôt bien financé, et le taux d’encadrement est élevé dans l’enseignement obligatoire. Il importe par conséquent de revoir l’organisation de notre enseignement. Plusieurs pistes sont proposées ici, basées sur quelques principes : évaluation, décloisonnement, liberté et responsabilisation des écoles et des enseignants, responsabilisation des élèves et des parents. La question de la pénurie d’enseignants est aussi abordée, de même que celle de la régionalisation de notre enseignement. JEL Codes – H52, H75, I21.

Trends in cannabis use and its determinants among teenagers in the French-speaking community of Belgium

Cannabis consumption among teenagers has undergone dramatic changes in Europe since the beginning of the 1990s. A number of behaviors associated with cannabis consumption, such as tobacco smoking, excessive drinking and truancy are developing too, each in their own way. To assess the evolution over time of the various types of cannabis consumption (both ever and weekly consumption) in relation to these determinants (age, sex, studies chosen, truancy, tobacco smoking and recurrent intoxication), we have analyzed the cross-sectional study on Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children in the French-speaking Belgian Community (12-17 years) since 1994. We used logistic models to analyze the evolution of the various types of cannabis consumption and to identify the associated factors. Finally, in order to demonstrate time trends, we tested for each type of consumption in the interactions between the significant predictive variables in each model and the survey year (1994-1998-2000). Rates of ever use, past 30-day use and weekly use among the ever users have been increasing from 1994 to 2002 and reached, respectively, 22.0%, 11.6%, 6.8% and 32.9%. Cannabis ever use rose more noticeably among the general education students (adjusted OR (95%CI)): 3.08 (2.66-3.57) and among the truants: 4.57 (3.39-6.14). Weekly cannabis smoking rose most especially among the truants: 1.92 (1.34-2.78). Truants should constitute a priority target for the prevention of cannabis consumption, while the phenomenon of truancy must be moreover examined in depth in order to more thoroughly identify the appropriate prevention programs organized both in and outside of the school environment.

Role of physicians in preventing accidents in the home involving children under 15 years in the French-speaking community of Belgium

Objectives. To measure GPs' and paediatricians' expectations, attitudes, priorities and demands in the area of promoting safety and preventing accidents in the home involving children under 15 years of age. Methods. A phone survey of a random sample of GPs and paediatricians in the French-speaking community of Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels) conducted in the course of September and October 2000. Results. Close to two-thirds of the physicians surveyed stated that they had been contacted at least once in the 2 weeks preceding the survey to handle an injury. Of the physicians, 80% mention accident prevention after a childhood injury, but only 46% mention it during a routine consultation (whatever the reason of the latter may be). The main obstacles to mentioning prevention during routine consultation put forward by the interviewees are: 1) reasons for consultations that do not permit such an approach (79%); 2) the fact that injuries are not priorities for them (66%); 3) the lack of interesting materials to provide the subject with documentation (63%); 4) the unsuitability of the place where the contact occurs for such discussion, given the time required (56%); 5) insufficient information on the subject (41%); and 6) the patient's lack of interest (39%). An overwhelming majority (98%) nevertheless feel that they have a role to play in preventing children's accidents in the home, with 72.5% seeing this as informative (recommendation on safety rules). More than two-thirds of the respondents feel that they have enough requisite information to play such a role. Those who declare that they have not enough information (34%) proposed some priority subjects about which they would like to find information or additional information to be more effective in preventing accidents. The information needs mentioned most frequently were a systematic review of the risks, of the effective prevention strategies and epidemiological data. Conclusions. The present study clearly reveals the interest of physicians for accident prevention and puts forward the current obstacles to offering prevention advice during routine consultation. The obstacles mentioned are fairly comparable to those mentioned in other studies, namely, because the reason for the visit does not give such an opening, the lack of appropriate materials and information, the lack of time, the patient's lack of interest, the fact that the issue is not a priority, etc. The problem of lack of priority for certain practitioners underlines the importance of making accident mortality and morbidity statistics available to doctors in order to improve their perception of the magnitude of the problem. The lack of interesting education materials and useful information seems to be a major reason for their failure to carry out such prevention work successfully. These factors should thus be taken into account when developing any policy and/or programme aimed at ‘using’ GPs and paediatricians in the prevention strategies that are adopted.