Dataset Information

The prevalence of behavioral problems among school-aged children in home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in china.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To prevent spreading of the COVID-19 infection, many countries have implemented a nationwide school closure. We aimed to assess the prevalence of behavioral problems in school-aged children during home confinement.

Methods

We conducted an internet-based survey involving 1264 children (grades 2-6) and their parents from two primary schools between February 25 and March 8, 2020, in Hubei province, China. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results

The prevalence of prosocial behaviors among children was 10.3%, followed by total difficulty (8.2%), conduct problems (7.0%), peer problems (6.6%), hyperactivity-inattention (6.3%) and emotional problems (4.7%). Compared with children who did not exercise, children with psychical activity had a lower hyperactivity-inattention risk (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.44 for 1-2 days/week; OR: 0.56 for more than 2 days/week) and less prosocial behaviors problems (OR: 0.65 for 1-2 days/week; OR: 0.55 for more than 2 days/week). Children of parents with anxious symptoms were associated with increased risks of emotional symptoms and total difficulty (OR: 5.64 and 3.78, respectively).

Limitations

We adopted self-report questionnaires and did not collect baseline information before COVID-19 outbreak. The potential self-selection bias inherent in the study should be noted.

Conclusion

The prevalence of behavioral problems among school-aged children varied from 4.7% to 10.3% in home quarantine during the COVID-19 outbreak. Taking physical exercise may be an efficient measure to reduce behavioral problems for school-aged children in home confinement.

SUBMITTER: Liu Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7543949 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The prevalence of behavioral problems among school-aged children in home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in china.

Liu Qi Q Zhou Yu Y Xie Xinyan X Xue Qi Q Zhu Kaiheng K Wan Zihao Z Wu Hao H Zhang Jiajia J Song Ranran R

Journal of affective disorders 20201008

<h4>Background</h4>To prevent spreading of the COVID-19 infection, many countries have implemented a nationwide school closure. We aimed to assess the prevalence of behavioral problems in school-aged children during home confinement.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted an internet-based survey involving 1264 children (grades 2-6) and their parents from two primary schools between February 25 and March 8, 2020, in Hubei province, China. Behavioral problems were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficult ...[more]

PMID: 33099056

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Project description:ImportanceProgression of myopia in a school-aged population due to home confinement (January to May 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic has been previously reported. A key remaining question was whether the myopia spike in children aged 6 to 8 years persisted.ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in refractive status and prevalence of myopia in school-aged children 1 year after home confinement ended in China.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study with a cohort substudy prospectively evaluated data from school-based photoscreening in Feicheng, China. Children aged 6 to 13 years participated in 8 screenings from 2015 to 2021.ExposuresNoncycloplegic photorefraction was conducted using the Spot Vision photoscreener.Main outcomes and measuresThe main outcomes were the differences in spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and prevalence of myopia between 2020 (during home confinement) and 2021 (after home confinement). The SER was recorded for each child, and the prevalence of myopia was calculated annually for each age group.ResultsA total of 325 443 children participated in the study (51.4% boys, 48.6% girls; age range, 6 to 13 years). Compared with 2020, the mean SER of children in 2021 increased significantly for those aged 6 (0.42 diopters [D]), 7 (0.41 D), and 8 (0.33 D) years. The prevalence of myopia in 2021 was similar to in 2019 for each age group (aged 6 years: 7.9% vs 5.7%; aged 7 years: 13.9% vs 13.6%; aged 8 years: 29.5% vs 26.2%). Both the prevalence of myopia and mean SER for these children returned to their prepandemic levels.Conclusions and relevanceCompared with 2020, the prevalence of myopia among children aged 6 to 8 years in the 2021 screenings decreased, and the mean SER returned to prepandemic level. The refractive development in children aged 6 to 8 years may be most susceptible to environmental changes. These findings support the premise that age 6 to 8 years is a critical period for myopia development and suggest a need to focus preventive interventions for myopia control on children in this age range.

Project description:IntroductionThis study investigated whether behavioral problems in children were associated with fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter tracts connecting from other brain regions to right and left frontal lobes. We considered internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems separately and contrasted patterns of associations in children born at term and very preterm.MethodsParents completed the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 questionnaire to quantify behavioral problems when their children were age 8 years (N=36 FT and 37 PT). Diffusion magnetic resonance scans were collected at the same age and analyzed using probabilistic tractography. We used multiple linear regression to investigate the strength of association between age-adjusted T-scores of internalizing and externalizing problems and mean fractional anisotropy (mean-FA) of right and left uncinate, arcuate, and anterior thalamic radiations, controlling for birth group and sex.ResultsRegression models predicting internalizing T-scores from mean-FA found significant group-by-tract interactions for the left and right arcuate and right uncinate. Internalizing scores were negatively associated with mean-FA of left and right arcuate only in children born at term (pleft AF =0.01, pright AF =0.01). Regression models predicting externalizing T-scores from mean-FA found significant group-by-tract interactions for the left arcuate and right uncinate. Externalizing scores were negatively associated with mean-FA of right uncinate in children born at term (pright UF =0.01) and positively associated in children born preterm (pright UF preterm =0.01). Other models were not significant.ConclusionsIn this sample of children with scores for behavioral problems across the full range, internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems were negatively associated with mean-FA of white matter tracts connecting to frontal lobes in children born at term; externalizing behavioral problems were positively associated with mean-FA of the right uncinate in children born preterm. The different associations by birth group suggest that the neurobiology of behavioral problems differs in the two birth groups.

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Project description:BackgroundThe reported prevalence rate of anxiety disorder in the paediatric population varies widely between different counties. Currently, there is no national epidemiological survey of childhood anxiety disorder in China. This study aims to investigate the national prevalence of anxiety disorder, the distribution profiles of different subtypes and its comorbidity rates among school students.MethodsA nationwide epidemiological survey of mental disorders in school students aged 6-16 years was conducted. Participants were randomly recruited from five provinces in China. The Child Behavior Checklist was used to screen students at high risk for mental disorders. The final diagnosis was made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV. The point prevalence and comorbidity rate of anxiety disorder were calculated, and the difference between age, sex and socioeconomic status groups was also compared.ResultsGeneralised anxiety disorder (GAD) was the most common anxiety disorder in school-attending children and adolescents, with a prevalence rate of 1.3% (95% CI: 1.2 to 1.3). Separation anxiety and specific phobia were more common in children than in adolescents. Girls had a higher prevalence of panic disorder (0.3% vs 0.2%, χ2=14.6, p<0.001) and agoraphobia (0.9% vs 0.8%, χ2=4.3, p=0.03) than that of boys. We found no significant difference between developed and less developed areas. Girls were more likely to have panic disorder and GAD than boys, with ratios of 2.13:1 and 1.01:1, respectively. The co-occurrence of anxiety disorder and attention-deficit and disruptive behaviour disorder was very common, ranging from 40% to 85%.ConclusionsAnxiety disorder was prevalent among school students in China, and comorbidity with attention-deficit and disruptive disorder was very common. The data imply that screening for anxiety disorder is needed in school settings. Policies should be adapted to provide psychological services to children and adolescents. A comprehensive assessment is recommended in clinical practice.

Dataset Information

The prevalence of behavioral problems among school-aged children in home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in china.

Background

Methods

Results

Limitations

Conclusion

Publications

The prevalence of behavioral problems among school-aged children in home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in china.

Similar Datasets

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