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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in profound mental health impacts among the general population worldwide. As many in-person mental health support services have been suspended or transitioned online to facilitate physical distancing, there have been numerous calls for the rapid expansion of asynchronous virtual mental health (AVMH) resources. These AVMH resources have great potential to provide support for people coping with negative mental health impacts associated with the pandemic; however, literature examining use prior to COVID-19 illustrates that the uptake of these resources is consistently low. ObjectiveThe aim of this paper is to examine the use of AVMH resources in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic among the general population and among a participant subgroup classified as experiencing an adverse mental health impact related to the pandemic. MethodsData from this study were drawn from the first wave of a large multiwave cross-sectional monitoring survey, distributed from May 14 to 29, 2020. Participants (N=3000) were adults living in Canada. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample, and bivariate cross-tabulations were used to examine the relationships between the use of AVMH resources and self-reported indicators of mental health that included a range of emotional and coping-related responses to the pandemic. Univariate and fully adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and use of AVMH resources in the subgroup of participants who reported experiencing one or more adverse mental health impacts identified in the set of self-reported mental health indicators. ResultsAmong the total sample, 2.0% (n=59) of participants reported accessing AVMH resources in the prior 2 weeks to cope with stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highest rates of use among individuals who reported self-harm (n=5, 10.4%) and those who reported coping “not well” with COVID-19–related stress (n=22, 5.5%). Within the subgroup of 1954 participants (65.1% of the total sample) who reported an adverse mental health impact related to COVID-19, 54 (2.8%) reported use of AVMH resources. Individuals were more likely to have used AVMH resources if they had reported receiving in-person mental health supports, were connecting virtually with a mental health worker or counselor, or belonged to a visible minority group. ConclusionsDespite substantial government investment into AVMH resources, uptake is low among both the general population and individuals who may benefit from the use of these resources as a means of coping with the adverse mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of the barriers to use.

Introduction: Obesity in children has been on the rise globally, and India is no exception. Rapid urbanisation, changing dietary patterns, and sedentary lifestyles are contributing factors to this alarming trend. Understanding the prevalence and factors associated with childhood obesity in urban areas is crucial for developing targeted interventions and public health strategies. Aim: To investigate the effects of a nurse-led yoga intervention on body composition and biochemical parameters in overweight and obese adolescents (11-13 years) in schools. Materials and Methods: This pilot randomised controlled study used a true experimental study design, specifically the pretest and post-test control group design. Data collection was conducted in schools of Puducherry. A total of 18 overweight and obese adolescents, nine in the experimental group and nine in the control group, were included. The experimental group performed a nurse-led yoga intervention three times a week for 60 minutes for six months from March 2022 to August 2022. Study outcomes on body composition and biochemical parameters such as lipid profile, adiponectin, leptin, Apolipoprotein A, and Apolipoprotein B were measured at baseline and six months after the nurse-led yoga intervention. Data analysis was performed using Social Sciences Software {Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0}. Both descriptive and inferential statistical tests, such as the one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) F-test, repeated measures ANOVA F-test, and paired t-test, were conducted. Results: A significant difference was noted in fat percentage, water, intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, and body fat mass index between the pretest and post-test (p<0.05), and no significant difference was observed in Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and fat-free mass index (p>0.05) in the experimental group. The nurse-led yoga intervention significantly improved Lowdensity Lipoproteins (LDL), Apolipoprotein A, and adiponectin levels; however, there were no significant differences in Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), total cholesterol, High-density Lipoproteins (HDL), Apolipoprotein B, or LDL in the experimental group. The control group showed no significant difference between the pretest and post-test in FBS, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Apolipoprotein A, or Apolipoprotein B (p>0.05). Conclusion: The nurse-led yoga intervention positively impacted body composition and biochemical indicators in overweight and obese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood culture, despite low sensitivity, is the gold standard for enteric fever diagnosis. Understanding predictors of blood culture positivity may help design strategies to optimize enteric fever diagnosis.Methods: A cohort of 6760 children aged 0.5-15 years was followed for 3 years for enteric fever with blood cultures in an automated system, for fevers >3 days. Factors affecting test positivity in fevers and participant-level predictors for culture refusals were analyzed using regression models.Results: Overall, 6097 suspected typhoid/paratyphoid fever (STF) episodes were reported, of which 5703 (93.5%) STFs had sampling for blood cultures, with 394 (6.5%) refusals. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi/Paratyphi positivity was culture-confirmed in 3.8% (218/5703) of STF episodes. Older children (odds ratio [OR], 1.96 [95% CI, 1.39-2.77]), larger blood volume inoculated (OR, 2.82 [95% CI, 1.71-4.66]), higher temperatures during fever (OR, 3.77 [95% CI, 2.89-4.91]), and fevers diagnosed as suspected typhoid or acute undifferentiated fever (OR, 6.06 [95% CI, 3.11-11.78]) had a higher probability of culture positivity. Antibiotics before culture did not decrease culture positivity. Blood culture refusals were higher for children from wealthier households or with milder illness.Conclusions: Performing blood cultures in older children with fever, especially those fevers with toxic presentation and increasing blood volume for inoculation are strategies to improve enteric fever detection in surveillance settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalization is a completely new experience for infants and young children; they are too young to understand the stress of hospitalization. Distractions or diversions seek to divert the child's attention to interesting or challenging tasks to draw attention away from painful or distressful medical procedure. Therefore, the present study assesses the effectiveness of video game on bio-physiological parameters during intravenous cannulation among preschool children admitted in paediatric ward. Methods: A randomized true experimental research design was used to assess the effectiveness of video game technique on pain and bio-physiological parameters during Intravenous Cannulation among preschool children admitted in paediatric ward at Sri Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai. The collected data were grouped and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, to assess the effectiveness of video games. Results: There was a significant difference in the mean score of oxygen saturation of post-test compare to pre-test for both groups. The number of children feeling severe pain was more in the control group during intervention and this difference was highly significant. Oxygen saturation was more in control but not significant, but the heart rate was significantly higher in control group during intervention. There was no association during pre- post-test and oxygen saturation, with selected demographic variables of the preschool children in both groups, apart from the fact that children from low income group had significant low heart rate during pre- and post-test Discussion: Video game is an effective method in reducing pain in children undergoing intravenous cannulation. In this framework, the intervention (showing video game) reduced perception of pain and changes in bio-physiological parameters such as, heart rate and oxygen saturation, during intravenous cannulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognition is the mental process of acquiring knowledge, understanding senses and synchronizing all the electrical activity that is constantly received and generated through the eye. Purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of yogic visual concentration (Trataka) on cognitive performance and anxiety among adolescents studying in selected schools at Chennai. Methodology: This study was designed to assess cognitive performance and anxiety among students using quantitative approach. True Experimental study design was used for this study. Pretest assessment of cognitive performance and anxiety was done by standardized tools (Stroop color word test, Hamilton anxiety scale) for Experimental and Control groups. Intervention of yogic visual concentration (Trataka) was experimented in one group. Control group were kept on routine activities. Post test assessment of cognitive performance and anxiety by standardized tools was performed on experimental and control groups. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The 0.05 level of significance was used. Results: A significant difference in the mean difference of color word score, color score, word score and inference score between the study and control groups at the level of p<0.0001 was observed. Results indicate an association in the cognitive performance (word) with background variables such as, gender, father's occupation in the study group during the post test and no association in the control group. There were no associations between anxiety cognitive performance (color and word) and demographic variables in both groups. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is a greater effect on Yogic visual concentration (Trataka) on cognitive performance and anxiety among adolescent students, therefore the study proved the hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The primary aim of treating congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21 hydroxylase deficiency is to replace the deficient glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, to minimize the excess androgen production and to facilitate normal growth. Children with CAH require daily treatment lifelong and increased dosage plan during acute stress, in order to obtain the benefit of optimal outcome from the ongoing treatment schedule. This emphasizes the need for the parents of affected children to be empowered with adequate knowledge regarding such lifesaving therapy. Aims & Objectives: This study was aimed to assess their knowledge regarding corticosteroid therapy. Materials and methods. Caretakers of children with CAH were recruited by using purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by using structured interview technique. Results: It was observed that only 10% of study group had adequate knowledge about therapy and the majority of them were from rural areas, lacking in awareness of essential steps of management. Conclusion: It was concluded that these caretakers need to be given appropriately planned education regarding corticosteroids, drug actions, and the need for enhanced steroid dosage during stress situations. They should also be given relevant instructional materials to read for improving their knowledge about their child's disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the awareness of learning disabilities of children before and after the planned teaching program among primary school teachers. Research design: A pre-experimental, nonrandomized, one group pretest and post-test design were used. Materials and Methods: The accessible populations were all teachers working in private primary schools at Montfort Matriculation School, Chennai. Purposive sample technique was used to select the 40 samples. The instrument consisted of two sections—Part-I: demographical variables, Part-II: awareness questionnaire on learning disabilities in children. The collected data were grouped and analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics and a paired t-test was used to determine the difference between pretest and post-test in the group. Result: The study indicates that the majority of the primary school teachers had inadequate awareness regarding learning disabilities and 10% had moderate level of awareness, whereas in the post-test, 7.5% had moderate level of awareness and 92.5% had adequate level of awareness. There was a significant association between awareness of learning disabilities among primary school teachers. Conclusion: The planned teaching program is an effective method in enhancing the awareness of primary school teachers regarding the care of awareness of learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CAH Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a genetic disorder, when confronted with the unexpected diagnosis of CAH, the parents experience severe stress. This study assess the stress among parents of children having CAH 21 hydroxylase deficiency and find the association between stress and selected baseline variables. Method: The research design selected for this study was descriptive design. The setting selected was the OPD at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health Hospital, Bangalore. Parents of children affected with CAH 21 hydroxylase deficiency were selected for interview schedule to assess the level of stress by them. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings of the study showed that the parents had severe financial stress. The parents having low income, low educational level had significantly high stress (P<0.001). Parents having more than one child affected and birth order of child = 2 showed more stress and significant at p<0.01 level of significance. The Parents who had not received counselling also elicited more stress at p<0.01 level of significance. Conclusion: These findings of the study clearly point out that CAH 21 hydroxylase deficiency is a stressful event faced by the parents. Positive attitude towards stress is present but needs to be better handled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since, it is essential to create awareness about chemotherapy among parents, this study assesses the effectiveness of structured teaching programme for mothers on knowledge and practice relating to care of child with leukemia. Pretest was conducted using structured questionnaire on knowledge about care of Leukemia. Teaching was administered to mothers on different aspects of cancer diagnosis and follow up. There was a statistically significant difference in knowledge and practice in post test and a significant correlation of knowledge and practice in post test, but not during pre test. Considering different aspects of care, mothers had only around 50 % knowledge which was close to 100 % post test. The study revealed that there was a significant association between knowledge with age of the child and number of the children, and in practice, association was found in gender of the child and the educational status of the mother. The current study results proved that willingness of parents to receive educational intervention on care of children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia would definitely result in improvement of the quality of life of childhood survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lower respiratory tract infection is one of the major prevailing respiratory illnesses in children. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of massage therapy on respiratory status among toddlers with lower respiratory tract infection. A sample of 60 toddlers were conveniently assigned to study and control group, in study group routine care and massage therapy was performed for three days in morning and evening then posttest was conducted end of each day whereas control group receives routine care. The result shows that massage therapy was significantly effective in improving lung functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Patients diagnosed with a disease like cancer require not only physical control of disease but also they need psychological reassurance, social and spiritual support in coming to terms with their disease. Nurses working in the specialized cancer hospitals play a significant role in the care of terminally ill patients. They must be knowledgeable, skilled and sensitive to the needs of these patients and their families in order to provide active, holistic care. Aims: In this study, we attempted to assess the level of knowledge about palliative care among nurses working in the oncology department using a self administered structured questionnaire and also to assess the effectiveness of information booklet designed on various aspects of palliative care on their knowledge. Settings and Design: Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad, AP, India. The design adopted for this study was One Group pretest — posttest, pre - experimental design. Materials and Methods: Hundred nurses working in Indo American Cancer Hospital, Hyderabad, AP, India were selected by using the non probability purposive sampling technique. A structured self administered questionnaire was prepared and administered as a pretest. An information booklet was developed pertaining to the general concepts of palliative care, care components (physical, social, emotional and spiritual) and role of the nurse in palliative care and it was given to the participants. As a post test, the same questionnaire was re-administered after four days to the same study subjects. Pretest and post test knowledge scores were compared and the findings were analyzed statistically. Statistical analysis used: Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Science package. Results: The post test scores were significantly higher than the pretest knowledge scores, which indicate that the developed information booklet regarding palliative care was highly effective in enhancing the knowledge levels of the nurses. Conclusions: The information booklet was effective in enriching the knowledge of nurses on palliative care. Enhancing the nurse's knowledge about palliative care will promote their understanding of the needs of the advanced stage patients and will enable them to provide quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]