Educational Level Of Mother Research Articles

Nutritional status of toddlers, education level, and habitual hygiene behaviour among mothers in West Java, Indonesia

Background: Malnutrition in toddlers can cause impaired growth and become one of the risk factors for morbidity and mortality. Mothers with a good level of education will affect their ability to select and serve foods with balanced nutrition for toddlers. Meanwhile, maternal hygiene behavior related to the cleanliness of food, drinks, body, and the environment is an important factor in preventing various diseases that can influence the nutritional status of children under the age of five. Purpose: To identify the correlation between maternal education level and hygiene behavior with the nutritional status of toddlers in Hamlet III Sukamulya Village. Method: Cross-sectional. The data used is primary data collected through a questionnaire. Data include maternal demographics, toddler characteristics, and maternal hygiene behaviors. The population of this study consisted only of mothers with toddlers from Hamlet III Sukamulya village using a total sampling technique with a total of 145 respondents. Data were analyzed with univariate analysis and bivariate analysis using Spearman rho test. Results: Showed that the majority of mothers had a basic education level (79.3%), and had good hygiene behavior (90.3%), and most toddlers had normal nutritional status (63.4%). This study found a p-value of 0.772 on the mother's education level variable and a p-value of 0.085 on the hygiene behavior variable. Conclusion: there is no correlation between maternal education level and nutritional status of toddlers and there is no correlation between hygiene behavior and nutritional status of toddlers.

Assessment of the knowledge, emotions and behaviours of secondary school students towards the environment and recycling in Southeastern Türkiye

AbstractImproving the scope of environmental education given in schools and establishing environmental awareness among students are the most important steps to be taken to transfer this awareness to the next generations. The aim of this study is to examine the knowledge, emotions and behaviours of secondary school students ranging from 11 to 13 for environmental health and environmental protection. The study was carried out in the district of Karaköprü, a metropolitan settlement in Şanlıurfa for the 2020–2021 academic year, regarding environmental health and environmental protection, which has decreased with the effect of the pandemic. In this study, a questionnaire was applied to students and their attitudes were evaluated according to a 5‐point Likert scale. The attitudes of the students were detailed on the basis of ‘gender’ and ‘mother education level’ factors. It was found that the male students in the study group had more knowledge about environmental health and protection compared to the female students. However, no relationship was detected between students' environmental awareness and their mothers' educational levels.

The effect of dietary diversity on anemia levels among children 6-23 months in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel ordinal logistic regression model.

Anemia is the most common hematologic disorder of children worldwide. Since dietary diversity is a main requirement of children is to get all the essential nutrients, it can thus use as one of the basic indicator when assessing the child's anemia. Although dietary diversity plays a major role in anemia among children in sub-Saharan Africa, there is little evidence of an association between the dietary diversity and anemia level to identified potential strategies for prevention of anemia level in sub-Saharan Africa. To examine the association between dietary diversity and anemia levels among children aged 6-23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. The most recent Demographic and Health Surveys from 32 countries in SSA were considered for this study, which used pooled data from those surveys. In this study, a total weighted sample of 52,180 children aged 6-23 months was included. The diversity of the diet given to children was assessed using the minimum dietary diversity (MDD), which considers only four of the seven food groups. A multilevel ordinal logistic regression model was applied due to the DHS data's hierarchical structure and the ordinal nature of anemia. With a p-value of 0.08, the Brant test found that the proportional odds assumption was satisfied. In addition, model comparisons were done using deviance. In the bi-variable analysis, variables having a p-value ≤0.2 were taken into account for multivariable analysis. The Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was presented for potential determinants of levels of anemia in the multivariable multilevel proportional odds model. The overall prevalence of minimum dietary diversity and anemia among children aged 6-23 months were 43% [95% CI: 42.6%, 43.4%] and 72.0% [95% CI: 70.9%, 72.9%] respectively. Of which, 26.2% had mild anemia, 43.4% had moderate anemia, and 2.4% had severe anemia. MDD, being female child, being 18-23 months age, born from mothers aged ≥25, taking drugs for the intestinal parasite, higher level of maternal education, number of ANC visits, middle and richer household wealth status, distance of health facility and being born in Central and Southern Africa were significantly associated with the lower odds of levels of anemia. Contrarily, being 9-11- and 12-17-months age, size of child, having fever and diarrhea in the last two weeks, higher birth order, stunting, wasting, and underweight and being in West Africa were significantly associated with higher odds of levels of anemia. Anemia was a significant public health issue among children aged 6-23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Minimum dietary diversity intake is associated with reduced anemia in children aged 6 to 23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Children should be fed a variety of foods to improve their anemia status. Reducing anemia in children aged 6-23 months can be achieved by raising mother education levels, treating febrile illnesses, and improve the family's financial situation. Finally, iron fortification or vitamin supplementation could help to better reduce the risk of anemia and raise children's hemoglobin levels in order to treat anemia.

Role of parental educational level as psychosocial factor in a sample of inpatients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Evidence on parental educational level (PEL) as a risk factor for Eating Disorders (EDs) is mixed, and no study has assessed its role in relation to the compliance and outcomes of treatments in EDs. Further, no study differentiated from the educational level of mothers and fathers, nor considered the possible mediation of perfectionism in fostering EDs. A clinical sample of 242 first-ever admitted inpatients with EDs provided information on PEL and completed the following questionnaires: the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (F-MPS). Clinicians also provided information on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) for each participant. Individuals with high PEL (whether mothers, fathers, or both parents) showed significantly higher scores on depressive symptoms and lower on parental criticism, were younger, had an earlier age of onset, had fewer years of illness, more were students and employed, and fewer had offspring. Individuals with fathers or both parents with high educational levels suffered more from Anorexia Nervosa rather than Bulimia Nervosa, had a longer length of stay during the current hospitalization, had less dietary restraint, and had higher personal standards. Individuals with mothers with high educational levels showed a lower rate of previous substance or alcohol addiction. Personal standards partially mediated the relationship between higher PEL and lower dietary restraint. PEL emerged to be a twofold psychosocial risk factor, being associated with higher depressive symptoms and a longer length of stay, but also with a shorter duration of illness and better scholar and working involvement. Higher PEL was related to higher personal standards but not to global perfectionism. Patterns of eating psychopathology emerged based on the high PEL of mothers or fathers.

The relationship between health literacy and the adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors: A cross-sectional study in Iran.

Health literacy (HL) is one of the effective factors in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic. Considering the high prevalence of COVID-19 disease, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between HL and the adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors. This was a descriptive-cross sectional study conducted on 214 students selected by simple random sampling method in Esfarayen Faculty of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2022. The data included demographic and background characteristics, health literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA), and a valid and reliable questionnaire to measure COVID-19 preventive behaviors. The data were analyzed using SPSS 23, descriptive statistics, and ordinal logistic regression tests. The mean and standard deviation of the scores of adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors and HL among students were 18.18) 4.02(out of 25 and 72.14) and 12.75 (out of 100, respectively. The results of the logistic regression test showed that the HL (P = 0.003), gender (P<0.001), mother's education (P = 0.039), educational level (P = 0.031), smoking (P = 0.032), and physical activity (P = 0.007) were effective factors in adopting preventive behaviors. Adopting preventive behaviors against COVID-19 was lower among students with lower levels of health literacy, male students, students with less physical activity, students with illiterate mothers, undergraduate students, and finally smokers. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to these students in designing educational programs. It is suggested to carry out more extensive studies to clarify the effect of HL on the adoption of COVID-19 preventive behaviors.

Peer assumption: an illusory consensus hidden in the criminal responsibility of juvenile offender-evidence from psychology.

There is a consensus hidden in the criminal legislation of many countries that the criminal responsibility capacity of juvenile offenders is not significantly different from that of their peers. The purpose of this paper was to test this hypothesis. The research objects of this paper were 187 juvenile offenders in J Province, China, who are under detention measures, and 2,449 students from junior high school, senior high school and university in S Province as comparison objects. We subjected the gathered materials to independent-samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). (1) The self-control ability (109.30, 123.59) and empathy ability (63.86, 72.45) of juvenile offenders were significantly different from those of ordinary minors, but the difference of dialectical thinking ability was not statistically significant; (2) Except for the influence of mother's education level and family income on dialectical thinking ability, the other variables had no statistical significance on the three kinds of ability. Therefore, it was suggested that the correction plan and means for juvenile offenders should focus on the improvement of self-control ability and empathy ability.

Fear of Missing Out and Problematic Usage of Smartphones Concerning Adolescents

The development of technology and increase of common usage of mobile phone in recent years has caused the desire of the individual to share their lives with other individuals and the desire to be aware of their lives, that is, the fear of missing out regarding developments. By considering that the fear of missing out (fomo) and problematic cell phone use will affect adolescents, current study aimed to analyze the fomo and problematic mobile phone use of adolescents with regard to various variables. In present research, descriptive research design was conducted. The data of current study were collected with the fomo scale and the problematic smartphone usage scale. It was carried out with 673 adolescents who have been studying at high school. The results revealed that the fomo differs significantly in adolescents in terms of gender and class level and it was concluded that problematic smartphone usage differs significantly with regard to father education level, gender and class level. Moreover, it has been concluded that problematic mobile phone use did not differ with regard to mother and father education level, age, high school type and family income level. Additionally, the results of current research revealed that the fomo and problematic smartphone usage are positively and significantly related with each other regarding adolescents.

The influence of sociodemographic factors on parental health-seeking behavior for illnesses among the pediatric age group in Karachi: A cross-sectional study.

Health-seeking behavior (HSB) is an individual's reaction to sickness, for which they seek medical attention, regardless of the form such care may take. Poor HSB is frequently associated with lower health outcomes and greater mortality and disease rates in a nation. Sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, family structure, occupation, ethnicity, and rates of literacy and poverty, can influence a person's HSB. This study would benefit Pakistani parents of the paediatric population to make more informed health choices for their children. This study aims to determine the influence of sociodemographic factors on parental HSB for illnesses among the pediatric age group in Karachi. A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 214 parents were interviewed about their choices for health-seeking healthcare for their pediatric children of the pediatric age group (birth-18 years), who were attending the pediatric OPD and wards at Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi in May 2023. Only parents or guardians with sick children were included. Their sociodemographic characteristics and health-seeking choices were asked. Informed consent was obtained, and all data were recorded. SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. For the first choice, the majority of parents (82.7%) preferred to seek healthcare for their children from medical doctors, followed by spiritual healers (10.7%), traditional healers (5.6%), and homoeopathic doctors (0.9%). For the second choice, the highest percentage was for a doctor (76.2%), followed by a spiritual healer (18.7%), a homoeopathic doctor (3.3%), and a traditional healer (1.9%). A significant correlation was found between the first visit and the decision makers (p = 0.019), the father's education level of the father (p = 0.001), the mother's occupation of the mother (p = 0.019), and the mother's education level of the mother (p = 0.001). Sociodemographic characteristics greatly influence parents' HSBs of parents for their children. Despite having low-paying jobs and being uneducated, most people choose to refer to a doctor for their child due to awareness.

Association of Screen Time Exposure With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Four to Six-Year-Old Children in Arar City, Saudi Arabia.

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a psychopathologic disorder caused by several factors. The early signs include poor interaction and communication, delayed milestones, and repeated behavior patterns. This study aimed to assess the relationship between screen time and ASD severity and investigate the types of electronic devices associated with ASD in children aged four to six years in Arar City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Arar City, KSA. The study enrolled all parents with children aged four to six years attending the PHCs in Arar City, KSA. Results The total sample size was 199 participants. Regarding the relationship between screen time exposure and ASD, there were variable screen time exposure durations, with 22.6% of children exposed for less than an hour, 30.7% for one to two hours, and 46.7% for more than two hours. Moreover, the type of electronic devices to which children were exposed varied, with smartphones being the most prevalent (68.3%). In terms of the age of children since exposure to electronic devices, the data indicated that 30.2% were exposed before the age of two, 35.2% between two and three years, and 34.7% after three years of age. Regarding the relationship with sociodemographic characteristics, there was a statistically significant relationship with the mother's age at birth (p = 0.050), mother's education level (p = 0.009), father's education level (p = 0.049), whether the child was suffering from any chronic or neurological disease (p = 0.008), age since the child was exposed to electronic devices (p = 0.049), and screen time exposure duration (p = 0.040). Conclusions The study highlights the significant association between screen time exposure andthe development of ASDin children. Public awareness of this associated risk among caregivers is recommended to follow the protective guidelines. Further research and interventions are needed to better understand and address the impact of screen media use on children's neurodevelopment and overall well-being.

Analysis of Stunting Incidence Based on Knowledge, Maternal Characteristics, and Nutritional Status

One of the issues impeding human development worldwide is stunting. This study's goal is to examine the prevalence of stunting according to characteristics, knowledge, and nutritional status in Kebayoran District, South Jakarta. This kind of study uses a cross-sectional research design and is quantitative in nature. This research was conducted in Kebayoran Baru District, South Jakarta, during November-December 2021. All mothers with toddlers made up the study's subjects, with a sample of 50 subjects participating in the Family Hope Program (PKH) with purposive sampling techniques. Data collection method using questionnaires. Logistic regression and the Chi-square test are the statistical tests that are employed. The results showed maternal knowledge with a p-value of 0,044, age (p-value = 0,031), educational attainment (p-value = 0,012), marital status (p-value = 0,837), economic status (p-value = 0,000), and nutritional status (p-value = 0,000). In conclusion, a relationship exists between knowledge, characteristics (age, mother's education level, mother's working status, economic status), and nutritional status in relation to stunting. Additionally, there is no connection between the prevalence of stunting and marital status. Education, economic status, and nutritional status are the primary determinants of stunting incidence in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

Investigation of Early Childhood and Primary School Education Teacher Candidates' Attitudes to Gender Roles in Terms of Gender, Grade, Mother’s and Father’s Education Levels

Gender inequality indeed persists as a pervasive issue worldwide, infiltrating numerous facets of society and impeding progress toward a more equitable and just world. Schools play a crucial role as essential institutions where children embark on their initial journey into social life, contributing to the formation of values, norms, and social relationships. During these early years, children observe, imitate, and internalize the words, behaviors, and attitudes of teachers, shaping their understanding of the world around them. Therefore, children's perceptions of gender and attitudes toward gender can be significantly influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of their teachers. This research aims to examine whether there are differences in the gender-role attitudes among pre-service early childhood and primary school teachers based on gender, grade level, mother's and father's education level. The study was designed as a cross-sectional survey model, and data were collected from 1st and 4th-grade students enrolled in Early Childhood and Primary School Education Programs at a university in Turkey. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Gender Role Attitude Scale (GRAS). The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests in SPSS 22.0, and effect sizes were calculated. Analysis indicated that there were statistically significant differences in gender role attitudes between genders, grade level, and mother’s education level. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the scores based on the father's education level. Female teacher candidates were found to have more egalitarian gender role attitudes compared to male teacher candidates, and 4th-grade students exhibited more egalitarian attitudes than 1st-grade students. Additionally, it was observed that teacher candidates whose mothers were illiterate tended to have more traditional gender role attitudes compared to those whose mothers had primary school, middle school, high school, or college degrees.

Parental practices that influence children's development: how often are they implemented and by whom-results from the NASCITA birth cohort study.

This study aims to assess how commonly 15 parental practices, known to have positive effects on child and adult health, are carried out by families in Italy, if they are related, and which characteristics are associated with implementation. Children participating in the NASCITA Cohort, a prospective study in which family pediatricians in Italy collect data on children and their families, were included if they had sufficient data. Data on practice implementation, socio-demographic characteristics, and interrelatedness between practices were analyzed. In all, 3337 children were included. Their mothers had an average age at birth of 33years (range 17-52) and medium-high levels of education (86% of mothers) and employment (72%). No smoking or alcohol in pregnancy, supine infant sleeping position, and tummy time were the most commonly implemented practices (by over 85% of mothers, each), while the least common was exclusive breastfeeding at 6months (28%). Parental practices are related and several socio-demographic characteristics influence their implementation, with mother's educational level and geographic area of residence influencing most of the practices (each influencing 12 of 15 practices). Low educational level (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.26-0.44), being born abroad (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.34-0.56), and residing in the South (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.41-0.58) most reduce the probability of implementing numerous supportive practices (all three P < 0.001). Conclusion:Socio-demographic factors contribute significantly to carrying out supportive practices. Future interventions should address the identified inequalities, prioritizing families most in need. Direct involvement of pediatricians is warranted given their favorable position for promoting positive behaviors. What is Known: • Several parental actions in the early life of a child are known to have positive effects on later child health and development. • While folic acid supplementation and exclusive breastfeeding have been promoted for years, other supporting actions are less well-known. What is New: • Rates of parental adherence to the different supportive actions varied greatly and actionswere often scantly adopted. • Socio-demographic characteristics influenced adherence, with young, unemployed mothers with low educational levels, living in the South, or who were born abroad adhering significantly less.

Effect of Family Income Level on Pediatric Upper Extremity Fracture Rate

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the sociodemographic characteristics of children with upper extremity fractures with those of children without upper extremity fractures. Materials and Methods: A total of 161 participants (age:11.24±2.95, female:53, male:108), 100 of whom were admitted to the orthopedics and traumatology clinic in 2022 with upper extremity fractures and 61 without upper extremity fractures, were included in the study. Participants; age, height, weight, mother's education level, mother's age, father's education level, father's age and monthly income of the family were recorded. Fracture and recurrent fracture rates of the participants who were members of a family whose monthly income was below the minimum wage and those who were included in a family with a monthly income above the minimum wage were compared. Results: The age, height and weight of the participants without upper extremity fractures were greater than those with upper extremity fractures (p&amp;lt;0.01). The body mass index of those with upper extremity fractures was lower than those without upper extremity fractures (p=0.001). While the number of upper extremity fractures in the participants who were members of families with a monthly income below the minimum wage was 79 (63.70%), the number of fractures in the participants who were members of families with an income above the minimum wage was 21 (56.80%) (p=0.44). In addition, when those with upper extremity fractures were evaluated independently from those without upper extremity fractures; While the number of recurrent upper extremity fractures was 7 (33.3%) in the participants who grew up in families with an income above the minimum wage, the number of recurrent upper extremity fractures was 11 (13.9%) in the participants who grew up in families with an income above the minimum wage (p= 0.04). Conclusion: Low body mass index may increase the rate of upper extremity fractures in children. For this reason, families should be informed about the possibility of physical development of children at risk for upper extremity fractures. In addition, the rate of recurrent upper extremity fractures is higher in children of families with a relatively high monthly income. Families with relatively high incomes should be made aware of the safety measures to be taken against accidents in their living spaces.

Correlation of the Apgar Score with Dental Caries in 3- to 5-year-old Iranian Children.

Dental caries is a serious health condition in children. Poor diet, poor oral hygiene, and unique anatomy of the primary teeth can all contribute to the development of caries in primary teeth. Developmental structural defects in teeth during the fetal period and the first year after birth are believed to increase caries susceptibility. This study aimed to assess the correlation of the Apgar score with dental caries in 3- to 5-year-old Iranian children. This retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Pediatric Dental Clinic of Tehran Dental School in 2022. A total of 123 eligible children between 3-5 years were enrolled. The parents were requested to fill out a checklist regarding the information of demographics, birth and infancy condition and Apgar score of children. The children underwent clinical dental examination, and their dmft was recorded. Data were analyzed by the Pearson and regression tests. P values < 0.1 were considered statistically significant. The Pearson test showed that the 1-minute (P = 0.000) and 5-minute (P = 0.000) Apgar scores had a significant correlation with dmft. The regression analysis of demographic and birth factors revealed significant correlations between duration of breastfeeding (P = 0.066) and age of initiation of toothbrushing (P = 0.019) with dmft. Also, birth weight (P = 0.026) and mother's educational level (P = 0.090) had significant correlations with the Apgar score. The results indicated a significant correlation between the Apgar score and dental caries. Thus, newborns with lower Apgar scores are recommended to receive more regular oral and dental care services.

PENGARUH STUNTING BAGI PERKEMBANGAN KOGNITIF ANAK

Stunting is a common nutritional problem experienced by minors in most developing countries. Stunting has a long-term impact on child development, including cognitive development. This research focuses on examining the impact of stunting on children's cognitive development. The child's nutritional condition and cognitive development are measured and analyzed. Other factors such as the mother's educational level, social status, family economy and access to health services were identified as aspects that could influence children's cognitive development. Therefore, families must prioritize efforts to increase stunting prevention and give stronger special attention to children with nutritional problems. Efforts to improve nutrition and access to health services need to be increased to support optimal development of children's cognitive abilities. This study makes an important contribution to understanding the impact of stunting on children's cognitive development and forms the basis for developing more effective interventions to overcome stunting and improve human resource development.

Dental caries status and related factors among 5-year-old children in Shanghai.

Dental caries in young children is a difficult global oral health problem. In the last decade, China has put a great deal of effort into reducing the prevalence of dental caries. This study, which is part of the China Population Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance 2021, aimed to investigate the prevalence of dental caries among children aged 5 in Shanghai, China, and its associated factors. A total of 1281 children aged 5 years from 6 districts in Shanghai were selected by a stratified sampling method. The survey consisted of an oral health questionnaire and an oral health examination. The questionnaire included questions on oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The oral health examination used WHO standards. After screening, the data were input and analysed. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to study the relevant factors affecting dental caries. The prevalence of dental caries among 1281 children was 51.0%, the dmft index score was 2.46, the Significant Caries Index (SiC) score was 6.39, and the SiC10 score was 10.35. Dental caries experience was related to the frequency of sweet drink consumption, the age of starting tooth brushing, eating habits after brushing, whether the children had received an oral examination provided by the government (p < 0.05), and the mother's education level but was not related to sex, the use of fluoride toothpaste, the frequency of brushing, whether the parents assisted brushing, or the frequency of flossing (p > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the region of residence, eating after brushing and the age of starting brushing were associated with dental caries. Dental caries remained prevalent among 5-year-old children in Shanghai, China. Prevention strategies that target the associated factors including region of residence, eating after brushing, and the age of starting brushing should be considered.

A prospective longitudinal approach to examine the association between social position in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood with the control of hypertension during adulthood.

Hypertension is one of the main concerns in public health, since it is related with increased morbidity, and potential years of life lost in addition to loss of quality of life. This study aimed to assess: (1) the distribution of indicators of life course SEP in a cohort of Colombian patients with hypertension and (2) to assess the association of life course SEP and control of hypertension among this cohort of patients. Data were obtained using the baseline survey of 258 patients from the Social Determinants and Inequities in the Control of Blood Hypertension Program (ProDSICHA). Mother occupation and housing conditions were measured with the Event History Calendar. Mother educational level was measured with the questionnaire developed by the Project on Ethnicity and Race in Latin America (PERLA). Socioeconomic position during adulthood was measured using education, occupation, and income level based in the MacArthur Network. The group with a higher lifelong social position and the group of lower lifelong social position showed better control of hypertension (OR = 1.21; p <0.05; OR = 1.33; p < .05, respectively) compared to those whose social position throughout life varied the most. No statistical differences were found in the relations between single lifetime social position variables, and hypertension control in the three time points analyzed. These findings warrant further research to deeper our understanding on the role of a multidimensional and cumulative approach of social position in hypertension control.

Assessing Maternal Management of Childhood Illnesses in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State: A Study of Home-Based Practices and Strategies

Background: Children under 5 years are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases like malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, HIV, and tuberculosis which are also the major causes of death among this age group. In this study, the three most common under 5 illnesses will be studied which are malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. Objectives: To ascertain the home management of childhood illness among mothers in Anaocha local government area of Anambra state. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among women and data collected using pretested interviewer administered questionnaire among 320 respondents. Results were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: A total of 320 women were interviewed. Their mean age was 28.40±6.07 years, more than half of the respondents were within the age range of 20-29 years. Respondents who had heard about these illnesses before the study were 99.4%, 62.5% and 80.9% for malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea respectively. Majority of the respondents had good knowledge of symptoms of childhood illness, 222(69.4%) with an average knowledge score of about 56.4±21.0%. The relationship between educational level of mothers and preventive measure was statistically significant but there was no association between age and preventive measures. The prevalence of home management of the different childhood illnesses was 0.90, 0.81 and 0.36 for malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia respectively. More than two-third of the respondents visited the hospital to seek for external assistance. The factors identified to cause delays in seeking medical care include cost of health care, 178(55.6%); and transportation, 159(49.7%). With respect to age, highest educational level attained, occupation of mothers and their relationship to visiting the hospital within 24hours of onset of illness, there was significant association with a p-value &lt;0.05. Conclusion: It was found that mothers were able to recognise symptoms of childhood illnesses. Misconceptions about .............

The effect of malnutrition on students' academic performance: Roy’s model application

Purpose This study aims to enhance understanding of malnutrition's effect on academic achievement of primary school students. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive, cross-sectional design built on Roy's adaptation model (RAM). This study uses a random cluster sample, consisting of 453 primary school students. Contextual stimuli (mother's educational level, income and child’s breakfast eating) and focal stimuli (wasting, thinness, body mass index and stunting) were examined regarding adaptive responses to student’s academic achievement. Findings The investigation revealed that Model 1, which took into account factors of age, gender, the frequency of breakfast, income, the number of family members and the education of mothers, explained 12% (R2 = 0.12) of the variance in academic achievement. Stuntedness (β = −3.2 and p &lt; 0.01), BMI (β = 0.94 and p &lt; 0.001), family income per month (β = 5.60 and p &lt; 0.001) and mother's education (β = 2.79 and p &lt; 0.001) were the significant predictors in Model 2. Practical implications This study provides evidence that malnutrition is associated with ineffective academic achievement. Moreover, variables such as the mother's level of education, family income and the child’s breakfast consumption have a significant impact on academic achievements. Originality/value RAM is a useful framework for determining factors affecting people's reactions to difficult circumstances.

Parenting by mothers from marginalized communities and the role of socioeconomic disadvantage: insights from marginalized Roma communities in Slovakia.

Roma living in marginalized communities often face poor living conditions and material deprivation, which may negatively impact parenting. Our aim is to compare the parenting behavior (support, harsh discipline, and stimulation) of mothers from marginalized Roma communities and the majority population in Slovakia. We also examine the role of socioeconomic disadvantage and related worries in the differences in parenting behavior between these groups. We obtained cross-sectional data from mothers of children aged 14-18 months using the first wave of the longitudinal RomaREACH study dataset. Two groups were included in the sample: 93 mothers from MRCs and 102 mothers from the majority. We performed multiple regression and mediation analyses to assess whether the educational level of mothers, the degree of poverty, and poverty-related feelings of stress and worries explain parenting behavior differences between the groups of mothers. We found significant differences in parenting, especially in harsh disciplining and stimulation. These two domains were significantly associated with maternal education, degree of poverty, and poverty-related stress and worries. The degree of poverty partially mediated stimulation differences between the two groups of mothers. Parenting in MRCs seems harsher and less stimulative than parenting in the Slovak majority. These differences are associated with the socioeconomic disadvantage of mothers. The degree of poverty partially explains why parenting in MRCs is less stimulative. These results may inform intervention efforts aimed at disadvantaged families.