ABSTRACT
Objective:To reveal the actual living conditions and the vulnerability of the life quality of orphans with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in China,and to provide basis for appropriate relative health promotion strategies.Methods:Using gender-age 1∶ 1 matching design,96 pairs of AIDS orphans and children from ordinary families in a county of Henan Province were investigated for their living conditions and subjective quality of life with the Inventory of Subjective Life Quality.Results:(1) Compared with the control group,AIDS orphans had lower life satisfaction (45.16% vs.62.37%,P=0.019),suffered more injustice and stigma (35.48% vs.12.90%,P<0.001),had more needs to work to earn money (55.91% vs.23.66%,P<0.001) and lower probability to receive medical treatments when they were sick (36.36% vs.78.85%,P<0.001).(2) The average total score of subjective life quality in orphan group was significantly lower than that in the control group[(145.9±16.0) vs.(154.9±16.1),P<0.001].Scores of four dimensions including family life,school life,living environment and self-awareness were all significantly lower in orphans than in non-orphans which resulted in the significantly lower awareness stratum scores.(3) The average total score of subjective life quality in male orphan group was significantly lower than that in the male control group[(143.2±16.7) vs.(155.8±17.1),P<0.001].Scores of four dimensions including family life,school life,living environment and self-awareness were all significantly lower in male orphans than in male non-orphans which resulted in the significantly lower awareness stratum scores.Conclusion:AIDS orphans have more problems in lives.Their life quality is significantly affected which mainly appears as the decline of self-awareness and environmental awareness level.Long-term impacts on emotion and mental health deserve special concern.Male orphans are more vulnerable than females.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the growth,development,nutritional status and mental health of AIDS affected orphans in China and provide scientific basis for policy formulation.Methods Adopting gender-age 1∶1 matching design,96 pairs of AIDS affected orphans and children from normal families were investigated in term of their physical and mental health status.Results Orphans were found thinner than non-orphans for their significantly lower BMI z scores and subscapular skinfold thickness.Compared with the control group,AIDS affected orphans also had significantly lower SES and BDI scores.Male orphans were more vulnerable than male non-orphans in physical and mental health and no significant differences were found between female groups.Conclusion AIDS affected orphans in China have significant physical and mental health vulnerabilities and urgently needs health care.More sustainable fostering strategies are needed to be explored and integrated health interventions with focus on mental health support will be crucial.And more attention should be given to male orphans.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the secular growth trends of the Chinese urban youth from 1979 to 2005,in order to make national intervention strategies and measures to improve their physical fitness and health.Methods:Subjects were sampled from 16 provincial-capital cities in China.They were all Han primary and secondary school students aged 7 to 18 years.The increments of stature,weight and BMI,and the increments per decade of these indicators at different stages were analyzed.Results:In recent 26 years,the overall increments were 6.5 and 4.7 cm for stature,and 8.9 and 5.2 kg for weight,for boys and girls,respectively.Swiftest rates were found in the period of 1985-1995,with the increments which were as high as 3.8 and 3.0 cm/decade for height,and 4.7 and 3.1 kg/decade for weight,for boys and girls respectively.These trends are still strong at present,without any tendency of going to the plateau.Advanced puberty plays the most contributing role in these trends,with the peak height rates being 2.4 cm/decade for girls at the age of 12 and 3.3 cm/decade for boys at the age of 14,respectively.The increments of adult height were 3.2 and 2.1 cm,while the rates were 1.2 and 0.8 cm/decade,for males and females,respectively.The distributing curves of BMI show an accelerating tendency of going to the right side,which suggests that the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing rapidly.Conclusion:China is now experiencing an overall and positive secular trend,which is reflected not only by the accelerating physical growth in childhood,advanced puberty,and steady increments of adult height,but also by the dramatic changes of body shape.We should not only feel proud of the achievements of these secular growth changes and the active socioeconomic influences,but also pay much attention to their negative effects,especially those that may induce the dangers of hypertension,hyperglycemia,type 2 diabetes mellitus and other adulthood diseases,as well as the disease risks of metabolic syndrome that may even occur early in childhood and adolescence.