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PURPOSE: This study set out to determine the prevalence and the factors contributing to ocular disorders among children with physical and mental disabilities, who represent a vulnerable group in Osun State. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study among children with physical and mental disabilities aged 5-17 years using a multistage sampling technique. Demographics, presence of ocular symptoms and determinants of ocular disorders were noted. Distant visual acuities were measured; refraction and ocular examination were performed. Appropriate drug treatment, prescribed spectacle or low vision aids were dispensed as necessary, at subsidized rates. RESULTS: Of 189 children enrolled, 103(54.5%) were males and 86(45.5%) were females, with male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Mean age was 14.7 ± 0.45 years and 28/189 (14.8%) had ocular disorders in either eye. Some of the participants had multiple pathologies. The commonest identified visual disorder was refractive error (11.1%). There was a statistically significant ocular disorder determinant among most mothers of respondents (82.1%) who had ocular disorders and did not receive antenatal care in the hospital, p<0.05. Only 28.6% of children who had ocular disorders were fully immunized. CONCLUSION: The majority of mothers of children with ocular disorders did not receive antenatal care in the hospital. Health education on the importance of early antenatal care in the hospital is advocated to reduce the occurrence of ocular disorders. Early assessment and correction of ocular problems will prevent unnecessary visual impairment in these vulnerable children.

OBJECTIF: Cette étude visait à déterminer la prévalence et les facteurs contribuant aux troubles oculaires chez les enfants présentant des handicaps physiques et mentaux, qui représentent un groupe vulnérable dans l'État d'Osun. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Il s'agissait d'une étude transversale menée auprès d'enfants atteints de handicaps physiques et mentaux âgés de 5 à 17 ans, utilisant une technique d'échantillonnage à plusieurs niveaux. Les données démographiques, la présence de symptômes oculaires et les déterminants des troubles oculaires ont été notés. Les acuités visuelles à distance ont été mesurées ; la réfraction et l'examen oculaire ont été effectués. Un traitement médicamenteux approprié, des lunettes prescrites ou des aides à la basse vision ont été délivrés au besoin, à des tarifs subventionnés. RÉSULTATS: Sur 189 enfants inscrits, 103 (54,5 %) étaient des garçons et 86 (45,5 %) étaient des filles, avec un ratio garçons/filles de 1,2:1, âge moyen de 14,7 ± 0,45 ans ; tandis que 28/189 (14,8 %) présentaient des troubles oculaires dans l'un ou l'autre des yeux. Certains participants avaient plusieurs pathologies. Le trouble visuel le plus fréquemment identifié était l'erreur réfraction (11,1 %). Il y avait un déterminant de trouble oculaire statistiquement significatif chez la majorité des mères des répondants (82,1 %) qui avaient des troubles oculaires et n'avaient pas reçu de soins prénatals à l'hôpital p<0,05. Seulement 28,6 % des enfants présentant des troubles oculaires étaient entièrement immunisés. CONCLUSION: La plupart des mères d'enfants atteints de troubles oculaires n'ont pas reçu de soins prénatals à l'hôpital. Une éducation sanitaire sur l'importance des soins prénatals précoces à l'hôpital est préconisée afin de réduire l'occurrence des troubles oculaires. L'évaluation précoce et la correction des problèmes oculaires préviendront une atteinte visuelle inutile chez ces enfants vulnérables. MOTS-CLÉS: Trouble oculaire, Prévalence, Enfants en âge scolaire, Handicaps physiques et mentaux.

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Malnutrition among in-school children is a complex issue influenced by socio-economic, environmental, and health-related factors, posing significant challenges to their well-being and educational trajectories in developing countries. This review synthesized evidence on the multifaceted aspects of child malnutrition within the educational setting in developing countries. This review followed the six steps outlined by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Four main databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, JSTOR, and Scopus) were searched. Additional searches were conducted in WHO Library, ProQuest, HINARI, Google Scholar, and Google. Reference lists of eligible papers were checked. This review found that low family income, varying family sizes, parental employment status, and educational levels significantly impact malnutrition among in-school children and adolescents. Environmental elements, including rural/urban residence, household sanitation, and living conditions, also influence malnutrition. In addition, nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, nutrient deficiencies, physical activity, and prevalent health conditions compound the risk of malnutrition. This study underscores the extensive health impact of malnutrition on general health, specific nutrient deficiencies, fetal/maternal health concerns, and overall morbidity. Also, malnutrition affects school performance and attendance, impacting cognitive abilities, and academic achievements. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policy actions aligned with Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing poverty alleviation, health literacy, and gender equity.

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Background: Many countries are experiencing an increasing prevalence of childhood obesity and this needs to be carefully addressed. Aims: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the sociodemographic factors and lifestyle risk behaviours associated with obesity among in-school children in Al Buraimi Governorate, Oman. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 714 male and female in-school children aged 6-17 years in 14 government schools in Al Buraimi Governorate, Oman, from April to July 2019. Data were collected on the sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle of the students using a self-administered questionnaire. The students' height, weight and waist circumference were also measured. The BMI-for-age growth charts cutoff reference standards of the WHO were used to determine weight category. Central obesity was assessed by calculating the waist-to-height ratio, and the waist-toheight ratio cutoff of 0.50 was used to identify central obesity in both boys and girls. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 21, involving both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: A total of 714 students were included. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 12.3% and 16.3% respectively, and 21.4% of the students had central obesity. Lifestyle risk behaviours were significantly associated with student's age, sex and mother's education (P < 0.05). Predictors of obesity were: unhealthy eating habits (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 5.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.50-10.70), sedentary screen-based activities (AOR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.05-2.26), inadequate night-time sleep duration (AOR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.34-1.00), sibling obesity (AOR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.55-3.25), paternal obesity (AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.10-2.50) and maternal obesity (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.10-2.45). Conclusion: There is a need for effective health promotion programmes targeting in-school children in Oman, as well as regular monitoring of lifestyle behaviours associated with overweight and obesity among the younger populations. Larger studies are needed to understand the predictors of overweight and obesity among in-school children in Oman and to design relevant school-based interventions to prevent obesity among young Omanis.

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Aims: This study aimed to examine the association between multiple health complaints (MHC) in pre-adolescence and prescription redemption in adolescence. Methods: This was a nationwide population-based study based on the Danish National Birth Cohort for an average of 6.9 years (2010-2018). A total of 96,382 children were invited at the age of 11. A modified version of the Health Behaviour in School Children Symptom Checklist was dichotomised into the World Health Organization's definition of MHC (⩾2 complaints, each with a frequency of at least weekly, yes/no). The number of prescriptions was retrieved from Danish registries. Negative binomial regression estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing children with MHC to children without. Prescription redemption was further stratified by psychiatric/somatic medication and into subtypes of prescriptions. Results: A total of 47,365 (49.1%) children participated (Mage=11.2 years, 52% girls). MHC were reported by 10.3%. The unadjusted IRR (MHC vs. no MHC) of all types of redemptions was 1.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49-1.64). Results were robust to adjustment for socio-demographic variables and somatic/psychiatric morbidity at baseline (IRR=1.47; 95% CI 1.40-1.54). Associations were especially strong for psychiatric medication (adjusted IRR=3.88; 95% CI 3.43-4.40) and were modified by neither sex nor maternal education. Conclusions: MHC in pre-adolescents predict prescription redemption. This implies that changes in MHC might be indicative of changes in public health. This requires further study, as the cause of a change in reporting of symptoms might also cause a change in treatment response. The latter determines whether prescriptions are treating ill-being or needlessly medicalising subjective symptoms.

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BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in many low-income urban settings; but its determinants are not clear. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of childhood obesity and associated factors among in-school children aged 5-16 years in a Metropolitan district of Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted among a sample of 285 in-school children aged 5-16 years. Pre-tested questionnaires and anthropometric data collection methods were used to collect data. Descriptive, bivariate, binary and multivariate logistic regression statistical techniques were used to analyse data. RESULTS: Some 46.9% (42.2% for males and 51.7% for females) of the children were overweight. Of this, 21.2% were obese (BMI falls above 95th percentile). Childhood obesity was higher in private school (26.8%) than public school (21.4%), and among girls (27.2%) than boys (19%). Factors that increased obesity risks included being aged 11-16 as against 5-10 years (aOR = 6.07; 95%CI = 1.17-31.45; p = 0.025), having a father whose highest education is 'secondary' (aOR =2.97; 95% CI = 1.09-8.08; p = 0.032), or 'tertiary' (aOR = 3.46; 95% CI = 1.27-9.42; p = 0.015), and consumption of fizzy drinks most days of the week (aOR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.24-6.52; p = 0.014). Factors that lowered obesity risks included engaging in sport at least 3times per week (aOR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.33-0.96; p = 0.034), and sleeping for more than 8 h per day (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.19-0.79; p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: Higher parental (father) educational attainment and frequent consumption of fizzy drinks per week may increase obesity risks among in-school children aged 5-16 years in the Metropolitan district of Ghana. However, regular exercise (playing sport at least 3 times per week) and having 8 or more hours of sleep per day could lower obesity risks in the same population. Age and sex-appropriate community and school-based interventions are needed to promote healthy diet selection and consumption, physical activity and healthy life styles among in-school children.

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School Health Programme (SHP) currently lacks effective implementation in Nigeria. Lack of training/orientation of teachers in the programme may have contributed to this. Developing an appropriate training intervention may require prior situation analysis to know teachers' current level of training and involvement in the programme, as there is paucity of information on such study in Oyo State. Thus, this study was carried out to assess primary school teachers' training and involvement in the SHP in Oyo state, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a 2-stage cluster sampling method to select 2 out of the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Oyo State. A semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on respondents' characteristics and previous training and involvement in the SHP. The major variable for assessing teachers' involvement in the SHP was "ever been involved in health inspection of pupils". Level of involvement was categorized into "never, "once", "occasionally", "frequently", and "very regularly". These options were further re-categorized into "never", "infrequently" (once and occasionally) and "frequently" (frequently and very regularly) for the purpose of inferential statistics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test at p=0.05. A total of 811 respondents participated in the study. Twenty-eight percent of the respondents reported previous training in the SHP out of whom 44.7% received the training on-the-job. Forty-seven percent were regularly involved in health inspection of pupils. Teachers who taught health education (92.3%) were involved in health inspection of pupils compared with counterparts who did not (74.4%) (p<0.001). Similarly, 85.3% of teachers trained on-the-job were frequently involved in the SHP compared with 73.6% of those trained during undergraduate years (p=0.026). Training and involvement of public primary school teachers in the SHP in Oyo State were suboptimal. Efforts at building the capacity of teachers through on-the-job training in SHP may be necessary to improving the current level of implementation in the State.

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PURPOSE: Detection and correction of uncorrected refractive errors among 12 million children is an overwhelming task for the 500 currently available eye-care professionals in Nepal. A mid-term review of VISION 2020 goals in Nepal has recommended utilizing alternative human resources that could screen children for visual impairment. This study was conducted to assess the validity of vision screening of school children by trained high school students when compared to optometrist testing as the gold standard. METHODS: A total of 150 students were selected, based on their merit by the headmasters of 25 schools in Nepal and trained for two days by optometrists to screen visual acuity of their peers. Visual acuity ≤ 6/12 in either eye was referred as abnormal vision. A random sample of 1,209 screened students was selected and their visual acuity was reassessed by optometrists under the same settings adopted by trained students. Using optometrist scores as the gold standard, screening results of trained students were analyzed for validity. RESULTS: Mean age of screened students was 12.2 ± 3.03 years (range: 4-19 years) and 57.4% of them were female. Sensitivity of vision screening test done by trained students was 81.7% and the specificity was 97.6%. A positive predictive value of the test was 77.3% and negative predictive value was 98.2%. CONCLUSIONS: With high sensitivity and specificity values, vision screening done by trained students is effective for screening visual acuity of school children. Countries with limited eye-care professionals and infrastructures can effectively train and utilize students for timely detection of poor vision among children.

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Introducción: en la edad escolar el diente permanente más afectado por caries dental es el primer molar permanente, y la prevalencia de caries en ellos se asocia con actividad futura de caries. Por erupcionar sin haber exfoliado ningún elemento primario, las madres, desconocen que este es un diente permanente. Su destrucción parcial o total repercute en el desarrollo y crecimiento maxilofacial y la oclusión. Objetivos: describir la afectación por caries dental en los primeros molares permanentes en escolares, así como el conocimiento de la madre sobre estos. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal en la Escuela Primaria Máximo Gómez, de Alamar, en febrero de 2013. A 211 escolares se le efectuó examen bucal, registrándose los primeros molares sanos, cariados, restaurados y perdidos. Se entrevistaron a las madres para saber sobre su conocimiento del primer molar permanente. Resultados: el 40,3 % tuvo al menos un primer molar permanente afectado. La frecuencia fue, en masculino, 50,6 %, y en la edad de 11 años, 28,2 %. El índice dental cariado obstruido perdido fue en el 26 y 46, de promedio 0,81 y 81 %, respectivamente. El desconocimiento de las madres fue del 64,3 % del total. Conclusiones: casi la mitad de la muestra presenta al menos un primer molar permanente afectado por caries dental y la edad de 11 años es la más frecuente. No se señalan diferencias en cuanto al sexo. La experiencia mayor de caries dental la presentan los molares 46 y 26. La mayoría de las madres no tiene conocimientos acerca del primer molar permanente.

Background: in school age, the tooth most affected by dental caries is the first permanent molar, and the caries prevalence in them is associated to the future caries activity. Due to its eruption without the exfoliation of primary elements, mothers do not know that this is a permanent tooth. Its partial or total destruction affects the maxillofacial growth and development and leads to malocclusion. Aims: describing the damage due to dental caries in the first permanent molars in school children, and also their mothers’ knowledge on them. Material and methods: we carried out a cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study in the Primary School Maximo Gómez, of Alamar, in February 2013. Buccal exam was made to 211 schoolchildren, recording the healthy, carious, restored and lost first permanent molars. Mothers were interviewed to identify their knowledge on the first permanent molar. Results: 40,3 % of the sample had at least one permanent molar damaged. The frequency was, in male schoolchildren, 50,6 %, and at the age of 11 years, 28,2 %. The carious-obstructed-lost dental index in the 26 and 46 teeth was an average of 0,81 and 81 % respectively. Mothers’ lack of knowledge was 64,3 % of the total. Conclusions: almost half of the sample had at least one permanent molar damaged by dental caries and the most frequent age is 11 years. There are not differences according to de gender. The highest existence of dental caries is in 26 and 46 molars. Most of the mothers do not know about the first permanent molar.

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La caries dental y la enfermedad periodontal poseen una alta prevalencia en los distintos grupos etarios a nivel nacional generando un problema sanitario complejo. El objetivo fue evaluar el estado de salud oral y asistencia al control odontológico en pacientes escolares de 12 años en la comuna de Penco. Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico con un muestreo sistemático de 214 de escolares de 12 años. La prevalencia de caries fue de 61,03 por ciento, sin diferencia estadística entre sexo (valor p~0,29). El COPD promedio fue 3,44. El 47 por ciento asistió al dentista en los últimos 6 meses. El promedio COPD disminuyó en los últimos 10 años (de 4,77 a 3,44), siendo estadísticamente significativo (valor p~0,00). De acuerdo a los indicadores observados, se concluye que los escolares de 12 años presentan un mal estado de salud oral y menos de la mitad ha asistido a control los últimos 6 meses.

Dental caries and periodontal disease have a high prevalence in the different age groups, creating a complex health problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the state of oral health and dental attendance controls in 12-year-old patients at the elementary school in the town of Penco. We used a descriptive trans-sectional study with systematic sample of two hundred and fourteen (214) 12-year-old schoolchildren. The results showed a prevalence of caries of 61.03 percent, with no statistical difference between sexes (value p ~ 0.29). The COPD average was 3.44. Of the studied population 47 percent have been attended by the dentist in the last 6 months. The average COPD has declined in the last 10 years (from 4.77 to 3.44) with statistically significant value p ~ 0.00. According to the indicators observed, we conclude that 12-year-old school children have poor oral health and less than half have been monitored in the last 6 months.

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Con el objetivo de conocer la situación nutricional de los alumnos de la unidad educativa "Santiago Mariño", fué realizada en el año 2005 una evaluación antropométrica de 236 escolares, a los cuales se les pesó, talló y tomó su edad en años cumplidos. El déficit de peso para la edad fue de 10,1%, de los cuales 5,9%, presentan peso deficiente o desnutrición global y 4,2% están a riesgo de desnutrición. El déficit de peso para la talla, fue de 18,3%, lo cual significa que los mismos presentan desnutrición aguda. El indicador talla para la edad registró un déficit de 5,1%, significando 1,7% de desnutrición crónica y 3,4% a riesgo de desnutrición. Las niñas tienen una probabilidad de 2,9 veces más de presentar exceso de talla para la edad que los varones (p>0.05). Según el Indice de Masa Corporal 13,6% de los alumnos sufren déficit nutricional y 3,4% obesidad.

As to assess the nutritional status of the pupils in "Santiago Mariño" school, an anthropometric evaluation was performed during 2005 on 236 students, determining height, weight and checking their exact age. 10.1% of the sample showed weight deficit according to age, among them, 5.9% had defficient weight or global undernowrishment and 4.2% were on risk. Weight deficit according to height was 18.3% which implies acute under nourishment. Indicator size / age showed a 5.1% deficit which means 1.7% of cronic undernourishment and 3.4% of risk. Female pupils have a 2.9% higher probability of reporting excess of height according to age in comparison with boys (1>0.05). According to Mass Corporal index nutritional deficit was assessed in 13.6% of the pupils and obesity in 3.4%.