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At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Asthma, eczema, and reports on pollen and cat allergy among pupils in Shanxi province, China.

OBJECTIVES: To study self-reported asthma, eczema, and pollen and furry pet allergy among pupils (9-20 years) in Shanxi province, China, in relation to dietary and environmental factors. METHODS: A standardised questionnaire was distributed to pupils in two primary and two secondary schools, one in Taiyuan city (3.0 milj. inhabitants), the others in Qingxu county, a rural area 30 km outside Taiyuan. Totally, 2,116 pupils (90%) participated. RESULTS: Fifty percent were girls, 61% had been growing up on the countryside, 18% lived in Taiyuan now, 1.7% had ever had asthma, 0.8% had doctor's diagnosed asthma, 1.4% pollen allergy, 1.7% cat allergy, and 0% had dog allergy. Multiple logistic regression was applied, controlling for age, gender, diet, indoor exposures, rural childhood, and current urban residency. Girls had less eczema (OR = 0.51; 95%CI 0.28-0.92). Pupils in the city had more eczema (OR = 5.05; 95% CI 1.11-23.3). Those with a rural childhood had less asthma (OR = 0.17; 95% CI 0.05-0.60), eczema (OR = 0.15; 95% CI 0.13-0.66) and pollen/cat allergy (OR = 0.50; 95%CI 0.25-0.99). None of the indoor variables was related to asthma or allergy. Children with frequent fruit consumption had less asthma (OR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.19-0.82) and pollen/cat allergy (OR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.29-0.84). Those with frequent fish consumption had less asthma (OR = 0.32; 95% CI 0.11-0.97). Those with frequent hamburgers consumption had more asthma (OR = 2.05; 95% CI 1.09-3.87) and eczema (OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.12-3.04). CONCLUSION: Asthma, eczema, and pollen or pet allergy was uncommon, compared with western countries and other areas in China. Pupils with a rural childhood had less asthma and allergy, which is consistent with the "hygiene hypothesis". Fruit and fish consumption may reduce, and fast food consumption may increase the risk for asthma. Finally, the higher prevalence of asthma and eczema among younger children, born in the 1990s, indicates a cohort effect similar to that observed in western countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Knowledge and attitudes of Israeli high school pupils towards alternative medicine.

One hundred ninety-seven high school students were examined concerning their knowledge and attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The students attended the 9-12th grades. The score level of the pupils' knowledge was quite satisfactory (67%). The knowledge didn't change during the 4 years of high school attendance and was not correlated with the pupils' grades or the socio-economic status (SES) data. The majority of the pupils showed positive attitudes towards the topics and treatment methods of CAM. The pre-existence of chronic diseases in the family and experience of family members with CAM had a positive influence upon pupils' attitudes. The principal sources of knowledge concerning CAM were the media (TV, radio and newspapers) and other acquaintances' experience with CAM. Sixty-nine percent of the pupils expressed their willingness to attend formal lessons and instruction about CAM in school. Our suggestion is to teach these topics formally in school with professional instructors (physicians and/or academic healers) during biology lessons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Accidents among high school pupils in Israel: a recurrent disease?

Accidents are unexpected events usually producing injury. Many victims of trauma have a history of recurrent accidents. This study is a preliminary effort to verify the hypothesis that accidents may be considered as a recurrent disease in certain families; these children and families belong to a 'high risk group'. Two-hundred seventy-nine high school pupils participated in the study. Every pupil had experienced 1.7(+/- 1.7) mild to serious injuries that necessitated medical treatment during the years of elementary and high school. The geographical location of accidents was as follows: 26.4% were on the road; 23.1% occurred at school; 28.6% were associated with sport activities; and 22% occurred at home. The prevalence of injuries among boys was higher than among girls. A correlation was found between the number of accidents of the pupils and those of close family members, suggesting that these children and families are prone to accidents and form a 'high risk group'. The knowledge of accident and injury prevention did not change significantly during high school studies. The principal source of knowledge of accident and injury prevention of the pupils were the media: TV (98.8%), newspapers: (65.6%), and radio (58.1%). The contribution of physicians and nurses to this knowledge was very slight (16.5%). These families should be a target population; an educational program should be organized and transmitted by the media; family meetings with educational advisors, physicians and nurses should take place at school, especially for these target families. As a preventive measure for all, and especially to the high risk group, we would suggest that high school pupils work for 1-3 months in rehabilitation centers in which they can see the consequences of accidents and thereby gain an understanding of the effects of injury on the patient and his family.

Accident Proneness↗
PubMed2006

Individual solar-UV doses of pupils and undergraduates in China.

The solar-UV exposures of school pupils and medical undergraduates were studied over four seasons in Shenyang (latitude 41 degrees 11'-43 degrees 2', longitude 122 degrees 25'-123 degrees 48'), Liaoning, PR China. Ultraviolet exposure was measured using personal ultraviolet radiation (UVR) sensor on sunny days along with simultaneous monitoring and recording of direct-ambient UVR dose (perpendicular UV dose) for comparison. We observed that the UV doses of pupils on weekdays were higher than those on weekends and that the UV doses of the pupils were significantly higher than those of the undergraduates during both weekdays and weekends. The percent of the mean individual daily UV dose to the environmental counterpart are 2.88% (Autumn), 7.76% (Winter), 3.77% (Spring) and 2.06% (Summer) for the pupils, and corresponding percent for the undergraduates are 0.88%, 0.32%, 0.67% and 0.81%. The means of minimum erythemal dose values with pupils for weekday (5 days), weekend (2 days) and week (7 days) through the whole year are 0.302 (0.275 ~ 0.328), 0.215 (0.170 ~ 0.261) and 0.278 (0.255 ~ 0.301), respectively. The corresponding means with undergraduates are 0.097 (0.081~ 0.113), 0.091 (0.070 ~ 0.112) and 0.095 (0.082 ~ 0.108), respectively. Although the season is a major factor influencing the personal direct-ambient percent, it is emphasized that the impact of the lifestyle cannot be ignored.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Measuring leukocyte velocity in macular capillaries using a miniaturized blue field simulator: effect of aperture of the pupil].

BACKGROUND: In this paper we present a miniaturized blue field simulator (BFS) which allows the measurement of the velocity (V) pulsatility (P) and number (D) of leukocytes in the macular retinal capillaries. A study on the effect of the aperture size of the blue light source at the subject's pupil on the measured flow parameters was performed. METHODS: A blue field entoptoscope with a small halogen lamp was used to induce the perception of the "flying corpuscles" and a flat color screen was selected to display a computer simulation of this entoptic phenomenon. The aperture of the blue light source at the pupil was varied by a diaphragm placed at a conjugate pupil plane while the size and retinal irradiance of the blue field stimulus at the fundus was held constant. RESULTS: The results show significant correlations between log pupil area and both V (-18% per log unit) and D (+42% per log unit). When the retinal illuminance is expressed in Log Trolands, V shows no dependency, but D is strongly correlated (+40% per log Troland). CONCLUSIONS: When applying the BFS technique, the size of the blue light stimulus at the pupil, if undilated, must be well controlled to minimize instrument-related variations of the blood flow measurements.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Pseudophakia and the pupil].

Postoperative disturbances of the pupil are discussed on the basis of experience with more than 2500 intraocular lenses implanted after extracapsular cataract extraction (planned extracapsular or phacoemulsification). Apart from the changes to the pupil caused by an iris-fixed intraocular lens itself, the pupil may also be affected by blood, fibrinous inflammation, or remnants of cortex material or the anterior capsule after posterior chamber lens implantation. These conditions are frequently followed by synechiae between the pseudophakia and the iris. Mechanical damage to the iris or the sphincter muscle may also occur. Changes in the shape of the pupil often affect its function, and synechiae do so regularly. Secondary cataract necessitating treatment occurred in about 10% of our patients over a 7-year period. Today, YAG laser surgery represents the best means of restoring clarity to the pupil, though there are still a number of unresolved problems with the method. Neither primary nor secondary capsulotomy after pseudophakia implantation can be recommended. The methods of extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber lens implantation are still at a stage of development which is not altogether satisfactory, since optic irregularities of the pseudophakia or the central posterior capsule may result in glare, disturbing the patient in spite of good visual acuity.

Cataract Extraction↗
PubMed2001

Goal orientations, self-determination and pupils' discipline in physical education.

In this study, we examined the patterns of goal orientations, perceived competence, reasons for behaving well and self-reported discipline in school physical education among 511 pupils from years 8 and 9 (mean age 14.2 years). Cluster analyses were conducted on two randomly split subsamples to identify homogeneous groups of pupils on these measures of achievement motivation and discipline. Three meaningful clusters emerged for the first subsample, which were then cross-validated for the second subsample. One group of pupils revealed low scores on task and ego orientations, perceived competence and feelings of self-determination about their behaviour in lessons. These perceptions were related to lower ratings of discipline in physical education than pupils who scored more highly on these variables. The highest discipline scores were reported by pupils with high task and ego orientations, perceived competence and feelings of autonomy. The results are useful for teachers and other physical activity leaders in enhancing motivation and disciplined behaviour in young people. Promoting more self-determined reasons for being disciplined, for example, could lead to more orderly classes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Sexual and reproductive health among primary and secondary school pupils in Mwanza, Tanzania: need for intervention.

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 892 randomly selected pupils, aged 12 and above, attending 18 primary schools (PS) and five secondary schools (SS) in four communities of Mwanza Region in Tanzania. The goals were to assess the level of knowledge adolescents have about sexual and reproductive health (SRH), to assess the magnitude of SRH problems and to help design appropriate interventions. Median age of respondents was 15 years (range 12-20 years) and 14 years (range 12-19 years) for PS boys and girls, respectively, and 19 years (range 16-24 years) and 17 years (range 14-19 years) for SS boys and girls. Eighty per cent of PS boys and 68% of PS girls were already sexually active; the corresponding figures were 89% for SS boys and 48% for SS girls. Vaginal sex was the most common first sexual act reported by SS pupils, but 40% of PS pupils reported orogenital sex and 9% of PS pupils reported anal sex as their first sexual act. Almost half of PS girls have had sex with adults, including teachers and relatives. 'Forced sex' was reported by nearly half of PS and SS girls. Fourteen per cent of PS girls had already been pregnant, and over half of these pregnancies ended in illegally induced abortions. Despite a rather high (30%) lifetime rate of condom use, 33% and 25% of PS boys and girls, respectively, reported past experience of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STD rates were lower among SS pupils who had a better knowledge of STDs/HIV and fertility issues and reported higher condom use. The survey demonstrated the great vulnerability of school-going adolescents of Mwanza Region to consequences of sexual intercourse. The response should urgently come in the from of comprehensive adolescent SRH programmes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Do changes in the psychosocial school environment influence pupils' health development? Results from a three-year follow-up study.

AIMS: This study analysed the effects of psychosocial factors at school on pupils' health and self-worth from a longitudinal perspective. METHODS: A three-year prospective study was started in 1994, including 533 pupils (261 girls, 272 boys) from 25 different classes in grades 3 and 6. With age-adjusted questionnaires the changes in self-perceived health were compared with changes in psychosocial school environmental factors. RESULTS: The girls in the older cohort reported a negative health development with decreased self-worth and increased somatic and psychological symptoms. Significant gender differences in ill health, but not in self-worth, developed, especially in the older cohort. A multiple regression analysis showed that a negative development of psychosocial factors at school, measured as control, demand, and classmate problems, was associated with poorer health and self-worth among the pupils. A trichotomization of the psychosocial variables at school indicated a possible causal relationship between psychosocial factors and ill health and self-worth. CONCLUSIONS: The negative development in pupils' health and self-worth could partly be explained by the more unfavourable psychosocial environment that prevails at school at the senior level. The public health implications of our study can be summarized as the need for schools to improve pupils' social situation at school in relation to their work situation as well as to pay special attention to the school situation of girls at senior level.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Deaf pupils' reasoning about scientific phenomena: school science as a framework for understanding or as fragments of factual knowledge.

Many studies have been conducted on hearing pupils' understanding of science. Findings from these studies have been used as grounds for planning instruction in school science. This article reports findings from an interview study of how deaf pupils in compulsory school reason about phenomena in a science context. The results reveal that there is variation in the extent to which pupils use scientific principles for reasoning about science phenomena. For some pupils, school science seems to have little to offer as a framework for reasoning. The results also generate questions about the need in school instruction of deaf and hard-of-hearing pupils to consider the specific teaching and learning situations in a deaf environment.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

Self-medication among secondary school pupils in Hong Kong: a descriptive study.

A self-completion questionnaire was used to survey self-medication among secondary school pupils in Hong Kong. Data were collected from 4793 pupils aged 10 to 23 years (55.9% female and 44.1% male). Nearly three quarters (72.1%) had taken self-medication without consulting a medical practitioner and 51.8% of the sample had done so without the knowledge of older family members. The prevalence of self-medication increased with age. More than half the pupils (50.4%) indicated that trivial illness did not warrant a consultation with a doctor. Information relating to the sources of self-administered drugs, types of drugs used and sources of information about these drugs was collected. Medicine cabinets at home and pharmacy shops were the two most common places from which the pupils obtained their drugs. Though the prevalence of taking tranquillizers and sleeping tablets was found to be low, the probability of young people, especially boys, obtaining dangerous drugs from these places should not be overlooked. The medical, nursing and teaching professions should take a more active role in health education, as the sources from which the pupils obtained their drug knowledge, in descending order of frequency, were: family members, previous illness experience, pharmacy shops, doctor or nurse, television or radio, newspapers or magazines, friends and teachers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Cigarette access and pupil smoking rates: a circular relationship?

Adolescents obtain cigarettes from both commercial and social sources. While the relationship between commercial access and adolescent smoking has been researched, no one has considered in detail whether rates of peer smoking affect cigarette availability. In two relatively deprived Scottish schools that differed in their pupil smoking rates, we assess pupil access to cigarettes. 896 13 and 15 year olds were surveyed, and 25 single-sex discussion groups held with a sub-sample of the 13 year olds. Smokers in both schools obtained cigarettes from shops, food vans and other pupils. However, pupils in the 'high' smoking school perceived greater access to both commercial and social sources, and had access to an active 'peer market'. These findings suggest that variations in cigarette access may contribute to school differences in pupil smoking rates, and that the relationship between access and adolescent smoking is circular, with greater availability increasing rates, and higher rates enhancing access.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A fresh perspective on a rank issue: pupils' accounts of staff enforcement of smoking restrictions.

Evidence on the effectiveness of school-based smoking restrictions on reducing pupil smoking rates is mixed. So far, the effect of such policies has only been considered using quantitative methods and 'level of enforcement' has primarily been measured according to data collected from staff. This qualitative study is based on data collected during 25 discussion groups held with 13-year-old pupils concerning whether and how staff in their school addressed pupil smoking. Groups were conducted in two schools. Both served relatively deprived communities but varied in their pupil smoking rates. Pupils made reference to members of the Senior Management Team, teaching and non-teaching staff. They mentioned a range of possible staff reactions and discussed what factors they felt influenced how staff responded. It appeared that a more proactive, firm line was being taken in the 'high' than in the 'low' smoking school.

Faculty↗
PubMed2004

The association of self-reported violence at home and health in primary school pupils in West London.

BACKGROUND: The effects of violence upon young people are relatively poorly understood. In 2001 the London Borough of Ealing conducted a large-scale survey of primary school pupils, which included questions on levels of violence at home. The aim of this study was to measure the association of violence at home with measures of health, health care use and health-related behaviours in primary school pupils aged 9 and 11 in West London. METHODS: A total of 3007 pupils from 28 primary schools were given a self-complete health questionnaire; 2083 completed a question on violence at home. RESULTS: Pupils reporting violence were more likely to have needed medical attention in the last year. Violence was also associated with greater need of dental care, drinking and spending money on alcohol, spending money on cigarettes, not eating or drinking before school, less willingness to speak to parents and siblings about drugs, and less communication with teachers about puberty and growing up. Violence was positively associated with increased communication with relatives about puberty. CONCLUSION: Pupils who report violence at home are more likely to have more injuries, riskier health behaviours and less social support than those reporting no violence at home.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2005

Female Bicyclus anynana butterflies choose males on the basis of their dorsal UV-reflective eyespot pupils.

Sexual and natural selection pressures are thought to shape the characteristic wing patterns of butterfly species. Here we test whether sexual selection by female choice plays a role in the maintenance of the male wing pattern in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. We perform one of the most extensive series of wing pattern manipulations in butterflies, dissecting every component of the 'bulls-eye' eyespot patterns in both ventral and dorsal wing surfaces of males to test the trait's appeal to females. We conclude that females select males on the basis of the size and brightness of the dorsal eyespot's ultraviolet reflecting pupils. Pupil absence is strongly selected against, as are artificially enlarged pupils. Small to intermediate (normal sized) pupils seem to function equally well. This work contradicts earlier experiments that suggest that the size of dorsal eyespots plays a role in female choice and explains why male dorsal eyespots are very variable in size and often have indistinct rings of coloration, as the only feature under selection by females seems to be the central white pupil. We propose that sexual selection by female choice, rather than predator avoidance, may have been an important selective factor in the early stages of eyespot evolution in ancestral Lepidopteran lineages.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Dental caries in South African black and white high school pupils in relation to sugar intake and snack habits.

DMFT scores, total sugar intakes and snacks habits were determined in 1918 South African Black pupils (923 rural, 995 urban) and 724 White pupils (English and Afrikaans speaking) aged 16-18 years inclusive. Mean DMFT scores of school groups of Black pupils (both sexes) ranged from 0.9 and 2.0 in rural areas, to 4.2-6.7 in urban areas (where data were far higher than such obtained 7 years ago), and were 9.2 and 10.2 for White pupils. Corresponding mean daily sugar intake were - rural Blacks, 69 g and 97 g, urban Blacks 118-141 g, respectively (all slightly higher than previously); and Whites 102 g and 123 g. Mean DMFT scores of girls were higher than those of boys; yet while mean sugar intakes of Blacks girls and boys were somewhat similar, White girls' intakes were much lower than those of White boys. In the ethnic-sex groups studied, mean DMFT scores for pupils in upper, compared with lower, third of sugar intake, were higher in nine of the 14 sub-groups. Mean DMFT scores in upper, compared with lower, third of exposure to snack practices were higher in 11 of the 14 groups. However, most of the differences were slight. In further research, more intensive enquiries should be pursued on roles of ethnic and familial factors, as well as on roles of inter-acting dietary components additional to sugar and sugar-containing foods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Contrasting patterns of caries profile and dental treatment in pupils of 16-18 years in South African ethnic groups.

Investigations on caries profile and state of teeth treatment were made on 3752 high school pupils of 16-18 years, namely, rural and urban Black, Indian, Colored (Eur-African-Malay) and White pupils. Rural Blacks had a low mean DMFT of about 2, and a caries-free prevalence of 52%. Of the few with affected teeth, 10% were extracted, none filled, and 90% decayed; i.e. restorative dental attention was virtually nil. Among English and Afrikaans pupils attending Government Schools, mean DMFT was about 10, and caries-free prevalence negligible. Of affected teeth, 13% were extracted, 59% filled and 28% decayed. The situations regarding the urban Black, Indian and Colored groups were intermediate. The Jewish pupils, well-circumstanced and attending private school, had a mean DMFT of 6.5, moreover 6% were caries-free. Of affected teeth, 1% had been extracted; 93% were filled, and only 6% remained decayed. Since it transpired that the diets of the three White subgroups, cariogenically, were much the same, the advantageous position of the Jewish pupils was judged to be due primarily to their excellent oral hygiene motivation, particularly their demonstrably regular visits to dentists.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Antibiotic sensitivity and serotypes of group A hemolytic streptococci isolated from clinical specimens and healthy pupils in Japan, 1986-1988].

As an epidemiological survey for streptococcal infection, antibiotic sensitivity test and T-serotyping were made on 2,735 strains of group A hemolytic streptococci isolated from clinical specimens and healthy pupils between 1986 through 1988 in Japan. Most dominant serotype in clinical isolates was T-4 (26.8%) and it was followed T-12 (25.5%), T-1 (11.2%) and T-3 (8.5%), on the other hand, dominant serotypes of the isolates from healthy pupils were T-12 (30.4%), T-1 (19.3%), T-4 (15.3%) and T-28 (13.4%). All of the isolates tested were sensitive to the beta-lactam antibiotics which was found as same as consequence of the previous surveys. However 36.4% to tetracycline, 2.1% to chloramphenicol and 1.4% to oleandomycin of the clinical isolates were resistant. Similarly, 16.2% to tetracycline, 2.3% to chloramphenicol 1.7% to oleandomycin, of the isolates from healthy pupils were resistant. Multi-resistant strains were found 1.4% in clinical isolates and 1.7% in the isolates from healthy pupils. Relation between distribution of multiresistant strain and T-serotypes was found. In T-12, multiresistant strains were encountered at a relatively high rate compared with other serotypes, representing 3.5% in clinical isolates and 5.6% in the isolates from healthy pupils. However this tendency was decreased than previous surveys, while incidence of tetracycline resistant strains in T-4 remained at high level, representing about 94% as same as in the past.

Adolescent↗