School Going Research Articles

IJCM_84A: Menstrual Hygiene Management: Status, Enablers and Barriers among Late Adolescent School Going Girls in Berhampore Municipality, West Bengal.

Background: Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) encompasses use of hygienic absorbents, appropriate frequency of changing, genital hygiene and disposal. Inadequate facilities at school pose a formidable barrier for MHM. Objective: To assess the practices related to MHM and their correlates among school going adolescent girls aged 15-19 yrs and explore the enablers and barriers of MHM from the participant’s perspective. Methodology: This concurrent mixed method study with cross-sectional design and phenomenological approach for quantitative and qualitative part respectively, was undertaken in public schools of Berhampore Municipality, Murshidabad district during September-November’23. The quantitative study was contemplated among 204 eligible participants selected through multistage random sampling. Data on background variables and variables related to MHM were collected with a predesigned, pretested self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS.20. For qualitative component, In-Depth Interviews (IDI) were done on purposively selected eight participants, representing different schools and age groups. IDIs were transcribed in verbatim and thematic analysis was done. Results: All participants used sanitary pads; 53.9%, 17.64% and 20.5% changed pads at appropriate frequency (four times/day), cleaned external genitalia (thrice/day) and disposed in covered bins respectively. Only 11.3% had favourable MHM (at least 3 correct practices out of 4). Maternal education [(OR:3.44; (1.28-9.27)]and occupation [(OR:7.01; (2.23-21.99)], socio economic status [(OR:5.66;(1.52-21.02)], access to continuous water supply [(OR:15.40;(4.38-54.10)] and disposal facilities[(OR:2.88;(1.15-7.22)] were significantly associated with MHM. On thematic analysis major enablers explored were conducive home environment, communication with parents, access to hygienic absorbents and access to washrooms with water supply at school; lack of access to hygienic washrooms and proper disposal facility at school, long duration of school and limited communication were identified as barriers for MHM. Conclusion: Among the school girls in this area unfavourable MHM was alarmingly high, surfacing multiple factors amenable to change by ensuring access to proper services/facilities and communication about MHM.

IJCM_355A: Sleep Hygiene Among Higher Secondary School Students in Mandya City – A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Sleep is a basic biological process and is essential for good physical well-being. Cognitive development and emotional functioning of a child also depend on good sleep quality. Adolescents tend to have poor sleep quality because of high academic pressure, excessive mobile phone screen time, interpersonal relationship etc. Adolescents with poor sleep are prone for depression, anxiety, inattention, substance abuse, impaired academic performance and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Sleep hygiene is an essential component of sleep, encompassing behavioural and environmental factors intended to promote healthy sleep. Good sleep hygiene is a predictor of sleep quality. There is a scanty knowledge and there are few studies done regarding sleep hygiene which would help to understand the factors responsible for poor sleep quality. So this study is done with the following objectives Objectives: 1) To assess quality of sleep among higher secondary school going students in Mandya city 2) To assess and correlate sleep hygiene practice with sleep quality. 3) To correlate the effect of internet addiction and sleep quality 4) To correlate the effect of Academic performance and sleep quality. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among school going students in two higher secondary schools in Mandya city between Oct 2023 to December 2023 using SQS scale, ASHS questionnaire, IAT score, APS score. Descriptive statistics like frequency, proportion, mean and standard deviation has been used. Results: Mean SQS score, ASHS score, IAT total score, APS score were calculated. Correlation between SQS score and ASHS score and IAT score, APS score were done. Conclusion: More health education should be provided for the students regarding sleep hygiene, the screen time use reduction and its effects on sleep, academic performance also should be explained.

IJCM_392A: Assessment of the level of Physical activity among school and college going adolescents in the urban field practice area of Guntur Medical College

Background: Inadequate Physical Activity is a common feature running through most public health problems across the world. Physical activity declines during the lifespan, especially during adolescence. Identifying patterns of physical activity behaviour in adolescent population will help to improve interventions for youth to become and stay active into adulthood. Objective: 1. To assess the level of physical activity among school and college going adolescents in the urban field practice area of Guntur Medical College. 2. To identify the factors influencing the level of physical activity. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 300 adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) attending government schools or junior colleges. One school and one college from the field practice area were selected by simple random sampling whereas students from each class were selected by stratified random sampling. A pre-tested, pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire- Adolescent (PAQ-A) was used for collecting data on physical activity. Results: 30.3% of the adolescents were practicing low physical activity. Level of physical activity was significantly associated with gender, academic grade, father’s schooling, availability of facilities in the neighbourhood, and availability of facilities at home. Among adolescents who are practicing low physical activity, 76.1% reported lack of time as the barrier. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of the adolescents are practicing low physical activity varying across different factors viz., gender, academic grade, availability of facilities in neighborhood or at home.

IJCM_127A: A comparative study of knowledge and perception among school going adolescents regarding various food habits and prevalence of overweight and obesity in government and private schools in Mangalore

Background: Adolescence, 10-19 years is a vulnerable age where eating behaviours are inculcated. Adult health and size are determined by the adolescents dietary habits. The poor health & diet choices by adolescents is a result of lack of knowledge about Glycemic Index, Trans Fats, etc. Thus, educating them at this mouldable age is important. Objectives: 1) To study the knowledge and its retention among adolescents of 8th-12th standard after interactive education about food habits and lifestyle changes. 2) To identify the prevalence of overweight and obesity among high school students in various private and government schools. Methodology: An intervention study was conducted in 441 adolescents of 8th- 12th standard in government and private schools. In first interaction BMI and questionnaire on awareness, perception and practise on diet was filled by participants and educational material on same was shared and their knowledge retention was assessed after 2 months and the results were compared between government and private schools. Results: In terms of age, the majority of subjects fall into the 14-year-old category (37.3%), and 15-year-old (33.2%). In terms of class, the largest proportion is in 9th and 10th class (36.4%). Gender distribution shows majority of females (57.5%). Father’s educational status reveals a significant percentage of graduates (48.4%), while mothers have a high school education (59.3%). Majority follow a non-vegetarian diet (64.3%) and reside in urban areas (54.8%). Lastly, the distribution of BMI categories indicates that a significant portion falls within the normal range (48.2%), with rest as overweight (30.2%), obese (20.7%), and underweight (0.9%). Mean scores of pre and post intervention were compared and statistically significant difference (p=<0.001) was noted. Conclusion: Adolescents are at higher risk of overweight and obesity. Nutritional education reinforcement in this period has significant impact on reduction of Non-Communicable Diseases. Knowledge intervention in this study had similar result.

IJCM_2A: Perceptions of and challenges faced by college students in receiving sexual health education during their school days- An exploratory study

Background: Sexuality health education stands as an essential cornerstone in shaping the physical, emotional, and social well-being of young adults, and nowhere is this need more evident than in India. As a country known for its diverse culture, traditions, and a burgeoning youth population, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities pertaining to sexual health education is of paramount importance. Currently, there is no existing curriculum or syllabus for sexual health education in schools or colleges. Methodology: Qualitative data was obtained by conducting in depth interviews. Around 10-20 In depth interviews were conducted. Participants were college going students who gave consent and were open to talk about the topic. Interview was conducted using an interview guide and the process was audio recorded. Data was analysed manually using grounded theory. Results: The themes generated were previous exposure to sexual health education, Sources of information, topics under sexual health education. Challenges faced by young adults were explored under the following themes- difficulties faced during school/ college, past experiences, cultural taboos etc. Many young adults advocated the need for sexual health education. Surprisingly a few handfuls of students thought it was not necessary to teach sexual health education at all. However, all of them were not satisfied with the education they received on sexual health in the past. Conclusion: This study sheds a spotlight on the lack of sexual health education and its repercussions on young adults today. Difficulties faced by young college going students can be used to design an age appropriate culturally sensitive sexual health curriculum for school going adolescents.

IJCM_125A: Prevalence of hypertension and obesity among adolescents: a school based, cross sectional study in Aligarh

Background: Hypertension is a serious medical condition and cause of premature death worldwide, with upwards of 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women having the condition. Overweight and obesity are major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases such as: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon). Recent literature suggests hypertension and obesity to be a rising health problem not only in adults but also in adolescents. The early identification and effective management of hypertension and obesity in children and adolescents is key primordial and primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hypertension and obesity and their associated factors among school going adolescents in Aligarh. Methodology: A school based cross-sectional study was carried out among 569 school students of Class-V to XII studying at schools of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Data was collected using a predesigned, structured questionnaire. Blood pressure was measured using digital blood pressure apparatus wit age appropriate cuffs and hypertension was defined using the American Academy of Paediatrics 2017 criteria. BMI was calculated using the standard formula, weight (kg)/height2 (m2), and values were compared with the WHO growth charts. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS 20.0 software. To study frequency distribution and sociodemographic characteristics, descriptive statistics were carried out. Chi square and other appropriate tests were applied. Results: In this study 569 adolescents were participated, of which 324 (56.9%) were males. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure was 10.7% and hypertension was 18.5%. The prevalence of obesity was 2.6%. Male gender, family history of hypertension, overweight/obesity are significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusion: Approximately one fifth of the participants in this study had hypertension, highlighting the need for intervention including lifestyle modification and active case finding.

IJCM_139A: Prevalence of Hypertension among the Urban Adolescents: A Prospective Robust Survey

Background: Childhood Blood pressure (BP) is a strong indicator of adult blood pressure (BP), hence, early detection and intervention is important in adolescents. Studies from China and United States have shown BP in adolescents to be variable and has indeed outlined the need to obtain three separate readings before diagnosing hypertension. There is a dearth of this documentation of blood pressure readings at different occasions in adolescents from the Indian settings. Objective: To determine the prevalence of elevated blood pressure and hypertension among 10-18 years school going adolescents. Methodology: This was a prospective longitudinal study conducted across the five urban schools of Bhopal amongst 10-18 years adolescents. Multistage cluster sampling was adopted to cover an estimated sample size of 780 over a one-year period. Those adolescents who were present during the time of survey following their parent’s consent were included. Those who were absent at two occasions during the follow up visit and those who were diagnosed with secondary hypertension were excluded. Those who satisfied the study criteria were given a self-administered WHO STEPS questionnaire initially. The height and weight were obtained followed by measurement of three auscultatory BP readings at an interval of one week apart (American Academy of paediatrics (Updated guidelines 2017) in each student. The R shiny app calculator was used for classifying hypertension in adolescents. The study was funded by AIIMS Bhopal and ethical clearance was obtained from the institute. Results: The overall prevalence of elevated BP/hypertension in adolescents was 1.4% (N=795). There was a positive correlation between BMI and (SBP & DBP). The generalised linear mixed model showed age, BMI and boys to have higher predisposition to elevated BP/HTN. There was a significant difference in the SBP and DBP between the 3 visits stratified by sex. Also, the change in SBP and DBP between the readings were significant by ANOVA. Conclusion: The prevalence of elevated BP/HTN was 1.4% with girls being protective for girls. The study cannot be generalised as it is limited to the Government schools with relatively small sample size.

Clinico-Demographic Profile of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Presenting to a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children. ADHD leads to significant impairment in overall functioning of the child. There is limited information concerning the clinical scenario of ADHD within Nepal. The study aims to determine the clinico-demographic profile and pattern of medication use in the treatment of ADHD. This study retrospectively examines the records of children diagnosed with ADHD at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Unit, Kanti Children's Hospital (KCH), Nepal. Approval for the study was granted by KCH's Institutional Review Board. The analysis focused on data extracted from hospital records of ADHD patients spanning from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2023 encompassing two and a half years. A total of 585 children were diagnosed with ADHD, with a mean age 7±3.04 years. The majority 501 (85.64%) were male, and 377 (64.44%) were from the school going age group (6 to 11 years). The prevalent psychiatric comorbidities included Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at 102 (17.43%), Intellectual Disability (ID) at 93(15.89%), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) at 36 (6.15%). The commonly used medication was Clonidine 165 (28.20%) followed by Atomoxetine 154 (26.32%) and Risperidone 65 (11.11%). The study indicates that ADHD is highly prevalent in Nepal. Comorbidities like ASD and ID are frequently seen which further necessitates the need for structured assessments and multidisciplinary approaches to address ADHD. In our context with limited treatment options, the management of ADHD is extremely challenging.

Influence of Online Gaming on Behavior of Gamers in Pakistan

This study reveals that online video games have emerged as a novel platform for social interaction, wherein numerous gaming options facilitate player’s competition and collective interaction within the virtual realm. Gamers have increasingly begun to form distinct virtual social communities due to the inherent capacity of these games to facilitate social networking in a multiplayer online setting. This phenomenon has given rise to a unique social dynamic among video game enthusiasts. The present study delves into an exploration of the social gaming behaviour exhibited by participants engaged in multiplayer online games. Additionally, it seeks to establish a correlation between virtual and real-world behaviours by examining the relationship between destructive and constructive social behaviours and the dominance and affiliation dimensions of social interaction. Purpose: Online gaming has become a unique phenomenon among the young players with a significant influence on them. The basic objective of this study was to determine the social interaction caused by online gaming among young game players. This study conducted in Pakistani perspective has achieved the objections set to analyze the influence of online gaming and increased level of social interaction. Design/Methodology/Approach: To conduct this investigation, an online survey was administered to individuals who regularly engage in multiplayer gaming activities and dedicate a substantial portion of their daily time to gaming. The study sample consisted of 200 gamers spanning an age range of 16 to 30 years. Findings: The results of this inquiry shed light on the prevalence of pro-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour, characterized by constructive and destructive actions among gamers, respectively. Furthermore, the study reveals that destructive behaviour negatively predicts affiliation, while constructive behaviour has a positive predictive influence on affiliation. Moreover, certain demographic variables, such as age and gender, exert a significant impact on the prediction of dominance within the gaming community. The findings of this study provide substantial support for the notion that virtual social interactions have a notable influence on real-world behaviours, underscoring the interconnectedness between the online gaming environment and broader social dynamics. Implications/Originality/Value: Online gaming has become a common practice not only among young adults but also among the minors. Thus, this phenomenon has reduced physical activities among the youth and even among the school going children. This study may provide an insight into the matter and possible appropriate recommendations as well.

Effect of Twelve-Week Yoga Intervention on Stress and Anxiety in School Going Children

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of twelve-week yogic practices on stress and anxiety in school going male students. Material & Methods. A total of 30 males, aged (15.5±2.40 years) from senior secondary school were selected as subjects. The subjects were divided into two groups of fifteen each (n=15) randomly. The experimental group underwent yogic practices (asanas & pranayamas) for a period of twelve-week and control group followed a normal routine. The training intervention was for forty-five minutes, six days a week. Stress was assessed by the perceived stress scale and anxiety was assessed by Ducklow’s anxiety questionnaire. A pre-post assessment protocol was employed to determine the effect of a twelve-week yogic practice intervention. Results. Unadjusted post hoc comparison between covariate adjusted means revealed a significant difference in anxiety between the experimental, Madj=24.7, SEadj=0.78 and control, Madj=31.70, SEadj=0.78 groups after twelve-week of yoga intervention, p<0.001, d=2.35, 95% CI [3.36, 1.33]. A significant difference was also observed between experimental, Madj=24.5, SEadj=0.43 and control, Madj=26.5, SEadj=0.43 groups in stress after treatment, p=0.004, d=1.15, 95% CI [1.97, 0.33]. Conclusions. Yogic practices (asanas & pranayamas) are beneficial in reducing the stress and anxiety of school going male students. It may be used as a protocol for the maintenance of sound mental health, wellness and fitness.

Variations of skill-related fitness components in normal and overweight high school children

Adolescence means "stepping into adult life." It is a prepubertal phase where the transmutation of childhood into adulthood occurs and the physical and psychosomatic growth of a child takes place. This study has focused on Normal & Over Weight in school going children aged between 10 and 19 years, and their status in skill related fitness. The minimum sample size for each group = 100. The subjects taken into the study were adolescent children with an age group of 10-19 years. For the study, all the students were taken from school who were studying between the 5th standard to 12th standards. After screening the children, the eligible students were randomly called to have their body composition assessed class and section-wise. The children were divided into two groups based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI was assessed with the weight in kgs divided by height in meters square of the child. The children were divided into two group and skill fitness outcome measures namely Broad Jump Test (BJT); Hand Grip Strength Test (HGS); Bent Arm Hang Test (BAH) were used. This study concluded that the physical fitness that includes skill fitness was decreased in Overweight than Normal weight adolescent boys and girls.

Knowledge, attitude and practice about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among adolescent school girls of rural field practice area of tertiary care hospital, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh: a cross-sectional study

Background: As the reproduction starts from the puberty and in which most of the girls will be not aware of menstruation and they will lack the knowledge as most of the girls will be in school age group. This study is done to understand their knowledge, attitude and practice on menstruation and menstrual hygiene in school going girls. Methods: A school based cross sectional study was conducted after getting ethics committee clearance during August-September 2023 (2 months) in RHTC field area of Santhiram medical college, Nandyal among high school girls of 8th, 9th and 10th classes by simple random sampling method with sample size 230, study tool was pre-designed, pre-tested, semi structured questionnaire by interview method collected data and analysed by SPSS 25 version. Results: In this study out of 230 participants about 43% were under the age group 13 years, 57.8% were have knowledge on menstruation and 60% were not aware of origin of blood and 76.1% are attending school during the menses, 31% of girls Still feels embarrassing buying pads, 40% don’t attend to perform house activities and sitting at the corner. Only 51.7% are using dustbins for disposal. Conclusions: This study results shows that girls have a poor knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding menstruation and menstrual hygiene. There is a gap between knowledge and menstrual hygiene and usage of proper sanitation, school administration and health facilities should conduct awareness programmes on menstrual hygiene.

Effects of Screen Time and Phonemic Segmentation in School Going Children

Background: The rapid proliferation of digital devices has significantly altered children's exposure to screen time, raising questions about its impact on their cognitive and language development. Previous research has indicated both potential benefits and drawbacks of screen time, particularly concerning phonological awareness and language skills in young children. This study seeks to explore the relationship between screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities, a critical component of phonological awareness, in school-going children. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between the amount of screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities in children aged 4 to 7 years, accounting for variables such as age, gender, and parental education levels. Methods: Conducted at the Department of Speech and Language Pathology, PSRD College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Lahore, this study utilized a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 253 children from various schools. The inclusion criteria were children with normal speech and language development who had exposure to digital devices, excluding those with phonological disorders or developmental delays. The YOPP-Singer Test of Phonemic Segmentation was employed to assess phonemic awareness. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, with ANOVA and Pearson Correlation tests to examine the relationship between screen time and phonemic awareness. Results: Among the participants, 56.1% were in kindergarten, with a gender distribution of 40.3% male and 59.7% female. Parental education varied, with 34.8% holding bachelor's degrees and 24.5% having M.Phil. qualifications. The majority of children (51.8%) reported 1 hour of screen time daily. The ANOVA test revealed no significant difference in phonemic segmentation abilities across different screen time durations (F=.526, p=.665). However, a Pearson Correlation analysis indicated a slight, non-significant positive correlation between screen time and phonemic segmentation abilities (r=.110, p=.080). Conclusion: The study suggests that the amount of screen time, within certain limits, is not significantly associated with phonemic segmentation abilities in children aged 4 to 7 years. These findings highlight the complexity of screen time's impact on language development, suggesting that factors beyond the duration of screen exposure, such as content quality and parental involvement, may play critical roles.

Parenting Style and Its Correlates: Perceived among School Going Adolescents

Parents and parenting style have an effect on children’s upbringing. Children learn parenting style from their own parents and modifications are adopted by imitating their own parents. Therefore, parenting styles need to be conducive, encouraging, with minimum control over children. With this background, the present study proposes objectives to find out the perceived parenting style among students in the higher secondary school and to examine the relationship between the variables like authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles. Parenting style constitutes three main types such as authoritarian, authoritative and permissive style of parenting. But for the present study, the researchers have adopted two types of parenting styles, such as authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles. To test the variables, the researcher had selected a school in Kerala, interviewed around 121 respondents studying in high secondary school. The findings showed that there is no significant difference between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles with the gender. But the mean and standard deviation scores reveal that most of the children felt their parenting style was authoritative rather than authoritarian.

Prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity among adolescent school children of Rajkot city, India

Adolescent obesity is becoming more prevalent due to changing lifestyles, and it has negative effects like a higher incidence of non-communicable diseases. Identification of risk factors leading to the rapid rise in adolescent obesity is a crucial first step in preventing and controlling it. Therefore, this study was carried out in Rajkot. The primary objective was to find the prevalence of obesity among the school going adolescents aged 14-19 years and to identify the determinants associated with obesity. A cross-sectional study among the adolescents studying in school was carried out by using multistage sampling method. A predesigned questionnaire with personal and family history and details of dietary habits and physical activity was filled by the participants. Anthropometric measurements of the participants including height, weight, waist and hip circumference were taken. Out of total 1120 participants, 25.8% were underweight, 11.1% were overweight and 6.9% were obese. Overweight and obesity was significantly associated with the occupation of participant’s father and mother, lack of physical activity, more screen time, non-vegetarian diet and daily consumption of carbonated drinks and chocolates. (p<0.001). The determinants like physical activity and dietary habits were found to be associated with overweight and obesity. Modifying one's lifestyle can be very helpful in preventing adolescent obesity as well as developing healthy routines for later life.

A study of behavioural problems in school going children in Wardha

Introduction Behaviour problems like hyperactivity, lack of focus, temper tantrums, aggression, disobedience, conflicts with peers, nail-biting, thumb-sucking, and insomnia can happen during childhood or during the formative years of human development. The behavioural problem might not yet be categorised as a mental disorder, but it could develop into one. Although it could be challenging to spot these problems in young children. Schools are places where kids spend a lot of time and are active. Therefore, schools are the finest setting for young children’s mental and physical growth. Objective The study objective is to assess the prevalence of the behavioural problems among school-going children. Methods This cross-sectional observational study will be conducted on school going children in government school using a questionnaire, (which include questions based on socio-demographic and child behaviour characteristics). Sample population involved 172 school-going children aged 15-18 years old. Data will be collected by Google Form (using as a data collection tool) and Microsoft Excel (MS Excel 2010) will be used for the analysis. Study implication Study interest will be identifying the factors influencing behavioural change in school-going children and to develop an intervention program to address these issues and development of effective interventions targeting behaviour-related problems in school-going children.

Oral Hygiene Practices of Rural and Urban School Going Children in Punjab

Abstract: Background: The early years of life are essential for establishing a solid foundation for oral and dental health. Children with poor oral and systemic health typically have poor dietary habits and insufficient oral hygiene practices, particularly brushing. Objective: To assess and compare the oral hygiene practices of rural and urban school-going children in Punjab. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to August 2022, after the approval of IRB, among five urban and five rural schools in Punjab using an interview-administered survey tool through purposive sampling of 600 students. The questionnaire was developed by the authors and validated using face validity. The data were stored and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23. Result: A total of 650 students were approached; out of them, 600 responded. Almost one-third of them had the habit of brushing twice daily (27%), whereas most were brushing once daily (65.4%). The rural school children used miswak, manjan, and their finger more significantly; however, toothpaste was the major agent for cleaning teeth (89.4%). The urban school children were using toothbrushes more significantly. Rural school children more frequently used Miswak and finger. Urban schoolchildren often brushed at night, whereas no difference was reported between morning and nighttime. Conclusion: Most urban school children were using toothbrushes and toothpaste. The use of miswak and manjan was more common in rural areas. The most common time for brushing was morning and night. Rural areas need to have access to oral health education and subsidized toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Prevalence of Postural Deformities Among School Going Children in Rural Areas Due To School Furniture: A Cross-Sectional Study

Posture is an upright position that is generally kept against gravity. Body posture is influenced by many factors including general health, musculoskeletal alignment, body endurance, muscle strength, weight, height, fatigue, state of mind, and age etc. The perfect collaboration between segments of the body is called good posture. The imperfect collaboration between segments of the body is called bad posture. Abnormal body posture can cause various musculoskeletal disorders along with headache, fatigue, cervical and lumber pain. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in school going children can be reduced by macro and micro ergonomic approach such as postural awareness, furniture design and bag pack loads carriage. School pupils sit for many of their classroom lessons and adopt different postures. An inappropriate body posture can destroy a student’s interest, even during the most stimulating lecture. School children attend schools for a considerable amount of time, 6 h a day on average. They spend the largest part of their time at school performing different related activities, which lead them to be seated on their seats constantly for a long time. Classroom furniture is usually not designed to accommodate the dimensions of the individual user. Considering that school is an ideal setting for the acquisition of healthy habits that can continue into adulthood, it is necessary to implement actions to identify ideal school furniture dimensions.

Farkas Indices- Facial Anthropometry, Key To Identify Aggression In School Going Children Of India: A Review

Farkas Indices- Facial Anthropometry, Key To Identify Aggression In School Going Children Of India: A Review

Empirical Analysis of Road Safety Behaviours of School-going Children Using Structural Equation Modelling: A Perspective from India

The behaviour of children in traffic are functions of knowledge, attitude and risk perception. This study is attempted to find the major road safety related problems faced by children on their way to school and to identify and evaluate the important factors which affect the road safety behaviour among school going children using different transport modes. The data was collected from 1224 students studying from class 7th to 12th in India The results show that problems faced by children using different transport modes, traffic misbehaviour from elders, and performance of children’s risky behaviours. Road safety knowledge among students, their attitude towards road safety, and risk perception about various dangerous situations need to be enhanced. Text books are the least source of traffic safety information, indicating the necessity of including traffic safety lessons as mandatory in school syllabus by making use of modernized techniques.