ABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Cluster randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a very simple education campaign among community-dwelling 8-year-old schoolchildren. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Information has a positive effect on low back pain (LBP) prevention and management. There is sparse evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of education campaigns focusing on LBP among young schoolchildren. METHODS: A stratified random sample of 12 schools was randomized to an intervention and a control group. Eight-year-old schoolchildren from these schools were given a questionnaire on LBP prevention and management at baseline, and 15 and 98 days later. On day 8, teachers in the intervention group gave the schoolchildren a Comic Book of the Back, while no intervention was carried out in the control group. After adjusting by possible confounders, generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were developed to calculate the probability of "success" (a score over 80% of the maximum possible one). RESULTS: Six schools (231 children, 46.5%) were assigned to the control group, and 6 (266 children, 53.5%) to the intervention one. At baseline, the percentage of correct answers was above 73% in both groups, with 8 as a median total score in the control group and 7 in the intervention group. GEE showed that the odds ratio for success in the intervention group, when compared with the control group, was 1.61 (95% CI: 1.03-2.52, P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: The handing out of a Comic Book of the Back slightly improves children's knowledge of appropriate methods for the prevention and management of LBP, and the effect remains significant 3 months after intervention.
Subject(s)
Health Education/methods , Health Promotion/methods , Low Back Pain/prevention & control , Low Back Pain/therapy , Child , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Male , Program Evaluation , School Health Services/standards , School Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Substance use is quite common among adolescents. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of parents on their habits. METHODS: The study sample was made up of all 13 to 15 year old schoolchildren from the island of Majorca and their parents. Information was collected, with validated instruments, on parents and adolescents alcohol intake, smoking, socioeconomic status, sports and television watching, as well as adolescents academic performance. RESULTS: The study included 4,019 schoolchildren and 7,359 parents. Parents belonging to a low socioeconomic level was the principal variable related to parental influence on smoking children (OR=3.86, 95% CI: 2.30-6.48, p=0.000), drinking (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.40-2.54; p=0.000), failing courses (OR=6.37, 95% CI: 4.23-9.61; p=0.000), watching TV 2 hours/day (OR=1.97; 95%IC:1.69-2.29; p=0.000), and not practicing sports (OR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.38-0.80; p=0.001). Additionally, the mothers drinking had an influence on the children's smoking (OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.24-1.51; p=0.002), and the parents smoking had an influence on the children's (boys, not girls) failing courses (OR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.33-2.68; p=0.000). The corresponding habits in parents increased the probability that adolescents drank (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.43-2.51; p=0.000), watched TV 2 hours/day (OR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.68-2.29; p=0.000), and practiced sports (OR=6.67, 95% CI: 2.57-14.96; p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: A low socioeconomic level is associated with a greater risk of smoking, drinking, failing courses and not practicing sports in the adolescents. Additionally, the mothers drinking is associated with a greater risk of her children smoking and drinking, and both parents drinking is associated with a greater risk of their children doing so. The practice of sports and the time spent watching television by the parents have an influence on the corresponding habits in their children, but have no influence on the adolescents smoking or drinking.
