bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inequalities in education in the COVID-19 pandemic: health and education professionals’ perspectives
Authors: Gray N J , Backhaus I L , Manandhar S , Beck M , Chabot C , Jourdan J , Eikemo T A 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Cycles of school closure and reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with remote learning, led to concerns about increasing inequality in education that persist in 2024. The aim of this abstract, within a wider study of safe school reopening, is to explore health and education professionals’ perceptions of inequalities among students during the pandemic.

Methods
In 2021, online semi-structured interviews were conducted in 6 languages with education and health professionals. They explored the: 1-effect of the pandemic on schools/pupils/teachers; 2-reorganisation of schools; 3-experience of implementing infection control measures in schools; 4-intersectoral working; 5-important resources for keeping schools open. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and translated into English where needed. A deductive qualitative analysis was undertaken using the conceptual framework developed by the United Nations H6+ Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health and Well-Being. Domain 3 (safety and supportive environment) includes consideration of equality.

Results
62 interviews were included in the analysis (22 health and 40 education professionals from 28 countries). Professionals perceived greater negative impact on education for specific groups of students. Those with chronic illness stayed out of school for longer than others. Good access to distance learning was difficult for students from rural areas (lack of internet/electricity), disadvantaged families (lack of electronic equipment) or larger families (less learning space at home).

Conclusions
Professionals perceived that school closures intensified the disadvantage experienced by certain groups of students, exacerbating inequalities in education. Targeted catch-up strategies are still needed.

Key messages
• School closure during the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated inequalities in education.
• In future health crisis impacting schooling, targeted catch-up strategies would be needed for certain groups of students.
Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy: investigation on associated factors and HAPA theory
Authors: Fallucca A , Immordino P , Ferro P , Mazzeo L , Petta S , Maiorana A , Maranto M , Casuccio A , Restivo V 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Infections caused by influenza and COVID-19 during pregnancy represent a current public health problem as there are multiple populations at risk of complications: pregnant women, fetus, and future unborn children. The anatomical and physiological remodulation characteristic of pregnancy is responsible for the high pathological burden related to respiratory infections. Co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines may be beneficial because these two respiratory viruses cocirculate during cold weather. The need to explore pregnant women’s attitudes toward co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines and to evaluate factors associated with vaccine decision-making led to the conduct of this study.

Methods
In Palermo, Italy, during the 2021-2022 influenza season, a cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate pregnant women’s intention to adhere to co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. The determinants of vaccination attitudes were investigated through the administration of a questionnaire. The Health Action Process Approach theory (HAPA) was adopted to explore the cognitive behavioral aspects.

Results
Overall, 120 pregnant women were enrolled; average age 32 years, 98.2% (n = 118) of Italian nationality and 25.2% (n = 30) with obstetric or pathological conditions of pregnancy at risk. Factors significantly associated with attitudes toward co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women were: high level of education (OR = 13.96; p &lt; 0.001), expectations of a positive outcome (OR = 2.84; p &lt; 0.001) and self-efficacy (OR = 3.1; p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
Vaccines co-administration could represent an advantageous preventive practice to facilitate vaccination logistics and allow full adherence to vaccinations recommended to pregnant women. Effective strategies to promote co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines could be focused on counselling about the expectation of positive outcomes of vaccine co-administration.

Key messages
• The need to explore pregnant women’s attitudes toward co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines and to evaluate determinants of vaccine decision-making led to the conduct of this study.
• Vaccines co-administration could represent an advantageous preventive practice to facilitate vaccination logistics and allow full adherence to vaccinations recommended to pregnant women.
Risk factors for the gambling, smoking and alcohol consumption triad in Portuguese adolescents
Authors: Ramos P , Alves J 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Addiction to gambling, tobacco, and alcohol poses significant risks to mental, social, and physical health, particularly during adolescence, a critical period for habit formation. This study investigates risk factors linked to these habits among Portuguese adolescents.

Methods
This cross-sectional study used the 2019 ESPAD questionnaire, targeting 16-year-old adolescents. The sample comprised 4,365 responses. Descriptive analysis determined the prevalence of gambling, smoking, and alcohol use, as well as social, economic, and behavioral factors. Bivariate associations were assessed using the Exact Fisher test, and multiple logistic regression identified key predictors for the outcome of interest (cumulative presence of gambling, smoking and alcohol consumption). Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS version 29.0, with a significance level of p &lt; 0.05.

Results
Among adolescents, 6.2% presented probable problematic gambling according to the Lie/Bet test, with 3.7% spending at least 30 minutes a day gambling. In the past 30 days, 14.3% smoked, 42.7% drank alcohol, and 10.5% engaged in binge drinking. The behavioral triad was observed in 56 individuals. Male gender (OR = 2.024; 95% CI: 1.097-3.734; p = 0.024), problematic online gaming behavior (OR = 2.041; 95% CI: 1.005-4.144; p = 0.048) and going out at night at least once a week (OR = 1.439; 95% CI: 1.242-1.669; p &lt; 0.001) significantly increased the risk of the behavioral triad. In contrast, parental control (parents knowing where the adolescent is on Saturday night) had a significant protective effect (OR = 0.162; 95% CI: 0.086-0.303; p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
The study underscores the importance of parental supervision to curb risky behaviors in adolescents. It suggests implementing public health programs in schools, leveraging gaming for early screening, and tightening online gambling regulations to mitigate future health risks associated with gambling, smoking, and alcohol use.

Key messages
• Absence of parental supervision, male gender, problematic online gaming and frequently going out at night are risk factors for this behavioral triad.
• Public health strategies are needed to prevent gambling addiction, emphasizing parental awareness, identification of at-risk students, and comprehensive school-based approaches.
An evaluation over time: Dipsalut’s “Program for families”
Authors: Soler E , Estrada M 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Issue
Dipsalut’s “Program for Families” is a parental skills and positive parenting program aimed at all fathers, mothers, and other adult caregivers of children aged 3 to 12 in the province of Girona, Spain. The Program is based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which recommends that states promote programs that develop parenting styles that respect children’s rights to be heard and recognized. Research supports that offering parenting skills to parents contributes to the child’s well-being throughout the growth stage.

Description
The program began in 2018 in a pilot phase that lasted until 2019, when the first evaluation was done to compare different methodologies. After selecting a definitive one (based on the method of Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish), in 2023, an external evaluation was done, with a follow-up of participants from previous editions. In this evaluation process, we considered the durability of the contents over time, evolutions of assistance, and comparison of the modalities of 4 and 6 sessions. A quantitative methodology has been used through a self-administered questionnaire addressed to the participants (387 responses).

Results
Impact of the program: 78% of parents value the program as having a positive impact on their parenting skills. Durability: there are differences in how the passage of time affects content retention. Impact of attendance: the parenting skills of those who have attended all program sessions last longer. The attendance percentage at all sessions was higher (61.4%) in the four-session modality.

Lessons
Although families do not remember all the tools learned, their confidence, the improvement in the family atmosphere, and the fact that they feel more skilled are maintained over time. Main messages: Families have improved their parenting skills since the program gives them more tools to manage family conflicts, to promote their children’s self-esteem and to encourage their autonomy.

Key messages
• With the positive parenting program, parents increase their self-confidence to manage the challenges of parenting, especially in intra-family communication and conflict management.
• It is essential to promote positive parenting programs with an experiential methodology and maintained over time.
“Friendships fizzled out”: Trajectories and risk factors of youth loneliness following COVID-19
Authors: Rahmon I , Mol M A , van Leersum-Bekebrede L , Dückers M , Marra E 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Social distancing and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic left a mark on the social, emotional and cognitive development of youth. We aimed to identify the course of Dutch youth loneliness and its predictors since the Omicron lockdown in December 2021.

Methods
Data were obtained from a repeated cross-sectional panel study between March 2022 and September 2023, in which loneliness was assessed using the 6-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Youth (12-25 years) participating in at least three timepoints were included. A latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was performed to identify trajectories of loneliness. Themes identified in qualitative data (open-ended questions halfway 2022) were recoded into binary quantitative variables to be included in regression analyses. Two-step multivariable multinomial logistic regression was used to determine risk factors per trajectory class. Goodness of fit was assessed using the likelihood-ratio test.

Results
Identified trajectories were: 1) very lonely (n = 140), 2) moderate lonely (n = 373), 3) recovering (n = 511), and 4) not lonely (n = 384; reference). Compared to the other trajectories, youngsters following a moderate or very lonely trajectory had more often little to no trust in the future and more often experienced non-specific symptoms and stress due to various causes. Including perceptions showed that youth in these trajectories experienced a greater impact of the pandemic on their social relationships. The inclusion of perception also improved the model’s goodness of fit (p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
Up to 18 months after the COVID-19 pandemic, youngsters that reported loneliness continue to endure its consequences on their social lives. Despite the apparent association between the Omicron lockdown and continuing loneliness, claims about causality should be made with caution. However, findings implicate the importance of political and social recognition of the pandemic’s ongoing impact on vulnerable youth.

Key messages
• Lonely youth experienced a greater impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their social lives.
• Political and social recognition of the pandemic’s ongoing impact on vulnerable youth is wanted.
“If-then”-scenarios in the care of pregnant women with diabetes in socially vulnerable positions
Authors: Schlütter M , Henriksen T B , Maindal H T , Burau V 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Pregnant women with diabetes in socially vulnerable positions face a multiplicity of medical, social, and psychological risks during pregnancy and birth and are susceptible to health inequities. This presentation explores the tentative nature of care provided to these women.

Methods
We base our findings on ethnographic fieldwork among health professionals at an obstetric outpatient clinic in Denmark.

Results
The unpredictability of diabetes during pregnancy calls for a flexible approach to treatment, placing significant demands on health professionals, pregnant women, and their partners and their ability to adjust to new scenarios. Our initial findings underscore that care is not static; it is dynamically adjusted to meet the medical, social, and psychological needs of the women. The adjustments in care encompass the negotiation and monitoring of insulin dosages, fetal weight, appointment frequencies, and additional consultations and impromptu phone consultations to follow up. An example of the tentativeness in care could be that if there is a sudden decrease in insulin requirements close to the due date then the birth might be induced. Beyond medical monitoring and treatment, the care extends to social initiatives that the health professionals must coordinate with various municipalities, depending on where the pregnant women live. This could include a joint meeting after the delivery between the woman, her partner, a health professional from the obstetric ward, and a social worker from the municipality. Often, this meeting is mentioned during consultations and intersectional meetings before the birth but is not formally arranged. Instead, it is tentative - if the pregnant woman would like a meeting upon discharge, then the health professional will set up a meeting.

Conclusions
Medical, social, and psychological care practices for women with diabetes in socially vulnerable positions are replete with “if-then” scenarios.

Key messages
• Care for pregnant women with diabetes in socially vulnerable positions is characterized by its fluidity and flexibility adjusting to the interplay of medical, social, and psychological needs.
• The “if-then” scenarios that characterize the care for pregnant women with diabetes in socially vulnerable positions put high demands on the ability to adapt and adjust continuously.
TOPSE for babies in Norwegian: Examining the reliability of a tool to measure parenting self-efficacy
Authors: Burkeland-Lie M , Skogen J S , Hysing M , Dovran A 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Parents’ confidence in their parenting abilities and self-efficacy (PSE) is an important factor for parenting practices. The Tool to measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE) is a questionnaire created to evaluate parenting programs by measuring PSE. Initially, it was designed for parents with children between 0-6 years old. A modified version specifically for parents of infants aged 0-6 months (TOPSE for babies) is currently being piloted. In this study, we have investigated the reliability of the Norwegian version.

Methods
The study included 123 parents of children aged 0-18 months who completed a digital version of the TOPSE questionnaire. Professional translators performed the translation from English to Norwegian and a back translation in collaboration with the author group. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for each of the questionnaire’s six domains, and a reliability analysis was conducted using a Bayesian framework for the total sample (parents of children aged 0-18 months) and specifically for the parents of the youngest group of children (0-6 months).

Results
The overall Bayesian alpha coefficient for the six domains ranged from 0.54 to 0.83 for the entire sample, and from 0.63 to 0.86 for parents with children aged 0-6 months. For two of the domains, one item in each proved to primarily contribute to the low alpha coefficients and removing them improved the reliability, especially for parents of the youngest group of children.

Conclusions
Reliable tools to assess PSE and evaluate parenting programs is important. The Norwegian version of TOPSE for babies seems to be a reliable tool for measuring PSE, although there are variations across the children’s age groups and domains.

Key messages
• The findings from this study indicate that TOPSE in Norwegian is a reliable tool for assessing PSE.
• While our findings are promising, further research is warranted to establish a more robust evaluation, across both mothers and fathers, parental age and socioeconomic groups.
Resilience and mental and physical health of higher and lower educated youth during COVID-19
Authors: Kollmann J , Hollaar MHL , Servant-Miklos G , Kocken P L , Denktas S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
COVID-19 had a considerable impact on the mental and physical health of youth. To limit the impact of this crisis on their health, resilience was required. This study aims to discover how resilient, in terms of mastery, emotional reactivity and social support, groups of youth with different SES were during COVID-19, and what risk and protective factors they experienced.

Methods
Two qualitative datasets were analyzed. One dataset included 10 interviews of university students during April-May 2020, and the other dataset included 8 interviews with pre-vocational secondary education adolescents during October 2021 to March 2022. Interviews were held in person or online. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis in Atlas.ti.

Results
In general, university students displayed resilience despite the tumultuous beginning of the pandemic, and their mental and physical health was positive. Protective factors that helped them during COVID-19 were spending time with friends and family, being healthy and having a healthy lifestyle, and being able to avoid stressful situations. Risk factors that impacted their resilience were loneliness, COVID-19 anxiety, and missing stability and routine. Adolescents receiving pre-vocational secondary education showed mixed resilience later in the COVID-19 period, and they made negative observations about their health. Protective factors that helped them were achieving good results in school, hobbies, and avoiding stressful situations. Risk factors they experienced were lack of motivation and having difficulties at school. They experienced worry about school progress during COVID-19.

Conclusions
University students and lower educated adolescents seemed to have differing resilience during the impactful stages of COVID-19, possibly due to differences in their psychological development. To protect their well-being, it is important that policy makers consider the protective and risk factors that impact the health of youth during crises.

Key messages
• Resilience differs among the two different age groups and education levels.
• Policy makers should consider the protective and risk factors that impact the health of youth during crises.
Stakeholder perspectives on supplemental milk for infants under six months with growth faltering
Authors: Puthussery S , Okeke C , Gavine A , McFadden A , Tseng P 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Growth faltering is a significant public health issue among infants aged &lt;6 months (m). Supplemental milk is commonly used for infants with growth faltering, with variations in type and duration. We synthesized qualitative evidence on stakeholder perspectives about equity, feasibility, and acceptability of the type and duration of supplemental milk for infants aged &lt;6m with growth faltering.

Methods
We conducted a comprehensive search of six electronic databases in addition to manual searches to identify all qualitative studies published during January 2000-June 2022. Identified articles were screened in two stages against an inclusion criteria with titles and abstract screened first followed by full-text screening. Included studies were quality appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. The primary outcome was equity, feasibility, and acceptability of various supplemental milk for infants &lt;6mwith growth faltering.

Results
Eighteen studies, reporting perspectives of mothers, fathers, grandmothers and healthcare providers were included. Studies were conducted in North America (9), Africa (5) and Asia (3) and South Australia (1). Donor human milk (DHM) (13) and infant formula(9) were the main supplementary milk reported followed by cow/goat milk (2). Key sub-themes derived were: education/awareness, socio-economic status (SES), race and religion, practicality, availability of resources, sustainability, cost, affective attitude, perceived effectiveness and ethicality. Maternal/caregiver SES was a key sub-theme across all three supplemental milk feeds, acting either as a barrier or facilitator for uptake.

Conclusions
DHM and infant formula were the most commonly reported supplemental feed for infants aged &lt;6m with growth faltering. Maternal/care giver factors were perceived as key to ensure equity, feasibility, and acceptability with respect to type and duration of supplemental milk for infants aged &lt;6m with growth faltering.

Key messages
• Stakeholders perceived donor human milk and infant formula as main supplemental milk for infants aged &lt;6 months with growth faltering.
• Maternal/care giver factors are key to ensure equity, feasibility, and acceptability of supplemental milk for infants aged &lt;6 months with growth faltering.
An evaluation of the first ten years of Newborn Screening for cystic fibrosis in Ireland
Authors: McGuire F , Linnane B , Collins A , Marsden P 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Ireland has the world’s highest incidence of cystic fibrosis (CF). Newborn screening for CF (NBSCF) improves outcomes but identifies carriers and may yield false positive/inconclusive results. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the first 10 years of the Irish NBSCF programme. Data collected by the programme between 01st July 2011 and 30th June 2021 were analysed, including cases of CF, CF carriers and Cystic Fibrosis Screen Positive Inconclusive Diagnosis (CFSPID). Microsoft Excel was used to calculate sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV). Results were compared to European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) standards. Overall 650,809 neonates were screened, with 290 cases of CF, 533 CF carriers and 21 CFSPIDs reported. NBSCF identified 284 (98%) of the children with CF, sensitivity was 97.93% (95% CI 96.29-99.57), specificity was 99.91% (95% CI 99.91-99.92%), PPV was 0.34 (95% CI 0.31-0.37). The observed incidence of CF was 1 in 2,203, still Europe’s highest. Of the six undetected cases, most were of Asian ethnicity, suggesting panel limitations for diverse ethnicities.The Irish NBSCF programme exceeded ECFS standards. Most false negatives were caused by CFTR mutations undetected by the genetic panel. Increasing the size of the genetic panel increases detection of CFSPID and carriers and is not currently recommended. Ongoing validity monitoring is vital as the Irish population diversifies.

Key messages
• The Irish Newborn Screening Programme for Cystic Fibrosis is effective.
• Ongoing validity monitoring is vital as the Irish population diversifies.