Summer School Holidays Research Articles

Brote de gastroenteritis por Norovirus causado por el consumo de agua de suministro público

The aim of this study was to conduct an investigation into an outbreak of waterborne disease caused by Norovirus due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The first week after the school summer holidays we detected an outbreak of gastroenteritis at a school in Borges Blanques (Lleida, Spain). A retrospective cohort study was carried out to investigate: water consumption and food (six items). We assessed RNA Norovirus by RT-PCR in 6 stool samples. The risk of gastroenteritis was assessed by applying adjusted risk ratio (RRa) analysis at 95% confidence intervals (CI). The overall attack rate was 45% (96/213). The main symptoms were: abdominal pain, 88.4% (84/95); nausea, 65.9% (62/94), and vomiting, 64.6% (62/96). The consumption of school drinking water was statistically associated with the disease (RRa: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.3-6.2). The school water tank was dirty, but this drinking water was qualified as potable. Six stool samples gave positive results for Norovirus. Norovirus caused this waterborne outbreak of gastroenteritis transmitted through treated drinking water. It should be obligatory to regularly clean school drinking water deposit tanks, especially after the summer holidays.

An evaluation of the SafeWaters water safety campaign in New South Wales

Issue addressed: An evaluation was conducted of the SafeWaters public awareness campaign in New South Wales (NSW) and the public’s self-reported water safety-related behaviour, use of aquatic facilities, current community attitudes and awareness of water safety prevention efforts and knowledge of risk factors for drowning were described. Methods: A random sample of NSW residents was surveyed by telephone at baseline and at two periods after the televised airing of the SafeWaters campaign. Results: Prompted recall of the SafeWaters campaign at both post-campaign surveys increased significantly from baseline. Prompted recall of key water safety messages from the campaign showed a significant increase in seven of the eight messages at post-campaign survey 1, declining to two of the eight messages at post-campaign survey 2. Perceptions of risk were generally high in relation to risk factors for drowning for all three surveys. Respondents generally reported that they always or mostly practised water safety-related behaviour. Only one-third of respondents thought that all drowning in NSW could be prevented. Conclusions: The SafeWaters campaign was an effective mechanism for improving awareness of key water safety messages, especially during peak aquatic usage times during the summer school holidays. So what? Evaluation of public health campaigns is important in determining whether they are effective. It appears that television was a successful advertising medium for improving awareness of key water safety messages, especially during peak aquatic usage times during summer and school holidays. Keywords: Drowning prevention, media campaign, evaluation.

Sun safety education intervention for school and home

Few developers of school‐based health education programs actively involve the primary and secondary target audience in their program’s development. Kidskin was a sun protection intervention study involving a cohort of 1,776 children recruited from 33 primary schools in Perth, Western Australia. A formative evaluation to develop the Kidskin sun safety classroom and home education program for grades 1 to 4 children and their families was conducted. Process data collected from teachers revealed high levels of satisfaction with the program with the majority agreeing that the activities were developmentally appropriate, effective and enjoyable for students. Mailouts to students’ homes, reinforcing sun safety messages, were used to successfully reach most students and their families during the summer school holidays.

The Hireling

I started my working life at the age of ten years when I used to spend my school summer holidays on a farm in the vicinity ofNewbridge-on-Wye.I used to go home on Saturday night for a change of shirt and socks and return back to the farm on Sunday evening. After the long summer holidays when I got back to school and settled in our new classes I had a painful accident whilst playing where I shouldn't have been. In a field close to home a farmer had a stack of hay and put rushes on the top to prevent rain getting in before it was thatched, leaving the ladder at the bottom of the stack.