National Trends in Hemoglobin Concentration and Prevalence of Anemia among Chinese School-Aged Children, 1995-2010.

PubMed

Song, Yi; Wang, Hai-Jun; Dong, Bin; Wang, Zhiqiang; Ma, Jun; Agardh, Anette

2017-04-01

To assess the trend of sex disparity in hemoglobin concentration and prevalence of anemia among Chinese school-aged children from 1995 to 2010. Data were collected from 360 866 children aged 7, 9, 12, 14, and 17 years during 4 cross-sectional surveys (1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010) of the Chinese National Surveys on Students Constitution and Health. Shifts in hemoglobin concentration distributions were compared by sex. Average shifts and sex differences were calculated with quantile regression models. Logistic regression was used to estimate the prevalence odds ratio of sex for prevalence of anemia in different surveys. The mean hemoglobin concentration increased among Chinese children between 1995 and 2010, from 132.7 to 138.3 g/L in boys, and from 127.7 to 132.3 g/L in girls. The prevalence of anemia decreased from 18.8% in 1995 to 9.9% in 2010. It was higher in rural than urban children among all age groups. The prevalence odds ratios of girls versus boys for anemia increased in both urban and rural areas over time. Hemoglobin concentration and prevalence of anemia improved among Chinese school-aged children over time. Hemoglobin concentration improved faster in boys than girls and as a result the relative prevalence of anemia in girls compared with boys increased. Sex-specific preventive guidelines and public health policies for childhood anemia are needed in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Internal migration, mental health, and suicidal behaviors in young rural Chinese.

PubMed

Dai, Jing; Zhong, Bao-Liang; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Chiu, Helen F K; Chan, Sandra S M; Yu, Xin; Caine, Eric D

2015-04-01

There is a dearth of data on the association of internal migration with mental health in young rural Chinese. This study aims to explore the associations between migrant status, mental health, and suicidal behaviors in young rural Chinese. We recruited 1,646 rural subjects aged 16-34 years, of whom 756 were migrant workers and 890 non-migrants, from ten representative villages in rural Sichuan Province, the southwestern part of China. To assess subject's depressive symptoms and general psychological quality of life (psycho-QOL), the study protocol included the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and psycho-QOL subscale of the World Health Organization's QOL Questionnaire-Brief Version, in addition to structured questions regarding one-year suicidal thoughts and behaviors (serious ideation, plan, and attempt), socio-demographic, social support, and physical health information. After adjustment for confounders, migrant workers had relative to non-migrant rural residents a decreased risk for depression (OR = 0.69, P = 0.026), but comparable risk for poor psycho-QOL (OR = 0.91, P = 0.557) and one-year suicidal behaviors (OR = 0.59-1.10, P = 0.19-0.90). Migrant status only accounted for 0.5, 2.8, 4.7, 9.8, and 12.6% of the total explainable variance for suicide attempt, poor psycho-QOL, suicide plan, depression and serious suicide ideation, respectively. Our findings suggested that among young rural Chinese there were no significant associations involving migrant status and poor psycho-QOL or one-year suicidal behaviors, while migrant status significantly correlated with a decreased risk of depression. The unique contribution of migrant status to mental health among young rural Chinese participants in this study was very small.

Development of a Dietary Index to Assess Overall Diet Quality for Chinese School-Aged Children: The Chinese Children Dietary Index.

PubMed

Cheng, Guo; Duan, Ruonan; Kranz, Sibylle; Libuda, Lars; Zhang, Lishi

2016-04-01

A composite measure of diet quality is preferable to an index of nutrients, food groups, or health-promoting behaviors in dietary assessment. However, to date, such a tool for Chinese children is lacking. Based on the current Chinese Dietary Guidelines and Dietary Reference Intakes, a dietary index for Chinese school-aged children, the Chinese Children Dietary Index was developed to assess overall diet quality among children in South China. Dietary data were recorded using 24-hour recalls among 1,719 children aged 7 to 15 years between March and June 2013. Inactivity data and sociodemographic information were also collected. The Chinese Children Dietary Index included 16 components, which incorporated nutrients, foods/food groups, and health-promoting behaviors. The range of possible Chinese Children Dietary Index scores was 0 to 160, with a higher score indicating better diet quality. Pearson/Spearman correlation was used to assess relative validity using correlations between total Chinese Children Dietary Index score and age, body mass index (BMI; calculated as kg/m(2)), inactivity, whole-grain intake, frequency of fried-foods intake, nutrient adequacy ratios for energy intake and 12 nutrients not included in the Chinese Children Dietary Index, and the mean adequacy ratio. Finally, a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to indicate the factors correlated with Chinese Children Dietary Index. Mean Chinese Children Dietary Index score of this sample was 88.1 points (range=34.2 to 137.8), the Chinese Children Dietary Index score of girls was higher than that of boys and decreased with higher age. Children with higher Chinese Children Dietary Index had lower body mass index and spent less time being inactive. Positive associations were observed between Chinese Children Dietary Index and the majority of nutrient adequacy ratios and the mean adequacy ratio. Age, paternal educational level, and family size were correlated with Chinese Children Dietary

Factors Predicting Rural Chinese Adolescents' Anxieties, Fears and Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Huijun; Zhang, Ying

2008-01-01

This study examined age, gender, birth order and self-perceived level of achievement and popularity, as predictors of anxieties, fears and depression in Chinese adolescents. A sample of 398 rural Chinese adolescents participated in this study. Gender, academic performance and popularity have been found to make the greatest contributions to the…

Urban-Rural Disparities in Energy Intake and Contribution of Fat and Animal Source Foods in Chinese Children Aged 4-17 Years.

PubMed

Zhang, Ji; Wang, Dantong; Eldridge, Alison L; Huang, Feifei; Ouyang, Yifei; Wang, Huijun; Zhang, Bing

2017-05-21

Excessive energy intake and poor food choices are major health concerns associated with overweight and obesity risk. This study aims to explore disparities in energy intake and the contributions from fat and animal source foods among Chinese school-aged children and adolescents in different communities based on urbanization levels. Three consecutive 24 h recalls were used to assess dietary intake. Subjects' height and weight were measured using standard equipment. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics by trained interviewers. The 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey is part of an ongoing longitudinal household survey across 228 communities in nine provinces and three mega-cities in China. Subjects consisted of children aged 4-17 years ( n = 1866; 968 boys and 898 girls). The estimated average energy intake was 1604 kcal/day (1706 kcal/day for boys and 1493 kcal/day for girls). Proportions of energy from fat and animal source foods were 36.8% and 19.8% respectively and did not differ by gender. Total energy intake showed no significant disparity, but the proportion of energy from fat and animal source foods increased with increasing urbanization levels and increasing household income level. The largest difference in consumption percentages between children in rural areas and those in highly urban areas was for milk and dairy products (14.8% versus 74.4%) and the smallest difference was seen in percent consuming meat and meat products (83.1% versus 97.1%). Results of this study highlight the need for developing and implementing community-specific strategies to improve Chinese children's diet quality.

Internal migration, mental health, and suicidal behaviors in young rural Chinese

PubMed Central

Dai, Jing; Zhong, Bao-Liang; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Chiu, Helen F. K.; Chan, Sandra S. M.; Yu, Xin; Caine, Eric D.

2015-01-01

Purpose There is a dearth of data on the association of internal migration with mental health in young rural Chinese. This study aims to explore the associations between migrant status, mental health, and suicidal behaviors in young rural Chinese. Methods We recruited 1,646 rural subjects aged 16–34 years, of whom 756 were migrant workers and 890 non-migrants, from ten representative villages in rural Sichuan Province, the southwestern part of China. To assess subject's depressive symptoms and general psychological quality of life (psycho-QOL), the study protocol included the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and psycho-QOL subscale of the World Health Organization's QOL Questionnaire-Brief Version, in addition to structured questions regarding one-year suicidal thoughts and behaviors (serious ideation, plan, and attempt), socio-demographic, social support, and physical health information. Results After adjustment for confounders, migrant workers had relative to non-migrant rural residents a decreased risk for depression (OR = 0.69, P = 0.026), but comparable risk for poor psycho-QOL (OR = 0.91, P = 0.557) and one-year suicidal behaviors (OR = 0.59–1.10, P = 0.19–0.90). Migrant status only accounted for 0.5, 2.8, 4.7, 9.8, and 12.6 % of the total explainable variance for suicide attempt, poor psycho-QOL, suicide plan, depression and serious suicide ideation, respectively. Conclusion Our findings suggested that among young rural Chinese there were no significant associations involving migrant status and poor psycho-QOL or one-year suicidal behaviors, while migrant status significantly correlated with a decreased risk of depression. The unique contribution of migrant status to mental health among young rural Chinese participants in this study was very small. PMID:25403568

Chinese Translation Errors in English/Chinese Bilingual Children's Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Qiaoya; Chen, Xiaoning

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to review the Chinese translation errors in 31 English/Chinese bilingual children's picture books. While bilingual children's books make definite contributions to language acquisition, few studies have examined the quality of these books, and even fewer have specifically focused on English/Chinese bilingual books.…

Acculturative Stress of Chinese Rural-To-Urban Migrant Workers: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Zhong, Bao-Liang; Liu, Tie-Bang; Huang, Jian-Xing; Fung, Helene H; Chan, Sandra S M; Conwell, Yeates; Chiu, Helen F K

2016-01-01

Global literature has suggested a negative impact of acculturative stress on both physical and mental health among international migrants. In China, approximately 20 percent of its population is rural-to-urban migrant workers and there are significant cultural differences between rural and urban societies, but no data are available regarding the acculturative stress of Chinese migrant workers. This study aimed to explore the forms and contexts of acculturative stress among Chinese migrant workers. Qualitative data were collected from four focus group discussions with 17 Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers and three individual interviews with three medical professionals who provided mental health services for factory-workers in Shenzhen, China. The data in the current study showed that rural-to-urban migrant workers in China had experienced various forms of acculturative stress including difficulties in adapting to the environment, work-related stress, family-related stress, financial hardship, and lack of sense of belonging to cities. Rural-to-urban migration in China is a challenging transition with significant acculturative stress and demands for major adjustments among migrant workers. The assessment and management of acculturative stress is a necessary first step in providing mental health services to migrant workers.

The Impact of Boarding on Campus on the Social-Emotional Competence of Left-Behind Children in Rural Western China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shutao; Dong, Xuan; Mao, Yaqing

2017-01-01

This study aimed to determine if boarding on campus benefited left-behind children's social-emotional competence (SEC). We developed a SEC scale for the Chinese context and culture using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis. Data were collected from 6638 school-aged children from 74 rural boarding…

Relationships between Sleep Behaviors and Unintentional Injury in Southern Chinese School-Aged Children: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Tan, Yafei; Ma, Di; Chen, Ying; Cheng, Fuyuan; Liu, Xiangxiang; Li, Liping

2015-10-16

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between sleep behaviors and injury occurrence among Chinese school-aged children. Data were collected with self-administered questionnaires of a cross-sectional survey which covered the school-aged children from southeastern Chinese urban and rural areas in April 2010. Information was collected on unintentional injury in the past year, sleep duration, napping and daytime fatigue, sleeping pill use, and social-demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, controlling for confounding factors, were conducted to assess sleep-related variables that were associated with injuries. Students who slept for less than 8 h had a 30% increased risk of injury (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.01-1.69) compared with those who slept for 8-9 h. Lack of napping, snoring and use of sleeping pills were significantly associated with injury. Among different genders, the slight difference in sleep behaviors predicted the occurrence of injury. Rural children displayed more sleep behaviors associated with injury than urban children. The sleep behaviors of primary school students were more negatively correlated with injury occurrence than junior/senior high school children. Consideration should be given to the prevention of problematic sleep behaviors as a potential risk factor in order to decrease injury rates and promote the health of school-aged children.

Dietary diversity scores: an indicator of micronutrient inadequacy instead of obesity for Chinese children.

PubMed

Zhao, Wenzhi; Yu, Kai; Tan, Shengjie; Zheng, Yingdong; Zhao, Ai; Wang, Peiyu; Zhang, Yumei

2017-05-12

Micronutrient malnutrition affects the well-being of both adults and children. Dietary diversity score (DDS) is a useful evaluation index with a relatively well-developed guideline by FAO. It's meaningful to assess and predict inadequate micronutrient intakes using DDS in Chinese children, after ruling out the risk of obesity coming with more dietary diversity. Data for evaluation were extracted from the Nutrition Study of Preschool Children and School Children, which is a cross-sectional study covering 8 cities of China, including 1694 children in kindergartens and primary schools. This study applied DDS to Chinese children to test the validity for micronutrient inadequacy, and then explored the relationship between dietary diversity and obesity. It reveals that dietary diversity varied with age and place of residence; the older ones and the ones living in rural areas tend to have poorer dietary diversity. Another discovery is that DDS is positively correlated with indicators of micronutrient adequacy, with a score of 6-8 indicating the lowest risk of micronutrient inadequacy in different groups of children. In our study population, dietary diversity is not related with obesity. Dietary diversity score is a valid indicator to evaluate micronutrient inadequacy in Chinese children, though there is still room for improvement of the method. Besides, the relationship between increase of dietary diversity and risk of obesity should be treated circumspectly.

From subsistence farming towards a multifunctional agriculture: sustainability in the Chinese rural reality.

PubMed

Prändl-Zika, Veronika

2008-04-01

The rural economic situation in China-with a living standard mostly at subsistence level-lags far behind the prosperous development in the cities and coastal areas. To balance this disequilibrium, comprehensive concepts and endeavors are necessary keeping in view all-not just economic-interests and needs that contribute to lively rural identities. In this context the role of agriculture, where still 50% of the Chinese population are working, will be newly defined, and sustainability concepts can help to find a readjusted position within the Chinese economy focusing on environmental health and food safety as main targets of political and other supporting measures. Within the SUCCESS project, a Concept of Sustainable Agriculture was developed and it drafts one conceivable relation between the exposure to natural resources and economy and tries to find new answers to the broad range of rural challenges in China. It is a qualitative model and, therefore, not always fully applicable, but in the concrete situation of villages, it shows possible directions of sustainability-oriented development by considering the typical local potentials. In the Chinese context that means identifying the different functions of agriculture-the well-known and the hidden-to make them explicit for the Chinese public and therewith to give them new significance. The article is based on a 3-years study within the EU-China Project SUCCESS with field research in four Chinese rural communities. It analyzes the agricultural sustainability potential of these selected villages against the background of massive structural changes within the next 20 years in rural China. Starting from the current agricultural reality, based on a qualitative analysis of the actual situation, local potentials and needs towards sustainable production and marketing are identified, and possible functions of the Chinese agriculture are formulated for the future.

Acculturative Stress of Chinese Rural-To-Urban Migrant Workers: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Zhong, Bao-Liang; Liu, Tie-Bang; Huang, Jian-Xing; Fung, Helene H.; Chan, Sandra S. M.; Conwell, Yeates; Chiu, Helen F. K.

2016-01-01

Background Global literature has suggested a negative impact of acculturative stress on both physical and mental health among international migrants. In China, approximately 20 percent of its population is rural-to-urban migrant workers and there are significant cultural differences between rural and urban societies, but no data are available regarding the acculturative stress of Chinese migrant workers. This study aimed to explore the forms and contexts of acculturative stress among Chinese migrant workers. Methods Qualitative data were collected from four focus group discussions with 17 Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers and three individual interviews with three medical professionals who provided mental health services for factory-workers in Shenzhen, China. Results The data in the current study showed that rural-to-urban migrant workers in China had experienced various forms of acculturative stress including difficulties in adapting to the environment, work-related stress, family-related stress, financial hardship, and lack of sense of belonging to cities. Conclusion Rural-to-urban migration in China is a challenging transition with significant acculturative stress and demands for major adjustments among migrant workers. The assessment and management of acculturative stress is a necessary first step in providing mental health services to migrant workers. PMID:27300005

Child Development in the Face of Rural-to-Urban Migration in China: A Meta-Analytic Review.

PubMed

Wang, Lamei; Mesman, Judi

2015-11-01

In the last 30 years, China has undergone one of the largest rural-to-urban migrations in human history, with many children left behind because of parental migration. We present a meta-analytic review of empirical studies on Chinese children's rural-to-urban migration and on rural children left behind because of parental migration. We examine how these events relate to children's emotional, social, and academic developmental outcomes. We include publications in English and in Chinese to uncover and quantify a part of the research literature that has been inaccessible to most Western scholars in the field of child and family studies. Overall, both migrant children and children left behind by migrant parents in China show significantly less favorable functioning across domains than other Chinese children. It appears that, similar to processes found in other parts of the world, the experience of economic and acculturation stress as well as disrupted parent-child relations constitute a risk for nonoptimal child functioning in the Chinese context. Further, we found evidence for publication bias against studies showing less favorable development for migrant children and children left behind. We discuss the results in terms of challenges to Chinese society and to future empirical research on Chinese family life. © The Author(s) 2015.

Chinese Folktales for Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwok, Irene

This bilingual text contains ten traditional Chinese folktales which have been rewritten for children. Each story deals with interpersonal relationships and/or stresses the Chinese way of life. Each page of text is given first in English and then in Chinese and is illustrated with a full-page drawing. The titles of the folktales are: (1) "One…

Patterns of life events preceding the suicide in rural young Chinese: a case control study.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Ma, Zhenyu

2012-10-01

Previous studies on the Chinese suicide found some life events prior to the suicide different from those in the West, but there is a lack of summary of the Chinese life event patterns to better understand the effects of the social structure on Chinese suicide. We tried to identify the life events that precede the Chinese rural youth suicides and compare them with what are found in the West, so as to find the patterns that are particularly true in the Chinese culture contexts. Suicide cases were investigated with a psychological autopsy study in rural China, and local community living controls were also interviewed with the same protocol. We collapsed 64 negative life events into six categories: (1) Marriage/Love, (2) Family/Home, (3) Work/Business, (4) Health/Hospital, (5) Law/Legal, (6) Friend/Relationship. About 92.3% of the suicides studied had experienced at least one type of negative life events. The three most common negative life events categories in the past one year were Family/Home (60.7%), Health/Hospital (53.8%) and Marriage/Love (51.3%) in the rural young suicide victims. Among the negative life events, those related to family relations, love affairs, and marital issues were most likely to precede a suicide of rural suicides in China, and it is especially true of rural young women. Family is an important social institution in rural China for suicide prevention efforts. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population density and refractive error among Chinese children.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingzhi; Li, Liping; Chen, Lizhen; Lee, Jack; Wu, Jiasi; Yang, Amy; Chen, Connie; Xu, Daocheng; Lam, Dennis S C; Sharma, Abhishek; Griffiths, Sian; Gao, Yang; Congdon, Nathan

2010-10-01

China is urbanizing rapidly, and the prevalence of myopia is high. This study was conducted to identify the reasons for observed differences in the prevalence of myopia among urban versus rural Chinese children. All children with uncorrected acuity of 6/12 or worse and a 50% random sample of children with vision better than 6/12 at all secondary schools in mixed rural-urban Liangying Township, Guangdong, underwent cycloplegic refraction, and provided data on age, gender, parental education, weekly near work and time outdoors, and urban development level of respondents' neighborhoods (12-item questionnaire). Population density of 32 villages and urban zones in Liangying was calculated from census figures (mean population density, 217 persons/km(2); range, 94-957; mean for Guangdong, 486). Among 5844 eligible children, 4612 (78.9%) had parental consent and completed examinations; 2957 were refracted per protocol, and 2480 (83.9%) of these had questionnaire data. Those with completed examinations were more likely to be girls (P < 0.001), and questionnaire respondents were more myopic (P = 0.02), but otherwise did not differ significantly from nonrespondents. In multivariate models, older age (P < 0.001), more near work (P = 0.02), and higher population density (P = 0.003), but not development index, parental education, or time outdoors were significantly associated with more myopic refractive error. Higher population density appears to be associated with myopia risk, independent of academic activity, time spent outdoors, familial educational level, or economic development, factors that have been thought to explain higher myopia prevalence among urban children. Mechanisms for this apparent association should be sought.

Urban-Rural Extension: Urban-Rural Reproduction among Different Groups of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jialing, Han; Yong, Gao; Yan, Zhang; Chengming, Han

2017-01-01

The authors analyze survey data from four groups of children (urban children, migrant children, rural left-behind children, and ordinary rural children) to explore their social resource access with respect to educational resources, health resources, and family support. The study finds that urban children are advantaged in all three areas compared…

Urban Teachers' Perceptions of Inclusion of Migrant Children in the Chinese Educational Institution: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ting; Holmes, Kathryn; Albright, James

2015-01-01

Recently China has been undergoing an unprecedented urbanisation process which has resulted in millions of rural families living in urban areas. As part of a study of Chinese migrant children's educational experiences, surveys and interviews were conducted with primary school teachers in a metropolitan city in East China. The objectives of this…

Relationships between Sleep Behaviors and Unintentional Injury in Southern Chinese School-Aged Children: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Tan, Yafei; Ma, Di; Chen, Ying; Cheng, Fuyuan; Liu, Xiangxiang; Li, Liping

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between sleep behaviors and injury occurrence among Chinese school-aged children. Data were collected with self-administered questionnaires of a cross-sectional survey which covered the school-aged children from southeastern Chinese urban and rural areas in April 2010. Information was collected on unintentional injury in the past year, sleep duration, napping and daytime fatigue, sleeping pill use, and social-demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, controlling for confounding factors, were conducted to assess sleep-related variables that were associated with injuries. Students who slept for less than 8 h had a 30% increased risk of injury (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.01–1.69) compared with those who slept for 8–9 h. Lack of napping, snoring and use of sleeping pills were significantly associated with injury. Among different genders, the slight difference in sleep behaviors predicted the occurrence of injury. Rural children displayed more sleep behaviors associated with injury than urban children. The sleep behaviors of primary school students were more negatively correlated with injury occurrence than junior/senior high school children. Consideration should be given to the prevention of problematic sleep behaviors as a potential risk factor in order to decrease injury rates and promote the health of school-aged children. PMID:26501305

The Self-Esteem of Rural Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Raymond K.; Fetsch, Robert J.

2007-01-01

The self-esteem of children in small towns was assessed. Comparing these children's self-rated competencies to extant norms suggests that rural children's self-perceptions are not distinctly different from suburban and urban children. Rural children's feelings of self-worth and self-assessments of scholastic competence are comparable to or higher…

PARENTAL AND SIBLING MIGRATION AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG RURAL CHILDREN IN CHINA.

PubMed

Wen, Ming; Li, Kelin

2016-01-01

This study examines the associations between parental and sibling rural-to-urban migration and blood pressure (BP) of rural left-behind children (LBC) in rural China. Analysis was based on the 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2009 waves of longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, which is an ongoing prospective survey covering nine provinces with an individual-level response rate of 88%. Blood pressure levels were measured by trained examiners at three consecutive times on the same visit and the means of three measurements were used as the final BP values. An ordinal BP measure was then created using a recently validated age-sex-specified distribution for Chinese children and adolescents, distinguishing normal BP, pre-hypertension and hypertension. Random effect modelling was performed. Different migration circumstances play different roles in LBC's BP with mother-only and both-parent migration being particularly detrimental and father-only and sibling-only migration either having no association or a negative association with LBC's BP levels or odds of high BP. In conclusion, the link between family migration and left-behind children's blood pressure is complex, and depends on who is the person out-migrating.

Patterns of Life Events Preceding the Suicide in Rural Young Chinese: A Case Control Study1

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jie; Ma, Zhenyu

2012-01-01

Background Previous studies on the Chinese suicide found some life events prior to the suicide different from those in the West, but there is a lack of summary of the Chinese life event patterns to better understand the effects of the social structure on Chinese suicide. Aim We tried to identify the life events that precede the Chinese rural youth suicides and compare them with what found in the West, so as to find the patterns that are particularly true in the Chinese culture contexts. Methods Suicide cases were investigated with a psychological autopsy study in rural China, and local community living controls were also interviewed with the same protocol. Results We collapsed 64 negative life events into six categories: (1) Marriage/Love, (2) Family/Home, (3) Work/Business, (4) Health/Hospital, (5) Law/Legal, (6) Friend/Relationship. About 92.3% of the suicides studied had experienced at least one type of negative life events. The three most common negative life events categories in the past one year were Family/Home (60.7%), Health/Hospital (53.8%) and Marriage/Love (51.3%) in the rural young suicide victims. Conclusions Among the negative life events, those related to family relations, love affairs, and marital issues were most likely to precede a suicide of rural suicides in China, and it is especially true of rural young women. Family is an important social institution in rural China for suicide prevention efforts. PMID:22595373

Near work, outdoor activity, and myopia in children in rural China: the Handan offspring myopia study.

PubMed

Lin, Zhong; Gao, Tie Ying; Vasudevan, Balamurali; Ciuffreda, Kenneth J; Liang, Yuan Bo; Jhanji, Vishal; Fan, Su Jie; Han, Wei; Wang, Ning Li

2017-11-17

The near work and outdoor activity are the most important environmental risk factors for myopia. However, data from Chinese rural children are relatively rare and remain controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of both near work and outdoor activities with refractive error in rural children in China. In this cross-sectional study, 572 (65.1%) of 878 children (6-18 years of age) were included from the Handan Offspring Myopia Study (HOMS). Information from the parents on these children, as well as the parent's non-cycloplegic refraction, were obtained from the database of the Handan Eye Study conducted in the years 2006-2007. A comprehensive vision examination, including cycloplegic refraction, and a related questionnaire, were assessed on all children. The overall time spent on near work and outdoor activity in the children was 4.8 ± 1.6 and 2.9 ± 1.4 h per day, respectively. Myopic children spent more time on near work (5.0 ± 1.7 h vs.4.7 ± 1.6 h, p = 0.049), while no significant difference was found in outdoor activity hours (2.8 ± 1.3 h vs. 3.0 ± 1.4 h, p = 0.38), as compared to non-myopic children. In the multiple logistic analysis, in general, no association between near work and myopia was found after adjusting for the children's age, gender, parental refractive error, parental educational level, and daily outdoor activity hours [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 0.94-1.27]. However, a weak protective effect of the outdoor activity on myopia was found (OR, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.70-0.96), after adjusting for similar confounders. In general, no association between near work and myopia was found, except for the high near work subgroup with moderate outdoor activity levels. A weak protective effect of outdoor activity on myopia in Chinese rural children was observed.

Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test Norms for Mandarin Chinese-Speaking Chinese Children.

PubMed

Xie, Yachun; Shi, Chunmei; Tong, Meiling; Zhang, Min; Li, Tingting; Xu, Yaqin; Guo, Xirong; Hong, Qin; Chi, Xia

2016-01-01

The Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test is commonly used as a clinical visual-verbal ocular motor assessment tool to screen and diagnose reading problems at the onset. No established norm exists for using the DEM test with Mandarin Chinese-speaking Chinese children. This study aims to establish the normative values of the DEM test for the Mandarin Chinese-speaking population in China; it also aims to compare the values with three other published norms for English-, Spanish-, and Cantonese-speaking Chinese children. A random stratified sampling method was used to recruit children from eight kindergartens and eight primary schools in the main urban and suburban areas of Nanjing. A total of 1,425 Mandarin Chinese-speaking children aged 5 to 12 years took the DEM test in Mandarin Chinese. A digital recorder was used to record the process. All of the subjects completed a symptomatology survey, and their DEM scores were determined by a trained tester. The scores were computed using the formula in the DEM manual, except that the "vertical scores" were adjusted by taking the vertical errors into consideration. The results were compared with the three other published norms. In our subjects, a general decrease with age was observed for the four eye movement indexes: vertical score, adjusted horizontal score, ratio, and total error. For both the vertical and adjusted horizontal scores, the Mandarin Chinese-speaking children completed the tests much more quickly than the norms for English- and Spanish-speaking children. However, the same group completed the test slightly more slowly than the norms for Cantonese-speaking children. The differences in the means were significant (P<0.001) in all age groups. For several ages, the scores obtained in this study were significantly different from the reported scores of Cantonese-speaking Chinese children (P<0.005). Compared with English-speaking children, only the vertical score of the 6-year-old group, the vertical-horizontal time

Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) Test Norms for Mandarin Chinese-Speaking Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Tong, Meiling; Zhang, Min; Li, Tingting; Xu, Yaqin; Guo, Xirong; Hong, Qin; Chi, Xia

2016-01-01

The Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test is commonly used as a clinical visual-verbal ocular motor assessment tool to screen and diagnose reading problems at the onset. No established norm exists for using the DEM test with Mandarin Chinese-speaking Chinese children. This study aims to establish the normative values of the DEM test for the Mandarin Chinese-speaking population in China; it also aims to compare the values with three other published norms for English-, Spanish-, and Cantonese-speaking Chinese children. A random stratified sampling method was used to recruit children from eight kindergartens and eight primary schools in the main urban and suburban areas of Nanjing. A total of 1,425 Mandarin Chinese-speaking children aged 5 to 12 years took the DEM test in Mandarin Chinese. A digital recorder was used to record the process. All of the subjects completed a symptomatology survey, and their DEM scores were determined by a trained tester. The scores were computed using the formula in the DEM manual, except that the “vertical scores” were adjusted by taking the vertical errors into consideration. The results were compared with the three other published norms. In our subjects, a general decrease with age was observed for the four eye movement indexes: vertical score, adjusted horizontal score, ratio, and total error. For both the vertical and adjusted horizontal scores, the Mandarin Chinese-speaking children completed the tests much more quickly than the norms for English- and Spanish-speaking children. However, the same group completed the test slightly more slowly than the norms for Cantonese-speaking children. The differences in the means were significant (P<0.001) in all age groups. For several ages, the scores obtained in this study were significantly different from the reported scores of Cantonese-speaking Chinese children (P<0.005). Compared with English-speaking children, only the vertical score of the 6-year-old group, the vertical

[Snacks consumption in Chinese children and adolescents at the ages of 3-17 years].

PubMed

Yu, Dongmei; Zhang, Bing; Zhao, Liyun; Wang, Huijun

2008-11-01

To describe the status of snacks consumption, the characteristics, and the contribution to their diet and nutrients intake in Chinese children and adolescents at the ages of 3-17 years. Chinese health and nutritional survey (1991-2004), Chinese National nutrition and health survey (2002), and 2007 typical survey on snacks in Chinese residents were used in this report. The incidence of snacks consumption and snacking contribution were calculated by consecutive day 3 dietary recalls of the first 2 surveys. At least 1 snacks intake in 3 days was snacking consumption. The incidences of snacks consumption in Chinese population at the ages of 3-17 years were increased from 1991 (13.2%) to 2004 (19.3%). There were 35.1% of Chinese children and adolescents consuming snacks, 55.7% in urban and 29.6% in rural. Snacks provided 7.7% of total daily energy, 18.2% of fiber, 17.9% of VC, 9.9% of calcium, 9.7% of VE, 6.9% of iron and 6.3% of zinc. The snacks were mainly consumed in the evening. The main reasons were not nutrition of food but good taste, thirsty or hungry and food advertisement. The location of snacking was mainly at home and school. The snacks came from parents or other family members. They also buy snacks themselves. The consumption of candies and chocolate, jelly more than 4-6 day a week had a certain proportion. It was important to supervise snacks selection and consumption in Chinese children and adolescents at the ages of 3-17 years. The limitations of snacks consumption data perhaps lowed underestimate the effects of snacks to dietary intake.

One-Year Course and Effects of Insomnia in Rural Chinese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Luo, Chunliu; Zhang, Jihui; Pan, Jiyang

2013-01-01

Study Objectives: We aimed to explore the incidence and persistence of insomnia, the associated risk factors, and the potential bidirectional association of insomnia with depression, anxiety, and sleepiness in rural Chinese adolescents. Design: School-based prospective study. Setting: Five high schools in rural China. Participants: There were 2,787 adolescents studied. Interventions: N/A. Measures and Results: Insomnia was defined as having a score of equal to or higher than nine in the Insomnia Severity Index as validated in Chinese adolescents. Depression, anxiety, and sleepiness were determined by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), respectively. The incidence and persistence rates of insomnia were 16.0% and 41.0%, respectively. Multivariate analyses in logistic regression models revealed that new incidence of insomnia was significantly associated with age, living in a rural area, habitual daytime napping, high life events, anxiety, and depression at baseline (range adjusted odds ratio = 1.12-1.61), whereas the persistence of insomnia was positively associated with age, female sex, high life events, and depression at baseline (range adjusted odds ratio = 1.26-1.55) but negatively associated with living in a rural area (odds ratio = 0.59). Insomnia at baseline could predict new onsets of both depression (odds ratio = 1.45) and anxiety (odds ratio = 1.98) but not sleepiness at follow-up after adjustment for age, sex, and baseline symptoms. The results in cross-lagged analyses further supported these observations in the bidirectional associations of insomnia with depression, anxiety, and sleepiness. Conclusions: Insomnia has considerable incidence and persistence rates in Chinese adolescents. We have identified several risk factors for the incidence and persistence of insomnia. There are bidirectional associations of insomnia with depression and anxiety but not sleepiness. Citation: Luo C

Subsyllabic Unit Preference in Young Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Min; Cheng, Chenxi

2008-01-01

We reported three experiments investigating subsyllabic unit preference in young Chinese children. In Experiment 1, a Chinese sound similarity judgment task was designed in which 48 pair of stimuli varied in terms of shared subsyllabic units (i.e., vowel, body, rime, onset-coda). Grade 1 Chinese-speaking monolingual children judged pairs with…

Understanding Informal and Formal Mathematical Abilities in Mainland Chinese and Chinese-American Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Zheng; Cheng, Christine; Mottram, Lisa; Rosenblum, Stacey

Informal and formal mathematical abilities were studied in the preschool, kindergarten, and first grade children in Beijing, China and Chinese-American children in New York City. Test of Early Mathematical Abilities-2nd Edition (TEMA-2) was administered to the three groups of children (children from Beijing, Chinese-American from lower-class, and…

Patterns and Determinants of Double-Burden of Malnutrition among Rural Children: Evidence from China.

PubMed

Zhang, Nan; Bécares, Laia; Chandola, Tarani

2016-01-01

Chinese children are facing dual burden of malnutrition-coexistence of under-and over-nutrition. Little systematic evidence exists for explaining the simultaneous presence of under-and over-nutrition. This study aims to explore underlying mechanisms of under-and over-nutrition among children in rural China. This study used a nationwide longitudinal dataset of children (N = 5,017) from 9 provinces across China, with four exclusively categories of nutritional outcomes including under-nutrition (stunting and underweight), over-nutrition (overweight only including obesity), paradox (stunted overweight), with normal nutrition as reference. Multinomial logit models (Level-1: occasions; Level-2: children; Level-3: villages) were fitted which corrected for non-independence of observations due to geographic clustering and repeated observations of individuals. A mixture of risk factors at the individual, household and neighbourhood levels predicted under-and over-nutrition among children in rural China. Improved socioeconomic status and living in more urbanised villages reduced the risk of stunted overweight among rural children in China. Young girls appeared to have higher risk of under-nutrition, and the risk decreased with age more markedly than for boys up to age 5. From age 5 onwards, boys tended to have higher risk of under-nutrition than girls. Girls aged around 12 and older were less likely to suffer from under-nutrition, while boys' higher risk of under-nutrition persisted throughout adolescence. Children were less likely to suffer from over-nutrition compared to normal nutrition. Boys tended to have an even lower risk of over-nutrition than girls and the gender difference widened with age until adolescence. Our results have important policy implications that improving household economic status, in particular, maternal education and health insurance for children, and living environment are important to enhance rural children's nutritional status in China

The Chinese in Children's Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York Public Library, NY.

This is a selective annotated list of children's books about China and the Chinese. Topics range from dynasties, the era of Western influence, emigration, revolution, to present day affairs. Most of the books have a Chinese setting, but some are about the Chinese in America. Listings are made under categories such as picture books, stories for…

Depressive Symptoms of Chinese Children: Prevalence and Correlated Factors among Subgroups.

PubMed

Zhou, Mi; Zhang, Guangsheng; Rozelle, Scott; Kenny, Kaleigh; Xue, Hao

2018-02-07

Economic growth and socioeconomic changes have transformed nearly every aspect of childhood in China, and many are worried by the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among children, particularly depression. To provide insight into the distribution of depressive symptoms among children in China and identify vulnerable groups, we use data from the 2012 China Family Panel Survey (CFPS), a survey that collected data from a large, nationally representative sample of the Chinese population. Using the CFPS data, we construct a sample of 2679 children aged 10-15 years old from 25 provinces in China. According to our results, the incidence of depression varies by geographic area. Specifically, we find that rates of depressive symptoms are significantly lower in urban areas (14% of sample children) than in rural areas (23% of sample children). Our results also show that children from ethnic minorities, from poorer families, and whose parents are depressed are more likely to be depressed than other children. In contrast, we find that depressive symptoms do not vary by gender.

Patterns and Determinants of Double-Burden of Malnutrition among Rural Children: Evidence from China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Nan; Bécares, Laia; Chandola, Tarani

2016-01-01

Chinese children are facing dual burden of malnutrition—coexistence of under-and over-nutrition. Little systematic evidence exists for explaining the simultaneous presence of under-and over-nutrition. This study aims to explore underlying mechanisms of under-and over-nutrition among children in rural China. This study used a nationwide longitudinal dataset of children (N = 5,017) from 9 provinces across China, with four exclusively categories of nutritional outcomes including under-nutrition (stunting and underweight), over-nutrition (overweight only including obesity), paradox (stunted overweight), with normal nutrition as reference. Multinomial logit models (Level-1: occasions; Level-2: children; Level-3: villages) were fitted which corrected for non-independence of observations due to geographic clustering and repeated observations of individuals. A mixture of risk factors at the individual, household and neighbourhood levels predicted under-and over-nutrition among children in rural China. Improved socioeconomic status and living in more urbanised villages reduced the risk of stunted overweight among rural children in China. Young girls appeared to have higher risk of under-nutrition, and the risk decreased with age more markedly than for boys up to age 5. From age 5 onwards, boys tended to have higher risk of under-nutrition than girls. Girls aged around 12 and older were less likely to suffer from under-nutrition, while boys’ higher risk of under-nutrition persisted throughout adolescence. Children were less likely to suffer from over-nutrition compared to normal nutrition. Boys tended to have an even lower risk of over-nutrition than girls and the gender difference widened with age until adolescence. Our results have important policy implications that improving household economic status, in particular, maternal education and health insurance for children, and living environment are important to enhance rural children’s nutritional status in China

Chinese City Children and Youth's Walking Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quan, Minghui; Chen, Peijie; Zhuang, Jie; Wang, Chao

2013-01-01

Purpose: Although walking has been demonstrated as one of the best forms for promoting physical activity (PA), little is known about Chinese city children and youth's walking behavior. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess ambulatory PA behavior of Chinese city children and youth. Method: The daily steps of 2,751 children and youth…

Urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity distribution and its potential trend with breast cancer among Chinese women.

PubMed

Gao, Ying; Huang, Yubei; Song, Fengju; Dai, Hongji; Wang, Peishan; Li, Haixin; Zheng, Hong; Dong, Henglei; Han, Jiali; Wang, Yaogang; Chen, Kexin

2016-08-30

To evaluate the urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity and explore its potential trend with breast cancer among Chinese women. The prevalence of overweight/obesity for Chinese rural women (35.2%, 29.2% for overweight and 6.0% for obesity) was significantly higher than that for Chinese urban women (33.4%, 27.7% for overweight and 5.7% for obesity) (P < 0.001). For either rural or urban women, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was highest in north region, followed by east region for rural women and north-east region for urban women. For rural women, higher prevalence of overweight/obesity was significantly positively associated with elder age, Han nationality, low level of education, no occupation, high family income, less number of family residents, insurance, and elder age at marriage. Similar positive associations were also found for urban women, except negative associations for high family income, less number of family residents, and elder age at marriage. A non-significant positive trend between overweight/obesity and breast cancer was found for rural women [odds ratio (OR): 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87-1.29], but a significant positive trend for urban women (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.19-2.02). A total of 1 210 762 participants were recruited from the Chinese National Breast Cancer Screening Program. Overweight and obesity were defined as body mass index (BMI) ranged 24.0-27.9 kg/m2 and BMI ≥ 28.0kg/m2, respectively. There was an obvious urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity distribution among Chinese women, which could also lead to an obvious disparity of breast cancer distribution.

Visual disability, visual function, and myopia among rural chinese secondary school children: the Xichang Pediatric Refractive Error Study (X-PRES)--report 1.

PubMed

Congdon, Nathan; Wang, Yunfei; Song, Yue; Choi, Kai; Zhang, Mingzhi; Zhou, Zhongxia; Xie, Zhenling; Li, Liping; Liu, Xueyu; Sharma, Abhishek; Wu, Bin; Lam, Dennis S C

2008-07-01

To evaluate visual acuity, visual function, and prevalence of refractive error among Chinese secondary-school children in a cross-sectional school-based study. Uncorrected, presenting, and best corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction with refinement, and self-reported visual function were assessed in a random, cluster sample of rural secondary school students in Xichang, China. Among the 1892 subjects (97.3% of the consenting children, 84.7% of the total sample), mean age was 14.7 +/- 0.8 years, 51.2% were female, and 26.4% were wearing glasses. The proportion of children with uncorrected, presenting, and corrected visual disability (< or = 6/12 in the better eye) was 41.2%, 19.3%, and 0.5%, respectively. Myopia < -0.5, < -2.0, and < -6.0 D in both eyes was present in 62.3%, 31.1%, and 1.9% of the subjects, respectively. Among the children with visual disability when tested without correction, 98.7% was due to refractive error, while only 53.8% (414/770) of these children had appropriate correction. The girls had significantly (P < 0.001) more presenting visual disability and myopia < -2.0 D than did the boys. More myopic refractive error was associated with worse self-reported visual function (ANOVA trend test, P < 0.001). Visual disability in this population was common, highly correctable, and frequently uncorrected. The impact of refractive error on self-reported visual function was significant. Strategies and studies to understand and remove barriers to spectacle wear are needed.

Total arsenic concentrations in Chinese children's urine by different geographic locations, ages, and genders.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuan; Wang, Beibei; Cui, Xiaoyong; Lin, Chunye; Liu, Xitao; Ma, Jin

2018-06-01

Little is known about the variation of Chinese children's exposure to arsenic by geography, age, gender, and other potential factors. The main objective of this study was to investigate the total arsenic concentration in Chinese children's urine by geographic locations, ages, and genders. In total, 259 24-h urine samples were collected from 210 2- to 12-year-old children in China and analyzed for total arsenic and creatinine concentrations. The results showed that the upper limit (upper limit of the 90% confidence interval for the 97.5 fractile) was 27.51 µg/L or 55.88 µg/g creatinine for Chinese children. The total urinary arsenic levels were significantly different for children in Guangdong, Hubei, and Gansu provinces (P < 0.05), where the upper limits were 24.29, 58.70, and 44.29 µg/g creatinine, respectively. In addition, the total urinary arsenic levels were higher for 2- to 7-year-old children than for 7- to 12-year-old children (P < 0.05; the upper limits were 59.06 and 44.29 µg/g creatinine, respectively) and higher for rural children than for urban children (P < 0.05; the upper limits were 59.06 and 50.44 µg/g creatinine, respectively). The total urinary arsenic levels for boys were not significantly different from those for girls (P > 0.05), although the level for boys (the upper limit was 59.30 µg/g) was slightly higher than that for girls (the upper limit was 58.64 µg/g creatinine). Because the total urinary arsenic concentrations are significantly different for general populations of children in different locations and age groups, the reference level of total urinary arsenic might be dependent on the geographic site and the child's age.

Urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity distribution and its potential trend with breast cancer among Chinese women

PubMed Central

Gao, Ying; Huang, Yubei; Song, Fengju; Dai, Hongji; Wang, Peishan; Li, Haixin; Zheng, Hong; Dong, Henglei; Han, Jiali; Wang, Yaogang; Chen, Kexin

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity and explore its potential trend with breast cancer among Chinese women. Results The prevalence of overweight/obesity for Chinese rural women (35.2%, 29.2% for overweight and 6.0% for obesity) was significantly higher than that for Chinese urban women (33.4%, 27.7% for overweight and 5.7% for obesity) (P < 0.001). For either rural or urban women, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was highest in north region, followed by east region for rural women and north-east region for urban women. For rural women, higher prevalence of overweight/obesity was significantly positively associated with elder age, Han nationality, low level of education, no occupation, high family income, less number of family residents, insurance, and elder age at marriage. Similar positive associations were also found for urban women, except negative associations for high family income, less number of family residents, and elder age at marriage. A non-significant positive trend between overweight/obesity and breast cancer was found for rural women [odds ratio (OR): 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87–1.29], but a significant positive trend for urban women (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.19–2.02). Materials and Methods A total of 1 210 762 participants were recruited from the Chinese National Breast Cancer Screening Program. Overweight and obesity were defined as body mass index (BMI) ranged 24.0–27.9 kg/m2 and BMI ≥ 28.0kg/m2, respectively. Conclusions There was an obvious urban-rural disparity of overweight/obesity distribution among Chinese women, which could also lead to an obvious disparity of breast cancer distribution. PMID:27489359

Lifelong learning of Chinese rural physicians: preliminary psychometrics and influencing factors.

PubMed

Li, Honghe; Wang, Ziwei; Jiang, Nan; Liu, Yang; Wen, Deliang

2015-10-30

There are more than 4.9 million rural health workers undertaking the health care need of rural population of over 629 million in China. The lifelong learning of physicians is vital in maintaining up-to-date and qualified health care, but rural physicians in many developing countries lack adequate medical professional developments. There has also been no empirical research focused on the lifelong learning of rural physician populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the primary levels of lifelong learning of the rural physicians and to analyze group differences. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 1197 rural physicians using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Lifelong Learning (JSPLL). Cronbach's α coefficient, exploratory factor analysis, independent sample t-test, and one-way ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls test were performed to analyze the data. For Chinese rural physicians, the JSPLL was reliable (Cronbach's α coefficient = 0.872) and valid, with exploratory factor analysis fitting a 3-factor model and accounting for a total of 60.46 % of the variance. The mean lifelong learning score was 45.56. Rural physicians generally performed worse in the technical skills in seeking information domain. Rural physicians with 21-30 working years have a lower score of lifelong learning (P < 0.05) than other phases of working years. Career satisfaction and professional titles had a significantly positive influence on physicians' orientation towards lifelong learning (P < 0.05). The overall lifelong learning scores of physicians who received more training after completion of medical school were higher than those with less additional post-medical school training (P <0.05). The JSPLL is effective for the Chinese rural physician population. In order to cope with impacting factors on rural physicians' lifelong learning, the results of the study reinforced the importance of continuing medical education and career satisfaction for lifelong

Intellectually Gifted Rural-to-Urban Migrant Children's Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hui; He, Yunfeng; Tao, Ting; Shi, Jian-Nong

2016-01-01

The term "intellectually gifted rural-to-urban migrant children" refers to intellectually gifted children who are in migration from rural to urban areas. We compared performances on seven attention tasks among intellectually gifted (n = 26) and average (n = 30) rural-to-urban migrant and intellectually gifted urban children (n = 31). Our…

Remote Possibilities: Rural Children's Educational Aspirations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Caitlin W.

2006-01-01

To better understand the influence of rural context on youth's life chances, this study takes up the question of rural children's educational aspirations. The experience of rural life may, as some claim, limit students' educational aspirations. Yet there are indications that rural communities simultaneously generate important social benefits that…

Self-Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of British-Chinese, White British and Hong Kong Chinese Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Yiu Man

2000-01-01

Evaluates the self-esteem scores of 1303 children, including Chinese children from Britain and Hong Kong and white British children, using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Finds that British Chinese have significantly higher self-esteem than the Hong Kong children, but there is little difference among white British children. (CMK)

The ABC's of Chinese: Maternal Mediation of Pinyin for Chinese Children's Early Literacy Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBride-Chang, Catherine; Lin, Dan; Liu, Phil D.; Aram, Dorit; Levin, Iris; Cho, Jeung-Ryeul; Shu, Hua; Zhang, Yuping

2012-01-01

In the present study, maternal Pinyin mediation and its relations with young Chinese children's word reading and word writing development were explored. At time 1, 43 Mainland Chinese children and their mothers were videotaped on a task in which children were asked to write 12 words in Pinyin (a phonological coding system used in Mainland China as…

Chinese herbal medicine, sibship, and blood lead in children.

PubMed

Cheng, T J; Wong, R H; Lin, Y P; Hwang, Y H; Horng, J J; Wang, J D

1998-08-01

Risk factors for increased blood lead concentration (BPb) has been investigated. However, the effect of sibship and Chinese herbal medicine on BPb has not been systematically studied. In this study BPb data from voluntary testing was used to determine if Chinese herbal medicine and sibship were associated with BPb. 319 children aged 1-7 were tested for BPb. Meanwhile, parents were interviewed to obtain information including consumption of Chinese herbal medicine, living environment, lifestyle, and sibship of the children tested. The mean (SD) BPb of 319 preschool children was 4.4 (2.4) micrograms/dl. The consumption of Ba-baw-san (a Chinese herbal medicine) was significantly associated with increased BPb in children (p = 0.038). Further multivariate regression analysis of BPb in 50 pairs of siblings showed the factors of being brothers explained 75% of variation for BPb, and being sisters and brother-sister explained 51% and 41% of variation respectively. Chinese herbal medicine and children's play patterns within the family expressed in different types of sibship are the main determinants of low concentrations of BPb in preschool children of Taiwan.

Sociodemographic Correlates of Behavioral Problems Among Rural Chinese Schoolchildren

PubMed Central

Feng, Hui; Liu, Jianghong; Wang, Ying; He, Guoping

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the problem behaviors of children from grades 4–6 and associated factors in the rural Hunan province of China. Design and Sample Randomized cluster sampling in 3 rural areas of the Hunan province was used. 435 subjects were randomly selected from grades 4–6. Measures A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to find influential demographic, parental, and socioeconomic factors. The prediction test of problem children (PPCT) was used to assess problem behaviors. Results The prevalence of the early child problem behaviors in our sample was 17.44%. Associated factors include gender, willingness to attend school, parents’ expectations of the children’s educational degree, parents working outside the home (left-behind children), and children’s feeling of their parents’ understanding of them. Conclusions The prevalence of children with problem behaviors was higher in rural areas in Hunan than in China as a whole. This may be partly explained by the fact that parents must often work in the cities and leave their children behind at home, increasing the chances that those children develop behavioral problems. This phenomenon also applies in other developing countries, making it a public health concern. Therefore, there is a need to prevent problem behaviors through collaboration among families, schools, and society. PMID:21736608

Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparing Rural and Non-Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mello, Maria P.; Urbano, Richard C.; Goldman, Samantha E.; Hodapp, Robert M.

2016-01-01

This study compared service use for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who live in rural vs. non-rural areas. Participants were 415 caregivers of children with ASD, of whom 101 (23.7%) lived in rural areas of a southeastern state. Participants completed an online survey regarding access and quality of different services. For…

Chinese Children's Explanations for Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhu, Liqi; Liu, Guangyi; Tardif, Twila

2009-01-01

The study explored how Chinese children spontaneously explained the causes of illness. Two groups of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children from different socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds were recruited, with 30 children in each age group. A group of 30 college students were also recruited and their responses compared to those produced by the…

Mental health status and related characteristics of Chinese male rural-urban migrant workers.

PubMed

Yang, Tingzhong; Xu, Xiaochao; Li, Mu; Rockett, Ian R H; Zhu, Waner; Ellison-Barnes, Alejandra

2012-06-01

To explore mental health status and related characteristics in a sample of Chinese male rural-urban migrants. Subjects were 1,595 male rural-urban migrant workers selected though a multi-stage sample survey conducted in two cities (Hangzhou and Guangzhou). Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Both life and work stressors were examined. Stress and mental health status were measured by the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) and the Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ), respectively. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with probable mental disorders. There are approximately 120 million rural-urban migrants in China. The prevalence of probable mental disorders in the sample population was 24.4% (95% CI: 23.3-25.5%), which was higher than among urban residents (20.2%, 95% CI: 18.8-21.7%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that five characteristics were positively associated with risk for probable mental disorders: originating in the South (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.02, 4.00), higher life stress (OR = 7.63; 95% CI = 5.88, 10.00), staying in the city for 5-9 months each year (OR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.67, 3.85), higher work stress (OR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.96, 3.33), and separation from wife (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.61, 3.57). Employment in machinery and transportation (OR = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.36, 0.81) and higher self-worth (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.28, 0.62) were negatively associated. Findings support an urgent need to develop specific policies and programs to address mental health problems among Chinese rural-urban migrants.

[Physical growth trend of Chinese children under 7 years old, in 1975 - 2005].

PubMed

Li, Hui; Zhang, Ya-qin; Zhu, Zong-han

2009-03-01

To analyze the physical growth changes in Chinese children aged from 0 to 7 years old during the past 30 years. Four national physical growth surveys of the children under 7 years old were undertaken in the same urban and suburban areas of nine main cities in China from 1975 to 2005. The nine cities were Beijing, Harbin and Xi'an in the northern part; Shanghai, Nanjing and Wuhan in the central part; Guangzhou, Fuzhou and Kunming in the southern part of China. Random cluster sampling method was used. The children aged from 0 to 7 years old were classified into 22 groups by age. The sample size was ranged from 150 to 200 persons for each sex-age group in each area (urban/rural) of each city. Totally, 158 400, 152 874, 157 362 and 138 775 healthy children were examined in 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2005 respectively. The data of weight, height, chest and head circumference obtained from these surveys were analyzed. Average weight and height in most of the age groups for both boys and girls from urban and suburban rural areas has been significantly improved during the past 30 years, the average increments of weight were 0.76 kg to 1.14 kg in 12 - 15 months group and 2.58 kg to 3.26 kg in 6 - 7 years group; and the average increments of height were 2.7 cm to 3.8 cm in 12 - 15 months group and 5.0 cm to 7.6 cm in 6 - 7 years group. Chest circumference did not show an increase in infants younger than 4 months and increased slightly after 4 months. The average increments of head circumference were 0.1 cm to 1.0 cm. From 1975 to 2005, the increments of weight and height per 10 years was in an increasing trend, e.g. weight increments of 5 - 6 years old were 0.58 kg, 1.02 kg and 1.67 kg and the height increments were 1.5 cm, 2.0 cm and 2.6 cm for every 10 years. The urban-rural difference in height has become smaller, the height difference in 6 - 7 years group for boys was decreased from 4.9 cm in 1975 to 2.6 cm in 2005. The weight has become smaller in children under 3 years old

Visual perceptual abilities of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking children.

PubMed

Lai, Mun Yee; Leung, Frederick Koon Shing

2012-04-01

This paper reports an investigation of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking children's general visual perceptual abilities. The Developmental Test of Visual Perception was administered to 41 native Chinese-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 4 mo. in Hong Kong and 35 English-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 2 mo. in Melbourne. Of interest were the two interrelated components of visual perceptual abilities, namely, motor-reduced visual perceptual and visual-motor integration perceptual abilities, which require either verbal or motoric responses in completing visual tasks. Chinese-speaking children significantly outperformed the English-speaking children on general visual perceptual abilities. When comparing the results of each of the two different components, the Chinese-speaking students' performance on visual-motor integration was far better than that of their counterparts (ES = 2.70), while the two groups of students performed similarly on motor-reduced visual perceptual abilities. Cultural factors such as written language format may be contributing to the enhanced performance of Chinese-speaking children's visual-motor integration abilities, but there may be validity questions in the Chinese version.

Self-Esteem: A Comparison between Hong Kong Children and Newly Arrived Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Yiu Man; Chan, Christine Mei-Sheung

2004-01-01

The Self-esteem Inventory developed by Coopersmith (1967) was used to measure the self-esteem of 387 Chinese children. The sample included newly arrived mainland Chinese children and Hong Kong children. The results showed significant statistical differences when measuring the self-esteem level associated with the length of their stay in Hong Kong…

Community-based stroke system of care for Chinese rural areas.

PubMed

He, Mingli; Wang, Jin'e; Gong, Ling; Dong, Qing; Ji, Niu; Xing, Houxun; Zhou, Yuan; Qin, Sizhou; Wang, Huizheng; Zhang, Huamin; Hui, Rutai; Wang, Yibo

2014-08-01

Stroke system of care plays key roles both in providing effective therapies and in improving the overall outcome of patients with stroke. Our purpose was to develop and evaluate the system in Chinese rural areas. A stroke system of care was developed from November 2009 to November 2010 in 3 townships in Ganyu County. An additional 3 matched townships were invited as controls. We first investigated stroke management in these townships and then implemented stroke system of care and an education campaign in the 3 intervention townships. The effectiveness of the system was then evaluated. There were 1036 patients with new stroke among 344 345 subjects in the 6 rural communities. The incidence of stroke in the rural areas was 301/100 000, and the mortality rate was 55/100 000. The proportions significantly increased in the intervention communities after the implementation of the stroke system of care and education campaign when compared with the control communities, including patients presenting at rural hospitals within 3 hours of symptom onset (13.6% versus 8.7%; P=0.017), diagnosed by computed tomographic scanning within 24 hours of admission (65.3% versus 58.5%; P=0.034), and received thrombolytic treatment (3.9% versus 1.7%; P=0.038). During the 1-year follow-up, 32 (6.5%) patients with stroke in the intervention communities and 48 (10.1%) in the control communities died. The disability rate of stroke was significantly reduced in the intervention communities at postintervention (38.4% versus 48.1%; P=0.001). A stroke system of care would be reliable and practical in Chinese rural areas. http://www.chictr.org. Unique identifier: ChiCTR-RCH-13003408. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Reaching Rural Handicapped Children: The Transportation Situation in Rural Service Delivery. Making It Work in Rural Communities. A Rural Network Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Jamie; And Others

Almost everyone who responded to three transportation surveys of rural Handicapped Children's Early Education Program (HCEEP) projects identified transportation as a critical problem in the delivery of services to handicapped children in rural areas. Transportation problems encountered were attributed to environmental/geographic factors,…

National estimates of pubertal milestones among urban and rural Chinese boys.

PubMed

Sun, Ying; Tao, Fangbiao; Su, Pu-Yu

2012-01-01

To provide up-to-date pubertal characteristics in a representative population of boys from both urban and rural areas of China. The China Puberty Research Collaboration enrolled 15 011 boys of Chinese Han ethnicity aged 6.0-18.9 years in eight regions including both urban and rural areas. Stages of genital and pubic hair development were assessed by trained physicians according to the Tanner method. Testicular volume was evaluated with a Prader orchidometer. Median age for onset of testicular volume of 4 mL or greater was 11.02 years. Median age for onset of genital (G2), pubic hair development (PH2) and spermarche was 11.24 years, 12.67 years and 14.32 years, respectively. Boys with BMI ≥ 85th percentile reached the onset of TV ≥ 4 ml (11.09 years), G2 (11.34 years) and G3 (13.01 years) later than boys with a normal BMI (10.95 years, 11.1 years and 12.88 years, respectively). Urban boys achieved pubertal milestones at an earlier age than rural peers except for G5 (13.4 vs 13.76 years) and PH5 (12.86 years vs 13.14 years). There is an asynchronous pattern in the onset of puberty among Chinese boys. Higher BMI is related to early pubertal onset but fast pubertal progression. Urban boys achieved onset of puberty earlier than rural boys in China.

Homeless Children: Addressing the Challenge in Rural Schools. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vissing, Yvonne M.

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, homelessness is as prevalent in rural as urban areas. This digest examines the implications of homelessness for rural children and youth and discusses possible actions by rural educators. An estimated half of the rural homeless are families with children. Compared to urban counterparts, rural homeless families…

Raising Children in Chinese Immigrant Families: Evidence from the Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Karen

2006-01-01

Children of Chinese culture are raised differently from children of other cultural groups. There is research evidence which contends that, regardless of where they live, the child-rearing practices within Chinese immigrant families are still influenced by Chinese traditional culture. Some studies also point out that Chinese immigrant parents…

Factors associated with obesity in Chinese-American children.

PubMed

Chen, Jyu-Lin; Kennedy, Christine

2005-01-01

A cross-sectional study design was utilized to examine factors associated with obesity in Chinese-American children. Chinese-American children (8 to 10 years old) and their mothers (N = 68) in California participated in the study. Mothers completed demographic information, the Family Assessment Device, Attitudes Toward Child Rearing Scale, and Suinn-Lew Asian Self-identity Acculturation Scale. Children's body mass index was measured, and children completed a self-administered physical activity checklist, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and the Schoolagers' Coping Strategies Inventory. Results indicated three variables that predicted children's body mass index: older age, a more democratic parenting style, and poor communication (R2=.263, F=8.727, p = .0001). Children whose mothers had a low level of acculturation were also more likely to be overweight than were children whose mothers were highly acculturated. This study revealed that children's ages, a democratic parenting style, and poor family communication contribute to increased body mass index in Chinese-American children. Other factors related to children's BMI and dietary intake include acculturation level of the mother and family affective responses. Future studies should examine the change in BMI over time and in different age groups and why parenting and family communication impact children's body weight.

Humour among Chinese and Greek Preschool Children in Relation to Cognitive Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Juan; Zhang, XiangKui; Wang, Yong; Xeromeritou, Aphrodite

2011-01-01

The researchers studied humour among Chinese and Greek preschool children in relation to cognitive development. The sample included 55 Chinese children and 50 Greek children ages 4½ to 5½ years. Results showed that both Chinese and Greek children's humour recognition were significantly and positively correlated to their cognitive development, but…

Sex-specific associations of serum uric acid with metabolic syndrome in Chinese rural population: The RuralDiab study.

PubMed

Zhang, Honglei; Li, Yuqian; Mao, Zhenxing; Liu, Xiaotian; Zhang, Xia; Yang, Kaili; Liu, Ruihua; Qian, Xinling; Zhang, Haiqing; Jiang, Jingjing; Zhang, Gongyuan; Wang, Chongjian

2018-05-01

We explored the association between serum uric acid (SUA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese rural adults. A total of 16,577 subjects (6354 men and 10,223 women) were from the RuralDiab study. SUA concentration was measured by the enzymatic colorimetric method. A meta-analysis including 12 eligible studies focused on SUA and MetS was preformed to confirm the findings of the cross-sectional study. After adjustment for age, educational level, and other covariates, the odds ratio (ORs) for MetS increased smoothly with the increasing SUA concentration in both sexes (P for no-linear trend > 0.05). The adjusted ORs of MetS comparing the fourth and firstly quartiles were 3.11 [95% CI: 2.58-3.74] in men and 3.64 [95% CI: 3.22-4.11] in women (P trend  < 0.001). In continuous analysis, each 1 mg/dl increment in SUA concentration was significantly associated with a 41% increased risk of MetS in men and 62% in women. The meta-analysis validated the positive association between SUA and MetS (pooled OR: Men, 1.80 [95% CI: 1.57-2.07]; Women, 2.46 [95% CI: 1.95-3.12]). SUA concentration was positively with the prevalence of MetS in Chinese rural population, and more studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of the relationship. WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC?: Previous studies have explored the association between serum uric acid and metabolic syndrome, but evidence on the strength and consistency of the association remains uncertain and limited, especially in rural population. In addition, the epidemiological research and meta-analysis on the association have not been reported. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: The results of this study showed that serum uric acid was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and its components in Chinese rural population. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that the significant associations varied across sex. In addition, the results of epidemiological research were similar with the meta-analysis, which demonstrates

Four Generations of Women's Educational Experience in a Rural Chinese Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Haigen; Placier, Peggy

2015-01-01

Our study sought to understand changes in gender inequality in education across four generations of rural Chinese women's educational experiences in a small community in southern China. The 24 interviews and numerous informal conversations with 12 women showed that gender-based favouritism for men and against women undergirded family expectations,…

Otitis media in indonesian urban and rural school children.

PubMed

Anggraeni, Ratna; Hartanto, Widya W; Djelantik, Bulantrisna; Ghanie, Abla; Utama, Denny S; Setiawan, Eka P; Lukman, Erica; Hardiningsih, Chintriany; Asmuni, Suprihati; Budiarti, Rery; Rahardjo, Sutji Pratiwi; Djamin, Riskiana; Mulyani, Tri; Mutyara, Kuswandewi; Carosone-Link, Phyllis; Kartasasmita, Cissy B; Simões, Eric A F

2014-10-01

Although the epidemiology of otitis media is well-known in industrialized countries, the extent of otitis media in developing Asian countries, especially in south East Asia is not well studied. To define the burden of otitis media and its sequelae in children 6-15 years of age, we enrolled elementary and junior high school children in 6 areas in rural and urban Indonesia. Randomly selected schools and classrooms were selected. All children were administered a questionnaire and had ear examinations, pneumatic otoscopy and screening audiometry. Children with any abnormality on examination or with a relevant history underwent diagnostic audiometry and tympanometry, if indicated. Of the 7005 children studied, 116 had chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), 30 had acute otitis media and 26 had otitis media with effusion. 2.7% of rural children had CSOM compared with 0.7% of urban children (P < 0.0001). The rates per 1000 of CSOM in rural Bali and Bandung were significantly higher (75 and 25, respectively) than in the rest of Indonesia (P < 0.05). In rural Bali, the rate per 1000 children of inactive CSOM was 63 in 6- to 9-year-old children, compared with 37 in children aged 13-15 years. Concomitantly, the rates of tympanosclerosis were 7 and 26/1000, respectively, in these age groups. In Indonesia, the prevalence of CSOM is relatively high with most disease occurring in rural areas. The high rates in rural Bali with early progression to tympanosclerosis suggest a significant burden of potentially vaccine preventable illness.

Left-behind children in rural China experience higher levels of anxiety and poorer living conditions.

PubMed

Zhao, Xue; Chen, Jian; Chen, Ming-Chun; Lv, Xiao-Ling; Jiang, Yu-Hong; Sun, Ye-Huan

2014-06-01

The number of rural Chinese parents who leave their children with family members to work in the cities has increased dramatically over the last decade. This study compared the social anxiety of left-behind children (LBC) and children not left behind (non-LBC). We investigated 1694 LBC and 1223 non-LBC, aged seven to 17 years, in a Chinese province using a structured questionnaire that included questions about socio-demographic characteristics, social anxiety, family function, quality of life, neglect and physical abuse. LBC displayed higher social anxiety scores, more neglect, lower parental educational level, lower quality of life, lower family function and lower prevalence of physical abuse than non-LBC. Multiple linear regression models showed that higher Social Anxiety Scales for Children (SASC) scores in LBC were clearly associated with lower quality of life, poorer family function, physical abuse, being female, having more siblings and minorities. In non-LBC, they were associated with lower quality of life, poorer family function, neglect, being female and physical abuse. LBC have a relatively higher level of social anxiety and poorer living conditions than non-LBC, and there are differences in social anxiety, and its relevant factors, between the two groups. ©2014 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The moderating effects of impulsivity on Chinese rural young suicide.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Lin, Lin

2014-06-01

As only about 50% of Chinese suicides have mental disorders, nonpsychiatric factors such as social environment and personality may account for the variance that is not explained by mental problems. We try to explore the effects of impulsivity on Chinese suicides and the role impulsivity plays in the relationship between negative life events (NLEs) and suicidal behavior. A total of 392 suicide cases (178 female and 214 male, aged 15-34 years) and 416 community controls (202 males and 214 females) of the same age range were sampled in China. The case-control data were obtained using psychological autopsy method with structured and semistructured instruments. Impulsivity was an important predictor of Chinese rural young suicides and it was a moderator between NLEs and suicide. Findings of the study may be translated into practical measures in suicide prevention in China as well as elsewhere in the world. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychological health among Chinese college students: a rural/urban comparison.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Qi, Qing; Delprino, Robert P

2017-09-01

The literature on suicide among the Chinese indicates that younger individuals from rural areas are at higher risk of suicide than their urban counterparts. While earlier studies have investigated the relationship between psychological health and major demographic variables, the relationship of psychological health as it relates to suicide by those from urban and rural areas have been rare. Studying the psychological health of college students from rural China in comparison with students who originate from urban areas may shed light on the mental health disparities of the two populations. This study examined the relationship of psychological health and rural/urban origins of college students in China. Data was obtained from 2 400 college students who completed a survey questionnaire while in attendance at a key university in Beijing China in 2013. Four standardised psychological health scales were administered to obtain measures of participants' self-esteem, depression, social support, and suicide ideation. Findings indicated that urban students had significantly higher scores than their rural counterparts on self-esteem and social support. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups on measures of depression and suicide ideation.

Chinese children's early knowledge about writing.

PubMed

Zhang, Lan; Yin, Li; Treiman, Rebecca

2017-09-01

Much research on literacy development has focused on learners of alphabetic writing systems. Researchers have hypothesized that children learn about the formal characteristics of writing before they learn about the relations between units of writing and units of speech. We tested this hypothesis by examining young Chinese children's understanding of writing. Mandarin-speaking 2- to 5-year-olds completed a graphic task, which tapped their knowledge about the formal characteristics of writing, and a phonological task, which tapped their knowledge about the correspondence between Chinese characters and syllables. The 3- to 5-year-olds performed better on the graphic task than the phonological task, indicating that learning how writing appears visually begins earlier than learning that writing corresponds to linguistic units, even in a writing system in which written units correspond to syllables. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Learning about writing's visual form, how it looks, is an important part of emergent literacy. Knowledge of how writing symbolizes linguistic units may emerge later. What does this study add? We test the hypothesis that Chinese children learn about writing's visual form earlier than its symbolic nature. Chinese 3- to 5- year-olds know more about visual features than character-syllable links. Results show learning of the visual appearance of a notation system is developmentally precocious. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Reading Comprehension Difficulties in Chinese-English Bilingual Children.

PubMed

Tong, Xiuhong; McBride, Catherine; Shu, Hua; Ho, Connie Suk-Han

2018-02-01

The co-occurrence of reading comprehension difficulties for first language (L1) Chinese and second language (L2) English and associated longitudinal cognitive-linguistic correlates in each language were investigated. Sixteen poor comprehenders in English and 16 poor comprehenders in Chinese, 18 poor readers in both, and 18 children with normal performance in both were identified at age 10. The prevalence rate for being poor in both was 52.94%, suggesting that approximately half of children who are at risk for Chinese reading comprehension difficulty are also at risk for English reading comprehension difficulty. Chinese word reading, phonological, and morphological awareness were longitudinal correlates of poor comprehension in Chinese. English word reading and vocabulary were longitudinal correlates of poor comprehension in English. Chinese phonological awareness was an additional correlate of poor comprehension in English. Moreover, poor comprehenders in both Chinese and English showed slower rapid automatized naming scores than the other groups. Findings highlight some factors that might be critical for reading comprehension in L1 Chinese and L2 English; fluency is likely to be a critical part of reading comprehension across languages. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Resting state neural networks for visual Chinese word processing in Chinese adults and children.

PubMed

Li, Ling; Liu, Jiangang; Chen, Feiyan; Feng, Lu; Li, Hong; Tian, Jie; Lee, Kang

2013-07-01

This study examined the resting state neural networks for visual Chinese word processing in Chinese children and adults. Both the functional connectivity (FC) and amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) approaches were used to analyze the fMRI data collected when Chinese participants were not engaged in any specific explicit tasks. We correlated time series extracted from the visual word form area (VWFA) with those in other regions in the brain. We also performed ALFF analysis in the resting state FC networks. The FC results revealed that, regarding the functionally connected brain regions, there exist similar intrinsically organized resting state networks for visual Chinese word processing in adults and children, suggesting that such networks may already be functional after 3-4 years of informal exposure to reading plus 3-4 years formal schooling. The ALFF results revealed that children appear to recruit more neural resources than adults in generally reading-irrelevant brain regions. Differences between child and adult ALFF results suggest that children's intrinsic word processing network during the resting state, though similar in functional connectivity, is still undergoing development. Further exposure to visual words and experience with reading are needed for children to develop a mature intrinsic network for word processing. The developmental course of the intrinsically organized word processing network may parallel that of the explicit word processing network. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Development of Chinese Urban Only Children and Children with Siblings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiao, Shulan; And Others

1996-01-01

First- and fifth-grade only-children and children with siblings completed 11 cognitive tasks to investigate differences in cognitive abilities that may exist due to the Chinese 1-child family planning program. Superiority of grade one only-children over children with siblings appeared for memory processes, language skills, and mathematics.…

Suicide means used by Chinese rural youths: a comparison between those with and without mental disorders.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Li, Ziyao

2011-06-01

Reports on Chinese rural youth suicide indicated patterns different from those of the West. Only about 30% to 70% young victims had had diagnoses of psychiatric illnesses (Phillips et al., Lancet 359:835-840, 2002; Xiao et al., Chin J Psychiatry 36:129-131, 2003), and more than 60% of them used pesticides as suicide means (Wang et al., Lancet 372:1765-1773, 2008). To prevent suicides in rural China, it is important to know the choice of means by Chinese young suicide victims with and without mental disorders. Data on suicide cases in China's rural areas gathered from a big psychological autopsy study were studied for demographic characteristics, suicide methods, and the presence of mental disorders. The findings in the suicide victims with and without mental disorders showed significant differences in suicide method selecting. Victims with mental disorders tended to select violent methods compared with those without mental disorders (31.4% vs. 16.2%). Hanging is method more likely chosen by the mentally disordered victims (13.3%) than those without a mental disorder (7.8%). Mental status affects the means choice among the Chinese rural young suicide victims. Among them, the female victims without mental disorders tended to act on impulsivity and used nonviolent means such as pesticide consumption for suicide. This study informs suicide prevention measures in both China and rest of the world.

Children's Understandings of Rurality: Exploring the Interrelationship between Experience and Understanding.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormack, Jaleh

2002-01-01

Explores children's material and discursive experiences of rurality in New Zealand and how they contribute to children's understandings of rurality. Highlights common constructions of reality based on experiences of agriculture, nature, and recreation, as well as children's understandings of rurality from discourse with peers and adults. (Contains…

Cephalometric norms for the upper airway of 12-year-old Chinese children.

PubMed

Gu, Min; McGrath, Colman P J; Wong, Ricky W K; Hägg, Urban; Yang, Yanqi

2014-09-13

To establish cephalometric norms for the upper airway of 12-year-old Chinese children, and to assess these norms with regard to gender, age, ethnicity and other craniofacial structures. Lateral cephalograms were obtained from a random sample of 425 12-year-old Chinese children (224 boys and 201 girls) to establish the Chinese norms, and from a matched group of 108 12-year-old Caucasian children (61 boys and 47 girls) as an ethnic comparison. Published data on the upper airway norms of Chinese adults were used to make age comparisons. Nine upper airway and 14 craniofacial variables were measured. Chinese boys tended to have a thicker soft palate (P = 0.008), and less depth in the retropalatal (P = 0.011), retroglossal (P = 0.034) and hypopharyngeal (P < 0.001) pharynx than Chinese girls, whereas no gender dimorphism was found in Caucasian children. Ethnic differences were found in the depth of the retroglossal oropharynx in both genders and the position of the hyoid bone in boys. Compared with Chinese adults, the overall size of the upper airway in Chinese children was smaller. The mandibular body length and the craniocervical inclination were found to be statistically significantly, albeit weakly correlated with upper airway variables. Cephalometric norms for the upper airway of Chinese 12-year-old children were established, indicating gender-specific differences, and some ethnic differences were found in comparison with those of 12-year-old Caucasian children. An association between the mandibular body length and the craniocervical inclination with upper airway variables was also noticeable.

Intergenerational and Urban-Rural Health Habits in Chinese Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Li; Lin, Chunqing; Cao, Haijun; Lieber, Eli

2009-01-01

Objective: To explore intergenerational health habits and compare differences between urban and rural families. Methods: A total of 2500 families with children ages 6-18 in China were surveyed regarding their health habits. Results: Urban families reported significantly greater food variety and more time exercising (for fathers and children) than…

Education of Children Left behind in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Yao

2012-01-01

Despite China's substantial internal migration, long-standing rural-urban bifurcation has prompted many migrants to leave their children behind in rural areas. This study examined the consequences of out-migration for children's education using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 885). This study took into account the…

Helping Chinese Children Become More Creative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Pingting; Szente, Judit

2014-01-01

This article provides information about children's creativity in the People's Republic of China. More specifically, it introduces the Chinese cultural and social background along with the school and family environments as they relate to young children's creativity. The article also provides some suggestions for schools and families to foster…

Myopia prevalence in Chinese-Canadian children in an optometric practice.

PubMed

Cheng, Desmond; Schmid, Katrina L; Woo, George C

2007-01-01

The high prevalence of myopia in Chinese children living in urban East Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China has been well documented. However, it is not clear whether the prevalence of myopia would be similarly high for this group of children if they were living in a Western country. This study aims to determine the prevalence and progression of myopia in ethnic Chinese children living in Canada. Right eye refraction data of Chinese-Canadian children aged 6 to 12 years were collated from the 2003 clinical records of an optometric practice in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent refraction (SER) equal or less than -0.50 D. The prevalence of myopia and refractive error distribution in children of different ages and the magnitude of refractive error shifts over the preceding 8 years were determined. Data were adjusted for potential biases in the clinic sample. A questionnaire was administered to 300 Chinese and 300 Caucasian children randomly selected from the clinic records to study lifestyle issues that may impact on myopia development. Optometric records of 1468 children were analyzed (729 boys and 739 girls). The clinic bias adjusted prevalence of myopia increased from 22.4% at age 6 to 64.1% at age 12 and concurrently the portion of the children that were emmetropic (refraction between -0.25 and +0.75 D) decreased (68.6% at 6 years to 27.2% at 12 years). The highest incidence of myopia for both girls ( approximately 35%) and boys ( approximately 25%) occurred at 9 and 10 years of age. The average annual refractive shift for all children was -0.52+/-0.42 D and -0.90+/-0.40 D for just myopic children. The questionnaire revealed that these Chinese-Canadian children spent a greater amount of time performing near work and less time outdoors than did Caucasian-Canadian children. Ethnic Chinese children living in Canada develop myopia comparable in prevalence and magnitude to those living in urban East Asian

Health Perception and Adherence with Blood Pressure Control among Rural Chinese Adults with Hypertension.

PubMed

Yang, Lili; Taylor, Elizabeth; Winslow, Betty; Pothier, Patricia

2018-05-22

To examine associations among blood pressure, personal and illness characteristics, illness perception and medication and self-management adherence among adults with hypertension in rural mainland China. Despite the high prevalence of hypertension in China, the control rate is only 20%. Identifying factors associated with blood pressure control is critical. Cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from 163 hypertensive adults in two rural villages in mainland China. Measures included a demographic questionnaire, the Chinese Illness-Perception Questionnaire-Revised, Medication Adherence Inventory and the Inventory of Adherence to Self-management. Height, weight and blood pressure were also measured using standard approaches. Hierarchical linear regression was used to assess the association between blood pressure and significant variables identified in bivariate analysis. The mean systolic pressure observed in this sample was147 mmHg and the diastolic mean was 81 mmHg. None of the variables analyzed were associated with systolic blood pressure. Gender, age and household annual income were associated with diastolic blood pressure, explaining 23% of the variance in the regression model. Illness coherence contributed an additional 2%. These findings suggest: (a) healthcare providers should focus on educating rural hypertensive adults about healthful diets and behaviors to manage hypertension, especially for those with high household income; (b) knowledge-based health education alone is not adequate; (c) illness perception may not be directly associated with blood pressure and; (d) the Chinese Illness-Perception Questionnaire-Revised and the Inventory of Adherence to Self-management require validation and potential revision for use with rural Chinese populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Working Memory Differences Between Children Living in Rural and Urban Poverty

PubMed Central

Tine, Michele

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate if the working memory profiles of children living in rural poverty are distinct from the working memory profiles of children living in urban poverty. Verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks were administered to sixth-grade students living in low-income rural, low-income urban, high-income rural, and high-income urban developmental contexts. Both low-income rural and low-income urban children showed working memory deficits compared with their high-income counterparts, but their deficits were distinct. Low-income urban children exhibited symmetrical verbal and visuospatial working memory deficits compared with their high-income urban counterparts. Meanwhile, low-income rural children exhibited asymmetrical deficits when compared with their high-income rural counterparts, with more extreme visuospatial working memory deficits than verbal working memory deficits. These results suggest that different types of poverty are associated with different working memory abilities. PMID:25554726

Working Memory Differences Between Children Living in Rural and Urban Poverty.

PubMed

Tine, Michele

2014-10-02

This study was designed to investigate if the working memory profiles of children living in rural poverty are distinct from the working memory profiles of children living in urban poverty. Verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks were administered to sixth-grade students living in low-income rural, low-income urban, high-income rural, and high-income urban developmental contexts. Both low-income rural and low-income urban children showed working memory deficits compared with their high-income counterparts, but their deficits were distinct. Low-income urban children exhibited symmetrical verbal and visuospatial working memory deficits compared with their high-income urban counterparts. Meanwhile, low-income rural children exhibited asymmetrical deficits when compared with their high-income rural counterparts, with more extreme visuospatial working memory deficits than verbal working memory deficits. These results suggest that different types of poverty are associated with different working memory abilities.

[Study on malnutrition status and changing trend of children under 5 years old in China].

PubMed

Liu, Aidong; Zhao, Liyun; Yu, Dongmei; Yu, Wentao

2008-05-01

To analyze the malnutrition status and change trend of the children under the age of 5 years in China, and to afford the reference information for the establishment of children nutrition related policies. According to the classification of east, middle and west areas in China, as well as urban and rural, the multi-stage cluster probability sampling was used to select randomly total 17607 children under the age of 5 years, whose weight and height were measured by standard method. In Chinese children under the age of 5 years, the stunting prevalence of Chinese children under 5 years was 9.9%, the underweight prevalence was 5.9% and the wasting prevalence was 2.2%. There were significant differences of the malnutrition prevalence between the urban areas and rural areas (P < 0.05). The prevalence of stunting of rural children was 5.3 times higher than that of urban as well as the prevalence of underweight in rural was 4.6 times higher than that in urban. In the same way, the prevalence of children malnutrition in middle and west areas was significantly higher than that of the prevalence in east area (P < 0.05). In comparison with the data of Chinese Nutrition and Health Survey (CNHS) in 2002, the prevalence of children stunting and underweight decreased by 30.8% and 24.4% respectively in 2006. In recent years, the malnutrition prevalence of Chinese children under the age of 5 years declined yearly and the decreases of prevalence of children malnutrition in urban areas was more faster than that in rural areas. It showed that the nutrition status of the children in west areas needs more improvement and at the same time, the status of children nutrition of west area also requires more concerns.

Dissociation between the Prevalence of Atopy and Allergic Disease in Rural China among Children and Adults

PubMed Central

Kim, Jennifer S; Ouyang, Fengxiu; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Fang, Yaping; Wang, Binyan; Liu, Xue; Xing, Houxun; Caruso, Deanna; Liu, Xin; Zhang, Shanchun; Xu, Xiping; Wang, Xiaobin

2009-01-01

Background The prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing worldwide, but the reasons are not well understood. Previous studies suggest that this trend may be associated with lifestyle and urbanization. Objective To describe patterns of sensitization and allergic disease in an unselected agricultural Chinese population. Methods The data was derived from a community-based twin study in Anqing, China. Skin prick testing was performed to foods and aeroallergens. Atopy was defined as sensitization to ≥1 allergen. Allergic disease was ascertained by self-report. The analysis was stratified by sex and age (children [11-17 years] and adults [≥18 years]) and included 1059 same-sex twin pairs. Results Of 2118 subjects, 57.6% were male (n=1220). Ages ranged from 11-71 years; 43.3% were children (n=918). Atopy was observed in 47.2% (n=999) of participants. The most common sensitizing foods were shellfish (16.7%) and peanut (12.3%). The most common sensitizing aeroallergens were dust mite (30.6%) and cockroach (25.2%). Birth order and zygosity had no effect on sensitization rates. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed risk factors for sensitization include age for foods and sex for aeroallergens. The rates of food allergy and asthma were estimated to be <1%. Conclusions Atopic sensitization was common in this rural farming Chinese population, particularly to shellfish, peanut, dust mite, and cockroach. The prevalence of allergic disease, in contrast, was quite low. Clinical Implications Allergen sensitization was far more common than the rate of self-reported allergic disease in this community. Evidence of sensitization is an inadequate marker of allergic disease and better correlates with clinical disease are needed. Capsule summary Among this large unselected Chinese rural farming community, atopy was observed in nearly half of the study subjects, but the rate of allergic disease was comparatively very low. PMID:18805578

Alcohol use and positive screening results for depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among Chinese children with strabismus.

PubMed

Lin, Shibin; Congdon, Nathan; Yam, Jason C S; Huang, Yuqiang; Qiu, Kunliang; Ma, Di; Chen, Bin; Li, Liping; Zhang, Mingzhi

2014-04-01

To study associations between strabismus and alcohol use, anxiety, and depression among 10- to 17-year-old children in Guangdong, southern China. Cross-sectional, population-based study. Among 7537 children aged 6-17 years from 9 randomly selected primary and middle schools, ocular alignment was assessed with the Hirschberg light reflex, cover-uncover testing, and alternate cover testing at distance (6 m) and near (40 cm). Additionally, 4000 children (53.1%) aged 10+ years received self-administered questionnaires containing screening questions on alcohol use, anxiety, and depression. Examinations were completed on 7464 of 7537 subjects (99.0%), including 3928 boys (52.6%), with a mean age of 11.1 ± 1.8 years. The prevalence of any strabismus, including exotropia (2.7%), esotropia (0.2%), and intermittent exotropia (3.9%), was 6.8%. Strabismus was more prevalent in urban students (7.3%) and female subjects (7.4%) compared to rural students (6.0%) and male subjects (6.2%) (all P < .05). In multivariate regression models, any strabismus was associated with older age and rural vs urban residence. Among 3903 children (97.6%) answering questionnaires, history of alcohol use (62.3% vs 36.3%) and positive screening responses for depression (26.0% vs 11.6%) and anxiety (10.3% vs 4.9%) were significantly (P < .01 for all) more common among children with strabismus. These Chinese children with strabismus had a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol use and possible markers of emotional problems than children without strabismus. Further research should focus on the appropriateness of classifying surgical treatment for strabismus as "cosmetic" (ineligible for reimbursement) under China's rural health insurance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The immediate economic impact of maternal deaths on rural Chinese households.

PubMed

Ye, Fang; Wang, Haijun; Huntington, Dale; Zhou, Hong; Li, Yan; You, Fengzhi; Li, Jinhua; Cui, Wenlong; Yao, Meiling; Wang, Yan

2012-01-01

To identify the immediate economic impact of maternal death on rural Chinese households. Results are reported from a study that matched 195 households who had suffered a maternal death to 384 households that experienced a childbirth without maternal death in rural areas of three provinces in China, using quantitative questionnaire to compare differences of direct and indirect costs between two groups. The direct costs of a maternal death were significantly higher than the costs of a childbirth without a maternal death (US$4,119 vs. $370, p<0.001). More than 40% of the direct costs were attributed to funeral expenses. Hospitalization and emergency care expenses were the largest proportion of non-funeral direct costs and were higher in households with maternal death than the comparison group (US$2,248 vs. $305, p<0.001). To cover most of the high direct costs, 44.1% of affected households utilized compensation from hospitals, and the rest affected households (55.9%) utilized borrowing money or taking loans as major source of money to offset direct costs. The median economic burden of the direct (and non-reimbursed) costs of a maternal death was quite high--37.0% of the household's annual income, which was approximately 4 times as high as the threshold for an expense being considered catastrophic. The immediate direct costs of maternal deaths are extremely catastrophic for the rural Chinese households in three provinces studied.

Mental Health Help-Seeking Intentions and Preferences of Rural Chinese Adults

PubMed Central

Yu, Yu; Liu, Zi-wei; Hu, Mi; Liu, Hui-ming; Yang, Joyce P.; Zhou, Liang; Xiao, Shui-yuan

2015-01-01

Purpose We aimed to investigate mental health help-seeking intentions and preferences of rural Chinese adults and determine predictors of the intentions. Methods A total of 2052 representative rural residents aged 18–60 completed a cross-sectional survey by face-to-face interviews. The survey included seven questions asking about respondents’ help-seeking intentions and preferences, and a series of internationally validated instruments to assess self-perceived health status, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, mental health literacy, and attitudes towards mental illness. Results Nearly 80% of respondents were willing to seek psychological help if needed, and 72.4% preferred to get help from medical organizations, yet only 12% knew of any hospitals or clinics providing such help. A multivariate analysis of help-seeking intention revealed that being female, having lower education, higher social health, higher mental health knowledge, and physical causal attribution for depression were positive predictors of help-seeking intention. Conclusion A huge gap exists between the relatively higher intention for help-seeking and significantly lower knowledge of helpful resources. Predictors of help-seeking intention for mental problems in the current study are consistent with previous studies. Interventions to increase help-seeking for mental problems by Chinese rural adults may be best served by focusing on increasing public awareness of help sources, as well as improving residents’ mental health literacy and social health, with special focus on males and those more educated. PMID:26545095

Public knowledge and beliefs about depression among urban and rural Chinese in Malaysia.

PubMed

Loo, Phik-Wern; Furnham, Adrian

2012-09-01

The study compared knowledge and beliefs about depression among urban and rural Chinese in a Malaysian sample. A total of 409 participants were asked to identify cases of depression varying in intensity from two vignettes and rate their beliefs regarding a list of possible causes and treatments for depression. The urban Chinese were more likely to identify depression as the problem in the vignette. Beliefs about causes of depression were factored into five components, whereas beliefs about treatment for depression factored into four components. The results indicated that the causes most strongly endorsed were stress and pressure, and standard treatments rated the highest as treatments for depression. Overall, depression literacy was moderate for Chinese Malaysians. The results are discussed in relation to Chinese cultural beliefs about depression. Limitations of this preliminary study were acknowledged. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Investigation on 3-6-Year-Old Chinese Children's Perception of "Death"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Yan; Cao, Yanhua; Han, Min

2017-01-01

Because of the taboo in Chinese culture, there is little research on Chinese children's perception of "death". The research on preschoolers' cognition of "death" could deepen our research on children's cognition process, guide children's life education, and improve the psychologic intervention on the children who experience…

Measuring the equity of inpatient utilization in Chinese rural areas

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background As an important outcome of the health system, equity in health service utilization has attracted an increasing amount of attention in the literature on health reform in China in recent years. The poor, who frequently require more services, are often the least able to pay, while the wealthy utilize disproportionately more services although they have less need. Whereas equity in health service utilization between richer and poorer populations has been studied in urban areas, the equity in health service utilization in rural areas has received little attention. With improving levels of economic development, the introduction of health insurance and increasing costs of health services, health service utilization patterns have changed dramatically in rural areas in recent years. However, previous studies have shown neither the extent of utilization inequity, nor which factors are associated with utilization inequity in rural China. Methods This paper uses previously unavailable country-wide data and focuses on income-related inequity of inpatient utilization and its determinants in Chinese rural areas. The data for this study come from the Chinese National Health Services Surveys (NHSS) conducted in 2003 and 2008. To measure the level of inequity in inpatient utilization over time, the concentration index, decomposition of the concentration index, and decomposition of change in the concentration index are employed. Results This study finds that even with the same need for inpatient services, richer individuals utilize more inpatient services than poorer individuals. Income is the principal determinant of this pro-rich inpatient utilization inequity- wealthier individuals are able to pay for more services and therefore use more services regardless of need. However, rising income and increased health insurance coverage have reduced the inequity in inpatient utilization in spite of increasing inpatient prices. Conclusions There remains a strong pro-rich inequity

Aggression and related stressful life events among Chinese adolescents living in rural areas: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Huang, Juan; Tang, Jie; Tang, Lina; Chang, Hong Juan; Ma, Yuqiao; Yan, Qiuge; Yu, Yizhen

2017-03-15

Aggression is a serious problem for both individuals and society. Despite progress in aggression research, its persistence among adolescents living in rural areas remains to be investigated. We evaluate the prevalence of aggression and the association between stressful life events and aggression in a nationwide, school-based sample of adolescents living in rural areas of China. A sample of 13,495 Chinese rural students (7065 boys and 6430 girls; 11-20 years old) was selected from 15 representative rural areas from 5 provinces in China using stratified randomized cluster sampling. Aggression, stressful life events, neglect, emotional management, social support, and demographic characteristics were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to estimate the association of stressful life events and aggression after controlling for confounds. The prevalence of aggressive behavior among Chinese adolescents living in rural areas was 24.3%. Regression analyses indicated that the odds of aggression were negatively influenced by chronic long-term stressors related to interpersonal problems (OR=2.03, 95% CI [1.75-2.36]), health adaptation difficulties (OR=1.21, 95% CI [1.09-1.34]), and other troubles (OR=1.93, 95% CI [1.74-2.14]), even after adjustment for parental neglect, emotional management, social support, and other relevant factors. This study was cross-sectional; thus, it is necessary to validate the causal relationship between stressful life events and aggression via follow-up studies. Aggression was prevalent among Chinese adolescents living in rural areas, and interpersonal problems, health adaption difficulties, and other troubles were considered potential independent risk factors for aggression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

America's Forgotten Children: Child Poverty in Rural America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadel, Wendy; Sagawa, Shirley

This report draws on research, statistics, and the voices of rural young people to document the extent and causes of rural child poverty, and related problems and reasons for hope in specific focus areas. About 2.5 million rural children are chronically poor. Rural poverty is concentrated in central Appalachia, the deep South, the U.S.-Mexican…

Grandparent-grandchild family capital and self-rated health of older rural Chinese adults: the role of the grandparent-parent relationship.

PubMed

Lou, Vivian W Q; Lu, Nan; Xu, Ling; Chi, Iris

2013-07-01

This study tested the relationship between grandparent-grandchild family capital and self-rated health of older rural Chinese adults and the mediating role of the grandparent-parent relationship in terms of grandparent-grandchild family capital and self-rated health. Data were derived from a random sample of 1,027 adults aged 60 and older who were interviewed in the rural Chaohu region in 2009. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the direct effect of grandparent-grandchild family capital in terms of relations with the first child's family on self-rated health among respondents, as well as the mediating effect of the grandparent-parent relationship. The results showed the direct effect of grandparent-grandchild family capital on self-rated health of older rural Chinese adults. The grandparent-parent relationship had a partial mediation effect on the relationship between grandparent-grandchild family capital and self-rated health of respondents. Grandparent-grandchild family capital had a unique direct effect on the self-rated health of older rural Chinese adults, enriching our theoretical understanding of sources of family capital and their impacts in a collectivist cultural context that emphasizes intergenerational interaction and exchange. The findings also highlighted the mediation effects of grandparent-parent relationships on the relationship between grandparent-grandchild family capital and self-rated health of older rural Chinese adults, supporting the "grandchild-as-linkage" hypothesis in understanding the social determination of self-rated health in China.

Association of ambient air quality with children`s lung function in urban and rural Iran

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Asgari, M.M.; Dubois, A.; Beckett, W.S.

During the summer of 1994, a cross-sectional epidemiological study, in which the pulmonary function of children in Tehran was compared with pulmonary function in children in a rural town in Iran, was conducted. Four hundred children aged 5--11 y were studied. Daytime ambient nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter were measured with portable devices, which were placed in the children`s neighborhoods on the days of study. Levels of these ambient substances were markedly higher in urban Tehran than in rural areas. Children`s parents were questioned about home environmental exposures (including heating source and environmental tobacco smoke) and the children`smore » respiratory symptoms. Pulmonary function was assessed, both by spirometry and peak expiratory flow meter. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity--as a percentage of predicted for age, sex and height--were significantly lower in urban children than in rural children. Both measurements evidenced significant reverse correlations with levels of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Differences in spirometric lung function were not explained by nutritional status, as assessed by height and weight for age, or by home environmental exposures. Reported airway symptoms were higher among rural children, whereas reported physician diagnosis of bronchitis and asthma were higher among urban children. The association between higher pollutant concentrations and reduced pulmonary function in this urban-rural comparison suggests that there is an effect of urban air pollution on short-term lung function and/or lung growth and development during the preadolescent years.« less

The Voices of Thirteen Chinese and Taiwanese Parents Sharing Views about their Children Attending Chinese Heritage Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Li-yuan; Larke, Patrica J.

2008-01-01

Many Chinese and Taiwanese parents in the United States see benefits of Chinese schools in providing their children the opportunity to learn Chinese culture and language. The results of this qualitative study involving interviews with thirteen Chinese and Taiwanese parents indicated that there were three main reasons why parents want to send their…

[Analysis of income and expenditure change and birth behavior in Chinese rural families].

PubMed

Dong, H

1991-04-01

Changes in the income and expenses of rural families have been the key factors in changing their life style, consumption patterns, and perceptions of the value of children. Consequently, the reproductive behavior of the rural population has also been changed. Increasing family income has both pro-natal and anti-natal effects. Increases in the nutritional and health status in rural areas has increased women's fecundability and the ability of the family to support more members. In the initial stage of income increase, the desire to have more children is stimulated, and fertility will increase. When family income has risen to a level higher than needed for subsistence, the aspiration for quality of life will take precedence over the demand for children. Limiting family size will become a voluntary action, and fertility will decline. The per capita income in rural China was 462 Yuan in 1987 which was 2.4 time that of 1980. The percentage of expenses for food also decreased from 61.8 to 55.2% it the same period. Even so, the life style and consumption patterns in rural families had not changed substantially as most of the income was not in the form of currency. This is an important factor in prohibiting a further decline of fertility. In 1987, 8.3% of rural families was still under the poverty line, and 64.3% was living at subsistence level. An increase of income for these families will most likely have pronatal effects in the short term. Families with a per capita income of over 1000 Yuan have started to pursue a better quality of life instead of more children. A large proportion of those who voluntary gave up their quota for a second children were well-to-do rural families. Rural economic development will gradually form the environment which will facilitate fertility decline. Meanwhile, efforts should be made to enhance development and further promote such a decline.

Reliability and Validity Evidence of the Chinese Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale Scores among Taiwanese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flahive, Mon-hsin Wang; Chuang, Ying-Chih; Li, Chien-Mo

2011-01-01

The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale-Second Edition (Piers-Harris 2) was designed to measure self-concept among children and adolescents. This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the scores of the Chinese version of the Piers-Harris 2 (Chinese Piers-Harris). The Chinese Piers-Harris 2 was administered to 243 Taiwanese…

Professional Career Opportunities for Rural College Students-An Empirical Analysis Based on the Chinese General Social Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanjie, Bian; Yang, Xiao

2017-01-01

Rural college students are an important, integral part of the current urban labor force. This article uses a group comparison perspective to study the professional career opportunities and their impacting factors of rural college students and other related groups. Analysis of 2010 Chinese General Social Survey data shows the following: (1) college…

Releasing Effect of Individual Potential: Formation of Productive Collective and Children's Self-Transcendence in a Chinese School.

PubMed

Wu, Aruna; Li, Xiao-Wen; Zhang, Qian

2017-09-01

We describe the intricate relations between social demand structures and their role in facilitation of individual development of children and teachers in a Chinese classroom. The relationship of an individual to the immediate social group is further qualified by the inclusion in a collective which enables the participants to transform their individual self-structures through taking on social roles in everyday collective activities, which release further potential for their individual development. We describe that releasing effect in the case of an intervention program in a Chinese school for the children of rural migrants re-settled in a city, demonstrating gradually how the inter-individual competitive orientation promoted by autocratic teaching style becomes transformed into collective good oriented joint actions towards excellence in educational endeavors (Jiti). The productive nature of the Jiti makes an ecology with multiple nested and open systems, in which every group and student is producer and consumer of each other, and personal self-transcendence is actualized in the process. The releasing effect is demonstrated through observing the co-emergence of new forms of progressive conduct and new problems, presented in pupils' positive participation in activities. The description of the intervention in a Chinese school provides us with insight on how concrete social inclusion frameworks with the underpinning Chinese philosophy of "acting up to trends" can prevent the emergence of direct animosities and lead to new integration of self and society.

Promote Democratic Citizenship among Rural Women: A Chinese NGO's Two Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Xu; Haste, Helen

2012-01-01

A Beijing-based non-governmental organization (NGO) strives to empower rural Chinese women and migrant girls by increasing their awareness of constitutional rights and promoting their capacities to exercise their civil and political rights. This article reports the NGO leaders' perceptions of the goals, strategies, and challenges in their…

Brain Bases of Morphological Processing in Chinese-English Bilingual Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ip, Ka I; Hsu, Lucy Shih-Ju; Arredondo, Maria M.; Tardif, Twila; Kovelman, Ioulia

2017-01-01

Can bilingual exposure impact children's neural circuitry for learning to read? To answer this question, we investigated the brain bases of morphological awareness, one of the key spoken language abilities for learning to read in English and Chinese. Bilingual Chinese-English and monolingual English children (N = 22, ages 7-12) completed…

The moderating effect of social support on the relationship between physical health and suicidal thoughts among Chinese rural elderly: A nursing home sample.

PubMed

Zhang, Dan; Yang, Yang; Wu, Menglian; Zhao, Xia; Sun, Yaoyao; Xie, Hui; Li, Hongkai; Li, Yuqin; Wang, Kefang; Zhang, Jie; Jia, Jihui; Su, Yonggang

2018-01-23

Suicide rate is relatively high among Chinese rural elderly. While there has been some exciting work on reporting and preventing suicide among community-dwelling elderly, only a few published studies have addressed the issues of rural nursing homes in China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship among perceived social support, physical health, and suicidal thoughts of the elderly living in Chinese rural nursing homes. It also examined the moderating effects of social support on the path from physical health to suicidal thoughts of the rural institutional elderly in China. This study investigated 205 participants aged 60 years and above in Chinese rural nursing homes. Participants' suicidal thoughts, perceived social support, and physical health were assessed. This study conducted descriptive analysis, Student's t-test, and Pearson's chi-square test to test how physical health and social support predicted suicidal thoughts, as well as the moderating effects of family's, friends', and others' social support on physical health and suicidal thoughts. Both physical health and perceived social support were significantly related to suicidal thoughts. Perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others moderated the relationship between physical health and suicidal thoughts. Findings of this study suggested that increasing social support and improving physical health would be effective in both suicide prevention and intervention for the residents in Chinese rural nursing homes. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Self-refraction, ready-made glasses and quality of life among rural myopic Chinese children: a non-inferiority randomized trial.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhongqiang; Chen, Tingting; Jin, Ling; Zheng, Dongxing; Chen, Shangji; He, Mingguang; Silver, Josh; Ellwein, Leon; Moore, Bruce; Congdon, Nathan G

2017-09-01

To study, for the first time, the effect of wearing ready-made glasses and glasses with power determined by self-refraction on children's quality of life. This is a randomized, double-masked non-inferiority trial. Children in grades 7 and 8 (age 12-15 years) in nine Chinese secondary schools, with presenting visual acuity (VA) ≤6/12 improved with refraction to ≥6/7.5 bilaterally, refractive error ≤-1.0 D and <2.0 D of anisometropia and astigmatism bilaterally, were randomized to receive ready-made spectacles (RM) or identical-appearing spectacles with power determined by: subjective cycloplegic retinoscopy by a university optometrist (U), a rural refractionist (R) or non-cycloplegic self-refraction (SR). Main study outcome was global score on the National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life-42 (NEI-RQL-42) after 2 months of wearing study glasses, comparing other groups with the U group, adjusting for baseline score. Only one child (0.18%) was excluded for anisometropia or astigmatism. A total of 426 eligible subjects (mean age 14.2 years, 84.5% without glasses at baseline) were allocated to U [103 (24.2%)], RM [113 (26.5%)], R [108 (25.4%)] and SR [102 (23.9%)] groups, respectively. Baseline and endline score data were available for 398 (93.4%) of subjects. In multiple regression models adjusting for baseline score, older age (p = 0.003) and baseline spectacle wear (p = 0.016), but not study group assignment, were significantly associated with lower final score. Quality of life wearing ready-mades or glasses based on self-refraction did not differ from that with cycloplegic refraction by an experienced optometrist in this non-inferiority trial. © 2016 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Associated Factors in Chinese Community-Dwelling Elderly: Comparison Between Rural and Urban Areas.

PubMed

Gao, Langli; Jiang, Jiaojiao; Yang, Ming; Hao, Qiukui; Luo, Li; Dong, Birong

2015-11-01

To compare the prevalence of sarcopenia in urban and rural Chinese elderly adults and to identify the risk factors related to sarcopenia. A cross-sectional study. Urban and rural communities in western China. A total of 887 community-dwelling elderly adults aged 60 years or older. Sarcopenia was defined according to the recommended algorithm of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS). Cognitive function, depression, and nutrition status were assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), the Chinese version of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), and the revised Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA-SF), respectively. A total of 612 individuals aged 70.6 ± 6.7 years (range, 60-91 years) were included in this study. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the study population was 9.8% (women, 12.0%; men, 6.7%; P = .031). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.1% in rural elders and 7.0% in urban elders (P = .012). Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.29), women (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.20-5.65), malnutrition or at risk for malnutrition (OR 3.53; 95% CI 1.68-7.41), rural residence (OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.33-4.51), and the number of medications (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.06-1.44) were independently associated with sarcopenia. Rural elders are more vulnerable to sarcopenia than urban elders in a sample of western China's elderly population. More attention should focus on rural populations in future sarcopenia studies. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standard-Chinese Lexical Neighborhood Test in normal-hearing young children.

PubMed

Liu, Chang; Liu, Sha; Zhang, Ning; Yang, Yilin; Kong, Ying; Zhang, Luo

2011-06-01

The purposes of the present study were to establish the Standard-Chinese version of Lexical Neighborhood Test (LNT) and to examine the lexical and age effects on spoken-word recognition in normal-hearing children. Six lists of monosyllabic and six lists of disyllabic words (20 words/list) were selected from the database of daily speech materials for normal-hearing (NH) children of ages 3-5 years. The lists were further divided into "easy" and "hard" halves according to the word frequency and neighborhood density in the database based on the theory of Neighborhood Activation Model (NAM). Ninety-six NH children (age ranged between 4.0 and 7.0 years) were divided into three different age groups of 1-year intervals. Speech-perception tests were conducted using the Standard-Chinese monosyllabic and disyllabic LNT. The inter-list performance was found to be equivalent and inter-rater reliability was high with 92.5-95% consistency. Results of word-recognition scores showed that the lexical effects were all significant. Children scored higher with disyllabic words than with monosyllabic words. "Easy" words scored higher than "hard" words. The word-recognition performance also increased with age in each lexical category. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that neighborhood density, age, and word frequency appeared to have increasingly more contributions to Chinese word recognition. The results of the present study indicated that performances of Chinese word recognition were influenced by word frequency, age, and neighborhood density, with word frequency playing a major role. These results were consistent with those in other languages, supporting the application of NAM in the Chinese language. The development of Standard-Chinese version of LNT and the establishment of a database of children of 4-6 years old can provide a reliable means for spoken-word recognition test in children with hearing impairment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Development of Low-Income Rural Appalachian Children. Rural Health Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fish, Margaret; Jacquet, Ellen; Frye, Hadassah

The Rural Appalachian Infant Temperament Project followed a group of 80 low-income rural Appalachian children from birth to kindergarten, focusing on two areas of child development: social/emotional functioning and cognitive skills. Subjects were recruited at a Lincoln County, West Virginia, clinic; all were white; and 73 percent had family…

Rural School Children Picturing Family Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Lange, Naydene; Olivier, Tilla; Geldenhuys, Johanna; Mitchell, Claudia

2012-01-01

Rurality is an active agent and central to the lived experiences of children growing up on a farm and attending a farm school. It is a key to their everyday experiences, and influences family life, schooling and their future. Previous studies elsewhere in the world have explored the notion of childhood in rural contexts, but there is a dearth of…

Influence of health-related quality of life on health service utilization in Chinese rural-to-urban female migrant workers.

PubMed

Lu, Chu-Hong; Wang, Pei-Xi; Lei, Yi-Xiong; Luo, Zhong-Cheng

2014-08-15

Rural-to-urban migrant workers have been increasing rapidly in China over recent decades. Health related quality of life (HRQOL) may affect health service utilization. There is a lack of data on HRQOL in relation to health service utilization in Chinese rural-to-urban migrant workers. This study was aimed to explore the influence of HRQOL on health service utilization in Chinese rural-to-urban female migrant workers. This was a cross-sectional survey of 1,438 female rural-to-urban migrant workers in Shenzhen-Dongguan economic zone, China in 2013. HRQOL was assessed by the 36-items Health Survey Short Form (SF-36). Health service utilization was measured by any physician visit over the recent two weeks and any hospitalization over the last 1-year (annual hospitalization). Clustered logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of HRQOL on health service utilization. Lower scores in three HRQOL domains (bodily pain, general health, role physical) were associated with more frequent health service utilization in female rural-to-urban migrant workers. Bodily pain and general health were associated with an independent influence of 15.6% on the risk of recent two-week physician visit, while role physical and general health were associated with an independent influence of 21.2% on the risk of annual hospitalization. The independent influence of HRQOL on health service utilization was smaller than that of socio-demographic and health-related variables. HRQOL may have a modest influence on health service utilization in Chinese rural-to-urban female migrant workers - an underprivileged population in urban China.

A Developmental Study of Chinese Children's Word and Character Reading.

PubMed

Li, Tong; Wang, Ying; Tong, Xiuhong; McBride, Catherine

2017-02-01

To investigate the relationship between Chinese children's character and word reading, 62 third and 50 fifth grade children in Hong Kong were asked to read single characters and words that were comprised of these characters. Results showed that words helped children to recognize characters for both grades of children. Compared to older children, younger children's character reading was more likely to rely on the word that the character appeared in as a component; younger children made more errors in confusing the correct character with words related to it. Younger children's greater rate of meaning-related errors also underscored the role of the word in their character learning. This study confirmed the important role of words in children's character learning, and provided evidence for a developmental pattern of character and word reading in Chinese.

Association of resting heart rate and cardiovascular disease mortality in hypertensive and normotensive rural Chinese.

PubMed

Zhang, Ming; Han, Chengyi; Wang, Chongjian; Wang, Jinjin; Li, Linlin; Zhang, Lu; Wang, Bingyuan; Ren, Yongcheng; Zhang, Hongyan; Yang, Xiangyu; Zhao, Yang; Zhou, Junmei; Pang, Chao; Yin, Lei; Feng, Tianping; Zhao, Jingzhi; Luo, Xinping; Hu, Dongsheng

2017-05-01

Studies have demonstrated an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-associated death (CVD death) with increased resting heart rate (RHR); however, whether the association is consistent in rural Chinese with hypertension and normotension is unknown. We examined the association of RHR and CVD death by hypertension and normotension status in rural Chinese people. Baseline data for 20,069 participants ≥18 years old were collected during July to August of 2007 and July to August of 2008; 17,151 (85.5%) participants were followed up in July to August of 2013 and July to October of 2014. The association of RHR and CVD death was determined by Cox proportional hazards regression. During a mean of 5.88 years (100,889 person-years) of follow-up, we recorded 479 CVD deaths (309 in hypertensive participants). CVD death increased significantly with increasing RHR, beginning from 80 beats per minute (bpm), for hypertensive and normotensive participants. After adjusting for pulse pressure and other covariates, for hypertensive participants, risk of CVD death was increased with RHR 80-89 and ≥90bpm. However, for normotensive participants, risk of CVD death was increased with only RHR≥90bpm. Risk of CVD death was associated with elevated RHR for both hypertensive and normotensive rural Chinese, and for hypertensive participants, even slightly elevated RHR was associated with CVD death. Copyright © 2016 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dermoscopy for common skin problems in Chinese children using a novel Hong Kong-made dermoscope.

PubMed

Luk, David C K; Lam, Sam Y Y; Cheung, Patrick C H; Chan, Bill H B

2014-12-01

To evaluate the dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children. A case series with retrospective qualitative analysis of dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children. A regional hospital in Hong Kong. Dermoscopic image database, from 1 May 2013 to 31 October 2013, of 185 Chinese children (aged 0 to 18 years). Dermoscopic features of common paediatric skin problems in Chinese children were identified. These features corresponded with the known dermoscopic features reported in the western medical literature. New dermoscopic features were identified in café-au-lait macules. Dermoscopic features of common skin problems in Chinese children were consistent with those reported in western medical literature. Dermoscopy has a role in managing children with skin problems.

The Deficit Profiles of Chinese Children with Reading Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Peng; Wang, Cuicui; Tao, Sha; Sun, Congying

2017-01-01

The current meta-analysis synthesized findings from profiling research on Chinese children with reading difficulties (RD). We reviewed a total of 81 studies published between 1964 and May 2015, representing a total of 9735 Chinese children. There are 982 effect sizes for the comparison between children with RD and age-matched typically developing…

Distance- and near-visual impairment in rural Chinese adults in Kailu, Inner Mongolia.

PubMed

Cheng, Fang; Shan, Li; Song, Wulian; Fan, Pan; Yuan, Huiping

2016-06-01

To investigate the prevalence and causes of distance-visual impairment and near-vision impairment in a rural Chinese population in Inner Mongolia. A population-based, cross-sectional study design was used to identify visual impairment in the Chinese aged 40 years and older living in Kailu County, Inner Mongolia. Low vision, blindness and near-visual impairment (NVI) were defined according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The overall prevalence of blindness and visual impairment based on the presenting visual acuity (VA) was 2.2% (95% CI: 1.8-2.6) and 9.8% (95% CI: 8.9-10.6), respectively, and was adjusted to 0.9% (95% CI: 0.6-1.2) and 4.7% (95% CI: 4.1-5.3) using best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), respectively. Taking the presenting VA into consideration, the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness was cataract (40.3%, 40.9%), followed by uncorrected refractive error (26.6%, 28.2%). According to the BCVA, the main cause of visual impairment and blindness was cataract (48.3%, 41.3%) followed by glaucoma (19.0%, 23.9%). Among the examined subjects, 80.3% had NVI, and 51.7% had presbyopia. Major barriers reported by NVI persons without near correction were lack of money to purchase prescription glasses and poor quality of the available ones (43.2%). Visual impairment is a serious public health problem, and the main causes leading to visual impairment are treatable and preventable in the rural Chinese population in Inner Mongolia. Presbyopia, together with the low rate of spectacles and lack of appropriate refractive and presbyopia spectacles, is highly prevalent in rural China. © 2015 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Working Memory Differences between Children Living in Rural and Urban Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tine, Michele

2014-01-01

This study was designed to investigate if the working memory profiles of children living in rural poverty are distinct from the working memory profiles of children living in urban poverty. Verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks were administered to sixth-grade students living in low-income rural, low-income urban, high-income rural, and…

Chinese Handwriting Performance of Primary School Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Sutie S. T.; Au, Ricky K. C.; Leung, Howard W. H.; Li-Tsang, Cecilia W. P.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the Chinese handwriting performance of typical children and children with dyslexia, and to examine whether speed and accuracy of handwriting could reliably discriminate these two groups of children. One hundred and thirty-seven children with dyslexia and 756 typical children were recruited from main stream…

[The situation of children neglect between left-behind children and living-with-parents children in rural areas of two western provinces of China].

PubMed

Zhong, Yin; Zhong, Zhao-hui; Pan, Jian-ping; Wang, Ying-xiong; Liu, Chen-yu; Yang, Xin; Hu, Chen; Cai, Lin-li; Xu, Ya

2012-01-01

To understand the children neglect situation of left-behind children (children who do not grow up with their parents) and non-left-behind children in China's western rural and its influencing factors. Scales and evaluation methods in the "Chinese rural child neglected evaluation model" were used in this study. The investigation was conducted by using multistage stratified cluster sampling method; three countries were sampled randomly in Shanxi and Chongqing in November 2010, respectively. And, in every county, children from rural area aged from zero to six were randomly selected, with neglect rate and degree to describe their neglected status, using logistic regression analysis to analyze factors affecting the neglect rate. Among 1568 subjects (859 left-behind and 709 living-with-parents), the total neglect rates were 29.78% (467/1568), and the total neglect degrees were 48.51 ± 6.49; the neglect rates for left-behind ones and living-with parents ones were 34.34% (295/859) and 24.26% (172/709) (P < 0.05); the neglect degree were 49.59 ± 6.54 and 47.19 ± 6.18 (P < 0.05). The neglect degree among left-behind ones and living-with parents ones between 0 to 2 years old were 48.59 ± 6.33 and 45.78 ± 5.94 (P < 0.05); in 3 to 6 years old group, which were 50.43 ± 6.60 and 48.25 ± 6.16(P < 0.05). The degrees in boy's group of these two kinds of children were 49.83 ± 6.67, 47.36 ± 6.28(P < 0.05) and girl's were 49.32 ± 6.38, 47.01 ± 6.08 (P < 0.05). On the other side, the neglect rate of left-behind and non-left-behind children between 0 to 2 years old were 39.33% (153/389) and 18.54% (56/302) (P < 0.05). The rates of boy's group were 34.91% (162/464) and 25.13% (94/374) (P < 0.05), and girl's were 33.67% (133/395) and 23.28% (78/335) (P < 0.05). Results showed that if the left-behind child's father was with lower education background, and the child and his mother feel stranger to each other, which led to the conclusion there was more chance for them to be

Enlightenment from ancient Chinese urban and rural stormwater management practices.

PubMed

Wu, Che; Qiao, Mengxi; Wang, Sisi

2013-01-01

Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Chinese implemented several outstanding projects to cope with the changing climate and violent floods. Some of these projects are still in use today. These projects evolved from the experience and knowledge accumulated through the long coexistence of people with nature. The concepts behind these ancient stormwater management practices, such as low-impact development and sustainable drainage systems, are similar to the technology applied in modern stormwater management. This paper presents the cases of the Hani Terrace in Yunnan and the Fushou drainage system of Ganzhou in Jiangxi. The ancient Chinese knowledge behind these cases is seen in the design concepts and the features of these projects. These features help us to understand better their applications in the contemporary environment. In today's more complex environment, integrating traditional and advanced philosophy with modern technologies is extremely useful in building urban and rural stormwater management systems in China.

Tips for Teachers to Help Bilingual Chinese Immigrant Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling; Xu, Yili

2012-01-01

Teachers of young children in Chinese immigrant families need to help children become proficient in English (ESL) while affirming the children's bilingual abilities. Pictures, gestures, pantomimes, and props as well as specific input of school-related words help bilingual young children learn English. Teachers read storybooks in English while…

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Children in Rural Ethiopia.

PubMed

Endris, Neima; Asefa, Henok; Dube, Lamessa

2017-01-01

Child malnutrition continues to be the leading public health problem in developing countries. In Ethiopia, malnutrition is a leading cause of child illness and death. Recently the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) has been implemented to measure the prevalence of malnutrition. This index presents a more complete picture compared with the previous conventional indices. In this study, CIAF was used to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among children aged 0-59 months in rural Ethiopia. Data was extracted from the 2014 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) for this study. A total of 3095 children were included in the analysis. The composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) was used to measure the nutritional status of the children. Logistic regression was fitted, to identify factors associated with malnutrition among children in rural Ethiopia, using STATA 13. The prevalence of malnutrition among rural children in Ethiopia was 48.5%. Age of the children, preceding birth interval, educated status of mother, wealth status, and region were factors independently associated with nutritional status of children in rural Ethiopia. The prevalence of malnutrition among children in rural Ethiopia was high. A child older than 12 months, having uneducated mother, living in a household with poor wealth status, born with short birth interval, and living in some region of the country are associated with increased odds of being malnourished.

Children as Catalysts of Change: Children's Participation in Rural Development in India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wesley, Caroline

1995-01-01

Presents information on the participation of children in effecting change in their lives and their communities in The Concerned for Working Children rural project in Karnataka, India. Discusses the concept of a children's trade union and the nature of community participation in empowering children to lead self-reliant lives. (AIM)

Children's Use of Requests in Chinese (L1) and English (L2): A Case Study in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Li-feng

2010-01-01

Much research on requests has been carried out among L1 Chinese adults, L1 Chinese children, L1 children, L2 adults, and L2 children, but no studies to date have simultaneously examined Chinese children's requests in Chinese (L1) and English (L2). The aim of this study is to investigate how Taiwanese elementary school children vary requests…

Maternal Mediation of Writing in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Dan; McBride-Chang, Catherine; Aram, Dorit; Levin, Iris; Cheung, Rebecca Y. M.; Chow, Yvonne Y. Y.; Tolchinsky, Liliana

2009-01-01

Two scales of mothers' mediation of their children's writing based on Aram and Levin (2001) were developed and tested in 67 mother-child Hong Kong Chinese dyads in three grade levels--second-year kindergarten, third-year kindergarten, and first grade. With children's ages, grades, and non-verbal IQs, as well as mothers' education levels…

Social determinants of aggression in a sample of Chinese primary school children.

PubMed

Ekblad, S

1986-05-01

The aim of the present study was to relate children's aggression levels to social determinants of interest (i.e., child-rearing measures, day-care attendance, peer group influence, and TV-watching) in a sample of Chinese children in the People's Republic of China. A sample of 290 primary school students (155 boys and 135 girls, mean age 10.3) in grade four in Beijing were investigated using the Multi-Faceted Aggression Inventory. The children's parents were asked about child-rearing measures and day-care experience for the child. Teachers rated the children's aggression, school achievement level, and membership in the Young Pioneers. Despite acknowledged limitations, the findings in this study gave evidence that according to a person-environment interaction perspective, the Chinese children's individual differences in aggression were influenced by the restricted environment. As aggressive behaviour is undesired and suppressed in the Chinese culture in and outside the home, the Chinese children seemed to show lower levels and less variation of aggression behaviour than children in permissive environments (e.g., Sweden). However, when analysing sex differences in aggression environmental influences alone might not explain the differences.

Communicative Development in Bilingually Exposed Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reetzke, Rachel; Zou, Xiaobing; Sheng, Li; Katsos, Napoleon

2015-01-01

Purpose: We examined the association of bilingual exposure with structural and pragmatic language development in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Method: The parents of 54 children with ASD exposed to 1 (n = 31) or 2 (n = 23) Chinese languages completed (a) a questionnaire to evaluate their child's competence in structural…

Theory of mind and executive function in Chinese preschool children.

PubMed

Duh, Shinchieh; Paik, Jae H; Miller, Patricia H; Gluck, Stephanie C; Li, Hui; Himelfarb, Igor

2016-04-01

Cross-cultural research on children's theory of mind (ToM) understanding has raised questions about its developmental sequence and relationship with executive function (EF). The current study examined how ToM develops (using the tasks from Wellman & Liu, 2004) in relation to 2 EF skills (conflict inhibition, working memory) in 997 Chinese preschoolers (ages 3, 4, 5) in Chengdu, China. Compared with prior research with other Chinese and non-Chinese children, some general patterns in development were replicated in this sample. However, the children showed culture-specific reversals in the developmental sequence of ToM. For example, Chengdu children performed differently on the 2 false-belief tasks that were thought to be equivalent. Furthermore, conflict inhibition as well as working memory uniquely predicted ToM performance. We discuss the issues of ToM development as they relate to test items and cross-cultural--and subcultural--differences. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Creative Writing Strategies of Young Children: Evidence from a Study of Chinese Emergent Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Si; Zhou, Jing

2010-01-01

The ways in which learning graphical representations can encourage the development of creativities in Chinese young children remain to be fully explored. Previous research on children's writing focused on children's symbolization with syllabic languages, providing little information regarding Chinese young children's symbolization and creative…

Factors of physical activity among Chinese children and adolescents: a systematic review.

PubMed

Lu, Congchao; Stolk, Ronald P; Sauer, Pieter J J; Sijtsma, Anna; Wiersma, Rikstje; Huang, Guowei; Corpeleijn, Eva

2017-03-21

Lack of physical activity is a growing problem in China, due to the fast economic development and changing living environment over the past two decades. The aim of this review is to summarize the factors related to physical activity in Chinese children and adolescents during this distinct period of development. A systematic search was finished on Jan 10 th , 2017, and identified 2200 hits through PubMed and Web of Science. English-language published studies were included if they reported statistical associations between factors and physical activity. Adapted criteria from the Strengthening The Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and evaluation of the quality of prognosis studies in systematic reviews (QUIPS) were used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. Related factors that were reported in at least three studies were summarized separately for children and adolescents using a semi-quantitative method. Forty two papers (published 2002-2016) were included. Most designs were cross-sectional (79%), and most studies used questionnaires to assess physical activity. Sample size was above 1000 in 18 papers (43%). Thirty seven studies (88%) showed acceptable quality by methodological quality assessment. Most studies reported a low level of physical activity. Boys were consistently more active than girls, the parental physical activity was positively associated with children and adolescents' physical activity, children in suburban/rural regions showed less activity than in urban regions, and, specifically in adolescents, self-efficacy was positively associated with physical activity. Family socioeconomic status and parental education were not associated with physical activity in children and adolescents. The studies included in this review were large but mostly of low quality in terms of study design (cross-sectional) and methods (questionnaires). Parental physical activity and self-efficacy are promising targets for future

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors among Children in Rural Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Endris, Neima; Asefa, Henok

2017-01-01

Background Child malnutrition continues to be the leading public health problem in developing countries. In Ethiopia, malnutrition is a leading cause of child illness and death. Recently the composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) has been implemented to measure the prevalence of malnutrition. This index presents a more complete picture compared with the previous conventional indices. In this study, CIAF was used to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among children aged 0–59 months in rural Ethiopia. Methods Data was extracted from the 2014 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) for this study. A total of 3095 children were included in the analysis. The composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) was used to measure the nutritional status of the children. Logistic regression was fitted, to identify factors associated with malnutrition among children in rural Ethiopia, using STATA 13. Result The prevalence of malnutrition among rural children in Ethiopia was 48.5%. Age of the children, preceding birth interval, educated status of mother, wealth status, and region were factors independently associated with nutritional status of children in rural Ethiopia. Conclusion The prevalence of malnutrition among children in rural Ethiopia was high. A child older than 12 months, having uneducated mother, living in a household with poor wealth status, born with short birth interval, and living in some region of the country are associated with increased odds of being malnourished. PMID:28596966

Same Beginnings, Different Stories: A Comparison of American and Chinese Children's Narratives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Qi; Leichtman, Michelle D.

2000-01-01

Examined social, emotional, and cognitive characteristics of American and Chinese 6-year-olds' narratives. Found that, compared to American children, Chinese children showed greater orientation toward social engagement, greater concern with moral correctness, greater concern with authority, a less autonomous orientation, more expressions of…

Beliefs about Learning, Self-Regulated Strategies and Text comprehension among Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, Yin-Kum; Chan, Carol K. K.; Sachs, John

2008-01-01

Background: Most studies have investigated college and high school students' epistemological beliefs in Western contexts, with few studies examining how beliefs about learning are related to children's strategies and comprehension in the Chinese cultural context. Aims: The present study investigated Chinese elementary school children's beliefs…

The contribution of parent-child numeracy activities to young Chinese children's mathematical ability.

PubMed

Huang, Qi; Zhang, Xiao; Liu, Yingyi; Yang, Wen; Song, Zhanmei

2017-09-01

A growing body of recent research has shown that parent-child mathematical activities have a strong effect on children's mathematical learning. However, this research was conducted predominantly in Western societies and focused mainly on mothers' involvement in such activities. This study aimed to examine both mother-child and father-child numeracy activities in Hong Kong Chinese families and both parents' unique roles in predicting young Chinese children's mathematics ability. A sample of 104 Hong Kong Chinese children aged approximately 5 years and their mothers and fathers participated in this study. Mothers and fathers independently reported the frequency of their own numeracy activities with their children. Children were assessed individually using two measures of mathematical ability. Hierarchical regression models were used to investigate the contribution of parent-child numeracy activities to children's mathematical ability. Mothers' participation in number skill activities and fathers' participation in number game and application activities significantly predicted their children's mathematical performance even after controlling for background variables and children's language ability. This study extends previous research with a sample of Chinese kindergarten children and shows that parent-child numeracy activities are related to young children's mathematical ability. The findings highlight the important roles that mothers and fathers play in their young children's mathematical learning. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version index scores in Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Yang, Pinchen; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Chang, Chen-Lin; Liu, Tai-Ling; Hsu, Hsiu-Yi; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2013-02-01

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version (WISC-IV-Chinese) has been in clinical use in Taiwan since 2007. Research is needed to determine how the WISC-IV, modified from its earlier version, will affect its interpretation in clinical practice in a Mandarin-speaking context. We attempted to use WISC-IV-Chinese scores to identify the cognitive strengths and weaknesses in 334 Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Comparison of cognitive profiles of WISC-IV-Chinese scores between subtypes of ADHD was also performed. The results indicated that the four-factor model of the WISC-IV-Chinese fitted well for Taiwanese children with ADHD. The profiles showed that performance in the index score of the Processing Speed Index was the weakness domain for the Taiwanese children with ADHD, as confirmed by two different kinds of analytic methods. Cognitive profile analysis of ADHD subtypes revealed children with inattentive subtypes to have a greater weakness in processing speed performance. The implications of the profiles of the index scores on the WISC-IV-Chinese version for Taiwanese children with ADHD were explored. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Does productive role occupancy prevent depression among older rural Chinese adults? A latent difference score analysis.

PubMed

Hsiao, Hsin-Yi; Xu, Ling; Chi, Iris; Silverstein, Merril

2014-01-01

Depression has been reported as common among older rural Chinese adults, who often face limited access to healthcare services and resources. Empirical studies conducted in the West have shown beneficial effects of productive engagement on psychological well-being. However, the mechanisms by which engagement in productive activities leads to and results from improved mental health remain unclear. Utilizing role enhancement and social resource theories, the present study investigated the relationship between productive role occupancy and depression among older Chinese adults in rural areas over 8 years. Using four waves of data from the Well-Being of Elderly in Anhui Province of China study, we employed bivariate latent different score analysis to examine the temporal sequence of productive role occupancy and depression among 1696 older adults. Findings indicated that trajectories of productive role occupancy and depression rose across the four waves. There is evidence for self-feedback effects in productive role occupancy and depression. Depression had a significant effect on subsequent changes in productive role occupancy (β = -0.042, p = 0.000), whereas productive role occupancy had no significant effect on subsequent changes in depression. The mental well-being of participants worsened over time. Engaging in productive activities had no effect on mental health status, and rural older adults with poor mental health were less likely to engage in productive activities over time. Findings suggest that psychological well-being as a personal resource significantly affects how productively Chinese adults age in late life.

The quantity-quality trade-off of children in a developing country: identification using Chinese twins.

PubMed

Li, Hongbin; Zhang, Junsen; Zhu, Yi

2008-02-01

Testing the trade-off between child quantity and quality within a family is complicated by the endogeneity of family size. Using data from the Chinese Population Census, we examine the effect of family size on child educational attainment in China. We find a negative correlation between family size and child outcome, even after we control for the birth order effect. We then instrument family size by the exogenous variation that is induced by a twin birth and find a negative effect offamily size on children's education. We also find that the effect of family size is more evident in rural China, where the public education system is poor. Given that our estimates of the effect of having twins on nontwins at least provide the lower bound of the true effect of family size, these findings suggest a quantity-quality trade-off for children in developing countries.

Psychometric Characteristics of the Duke Social Support Index in a Young Rural Chinese Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jia, Cunxian; Zhang, Jie

2012-01-01

The study is aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Duke Social Support Scale (DSSI) in young rural Chinese individuals (379 suicides, 411 controls) aged 15-34 years. Social support was measured by 23-item DSSI, which included Social Interaction Scale, Subjective Social Support, and Instrumental Social Support. DSSI had high…

Developmental Dyscalculia and Low Numeracy in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Au, Terry K.; Tang, Joey

2013-01-01

Children struggle with mathematics for different reasons. Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy--two kinds of mathematical difficulties--may have their roots, respectively, in poor understanding of exact non-symbolic numerosities and of symbolic numerals. This study was the first to explore whether Chinese children, despite cultural and…

Cost Effective Delivery Strategies in Rural Areas: Programs for Young Handicapped Children. Vol. I. Making It Work in Rural Communities. A Rural Network Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Talbot, Ed.; Hutinger, Patricia, Ed.

Using a common format outlining program settings, agencies, children/families served, staff, services, delivery strategies, and program costs, descriptions of four cost-effective rural service delivery programs for young handicapped children provide evidence that good rural programs are affordable. The Early Lifestyle Program at King's Daughters'…

Brief Report: Mealtime Behaviors of Chinese American Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Heewon Lee; Chiang, Hsu-Min

2017-01-01

This study investigated mealtime behaviors of Chinese-American children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thirty-one parents of Chinese-American children with ASD participated in this study and the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI) was used. The top problematic mealtime behaviors reported by parents were prefers…

Sleep Duration and School Readiness of Chinese Preschool Children.

PubMed

Tso, Winnie; Rao, Nirmala; Jiang, Fan; Li, Albert Martin; Lee, So-Lun; Ho, Frederick Ka-Wing; Li, Sophia Ling; Ip, Patrick

2016-02-01

To examine the average sleep duration in Chinese preschoolers and to investigate the association between sleep duration and school readiness. This is a cross-sectional study that included 553 Chinese children (mean age = 5.46 years) from 20 preschools in 2 districts of Hong Kong. Average daily sleep duration in the last week was reported by parents and school readiness as measured by the teacher-rated Chinese Early Development Instrument (CEDI). Most Chinese preschoolers had 9-10 hours of sleep per day. Only 11% of preschoolers had the recommended 11-12 hours of sleep per day. This group was associated with more "very ready" CEDI domains. Sleep deprivation (≤7 hours per day) was associated with a lower CEDI total score, lower scores in the emotional maturity and language/cognitive domain, and prosocial behaviors subdomain but a greater score in the hyperactivity/inattention subdomain. Children with a lower family socioeconomic index, lower maternal education level, infrequent parent-child interactions, and who used electronic devices for more than 3 hours per day had shortened sleep durations. Optimal sleep duration was associated with better school readiness in preschool children, whereas sleep deprivation was associated with lower school readiness, more hyperactivity and inattention, and less prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood characteristics, parenting styles, and children's behavioral problems in Chinese American immigrant families.

PubMed

Lee, Erica H; Zhou, Qing; Ly, Jennifer; Main, Alexandra; Tao, Annie; Chen, Stephen H

2014-04-01

Using data from a socioeconomically diverse sample of Chinese American children (n = 258, aged 6-9 years) in immigrant families, we examined the concurrent relations among neighborhood economic disadvantage and concentration of Asian residents, parenting styles, and Chinese American children's externalizing and internalizing problems. Neighborhood characteristics were measured with 2000 U.S. Census tract-level data, parents (mostly mothers) rated their own parenting styles, and parents and teachers rated children's behavioral problems. Path analysis was conducted to test two hypotheses: (a) parenting styles mediate the relations between neighborhood characteristics and children's behavioral problems, and (b) children's behavioral problems mediate the relations between neighborhood and parenting styles. We found that neighborhood Asian concentration was positively associated with authoritarian parenting, which in turn was associated with Chinese American children's higher externalizing and internalizing problems (by parents' reports). In addition, neighborhood economic disadvantage was positively related to children's externalizing problems (by parents' reports), which in turn predicted lower authoritative parenting. The current results suggest the need to consider multiple pathways in the relations among neighborhood, family, and child adjustment, and they have implications for the prevention and intervention of behavioral problems in Chinese American children.

Links between Chinese Mothers' Parental Beliefs and Responses to Children's Expression of Negative Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Siu Mui

2012-01-01

This study investigated relations between parental beliefs and mothers' reported responses to their children's negative emotions. Altogether 189 Chinese mothers of children aged six to eight years were interviewed in group sessions using structured questionnaires. It was found that Chinese mothers endorsed Guan, the Chinese parental beliefs. They…

Home Literacy Environment and Its Influence on Singaporean Children's Chinese Oral and Written Language Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Li; Tan, Chee Lay

2016-01-01

In a bilingual environment such as Singaporean Chinese community, the challenge of maintaining Chinese language and sustaining Chinese culture lies in promoting the daily use of Chinese language in oral and written forms among children. Ample evidence showed the effect of the home language and literacy environment (HLE), on children's language and…

Cultural Differences in Chinese American and European American Children's Drawing Skills over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huntsinger, Carol S.; Jose, Paul E.; Krieg, Dana Balsink; Luo, Zupei

2011-01-01

Parents and early childhood teachers in Chinese societies and the United States have had dissimilar views about appropriate art instruction for young children. The Chinese view is that creativity will emerge after children have been taught essential drawing skills. The American view has been that children's drawing skills emerge naturally and that…

Environment and subjective well-being of rural Chinese elderly: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Yeatts, Dale E; Cready, Cynthia M; Pei, Xiaomei; Shen, Yuying; Luo, Hao

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of environment on the subjective well-being (SWB) of older Chinese villagers after controlling for personal and social characteristics. Data collected from the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey Pilot Study were used to examine the relationship between (a) SWB (i.e., happiness and depressive symptoms) of Chinese rural elderly and (b) environmental characteristics, controlling for personal and social characteristics. A total of 850 older villagers from 2 Chinese provinces were analyzed using multilevel regression models. Five of the 8 environmental variables had significant effects on SWB: A natural disaster in the past 5 years, rainy days, and use of coal in the home were associated with lower SWB, whereas village wealth and sewer system were associated with higher SWB. Personal and social characteristics of importance included health, age, place of birth, perception that future help is available if needed, and providing help to others. The proposition that the environment of older Chinese villagers is associated with their SWB was supported after accounting for personal and social characteristics. SWB may be improved by improving environments as well as by changes to personal and social conditions. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of the brain development trajectory between Chinese and U.S. children and adolescents

PubMed Central

Xie, Wanze; Richards, John E.; Lei, Du; Lee, Kang; Gong, Qiyong

2015-01-01

This current study investigated brain development of Chinese and American children and adolescents from 8 to 16 years of age using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. Analyses comparing Chinese and U.S. children brain/head MR images were performed to explore similarities and differences in the trajectory of brain development between these two groups. Our results revealed regional and age differences in both brain/head morphological and tissue level development between Chinese and U.S. children. Chinese children's brains and heads were shorter, wider, and taller than those of U.S. children. There were significant differences in the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) intensity between the two nationalities. Development trajectories for cerebral volume, GM, and several key brain structures were also distinct between these two populations. PMID:25698941

Age- and gender-specific associations of napping duration with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Chinese rural population: the RuralDiab study.

PubMed

Liu, Ruihua; Li, Yuqian; Wang, Fang; Liu, Xiaotian; Zhou, Hao; Wang, Panpan; Fan, Jingjing; Xu, Fei; Yang, Kaili; Hu, Dongsheng; Bie, Ronghai; Wang, Chongjian

2017-05-01

The consistency and strength of the relationship between napping duration and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remained uncertain, especially in the rural population. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between napping duration and T2DM in a Chinese rural population. A total of 12663 participants (4365 males and 8298 females) were derived from the RuralDiab study in China. Napping duration was obtained through a standardized questionnaire, and was divided into five categories: no napping (reference), 1∼, 31∼, 61∼, and ≥91 min. Fasting blood glucose was measured. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A meta-analysis including seven studies was conducted to validate the result of the RuralDiab study. The crude and age-standardized prevalence of T2DM were 10.31% and 8.14%, respectively. Compared with no napping, the adjusted OR (95%CI) for napping duration ≥91 min was 1.23 (1.05-1.45). A similar relationship was found only in females aged 45-54 years, but not in males and other age group females. In addition, napping duration was associated with T2DM in a positive dose-dependent manner among females aged 45-54 years (P for trend <0.05). The meta-analysis demonstrated this association, and the pooled OR (95%CI) for the longest napping duration compared with no napping was 1.28 (1.22-1.35). Longer napping duration is associated with higher risk of T2DM in the Chinese rural population, and this association varies across gender and age. Further multi-center prospective researches are needed to confirm the relationship and reveal underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Chinese rural young suicides: who did not have a strong intent to die.

PubMed

Sun, Long; Zhang, Jie

2015-02-01

In exploration of the risk factors of the Chinese rural young suicide, previous researchers found low prevalence of mental problems, high degree of impulsivity, and great proportion of lethal pesticide consumption. It noticed that some of the young suicides in rural China did not intend to die from the suicidal behavior which was only instrumentally used for certain gains. This study aims to look into the characteristics of those young suicides who did not really intend to die and compare them with those young suicides who had a strong intent to die. Subjects were 386 suicides aged 15-34years in the rural areas of three provinces in China. The data were obtained by psychological autopsy method. The degree of suicidal intent of the subjects was evaluated by the first 8 items of Beck's Suicide Intent Scale (SIS). It was found that those suicides that had a strong intent of death were more likely to have higher age, more years of education, live alone, and suffer mental disease. On the other hand, the low intent suicides were more likely to have pesticides at home and to be impulsive. In other words, pesticides and impulsivity killed some Chinese rural young men and women who did not really want to die by suicide. Findings of the study may be translated into practical measures in suicide prevention in China as well as elsewhere in the world. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predictors of Physical Functioning Trajectories among Chinese Oldest Old Adults: Rural and Urban Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Fei; Park, Nan Sook; Klemmack, David L.; Roff, Lucinda L.; Li, Zhihong

2009-01-01

This article examined the differences between rural/urban older adults in their trajectories of activities of daily living (ADL) over a 4-year period. The sample included 2,490 community dwelling older adults who completed three waves (1998, 2000, and 2002) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Among them, 63.5% were from rural…

Translation and psychometric properties of the Chinese (Mandarin) version of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form 19 (COHIP-SF 19) for school-age children.

PubMed

Li, Chenghao; Xia, Bin; Wang, Yu; Guan, Xuelin; Yuan, Junwei; Ge, Lihong

2014-11-30

Although caries and malocclusion occur with a high prevalence in Chinese school-age children, there were no appropriate instrument to assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) for this population. The aim of our study was to develop a Chinese (Mandarin) version of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form 19 (COHIP-SF 19) and provide a preliminary test of its psychometric properties. The Chinese version of COHIP-SF 19 was developed through a standard translation and back translation procedure. The psychometric properties of the instrument were tested among 644 school-age children in Beijing, China, including the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminant and convergent validity. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the capability of the instrument to differentiate children with different caries and malocclusion outcomes. And partial Spearman correlations were used to determine the relationships between the OHRQoL scores and clinical-severity indicators and self-perceived health ratings, respectively. Chinese school-age children had relatively high OHRQoL scores, in spite of the fact that oral impacts were quite common (56.3%). The internal consistency and retest reliability were good to excellent with a Chronbach's alpha of 0.81 and an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.77. Children who had active tooth decay or severe malocclusion had significantly lower COHIP-SF 19 scores (P ≤0.001). Girls had somewhat higher scores in the oral health and functional well-being subscales (P <0.05), while children from rural districts had lower scores than children from urban areas (P <0.05). We observed a low to moderate correlation between the overall COHIP-SF 19, subscale scores and clinical severity indicators as well as self-perceived health ratings, after adjustment for children's age, gender, and school district (│r s │ =0.11 - 0.51, P <0.05). We confirmed satisfactory psychometric properties for the Chinese

Positive youth development in rural China: the role of parental migration.

PubMed

Wen, Ming; Su, Shaobing; Li, Xiaoming; Lin, Danhua

2015-05-01

This study examined how parental rural-to-urban migration may affect left-behind children's development in rural China. We used two-wave data collected on 864 rural youth age 10-17 years in the Guangxi Province, China in 2010. We tested psychometric properties of a positive youth development (PYD) model theorized and corroborated in the US, compared a range of developmental outcomes among rural youth by their parental migration status, and explored the mediating role of family economic and social resources in observed associations between developmental outcomes and parental migration. The results showed the PYD model had some international validity although modifications would be needed to make it more suitable to Chinese settings. Little difference in the PYD outcomes was detected by parental migration status. On other outcomes (i.e., self-rated health, school grades, educational aspirations, problem behavior), positive influences of parental migration were observed. Increased income but not social resources in migrant families helped explain some of these patterns. The take-home message from this study is that parental migration is not necessarily an injurious situation for youth development. To advance our knowledge about the developmental significance of parental migration for rural Chinese youth, we urgently need large-scale representative surveys to collect comprehensive and longitudinal information about rural children's developmental trajectories and their multilevel social contexts to identify key resources of PYD in order to better help migrant and non-migrant families nurture thriving youth in rural China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chinese Children's Statistical Learning of Orthographic Regularities: Positional Constraints and Character Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Xiuli; McBride, Catherine

2014-01-01

This study examined how Chinese children acquire the untaught positional constraints of stroke patterns that are embedded in left-right structured and top-bottom structured characters. Using an orthographic regularity pattern elicitation paradigm, 536 Hong Kong Chinese children at different levels of reading (kindergarten, 2nd, and 5th grades)…

The Beautiful and the Ugly: Reading Ability Modulates Word Spacing Effects in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yu-Cheng; Lin, Pei-Ying

2017-01-01

There are no salient word spaces in Mandarin Chinese. Thus, it is unclear whether word spacing information differentially affects the reading speed of children with and without reading difficulties (RD). In the present study, native Chinese-speaking children of differential reading abilities were tested with Chinese text in un-spaced versus spaced…

Chinese Parenting Styles and Children's Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Juan; Prochner, Larry

2004-01-01

Self-regulated learning is an important aspect of student learning and academic achievement. Certain parenting styles help children develop self-regulated learning and encourage them to exert control over their own learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Chinese parenting style and children's involvement in…

Learning and Socializing Preferences in Hong Kong Chinese Children.

PubMed

Chen, Eva E; Corriveau, Kathleen H; Lai, Veronica K W; Poon, Sze Long; Gaither, Sarah E

2018-04-30

The impact of social group information on the learning and socializing preferences of Hong Kong Chinese children were examined. Specifically, the degree to which variability in racial out-group exposure affects children's use of race to make decisions about unfamiliar individuals (Chinese, White, Southeast Asian) was investigated. Participants (N = 212; M age  = 60.51 months) chose functions for novel objects after informants demonstrated their use; indicated with which peer group member to socialize; and were measured on racial group recognition, preference, and identification. Overall, children preferred in-group members, though out-group exposure and the relative social status of out-groups mattered as well. At a young age, children's specific experiences with different races influence how they learn and befriend others across racial group lines. © 2018 Society for Research in Child Development.

Refractive Status and Amblyopia Risk Factors in Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jiaxing; Ding, Gang; Li, Ying; Hua, Ning; Wei, Nan; Qi, Xiaoli; Ning, Yuxian; Zhang, Ying; Li, Xue; Li, Jing; Song, Linlin; Qian, Xuehan

2018-01-01

Amblyopia risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are usually hard to detect in early childhood due to poor cooperation and has not been reported in the Chinese population. We screened 168 Chinese children with ASD, aged between 3 and 8 years, and 264 age-matched neurotypical children with Spot photoscreener and basic…

Parenting Styles of Chinese Families and Children's Social-Emotional and Cognitive Developmental Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xiaowei; Xie, Jing

2017-01-01

Using data from a sample of Chinese children (n = 297) aged 3-6 years in Beijing, we examined the characteristics of Chinese parenting styles and the relationship with children's developmental outcomes. A 6-month follow-up study of 110 of the 297 participants further explored the long-term effect of parenting styles on children's development.…

Unmet needs in health training among nurses in rural Chinese township health centers: a cross-sectional hospital-based study.

PubMed

Mo, Yan; Hu, Guijie; Yi, Yanhua; Ying, Yanping; Huang, Huiqiao; Huang, Zhongxian; Lin, Jiafeng

2017-01-01

Maintaining a sufficient and competent rural nursing workforce is an important goal of the Chinese health delivery system. However, few studies have investigated the health training status or conducted a needs assessment of rural Chinese nurses during this time of great transformations in health policy. This study was conducted to explore the current health training status of nurses working in rural Chinese township health centers (THCs) and to ascertain their perceived needs. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered structured questionnaire was conducted among 240 THC nurses in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China from March 2014 to August 2014. The survey questionnaire was adapted from the Second Chinese Survey of Demographic Data and Training Demand for Health Professionals in THCs developed by the Ministry of Education. The nurses in THCs were young, with a low educational level. Their perceived needs for health training included further clinical studies at city-level hospitals to improve their skills and theoretical studies at medical universities in emergency medicine and general practice. Overall, 71.9% of the nurses with a secondary technical school background expected to pursue junior college studies, and 68.5% of the nurses with a junior college education expected to pursue a bachelor's degree. A decentralized program with theoretical studies at medical universities and practical studies at county hospitals was regarded as feasible by 66.9% of the respondents. Health-training programs for nurses in Chinese THCs must be improved in terms of coverage, delivery mode, and content. A decentralized degree-linked training program in which medical universities and city hospitals collaborate would be an appropriate mode of delivery.

Culture and diet among Chinese American children aged 9–13 years: A qualitative study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study examined Chinese American children's behaviors, food preferences, and cultural influences on their diet. Qualitative individual interviews were conducted with twenty-five Chinese American children aged 9-13 years in community centers and Chinese schools in Houston, TX using constructs fro...

Education of Children Left Behind in Rural China*

PubMed Central

Lu, Yao

2013-01-01

Despite China’s substantial internal migration, longstanding rural-urban bifurcation has prompted many migrants to leave their children behind in rural areas. This study examines the consequences of out-migration for children’s education using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (N = 885). This study takes into account the complex family migration strategies and distinguishes various types of migration in China, including different forms of parental migration as well as sibling migration. Results show that migration of siblings generates benefits for children’s education, which is particularly pronounced for girls and children at middle-school levels. But parental migration has not given children left behind a significant advantage in educational prospects as their parents had hoped. Younger children seem to be especially susceptible to the disruptive effect of parental out-migration. PMID:24163479

A Developmental Study of Chinese Children's Word and Character Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Tong; Wang, Ying; Tong, Xiuhong; McBride, Catherine

2017-01-01

To investigate the relationship between Chinese children's character and word reading, 62 third and 50 fifth grade children in Hong Kong were asked to read single characters and words that were comprised of these characters. Results showed that words helped children to recognize characters for both grades of children. Compared to older children,…

Dose-response relationship between visceral fat index and untreated hypertension in Chinese rural population: the RuralDiab study.

PubMed

Tian, Zhongyan; Li, Yuqian; Li, Linlin; Liu, Xiaotian; Shi, Yuanyuan; Yang, Kaili; Liu, Ruihua; Zhang, Honglei; Qian, Xinling; Yin, Lei; Zhao, Jingzhi; Wang, Chongjian

2018-06-01

The study aimed to explore the association of visceral fat index (VFI) with untreated hypertension in different genders and evaluate the practicability of VFI as a marker for discriminating untreated hypertension in Chinese rural population. A total of 12,536 eligible participants aged 35 years and older were derived from the RuralDiab study in China. VFI was assessed with bioelectrical impendence methods and divided into sex-specific quartiles. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline regression were performed. Receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to analyze the discriminating performance of VFI. Meanwhile, a meta-analysis was conducted to validate the result of this study. Compared with the lowest VFI quartile, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) in the highest VFI quartile were 3.68 (2.91-4.66) in male and 2.63 (2.12-3.25) in female (P trend  < .01). Nonlinear increasing trends about the risk of untreated hypertension were observed with the continuously increasing VFI in both genders (P linearity  < .01). The sensitivity and specificity in the optimal cutoff values for VFI were 58.37% and 62.26% in male, and 49.09% and 66.67% in female. The area under the curves (95% CI) were 0.64 (0.63-0.66) in male and 0.61 (0.60-0.62) in female. Meta-analysis results displayed the pooled odds ratios (95% CI) of 2.65 (1.79-3.93) in male and 2.27 (1.74-2.95) in female. VFI was significantly positively correlated with the risk of untreated hypertension, and dose-response relationships were observed in both genders in Chinese rural population. However, VFI as a marker had limited potential for discriminating untreated hypertension. Copyright © 2018 American Heart Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children: psychometric testing of the Chinese version.

PubMed

Li, Ho Cheung William; Chung, Oi Kwan Joyce; Ho, Ka Yan

2010-11-01

This paper is a report of psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately detects depressive symptoms in children is crucial before any psychological intervention can be appropriately planned and evaluated. There is no such an instrument for Chinese children. A test-retest, within-subjects design was used. A total of 313 primary school students between the ages of 8 and 12 years were invited to participate in the study in 2009. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, short form of the State Anxiety Scale for Children and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children were assessed. The newly-translated scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good content validity and appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis added further evidence of the construct validity of the scale. Results suggest that the newly-translated scale can be used as a self-report assessment tool in detecting depressive symptoms of Chinese children aged between 8 and 12 years. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Parenting Styles and Practices among Chinese Immigrant Mothers with Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jennifer Jun-Li; Chen, Tianying; Zheng, Xiao Xian

2012-01-01

This study investigated how Chinese immigrant mothers in the USA make meaning of their parenting styles and practices in rearing their young children (aged two to six). Twelve Chinese immigrant mothers were interviewed. A key finding reveals that the Chinese immigrant mothers' parenting practices reflected the indigenous concept of jiaoyang in the…

How British-Chinese Parents Support Their Children: A View from the Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Peter; Guo, Xumei

2014-01-01

Although the high level of achievement experienced by British-Chinese pupils in schools is well documented, the Chinese community in the UK is a relatively under-researched ethnic group. There is only patchy information on ways in which British-Chinese parents and children engage with education. It is often presumed the success of Chinese pupils…

The Utility of Chinese Tone Processing Skill in Detecting Children with English Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Alida; Wang, Min

2012-01-01

The utility of Chinese tone processing skill in detecting children with English reading difficulties was examined through differences in a Chinese tone experimental task between a group of native English-speaking children with reading disabilities (RD) and a comparison group of children with normal reading development (NRD). General auditory…

Lexical Tone Awareness among Chinese Children with Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Wing-Sze; Ho, Connie Suk-Han

2011-01-01

This study examined the extent and nature of lexical tone deficit in Chinese developmental dyslexia. Twenty Cantonese-speaking Chinese dyslexic children (mean age 8 ; 11) were compared to twenty average readers of the same age (CA control group, mean age 8 ; 11), and another twenty younger average readers of the same word reading level (RL control…

Behavioral and emotional problems in Chinese children of divorced parents.

PubMed

Liu, X; Guo, C; Okawa, M; Zhai, J; Li, Y; Uchiyama, M; Neiderhiser, J M; Kurita, H

2000-07-01

This study examined the behavioral problems in Chinese children of divorced parents. A total of 58 children of divorce and 116 gender-, age-, and school class-matched controls were ascertained from a general population sample of children aged 6 through 15 years. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and teachers completed the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) and Conners Hyperkinesis Index. Parent-reported problem scores on the CBCL total scale and each subscale, and prevalence of all CBCL syndromes except for Somatic Complaints, were significantly higher in children of divorce than in controls. Teacher-reported problem scores on the TRF total scale and Social and Attention Problems and prevalence of Attention Problems were significantly different for the 2 groups of children. Social competence was rated significantly lower in children of divorce than in controls. Discriminant function analysis showed that behavioral problems in children of divorce were characterized by aggressive behavior, withdrawal, and social problems. The findings emanating from China provide the first evidence of the link between parental divorce and children's psychopathology and clarify the psychopathological dimensions in Chinese children of divorced parents.

The Unique School Environment of Rural Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodendorf, Diane M.

Recorded observations, camera work, conversations with 19 children in grades K-4 in a Nebraska 2-room school house, and interviews with the teacher were techniques used to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the small rural school environment and its impact on children. Five attributes were found to be significant and unique small school…

Chinese Children’s Moral Evaluation of Lies and Truths—Roles of Context and Parental Individualism–Collectivism Tendencies

PubMed Central

Fu, Genyue; Brunet, Megan K.; Lv, Yin; Ding, Xiaopan; Heyman, Gail D.; Cameron, Catherine Ann; Lee, Kang

2010-01-01

The present study examined Chinese children’s moral evaluations of truths and lies about one’s own pro-social acts. Children ages 7, 9, and 11 were read vignettes in which a protagonist performs a good deed and is asked about it by a teacher, either in front of the class or in private. In response, the protagonist either tells a modest lie, which is highly valued by the Chinese culture, or tells an immodest truth, which violates the Chinese cultural norms about modesty. Children were asked to identify whether the protagonist’s statement was the truth or a lie, and to evaluate how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ the statement was. Chinese children rated modest lies more positively than immodest truths, with this effect becoming more pronounced with age. Rural Chinese children and those with at least one nonprofessional parent rated immodest truths less positively when they were told in public rather than in private. Furthermore, Chinese children of parents with high collectivism scores valued modest lies more than did children of parents with low collectivism scores. These findings suggest that both macro- and micro-cultural factors contribute significantly to children’s moral understanding of truth and lie telling. PMID:21072133

Radical Sensitivity Is the Key to Understanding Chinese Character Acquisition in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Xiuhong; Tong, Xiuli; McBride, Catherine

2017-01-01

This study investigated Chinese children's development of sensitivity to positional (orthographic), phonological, and semantic cues of radicals in encoding novel Chinese characters. A newly designed picture-novel character mapping task, along with nonverbal reasoning ability, vocabulary, and Chinese character recognition were administered to 198…

The Journey to School: Space, Geography and Experiences of Rural Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morojele, Pholoho; Muthukrishna, Nithi

2012-01-01

This paper gives prominence to rural children's accounts of their journey to school. Twelve children (male = 6; female = 6) from three different rural villages in Lesotho participated in the study. Individual and focus group interviews were used to generate data, and these were preceded by three participatory research techniques: family drawings,…

Views of the Family by Chinese and U.S. Children: A Comparative Study of Kinetic Family Drawings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Ena Vasquez; And Others

1988-01-01

Compared family drawings of Chinese (People's Republic of China) and United States (U.S.) elementary school children. Chinese children depicted parents and grandparents more frequently, reflecting the Chinese tendency to perceive themselves as members of nuclear and extended families, whereas U.S. children expressed more individualism and…

Kerosene Oil Poisoning among Children in Rural Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Dayasiri, M B Kavinda Chandimal; Jayamanne, Shaluka F; Jayasinghe, Chamilka Y

2017-01-01

Kerosene oil poisoning is one of common presentations to emergency departments among children in rural territories of developing countries. This study aimed to describe clinical manifestations, reasons for delayed presentations, harmful first aid practices, complications, and risk factors related to kerosene oil poisoning among children in rural Sri Lanka. This multicenter study was conducted in North-Central province of Sri Lanka involving all in-patient children with acute kerosene oil poisoning. Data were collected over seven years from thirty-six hospitals in the province. Data collection was done by pretested, multistructured questionnaires and a qualitative study. Male children accounted for 189 (60.4%) while 283 (93%) children were below five years. The majority of parents belonged to farming community. Most children ingested kerosene oil in home kitchen. Mortality rate was 0.3%. Lack of transport facilities and financial resources were common reasons for delayed management. Hospital transfer rate was 65.5%. Thirty percent of caregivers practiced harmful first aid measures. Commonest complication was chemical pneumonitis. Strongest risk factors for kerosene oil poisoning were unsafe storage, inadequate supervision, and inadequate house space. Effect of safe storage and community education in reducing the burden of kerosene oil poisoning should be evaluated. Since many risk factors interact to bring about the event of poisoning in a child, holistic approaches to community education in rural settings are recommended.

Kerosene Oil Poisoning among Children in Rural Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Jayamanne, Shaluka F.; Jayasinghe, Chamilka Y.

2017-01-01

Introduction Kerosene oil poisoning is one of common presentations to emergency departments among children in rural territories of developing countries. This study aimed to describe clinical manifestations, reasons for delayed presentations, harmful first aid practices, complications, and risk factors related to kerosene oil poisoning among children in rural Sri Lanka. Methods This multicenter study was conducted in North-Central province of Sri Lanka involving all in-patient children with acute kerosene oil poisoning. Data were collected over seven years from thirty-six hospitals in the province. Data collection was done by pretested, multistructured questionnaires and a qualitative study. Results Male children accounted for 189 (60.4%) while 283 (93%) children were below five years. The majority of parents belonged to farming community. Most children ingested kerosene oil in home kitchen. Mortality rate was 0.3%. Lack of transport facilities and financial resources were common reasons for delayed management. Hospital transfer rate was 65.5%. Thirty percent of caregivers practiced harmful first aid measures. Commonest complication was chemical pneumonitis. Strongest risk factors for kerosene oil poisoning were unsafe storage, inadequate supervision, and inadequate house space. Conclusions Effect of safe storage and community education in reducing the burden of kerosene oil poisoning should be evaluated. Since many risk factors interact to bring about the event of poisoning in a child, holistic approaches to community education in rural settings are recommended. PMID:29348762

Characteristics of Chinese Rural Young Suicides Who Did Not Have a Strong Intention to Die1

PubMed Central

Sun, Long; Zhang, Jie

2014-01-01

Background In exploration of the risk factors of the Chinese rural young suicide, previous researchers found low prevalence of mental problems, high degree of impulsivity, and great proportion of lethal pesticide consumption. It noticed that some of the young suicides in rural China did not intend to die from the suicidal behavior which was only instrumentally used for certain gains. Aims This study aims to look into the characteristics of those young suicides who did not really intend to die and compare them with those young suicides who had a strong intent to die. Methods Subjects were 386 suicides aged 15-34 years in the rural areas of three provinces in China. The data were obtained by psychological autopsy method. The degree of suicidal intent of the subjects was evaluated by the first 8 items of Beck’s Suicide Intent Scale (SIS). Results It was found that those suicides who had a strong intent of death were more likely to have higher age, more years of education, live alone, and suffer mental disease. On the other hand, the low intent suicides were more likely to have pesticides at home and to be impulsive. In other words, pesticides and impulsivity killed some Chinese rural young men and women who did not really want to die by suicide. Conclusion Findings of the study may be translated into practical measures in suicide prevention in China as well as elsewhere in the world. PMID:25497170

Validation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) among Chinese children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study initially validates the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), which has been identified as a potentially valid instrument to assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children among diverse racial groups. The psychometric properti...

Novel Noun and Verb Learning in Chinese-, English-, and Japanese-Speaking Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imai, Mutsumi; Li, Lianjing; Haryu, Etsuko; Okada, Hiroyuki; Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Shigematsu, Jun

2008-01-01

When can children speaking Japanese, English, or Chinese map and extend novel nouns and verbs? Across 6 studies, 3- and 5-year-old children in all 3 languages map and extend novel nouns more readily than novel verbs. This finding prevails even in languages like Chinese and Japanese that are assumed to be verb-friendly languages (e.g., T. Tardif,…

Similarity of Deleterious Effects of Divorce on Chinese and American Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Zheng; Bray, Melissa A.; Kehle, Thomas J.; Xin, Tao

2001-01-01

Reviews and contrasts the effects of divorce on Chinese children's adjustment to American children of divorce. Results indicate that the deleterious effects of divorce on children's academic and social functioning appear to be similar to that experienced by American children. (Contains 23 references.) (GCP)

Chinese health care system and clinical epidemiology

PubMed Central

Sun, Yuelian; Gregersen, Hans; Yuan, Wei

2017-01-01

China has gone through a comprehensive health care insurance reform since 2003 and achieved universal health insurance coverage in 2011. The new health care insurance system provides China with a huge opportunity for the development of health care and medical research when its rich medical resources are fully unfolded. In this study, we review the Chinese health care system and its implication for medical research, especially within clinical epidemiology. First, we briefly review the population register system, the distribution of the urban and rural population in China, and the development of the Chinese health care system after 1949. In the following sections, we describe the current Chinese health care delivery system and the current health insurance system. We then focus on the construction of the Chinese health information system as well as several existing registers and research projects on health data. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of the health care system in regard to clinical epidemiology research. China now has three main insurance schemes. The Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) covers urban employees and retired employees. The Urban Residence Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) covers urban residents, including children, students, elderly people without previous employment, and unemployed people. The New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) covers rural residents. The Chinese Government has made efforts to build up health information data, including electronic medical records. The establishment of universal health care insurance with linkage to medical records will provide potentially huge research opportunities in the future. However, constructing a complete register system at a nationwide level is challenging. In the future, China will demand increased capacity of researchers and data managers, in particular within clinical epidemiology, to explore the rich resources. PMID:28356772

The Cognitive Profile of Chinese Children with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Becky Mee-yin; Ho, Connie Suk-han

2010-01-01

This study examined how four domain-specific skills (arithmetic procedural skills, number fact retrieval, place value concept, and number sense) and two domain-general processing skills (working memory and processing speed) may account for Chinese children's mathematics learning difficulties. Children with mathematics difficulties (MD) of two age…

The relationship between executive functions and IQ in Korean children and the comparison with Chinese children.

PubMed

Song, Hyunjoo; Jinyu, An

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived/performance-based executive function and IQ. Additionally, the relationship between perceived executive function and intelligence was investigated cross-culturally between South Korea and China. Korean children (60; M = 34, F = 26, Mean age = 10.35) were included in study 1, and Korean children (43, M = 23, F = 20, Mean age = 10.05) and Chinese children (56; M = 29, F = 27, Mean age = 10.40) were included in study 2. The Korean-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, the Stroop test, the CTT-2, and the executive function questionnaire were used for Korean subjects, and the Raven's matrix test and the executive function questionnaire were used for Korean and Chinese subjects. Multiple regression showed that CTT-2(RT), emotional control difficulty, and Color Word within a 45' Stroop test trial were significant predictors of total IQ. The cross-cultural analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the two countries in the emotional control aspect of perceived executive function. There were no interactions between country and intelligence. In conclusion, intelligence was related to overall executive function. Korean children and Chinese children showed cultural differences in processing emotion. These results are expected to contribute to developing therapeutic strategies for executive function in children and to exchanging these strategies between Korea and China.

Early differentiation between drawing and writing in Chinese children.

PubMed

Treiman, Rebecca; Yin, Li

2011-04-01

Children under 3½ years of age or so are often thought to produce the same types of scribbles for writing and drawing. We tested this idea by asking Chinese 2- to 6-year-olds to write and draw four targets. In Study 1, Chinese adults judged the status of the productions as writings or drawings. The adults performed significantly above the level expected by chance even with the productions of 2- to 2½-year-olds. In Study 2, we examined specific characteristics of the children's writings and drawings. Although the younger children's scribbles bore little resemblance to the correct characters, they tended to be smaller, sparser, and more angular than their artwork, with less filling in. Differences were also found in paper use and implement use. Children did not appear to distinguish writing from drawing for their own names before they did so for other targets. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of village-based health education of tobacco control on the current smoking rate in Chinese rural areas.

PubMed

Wang, Jian-miao; Xiong, Wei-ning; Xie, Jun-gang; Liu, Xian-sheng; Zhao, Jian-ping; Zhang, Zhen-xiang; Xu, Yong-jian

2016-02-01

The number of smokers in Chinese rural areas is more than 200 million, which is twice that in cities. It is very significant to carry out tobacco control interventions in rural areas. We performed this community intervention study to evaluate the efficacy of village-based health education of tobacco control on the male current smoking rate in rural areas. The population of this study was the males above 15 years old from 6 villages in rural areas. The villages were randomly assigned to intervention group or control group (3 villages in each group). Self-designed smoking questionnaire was applied. The intervention group received the village-based health education of tobacco control for one year. The primary outcome measurement was the male current smoking rate. In the baseline investigation, completed surveys were returned by 814 male residents from the control group and 831 male residents from the intervention group. The male current smoking rate in the control group and the intervention group was 61.2% and 58.5%, respectively, before intervention. There was no significant difference between these two groups (P>0.05). After one-year intervention, the current smoking rate in the intervention group (51.2%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (62.8%) (P<0.001). Our study suggested that the village-based health education of tobacco control was effective in lowering the male current smoking rate in rural areas, which could be a suitable and feasible way for tobacco control in the Chinese rural areas.

Work Ethic, Motivation, and Parental Influences in Chinese and North American Children Learning to Play the Piano

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comeau, Gilles; Huta, Veronika; Liu, YiFei

2015-01-01

This study compared 50 Chinese and 100 North American Caucasian children aged 6 to 17 who were learning piano, in terms of their work ethic, motivation, and parental influences. Compared to North American Caucasians, Chinese children and parents believed more strongly that musical ability requires hard work, and Chinese children were more…

Child development in rural China: children left behind by their migrant parents and children of nonmigrant families.

PubMed

Wen, Ming; Lin, Danhua

2012-01-01

Using recent cross-sectional data of rural children aged from 8 to 18 in Hunan Province of China, this article examines psychological, behavioral, and educational outcomes and the psychosocial contexts of these outcomes among children left behind by one or both of their rural-to-urban migrant parents compared to those living in nonmigrant families. The results showed that left-behind children were disadvantaged in health behavior and school engagement but not in perceived satisfaction. The child's psychosocial environment, captured by family socioeconomic status, socializing processes, peer and school support, and psychological traits, were associated with, to varying extent, child developmental outcomes in rural China. These influences largely remain constant for the sampled children regardless of their parents' migrant status. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of parents in rural China on the use of antibiotics in children: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yu, Miao; Zhao, Genming; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia; Zhu, Yipin; Zhao, Qi; Xu, Biao

2014-02-27

The purpose of the study was to investigate parents' perceptions of antibiotic use for their children, interactions between parents and physicians regarding treatment with antibiotics, and factors associated with parents self-medicating children with antibiotics. A cross-sectional study was conducted in vaccination clinics in two rural Chinese counties. Primary caregivers (the child's parents in 97% of cases) visiting these clinics for the vaccination of their young children were given a 55-item structured questionnaire to collect information on the parents' knowledge and attitudes regarding when, why, and how to use antibiotics and on their practices of purchasing antibiotics and medicating children. Of the 854 participating primary caregivers, 79% thought antibiotics could cure viral infections, and half believed that antibiotics could shorten the duration of upper respiratory tract infection. Parents reported a median of two hospital visits for their children during the previous 6 months, equal to the median number of antibiotic prescriptions received from physicians. Sixty-two percent of the parents had self-medicated their children with antibiotics. Living in rural villages (Adj OR = 1.643, 95% CI: 1.108-2.436), raising more than one child (Adj OR = 2.174, 95% CI: 1.485-3.183), increasing age of child (Adj OR = 1.146, 95% CI: 1.037-1.266), purchasing antibiotics without a prescription (Adj OR = 6.264, 95% CI: 4.144-9.469), storing antibiotics at home (Adj OR = 2.792, 95% CI: 1.961-3.975) and good adherence to physicians' advice (Adj OR = 0.639, 95% CI: 0.451-0.906) were independently associated with self-medicating behavior. Low levels of knowledge on the use of antibiotics and a high prevalence of self-medicating children with antibiotics were observed among parents in rural China. Interventions for the rational use of antibiotics in children should focus on strengthening mass health education, improving effective communication

Differences in Physical Activity Levels between Urban and Rural School Children in Cyprus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loucaides, Constantinos A.; Chedzoy, Sue M.; Bennett, Neville

2004-01-01

This study attempted to examine differences in physical activity levels between urban and rural primary school children. The sample consisted of 256 Greek-Cypriot children and their parents from two schools representing urban areas and three schools representing rural areas. Children's activity levels were assessed for 4 weekdays in the winter and…

Bidirectional Relations between Temperament and Parenting Styles in Chinese Children.

PubMed

Lee, Erica H; Zhou, Qing; Eisenberg, Nancy; Wang, Yun

2013-01-01

The present study examined bidirectional relations between child temperament and parenting styles in a sample ( n = 425) of Chinese children during elementary school period (age range = 6 to 9 years at Wave 1). Using two waves (3.8 years apart) of longitudinal data, we tested two hypotheses: (1) whether child temperament (effortful control and anger/frustration) at Wave 1 predicts parenting styles (authoritative and authoritarian parenting) at Wave 2, controlling for Wave 1 parenting; and (2) whether parenting styles at Wave 1 predict Wave 2 temperament, controlling for Wave 1 temperament. We found support for bidirectional relations between temperament and authoritarian parenting, such that higher effortful control and lower anger/frustration were associated with higher authoritarian parenting across time and in both directions. There were no significant cross-time associations between children's temperament and authoritative parenting. These findings extend the previous tests of transactional relations between child temperament and parenting in Chinese children and are consistent with the cultural values toward effortful control and control of anger/frustration in Chinese society.

Blood mercury concentration, fish consumption and anthropometry in Chinese children: A national study.

PubMed

Gao, Zhen-Yan; Li, Min-Ming; Wang, Ju; Yan, Jin; Zhou, Can-Can; Yan, Chong-Huai

2018-01-01

This study sought to obtain national cross-sectional data for blood mercury levels and risk factors for mercury exposure in Chinese children aged 0 to 6years to provide evidence to support preventive measures for reducing childhood blood mercury levels. A multi-stage, stratified, clustered random sampling survey was conducted May 2013-Mar 2015. Shanghai, Jilin, Shanxi, Guangdong, Qinghai, Yunnan and Hubei, which are located in seven different geographical regions in China, were selected as the study field. A total of 14,202 children aged 0-6years participated in the study. Whole-blood venous samples (3ml) were collected from the subjects for mercury exposure assessment. The DMA-80 was applied for mercury detection, and a health questionnaire gathering information on related confounders was completed by the subjects' parents of the subjects after they received guidance from the investigators. A general linear model was used for the primary descriptive statistical analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs for the risk factors were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. A total of 14,202 eligible samples were collected. The mean mercury level was 1.39μg/L. Other results were as follows: median 1.23μg/L, p25 0.86μg/L, p75 1.73μg/L, and GM 1.10μg/L. Of the seven geographical regions, Qinghai, in northwestern China, had a median mercury level of 0.37μg/L, which was significantly lower than the mercury level in Guangdong, in southeastern China (2.01μg/L). The median blood mercury level of children in suburban areas was 1.34μg/L, which was remarkably higher than that of children in rural areas (1.09μg/L). Dichotomous subgroups were generated using the median mercury concentration. Unconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that fish consumption may contribute to increased blood mercury levels (p<0.05). Additionally, we observed significantly positive associations between mercury concentrations and the children's anthropometric characteristics

Children--The Effect of Rural Residence on Dental Unmet Need for Children with Special Health Care Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Asheley Cockrell; Slifkin, Rebecca T.; Mayer, Michelle L.

2006-01-01

Background: Unmet need for dental care is the most prevalent unmet health care need among children with special health care needs (CSHCN), even though these children are at a greater risk for dental problems. The combination of rural residence and special health care needs may leave rural CSHCN particularly vulnerable to high levels of unmet…

Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms Among Rural-to-Urban Migrant Children in China: The Protective Role of Resilience.

PubMed

Ye, Zhi; Chen, Lihua; Harrison, Sayward E; Guo, Haiying; Li, Xiaoming; Lin, Danhua

2016-01-01

Peer victimization can have a profound effect on children's wellbeing and is a known risk factor for depression in childhood. Migrant children experience peer victimization at higher rates than non-migrant peers; however, limited research has examined psychological factors that may serve to reduce depression risk for this group. In particular, no studies have yet investigated whether resilience, including personal characteristics, and a strong social support network, may moderate the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms for migrant children. This study utilized a latent interaction model to examine the effect of resilience on the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms among 721 rural-to-urban migrant children in Beijing, China. Results indicated that peer victimization was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience was found to be a protective factor for depressive symptoms and also mitigated the effects of peer victimization on depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses suggest that enrollment in private migrant schools may be linked with poorer psychosocial outcomes for Chinese migrant children. Strengthening the internal resilience and social supports for all migrant children may be an effective strategy to lower their risk for depression. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Validation of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) among Chinese Children.

PubMed

Wang, Jing Jing; Baranowski, Tom; Lau, Wc Patrick; Chen, Tzu An; Pitkethly, Amanda Jane

2016-03-01

This study initially validates the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), which has been identified as a potentially valid instrument to assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in children among diverse racial groups. The psychometric properties of the PAQ-C with 742 Hong Kong Chinese children were assessed with the scale's internal consistency, reliability, test-retest reliability, confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) in the overall sample, and multistep invariance tests across gender groups as well as convergent validity with body mass index (BMI), and an accelerometry-based MVPA. The Cronbach alpha coefficient (α=0.79), composite reliability value (ρ=0.81), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (α=0.82) indicate the satisfactory reliability of the PAQ-C score. The CFA indicated data fit a single factor model, suggesting that the PAQ-C measures only one construct, on MVPA over the previous 7 days. The multiple-group CFAs suggested that the factor loadings and variances and covariances of the PAQ-C measurement model were invariant across gender groups. The PAQ-C score was related to accelerometry-based MVPA (r=0.33) and inversely related to BMI (r=-0.18). This study demonstrates the reliability and validity of the PAQ-C in Chinese children. Copyright © 2016 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Meta-analysis of the comorbidity rate of allergic rhinitis and asthma in Chinese children.

PubMed

Kou, Wei; Li, Xuelei; Yao, Hongbing; Wei, Ping

2018-04-01

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma often occur concomitantly and are the two most common inflammatory conditions of the airways in children. Large-scale studies investigating the comorbidity of asthma and AR in children are rare. So, we performed a meta-analysis to describe the comorbidity rate of asthma and AR in Chinese children. We retrieved related studies from Pubmed, Science, Springer, Elsevier, Embase, BMJ, and four Chinese biomedical databases, including Wanfang Data, VIP, CBM, and CNKI. From these individual studies, the comorbidity rate of asthma and AR in Chinese children was extracted and pooled to generate summary effect estimates in R version 3.2.3. The meta-analysis included 25 cross-sectional studies. The results indicated that in China, the incidence of asthma in children with AR is 35.01% (95% CI: 32.32%-37.70%) and the incidence of AR in children with asthma is 54.93% (95% CI: 53.05%-56.80%). The comorbidity of AR and asthma is high in Chinese children. Statistically, the prevalence of AR was higher in children with asthma, as opposed to the prevalence of asthma in children with AR. The comorbidity rate of AR and asthma signifies the importance of improving the recognition and treatment under both conditions by respiratory physicians and otolaryngologists. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Disparities in pulmonary function in healthy children across the Indian urban-rural continuum.

PubMed

Sonnappa, Samatha; Lum, Sooky; Kirkby, Jane; Bonner, Rachel; Wade, Angela; Subramanya, Vinita; Lakshman, Padmanabha T; Rajan, Babitha; Nooyi, Shalini C; Stocks, Janet

2015-01-01

Marked socioeconomic health-care disparities are recognized in India, but lung health inequalities between urban and rural children have not been studied. We investigated whether differences exist in spirometric pulmonary function in healthy children across the Indian urban-rural continuum and compared results with those from Indian children living in the UK. Indian children aged 5 to 12 years were recruited from Indian urban, semiurban, and rural schools, and as part of the Size and Lung Function in Children study, London. Anthropometric and spirometric assessments were undertaken. Acceptable spirometric data were obtained from 728 (58% boys) children in India and 311 (50% boys) UK-Indian children. As an entire group, the India-resident children had significantly lower z FEV1 and z FVC than UK-Indian children (P < 0.0005), when expressed using Global Lung Function Initiative-2012 equations. However, when India-resident children were categorized according to residence, there were no differences in z FEV1 and z FVC between Indian-urban and UK-Indian children. There were, however, significant reductions of ∼ 0.5 z scores and 0.9 z scores in both FEV1 and FVC (with no difference in FEV1/FVC) in Indian-semiurban and Indian-rural children, respectively, when compared with Indian-urban children (P < 0.0005). z Body mass index, socioeconomic circumstances, tobacco, and biomass exposure were individually significantly associated with z FEV1 and z FVC (P < 0.0005). The presence of an urban-rural continuum of lung function within a specific ethnic group emphasizes the impact of environmental factors on lung growth in emerging nations such as India, which must be taken into account when developing ethnic-specific reference values or designing studies to optimize lung health.

THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN RURAL AREAS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WALLACE, HELEN M.

THE HEALTH STATUS AND HEALTH NEEDS OF MOTHERS AND CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES AND OF RURAL MOTHERS AND CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR ARE SUMMARIZED. SUGGESTIONS ARE GIVEN FOR IMPROVING HEALTH SERVICES. ILLUSTRATIVE DATA RATHER THAN A COMPLETE REVIEW OF PERTINENT LITERATURE ARE PRESENTED. MORTALITY RATES AMONG CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND PREGNANT WOMEN IN…

Emergency Shelter Placement of Rural Children: Placement and Discharge Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Hook, Mary

1994-01-01

Examines patterns associated with placement and subsequent discharge of rural children in emergency shelter care. Suggests that the growing numbers of children being placed out of their homes, runaway adolescents, and homeless children, underscore the importance of identifying children likely to be referred for emergency services, as those…

Role of Family Stressors on Rural Low-Income Children's Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greder, Kimberly A.; Peng, Cheng; Doudna, Kimberly D.; Sarver, Susan L.

2017-01-01

Background: Exposure to multiple stressors and lack of access to resources place rural children at high risk for adverse consequences. Family Stress Model guided this study to examine relations between two stressors--food insecurity and maternal depressive symptoms, and behavior problems among younger and older rural children. Objective: To test…

Young Chinese Children's Justifications of Plants as Living Things

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tao, Ying

2016-01-01

Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to explore how Chinese preschool children categorize plants into either living or nonliving things. The research was framed within the interpretive paradigm and was designed as a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Participants were children 4 to 6 years of age from 3 kindergartens in Jiangsu…

Validation of the Self-Regulation Scale in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Ying; Bullock, Amanda; Liu, Junsheng; Fu, Rui; Coplan, Robert J.; Cheah, Charissa S. L.

2016-01-01

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Self-Regulation Scale (C-SRS) were examined in a sample of 1,458 third- to eighth-grade students in China. Children completed self-reports of self-regulation, loneliness, depression, and self-esteem, and teachers rated children's school adjustment. Results showed a stable three-factor model…

The Role of Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong Chinese Children's English and Chinese Skills: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dulay, Katrina May; Tong, Xiuhong; McBride, Catherine

2017-01-01

We investigated the influence of nonparental caregivers, such as foreign domestic helpers (FDH), on the home language spoken to the child and its implications for vocabulary and word reading development in Cantonese- and English-speaking bilingual children. Using data collected from ages 5 to 9, we analyzed Chinese vocabulary, Chinese character…

Comic books carry health messages to rural children in Honduras.

PubMed

Vigano, O

1983-12-01

This article reports on the use of children as message carriers in a rural water and sanitation project in western Honduras. The Honduran Water and Sanitation Project represents the 1st such effort to have a specific health education component. It was decided to direct the education component toward children because of their important role in providing and handling drinking water and caring for younger members of the family. Rural primary schools surfaced as a potential channel of communication. The comic book format was selected because it is simple enough to be used in the schools without much training, economical to produce (US$0.30/copy), effective and attractive to children, and consistent with the Project's philosophy that dialogue and participation are essential components of health education. Each comic book contains a single-concept message, e.g., 1 cause of water contamination or a method of water purification. The 1st module was pretested in 3 rural schools. Following classroom study of the comic book, correct answers on 5 questions related to the comic book story increased from 59% to 80%. 95% of the children indicated that they liked the characters, and teachers expressed satisfaction with the materials. 1200 copies of the 1st module have been distributed to 30 rural schools, and production plans include 11 additional modules on topics such as prevention of water-related sickness and personal hygiene.

Qualitative exploration of HIV-related sexual behaviours and multiple partnerships among Chinese men who have sex with men living in a rural area of Yunnan Province, China.

PubMed

Chow, Eric P F; Gao, Liangmin; Koo, Fung Kuen; Chen, Liang; Fu, Xiaoxing; Jing, Jun; Wilson, David P; Zhang, Lei

2013-12-01

The HIV epidemic has been spreading rapidly among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. The present study explored the pattern of HIV-related high-risk sexual practices among MSM in a rural Chinese setting. Data were collected by semistructured in-depth interviews conducted among 15 MSM in Yuxi Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Fifteen respondents were recruited through a local non-governmental organisation via purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used. Technological changes, risk behaviours, social stigma and high migration rates have played a significant role in the spread of HIV among MSM in rural China. The Internet has become the primary channel for soliciting casual sex partners in the MSM community. Bisexuality and having concurrent and multiple sexual partners were common among rural MSM. A large number of sexual partners and low condom use in all MSM partnership types were noted. Due to Chinese cultural traditions and social stigma, Chinese rural MSM were reluctant to disclose their homosexuality. Rural-to-urban migrant MSM were often engaged in the commercial sex trade. Rural MSM is a distinctive and complex population with multiple identities in China. Concurrent multiple sexual partnerships, high mobility and low disclosure rate are the major challenges for HIV prevention and intervention programs in MSM.

The Chinese Children and Families Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Potischman, Nancy; Fang, Liwen; Hao, Ling; Bailey, Regan R.; Berrigan, David; Berry, Robert John; Brodie, Alison; Chao, Ann; Chen, Jing; Dodd, Kevin; Feng, Yajing; Ma, Guansheng; He, Yuna; Fan, Jing; Kimlin, Michael; Kitahara, Cari; Linet, Martha; Li, Zhu; Liu, Ailing; Liu, Yashan; Sampson, Joshua; Su, Joseph; Sun, Jiandong; Tasevska, Natasha; Yang, Lichen; Yang, Ruilan; Zhang, Qian; Wang, Ning; Wang, Linhong; Yu, Wang

2018-01-01

This article reports the study design, methodological issues and early results of a pilot study testing methods for collecting nutrition, physical activity, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure data in a groundbreaking study in China. Epidemiological studies suggest that exposures across the entire life course, including in utero, early childhood, and adolescence, may be important in the etiology of adult cancers and other chronic diseases. The Chinese Children and Families Cohort Study intends to follow-up subjects from the 1993 to 1995 Community Intervention Program of folic acid supplementation for the prevention of neural tube defects. This cohort is unique in that only folic acid exposure during pregnancy varies between groups as other supplements were not available, and there were nutrient deficiencies in the populations. Prior to launching a large-scale follow-up effort, a pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of recontacting original study participants to collect extensive diet, physical activity, and UV radiation exposure data in this population. The pilot study included 92 mothers and 184 adolescent children aged 14 to 17 years from 1 urban and 1 rural Community Intervention Program site. Subjects completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire, a 3-day food record, a physical activity questionnaire, a 3-day sun exposure diary together with 3 days of personal UV dosimetry, and 7 days of pedometry measurements and provided blood, saliva, and toenail samples. Grip strength and body composition measurements were taken, and ambient solar UV radiation was monitored in both study sites. While most of the assessments were successful, future studies would likely require different dietary intake instruments. The purpose of this report is to describe the study design and methodological issues emerging from this pilot work relevant for the follow-up of this large birth cohort. PMID:29930434

Prevalence and Trends of Obesity among Chinese Korean Nationality Children and Adolescents, 1991–2010

PubMed Central

ZHAO, Chunhua; MA, Yana; PAN, Chenwei; CHEN, Xing; SUN, Hongpeng

2016-01-01

Background: Obesity has become a serious problem for Chinese Han nationality. This research aimed to evaluate the prevalence of and trends in obesity among Chinese Korean nationality children and adolescents (1991–2010). Methods: We used data from Chinese National Surveys on Students’ Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). CNSSCH was utilized to monitor Chinese students’ health condition and released its data every 5 yr (1991, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010). The standard weight-for-height was the 80th percentile for sex- and age-specific growth charts based on the 1985 CNSSCH data. Obesity was defined as ≧120% of standard weight-for-height. Results: The total age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 15.9% (95% confidence interval (CI), 14.9–16.9%) among Chinese Korean children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 yr. Children or adolescents who were boys (Rate ratios (RR), 1.35; 95% CI, 1.19–1.53) or aged 10–12 (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.17–1.63) were more likely to be obese. The trend analysis of the 19-yr period implied a serious annual increasing trend during 1991–2000 (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02–1.07) and during 2000–2010 (RR,, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.11–1.13). Chinese Korean children may also be more likely to become obese than Han nationality children during 1991–2010. Conclusion: A serious and continuous increasing trend was in the prevalence of obesity among Chinese Korean children and adolescents during 1991–2010. Childhood obesity had become a serious problem. This prognosis is worrisome. PMID:27648414

Early Reading Development in Chinese-Speaking Children with Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Yi-Chih; Yang, You-Jhen

2018-01-01

This study aims to explore early reading comprehension in Chinese-speaking children with hearing loss (HL) by examining character recognition and linguistic comprehension. Twenty-five children with HL received three measures relevant to character reading: phonological awareness (PA), morphological awareness (MA), and character recognition; two…

A Rural-Urban Comparison in Emergency Department Visits for U.S. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Wanqing; Mason, Ashley E.; Boyd, Brian; Sikich, Linmarie; Baranek, Grace

2017-01-01

We examined rural-urban differences in emergency department visits, and child and clinical characteristics associated with visits for U.S. children aged 3-17 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Rural children with ASD were twice more likely to have emergency department visits in urban hospitals than rural children without ASD. The children…

Peer Victimization and Depressive Symptoms Among Rural-to-Urban Migrant Children in China: The Protective Role of Resilience

PubMed Central

Ye, Zhi; Chen, Lihua; Harrison, Sayward E.; Guo, Haiying; Li, Xiaoming; Lin, Danhua

2016-01-01

Peer victimization can have a profound effect on children’s wellbeing and is a known risk factor for depression in childhood. Migrant children experience peer victimization at higher rates than non-migrant peers; however, limited research has examined psychological factors that may serve to reduce depression risk for this group. In particular, no studies have yet investigated whether resilience, including personal characteristics, and a strong social support network, may moderate the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms for migrant children. This study utilized a latent interaction model to examine the effect of resilience on the relationship between peer victimization and depressive symptoms among 721 rural-to-urban migrant children in Beijing, China. Results indicated that peer victimization was positively associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience was found to be a protective factor for depressive symptoms and also mitigated the effects of peer victimization on depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses suggest that enrollment in private migrant schools may be linked with poorer psychosocial outcomes for Chinese migrant children. Strengthening the internal resilience and social supports for all migrant children may be an effective strategy to lower their risk for depression. Implications for intervention are discussed. PMID:27757098

Bean Sprouts: A Television Series about Chinese-American Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinese for Affirmative Action, San Francisco, CA. Chinese Media Committee.

This teaching guide accompanies a series of five half-hour television programs for children 7 through 12 years of age that depict Chinese American children in a variety of situations that foster a sense of group and individual identity. The emphasis of the series is on affective learning. The following issues are dealt with: (1) the ramifications…

Delays in Diagnosis of Congenital Hearing Loss in Rural Children

PubMed Central

Bush, Matthew L.; Bianchi, Kristin; Lester, Cathy; Shinn, Jennifer B.; Gal, TJ; Fardo, David W.; Schoenberg, Nancy

2013-01-01

Objective To examine the incidence of pediatric congenital hearing loss and the timing of diagnosis in a rural region of hearing healthcare disparity. Study design Data from the Kentucky newborn hearing-screening program was accessed to determine the incidence of congenital hearing loss in Kentucky, both in the extremely rural region of Appalachia and non-Appalachian region of Kentucky. We also performed a retrospective review of records of children with congenital hearing loss at our institution to determine the timing of diagnostic testing. Results In Kentucky, during 2009–2011, there were 6,970 newborns who failed hearing screening; the incidence of newborn hearing loss was 1.71 per 1000 births (1.28/1000 in Appalachia and 1.87/1000 in non-Appalachia). 23.8% of Appalachian newborns compared with 17.3% of non-Appalachian children failed to obtain follow-up diagnostic testing. Children from Appalachia were significantly delayed in obtaining a final diagnosis of hearing loss compared with children from non-Appalachian regions (p=0.04). Conclusion Congenital hearing loss in children from rural regions with hearing healthcare disparities is a common problem and these children are at risk for a delay in the timing of diagnosis, which has the potential to limit language and social development. It is important to further assess the causative factors and develop interventions that can address this hearing healthcare disparity issue. PMID:24183213

Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy in Chinese children.

PubMed

Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Au, Terry K; Tang, Joey

2013-05-01

Children struggle with mathematics for different reasons. Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy - two kinds of mathematical difficulties - may have their roots, respectively, in poor understanding of exact non-symbolic numerosities and of symbolic numerals. This study was the first to explore whether Chinese children, despite cultural and linguistic factors supporting their mathematical learning, also showed such mathematical difficulties and whether such difficulties have measurable impact on children's early school mathematical performance. First-graders, classified as dyscalculia, low numeracy, or normal achievement, were compared for their performance in various school mathematical tasks requiring a grasp of non-symbolic numerosities (i.e., non-symbolic tasks) or an understanding of symbolic numerals (i.e., symbolic tasks). Children with dyscalculia showed poorer performance than their peers in non-symbolic tasks but not symbolic ones, whereas those with low numeracy showed poorer performance in symbolic tasks but not non-symbolic ones. As hypothesized, these findings suggested that dyscalculia and low numeracy were distinct deficits and caused by deficits in non-symbolic and symbolic processing, respectively. These findings went beyond prior research that only documented generally low mathematical achievements for these two groups of children. Moreover, these deficits appeared to be persistent and could not be remedied simply through day-to-day school mathematical learning. The present findings highlighted the importance of tailoring early learning support for children with these distinct deficits, and pointed to future directions for the screening of such mathematical difficulties among Chinese children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gifting and sharing cigarettes in a rural Chinese village: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Rich, Zachary C; Hu, Mi; Xiao, Shuiyuan

2014-11-01

Quantitative measurement of the prevalence of cigarette sharing and gifting in a town in rural China and evaluation of the impact of these practices on individual smoking habits and family expenditures. An interview-based cross-sectional study of 105 households in rural Hunan, China tabulated household cigarette gifting and expenditures. Individual smoking and cigarette sharing activities were also recorded among 198 household members aged >15 years who were resident for at least 6 months. With regard to sharing cigarettes, 92% of men and 19% of women reported being offered a cigarette within the past week. Among previous and current smokers who had attempted to quit smoking, 90% reported that their friends had tried to dissuade them from quitting by tempting them with cigarettes. Concerning gifting cigarettes, 74% of households reported sending packaged cigarettes as gifts during the Chinese New Year Festival at an average expense of 2.8% of household annual income. Although households received an average of 12.4% of their annual cigarette consumption in the form of gifts during the Chinese New Year Festival, no association was found between the amount of cigarettes received by a household and the annual cigarette consumption for that household. Both gifting and sharing cigarettes are common in rural China. Gifting of cigarettes during the New Year Festival is a significant expenditure affecting both smoking and non-smoking households and may be an opportunity for additional mass media marketing. Among current and former smokers, sharing cigarettes in China is a major impediment to smoking cessation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Urbanized Children: Urban-Rural Awareness and Identity Consciousness of Migrant Workers' Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yihan, Xiong

2017-01-01

The author applies a textual analysis and case study of two dramatic events in rural migrant children's lives: following their parents to cities and returning to the countryside with volunteers. The author finds (1) early life experience holds special importance by differentiating migrant workers' children into "one-and-a-half…

Association of ambient air quality with children's lung function in urban and rural Iran.

PubMed

Asgari, M M; DuBois, A; Asgari, M; Gent, J; Beckett, W S

1998-01-01

During the summer of 1994, a cross-sectional epidemiological study, in which the pulmonary function of children in Tehran was compared with pulmonary function in children in a rural town in Iran, was conducted. Four hundred children aged 5-11 y were studied. Daytime ambient nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter were measured with portable devices, which were placed in the children's neighborhoods on the days of study. Levels of these ambient substances were markedly higher in urban Tehran than in rural areas. Children's parents were questioned about home environmental exposures (including heating source and environmental tobacco smoke) and the children's respiratory symptoms. Pulmonary function was assessed, both by spirometry and peak expiratory flow meter. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced vital capacity-as a percentage of predicted for age, sex and height-were significantly lower in urban children than in rural children. Both measurements evidenced significant reverse correlations with levels of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. Differences in spirometric lung function were not explained by nutritional status, as assessed by height and weight for age, or by home environmental exposures. Reported airway symptoms (i.e., cough, phlegm, and wheeze) were higher among rural children, whereas reported physician diagnosis of bronchitis and asthma were higher among urban children. The association between higher pollutant concentrations and reduced pulmonary function in this urban-rural comparison suggests that there is an effect of urban air pollution on short-term lung function and/or lung growth and development during the preadolescent years.

A Pilot Study of the Attractive Features of Active Videogames Among Chinese Primary School Children.

PubMed

Lau, Patrick W C; Lau, Erica Y; Wang, Jing Jing; Choi, Cheong-Rak; Kim, Chang Gyun

2017-04-01

The present study (1) explored the attractive features that affect Chinese primary school children's preferences of active videogames (AVGs) and (2) contrasted these findings with those in the Western literature. A total of 22 Chinese primary school children were recruited and interviewed. Four AVGs (Wii "Boxing," "Wii Fit™ Plus Obstacle Run"; "EyeToy Knockout", "EyeToy Keep ups") from two commercial consoles (Nintendo® Wii™ and Sony PlayStation ® 2 "EyeToy ® ") were employed. Participants used four selected AVGs for 3 minutes each. After each play period, children (1) described the strengths and weaknesses of each game as well as rated the attractive features of each game based on a 16-item questionnaire and (2) rated up to 5 items that were most influential regarding their AVG preferences. Participants indicated that control was the most significant feature, followed by feedback, goal, and graphics. The top five rated features imply that the perception of competence was the most appealing aspect and expected outcome of Chinese children who play AVGs. Compared with the Western findings regarding attractive AVG features, the present study found certain similarities as well as significant differences among Chinese AVG players. Based on the present study, control, feedback, goal, and graphics are the most significant features that attract Chinese children to play AVGs. Physical exertion, social interaction, competition, and learning outcomes, which are valued according to Western studies, were not mentioned as significant features by Chinese children. These findings demonstrate a need to investigate the effect of cultural background in AVG study design.

Mental Disorders and Suicide Among Young Rural Chinese: A Case-Control Psychological Autopsy Study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jie; Xiao, Shuiyuan; Zhou, Liang

2011-01-01

Objective The authors examined the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders in rural Chinese 15–34 years of age who committed suicide. They hypothesized that mental illness is a risk factor for suicide in this population and that the prevalence of mental illness is lower in females than in males. Method In this case-control psychological autopsy study, face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect information from proxy informants for 392 suicide victims and 416 living comparison subjects. Five categories of DSM-IV mental disorders (mood disorders, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, and other axis I disorders) at the time of death or interview were assessed using the Chinese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Sociodemographic variables, social support, and life events were also assessed. Results The prevalence of current mental illness was 48.0% for suicide victims and 3.8% for comparison subjects. Among suicide victims, mental illness was more prevalent in males than in females (55.1% compared with 39.3%). A strong association between mental illness and suicide was observed after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics. Other risk factors included having a lower education level, not being currently married, having a lower level of social support, and having a history of recent and long-term life events. Additive interactions were observed between mental illness and lower level of social support. Conclusions Although mental illness is a strong risk factor for suicide, it is less prevalent among rural Chinese young people who committed suicide, particularly females, in comparison with other populations in China and in the West. PMID:20395398

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and the influencing factors among non-parent caregivers of rural left-behind children under 7 years old in China.

PubMed

Tan, Cai; Luo, Jiayou; Zong, Rong; Fu, Chuhui; Zhang, Lingli; Mou, Jinsong; Duan, Danhui

2010-10-01

To explore and compare nutrition knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KAB) between non-parent and parent caregivers of children under 7 years old in Chinese rural areas, and to identify the factors influencing their nutrition KAB. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 1691 non-parent caregivers and 1670 parent caregivers in the selected study areas; multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify the factors influencing nutrition KAB in caregivers. The awareness rate of nutrition knowledge, the rate of positive attitudes and the rate of optimal behaviours in non-parent caregivers (52.2 %, 56.9 % and 37.7 %, respectively) were significantly lower than in the parent group (63.8 %, 62.1 % and 42.8 %, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression modelling showed that caregivers' family income and care will, and children's age and gender, were associated with caregivers' nutrition KAB after controlling the possible confounding variables (caregivers' age, gender, education and occupation). Non-parent caregivers had relatively poor nutrition KAB. Extra efforts and targeted education programmes aimed to improve rural non-parent caregivers' nutrition KAB are wanted and need to be emphasized.

Predicting Children's Asthma Hospitalizations: Rural and Urban Differences in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grineski, Sara E.

2009-01-01

Asthma is the number one chronic health condition facing children today; however, little is known about rural-urban inequalities in asthma. This "area effects on health" study examines rural-urban differences in childhood asthma hospitalizations within the state of Texas using negative binomial regression models. Effects associated with…

Health Shocks and Children's School Attainments in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Ang; Yao, Yang

2010-01-01

Using a long panel dataset of Chinese farm households covering the period of 1987-2002, this paper studies how major health shocks happening to household adults affect children's school attainments. We find that primary school-age children are the most vulnerable to health shocks, with their chances to enter middle school dropping by 9.9…

Association between social support and health-related quality of life among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes: the mediating role of resilience.

PubMed

Wu, Menglian; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Dan; Zhao, Xia; Sun, Yaoyao; Xie, Hui; Jia, Jihui; Su, Yonggang; Li, Yuqin

2018-03-01

This study aims to confirm the relationship between social support and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among rural Chinese elders in nursing homes, and to examine the mediating role of resilience in the impact of social support on HRQOL. A cross-sectional survey of 205 elders aged 60 and above was conducted in five rural public nursing homes. Sociodemographic characteristics, the SF-36 questionnaire, and information about social support and resilience were collected. The researchers administered the questionnaires to the participants in a face-to-face setting. Descriptive analysis and a correlation matrix were used to indicate characteristics of the participants and bivariate correlations, respectively. The mediation analyses, composed of regression analysis and PROCESS analysis, were preformed to test both direct and indirect effects of social support on HRQOL, namely the mediating role of resilience. Social support was positively related to HRQOL (β = 0.303, p < 0.001) among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes. The mediating role of resilience in the relationship between social support and HRQOL was confirmed (a*b bootstrapped 95% confidence interval = [0.098, 0.257]), which revealed that social support had an indirect effect on HRQOL through resilience. Resilience partially mediates the relationship between social support and HRQOL. The mediation model provides a better understanding of how social support and resilience work together to affect HRQOL, and it could guide the interventions in health care for promoting HRQOL among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes.

Effects of Rural Mutual Health Care on outpatient service utilization in Chinese village medical institutions: evidence from panel data.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhongliang; Gao, Jianmin; Xue, Qinxiang; Yang, Xiaowei; Yan, Ju'e

2009-07-01

To solve the problem of 'Kan bing nan, kan bing gui' (medical treatment is difficult to access and expensive), a Harvard-led research team implemented a community-based health insurance scheme known as Rural Mutual Health Care (RMHC) in Chinese rural areas from 2004 to 2006. Two major policies adopted by RMHC included insurance coverage of outpatient services (demand-side policy) and drug policy (supply-side policy). This paper focuses on the effects of these two policies on outpatient service utilization in Chinese village clinics. The data used in this study are from 3-year household follow-up surveys. A generalized negative binomial regression model and a Heckman selection model were constructed using panel data from 2005 to 2007. The results indicate that the price elasticities of demand for outpatient visits and per-visit outpatient expenses were -1.5 and -0.553, respectively. After implementing the supply-side policy, outpatient visits and per-visit outpatient expenses decreased by 94.7 and 55.9%, respectively, controlling for insurance coverage. These findings can be used to make recommendations to the Chinese government on improving the health care system.

Poor Rural Children Attract Close Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viadero, Debra

2008-01-01

Growing up poor in isolated rural areas and small towns is qualitatively different from growing up poor in the city. Yet most of what experts know about the effects of poverty on children's development comes from studies conducted in big cities. Now, an ambitious project run by universities in Pennsylvania and North Carolina is putting what some…

Rural Design Ethics Based on Four Dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiaxin; Zhu, Li

2017-12-01

China has a large rural area with a large population, whose architectural features, natural landscape, organizational structure and industrial structure are very different from that of cities. In the past, the contradictory between city and rural areas in China had negative effects on rural construction, resulting in a slow development. The excessive focus on city design has led to the neglect of rural design. Blindly using the concept and method of city design to renewed the countryside is a kind of destruction to the countryside, and also wastes a lot of construction resources. Design is influenced by ethical concepts, which needs to pay more attention to the culture tendency and society. Urban design makes theoretical investigation aiming at the ethical questions that emerged from city, then summarizes the design strategies of the city. While Chinese rural design has only begun to enter people’s horizon, and there is very little discussion about it. Due to the lack of ethical value guidance, Chinese rural design and construction has many problems at different levels of ecology, culture and industry. Therefore this paper primarily explores the domestic and foreign design ethics, attempting to provide a new perspective for Chinese rural design, aiming at finding a realistic and forward-looking solution for Chinese rural design concerning to the complex relation between city and rural areas.

Language screening in preschool Chinese children.

PubMed

Wong, V; Lee, P W; Lieh-Mak, F; Yeung, C Y; Leung, P W; Luk, S L; Yiu, E

1992-01-01

The incidence of language delay in Chinese preschool children was studied by a stratified proportional sampling of all 3 year olds in Hong Kong. The Developmental Language Screening Scale (DLSS) devised for use with Cantonese speaking children was used to identify children with language delay. Of 855 children sampled in the stage I screening procedure, 4%, 2.8% and 3.3% were identified as having delay in verbal comprehension, expression or both respectively. The stage II clinical diagnostic study included a randomly selected group of children screened in stage I with or without any associated behavioural problem. Among these, 3.4% were identified as having a language delay using the Reynell Language Developmental Scale (RDLS) with a criterion of language age of less than or equal to two-thirds of the chronological age; 3% had specific language delay using the criteria of language age less than or equal to two-thirds the chronological age and developmental age more than or equal to two-thirds the chronological age. More boys were found to have language delay, although this was not statistically significant.

Health care utilization patterns for young children in rural counties of the I-95 corridor of South Carolina.

PubMed

McElligott, James T; Summer, Andrea P

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess health care utilization patterns for young children with Medicaid insurance in the rural counties of the I-95 corridor in South Carolina relative to other regions of the state. We hypothesize that young children received less well care and higher levels of tertiary care in the rural counties along the I-95 corridor (I-95) of South Carolina. A Medicaid cohort of children less than 3 years of age was used to compare Early, Periodic, Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment (EPSDT) visits; preventable emergency department (ED) visits; and inpatient visits between I-95, other rural and urban county groupings. The adjusted odds of a child having had 80% of the recommended EPSDT visits were reduced for I-95 compared to other rural counties. The odds of a preventable inpatient or ED visit were increased for all rural counties, with the highest rates in the other rural counties. Children accessed well care less in the I-95 corridor compared to other rural areas of South Carolina. Rural children accessed tertiary care more often than urban children, a finding most prominent outside the I-95 corridor, likely attributable to more available access of tertiary care in rural counties outside the I-95 corridor. © 2012 National Rural Health Association.

Comparing the mental health of rural-to-urban migrant children and their counterparts in china: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun-Hua; Yan, Li-Xia; Yuan, Yang

2018-04-01

In recent years, the issue of migrant children with peasant parents working in cities has attracted widespread attention in recent years because of the sheer number and the benefits bundled in China's household. The focus has gradually extended from early education opportunities to all aspects of physical and mental development, especially the social adaptation and mental health of migrant children. The negative impact of environment changes on migrant children' mental health is very worrying for parents and the society. Some studies have found that immigrant children's mental health is significantly lower than their peers, but there are also studies that hold the opposite view. Thus, the mental health status of migrant children is still a controversial issue, which may have a certain relationship with the potential differences in the specific problems of mental health, regions, comparison objects, and researchers. The objective of this protocol is to investigate whether mental health and subdimensions differ between rural-to-urban migrant children and their counterparts living in China and examine study characteristics that might result in differences among studies. We will search PubMed, Embase, OVID, ERIC, Web of Science, and Chinese databases including CNKI, Chongqing VIP, and Wan Fang data from start to April 2018. Cross-sectional studies with a comparison of migrant children and their counterparts will be included. The primary outcome will be the mean and standard deviation of mental health and its sub-dimensions. Standardized mean difference is used as the main effect value. Subgroup analyses will be carried out by the location of studies and school type of. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. Analyses will be performed with RevMan and Stata software. This systematic review and meta-analysis will compare the mental health status of rural-to-urban migrant children and their counterparts living in China. The results

The Adjustment Experience of Chinese Immigrant Children in New York City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Betty Lee

This book examines the role of three major social institutions--community, school, and family--in helping Chinese immigrant children cope with and adapt to a new life in New York City. The following aspects of Chinese life are explored: (1) immigration networking; (2) determinants of immigrant types; (3) the community; (4) the school--enrollment…

Study on the social adaptation of Chinese children with down syndrome.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-Xia; Mao, Shan-Shan; Xie, Chun-Hong; Qin, Yu-Feng; Zhu, Zhi-Wei; Zhan, Jian-Ying; Shao, Jie; Li, Rong; Zhao, Zheng-Yan

2007-06-30

To evaluate social adjustment and related factors among Chinese children with Down syndrome (DS). A structured interview and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were conducted with a group of 36 DS children with a mean age of 106.28 months, a group of 30 normally-developing children matched for mental age (MA) and a group of 40 normally-developing children matched for chronological age (CA). Mean scores of social adjustment were compared between the three groups, and partial correlations and stepwise multiple regression models were used to further explore related factors. There was no difference between the DS group and the MA group in terms of communication skills. However, the DS group scored much better than the MA group in self-dependence, locomotion, work skills, socialization and self-management. Children in the CA group achieved significantly higher scores in all aspects of social adjustment than the DS children. Partial correlations indicate a relationship between social adjustment and the PPVT raw score and also between social adjustment and age (significant r ranging between 0.24 and 0.92). A stepwise linear regression analysis showed that family structure was the main predictor of social adjustment. Newborn history was also a predictor of work skills, communication, socialization and self-management. Parental education was found to account for 8% of self-dependence. Maternal education explained 6% of the variation in locomotion. Although limited by the small sample size, these results indicate that Chinese DS children have better social adjustment skills when compared to their mental-age-matched normally-developing peers, but that the Chinese DS children showed aspects of adaptive development that differed from Western DS children. Analyses of factors related to social adjustment suggest that effective early intervention may improve social adaptability.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and its association with overweight among young children from China.

PubMed

Yu, Pan; Chen, Yun; Zhao, Ai; Bai, Ying; Zheng, Yingdong; Zhao, Wenzhi; Zhang, Yumei

2016-09-01

To fully understand the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption status among Chinese young children and to explore its association with weight gain. In this cross-sectional study, data on sociodemographic characteristics, SSB intake and weight/height were collected by means of face-to-face interviews. The intake of SSB among young Chinese children in relation to their age, different characteristics and types of SSB consumed is described, and the association between SSB intake and BMI-for-age Z-score and overweight is explored. Seven large cities and two villages in China. Nine hundred and forty-six healthy children, aged 3-7 years. The proportion of SSB intake among Chinese young children was 80·5 %; 3·4 % were daily consumers, 34·0 % (31·4 %) consumed at least once per week (month). The per capita and per consumer SSB intake was 63·1 9 (sd 100·8) and 78·4 (sd 106·9) ml/d. Children from rural areas consumed twice, or even triple, the amount of SSB as those from urban areas (P<0·001) and great disparities existed between the types of SSB consumed by urban and rural children. An association was found between increased SSB intake and higher BMI-for-age Z-score (P<0·05) after adjusting for potential confounders; there was also an association between SSB intake and increased risk of being overweight or obese. The consumption status of SSB in Chinese young children is of concern. There was a positive association between SSB intake and weight gain. Measures should be taken to improve the present situation of SSB consumption among Chinese young children.

Sleep Patterns, Sleep Disturbances, and Associated Factors Among Chinese Urban Kindergarten Children.

PubMed

Liu, Zhijun; Wang, Guanghai; Geng, Li; Luo, Junna; Li, Ningxiu; Owens, Judith

2016-01-01

This study aimed to characterize sleep patterns and disturbances among Chinese urban kindergarten children and examine potentially associated factors. Caregivers of 513 children (47.96% male) aged 3-6 years (mean age = 4.46, SD = 0.9) completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Almost 80% (78.8%) of the children scored above the original CSHQ cutoff point for global sleep disturbance. Regression analysis indicated that child's age, and the presence of emotional problems, hyperactivity and peer problems, cosleeping, and interparental inconsistency of attitudes toward child rearing accounted for significant variance in the CSHQ total score (R(2) = 22%). These findings indicate that there is an apparently high prevalence of sleep disturbances in Chinese urban kindergarten children; and sleep disturbances are associated with both child-related and parenting practice variables.

Effect of Iodine Excess on Physical and Intellectual Growth of Chinese Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jupp, J. J.; And Others

1988-01-01

Ninety-six children from a high-iodine Chinese village were found to have higher goiter incidence, thyroid gland volume, and urinary/creatinine ratio than 51 children from an iodine-normal village. All children from both villages were euthyroid. Excess iodine did not substantially affect the children's physical or intellectual growth. (Author/JDD)

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of parents in rural China on the use of antibiotics in children: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of the study was to investigate parents’ perceptions of antibiotic use for their children, interactions between parents and physicians regarding treatment with antibiotics, and factors associated with parents self-medicating children with antibiotics. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in vaccination clinics in two rural Chinese counties. Primary caregivers (the child’s parents in 97% of cases) visiting these clinics for the vaccination of their young children were given a 55-item structured questionnaire to collect information on the parents’ knowledge and attitudes regarding when, why, and how to use antibiotics and on their practices of purchasing antibiotics and medicating children. Results Of the 854 participating primary caregivers, 79% thought antibiotics could cure viral infections, and half believed that antibiotics could shorten the duration of upper respiratory tract infection. Parents reported a median of two hospital visits for their children during the previous 6 months, equal to the median number of antibiotic prescriptions received from physicians. Sixty-two percent of the parents had self-medicated their children with antibiotics. Living in rural villages (Adj OR = 1.643, 95% CI: 1.108–2.436), raising more than one child (Adj OR = 2.174, 95% CI: 1.485–3.183), increasing age of child (Adj OR = 1.146, 95% CI: 1.037–1.266), purchasing antibiotics without a prescription (Adj OR = 6.264, 95% CI: 4.144–9.469), storing antibiotics at home (Adj OR = 2.792, 95% CI: 1.961–3.975) and good adherence to physicians’ advice (Adj OR = 0.639, 95% CI: 0.451–0.906) were independently associated with self-medicating behavior. Conclusions Low levels of knowledge on the use of antibiotics and a high prevalence of self-medicating children with antibiotics were observed among parents in rural China. Interventions for the rational use of antibiotics in children should focus on strengthening mass

Assessment and Implications of Social Withdrawal Subtypes in Young Chinese Children: The Chinese Version of the Child Social Preference Scale.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Zhu, Jing-Jing; Coplan, Robert J; Gao, Zhu-Qing; Xu, Pin; Li, Linhui; Zhang, Huimin

2016-01-01

The authors' goals were to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Child Social Preference Scale (CSPS; R. J. Coplan, K. Prakash, K. O'Neil, & M. Armer, 2004) and examine the links between both shyness and unsociability and indices of socioemotional functioning in young Chinese children. Participants included of two samples recruited from kindergarten classes in two public schools in Shanghai, China. Both samples included children 3-5 years old (Sample 1: n = 350, Mage = 4.72 years, SD = 0.58 years; Sample 2: n = 129, Mage = 4.40 years, SD = 0.58 years). In both samples, mothers rated children's social withdrawal using the newly created Chinese version of the CSPS, and in Sample 2, teachers also provided ratings of socioemotional functioning. Consistent with previous findings from other cultures, results from factor analyses suggested a 2-factor model for the CSPS (shyness and unsociability) among young children in China. In contrast to findings from North America, child shyness and unsociability were associated with socioemotional difficulties in kindergarten. Some gender differences were also noted. Results are discussed in terms of the assessment and implications of social withdrawal in early childhood in China.

Physical activity behaviors and influences among Chinese-American children aged 9-13 years: A qualitative study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Low physical activity is a major health issue among Chinese Americans. This study explored Chinese–American children's physical activity behaviors and influencing factors. Twenty-five children of Chinese or Taiwanese descent were interviewed to understand their favorite sports or physical activities...

A Multi-Site Study on Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practice of Child-Dog Interactions in Rural China

PubMed Central

Shen, Jiabin; Li, Shaohua; Xiang, Huiyun; Pang, Shulan; Xu, Guozhang; Schwebel, David C.

2013-01-01

This study examines demographic, cognitive and behavioral factors that predict pediatric dog-bite injury risk in rural China. A total of 1,537 children (grades 4–6) in rural regions of Anhui, Hebei and Zhejiang Provinces, China completed self-report questionnaires assessing beliefs about and behaviors with dogs. The results showed that almost 30% of children reported a history of dog bites. Children answered 56% of dog-safety knowledge items correctly. Regressions revealed both demographic and cognitive/behavioral factors predicted children’s risky interactions with dogs and dog-bite history. Boys behaved more riskily with dogs and were more frequently bitten. Older children reported greater risks with dogs and more bites. With demographics controlled, attitudes/beliefs of invulnerability, exposure frequency, and dog ownership predicted children’s self-reported risky practice with dogs. Attitudes/beliefs of invulnerability, dog exposure, and dog ownership predicted dog bites. In conclusion, both demographic and cognitive/behavioral factors influenced rural Chinese children’s dog-bite injury risk. Theory-based, empirically-supported intervention programs might reduce dog-bite injuries in rural China. PMID:23470881

Chinese speech intelligibility and its relationship with the speech transmission index for children in elementary school classrooms.

PubMed

Peng, Jianxin; Yan, Nanjie; Wang, Dan

2015-01-01

The present study investigated Chinese speech intelligibility in 28 classrooms from nine different elementary schools in Guangzhou, China. The subjective Chinese speech intelligibility in the classrooms was evaluated with children in grades 2, 4, and 6 (7 to 12 years old). Acoustical measurements were also performed in these classrooms. Subjective Chinese speech intelligibility scores and objective speech intelligibility parameters, such as speech transmission index (STI), were obtained at each listening position for all tests. The relationship between subjective Chinese speech intelligibility scores and STI was revealed and analyzed. The effects of age on Chinese speech intelligibility scores were compared. Results indicate high correlations between subjective Chinese speech intelligibility scores and STI for grades 2, 4, and 6 children. Chinese speech intelligibility scores increase with increase of age under the same STI condition. The differences in scores among different age groups decrease as STI increases. To achieve 95% Chinese speech intelligibility scores, the STIs required for grades 2, 4, and 6 children are 0.75, 0.69, and 0.63, respectively.

Do Mothers in Rural China Practice Gender Equality in Educational Aspirations for Their Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yuping; Kao, Grace; Hannum, Emily

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors focus on a poor rural area in northwestern China and investigates whether the gender attitudes of mothers can be linked to their plans for educating their own children in the future. Using recent longitudinal data from the Gansu Survey of Children and Families (GSCF), a survey of rural 9-12-year-old children, families,…

Risk factors of learning disabilities in Chinese children in Wuhan.

PubMed

Yao, Bin; Wu, Han-Rong

2003-12-01

To investigate prevalence rate of learning disabilities (LD) in Chinese children, and to explore related risk factors, and to provide theoretical basis for preventing such disabilities. One thousand and one hundred fifty one children were randomly selected in primary schools. According to criteria set by ICD-10, 118 children diagnosed as LD were classified into the study group. Four hundred and ninety one children were classified into the normal control group. Five hundred and forty two children were classified into the excellent control group. The study instruments included PRS (The pupil rating scale revised screening for learning disabilities), Conners' children behavior check-list taken by parents and YG-WR character check-list. The prevalence rate of LD in Chinese children was 10.3%. Significant differences were observed between LD and normally learning children, and between the LD group and the excellent group, in terms of scores of Conners' behavior check-list (P < 0.05). The study further showed that individual differences in character between the LD group and the control groups still existed even after controlling individual differences in age, IQ, and gender. Some possible causal explanations contributing to LD were improper teaching by parents, low educational level of the parents, and children's characteristics and social relationships. These data underscore the fact that LD is a serious national public health problem in China. LD is resulted from a number of factors. Good studying and living environments should be created for LD children.

Adiposity and Insulin Resistance in Children from a Rural Community in Mexico.

PubMed

Barbosa-Cortes, Lourdes; Villasis-Keever, Miguel Angel; Del Prado-Manriquez, Martha; Lopez-Alarcon, Mardia

2015-04-01

The study of the incidence of overweight and obesity as well as body composition and insulin resistance in children from rural communities is scarce. The aims of the study were a) to characterize the adiposity and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in school-age children from a rural community and b) to determine factors associated with fat mass and HOMA-IR in this population. A total of 41 school-aged children (15 males and 26 females; 9.9 ± 2.5 years old) from a Mexican rural community was studied. Trained observers had previously assessed the children's nutritional status during the first 6 months of life. Anthropometry, energy intake, physical activity, body composition and biochemical parameters were measured. The overall prevalence of overweight/obesity was 7.3%. The mean energy intake of children was below international recommendations (1,235 ± 400 kcal/day). A higher percentage of fat mass was observed in females (20.3 ± 8.5) than in males (14.1 ± 5.1) (p = 0.006). There were seven children with IR, but we did not observe a correlation between HOMA and BMI percentiles (Pearson's r = 0.09, p = 0.57). In a regression model, gender (females) was the primary factor associated with the percentage of fat mass. The growth velocity during the first 6 months of life was associated with HOMA-IR. There is a low frequency of overweight and obesity in children from rural communities in Mexico. However, these children appear to have increased risk of adiposity and insulin resistance. Copyright © 2015 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temporal Processing Development in Chinese Primary School-Aged Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Li-Chih; Yang, Hsien-Ming

2018-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the development of visual and auditory temporal processing among children with and without dyslexia and to examine the roles of temporal processing in reading and reading-related abilities. A total of 362 Chinese children in Grades 1-6 were recruited from Taiwan. Half of the children had dyslexia, and the other half…

Genetic and Environmental Overlap between Chinese and English Reading-Related Skills in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Simpson W. L.; Chow, Bonnie Wing-Yin; Ho, Connie Suk-Han; Waye, Mary M. Y.; Bishop, Dorothy V. M.

2014-01-01

This twin study examined the relative contributions of genes and environment on 2nd language reading acquisition of Chinese-speaking children learning English. We examined whether specific skills-visual word recognition, receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, phonological memory, and speech discrimination-in the 1st and 2nd languages have…

Rural Clinician Evaluation of Children's Health Care Quality Measures: An Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) Study.

PubMed

Fagnan, Lyle J; Michaels, LeAnn; Ramsey, Katrina; Shearer, Stefan; Droppers, Oliver; Gallia, Charles

2015-01-01

Responding to quality metrics is an accepted and expected component of the current health care environment. Little is known about which measures physicians identify as a priority when reporting the quality of care to their patients, especially the care of children in rural settings. The objective of this study is for physicians caring for children in rural communities to identify which of the initial core sets of 24 child health quality measures are useful and are a priority for reporting and improving care. A survey was sent to rural Oregon physicians who provide care to children. Of 955 eligible physicians, 172 (18%) completed the survey. The majority of respondents were family physicians (84%), and most respondents (58%) were in private practice. The child health measures stratified into 3 priority tiers: high, medium, and low priority. The top-tier priority measures included childhood immunization status, well-child visits, adolescent immunization status, body mass index assessment, and developmental screening. Dental treatment services, adequate prenatal care, and lower-birth-weight infants were among the lower-tier measures. The priority measures identified by rural family physicians reflect the relevance of the selected measures to their daily practice responsibilities, with missed opportunities to improve community health. © Copyright 2015 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Building Energy Efficiency in Rural China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, Meredydd; Yu, Sha; Song, Bo

2014-04-01

Rural buildings in China now account for more than half of China’s total building energy use. Forty percent of the floorspace in China is in rural villages and towns. Most of these buildings are very energy inefficient, and may struggle to meet basic needs. They are cold in the winter, and often experience indoor air pollution from fuel use. The Chinese government plans to adopt a voluntary building energy code, or design standard, for rural homes. The goal is to build on China’s success with codes in urban areas to improve efficiency and comfort in rural homes. The Chinese governmentmore » recognizes rural buildings represent a major opportunity for improving national building energy efficiency. The challenges of rural China are also greater than those of urban areas in many ways because of the limited local capacity and low income levels. The Chinese government wants to expand on new programs to subsidize energy efficiency improvements in rural homes to build capacity for larger-scale improvement. This article summarizes the trends and status of rural building energy use in China. It then provides an overview of the new rural building design standard, and describes options and issues to move forward with implementation.« less

Comparison of Sexual Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior between Female Chinese College Students from Urban Areas and Rural Areas: A Hidden Challenge for HIV/AIDS Control in China.

PubMed

Chen, Min; Liao, Yong; Liu, Jia; Fang, Wenjie; Hong, Nan; Ye, Xiaofei; Li, Jianjun; Tang, Qinglong; Pan, Weihua; Liao, Wanqing

2016-01-01

Currently, research in sexual behavior and awareness in female Chinese college students (FCCSs) is limited, particularly regarding the difference and the influencing factors between students from rural areas and urban areas. To fill the gap in available data, a cross-sectional study using anonymous questionnaires was conducted among 3193 female students from six universities located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, China, from February to June, 2013. Of the 2669 respondents, 20.6% and 20.9% of the students from urban and rural areas, respectively, reported being sexually experienced. The proportion of students who received safe-sex education prior to entering university from rural areas (22.4%, 134/598) was lower ( P < 0.0001) than the proportion from urban areas (41.8%, 865/2071). Sexual behavior has become increasingly common among FCCSs, including high-risk sexual behavior such as unprotected commercial sex. However, knowledge concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) transmission and the risks is insufficient, particularly for those from rural areas, which is a challenge for HIV/AIDS control in China. The Chinese government should establish more specific HIV/AIDS prevention policies for Chinese young women, strengthen sex education, and continue to perform relevant research.

Examining the Overall Quality of English/Chinese Bilingual Children's Picture Books: Issues and Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Qiaoya; Chen, Xiaoning

2015-01-01

This study was intended to examine the overall quality of 31 recently published bilingual children's picture books in English/simplified Chinese, English/simplified Chinese with pinyin, and English/traditional Chinese. These books were analyzed from six aspects, which were genre, topic, cover and body, the credibility of authors, illustrators and…

The construction of MRI brain/head templates for Chinese children from 7 to 16 years of age

PubMed Central

Xie, Wanze; Richards, John E.; Lei, Du; Zhu, Hongyan; Lee, Kang; Gong, Qiyong

2015-01-01

Population-specific brain templates that provide detailed brain information are beneficial to both structural and functional neuroimaging research. However, age-specific MRI templates have not been constructed for Chinese or any Asian developmental populations. This study developed novel T1-weighted average brain and head templates for Chinese children from 7 to 16 years of age in two-year increments using high quality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and well-validated image analysis techniques. A total of 138 Chinese children (51 F/87 M) were included in this study. The internally and externally validated registrations show that these Chinese age-specific templates fit Chinese children’s MR images significantly better than age-specific templates created from U.S. children, or adult templates based on either Chinese or North American adults. It implies that age-inappropriate (e.g., the Chinese56 template, the US20–24 template) and nationality-inappropriate brain templates (e.g., U.S. children’s templates, the US20–24 template) do not provide optimal reference MRIs for processing MR brain images of Chinese pediatric populations. Thus, our age-specific MRI templates are the first of the kind and should be useful in neuroimaging studies with children from Chinese or other Asian populations. These templates can also serve as the foundations for the construction of more comprehensive sets of nationality-specific templates for Asian developmental populations. These templates are available for use in our database. PMID:26343862

Learning Social Behaviors in Families during Childhood: A Comparative Study of Chinese Children in Taiwan and in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Linda H.

This study examined how Chinese children learn social behaviors in families during early childhood, and examined whether there are differences in social behaviors between Chinese children from Taiwan and Chinese children from the United States. The study also sought to glean strategies for parents, caretakers, and teachers to help cultivate…

Elevated blood-lead levels among children living in the rural Philippines.

PubMed

Riddell, Travis J; Solon, Orville; Quimbo, Stella A; Tan, Cheryl May C; Butrick, Elizabeth; Peabody, John W

2007-09-01

Generally, lead poisoning is not considered a significant environmental hazard for children in rural areas of developing countries. With a prospectively designed policy experiment, the research community and the government are conducting a broad-based investigation to introduce and evaluate the impact of health policy reforms on children in a rural area of the Philippines - the Quality Improvement Demonstration Study (QIDS). As part of this study, we researched lead exposure in children under the age of five. We sampled a population of children from the Visayas region in the central Philippines, covering approximately one third of the country's geographical area. From December 2003 to September 2004, the survey collected blood lead levels (BLL) together with demographic, socioeconomic and child health data points. Supplemental field-testing among a sub-sample of the most exposed children assessed the sources of environmental lead exposure. Among children in this study, 21% (601 of 2861 children) had BLL greater than 10 microg/dl. BLL were associated independently with age, haemoglobin concentration, water source, roofing material, expenditures and history of breastfeeding. A follow-up assessment of possible environmental exposures among the sub-sample of children with elevated BLL revealed no single or predominant exposure source. Instead, there appear to be multiple potential sources, such as fossil-fuel combustion, lead paint (in or around 38% of homes) and household items. Elevated BLL are common among children in the Visayas, and may signify an under-recognized threat to children living in rural areas of other developing nations. This setting has varied environmental sources of lead. Observed correlates of BLL may be of clinical, environmental and public health utility to identify and mitigate the consequences of lead toxicity.

Chinese and European American Mothers' Beliefs about the Role of Parenting in Children's School Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Ruth K.

1996-01-01

Compared 48 immigrant Chinese and 50 European American mothers of preschool-age children on their perspectives on the role of parenting in their children's school success. Findings reveal Chinese immigrants have a high regard for education and a belief in a strong parental role, while European Americans regard social skills and self-esteem of…

Epidemiology of Hymenolepis nana infections in primary school children in urban and rural communities in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Mason, P R; Patterson, B A

1994-04-01

Fecal specimens were obtained on 3 occasions at 10-12 wk intervals from 315 children in 3 rural villages in Zimbabwe and from 351 children in the high-density suburbs of an adjacent small town. Specimens were examined qualitatively and quantitatively for eggs of Hymenolepis nana, and these were found in 142 (21%) children. Infections occurred more frequently in younger children in the urban area but in older children in rural areas. The prevalence in urban areas (24%) was higher than in rural areas (18%), and in urban areas infection correlated with low "hygiene scores" (determined by observation) and with the presence in the household of an infected sibling. The prevalence of infection in the 3 rural communities did not correlate with availability of water, number of households per toilet, with low "hygiene scores," or with the presence of an infected sibling. Treatment with a single oral dose of 15 mg/kg praziquantel cured 84% of the infected children. New or reinfections occurred more frequently in households that had an infected sibling in an urban but not rural setting. The study demonstrates distinct differences in the transmission of H. nana infection in rural and urban communities. The data suggest intrafamily transmission in urban areas, particularly in households with poor hygiene behavior, leading to primary infection early in life. In rural areas, the prevalence of infection and the incidence of reinfection were highest in children of school age, and there was little evidence for intrafamily transmission of the parasite.

Evaluation of Toxic Metals and Essential Elements in Children with Learning Disabilities from a Rural Area of Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

do Nascimento, Sabrina Nunes; Charão, Mariele Feiffer; Moro, Angela Maria; Roehrs, Miguel; Paniz, Clovis; Baierle, Marília; Brucker, Natália; Gioda, Adriana; Barbosa, Fernando; Bohrer, Denise; Ávila, Daiana Silva; Garcia, Solange Cristina

2014-01-01

Children’s exposure to metals can result in adverse effects such as cognitive function impairments. This study aimed to evaluate some toxic metals and levels of essential trace elements in blood, hair, and drinking water in children from a rural area of Southern Brazil. Cognitive ability and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity were evaluated. Oxidative stress was evaluated as a main mechanism of metal toxicity, through the quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This study included 20 children from a rural area and 20 children from an urban area. Our findings demonstrated increase in blood lead (Pb) levels (BLLs). Also, increased levels of nickel (Ni) in blood and increase of aluminum (Al) levels in hair and drinking water in rural children were found. Deficiency in selenium (Se) levels was observed in rural children as well. Rural children with visual-motor immaturity presented Pb levels in hair significantly increased in relation to rural children without visual-motor immaturity (p < 0.05). Negative correlations between BLLs and ALA-D activity and positive correlations between BLLs and ALA-RE activity were observed. MDA was significantly higher in rural compared to urban children (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that rural children were co-exposed to toxic metals, especially Al, Pb and Ni. Moreover, a slight deficiency of Se was observed. Low performance on cognitive ability tests and ALA-D inhibition can be related to metal exposure in rural children. Oxidative stress was suggested as a main toxicological mechanism involved in metal exposure. PMID:25329533

????--Implicit Learning and Imperceptible Influence: Syncretic Literacy of Multilingual Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curdt-Christiansen, Xiao Lan

2013-01-01

This article reports on an ethnographic study involving the literacy practices of two multilingual Chinese children from two similar yet different cultural and linguistic contexts: Montreal and Singapore. Using syncretism as a theoretical tool, this inquiry examines how family environment and support facilitate children's process of becoming…

Paired Associate Learning in Chinese Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hong; Shu, Hua; McBride-Chang, Catherine; Liu, Hong Yun; Xue, Jin

2009-01-01

A total of 82 Chinese 11- and 12-year-olds with and without dyslexia were tested on four paired associate learning (PAL) tasks, phonological awareness, morphological awareness, rapid naming, and verbal short-term memory in three different experiments. Experiment 1 demonstrated that children with dyslexia were significantly poorer in visual-verbal…

Parenting style of Chinese fathers in Hong Kong: correlates with children's school-related performance.

PubMed

Tam, Vicky C W; Lam, Rebecca S Y

2003-01-01

This study investigates parenting styles among Chinese fathers in Hong Kong as perceived by their school-age children. Four parenting styles, namely inductive, indulgent, indifferent, and dictatorial parenting, are assessed using the Parent Behavior Report (1988). Data were collected through a questionnaire survey on a sample of 1011 Primary Three to Five Chinese students from six schools in Hong Kong and 471 fathers. Findings show that among Chinese fathers, the least common parenting style is inductive, while the other three styles are of similar occurrence. Chi-square analysis shows no significant association between children's grade level and father's parenting style. However, there is a significant association with gender, with fathers more likely to be perceived as dictatorial with boys and indulgent with girls. The effect of paternal styles on children's school-related performance is also examined. MANOVA results show that significant differences are found among children of the four paternal style groups with respect to academic performance, interest in school work, aspiration for education, involvement in extracurricular activities, and efficacy for self-regulated learning. Post-hoc tests reveal that children's performance is similar between the groups with indulgent and inductive fathers, and between children of indifferent and dictatorial fathers, with the former groups performing better than the latter in general. Findings are discussed with regard to research on parenting style and paternal behavior, as well as understanding the roles of fathers in Chinese families in the socio-cultural context in Hong Kong.

Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural Nigerian school children.

PubMed

Oninla, S O; Owa, J A; Onayade, A A; Taiwo, O

2007-02-01

Nutritional assessment in the community is essential for accurate planning and implementation of intervention programmes to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with under-nutrition. The study was, therefore, carried out to determine and compare the nutritional status of children attending urban and rural public primary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area (ICLGA) of Nigeria. The schools were stratified into urban and rural, and studied schools were selected by balloting. Information obtained on each pupil was entered into a pre-designed proforma. The weight and height were recorded for each pupil, and converted to nutritional indices (weight for age, weight for height, height for age). A total of 749 pupils (366 and 383 children from the rural and urban communities, respectively) were studied. The overall prevalent rates of underweight, wasting and stunting were 61.2, 16.8 and 27.6%, respectively. In the rural area these were 70.5, 17.8 and 35.8%, while in the urban they were 52.2, 15.9 and 19.8%, respectively. The mean nutritional indices (Weight for Age, Weight for Height and Height for Age) were found to be significantly lower among the rural pupils than urban pupils (P < 0.001 in each case). The present study shows that malnutrition (underweight, wasting and stunting) constituted major health problems among school children in Nigeria. This is particularly so in the rural areas. Therefore, prevention of malnutrition should be given a high priority in the implementation of the ongoing primary health care programmes with particular attention paid to the rural population.

Family Involvement in Children's Mathematics Education Experiences: Voices of Immigrant Chinese American Students and Their Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Senfeng

2013-01-01

This study examines ways in which Chinese immigrant families are involved in their children's mathematics education, particularly focusing on how different types of families utilize different forms of capital to support their children's mathematics education. The theoretical framework defines four types of Chinese immigrant families--working…

Interactive Effects between Maternal Parenting and Negative Emotionality on Social Functioning among Very Young Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ren, Lixin; Zhang, Xiao; Zhou, Ning; Ng, Mei Lee

2017-01-01

Research Findings: This study examined how child negative emotionality interacted with mothers' self-reported parenting in predicting different aspects of social functioning among very young Chinese children. A total of 109 Chinese nursery children in Hong Kong participated with their parents. Maternal supportive and aversive parenting practices…

Bidirectional Relations between Temperament and Parenting Styles in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Lee, Erica H.; Zhou, Qing; Eisenberg, Nancy; Wang, Yun

2012-01-01

The present study examined bidirectional relations between child temperament and parenting styles in a sample (n = 425) of Chinese children during elementary school period (age range = 6 to 9 years at Wave 1). Using two waves (3.8 years apart) of longitudinal data, we tested two hypotheses: (1) whether child temperament (effortful control and anger/frustration) at Wave 1 predicts parenting styles (authoritative and authoritarian parenting) at Wave 2, controlling for Wave 1 parenting; and (2) whether parenting styles at Wave 1 predict Wave 2 temperament, controlling for Wave 1 temperament. We found support for bidirectional relations between temperament and authoritarian parenting, such that higher effortful control and lower anger/frustration were associated with higher authoritarian parenting across time and in both directions. There were no significant cross-time associations between children’s temperament and authoritative parenting. These findings extend the previous tests of transactional relations between child temperament and parenting in Chinese children and are consistent with the cultural values toward effortful control and control of anger/frustration in Chinese society. PMID:23482684

The Quantity-Quality Trade-Off of Children in a Developing Country: Identification Using Chinese Twins

PubMed Central

LI, HONGBIN; ZHANG, JUNSEN; ZHU, YI

2008-01-01

Testing the trade-off between child quantity and quality within a family is complicated by the endogeneity of family size. Using data from the Chinese Population Census, we examine the effect of family size on child educational attainment in China. We find a negative correlation between family size and child outcome, even after we control for the birth order effect. We then instrument family size by the exogenous variation that is induced by a twin birth and find a negative effect of family size on children’s education. We also find that the effect of family size is more evident in rural China, where the public education system is poor. Given that our estimates of the effect of having twins on nontwins at least provide the lower bound of the true effect of family size, these findings suggest a quantity-quality trade-off for children in developing countries. PMID:18390301

Life Improvement, Life Satisfaction and Care Arrangement Among AIDS Orphans in Rural Henan, China

PubMed Central

Zhao, Qun; Li, Xiaoming; Fang, Xiaoyi; Stanton, Bonita; Zhao, Guoxiang; Zhao, Junfeng; Zhang, Liying

2009-01-01

The Chinese government’s response to the increasing number of children orphaned in the HIV epidemic included setting up AIDS orphanages and supporting community-based group homes for double orphans (children who lost both parents to HIV). The impact of these strategies, compared to traditional kinship care, on children’s outcomes has not been studied in China. The purpose of this study was to compare perceived life improvement and life satisfaction among double orphans in 3 main care arrangements (group home, AIDS orphanage, kinship care) in 2 rural Chinese counties. Participants included 176 children from 4 orphanages, 30 from 8 group homes, and 90 from kinship households. Findings indicated that children living in government-supported group homes were more likely to report greater life improvement and positive attitudes toward their current lives than children in orphanages and kinship care. Results suggested that perceived life improvements may have resulted from access to basic needs in extremely poor communities. PMID:19286124

The Impact of E-Book Interactivity Design on Children's Chinese Character Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Pei-Yu; Yang, Hui-Chun

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of e-book interactivity design on the learning of Chinese characters by fourth graders (10-year-old children). This study was guided by two main questions: (1) Are there any differences in achievements (Chinese character writing, lexical comprehension, and lexical usage) between groups of young learners who read…

A study of rural preschool practitioners' views on young children's mathematical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunting, Robert P.; Mousley, Judith A.; Perry, Bob

2012-03-01

The project Mathematical Thinking of Preschool Children in Rural and Regional Australia: Research and Practice aimed to investigate views of preschool practitioners about young children's mathematical thinking and development. Structured individual interviews were conducted with 64 preschool practitioners from rural areas of three Australian states. The questions focused on five broad themes: children's mathematics learning, support for mathematics teaching, technology and computers, attitudes and feelings, and assessment and record keeping. We review results from the interview data for each of these themes, discuss their importance, and outline recommendations related to teacher education as well as resource development and research.

Latent Classes of Psychiatric Symptoms among Chinese Children Living in Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Keith C.; Bi, Yu; Borden, Lindsay A.; Reinke, Wendy M.

2012-01-01

Describing co-occurring symptom patterns among children in nonwestern contexts may have important implications for how emotional and behavior problems are defined, conceptualized, studied, and ultimately prevented. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted on the co-occurring psychiatric symptoms of 196 Chinese children living in poverty.…

Bicultural Effects on the Creative Potential of Chinese and French Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Sing; Cheung, Ping Chung; Lubart, Todd; Tong, Toby M. Y.; Chu, Dennis H. W.

2013-01-01

This study examined possible bicultural effects on creative potential of children in four groups of Chinese and French children in Hong Kong and Paris. An international battery of widely used divergent measures (Wallach-Kogan Creativity Tests; WKCT) and newly constructed divergent-plus-integrative measures (Evaluation of Potential Creativity;…

Sleep Patterns in Chinese Preschool Children: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Wu, Ran; Wang, Guang-Hai; Zhu, Hong; Jiang, Fan; Jiang, Chun-Lei

2018-04-15

This study aimed to (1) provide data on normal sleep patterns in Chinese preschool children, (2) identify cross-cultural differences of sleep patterns among children from China and other countries, (3) estimate the prevalence of sleep duration not meeting the optimal amount, and (4) characterize delayed weekend sleep pattern. A population-based sample of 1,610 children aged 3-6 years was recruited from 10 cities across China. Parents completed questions about their child's sleep patterns adapted from the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). The mean bedtime was 9:31 PM, wake time was 7:27 AM, nighttime sleep duration was 9 hours 30 minutes, daytime sleep duration was 1 hour 31 minutes, and total sleep duration was 11 hours 2 minutes. The children had a shorter nighttime sleep duration but longer daytime naps, resulting in no differences in total sleep duration compared with counterparts predominantly in the west. Of the children, 85.3% met the recommended amount of sleep of 10 to 13 hours, and 10.8% slept fewer than 10 hours. The prevalence of sleep less than 10 hours was higher in older children and children from eastern China. Children went to bed and woke up more than 30 minutes later on weekends than weekdays, accounting for 40.1% and 50%, respectively. Children in western China showed longer delay than children in eastern China ( P < .05). Age- and region-specific variability of sleep patterns are reported as well as insufficient sleep and delayed weekend sleep pattern in Chinese preschool children. The cross-cultural difference of sleep patterns was in temporal placement rather than sleep duration. © 2018 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Risk factors for obesity and high blood pressure in Chinese American children: maternal acculturation and children's food choices.

PubMed

Chen, Jyu-Lin; Weiss, Sandra; Heyman, Melvin B; Lustig, Robert

2011-04-01

The objective of this study is to explore risk factors associated with overweight and high blood pressure in Chinese American children. Students and their parents were recruited from Chinese language schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Data were collected on 67 children and their mothers, and included children's weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure, level of physical activity, dietary intake, usual food choice, knowledge about nutrition and physical activity, and self-efficacy regarding diet and physical activity. Mothers completed questionnaires on demographic data and acculturation. About 46% of children had a body mass index exceeding the 85th percentile. Lower level of maternal acculturation is a risk factor for overweight and higher waist to hip ratio. Children's unhealthy food choices were predictive of high body mass index and high systolic blood pressure, whereas older age and less physical activity in children were predictors of high diastolic blood pressure. Developing culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate interventions to reduce overweight and high blood pressure is critical to reduce health disparities among minority children.

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Chinese Children: A Multicenter 10-Year Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Yu, Yi; Wang, Baoxiang; Yuan, Lan; Yang, Hui; Wang, Xinqiong; Xiao, Yuan; Mei, Hong; Xu, Chundi

2016-08-01

Objective This study aims to analyze the clinical and endoscopic presentations of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in the Chinese children. Methods A 10-year retrospective study was made on children with UGIB and undertaken esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) from 4 tertiary referral centers in China. Results Of the 1218 children studied, the bleeding source was found in 76.4%. Erosive gastritis was the most common endoscopic finding (33.5%), followed by duodenal ulcer (23.2%). The proportion of erosive gastritis decreased with age (correlation coefficient = -0.787), and duodenal ulcer increased with age (correlation coefficient = 0.958). The bleeding source was more likely to be determined in children having EGDs within 48 hours (80.6% vs 67.9%). Conclusions In Chinese children with UGIB, erosive gastritis and duodenal ulcer were the leading causes, and their proportions varied with age. EGDs performed within 48 hours may improve the possibility of finding the source of bleeding. © The Author(s) 2015.

Teacher-child relationship quality and academic achievement of Chinese American children in immigrant families.

PubMed

Ly, Jennifer; Zhou, Qing; Chu, Keira; Chen, Stephen H

2012-08-01

This study examined the cross-sectional relations between teacher-child relationship quality (TCRQ) and math and reading achievement in a socio-economically diverse sample of Chinese American first- and second-grade children in immigrant families (N=207). Teachers completed a questionnaire measuring TCRQ dimensions including closeness, conflict, and intimacy, and children completed a questionnaire measuring overall TCRQ. Standardized tests were used to assess children's math and reading skills. Analyses were conducted to (a) test the factor structure of measures assessing TCRQ among Chinese American children, (b) examine the associations between teacher- and child-rated TCRQ and children's academic achievement, controlling for demographic characteristics, and (c) examine the potential role of child gender as a moderator in the relations between TCRQ and achievement. Results indicated that teacher-rated TCRQ Warmth was positively associated with Chinese American children's reading achievement. Two child gender-by-TCRQ interactions were found: (a) teacher-rated TCRQ Conflict was negatively associated with girls' (but not boys') math achievement, and (b) child-rated Overall TCRQ was positively associated with boys' (but not girls') reading achievement. These findings highlight the valuable role of TCRQ in the academic success of school-aged children in immigrant families. Copyright © 2012 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peng Peiyun and Jiang Zhenghua answer questions raised by both Chinese and foreign journalists.

PubMed

1993-04-01

In April 1993, the Minister and Vice Minister of the Chinese State Family Planning (FP) Commission held a news conference for Chinese and foreign journalists on population and FP. The Chinese FP program has lowered the birth rate by .5% in 5 years, thus adverting 15 million births. A 1992 survey of 385,000 people showed that the number of acceptors increased 12.3% during 1988-92, and unplanned births declined by 54.7% in the same period. Early marriage were 48% less frequent; marriage age increased from 21.8 to 22.5 years. The fertility rate has experienced this rapid decline because efforts were strengthened in the past 2 years. Despite achieving below replacement level fertility, efforts will continue to enact the current FP policy. Whereas the sex ratio is higher than international standards (111.3 vs. 106), China has instituted and publicized laws and incentives designed to improve the status of women and enhance the equality of women. The phenomenon of "converse elimination," which occurs with urban intellectuals being confined to one child, whereas rural inhabitants have more children, is a natural result of the condition of rural life which makes more children necessary because of the practical daily problems rural inhabitants face. China's population policy, however, is designed to stress both population control and improvement of the quality of human resources. The current policy was devised as a response to conditions which are unlikely to change before the year 2000. Rural areas require access to education, health care, and culture. The policy includes the use of incentives and disincentives for Fp workers, and this system is subject to abuse. The objective of the incentives and disincentives is encouraged and citizens have recourse in the courts if officials behave irresponsibly. A more favorable environment for FP will be created as China moves toward a socialist market economy. As labor migration from rural to urban areas increases, however, FP

The development of visual speech perception in Mandarin Chinese-speaking children.

PubMed

Chen, Liang; Lei, Jianghua

2017-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the development of visual speech perception in Chinese-speaking children. Children aged 7, 13 and 16 were asked to visually identify both consonant and vowel sounds in Chinese as quickly and accurately as possible. Results revealed (1) an increase in accuracy of visual speech perception between ages 7 and 13 after which the accuracy rate either stagnates or drops; and (2) a U-shaped development pattern in speed of perception with peak performance in 13-year olds. Results also showed that across all age groups, the overall levels of accuracy rose, whereas the response times fell for simplex finals, complex finals and initials. These findings suggest that (1) visual speech perception in Chinese is a developmental process that is acquired over time and is still fine-tuned well into late adolescence; (2) factors other than cross-linguistic differences in phonological complexity and degrees of reliance on visual information are involved in development of visual speech perception.

Refractive errors in a rural Chinese adult population the Handan eye study.

PubMed

Liang, Yuan Bo; Wong, Tien Yin; Sun, Lan Ping; Tao, Qiu Shan; Wang, Jie Jin; Yang, Xiao Hui; Xiong, Ying; Wang, Ning Li; Friedman, David S

2009-11-01

To describe the prevalence of and risk factors for myopia and other refractive errors in a rural, adult, Chinese population. Population-based, cross-sectional study. A clustered, random sampling procedure was used to select 7557 Chinese people aged >or=30 years from Handan, China. All eligible subjects were invited to undergo a comprehensive eye examination, including standardized refraction. Myopia, high myopia, and hyperopia were defined as a spherical equivalent (SE) in the right eye of more than -0.5 diopter (D), less than -5.0 D, and 0.5 D or more, respectively. Astigmatism was less than -0.5 D of cylinder. Anisometropia was defined as a difference in SE of >1.0 D between the 2 eyes. Only phakic eyes were analyzed. Myopia and other refractive errors. We included 6491 (85.9% participation rate) eligible subjects in this study. Adjusted to the 2000 China population census, the prevalence rate of myopia was 26.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.6-27.8), hyperopia 15.9 % (95% CI, 15.0-16.8), astigmatism 24.5% (95% CI, 23.5-25.5), and anisometropia 7.7% (95% CI, 7.0-8.4). The prevalence of high myopia was 1.8% (95% CI, 1.5-2.1). Using a multivariate regression model, current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 0.7, 95% CI, 0.5-0.9), hours of reading (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.4), diabetes (OR, 8.4; 95% CI, 2.2-32.5), and number of family members with myopia (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7, for each family member) were associated with myopia in younger persons (30-49 years). High school or higher education (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.1), diabetes (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.7), nuclear opacity (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.3), and number of family members with myopia (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2-1.9) were risk factors in persons >or=50 years of age. Myopia affects more than one quarter of rural Chinese persons >or=30 years of age. Myopia is more common in younger people and is associated with different risk factors than in older people.

Adapting a measure of acculturation for Chinese-American children aged 9-13 years

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acculturation among those of Chinese descent may be related to changes in health behaviors and disease risks. Research with Chinese children to understand their acculturative processes early in life is important; however, there is no known instrument to measure acculturation for this population. Thi...

Safety Profile of Oral Iron Chelator Deferiprone in Chinese Children with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassaemia.

PubMed

Botzenhardt, Sebastian; Sing, Chor W; Wong, Ian C K; Chan, Godfrey Chi-Fung; Wong, Lisa Y L; Felisi, Mariagrazia; Rascher, Wolfgang; Ceci, Adriana; Neubert, Antje

2016-01-01

There is a lack of knowledge regarding the incidence of serious adverse drug reactions (ADR) to the oral iron chelator deferiprone in Chinese children with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia. In this retrospective population-based cohort study, paediatric thalassaemia patients in Hong Kong were screened for serious and medically important adverse events related to deferiprone therapy using diagnosis codes, laboratory data and hospital admissions. Potential ADRs were assessed by reviewing concomitant medications, diagnoses and laboratory data and evaluated using standardised causality assessment. Eighty-seven patients contributing 169.8 person-years were included. Thirty ADRs were identified in 21 patients. Most ADRs (56.0%) occurred in the first three months of therapy. Neutropenia occurred in 11 patients (12.6%; incidence rate 6.5 per 100 patient-years) and severe neutropenia (agranulocytosis) was observed in 5 patients (5.7%, incidence rate 2.9 per 100 patient-years). Other identified ADRs involve severe arthropathy, elevated liver enzymes and mild thrombocytopenia. In conclusion, the safety profile of DFP therapy in Chinese children suffering from transfusion-dependent thalassaemia is in line with previous studies of non-Chinese children. However, unlike previous studies, we observed a relatively high incidence of agranulocytosis and neutropenia in patients with simultaneous combined therapy. Hence close monitoring for white blood cell counts is advised in Chinese children under combined iron chelation therapy. Further prospective clinical and pharmacogenetic studies are required to better evaluate this important safety signal. • Half of the identified ADRs related to deferiprone therapy occurred during the first three months of treatment. • A relatively high incidence of agranulocytosis and neutropenia. Hence close monitoring for white blood cell counts is advised in Chinese children under combined iron chelation therapy.

Culture and Diet Among Chinese American Children Aged 9-13 Years: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Diep, Cassandra S; Leung, Randall; Thompson, Debbe I; Gor, Beverly J; Baranowski, Tom

2017-04-01

To examine Chinese American children's behaviors, food preferences, and cultural influences on their diet. Qualitative individual interviews using constructs from the proposed model of dietary acculturation. Community centers and Chinese schools in Houston, TX. Twenty-five Chinese American children aged 9-13 years. Diet, favorite restaurants, and parents' cooking and grocery shopping habits. Content analysis and thematic data analysis to identify code categories and themes. Coders also identified patterns based on demographic and acculturation factors. Overall, participants described their diets and associated behaviors as Asian and non-Asian. Key themes included preference for Asian and non-Asian foods; consumption of non-Asian foods for breakfast and lunch, but Asian foods for dinner; infrequent dining at restaurants; grocery shopping at Asian and non-Asian stores; and familial influences on diet. Acculturated children and children of higher socioeconomic status appeared to prefer and consume a more Westernized/non-Asian diet. Results illustrate that Chinese American children in this study practiced both Asian and non-Asian dietary behaviors. Findings corroborated existing acculturation research with parents and caregivers; supported constructs in the model of dietary acculturation; and provide guidance for research and programs related to dietary behaviors, determinants, and culture among this population. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. All rights reserved.

Uncertainty Orientation in Chinese Children: Relations with School and Psychological Adjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Zhengyan; Chen, Xinyin; Sorrentino, Richard; Szeto, Andrew C. H.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine uncertainty orientation and its relations with school and psychological adjustment in Chinese children. A sample of elementary school children in P.R. China, aged 10 to 12 years, participated in the study. Data concerning uncertainty orientation, academic performance and socio-emotional adjustment were…

Rurality and African American Perspectives on Children's Mental Health Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukolo, Abraham; Heflinger, Craig Anne

2011-01-01

The combined effect of race and place of residence on caregivers' perceptions of children's mental health services is underresearched. Differences in caregiver strain, barriers-to-care endorsement, and provider satisfaction are examined among 175 rural and urban African American caregivers from one Southern state whose children received Medicaid…

Three-dimensional facial analysis of Chinese children with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Othman, Siti Adibah; Aidil Koay, Noor Airin

2016-08-01

We analyzed the facial features of Chinese children with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and compared them with a normal control group using a three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry camera. This cross-sectional study examined 3D measurements of the facial surfaces of 20 Chinese children with repaired UCLP and 40 unaffected Chinese children aged 7 to 12 years old, which were captured using the VECTRA 3D five-pod photosystem and analyzed using Mirror software. Twenty-five variables and two ratios were compared between both groups using independent t-test. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was determined using ten randomly selected images and analyzed using intra-class correlation coefficient test (ICC). The level of significance was set at p < 0.0018. Intra- and inter-observers’ reliability was considered fair to excellent with an ICC value ranging from 0.54 to 0.99. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.0018) were found mainly in the nasolabial region. The cleft group exhibited wider alar base root width, flattened nose and broader nostril floor width on the cleft side. They tended to have shorter upper lip length and thinner upper vermillion thickness. Faces of Chinese children with repaired UCLP displayed meaningful differences when compared to the normal group especially in the nasolabial regions.

Oral health status of rural-urban migrant children in South China.

PubMed

Gao, Xiao-Li; McGrath, Colman; Lin, Huan-Cai

2011-01-01

In China, there is a massive rural-urban migration and the children of migrants are often unregistered residents (a 'floating population'). This pilot study aimed to profile the oral health of migrant children in South China's principal city of migration and identify its socio-demographic/behavioural determinants. An epidemiological survey was conducted in an area of Guangzhou among 5-year-old migrant children (n = 138) who received oral examinations according to the World Health Organization criteria. Parents' oral health knowledge/attitude, child practices, and impact of children's oral health on their quality-of-life (QoL) were assessed. The caries rate and mean (SD) dmft were 86% and 5.17 (4.16), respectively, higher than those national statistics for both rural and urban areas (P < 0.05). Oral hygiene was satisfactory (DI-S < 1.0) in 3% of children. Oral health impacts on QoL were considerable; 60% reported one or more impacts. 58% variance in 'dmft' was explained by 'non-local-born', 'low-educated parents', 'bedtime feeding', 'parental unawareness of fluoride's effect and importance of teeth', and 'poor oral hygiene' (all P < 0.05). 'Non-local-born' and 'dmft' indicated poor oral health-related QoL (both P < 0.05), accounting for 32% of variance. Oral health is poor among rural-urban migrant children and requires effective interventions in targeted sub-groups. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2010 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Scaling up... : Professional Development to Serve Young Children in Chinese Welfare Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Carolyn Pope; Cotton, Janice N.; Zhao, Wen; Muntaner-Gelabert, Jeronia

2010-01-01

In 1998 a group of American adoptive parents led by Jenny Bowen created Half the Sky Foundation (HTS) to provide nurturing care and education for children living in Chinese orphanages (known as children's welfare institutions). Jenny, a former screenwriter and film director, and her husband Richard wanted to ensure that the children still waiting…

Perceived positive teacher-student relationship as a protective factor for Chinese left-behind children's emotional and behavioural adjustment.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Li, Xiaowei; Chen, Li; Qu, Zhiyong

2015-10-01

Using cross-sectional data collected in rural communities of two provinces of China, this study examined the protective role of perceived positive teacher-student relationship for Chinese left-behind children. The participants included 1442 children with a mean age of 14.13 classified into two groups: a left-behind group (104 boys and 110 girls) and a comparison group (588 boys and 640 girls). Self-reported questionnaires concerning self-esteem, depression, problem behaviours and the teacher-student relationship were administered. Relative to the comparison group, after controlling for age, gender and family socioeconomic status, the left-behind group was disadvantaged in terms of self-esteem and depression but not in problem behaviours. As hypothesised, the results of regression analyses indicated that teacher-student relationship positively predicted self-esteem and negatively predicted depression and problem behaviours for both groups. Moreover, the association between teacher-student relationship and depression was stronger among the left-behind group, suggesting that left-behind children were more responsive to the positive effect of a desired teacher-student relationship. Taken together, the results of our study support the idea that perceived positive teacher-student relationship may serve as a protective factor for left-behind children. Practical implications and limitations of the present study are discussed. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Rural Latino farmworker fathers' understanding of children's oral health.

PubMed

Swan, Matthew A; Barker, Judith C; Hoeft, Kristin S

2010-01-01

This study's purpose was to examine rural Latino fathers' understanding of their children's oral health. A convenience sample (n=20) of fathers from a small agricultural community in California was recruited door-to-door and interviewed in their homes. Individual qualitative interviews in Spanish were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, translated, and transcribed. Codes were developed, and the text was analyzed for recurrent themes. Fathers came from Mexico (n=15) and El Salvador (n=5). Fathers had very little understanding of the etiology and clinical signs of dental caries. Overall, 18 of 19 fathers reported that their wife was primarily responsible for taking care of the children's hygiene. Fathers agreed that children's teeth should be taken care of from a young age, considered to be after 2 years. The fathers described very minimal hygiene assistance given to children by either parent and often considered a verbal reminder to be sufficient assistance. Fathers generally thought a child did not need supervision after approximately age 4 (range=1-11 years). While rural Latino fathers might not actively participate in their children's oral hygiene, they do place value on it. Men are supportive of dental treatments, albeit later than recommended. Educational messages aimed at these families will disseminate to the fathers, indirectly.

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children among Chinese Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yao, Shuqiao; Zou, Tao; Zhu, Xiongzhao; Abela, John R. Z.; Auerbach, Randy P.; Tong, Xi

2007-01-01

The objective of the current study was to develop a Chinese translation of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) [March (1997) Multidimensional anxiety scale for children: Technical manual, Multi health systems, Toronto, ON], and to evaluate its reliability and validity. The original version of the MASC was translated into Chinese…

Psychological Development and Educational Problems of Left-Behind Children in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Xiaojun; Tian, Yuan; Zhang, Yongxin; Xie, Xiaochun; Heath, Melissa A.; Zhou, Zongkui

2015-01-01

With China's rapidly developing economy and increasing urbanization, many adults from rural areas migrate to urban areas for better paid jobs. A side effect of this migration is that parents frequently leave their children behind (left-behind children). This research investigated left-behind children's and non-left-behind children's psychological,…

Parental migration and children's timely measles vaccination in rural China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tang, Xianyan; Geater, Alan; McNeil, Edward; Zhou, Hongxia; Deng, Qiuyun; Dong, Aihu; Li, Qiao

2016-07-01

With the rapid economic development in China, millions of rural residents are migrating to the cities to gain employment, resulting in numerous left-behind children (LBC). Simultaneously, outbreaks of measles continue to occur, yet the effect of parental migration on children's vaccination status is largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the association between parental migration and children's timely measles vaccination in rural China, after adjusting for family socio-economic status (SES) indicators. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling among children aged 18-54 months in rural Guangxi of China. Information on measles vaccination status was obtained from the child's vaccination certificate, and data on SES were collected by interviewing the child's primary guardian. Family SES and vaccination coverage were compared between LBC and non-left-behind children (NLBC) using weighted logistic regression, while the delay in vaccination was compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Of the 1216 study children, 46% were LBC and 54% were NLBC. Compared to NLBC, the coverage of timely measles vaccination was significantly lower, and the median delay period was longer among LBC. After adjusting for SES indicators, LBC were significantly more likely to have an untimely vaccination for their first dose of measles vaccine than NLBC (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02-1.75). Due to the negative effect of parental migration and family SES, LBC were more likely to encounter serious delays of measles vaccination in rural China. Optimising vaccination policies could facilitate timely vaccination among LBC in rural China. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating physical and perceptual responses to exergames in Chinese children.

PubMed

Lau, Patrick W C; Liang, Yan; Lau, Erica Y; Choi, Choung-Rak; Kim, Chang-Gyun; Shin, Myung-Soo

2015-04-13

The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO2, and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO2 and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05-5.14, VO2 (mL/kg/min) from 9.98-25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05-149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO2reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children's physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.

Examining the Text Quality of English/Chinese Bilingual Children's Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Qiaoya; Chen, Xiaoning

2016-01-01

As a branch of multicultural literature, bilingual children's picture books present a special opportunity for readers to expand their horizons and knowledge of other cultures. The researchers took a closer look at the text quality of 31 English/Chinese bilingual children's picture books. These bilingual books were examined on the aspects of the…

Weight Status, Physical Activity, and Fitness among Third-Grade Rural Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriver, Lenka H.; Harrist, Amanda W.; Hubbs-Tait, Laura; Topham, Glade; Page, Melanie; Barrett, Aimee

2011-01-01

Background: Rural children are at a particular high risk for obesity. Given the importance of exercise in obesity and chronic disease prevention, this study evaluated the level and relationship between physical activity and fitness in a sample of rural third graders. The second purpose of the study was to determine potential differences in…

Comparison of Sexual Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior between Female Chinese College Students from Urban Areas and Rural Areas: A Hidden Challenge for HIV/AIDS Control in China

PubMed Central

Chen, Min; Liao, Yong; Liu, Jia; Fang, Wenjie; Hong, Nan; Ye, Xiaofei; Li, Jianjun; Tang, Qinglong

2016-01-01

Currently, research in sexual behavior and awareness in female Chinese college students (FCCSs) is limited, particularly regarding the difference and the influencing factors between students from rural areas and urban areas. To fill the gap in available data, a cross-sectional study using anonymous questionnaires was conducted among 3193 female students from six universities located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, China, from February to June, 2013. Of the 2669 respondents, 20.6% and 20.9% of the students from urban and rural areas, respectively, reported being sexually experienced. The proportion of students who received safe-sex education prior to entering university from rural areas (22.4%, 134/598) was lower (P < 0.0001) than the proportion from urban areas (41.8%, 865/2071). Sexual behavior has become increasingly common among FCCSs, including high-risk sexual behavior such as unprotected commercial sex. However, knowledge concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) transmission and the risks is insufficient, particularly for those from rural areas, which is a challenge for HIV/AIDS control in China. The Chinese government should establish more specific HIV/AIDS prevention policies for Chinese young women, strengthen sex education, and continue to perform relevant research. PMID:28101513

Parental reactions to children's negative emotions: prospective relations to Chinese children's psychological adjustment.

PubMed

Tao, Annie; Zhou, Qing; Wang, Yun

2010-04-01

The prospective relations between five types of parental reactions to children's negative emotions (PRCNE) and children's psychological adjustment (behavioral problems and social competence) were examined in a two-wave longitudinal study of 425 school-age children in China. Parents (mostly mothers) reported their own PRCNE. Parents, teachers, and children or peers reported on children's adjustment. Parental punitive reactions positively predicted externalizing problems (controlling for baseline), whereas emotion- and problem-focused reactions were negatively related to internalizing problems. Parental minimizing and encouragement of emotion expression were unrelated to adjustment. Concurrent relations were found between PRCNE and parents' authoritative and authoritarian parenting dimensions. However, PRCNE did not uniquely predict adjustment controlling for global parenting dimensions. The findings have implications for cultural adaptation of parent-focused interventions for families of Chinese origin. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

[Comparative study on the situation of neglected children aged 3-6 year-olds between urban and rural areas of China].

PubMed

Li, Min; Pan, Jian-ping; Zhang, Song-jie; Zhang, Hua; Yang, Zi-Ni; Wang, Wei-qing; Cao, Chun-hong; Wang, Fei; Yang, Xiao-mei; Niu, Qian; Shen, Hong

2012-02-01

To investigate and analyze the situation of urban and rural neglected children aged 3 - 6, in China, so as to provide basis for the analysis and comparison on relevant risk factors. 1163 urban children aged 3 - 6 (with 49.6% males and 4.5% with minority ethnicity) were investigated from 25 cities of 14 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the whole country. Multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used. Again, using the same sampling method, 4096 rural children (of whom 50.6% were males with 6.2% as minorities) were chosen from 26 cities of 10 provinces or municipalities. Identification of children being neglected was based on "Child Neglect Evaluation Norms of Children Aged 3 - 6 Years in Urban/Rural China". SPSS-Windows 13.0 was employed for data analysis. Scores, frequency/degrees, age, sex and types (physical, emotional, educational, safety, medical and social) of children under negligence on every group of the regions, were calculated. χ(2) test (Chi-Square) and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were processed to determine the significance of their differences. The overall frequencies of negligence were 28.0% and 53.7% respectively among the urban and rural children aged 3 - 6, while the total degrees of negligence were 42.2 and 44.4 respectively. Significant difference was found between children from the urban and the rural areas (P < 0.05). Significant difference was also found between urban and rural children on every age group (P < 0.05). The frequencies of negligence among males were 32.6% and 55.9% respectively in urban and rural areas while among females, the figures appeared to be 23.7% and 51.6% respectively. The degrees of negligence were 42.7 and 44.6 among male while 41.8 and 44.3 among female children, in the urban or rural areas. Significant differences were found on male or female between urban and rural groups (P < 0.05). Frequencies of negligence in urban children aged 3 - 6 for the six types were from 5.1% to 12.9%, with

Femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children aged 0-5 years.

PubMed

Luo, Jiayou; Tang, Jin; Zhou, Libo; Zeng, Rong; Mou, Jinsong; Zhang, Lingli

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children. Between January and December, 2007, we randomly sampled 1,450 healthy Chinese children (0-5 years old) from Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital in Changsha, Hunan, China. The diameter of femoral head epiphysis was measured by pelvic X-ray photography and processed by medical image processing software. The growth of femoral head epiphysis in girls was 2-3 months earlier than that in boys. The diameter of femoral head epiphysis increased with advancing age in both girls and boys, but the diameter of femoral head epiphysis in 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10-month-old girls was significantly larger than that in boys. Cubic regression equations between the diameter of femoral head epiphysis and age were created for boys and girls that could be used to predict the diameter of femoral head epiphysis. In conclusion, there was gender difference in femoral head epiphysis growth and development among Chinese children, and our prediction models will provide the guidance for early diagnosis of diseases related to the growth and development of the femoral head epiphysis.

Validity of bioelectrical impedance measurement in predicting fat-free mass of Chinese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Hui, Stanley Sai-chuen; Wong, Stephen Heung-sang

2014-11-15

The current study aimed to examine the validity of various published bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations in estimating FFM among Chinese children and adolescents and to develop BIA equations for the estimation of fat-free mass (FFM) appropriate for Chinese children and adolescents. A total of 255 healthy Chinese children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years old (127 males and 128 females) from Tianjin, China, participated in the BIA measurement at 50 kHz between the hand and the foot. The criterion measure of FFM was also employed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). FFM estimated from 24 published BIA equations was cross-validated against the criterion measure from DEXA. Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine alternative BIA equation for the studied population. FFM estimated from the 24 published BIA equations yielded high correlations with the directly measured FFM from DEXA. However, none of the 24 equations was statistically equivalent with the DEXA-measured FFM. Using multiple linear regression and cross-validation against DEXA measurement, an alternative prediction equation was determined as follows: FFM (kg)=1.613+0.742×height (cm)2/impedance (Ω)+0.151×body weight (kg); R2=0.95; SEE=2.45 kg; CV=6.5, 93.7% of the residuals of all the participants fell within the 95% limits of agreement. BIA was highly correlated with FFM in Chinese children and adolescents. When the new developed BIA equations are applied, BIA can provide a practical and valid measurement of body composition in Chinese children and adolescents.

Validity of Bioelectrical Impedance Measurement in Predicting Fat-Free Mass of Chinese Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Wang, Lin; Hui, Stanley Sai-chuen; Wong, Stephen Heung-sang

2014-01-01

Background The current study aimed to examine the validity of various published bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations in estimating FFM among Chinese children and adolescents and to develop BIA equations for the estimation of fat-free mass (FFM) appropriate for Chinese children and adolescents. Material/Methods A total of 255 healthy Chinese children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years old (127 males and 128 females) from Tianjin, China, participated in the BIA measurement at 50 kHz between the hand and the foot. The criterion measure of FFM was also employed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). FFM estimated from 24 published BIA equations was cross-validated against the criterion measure from DEXA. Multiple linear regression was conducted to examine alternative BIA equation for the studied population. Results FFM estimated from the 24 published BIA equations yielded high correlations with the directly measured FFM from DEXA. However, none of the 24 equations was statistically equivalent with the DEXA-measured FFM. Using multiple linear regression and cross-validation against DEXA measurement, an alternative prediction equation was determined as follows: FFM (kg)=1.613+0.742×height (cm)2/impedance (Ω)+0.151×body weight (kg); R2=0.95; SEE=2.45kg; CV=6.5, 93.7% of the residuals of all the participants fell within the 95% limits of agreement. Conclusions BIA was highly correlated with FFM in Chinese children and adolescents. When the new developed BIA equations are applied, BIA can provide a practical and valid measurement of body composition in Chinese children and adolescents. PMID:25398209

Age estimation in northern Chinese children by measurement of open apices in tooth roots.

PubMed

Guo, Yu-Cheng; Yan, Chun-Xia; Lin, Xing-Wei; Zhou, Hong; Li, Ju-Ping; Pan, Feng; Zhang, Zhi-Yong; Wei, Lai; Tang, Zheng; Chen, Teng

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of Cameriere's methods on dental age estimation in the northern Chinese population. A sample of orthopantomographs of 785 healthy children (397 girls and 388 boys) aged between 5 and 15 years was collected. The seven left permanent mandibular teeth were evaluated with Cameriere's method. The sample was split into a training set to develop a Chinese-specific prediction formula and a test set to validate this novel developed formula. Following the training dataset study, the variables gender (g), x 3 (canine teeth), x 4 (first premolar), x 7 (second molar), N 0, and the first-order interaction between s and N 0 contributed significantly to the fit, yielding the following linear regression formula: Age = 10.202 + 0.826 g - 4.068x 3 - 1.536x 4 - 1.959x 7 + 0.536 N 0 - 0.219 s [Symbol: see text] N 0, where g is a variable, 1 for boys and 0 for girls. The equation explained 91.2 % (R (2) = 0.912) of the total deviance. By analyzing the test dataset, the accuracy of the European formula and Chinese formula was determined by the difference between the estimated dental age (DA) and chronological age (CA). The European formula verified on the collected Chinese children underestimated chronological age with a mean difference of around -0.23 year, while the Chinese formula underestimated the chronological age with a mean difference of -0.04 year. Significant differences in mean differences in years (DA - CA) and absolute difference (AD) between the Chinese-specific prediction formula and Cameriere's European formula were observed. In conclusion, a Chinese-specific prediction formula based on a large Chinese reference sample could ameliorate the age prediction accuracy in the age group of children.

Development of Emotion Word Comprehension in Chinese Children from 2 to 13 Years Old: Relationships with Valence and Empathy.

PubMed

Li, Yanwei; Yu, Dongchuan

2015-01-01

Children's emotion word comprehension (EWC) has constantly received a great deal of attention in developmental science. However, since previous reports focused on only English emotion vocabulary, researchers thus far remained unclear as to the developmental trajectories of EWC (to Chinese emotion words) in Chinese children, let alone the cross-cultural difference of EWC in different languages (i.e., English V.S. Chinese). Furthermore, the influence of valence on EWC, as well as the interaction mechanism between EWC and empathy, has not been fully investigated. Finding answers to these research gaps has become the main motivation of the current study. For this purpose, a Chinese emotion vocabulary was first constructed to estimate EWC of Chinese children (ages 2-13 years old). Then, the valence of each emotion word was evaluated using the standard 9-point scale approach. After that, the Chinese children's EWC and empathy were measured in terms of parental ratings. Finally, all data collected were statistically analyzed to reveal the influence of the valence of EWC, the relation between EWC and empathy, and the cross-cultural difference of children's EWC between China and UK from the viewpoint of developmental science. The main results of the current study included the following: (i) EWC in general increased with age for Chinese children ages 2-13 years old, however, there was a dramatic increase during ages 6-8 years old; (ii) EWC of positive emotion words in general developed better than that of negative and neutral ones for Chinese children (ages 2-13 years old); and the disadvantage of EWC to negative emotion words over neutral ones was gradually observed with the increase of age, even though there were no significant differences between them from the beginning; (iii) EWC completely mediated the effect of age on empathy; and (iv) EWC of children in UK developed better than Chinese counterparts during the early childhood period (ages 4-6 years old), then Chinese

Urinary tract abnormalities in Chinese rural children who consumed melamine-contaminated dairy products: a population-based screening and follow-up study

PubMed Central

Liu, Jian-meng; Ren, Aiguo; Yang, Lei; Gao, Jinji; Pei, Lijun; Ye, Rongwei; Qu, Quangang; Zheng, Xiaoying

2010-01-01

Background Kidney damage related to consumption of melamine-contaminated dairy products by young children in China has been described. However, no studies have reported on the population-based prevalence of kidney damage among exposed children or on the condition of affected children after follow-up. Methods We conducted an ultrasound-based screening in September 2008 of 7933 children younger than 36 months of age who lived in a rural area in China where the dairy products most highly contaminated with melamine were sold. We monitored children who had evidence of nephrolithiasis or hydronephrosis at screening using renal ultrasonography after one, three and six months. We also collected information from the mothers of affected children about consumption of melamine-contaminated products between June and August 2008. Results The overall prevalence of urinary tract abnormalities among screened children was 0.61% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45%–0.80%). The mean exposure dose of melamine was estimated to be 116 (range 36–220) mg per day. Of the 48 affected children, 43 (89.6%) were asymptomatic, 2 had symptoms and were hospitalized, and 3 had symptoms but treatment had been not sought for them. Of the 46 children for whom six-month follow-up information was available, renal abnormalities persisted in 5 children and resolved in the remaining 41. Interpretation Among children who underwent screening, 0.61% showed ultrasonographic evidence of nephrolithiasis or hydronephrosis. Most of the affected children were asymptomatic. The majority of the affected children recovered from the toxic effects of melamine over time without specific treatment. Renal abnormalities remained in 12% of the affected children. PMID:20176755

Teaching Receptive Naming of Chinese Characters to Children with Autism by Incorporating Echolalia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Jin-Pang; Wu, Kit-I

1997-01-01

The facilitative effect of incorporating echolalia on teaching receptive naming of Chinese characters to four Hong Kong children (ages 8-10) with autism was assessed. Results from two experiments indicated echolalia was the active component contributing to the successful acquisition and maintenance of receptive naming of Chinese characters.…

GCKR variants increase triglycerides while protecting from insulin resistance in Chinese children.

PubMed

Shen, Yue; Wu, Lijun; Xi, Bo; Liu, Xin; Zhao, Xiaoyuan; Cheng, Hong; Hou, Dongqing; Wang, Xingyu; Mi, Jie

2013-01-01

Variants in gene encoding glucokinase regulator protein (GCKR) were found to have converse effects on triglycerides and glucose metabolic traits. We aimed to investigate the influence of GCKR variants for triglycerides and glucose metabolic traits in Chinese children and adults. We genotyped two GCKR variants rs1260326 and rs1260333 in children and adults, and analyzed the association between two variants and triglycerides, glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR using linear regression model, and estimated the effect on insulin resistance using logistic regression model. Rs1260326 and rs1260333 associated with increased triglycerides in children and adults (p<0.05). In children, both variants significantly reduced insulin (p<0.05. for rs1260326, β = -0.07; for rs1260333, β = -0.07) and HOMA-IR (p<0.05. for rs1260326, β = -0.03; for rs1260333, β = -0.03). There were significant associations between two variants and insulin resistance for children. Under co-dominant model, for CT vs. CC, OR is 0.83 (95%CI 0.69-1.00) for rs1260326, and 0.83 (95%CI 0.68-1.00) for rs1260333; for TT vs. CC, OR is 0.72 (95%CI 0.58-0.88) for rs1260326, and 0.72 (95%CI 0.58-0.89) for rs1260333. Under allele model, for allele T vs. C, the ORs are 0.85 (95%CI 0.76-0.94) and 0.85 (95%CI 0.76-0.94) for rs1260326 and rs1260333, respectively). Our study confirmed the associations between GCKR variants and triglycerides in Chinese children and adults. Triglycerides-increasing alleles of GCKR variants reduce insulin and HOMA-IR index, and protect from insulin resistance in children. Our results suggested GCKR has an effect on development of insulin resistance in Chinese children.

Tracking the Eye Movement of Four Years Old Children Learning Chinese Words.

PubMed

Lin, Dan; Chen, Guangyao; Liu, Yingyi; Liu, Jiaxin; Pan, Jue; Mo, Lei

2018-02-01

Storybook reading is the major source of literacy exposure for beginning readers. The present study tracked 4-year-old Chinese children's eye movements while they were reading simulated storybook pages. Their eye-movement patterns were examined in relation to their word learning gains. The same reading list, consisting of 20 two-character Chinese words, was used in the pretest, 5-min eye-tracking learning session, and posttest. Additionally, visual spatial skill and phonological awareness were assessed in the pretest as cognitive controls. The results showed that the children's attention was attracted quickly by pictures, on which their attention was focused most, with only 13% of the time looking at words. Moreover, significant learning gains in word reading were observed, from the pretest to posttest, from 5-min exposure to simulated storybook pages with words, picture and pronunciation of two-character words present. Furthermore, the children's attention to words significantly predicted posttest reading beyond socioeconomic status, age, visual spatial skill, phonological awareness and pretest reading performance. This eye-movement evidence of storybook reading by children as young as four years, reading a non-alphabetic script (i.e., Chinese), has demonstrated exciting findings that children can learn words effectively with minimal exposure and little instruction; these findings suggest that learning to read requires attention to the basic words itself. The study contributes to our understanding of early reading acquisition with eye-movement evidence from beginning readers.

Nutritional status and HIV in rural South African children.

PubMed

Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth W; Norris, Shane A; Pettifor, John M; Tollman, Stephen M; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin; Gómez-Olivé, Xavier F; Dunger, David B; Kahn, Kathleen

2011-03-25

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals that aim to reduce malnutrition and child mortality depends in part on the ability of governments/policymakers to address nutritional status of children in general and those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in particular. This study describes HIV prevalence in children, patterns of malnutrition by HIV status and determinants of nutritional status. The study involved 671 children aged 12-59 months living in the Agincourt sub-district, rural South Africa in 2007. Anthropometric measurements were taken and HIV testing with disclosure was done using two rapid tests. Z-scores were generated using WHO 2006 standards as indicators of nutritional status. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to establish the determinants of child nutritional status. Prevalence of malnutrition, particularly stunting (18%), was high in the overall sample of children. HIV prevalence in this age group was 4.4% (95% CI: 2.79 to 5.97). HIV positive children had significantly poorer nutritional outcomes than their HIV negative counterparts. Besides HIV status, other significant determinants of nutritional outcomes included age of the child, birth weight, maternal age, age of household head, and area of residence. This study documents poor nutritional status among children aged 12-59 months in rural South Africa. HIV is an independent modifiable risk factor for poor nutritional outcomes and makes a significant contribution to nutritional outcomes at the individual level. Early paediatric HIV testing of exposed or at risk children, followed by appropriate health care for infected children, may improve their nutritional status and survival.

Nutritional status and HIV in rural South African children

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Achieving the Millennium Development Goals that aim to reduce malnutrition and child mortality depends in part on the ability of governments/policymakers to address nutritional status of children in general and those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in particular. This study describes HIV prevalence in children, patterns of malnutrition by HIV status and determinants of nutritional status. Methods The study involved 671 children aged 12-59 months living in the Agincourt sub-district, rural South Africa in 2007. Anthropometric measurements were taken and HIV testing with disclosure was done using two rapid tests. Z-scores were generated using WHO 2006 standards as indicators of nutritional status. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to establish the determinants of child nutritonal status. Results Prevalence of malnutrition, particularly stunting (18%), was high in the overall sample of children. HIV prevalence in this age group was 4.4% (95% CI: 2.79 to 5.97). HIV positive children had significantly poorer nutritional outcomes than their HIV negative counterparts. Besides HIV status, other significant determinants of nutritional outcomes included age of the child, birth weight, maternal age, age of household head, and area of residence. Conclusions This study documents poor nutritional status among children aged 12-59 months in rural South Africa. HIV is an independent modifiable risk factor for poor nutritional outcomes and makes a significant contribution to nutritional outcomes at the individual level. Early paediatric HIV testing of exposed or at risk children, followed by appropriate health care for infected children, may improve their nutritional status and survival. PMID:21439041

Children Environmental Identity Development in an Alaska Native Rural Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Carie

2017-01-01

Scholarship in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) continues to advocate for the incorporation of Indigenous ways of knowing and children's agency in research and practice. This study contributes to the literature by examining how young children from an Alaskan rural setting make meaning of and interact with nature. Informed by a…

Scaling of theory-of-mind understandings in Chinese children.

PubMed

Wellman, Henry M; Fang, Fuxi; Liu, David; Zhu, Liqi; Liu, Guoxiong

2006-12-01

Prior research demonstrates that understanding of theory of mind develops at different paces in children raised in different cultures. Are these differences simply differences in timing, or do they represent different patterns of cultural learning? That is, to what extent are sequences of theory-of-mind understanding universal, and to what extent are they culture-specific? We addressed these questions by using a theory-of-mind scale to examine performance of 140 Chinese children living in Beijing and to compare their performance with that of 135 English-speaking children living in the United States and Australia. Results reveal a common sequence of understanding, as well as sociocultural differences in children's developing theories of mind.

Effects of Exposure to Domestic Physical Violence on Children's Behavior: A Chinese Community-based Sample.

PubMed

Cao, Yuping; Li, Longfei; Zhao, Xingfu; Zhang, Yu; Guo, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Yalin; Luo, Xingguang

2016-06-01

Domestic physical violence (DPV) is common in China due to its long history of slavery and feudalism. This study aimed to examine the effects of exposure to DPV on children's behavior in a Chinese community. Ninety-three 12- to 16-year-old adolescents exposed to DPV were compared to 54 adolescents with no exposure to DPV. We found that DPV exposure was associated with adverse behaviors in children, especially among boys. Children witnessing DPV alone had similar behavioral scores as the abused children. We recommend that both abused and DPV witness-only adolescents in Chinese communities need treatment to mitigate the effects on maladjusted behaviors. The intervention programs for children who witness domestic violence are also important.

Air Pollution and Children's Health in Chinese.

PubMed

Lin, Wei-Wei; Chen, Zan-Xiong; Kong, Min-Li; Xie, Yan-Qi; Zeng, Xiao-Wen

2017-01-01

Children can be considered as a high-risk population to environmental stress since some of the organ systems including the immune system and respiratory system are still in development during childhood. During childhood, the impact of environmental pollutants exposure may program child growth and development that have long-term consequences on later health and disease risk. Considering the rapid economic growth in recent decades in China, the impact of ambient air pollution on children health causes concerns. Therefore, we aimed to review the current epidemiological evidence on the effects of air pollution exposure on adverse health outcome, including respiratory diseases, lung function, high blood pressure, cognitive disorder, and obesity in childhood in China. We believe that the findings summarized in our review demonstrate an unequivocal relationship between air pollutants exposure and Chinese children health and these results have large public health influences.

Overlap of gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional bowel disorders in the general Chinese rural population.

PubMed

Cai, Shun Tian; Wang, Li Ying; Sun, Gang; Peng, Li Hua; Guo, Xu; Wang, Wei Feng; Yang, Yun Sheng

2015-07-01

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the overlap between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional bowel disorders (FBD) in the general population in rural areas in China. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in six villages in Nanmazhuang area in Lankao County (Henan Province, China) from December 2010 to October 2011. The GERD questionnaire (GerdQ) and Rome III criteria were used for the diagnosis of GERD and FBD and to determine the prevalence of GERD-FBD overlap. The response rate to the questionnaires of the patients was 91.5%. In all, 2950 of 3700 residents with a mean age of 42.4 ± 16.8 years were included. Among them, 4.8% were diagnosed with GERD and 4.6% with FBD. The proportion of respondents with FBD was significantly higher in the GERD group than that in the non-GERD group (25.53% vs 3.60%, P < 0.05). The prevalence of GERD in the FBD group was significantly higher than that in the non-FBD group (26.28% vs 3.73%, P < 0.05). The prevalence of GERD-FBD overlap in the general rural population was 1.22%. Logistic regression analysis indicated that anxiety was an independent predictor for the GERD-FBD overlap in GERD and FBD (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.09 and OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10, respectively). GERD-FBD overlap is more common than expected by chance in the general rural population, and anxiety is significantly related to the overlap. © 2015 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The Rural-Urban Difference in BMI and Anemia among Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Zou, Yan; Zhang, Rong-Hua; Xia, Shi-Chang; Huang, Li-Chun; Fang, Yue-Qiang; Meng, Jia; Chen, Jiang; Zhang, He-Xiang; Zhou, Biao; Ding, Gang-Qiang

2016-10-18

There is growing concern over the double burden of over- and under-nutrition in individuals, especially in children and adolescents, which could dwarf their growth and development. This study aims to explore the rural-urban difference in BMI and anemia among children and adolescents. A stratified cluster sampling technique was employed. Dietary data were collected through interviews, and anthropometric values were measured. There were 1534 children and adolescents who participated in this study, including 775 male and 759 female participants. The prevalence of obesity among children living in a city, township and rural area was 10.3%, 8.5% and 5.5%, and that among adolescents was 1.4%, 2.9% and 2.8%. The prevalence of anemia among children and living in a city, township and rural area was 4.3%, 2.5% and 4.5%, while that among adolescents was 6.1%, 3.7% and 11.3%, respectively, with significant difference (χ² = 10.824, p = 0.004). The prevalence of being overweight, obesity and anemia was significant when comparing children with adolescents (χ² = 37.861, p = 0.000; χ² = 19.832, p = 0.000; χ² = 8.611, p = 0.003). Findings of this study indicate the double burden of malnutrition in Zhejiang province, characterized by a high prevalence of being overweight, obesity and anemia among children and a high prevalence of anemia among adolescents living in townships.

Exploration of Social Cognitive Factors Associated with Physical Activity among Chinese-American Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yan; DeBate, Rita DiGioacchino

2006-01-01

This study examined the social cognitive factors associated with participation in physical activity among Chinese-American youth. Utilizing an observational cross-sectional design, data were collected via a self-administered survey from 84 Chinese-American children ages 6-18. The survey employed items from the Health Behavior Questionnaire and the…

Barriers Affecting Physical Activity in Rural Communities: Perceptions of Parents and Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWhinney, Sharon; McDonald, Andrea; Dawkins-Moultin, Lenna; Outley, Corliss; McKyer, E. Lisako; Thomas, Audrene

2011-01-01

A comprehensive understanding of the barriers inhibiting physical activity among children is critical in the fight against childhood obesity. This qualitative interview study examined parents' and children's perceptions of the barriers to physical activity in rural communities of low socioeconomic status. Parents and children concurred that the…

Perceived discrimination and antisocial behaviour among Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents: Mediating effects of social support.

PubMed

Jia, Xuji; Liu, Xia

2017-08-01

Using cross-sectional data from rural-to-urban migrant adolescents in urban areas of Beijing, China, we examined the mediating effects of social support (i.e. teacher support and classmate support) in the relationship between perceived discrimination (PD) and antisocial behaviour (ASB) among Chinese migrant adolescents. Participants were 897 adolescents (459 boys and 438 girls, mean age = 13.34 years) from four migrant schools (68.8%) and four public schools (31.2%). Participants completed self-report questionnaires concerning PD, ASB, teacher support and classmate support. Results indicated that Chinese migrant adolescents who perceived more discrimination were more likely to engage in ASB. Teacher support partially mediated the relationship between PD and ASB. Gender moderated this mediational relationship, such that teacher support exerted a mediating role among girls, but not boys. The findings suggest that reductions in teacher support may partially account for the effect of PD on ASB among Chinese migrant adolescents girls. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Language development in rural and urban Russian-speaking children with and without developmental language disorder

PubMed Central

Kornilov, Sergey A.; Lebedeva, Tatiana V.; Zhukova, Marina A.; Prikhoda, Natalia A.; Korotaeva, Irina V.; Koposov, Roman A.; Hart, Lesley; Reich, Jodi; Grigorenko, Elena L.

2015-01-01

Using a newly developed Assessment of the Development of Russian Language (ORRIA), we investigated differences in language development between rural vs. urban Russian-speaking children (n = 100 with a mean age of 6.75) subdivided into groups with and without developmental language disorders. Using classical test theory and item response theory approaches, we found that while ORRIA displayed overall satisfactory psychometric properties, several of its items showed differential item functioning favoring rural children, and several others favoring urban children. After the removal of these items, rural children significantly underperformed on ORRIA compared to urban children. The urbanization factor did not significantly interact with language group. We discuss the latter finding in the context of the multiple additive risk factors for language development and emphasize the need for future studies of the mechanisms that underlie these influences and the implications of these findings for our understanding of the etiological architecture of children's language development. PMID:27346924

Perception of Stop Onset Spectra in Chinese Children with Phonological Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Wenli; Yue, Guoan

2012-01-01

The ability to identify stop consonants from brief onset spectra was compared between a group of Chinese children with phonological dyslexia (the PD group, with a mean age of 10 years 4 months) and a group of chronological age-matched control children. The linguistic context, which included vowels and speakers, and durations of stop onset spectra…

Children's Understanding of Television Advertising: A Revisit in the Chinese Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Kara; McNeal, James U.

2004-01-01

The authors conducted a survey of 1,758 elementary school children (6-14 years old) from December 2001, to March 2002, in 3 Chinese cities with different levels of television advertising. The authors used D. R. John's (1999) model of consumer socialization as the theoretical framework for their study. More than half of the children whom the…

Spectacle design preferences among Chinese primary and secondary students and their parents: a qualitative and quantitative study.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhongqiang; Kecman, Maja; Chen, Tingting; Liu, Tianyu; Jin, Ling; Chen, Shangji; Chen, Qianyun; He, Mingguang; Silver, Josh; Moore, Bruce; Congdon, Nathan

2014-01-01

To identify the specific characteristics making glasses designs, particularly those compatible with adjustable glasses, more or less appealing to Chinese children and their parents. Primary and secondary school children from urban and rural China with < = -1.00 diopters of bilateral myopia and their parents ranked four conventional-style frames identified by local optical shops as popular versus four child-specific frames compatible with adjustable spectacles. Scores based on the proportion of maximum possible ranking were computed for each style. Selected children and their parents also participated in Focus Groups (FGs) discussing spectacle design preference. Recordings were transcribed and coded by two independents reviewers using NVivo software. Among 136 urban primary school children (age range 9-11 years), 290 rural secondary school children (11-17 years) and 16 parents, all adjustable-style frames (scores on 0-100 scale 25.7-62.4) were ranked behind all conventional frames (63.0-87.5). For eight FGs including 12 primary children, 26 secondary children and 16 parents, average kappa values for NVivo coding were 0.81 (students) and 0.70 (parents). All groups agreed that the key changes to make adjustable designs more attractive were altering the round lenses to rectangular or oval shapes and adding curved earpieces for more stable wear. The thick frames of the adjustable designs were considered stylish, and children indicated they would wear them if the lens shape were modified. Current adjustable lens designs are unattractive to Chinese children and their parents, though this study identified specific modifications which would make them more appealing.

[Event-related potentials in Chinese characters semantic priming and arithmetic tasks: comparative study between healthy children and children with cognitive disorder].

PubMed

Dong, Xuan; Wang, Su-hong; Yang, Yi-lin; Ren, Yan-ling; Meng, Ping; Yang, Yu-xia

2007-10-30

To explore the cognitive psychological process of healthy children and children with cognitive disorder. Single Chinese character semantic priming and arithmetic tasks were delivered to 20 8-year-old healthy children, and 20 11-year-old healthy children, and 30 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 23 children with epilepsy, and 22 age-matched normal children as controls. Electroencephalography was used. Event-related potential was distilled by BESA software. (1) During the Chinese character semantic priming, the amplitudes of N2 toward the non-related words and pseudo-words in the 8-year-old group were 12.1 microV and 11.7 microV respectively, both significantly larger than those of the 11-year-old group (3.7 microV and 4.8 microV, respectively, both P<0.05). The amplitudes of N2 and P2 toward the non-related words and pseudo-words among the children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were both significantly lower than those in the healthy children (both P<0.05). (2) During the arithmetic task, the latency values of P2 and P3 of addition, subtraction, and multiplication in the 8-year-old group of healthy children were all significantly longer than those of the 11-year-old group of healthy children (all P<0.05). The P3 latency of the children with epilepsy was significantly longer than that of the healthy children (P<0.05). Chinese character and arithmetic cognitive waves are steady. ERP can be used to estimate the healthy children's personality index. Quantitative indicators are helpful in diagnosis and treatment of cognitive and learning disorders.

Serum levels of Glial fibrillary acidic protein in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Wang, Jingwei; Zou, Qiuyan; Han, Renfeng; Li, Yupeng; Wang, Yulin

2017-04-01

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) has been studied in many neurological diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential role of GFAP in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) by measuring serum circulating levels of GFAP and comparing them with age and gender-matched typical development children. A total of one hundred and fifty 2-6 years old Chinese children (75 confirmed autism cases and 75 their age-gender matched typical development children) participated in this study. Serum levels of GFAP were assayed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods, and severity of ASD was evaluated with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) Score. The results indicated that the mean serum GFAP level was significantly (P<0.001) higher in autistic children as compared to controls (1.71±0.53ng/ml vs. 0.99±0.25ng/ml). There was a significant positive association between serum GFAP levels and CARS scores (r [Pearson]=0.390, P=0.001). Based on the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off value of serum GFAP levels as an indicator for auxiliary diagnosis of autism was projected to be 1.28ng/ml which yielded a sensitivity of 77.3% and a specificity of 88.4%, the area under the curve was 0.895(95%CI, 0.844-0.947). Further, an increased risk of ASD was associated with GFAP levels >1.28ng/ml (adjusted OR 9.88, 95% CI: 3.32-17.82) in the multivariate logistic analysis model. The data indicates that serum GFAP levels may be associated with severity of ASD among Chinese children, suggesting the hypothesis that increased serum levels of GFAP could be implicated in the pathophysiology of autism in Chinese children. Copyright © 2017 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Physical and Perceptual Responses to Exergames in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Lau, Patrick W. C.; Liang, Yan; Lau, Erica Y.; Choi, Choung-Rak; Kim, Chang-Gyun; Shin, Myung-Soo

2015-01-01

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to examine whether exergames could help children reach the recommendations for PA and cardiorespiratory fitness regarding exercise intensity. Differences in perceived physical exertion, EE, VO2, and HR between normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) children participating in exergames were also examined. Methods: Twenty-one children (age: 10.45 ± 0.88) were assessed for EE, VO2 and HR during rest, in a maximal treadmill test, and while playing different exergames. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (category range: 0 to 10) were also measured during exergaming. Three types of exergames were examined: running, table tennis, and dancing. These games were either performed on a Chinese game console, I-Dong, or another well-developed Western game console (Sony PlayStation 3 or Nintendo Wii). Results: Exergaming resulted in EE (kcal/min) from 2.05–5.14, VO2 (mL/kg/min) from 9.98–25.54, and HR (beats per minute) from 98.05–149.66. Children reported RPE ranging from 1.29 to 5.29. The Chinese exergame, I-Dong Running, was the only game in which children reached a moderate intensity and met the recommended minimum VO2reserve (50%) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion: Exergames could provide alternative opportunities to enhance children’s physical activity. They could be used as light-to-moderate PA, and with exergames, children can even reach the recommended intensity for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness. PMID:25872015

Chinese Immigrant Families and Bilingualism among Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling; Xu, Yili

2012-01-01

Thirty-five children (17 boys and 18 girls, 4 to 8 years old) in 2-parent Chinese immigrant families had attended English-speaking facilities for 35.0 months (boys) and 32.9 months (girls), respectively. They were tested at home with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) and the Mandarin version of PPVT-R. No gender differences were…

Increased vulnerability of rural children on antiretroviral therapy attending public health facilities in South Africa: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A large proportion of the 340,000 HIV-positive children in South Africa live in rural areas, yet there is little sub-Saharan data comparing rural paediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme outcomes with urban facilities. We compared clinical, immunological and virological outcomes between children at seven rural and 37 urban facilities across four provinces in South Africa. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of routine data of children enrolled on ART between November 2003 and March 2008 in three settings, namely: urban residence and facility attendance (urban group); rural residence and facility attendance (rural group); and rural residents attending urban facilities (rural/urban group). Outcome measures were: death, loss to follow up (LTFU), virological suppression, and changes in CD4 percentage and weight-for-age-z (WAZ) scores. Kaplan-Meier estimates, logrank tests, multivariable Cox regression and generalized estimating equation models were used to compare outcomes between groups. Results In total, 2332 ART-naïve children were included, (1727, 228 and 377 children in the urban, rural and rural/urban groups, respectively). At presentation, rural group children were older (6.7 vs. 5.6 and 5.8 years), had lower CD4 cell percentages (10.0% vs. 12.8% and 12.7%), lower WAZ scores (-2.06 vs. -1.46 and -1.41) and higher proportions with severe underweight (26% vs.15% and 15%) compared with the urban and rural/urban groups, respectively. Mortality was significantly higher in the rural group and LTFU significantly increased in the rural/urban group. After 24 months of ART, mortality probabilities were 3.4% (CI: 2.4-4.8%), 7.7% (CI: 4.5-13.0%) and 3.1% (CI: 1.7-5.6%) p = 0.0137; LTFU probabilities were 11.5% (CI: 9.3-14.0%), 8.8% (CI: 4.5-16.9%) and 16.6% (CI: 12.4-22.6%), p = 0.0028 in the urban, rural and rural/urban groups, respectively. The rural group had an increased adjusted mortality probability, adjusted hazards ratio 2.41 (CI

Self-Esteem among Jamaican Children: Exploring the Impact of Skin Color and Rural/Urban Residence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Gail M. (Anderson); Cramer, Phebe

2007-01-01

This study investigates the extent to which two different models predict the relation of self-esteem to skin color and rural/urban residence among Jamaican children. To explain this relation, Crocker and Major's Self-protective hypothesis and Harter's Additive model were examined among 200 African-Caribbean children from rural (n=85) and urban…

Why Is the Chinese Curriculum Difficult for Immigrants' Children from Southeast Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chiu-Jung

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the difficulties of immigrants' children from Southeastern Asia on learning Chinese phonetic symbols and provide further instructors a reference while educating them in early childhood. The participants are native Taiwanese children (N = 40) and immigrant children from Southeastern Asia (N = 34) at the first…

Rural and urban Ugandan primary school children's alternative ideas about animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otaala, Justine

This study examined rural and urban Ugandan primary children's alternative ideas about animals through the use of qualitative research methods. Thirty-six children were selected from lower, middle, and upper primary grades in two primary schools (rural and urban). Data were collected using interview-about-instance technique. Children were shown 18 color photographs of instances and non-instances of familiar animals and asked to say if the photographed objects were animals or not. They were then asked to give reasons to justify their answers. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The results indicate that children tended to apply the label "animal" to large mammals, usually found at home, on the farm, in the zoo, and in the wild. Humans were not categorized as animals, particularly by children in the lower grades. Although the children in upper grades correctly identified humans as animals, they used reasons that were irrelevant to animal attributes and improperly derived from the biological concept of evolution. Many attributes children used to categorize instances of animals were scientifically unacceptable and included superficial features, such as body outline, anatomical features (body parts), external features (visual cues), presence or absence and number of appendages. Movement and eating (nutrition) were the most popular attributes children used to identify instances of animals. The main differences in children's ideas emanated from the reasons used to identify animals. Older rural children drew upon their cultural and traditional practices more often than urban children. Anthropomorphic thinking was predominant among younger children in both settings, but diminished with progression in children's grade levels. Some of the implications of this study are: (1) teachers, teacher educators and curriculum developers should consider learners' ideas in planning and developing teaching materials and interventions. (2) Teachers should relate humans to other

Investigating acculturation, diet, and physical activity among Chinese-American children aged 9-13 years

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Acculturation among those of Chinese descent may be related to changes in diet and physical activity. Research to understand the acculturative process early in life is important; however, there is no qualitative research directly with Chinese-American children. This study, currently in progress, a...

New Clues to Reaching Very Young Children and Families in Rural America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, Cathy; Shores, Elizabeth F.; Zaslow, Martha; Brown, Brett; Aufseeser, Dena

2006-01-01

The National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives (Rural Early Childhood), a research program of the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute, and Child Trends analyzed data from two nationally representative samples of young children being followed in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study by the National Center for…

Performance of modified blood pressure-to-height ratio for identifying hypertension in Chinese and American children.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Ma, Chuanwei; Yang, Lili; Bovet, Pascal; Xi, Bo

2018-04-06

Blood pressure-to-height ratio (BPHR) has been reported to perform well for identifying hypertension (HTN) in adolescents but not in young children. Our study was aimed to evaluate the performance of BPHR and modified BPHR (MBPHR) for screening HTN in children. A total of 5268 Chinese children (boys: 53.1%) aged 6-12 years and 5024 American children (boys: 48.1%) aged 8-12 years were included in the present study. BPHR was calculated as BP/height (mmHg/cm). MBPHR7 was calculated as BP/(height + 7*(13-age)). MBPHR3 was calculated as BP/(height + 3*(13-age)). We used receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis to assess the performance of the three ratios for identifying HTN in children as compared to the 2017 U.S. clinical guideline as the "gold standard". The prevalence of HTN in Chinese and American children was 9.4% and 5.4%, respectively, based on the 2017 U.S. guideline. The AUC was larger for MBPHR3 than BPHR and MBPHR7. All three ratios had optimal negative predictive value (~100%). The positive predictive value (PPV) was higher for MBPHR3 than BPHR in both Chinese (43.9% vs. 37.9%) and American (39.1% vs. 26.3%) children. In contrast, the PPV was higher for MBPHR7 than BPHR in Chinese children (47.4% vs. 37.9%) but not in American children (24.8% vs. 26.3%). In summary, MBPHR3 overall performed better than MBPHR7 and BPHR for identifying HTN in children. However, the three ratios had low PPV (<50%) as compared to the 2017 U.S. guidelines, which makes these ratios of limited use for HTN screening in children.

Visuomotor Integration and Executive Functioning Are Uniquely Linked to Chinese Word Reading and Writing in Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Kevin Kien Hoa; Lam, Chun Bun; Cheung, Ka Chun

2018-01-01

This cross-sectional study examined the associations of visuomotor integration and executive functioning with Chinese word reading and writing in kindergarten children. A total of 369 Chinese children (mean age = 57.99 months; 55% of them were girls) from Hong Kong, China, completed tasks on visuomotor integration, executive functioning, and…

The patterns of refractive errors among the school children of rural and urban settings in Nepal.

PubMed

Pokharel, A; Pokharel, P K; Das, H; Adhikari, S

2010-01-01

The uncorrected refractive error is an important cause of childhood blindness and visual impairment. To study the patterns of refractive errors among the urban and rural school going children of Nepal. A total of 440 school children of urban and rural schools within the age range of 7-15 years were selected for this study using multi-stage randomization technique. The overall prevalance of refractive error in school children was 19.8 %. The commonest refractive error among the students was myopia (59.8 %), followed by hypermetropia (31.0 %). The children of age group 12-15 years had the higher prevalence of myopia as compared to the younger counterparts (42.5 % vs 17.2 %). The prevalence of myopia was 15.5 % among the urban students as compared to 8.2 % among the rural ones (RR = 1.89, 95 % CI = 1.1-3.24). The hypermetropia was more common in urban students than in rural ones (6.4 %) vs 5.9 %, RR = 1.08 (95 % CI: 0.52-2.24). The prevalence of refractive error in the school children of Nepal is 19.8 %. The students from urban settings are more likely to have refractive error than their rural counterparts. © Nepal Ophthalmic Society.

Parent ratings of ADHD symptoms: differential symptom functioning across Malaysian Malay and Chinese children.

PubMed

Gomez, Rapson; Vance, Alasdair

2008-08-01

This study examined differential symptom functioning (DSF) in ADHD symptoms across Malay and Chinese children in Malaysia. Malay (N=571) and Chinese (N=254) parents completed the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale, which lists the DSM-IV ADHD symptoms. DSF was examined using the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) structural equation modeling procedure. Although DSF was found for a single inattention (IA) symptom and three hyperactivity-impulsivity (HI) symptoms, all these differences had low effect sizes. Controlling for these DSF, Chinese children had higher IA and HI latent factor scores. However the effect sizes were small. Together, these findings suggest adequate support for invariance of the ADHD symptoms across these ethno-cultural groups. The implications of the findings for cross-cultural invariance of the ADHD symptoms are discussed.

Antibiotic prescribing of village doctors for children under 15 years with upper respiratory tract infections in rural China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhixia; Zhan, Xingxin; Zhou, Hongjun; Sun, Fang; Zhang, Heng; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Liu, Qian; Li, Yingxue; Yan, Weirong

2016-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of village doctors regarding the prescribing of antibiotics for children under 15 years with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in rural China. Twelve focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in Xianning, a prefecture-level city in rural China, during December 2014. We conducted 6 FGDs with 35 village doctors, 3 with 13 primary caregivers (11 parents), and 3 with 17 directors of township hospitals, county-level health bureaus, county-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or county-level Chinese Food and Drug Administration offices. Audio records of the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. Participants believed that unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for children under 15 years with The occurrence of URTIs was a problem in village clinics in rural China. The discussions revealed that most of the village doctors had inadequate knowledge and misconceptions about antibiotic use, which was an important factor in the unnecessary prescribing. Village doctors and directors reported that the doctors’ fear of complications, the primary caregivers’ pressure for antibiotic treatment, and the financial considerations of patient retention were the main factors influencing the decision to prescribe antibiotics. Most of the primary caregivers insisted on antibiotics, even when the village doctors were reluctant to prescribe them, and they preferred to go to see those village doctors who prescribed antibiotics. The interviewees also gave their opinions on what would be the most effective measures for optimizing antibiotic prescriptions; these included educational/training campaigns, strict regulations on antibiotic prescription, and improved supervision. Findings emphasized the need to improve the dissemination of information and training/education, and implement legislation on the rational use of antibiotics. And it

Temperament, Harsh and Indulgent Parenting, and Chinese Children's Proactive and Reactive Aggression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yiyuan; Farver, Jo Ann M.; Zhang, Zengxiu

2009-01-01

This study examined the additive and interactive effects of temperament and harsh and indulgent parenting on Chinese children's proactive and reactive aggression. Participants were 401 children (M [subscript age] = 9.29 years, 203 girls) and their parents who were recruited from 2 elementary schools in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The…

Chinese Children's Justifications for Sharing Resources: Why Do We Have to Share?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Mun

2011-01-01

Gilligan argued that Kohlberg's justice-based stage theory of morality reflects only one type of morality and does not consider people's tendency to use care-based moral judgements. This study examines Chinese children's tendency to use justice-based and care-based justifications for moral reasoning. Children's attitudes to conforming to the…

How Do Family and Community Characteristics Affect Children's Education Achievement? The Chinese-American Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siu, Sau-Fong

1992-01-01

Describes a study of how Chinese-American family and community behaviors, routines, values, and expectations affect the educational achievement of Chinese-American children. Finds that some traits, valuing effort over innate ability and parental involvement, do support academic achievement in association with certain social and economic…

A Study on Nutritional Status of Rural School going Children in Kavre District.

PubMed

Mansur, D I; Haque, M K; Sharma, K; Mehta, D K; Shakya, R

2015-01-01

Background Childhood is a time of active growth in terms of physical size, mental, emotional and psychological development. Normal growth is dependent on adequate nutrition and encompasses major transformations from birth to adulthood. Nutrition is a focal point for health and well being; and has special significance in countries with disadvantages in socioeconomic and hygienic standards. Objective The objective of the present study was to assess the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness among rural school going children. Method The present study was cross-sectional study, conducted on 438 rural school going children (169 male and 259 female) with the age group 4-16 years, during the period from April 2014 to July 2014. Age was recorded in year; height and weight were measured in centimeter and kilogram respectively. BMI was calculated by using standard equation. Result The present study concluded that the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness were found to be 30.85%, 24.54% and 10.05% respectively among rural school going children of Kavre district. It was revealed that 37.87% was underweight, 29.59% was stunted and 11.25% was thinness among male children whereas in female children, 26.27% was underweight, 21.24% was stunted and 9.27% was thinness. Hence, high prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness were observed in male than in female children. Conclusion The present study has successfully documented the nutritional status in terms of prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness among the rural school going children of Kavre district. The results of the present study will be useful for policy makers in their endeavor to formulate various developmental and health care programs.

Child health, nutrition and family size: a comparative study of rural and urban children.

PubMed

Balderama-guzman, V

1978-01-01

771 children from Baras, Rizal, and Pasay City, Philippines were studied. House interviews of mothers using precoded questionnaires were conducted and the children were given a complete physical examination. The study objectives were to compare the health and nutritional status of children in a rural and an urban area in greater Manila and to determine how family size affects the nutritional status of children 3 years and younger. The following were among the study results: 1) the weight curves of both urban and rural groups were similar until age 4-1/2 years, but beyond this age the mean weight curve of the rural group exceeded that of the urban group; 2) urban children between ages 1-5 enjoyed a height advantage; 3) there was a positive correlation between malnutrition and excessive family size; 4) the high prevalence of malnutrition among children 1-4 years of age was due to food deprivation because of poverty, parental ignorance, inappropriate folklores, oversized families, high episodes of illnesses, and inadequate medical care; and 5) dietary assessment of both groups showed the inadequacy of the quality and quantity of basic nutrients and elements needed for growth, development, and repair of tissues.

Physical growth of children and adolescents in China over the past 35 years

PubMed Central

Zong, Xin-Nan

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine if economic development in China correlates with physical growth among Chinese children and adolescents. Methods The height, body weight and physical activity level of children and adolescents aged 18 years and under, as well as dietary data, were obtained from seven large surveys conducted in China between 1975 and 2010. Chinese economic development indicators were obtained from the World Bank. Trends in body weight, height, economic data and diet were examined. Tests were conducted to check for correlations between height at 17 years of age and three indicators of economic development: gross domestic product, urbanization and infant mortality rate. Regional differences in physical growth were assessed. Findings Between 1975 and 2010, the growth of children and adolescents improved in tandem with economic development. The largest increment in height was observed during the period of puberty. Regional inequalities in nutritional status were correlated with disparities in economic development among regions. Over the past two decades, undernutrition declined among children less than 5 years of age, but in 2010 underweight and stunting were still common in poor rural areas. A large increase in obesity was observed in both urban and rural areas, but especially in large cities and, more recently, in small and medium-sized cities and affluent rural areas. Conclusion The average weight of children and adolescents has been increasing progressively since the 1970s. Current strategies to combat both child undernutrition and obesity need to be improved, especially in poor rural areas. PMID:25177070

Rural/Urban Differences in Barriers to and Burden of Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Asheley Cockrell; Slifkin, Rebecca T.

2007-01-01

Purpose: To examine the barriers and difficulties experienced by rural families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in caring for their children. Methods: The National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs was used to examine rural-urban differences in types of providers used, reasons CSHCN had unmet health care needs,…

Growing up with Distant Parents: Socialization and Alienation of "Left-Behind" Children in Rural China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Donghui

2015-01-01

An increasing number of left-behind children has emerged in rural China as a result of the large-scale migration of rural farmers to urban cities since the 1990s. With the absence of parent(s) from the family, the left-behind children face crises in socialization and their relationships with their parents are threatened by physical distance. This…

Exceeding Boundaries: Chinese Children's Playful Use of Languages in Their Literacy Practices in a Mandarin-English Bilingual Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yan; Guo, Yan

2017-01-01

Chinese children of immigrant families are often perceived as good at memorization and rote learning or as polite, obedient, and passive students lacking creativity and criticality. Guided by Multiple Literacies Theory and translanguaging, this study explores how Chinese children in a Mandarin-English bilingual program skillfully navigate…

Discourse-Level Reading Comprehension in Chinese Children: What Is the Role of Syntactic Awareness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Xiuhong; Tong, Xiuli; Shu, Hua; Chan, Shingfong; McBride-Chang, Catherine

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the association between syntactic awareness and discourse-level reading comprehension in 136 Hong Kong Chinese children. These children, aged 11, from a longitudinal study, were administered a set of cognitive and linguistic measures. Partial correlational analyses showed that children's performances in two…

Post-Institutionalized Chinese and Eastern European Children: Heterogeneity in the Development of Emotion Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camras, Linda A.; Perlman, Susan B.; Fries, Alison B. Wismer; Pollak, Seth D.

2006-01-01

Post-institutionalized Chinese and Eastern European children participated in two emotion understanding tasks. In one task, children selected facial expressions corresponding to four emotion labels (happy, sad, angry, scared). The second task required children to match facial expressions to stories describing situations for these emotions. While…

Blood lead levels in children, China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang Shunqin; Zhang Jinliang

2006-07-15

To evaluate Chinese children's blood lead levels (BLLs) and identify its distribution features, we collected articles on children's BLLs published from 1994 to March 2004 using the Chinese Biomedical Disc and reviewed 32 articles eligible for the following criteria: (1) BLLs measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy or Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry; (2) strict quality control; (3) no lead pollution sources in the areas where the screened subjects live; and (4) sample size bigger than 100. We found that mean BLLs of Chinese children was 92.9 {mu}g/L (37.2-254.2 {mu}g/L), and 33.8% (9.6-80.5%) of the subjects had BLLs higher thanmore » 100 {mu}g/L. Nine of the 27 provinces or cities reported had average BLLs {>=}100 {mu}g/L. Boys' BLL was 96.4 {mu}g/L, significantly higher than girls' 89.4 {mu}g/L (P<0.001). BLLs of children {<=}6 years increased with age. The mean BLLs of children living in industrial and urban areas were significantly higher than those of children in suburbs and rural areas. Our results suggested that children's BLLs in China are higher than those of their counterparts in other countries due to its heavy lead pollution. Therefore, this is of great public health importance.« less

Children's views on child abuse and neglect: findings from an exploratory study with Chinese children in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Chan, Yuk-chung; Lam, Gladys L T; Shae, Wan-Chaw

2011-03-01

This research study explored children's views on issues about child abuse in Hong Kong and examined their implications on child protection work and research in Chinese societies. Six primary schools were recruited from different districts of Hong Kong. Five vignettes of child maltreatment in the form of flash movies were presented to 87 children in 12 focus groups for discussion. The process was video-taped and the data were transcribed verbatim for data analysis by NUDIST. (1) Children do not have a homogeneous view on issues about child abuse and neglect, and their awareness and sensitivity to different kinds of child abuse are also different; (2) some of their views on child abuse and neglect are uniquely their own and are markedly different from those of adults; (3) some of the views expressed by children, however, are very much akin to those of adults, such as the factors they would consider in deciding whether a case is child abuse or not; (4) children's disclosure of abuse in Hong Kong is often affected by the Chinese culture in which they live, like filial piety and loyalty to parents. Children's views on issues of child abuse and neglect, no matter they are the same or different from those of adults, serve to inform and improve child protection work. Children are not only victims in need of protection. They are also valuable partners with whom adult practitioners should closely work. Children have, and are able to give, views on child abuse. They should be listened to in any child protection work no matter their views are same with or different from those of adults. As this study suggests, the relatively low sensitivity of the children to child neglect and sexual abuse, and their reluctance to disclose abuse and neglect due to their loyalty to parents are areas to focus on in preventive child protection work in a Chinese society like Hong Kong. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A psychometric study of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children in the Chinese setting.

PubMed

Chan, Raymond C K; Wang, Li; Ye, Jiawen; Leung, Winnie W Y; Mok, Monica Y K

2008-07-01

To explore the psychometric properties of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) in the context of a Chinese setting. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the construct validity of the Chinese version of the TEA-Ch among a group of 232 children without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Test-retest reliability was tested on a random sub-sample of 20 children at a 4-week interval. Clinical discrimination was also examined by comparing children with and without ADHD (22 in each group) on the performances of the TEA-Ch. The current Chinese sample demonstrated a three-factor solution for attentional performance among children without ADHD, namely selective attention, executive control/switch, and sustained attention (chi(2)(24)=34.56; RMSEA=.044; p=.075). Moreover, the whole test demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability at a 4-week interval among a small sub-sample. Children with ADHD performed significantly more poorly than healthy controls in most of the subtests of the TEA-Ch. The results of the present study demonstrate that the test items remain useful in China, a culture very different from that in which the test originated. Finally, the TEA-Ch also presents several advantages when compared to other conventional objective measures of attention.

Physical Activity Behaviors and Influences Among Chinese-American Children Aged 9-13 Years: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Diep, Cassandra S; Leung, Randall; Thompson, Debbe; Gor, Beverly J; Baranowski, Tom

2017-04-01

Low physical activity is a major health issue among Chinese Americans. This study explored Chinese-American children's physical activity behaviors and influencing factors. Twenty-five children of Chinese or Taiwanese descent were interviewed to understand their favorite sports or physical activities, physical activity environments, and influences on their physical activity. All were between the ages of 9 and 13. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic data analysis procedures. Major themes included: (1) team sports, particularly basketball, were commonly listed as favorite sports or activities; (2) physical activity occurred mostly at school or an after-school setting; and (3) family played a major role in physical activity. Some trends/differences were detected based on age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Interventions to promote physical activity among Chinese-American children should emphasize team sports and encourage physical activity in schools, but also explore ways to involves families outside of school.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN RURAL IOWA HOMES WITH ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

EPA Science Inventory

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN RURAL IOWA HOMES WITH ASTHMATIC CHILDREN
Erik R. Svendsen*?, Stephen J. Reynolds*?, James A. Merchant*, Ann M. Stromquist*, Peter S. Thorne*. * The University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA ?Current: USEPA,RTP, NC ?Current: Colorado...

Rural Asthma: Current Understanding of Prevalence, Patterns, and Interventions for Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Estrada, Robin Dawson; Ownby, Dennis R

2017-06-01

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of children and adolescents in the USA. While asthma has been understood to disproportionately affect urban dwellers, recent investigations have revealed rural pediatric asthma prevalence to be very similar to urban and to be more closely correlated with socioeconomic and environmental factors than geographic location or population density. Rural children experience factors unique to location that impact asthma development and outcomes, including housing quality, cigarette smoke exposure, and small/large-scale farming. Additionally, there are challenging barriers to appropriate asthma care that frequently are more severe for those living in rural areas, including insurance status, lack of primary care providers and pulmonary specialists, knowledge deficits (both patient and provider), and a lack of culturally tailored asthma interventions. Interventions designed to address rural pediatric asthma disparities are more likely to be successful when targeted to specific challenges, such as the use of school-based services or telemedicine to mitigate asthma care access issues. Continued research on understanding the complex interaction of specific rural environmental factors with host factors can inform future interventions designed to mitigate asthma disparities.

Emotionally Supportive Classroom Contexts for Young Latino Children in Rural California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Leslie; Jensen, Bryant; Ramirez, Debora

2014-01-01

Some have described the academic underperformance of Latino children, on the one hand, and their relatively strong socioemotional competencies on the other, as a "Latino Paradox." We unpack the affective climate of early elementary classrooms to explore how this paradox is addressed in a rural school district where children from…

Zinc Fractional Absorption from a Representative Diet in Young Chinese Men and Women of the Shandong Rural Region.

PubMed

Wang, Cuiping; Lin, Xinying; Guo, Dongmei; Ding, Lili; Guo, Haifeng; Xu, Guifa; Cui, Xi; Wang, Xia

2017-05-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the zinc fractional absorption of young Chinese men and women from the Shandong rural region under the routine dietary pattern by stable isotope technique. Ten men and 10 women, aged 20 to 35 years, and with a representative diet during the experiment were recruited from the Shandong rural region. Stable 67 Zn was used as a tracer to label ZnCl 2 , and Yb was used to monitor the excretion of 67 Zn in urine and feces. All volunteers were given rice containing 4.0 mg 67 Zn and 1.0 mg Yb on the fourth day. Then the food and fecal samples of all subjects were collected for 12 consecutive days. The total zinc and the stable zinc isotope ratio of all samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and thermal ionization mass spectrometer, respectively. The determination of the other nutrients was performed based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Among volunteers, the daily intake of zinc was 15.50 mg, 103.33 % of recommended nutrient intake (RNI, set by the Chinese Nutrition Society) in men and 15.43 mg, 134.17 % in women. The fractional absorption of Zn was 23.42 ± 2.23 % in men, and 22.49 ± 2.19 % in women. The protein candidates got from the typical diets was 93.96 % of RNI in women. Calcium and ascorbic acid intakes were 76.23 % of RNI and 27.91 % of RNI in men, respectively and 51.17 % of RNI and 34.23 % of RNI in women, respectively. Our results showed that a typical meal for someone in the Shandong rural region presented an adequate intake of zinc and a moderate Zn bioavailability. The shortage of protein and the inappropriate protein pattern may play important roles in reducing zinc bioavailability.

Gender atypical behavior in Chinese school-aged children: its prevalence and relation to sex, age, and only child status.

PubMed

Yu, Lu; Winter, Sam

2011-07-01

This study had three purposes: (a) to compare the prevalence of boys' and girls' gender-atypical behaviors (GABs) in a sample of Chinese school-aged children, (b) to examine the developmental pattern of GABs in Chinese boys and girls over the age range in question (6-12 years), and (c) to test the effects of being an only child on children's GAB expression. Parents of 486 boys and 417 girls completed a Child Play Behavior and Activity Questionnaire (CPBAQ) in regard to their own children, and a demographic information sheet. The frequency distribution for each gender-related behavior was calculated. The associations between sex, age, and only-child status, and CPBAQ scale scores were examined. Although most GABs (by their very nature) were exhibited infrequently in Chinese children, it was found that girls displayed GABs more frequently than boys did. The prevalence of GABs rose for girls as they grew older, but fell slightly for boys. The expressions of GABs in only children did not differ from that in children with siblings. Possible effects of Chinese culture (including the current only-child policy) on children's GABs are discussed.

[Dental anomalies in Chinese children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate].

PubMed

Fan, Xin-xin; Li, Jing; Ge, Li-hong; Ma, Lian

2011-05-01

To investigate the prevalence of dental anomalies in Chinese children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Dental histories and radiographs of 244 Chinese children with UCLP were collected. The diagnosis of dental anomalies was based on panoramic radiographs before alveolar bone grafting. All patients were over 8 years old. In the UCLP group, 66.8% of the patients was presented with hypodontia. The maxillary lateral incisors were the most common teeth affected, followed by maxillary second premolars, mandibular incisors and mandibular second premolars. A total of 33.6% the patients was presented with dental malformation, most were microdontic laterel incisors. A total of 4.9% the patients was presented with hyperdontia. The supernumerary teeth were more frequently found in the cleft region. The prevalence of missing maxillary lateral incisor in the noncleft side was statistically different between genders, which was higher in male (P < 0.050). This group of Chinese children with UCLP demonstrated significantly higher prevalence of hypodontia, hyperdontia, and malformation on the cleft side than on the noncleft side (P < 0.01). Hypodontia is the most common type of dental anomalies. The prevalence of dental anomalies is higher in the UCLP patients than in the normal population. Dental anomalies occur more frequently on the cleft side than on the noncleft side.

Psychological adjustment among left-behind children in rural China: the role of parental migration and parent-child communication.

PubMed

Su, S; Li, X; Lin, D; Xu, X; Zhu, M

2013-03-01

Left-behind children refer to those rural children who are under 18 years of age and are left at home when both or one of their parents migrate to urban area for work. Recent findings showed that left-behind children were disadvantaged by developmental, emotional and social problems. A sample of 1165 rural children and adolescents were recruited to examine the characteristics of left-behind children and explore the differences in psychological adjustment (including satisfaction, loneliness and happiness) by patterns of parental migration (i.e. no parent migrating, one parent migrating or two parents migrating) and the level of parent-child communication in rural China. (1) Compared with children with one parent migrating, children with two parents migrating were separated from their parents at younger ages, for longer periods, and saw their migrant parents less frequently. (2) Children with two parents migrating reported the lowest level of satisfaction among the three groups of rural children. Both groups of children with one or two parents migrating experienced more loneliness compared with children with no parent migrating. There were no significant differences in school satisfaction and happiness among the three groups. (3) The children who reported a higher level of parent-child communication also reported a higher level of life and school satisfaction and happiness, and no differences in loneliness were found by levels of parent-child communication. These results indicate that loneliness was the most common and important experience of left-behind children. Parent-child communication is important for the development of all rural children, including those who were left behind by their migrant parents. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Moderating Role of English Proficiency in the Association Between Immigrant Chinese Mothers' Authoritative Parenting and Children's Outcomes.

PubMed

Yu, Wei; Cheah, Charissa S L; Sun, Shuyan

2015-01-01

The authors' objective was to investigate the association between Chinese immigrant mothers' authoritative parenting and their children's socioemotional and behavioral difficulties. Participants were 136 first-generation Chinese immigrant mothers with 3-5-year-old children residing in the United States. Authoritative parenting was associated with lower socioemotional and behavioral difficulties in children as reported by preschool teachers. Further moderation analyses revealed that immigrant mothers' English proficiency moderated the association between authoritative parenting and children's difficulties. Specifically, authoritative parenting was significantly associated with fewer total difficulties only for children with mothers who reported higher English proficiency.

Parent Involvement in Children's Education: An Exploratory Study of Urban, Chinese Immigrant Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Cheng Shuang; Koblinsky, Sally A.

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined the involvement of Chinese immigrant parents in children's elementary and secondary education. Participants were 29 low-income, urban parents of public school children working primarily in the hospitality sector. Parents were interviewed about their academic expectations, knowledge of school performance, parent…

[Comparative analysis of four kinds of vitamin B of milk of lactating mothers and maternal and infant nutritional status in Chinese urban and rural areas].

PubMed

Liu, Huihui; Han, Xiuxia; Liu, Liegang; Jiang, Dianchen; Yi, Mingji; Zheng, Yanfeng; Ma, Aiguo

2014-05-01

To understand the nutritional level of lactating mothers and infant by detecting the content of the vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, nicotinic of milk of urban and rural areas and to provide the basis for improving vitamin nutritional status of lactating women and their babies. Totally 92 pairs of breastfeeding healthy mothers and their children in Shandong Province were selected. 34 pairs were in a urban area and 58 pairs were in a rural area. Collect the milk of selected lactating mothers and the urine of the lactating mothers and their children. Detect the content of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, nicotinic of milk of lactating mothers and the content of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, nicotinic of urine of lactating mothers and their children. The content of vitamin B2, vitamin B6 and niacin of milk of urban lactating mothers were significantly higher than that of rural lactating mothers. The results of detection showed the vitamin B2 of milk of urban lactating mothers was 149.77 microg/100 g, which was significantly higher than that of rural women in 85.09 microg/100 g (P < 0.05). Vitamin B6 and niacin contents were 15.29 microg/100 g, 40.83 microg/100 g, which were also higher than that in rural lactating milk (6.69 microg/100 g and 24.48 microg/100 g) (All values P < 0.05). However, vitamin B1 of milk of urban and rural lactating mothers were 5.54 microg/100 g and 4.80 microg/100 g respectively, which had no significant difference. Urine analysis showed vitamin B2 and niacin of urban mothers and children were significantly higher than that in rural area (P < 0.05). But the level of vitamin B1 of rural children was higher than that of urban children (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the vitamin B1 between urban and rural mothers. The insufficient percentages of vitamin B1, vitamin B2. niacin in urban mothers was 23.5%, 32.3% and 17.6%, and that in rural mothers were 29.3%, 82.8% and 53.4%. The deficiency percentage of vitamin B1, vitamin B2

Linguistic influence on mathematical development is specific rather than pervasive: revisiting the Chinese Number Advantage in Chinese and English children

PubMed Central

Mark, Winifred; Dowker, Ann

2015-01-01

The relative linguistic transparency of the Asian counting system has been used to explain Asian students’ relative superiority in cross-cultural comparisons of mathematics achievement. To test the validity and extent of linguistic transparency in accounting for mathematical abilities, this study tested Chinese and British primary school children. Children in Hong Kong can learn mathematics using languages with both regular (Chinese) and irregular (English) counting systems, depending on their schools’ medium of instruction. This makes it possible to compare groups with varying levels of exposure to the regular and irregular number systems within the same educational system, curriculum, and cultural environment. The study included three groups of first/second graders and third/fourth graders with varying degrees of experience to the Chinese language and counting systems: no experience (UK; n = 49); spoke Chinese at home and learnt to count in English at school (HK-E; n = 43); spoke Chinese at home and learnt to count in Chinese at school (HK-C; n = 47). They were compared on counting, numerical abilities and place value representation. The present study also measured nonverbal reasoning, attitude toward mathematics, involvement of parents, and extra-curricular mathematics lessons to explore alternative explanations of children’s numeric ability. Results indicated that students in HK-C were better at counting backward and on the numeric skills test than those in HK-E, who were in turn better than the UK students. However, there was no statistical difference in counting forward, place value understanding, and a measure of arithmetic. Our findings add to existent literature suggesting that linguistic transparency does not have an all-pervasive influence on cross-national differences in arithmetic performance. PMID:25767456

Urban-Rural Differences in Overweight Status and Physical Inactivity among US Children Aged 10-17 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Jihong; Bennett, Kevin J.; Harun, Nusrat; Probst, Janice C.

2008-01-01

Context: Few studies have examined the prevalence of overweight status and physical inactivity among children and adolescents living in rural America. Purpose: We examined urban and rural differences in the prevalence of overweight status and physical inactivity among US children. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2003 National Survey of…

Equation-derived body fat percentage indicates metabolic abnormalities among normal-weight adults in a rural Chinese population.

PubMed

Liu, Xin; Zhao, Yaling; Li, Qiang; Dang, Shaonong; Yan, Hong

2017-07-08

Obesity classification using body mass index (BMI) may miss subjects with elevated body fat percentage (BF%) and related metabolic risk factors. We aimed to evaluate whether BF% calculated by equations could provide more information about metabolic risks, in addition to BMI classification, in a cross-sectional rural Chinese population. A total of 2,990 men and women aged 18-80 years were included in this study. BF% was calculated using previously validated Chinese-specific equations. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the updated National Cholesterol Education Program Panel III criteria for Asian Americans. In total, 33.6% men and 32.9% women were overweight/obese according to BMI classification. Among those within the normal BMI range, 25.4% men and 54.7% women were indicated as overweight or obese given their elevated BF% (men: BF% ≥ 20%; women: BF% ≥ 30%). In both men and women, compared with those with normal BMI and BF% (NBB), subjects with normal BMI but elevated BF% (NBOB) were more likely to carry abnormal serum lipid profile and to have higher risks of metabolic syndrome. The multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for metabolic syndrome were 5.45 (2.37-9.53, P < 0.001) and 5.65 (3.36-9.52, P < 0.001) for men and women, respectively. Moreover, the women with NBOB also showed higher blood pressure and serum uric acid than women with NBB. Our study suggested that high BF% based on equations may indicate adverse metabolic profiles among rural Chinese adults with a normal BMI. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Parent Ratings of ADHD Symptoms: Differential Symptom Functioning across Malaysian Malay and Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Rapson; Vance, Alasdair

2008-01-01

This study examined differential symptom functioning (DSF) in ADHD symptoms across Malay and Chinese children in Malaysia. Malay (N = 571) and Chinese (N = 254) parents completed the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale, which lists the DSM-IV ADHD symptoms. DSF was examined using the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) structural equation…

Study the left prefrontal cortex activity of Chinese children with dyslexia in phonological processing by NIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhili; Li, Ting; Zheng, Yi; Luo, Qingming; Song, Ranran; Gong, Hui

2006-02-01

Developmental dyslexia, a kind of prevalent psychological disease, represents that dyslexic children have unexpected difficulties in phonological processing and recognition test of Chinese characters. Some functional imaging technologies, such as fMRI and PET, have been used to study the brain activities of the children with dyslexia whose first language is English. In this paper, a portable, 16-channel, continuous-wave (CW) NIRS instrument was used to monitor the concentration changes of each hemoglobin species when Chinese children did the task of phonological processing and recognition test. The NIRS recorded the hemodynamic changes in the left prefrontal cortex of the children. 20 dyslexia-reading children (10~12 years old) and 20 normal-reading children took part in the phonological processing of Chinese characters including the phonological awareness section and the phonological decoding section. During the phonological awareness section, the changed concentration of deoxy-hemoglobin in dyslexia-reading children were significantly higher (p<0.05) than normal-reading children in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). While in the phonological decoding section, both normal and dyslexic reading children had more activity in the left VLPFC, but only normal-reading children had activity in the left middorsal prefrontal cortex. In conclusion, both dyslexic and normal-reading children have activity in the left prefrontal cortex, but the degree and the areas of the prefrontal cortex activity are different between them when they did phonological processing.

Preschool-Age Chinese Children's Weight Status: WHO Classification, Parent Ratings, Child/Family Characteristics.

PubMed

Wang, Guang Heng; Tan, Tony Xing; Cheah, Charissa S L

We aimed to compare preschool-age Chinese children's weight status based on the WHO guidelines with parental ratings on their children's body type, and child/family demographic characteristics. The sample included 171 preschool-age children (M=60.5months, SD=6.7; boys: 46.8%) randomly selected from 23 classrooms. Based on BMIs from their height and weight from physical examinations, the children were divided into three groups using the 2006 WHO guidelines: underweight (n=46), normal weight (n=65), and overweight (n=60). Data on the parental ratings of children's current body type, ideal body type and child/family demographic characteristics were collected with surveys. Parents' accurately classified 91.1% of the underweight children, 52.3% of the normal weight children, and 61.7% of the overweight children. In terms of ideal body shape for their children, parents typically wanted their children to have normal weight or to remain underweight. Most of the child and family demographic characteristics were not different across children who were underweight, had normal weight, and were overweight. Because parents tended to underestimate their children's weight status, it is important to increase Chinese parents' knowledge on what constitutes healthy weight, as well as the potential harm of overweight status for children's development. Training healthcare providers in kindergartens and pediatric clinics to work with parents to recognize unhealthy weight status in children is valuable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growing up in rural community--children's experiences of social capital from perspectives of wellbeing.

PubMed

Eriksson, Ulrika; Asplund, Kenneth; Sellström, Eva

2010-01-01

People are influenced by the neighborhood in which they live. The neighborhood may be particularly important for children's wellbeing because of the constraints it imposes on their patterns of daily activities. Furthermore, the neighborhood is a central context for social development, being a place where children form networks and learn social skills and values. The aim of this study was to describe how social capital in the neighborhood is perceived by children living in rural areas, and to reveal what this adds to their sense of wellbeing. The study had a descriptive research design with a qualitative approach. Seven single-sex focus group interviews were conducted with children the in 6th grade (aged 11-12 years). Data were analyzed using deductive content analysis. The children perceived a lack of social capital due to environmental and social constraints in their everyday lives. However, their wellbeing was enhanced by strong cohesion in the neighborhood. In addition, settings such as the school, the natural environment, and sporting associations were highly valued and emerged as crucial factors for enhancing the children's wellbeing. The spatial isolation that characterizes rural areas created a special context of social network structures, cohesion and trust, but was also a breeding ground for exclusion and social control. The stories revealed paradoxical feelings of living in a good and safe area that simultaneously felt isolated and restricted. From a rural perspective, this study reveals the complexity of the children's perceptions of their social environment, and the ways in which these perceptions have both positive and negative effects on wellbeing. The results highlight how important it is for health professionals in rural areas to consider the complex influence of bonding social capital on children's wellbeing, and to be aware that it can promote exclusion as well as cohesion.

Spectacle Design Preferences among Chinese Primary and Secondary Students and Their Parents: A Qualitative and Quantitative Study

PubMed Central

Zhou, Zhongqiang; Kecman, Maja; Chen, Tingting; Liu, Tianyu; Jin, Ling; Chen, Shangji; Chen, Qianyun; He, Mingguang; Silver, Josh; Moore, Bruce; Congdon, Nathan

2014-01-01

Purpose To identify the specific characteristics making glasses designs, particularly those compatible with adjustable glasses, more or less appealing to Chinese children and their parents. Patients and Methods Primary and secondary school children from urban and rural China with < = −1.00 diopters of bilateral myopia and their parents ranked four conventional-style frames identified by local optical shops as popular versus four child-specific frames compatible with adjustable spectacles. Scores based on the proportion of maximum possible ranking were computed for each style. Selected children and their parents also participated in Focus Groups (FGs) discussing spectacle design preference. Recordings were transcribed and coded by two independents reviewers using NVivo software. Results Among 136 urban primary school children (age range 9–11 years), 290 rural secondary school children (11–17 years) and 16 parents, all adjustable-style frames (scores on 0–100 scale 25.7–62.4) were ranked behind all conventional frames (63.0–87.5). For eight FGs including 12 primary children, 26 secondary children and 16 parents, average kappa values for NVivo coding were 0.81 (students) and 0.70 (parents). All groups agreed that the key changes to make adjustable designs more attractive were altering the round lenses to rectangular or oval shapes and adding curved earpieces for more stable wear. The thick frames of the adjustable designs were considered stylish, and children indicated they would wear them if the lens shape were modified. Conclusions Current adjustable lens designs are unattractive to Chinese children and their parents, though this study identified specific modifications which would make them more appealing. PMID:24594799

Relationship between selected anthropometric variables and prevalence of flatfoot among urban and rural school children in south west Nigeria.

PubMed

Abolarin, T O; Aiyegbusi, A I; Tella, B A; Akinbo, S R

2011-01-01

Flat foot is a common reason for attendance at children's orthopaedic clinics. Its prevalence which varies from one population to the other has been reported to be influenced by various factors. This study investigated the effect of nutritional status as indicated by factors such as height, weight and BMI on the prevalence of flatfoot in school age children in urban and rural areas in south-western Nigeria. This study involved 560 children with age range 6 to 12 years. They were divided into two groups; rural and urban. The demographic and anthropometric data of all the subjects was taken. Each subject's static footprint was taken on a white duplicating paper after which the instep was measured and the footprint classified into high arch, normal, flat or severe flat. The body mass index and nutritional status of each subject was calculated from the anthropometric data. Epi Info statistical package programme version 3.5.1 (2008) was used to analyse the data. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) prevalence of flatfoot between the rural dwelling (18.2%) and the urban dwelling (32.9%) children. Anthropometric measurements were significantly higher in urban than in rural children. Nutritional status of urban children was also significantly higher than that of the rural children. Flatfoot is more prevalent in school age children in urban area than in the rural area; age and body mass index being the primary predictors for flatfoot.

Does workplace social capital associate with hazardous drinking among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers?

PubMed

Gao, Junling; Weaver, Scott R; Fua, Hua; Pan, Zhigang

2014-01-01

The present study sought to investigate the associations between workplace social capital and hazardous drinking (HD) among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW). A cross sectional study with a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was conducted in Shanghai during July 2012 to January 2013. In total, 5,318 RUMWs from 77 workplaces were involved. Work-place social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure. The Chinese version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, education level, salary, and current smoking. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to test whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with hazardous drinking. Overall, the prevalence of HD was 10.6%. After controlling for individual-level socio-demographic and lifestyle variables, compared to workers in the highest quartile of individual-level social capital, the odds of HD for workers in the three bottom quartiles were 1.13(95%CI: 1.04-1.23), 1.17(95%CI: 1.05-1.56) and 1.26(95%CI: 1.13-1.72), respectively. However, contrary to hypothesis, there was no relationship between workplace-level social capital and hazardous drinking. Higher individual-level social capital may protect against HD among Chinese RUMWs. Interventions to build individual social capital among RUMWs in China may help reduce HD among this population.

Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Mastery Motivation among Chinese Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Cynthia; Lo, S. K.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to validate a questionnaire on mastery motivation (task and effort) for use with Chinese preschool children in Hong Kong. A parent version and a teacher version were developed and evaluated. Participants included 457 children (230 boys and 227 girls) aged four and five years old, their preschool teachers and their…

Self-Management Training for Chinese Obese Children at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome: Effectiveness and Implications for School Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Jiying; Anderson, Laura M.; Ji, Hong

2015-01-01

This article reviews the results of a school-based self-management intervention for Chinese obese children at risk for metabolic syndrome. Twenty-eight Chinese obese children (M age?=?10 years) and their parents participated in the study. Metabolic syndrome risk factors were measured pre- and post-intervention. The risk factors included Body Mass…

Factors associated with bed and room sharing in Chinese school-aged children.

PubMed

Li, S; Jin, X; Yan, C; Wu, S; Jiang, F; Shen, X

2009-03-01

Co-sleeping (bed or room sharing) has potential implications for children's development. Previous studies showed that co-sleeping was more prevalent in non-Western countries than in Western countries, which demonstrated that co-sleeping was marked with ethnic and socio-cultural background characteristics. The purpose of this study was to survey the prevalence of bed and room sharing and to examine related factors among school-aged children in an Asian country - China. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 10 districts of Shanghai, China from November to December 2005. A total of 4108 elementary school children, 49.2% boys and 50.8% girls with a mean age of 8.79 years, participated. Parent-administered questionnaires were used to collect information about children's sleeping arrangements and socio-demographic characteristics. The prevalence of routine bed sharing, room sharing and sleeping alone in Chinese school-aged children was 21.0%, 19.1% and 47.7%, respectively. Bed and room sharing didn't show significant gender difference but gradually decreased with increasing age. Multivariate logistic regression identified those factors associated with bed and room sharing: younger age, large family, children without their own bedroom and parents' approval of a co-sleeping arrangement. Co-sleeping arrangement was a common practice in Chinese school-aged children. Associated factors were characterized by intrinsic socio-cultural values and socio-economic status in China.

Comparison of positive allergy skin tests among asthmatic children from rural and urban areas living within small geographic area.

PubMed

Bibi, Haim; Shoseyov, David; Feigenbaum, David; Nir, Pnina; Shiachi, Rosa; Scharff, Shimon; Peled, Ronit

2002-04-01

Evidence of increased asthma and allergic response among urban versus rural residents has been reported. To evaluate the prevalence of allergic response among asthmatic children from urban and rural areas living within close proximity. In all, 448 asthmatic children from urban (363) and rural (85) areas were studied. The study group consisted of 234 9-year-olds and 214 12-year-olds. A health questionnaire was completed on each child who subsequently underwent allergic skin prick tests (SPTs). There was significantly more positive SPT response to house-dust mite, mold, cat, and cypress among asthmatic children from urban areas compared with children living in rural areas: 58.3% versus 37.6%, 46.1% versus 31.8%, 17.45 versus 5.9%, and 26.2% versus 15.3%, respectively. Positive SPT for indoor allergens were significantly greater among asthmatic urban residents than asthmatic rural residents: 63.3% versus 45.5%, respectively (P < 0.02). Positive SPT response to all the allergens checked was higher among the 12-year-old age group when compared with the 9-year-olds, 34.6% versus 22.7%, respectively (P = 0.05). Allergic response measured by SPT is significantly more common among asthmatic children from urban areas as opposed to rural, even though both areas are within small distance of one another. Further, asthmatic children living in urban areas demonstrated more allergic response to both indoor and outdoor allergens. The allergic response tends to increase with increased age in both urban and rural asthmatic children.