Individualised automated lameness detection in dairy cows and the impact of historical window length on algorithm performance.

Lameness is an important economic problem in the dairy sector, resulting in production loss and reduced welfare of dairy cows. Given the modern-day expansion of dairy herds, a tool to automatically detect lameness in real-time can therefore create added value for the farmer. The challenge in developing camera-based tools is that one system has to work for all the animals on the farm despite each animal having its own individual lameness response. Individualising these systems based on animal-level historical data is a way to achieve accurate monitoring on farm scale. The goal of this study is to optimise a lameness monitoring algorithm based on back posture values derived from a camera for individual cows by tuning the deviation thresholds and the quantity of the historical data being used. Back posture values from a sample of 209 Holstein Friesian cows in a large herd of over 2000 cows were collected during 15 months on a commercial dairy farm in Sweden. A historical data set of back posture values was generated for each cow to calculate an individual healthy reference per cow. For a gold standard reference, manual scoring of lameness based on the Sprecher scale was carried out weekly by a single skilled observer during the final 6 weeks of data collection. Using an individual threshold, deviations from the healthy reference were identified with a specificity of 82.3%, a sensitivity of 79%, an accuracy of 82%, and a precision of 36.1% when the length of the healthy reference window was not limited. When the length of the healthy reference window was varied between 30 and 250 days, it was observed that algorithm performance was maximised with a reference window of 200 days. This paper presents a high-performing lameness detection system and demonstrates the importance of the historical window length for healthy reference calculation in order to ensure the use of meaningful historical data in deviation detection algorithms.

Attitude of men who have sex with men toward condom use in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR).

to understand the attitude of men who have sex with men (MSM) towards the use of condoms, to identify potential barriers to their use, environmental factors that facilitate or on the contrary, prevent this use, beliefs about contracting HIV, and priority needs of MSM for general prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Individual interviews conducted in private with 20 MSM. In general, MSM recognize that condoms protect against STI as well as preventing unwanted pregnancies (although this is not our purpose here). The disadvantages of condom use that they reported included the potential for them to break and their reduction of pleasure. Barriers to their use include the belief that the partner is not HIV-positive, the shame of buying condoms, inability to wear them, and lack of financial resources, as well as social norms and false beliefs. MSM are aware of the positive role of condoms against STIs, including HIV. They perceive the dangerousness of the HIV, but do not feel vulnerable to this disease. They have identified obstacles to condom use, and their lists of perceived needs suggest solutions to them. Implementing these solutions in interventions should improve the frequency of condom use.

A model for analysis; systemic planning and strategic synthesis for health science teaching in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a vision for action

Background: The problem of training human resources in health is a real concern in public health in Central Africa. What can be changed in order to train more competent health professionals? This is of utmost importance in primary health care. Methods: Taking into account the level of training of secondary-level nurses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); a systemic approach; based on the PRECEDE PROCEED model of analysis; led to a better understanding of the educational determinants and of the factors favourable to a better match between training in health sciences and the expected competences of the health professionals. This article must be read on two complementary levels: one reading; focused on the methodological process; should allow our findings to be transferred to other problems (adaptation of a health promotion model to the educational sphere). The other reading; revolving around the specific theme and results; should provide a frame of reference and specific avenues for action to improve human resources in the health field (using the results of its application in health science teaching in the DRC). Results: The results show that it is important to start this training with a global and integrated approach shared by all the actors. The strategies of action entail the need for an approach taking into account all the aspects; i.e. sociological; educational; medical and public health. Conclusions: The analysis of the results shows that one cannot bring any change without integrated strategies of action and a multidisciplinary approach that includes all the complex determinants of health behaviour; and to do it within the organization of local structures and institutions in the ministry of health in the DRC

[The use of data from the literature on nutritional education projects: a qualitative study]. / L'utilisation des données de la littérature dans les projets en education nutritionnelle: enquête qualitative.

The study is based on the observation that data from the existing literature is underutilised during the project development stage. The objective is to carry out a study to track the current status quo on how the knowledge from the literature is used and incorporated. Semi-structured interviews of professionals working in nutritional education of youth were conducted to assess this aspect in the French-speaking community in Belgium. The study permitted the identification of which types of data are being used by the respondents, as well as which elements can have a positive or negative impact their incorporation. Moreover, it was observed that most of the field workers who participated in the study would prefer to have access to more data relevant to their local context than data on a specific topic. The study highlighted the need for more training to be provided to the nutritional educators working in the field, in particular in the areas of information needs and their interpretation of these needs in light of the data available.

Trends in cannabis use and its determinants among teenagers in the French-speaking community of Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis consumption among teenagers has undergone dramatic changes in Europe since the beginning of the 1990s. A number of behaviors associated with cannabis consumption, such as tobacco smoking, excessive drinking and truancy are developing too, each in their own way. METHODS: To assess the evolution over time of the various types of cannabis consumption (both ever and weekly consumption) in relation to these determinants (age, sex, studies chosen, truancy, tobacco smoking and recurrent intoxication), we have analyzed the cross-sectional study on Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children in the French-speaking Belgian Community (12-17 years) since 1994. We used logistic models to analyze the evolution of the various types of cannabis consumption and to identify the associated factors. Finally, in order to demonstrate time trends, we tested for each type of consumption in the interactions between the significant predictive variables in each model and the survey year (1994-1998-2000). RESULTS: Rates of ever use, past 30-day use and weekly use among the ever users have been increasing from 1994 to 2002 and reached, respectively, 22.0%, 11.6%, 6.8% and 32.9%. Cannabis ever use rose more noticeably among the general education students (adjusted OR (95%CI)): 3.08 (2.66-3.57) and among the truants: 4.57 (3.39-6.14). Weekly cannabis smoking rose most especially among the truants: 1.92 (1.34-2.78). CONCLUSION: Truants should constitute a priority target for the prevention of cannabis consumption, while the phenomenon of truancy must be moreover examined in depth in order to more thoroughly identify the appropriate prevention programs organized both in and outside of the school environment.

[Bibliographic study of the effectiveness of preventive measures in occupational asthma]. / Etude bibliographique de l'efficacité des actions de prévention de l'asthme professionnel.

Having retrieved information from bibliographical searches as well as through a vertical analysis of the health problem, this analysis provided in the article points out the effective prevention strategies and interventions for managing occupational asthma. There is no scientific evidence on a series of protection measures and even less for intervention operationalisation strategies. However, considering the increase of the incidence of the disease and its economic and social consequences, it is critical that the various concerned actors understand the trend of this health problem in order to better comprehend their role in the individual and collective prevention strategies.

[Health inequalities: self-reported complaints and their predictors in pupils from Belgium].

BACKGROUND: This paper identifies socioeconomic and sociodemographic predictors of respiratory/allergic health problems and subjective complaints in adolescents in Belgium. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of the 1998 cross-national study "Health Behaviour of School aged Children" (HBSC) in French-speaking Belgium was undertaken. The survey was based on a self-completed questionnaire concerning various aspects of physical, emotional and social health. The five health problems (asthma, any other respiratory difficulty, allergy, poor subjective health, overweight and depressed feeling) were considered present when a positive reply was given to close-end questions stating if the pupils suffered, or have suffered from these problems during the last six months. We analysed a representative sample of 12,012 pupils aged 11 to 19 years in fifth and sixth grades of primary school, and in all six grades of secondary school. RESULTS: socioeconomics gradients were found for subjective ill health, depressed state and overweight (p<0.01). Depressed state and overweight were linearly associated with a family economic score. Respiratory difficulties and allergies were observed mainly in pupils in technical training. CONCLUSION: Pupils with a lower economic score have a higher prevalence of subjective complaints. It remains important to define determinants of subjective ill health and moreover, to act upon these results by increasing accessibility to health services when necessary, by adapting some others to young people and by tailoring interventions to objective and self-perceived needs.

[Health behaviors among first degree students at the Free University of Brussels]. / Les comportements de santé des étudiants de première candidature de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles.

For several years, quality of life is used as a measure of health status. As university constitues a specific setting for young adults, the Health Service of the french-speaking Free University of Brussels initiated a survey in order to study health behaviours of students from the first grade. During the academic year 1998-99, 3,185 students were surveyed in the first degree, using an anonymous self-completed questionnaire with the following topics: health perception, weight, social support, emotional well-being, tobacco, alcohol, medicines, cannabis and ecstasy use as well as access to general practitioner. Body Mass Index was computed and emotional well-being was approached using CES-D scale. Results are presented by gender and faculty. Mutivariate analysis was also realised using logistic regression. In general, results confirm the data resulting from other studies in general population as well as at school. Nevertheless, results show that health is a problem for a minority of students and is a "whole" that has to be approached globally. Moreover, data give a basis to define priorities and strategies to improve students' physical and mental well-being at university. Results are also useful to better target these actions to those at needs.

[A qualitative approach to the awareness of occupational risk in adolescents]. / Approche qualitative de la prise de conscience du risque professionnel chez les adolescents.

In terms of health promotion, the individual's awareness of risk is the first step towards the adoption of preventive behaviours. Our study intended to evaluate, through conducting semi-directed interviews, the awareness of occupational risk in adolescents completing their formal professional training. Students studying to become bakers or hairstylists as well as those working in wood craftsmanship did not identify their respective professions as being at risk of leading to a work-related accident or illness. This awareness is not strongly encouraged at the time of academic training and therefore the student has very little opportunity to be advised regarding the preventive measures that he/she should adopt; whereas, for this particular public, their health is already not a priority concern.

[Autopsy practices in cases of sudden infant death syndrome in the French-speaking community of Belgium and comparison with other European countries]. / Pratiques d'autopsie en cas de mort subite du nourrisson en Communauté francophone de Belgique et comparaison avec différents pays européens.

This work summarises the current difficulties encountered in performing autopsies in cases of sudden unexplained infant deaths in Belgium. Over the last few years, the incidence of postneonatal deaths in most European countries has significantly decreased, probably due to prevention campaigns. However, there are still many difficulties encountered in systematically including autopsies in the general strategy for managing this public health problem. The analysis of autopsy practices in Belgium in cases of unexplained infants' deaths and their comparison with other European countries' practices give us the opportunity to propose changes in order to improve policies and the overall understanding of these unexplained deaths.

[Cannabis consumption in young people living in Brussels: observational conclusions drawn from a preliminary study]. / La consommation de cannabis chez les jeunes résidant à Bruxelles: pistes de réflexion issues d'une étude qualitative préliminaire.

A qualitative study was carried out to explore the adolescents' representations of cannabis and related behaviors. Twenty-two young people aged 13 to 18 years and living in Brussels were interviewed using a half structured interview guideline. The analyse showed that there are three types of behaviors related to cannabis use: the non-users, the experimenters and the users. Parents, the school and peers seem to be specific determinants of cannabis use as well as the main information channels about this product. These preliminary results already lead ways to prevention: training of parents and teachers and school improvement.

[Illegal drug use by secondary school children in Belgium: north-south differences]. / La consommation de drogues illicites chez les jeunes de l'enseignement secondaire de Belgique: différences nord-sud.

The study "Health Behaviour of Youngsters" regularly provides comparative data on health behaviour and related lifestyle of pupils from 11 to 18 years old. This study is based on repeated surveys among randomised representative samples of pupils, following the international standardised protocol from the WHO cross-national survey "Health Behaviour in School-aged Children". In Belgium, results from the 1990 survey (sample = 3528) show differences in illegal drugs use between the South (French-speaking) and the North (Flemish-speaking). For example, among the 17 year olds, 9.8% of the French-speaking pupils and 5.5% of the Flemish-speaking have already tried illegal drug(s) and in the same age groups, 2.9% and 1.5%, respectively declare to be regular users. The first hypotheses concerning those differences take into account the socio-economic and cultural environment as well as methodological problems inherent to these surveys.

[Prevention of AIDS in secondary schools. Adaptation of the peer's education process]. / La prévention du SIDA à l'école secondaire. Adaptation du processus d'éducation par les pairs.

Peers education is a processus potentially relevant for the prevention of AIDS in secondary schools. This paper describes the public health, institutional and educational aspects of the adaptation and evaluation of peers education. The action-research consists of: building an institutional framework in order to ensure the decision-making for the project by consensus, the selection and training of peers; carrying a survey before and after the intervention in the 3 pilot and the 3 control schools. Results in May 89 emphasizes: the relevance and urgency of the prevention of AIDS in secondary schools; the importance of the institutional aspect for the continuity of the project; the involvement of the pupils and the trainers for the processus; the feasibility of an intervention using only local resources. There is still three months to wait to know if this method is relevant for the prevention of AIDS.