I denna studie beskrivs skolsköterskors erfarenheter av att stödja elever med neuropsykiatriska funktionsnedsättningar, NPF. Studien belyser skolsköterskors betydelse för att identifiera särskilda behov hos elever med NPF vilket kan främja en hälsosam inlärningsmiljö för alla elever.

Studien genomfördes i södra Sverige i form av fokusgruppsintervjuer med skolsköterskor. Tre teman identifierades: att hjälpa elever med NPF att tolka sinnesintryck, att upptäcka tidiga tecken på ångest eller andra besvär bland elever med NPF, och att använda ett inkluderande förhållningssätt i sina hälsopedagogiska insatser.

Aim: Reviewing the scientific literature 2006-2011 on infant massage.

Background: The study is a follow-up of a literature review of studies on infant massage published 1995-2005, in which it was shown that infant massage has a favorable effect on weight gain, health, sleep and behavioral development in infants and on parental-infant interaction.

Methods: A computer-aided search utilizing the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Pubmed and CINAHL was conducted in January 2012, the MeSH term «infant massage», limited to clinical controlled trials (CCT) for infants aged 0-23 months, being employed.

Findings: A total of 29 articles were found, concerning 1670 children altogether who satisfied the inclusion criteria, 18 of the studies concerning preterm infants. Results in five different areas are taken up: weight gain (n=8), analgesia (n=5), health (n=5), behavioral development (n=7) and depression prevention in mothers (4).

Conclusions: No harmful effects of infant massage were reported. It was found to have positive effects on children's growth, health and behavioral development, and to have beneficial effects on the mothers' psychological well-being when they gave their children massage. It is concluded that parental education in infant massage is a cost-effective and health promoting measure.

Våren 2003 planerades det för en speciell förskoleverksamhet för barn med autism som skulle starta till hösten i området där jag arbetade som skolsköterska. Eftersom jag har ett särskilt intresse för detta ansökte jag om stipendium genom Riksföreningen för barnsjuksköterskor för att utvärdera denna nya verksamhet. Det resulterade i en fallstudie som presenteras nedan. Ur intervjumaterialet med föräldrar och pedagoger utkristaliserades tre huvudkategorier: Pedagogik, Miljö samt Utveckling. Det kan ses som ett flöde, att pedagogik i samverkan med miljö ledde till utveckling. Personal och föräldrar berättade om hur nöjda de var med verksamheten, men av organisatoriska orsaker lades den ändå ner efter två år. 

Background: DISA (Depressive Symptoms In Swedish Adolescents) is a cognitive behavioral intervention aimed at preventing stress and depressive symptoms in adolescents. It is frequently used in Swedish schools for students aged 13-15 years. DISA is commonly offered to females, but at some schools, the intervention is also offered to males. In this study, the application of the intervention for both females and males is evaluated.

Aim: The overarching aim of this thesis was to explore the experience, significance, and effectiveness of the school-based intervention DISA. The specific aims were to investigate the effectiveness of depressive symptoms and self-reporting health, and costs and cost-effectiveness as well as to elucidate the experiences of adolescents and tutors.

Methods: The effectiveness of DISA was investigated using method triangulation. The thesis is based on two quantitative and two qualitative studies. The quantitative studies were quasi-experimental trials with an intervention group (I, IV), and a control group (IV), with follow-up measurements obtained at 3 and 12 months after baseline. The qualitative studies were based on focus group interviews with adolescents (II) and tutors (III). The school-based cognitive behavioral prevention program DISA was presented by school health staff and teachers once per week for ten weeks. Students in grade 8 (median age: 14) participated in the intervention in study I (n=62, 52% females) and study IV (n=462, 79% females), and 486 students (46% females) were allocated to the control group (IV). Focus group interviews were conducted with 89 adolescents (II) and 22 tutors (III). The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis.

Findings: The intervention group decreased their self-reported depressive symptoms and improved their self-rated health more than the control group (p<0.05) at the 12-month follow-up. The majority of the adolescents rated the cognitive behavioral program as a positive experience, and the attendance rate was high. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was approximately USD 6,300 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). The focus group interviews with the adolescents revealed that the students found that they developed intrapersonal strategies through DISA, such as directed thinking, improved self-confidence, stress management, and positive activities. They also gained an increased interpersonal awareness regarding trusting the group and considering others. However, structural constraints of the DISA program, such as negative framing and an emphasis on performance, were also noted. The focus group interviews with the tutors identified an overall theme of striking a balance between strictly following the manual and meeting student needs.

Conclusions: The DISA program appears to be a feasible, cost-effective school-based cognitive behavioral program with high levels of student adherence and satisfaction, as well as positive mental health benefits. However, a desire for a more health-promoting approach was expressed. 

I studien undersöks övervikt och dess relation till livsstilsfaktorer hos138 tioåriga barn i tre kommunala grundskolor i södra Sverige. Övervikt fanns hos var fjärde tioåring i studien. Barnen med överviktidrottade nästan lika mycket som de andra barnen, och de flesta åtfrukost. Däremot hoppade barn med övervikt över skollunchen betydligt oftare. Barnen med övervikt kände sig mer utsatta för mobbing, var tröttare i skolan och hade mer huvudvärk.

The aim was to investigate the effects of sleep, television use and texting and computer habits on overweight, enjoyment of school and feelings of tiredness at school in school-age children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sweden on school children aged 6-16. A questionnaire was distributed to the children (n=3011 in survey I; n=204 in survey II). Children who slept less than the median length of time reported enjoying school to a lesser degree. Fewer hours of sleep were found to be associated with having a bedroom television using the television or computer more than 2 hours a day, being tired at school and having difficulties in sleeping and waking up. Overweight and obesity were found in 15.8% of the study population; obesity alone was found in 3.1%. Relationships between lifestyle factors and overweight were studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Having a bedroom television and using the television more than 2 hours per day were found to be associated with overweight but using the computer more than 2 hours a day was not. About 61% of the students aged 16 reported checking Facebook or social media at least once a day and 27% reported doing so for more than 10 times a day. One fourth of the students aged 16 had a habit of sending or receiving text messages at night at least once a week. Texting at night and frequent checking of Facebook and social media sites were related to sleep problems.

This chapter provides a synthesis of three earlier published studies (Garmy et al. 2012^a; Garmy et al. 2012^b; Garmy et al. 2013) (survey I) as well as previously unpublished results from a survey conducted in 2013 among students aged 16 (survey II).

Objective: The aim was to investigate the effects of sleep, television use and texting and computer habits on overweight, enjoyment of school and feelings of tiredness at school in school-age children and adolescents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sweden on schoolchildren aged 6, 7, 10, 14 and 16. A questionnaire which had been satisfactorily tested for validity and reliability was distributed to the children (n=3011 in survey I; n=204 in survey II).

Results: Children who slept less than the median length of time reported enjoying school to a lesser degree. Fewer hours of sleep were found to be associated with having a bedroom television, using the television or computer more than 2 hours a day, being tired at school, and having difficulties in sleeping and waking up. Overweight and obesity were found in 15.8% of the study population; obesity alone was found in 3.1%. Relationships between lifestyle factors and overweight were studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Having a bedroom television and using the television more than 2 hours per day were found to be associated with overweight, but using the computer more than 2 hours a day was not. About 61% of the students aged 16 reported checking Facebook or social media at least once a day, and 27% reported doing so more than 10 times a day. One fourth of the students aged 16 had a habit of sending or receiving text messages at night at least once a week. Texting at night and frequent checking of Facebook and social media sites were related to sleep problems.

Conclusions: Educating schoolchildren and their parents regarding matters of optimal sleep and how media habits affect sleep, overweight and learning is considered an important task.

Massage of infants has been practiced globally and been advocated by health professionals. This article provides an overview of studies of its effect involving randomised controlled trials (RCT) and clinical controlled trials (CCT) published 1995–2005. A computer-aided search utilizing Cochrane Library, Medline and Cinahl was carried out in May 2006, the search words «infant massage» limited to clinical controlled trials (CCT) for infants aged 0–23 months being employed. The twenty articles satisfying the inclusion criteria were analysed. Results in six different areas are taken up: weight gain, analgesia, behavioural development and sleep patterns, parent-infant interaction, bone mineralization, and protection against infection. The major findings were that infant massage increased weight gain and provided protection against infections in both preterm and full term infants. Massage intervention appeared to improve behavioural development and sleep patterns. Infant massage was found to improve mother infant interaction for mothers with postnatal depression and parental interaction with premature babies, its likewise improving bone mineralization in premature infants when combined with physical activity. Massage therapy was shown to provide analgesia and to sometimes help colicky infants. No harmfull effects of infant massage were reported.

Över hälften av flickorna och en tredjedel av pojkarna på gymnasiet har ofta huvudvärk, magkont eller ryggsmärta. Elever som dessutom känner sig nedstämda använder smärtstillande läkemedel i högre utsträckning. 

Tidskriften Sömn och Hälsa ges ut av Nätverket Sömn och Hälsa i Svensk Sjuksköterskeförening i samarbete med Forskningsplattformen Hälsa i Samverkan vid Högskolan Kristianstad. Syftet med tidskriften är att sprida praktiknära kunskap om sömn och hälsa. Tidskriften ges ut två gånger per år. Artiklar är tillgängliga open access.

The aim of the study was to investigate sleep duration, difficulties in sleeping, feelings of tiredness at school, television and computer habits, among primary school children. A questionnaire concerning television and computer habits and length of sleep was given to 208 children8-12 years of age from two public primary schools in southern Sweden in 2007 and 2008. For each of the school grades involved, differences in television and computer habits between children sleeping less than the median length of sleep in each grade and those sleeping more were investigated. Associations between short sleep, televisions habits and feelings of tiredness were studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Short sleep was found to be associated with having a bedroom TV (p=0.005), spending more than two hours a day either at the computer or watching TV (p=0.012) and feelings of being tired at school (p=0.001).

Ungdomar med epilepsi har att handskas med många svåra situationer. Samtliga ungdomar som intervjuats hade utvecklat strategier för att hantera dessa påfrestningar. Ungdomarna visade prov på styrka och stor uppfinningsrikedom och inre styrka i dessa sammanhang. 

Background: Supporting positive mental health development in adolescents is a major public health concern worldwide. Although several school-based programs aimed at preventing depression have been launched, it is crucial to evaluate these programs and to obtain feedback from participating adolescents. This study aimed to explore adolescents’ experiences with a School-based cognitive-behavioral depression prevention program. Methods: Eighty-nine adolescents aged 13–15 years were divided into 12 focus groups. The focus group interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Three categories and eight subcategories were found to be related to the experience of the school-based program. The first category, intrapersonal strategies, consisted of the subcategories of directed thinking, improved self-confidence, stress management, and positive activities. The second category, interpersonal awareness, consisted of the subcategories of trusting the group and considering others. The third category, structural constraints, consisted of the subcategories of negative framing and emphasis on performance. Conclusions: The school-based mental health program was perceived as beneficial and meaningful on both individual and group levels, but students expressed a desire for a more health-promoting approach.

Aim: The aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) in an adolescent population. Methods: The investigation was performed among Swedish students aged 13–15 years (n = 817; 58% girls). The SHIS was assessed for respondent acceptability, and its psychometric properties were evaluated according to classical test theory (regarding unidimensionality, targeting, reliability, and external construct validity). Results: The adolescents found it easy to complete the questionnaire, which was completed in an average of 4 minutes. Exploratory factor analysis, which is based on polychoric correlations, identified one factor, supporting the instrument’s unidimensionality. Floor/ceiling effects were ⩽ 3.3%. Reliability estimates yielded a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.93; the test–retest reliability (n = 50; 2-week interval) coefficients were 0.89 for the total SHIS score and 0.52–0.79 for item scores. Spearman correlations with other variables were based on a priori expectations (self-rated general health, 0.595; depressive symptoms, −0.773; anxiety, −0.577; and sleep problems, 0.519). Conclusions: Our observations support both the acceptability and the psychometric properties of the SHIS as a brief, unidimensional assessment tool for salutogenic health in adolescents. Further studies using modern test theory are needed to better understand the measurement properties of the SHIS, including the functioning of its response categories and its comparability between adolescents and adults.

Background: Supporting positive mental health development in adolescents is an important school health concern, but there is a need to investigate the suitability of the interventions used.

Aim: The aim is to investigate the experiences of school health professionals in conducting a universal school-based programme aimed at preventing depressive symptoms in adolescents.

Methods: Twenty-two school health professionals participated in four focus groups. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings: The overall theme identified in the study consists of 'striking a balance between strictly following the manual and meeting the students' needs'. Three subthemes emerged: 'doing good and sowing seeds for the future', working with insufficient tools, and 'personal development as a professional and as an individual'.

Conclusions: School health professionals conducting the programme found it valuable in a school setting, but considered support from the school administration essential.

DISA – ett skolbaserat program som förebygger depressiva symtom hos ungdomar

Pernilla Garmy^a,b, Eva K Clausson^a, Agneta Berg^a, Katarina Steen Carlsson ^b, och Ulf Jakobsson ^b

^a Fakulteten för Hälsovetenskaper, Högskolan Kristianstad

^b Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet

Kontakt: pernilla.garmy@hkr.se

Vad är DISA?

DISA är ett skolbaserat program som bygger på tekniker hämtade från kognitiv beteendeterapi, och leds av skolsköterskor, kuratorer och lärare. Programmet ges under skoltid, vid ett tillfälle á 2 timmar i veckan under 10 veckor i årskurs 8.

Fungerar DISA?

Syftet var att undersöka användbarheten och kostnadseffektiviteten av det skolbaserade programmet DISA vas mål är att förebygga stress och depressiva symtom hos ungdomar.

Hur genomfördes studien?

Deltagande eleverna gick i årskurs 8 (medianålder: 14 år). 462 elever deltog i DISA (79% flickor) och 486 elever gick i jämförelseskolor och deltog därför inte i DISA (46% flickor). Eleverna besvarade enkäter om sin självskattade hälsa vid start och avslut av DISA, samt efter ett år. Eleverna i jämförelseskolorna besvarade enkäter vid samma intervaller.

Resultat:

Självskattade depressiva symtom minskade och den självskattade hälsan ökade hos de elever som deltagit i DISA i signifikant större utsträckning än hos de som inte deltagit i DISA.

Slutsats:

Resultatet tyder på att DISA minskar depressiva symtom och stärker ungdomars självskattade hälsa. Kostnaden är låg i förhållande till dess effekt, vilket indikerar att DISA kan anses vara kostnadseffektivt.

Referens:

Garmy, P., Clausson, EK., Berg, A., Steen Carlsson K., Jakobsson, U. (2017) Evaluation of a school-based cognitive behavioral depression prevention program. Scand J Public Health. doi: 10.1177/1403494817746537. [Epub ahead of print]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29226799

För lite sömn och lång skärmtid har samband med övervikt hos skolbarn

Pernilla Garmy^a,b, Eva K Clausson^a, Per Nyberg ^b, och Ulf Jakobsson ^b

^a Fakulteten för Hälsovetenskaper, Högskolan Kristianstad

^b Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet

Kontakt: pernilla.garmy@hkr.se

Syfte: I studien undersöktes sömn, tv och datorvanor, och övervikt hos elever i årskurs 4.

Metod: I denna tvärsnittsstudie besvarade 1260 tio-åriga skolbarn en enkät som sömn och medievanor i samband med hälsosamtalet hos skolsköterskan i årskurs 4. I samband med detta besök vägdes och mättes även 1097 av barnen. Beskrivande och analytisk statistik användes.

Resultat:

• I genomsnitt sov barnen 9½ timma på skolnätter.
• Ungefär 40 % av barnen rapporterade att de sov mindre än 9 timmar per natt.
• I genomsnitt gick barnen och lade sig klockan 21:00 på vardagkvällar, och en timma senare på helgen.
• I genomsnitt tillbringade barnen 1 timma vid tv:n och 1 timma vid datorn varje dag.
• Förekomsten av övervikt (inklusive fetma) var 18%.
• Rekommendationen för skolbarn är att sova minst 9 timmar per natt, och kortare sömn än 9 timmar på skolnätter var associerat med övervikt, och skärmtid mer än 2 timmar per dag, samt sömnsvårigheter och trötthet i skolan.

Slutsats: Skolbarn som får för lite sömn har större risk för att ha en övervikt och att spendera mycket tid framför tv och dator. Skolsköterskor har en viktig uppgift att lyfta betydelsen av sunda sömnvanor och rimliga skärmvanor.

Referens:

Garmy, P., Clausson EK., Nyberg P., Jakobsson U. (2018) Insufficient Sleep is Associated with Obesity and Excessive Screen time Amongst Ten-year-old Children in Sweden. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2017.11.009.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29157744

Depression och annan psykisk ohälsa hos ungdomar skapar stort lidande hos den enskilde och dess närstående, och har också ett samband med lägre studieresultat och ökade kostnader för samhället. Det är därför viktigt att undersöka om skolbaserade insatser för att förebygga depression har effekt.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents (6-16 years), and relationships between being overweight and sleep, experiencing of fatigue, enjoyment of school, and time spent in watching television and in sitting at the computer. Trained school nurses measured the weight and height of 2891 children aged 6, 7, 10, 14, and 16, and distributed a questionnaire to them regarding television and computer habits, sleep, and enjoyment of school. Overweight, obesity included, was present in 16.1% of the study population. Relationships between lifestyle factors and overweight were studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Having a bedroom television and spending more than 2 h a day watching television were found to be associated with overweight (OR 1.26 and 1.55 respectively). No association was found between overweight and time spent at the computer, short sleep duration, enjoyment of school, tiredness at school, or difficulties in sleeping and waking up. It is recommended that the school health service discuss with pupils their media habits so as to promote their maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Öppet digitalt seminarium om ”Stress, smärta och läkemedelsanvändning hos ungdomar”. Doktorand Tide Garnow presenterar en ny studie om ledsenhet och hälsobesvär hos ungdomar. Forskarna Pernilla Garmy och Eva-Lena Einberg presenterar tillsammans med magisterstudenter studier i forskningsprojektet "Stress, smärta och läkemedelsanvändning hos ungdomar”. Seminariet arrangeras av forskningsmiljön Cyphisco i samarbete med Forskningsplattformen Hälsa i Samverkan vid Högskolan Kristianstad.

Seminariet spelades in, se länk: https://hkrplay.hkr.se/media/t/0_sbig84lx

Cancerrehabilitering ska vara en integrerad del av svensk cancervård och alla patienter med cancer och deras närstående ska få möjlighet till rehabiliteringsinsatser utifrån sina individuella behov. Försäkringskassans uppdrag är att besluta om och betala ut en stor del av de förmåner som ingår i socialförsäkringen. För att förbättra bemötandet av sjukskrivna personer med cancer, utsågs två handläggare på Försäkringskassan att inrikta sig på sjukskrivna personer med cancer. Dessa två handläggare fick extra utbildning i ämnet, och ett samarbete inleddes mellan Försäkringskassan och cancerrehabiliteringsmottagningen på Centralsjukhuset i Kristianstad. Det övergripandesyftet med studien var att undersöka patienters och medarbetares erfarenheter och upplevelser av Försäkringskassans och Cancerrehabiliteringsmottagningens insatser. Utvärderingens form har teoretiskt inspirerats av metoder som beskriver vikten av att forskningspersoner görs delaktiga i forskning och utvärdering och därmed bidrar till kunskapsutveckling. Datainsamlingen bestod av enkäter och fokusgruppsintervjuer och både kvantitativa och kvalitativa analyser har använts. Slutsatsen är att patienterna är övervägande nöjda med bemötandet från såväl handläggarna på Försäkringskassan och på Cancerrehabiliteringsmottagningen, men att mer insatser krävs för att nå alla patienter.

The aim was to develop a new instrument for measuring length of sleep as well as television and computer habits in school-age children. A questionnaire was constructed for use when children visit the school health care unit. Three aspects of the validity of the questionnaire were examined: its face validity, content validity, and construct validity. Test-retest reliability was assessed by giving the questionnaire twice, 2 weeks apart, to the respondents. The questionnaire was assessed as being reasonably valid, the test-retest results (n = 138) showing 90.4% of the estimates regarding bedtime on weeknights on the two survey occasions to lie within +/- 30 min of each other, the test-retest agreement also being rather close (kappa > .600) regarding both sleep and media habits. The instrument can be a valuable tool in a clinical setting, both for measuring sleep habits in a class and for discussing sleep with individual school children and their families.

Bakgrund: Att främja välmående och psykisk hälsa hos barn och ungdomar är en viktig uppgift för samhället. Psykisk ohälsa, t ex depression och ångest, innebär en försämrad livskvalitet som kan försvåra barnets kognitiva, sociala och känslomässiga funktioner. Att främja en positiv utveckling och förebygga barns och ungas psykiska ohälsa innebär både ett minskat individuellt lidande och minskade samhällskostnader. Förutsättningen är dock att förebyggande åtgärder är effektiva ur såväl hälsomässiga som ekonomiska perspektiv.

Syfte: Att utvärdera det skolbaserade programmet Disa som syftar till att förebygga depressiva symptom hos ungdomar.

Metod:

Studien, som har en kvasiexperimentell design, inkluderade pre-test, post-test och ett-års-uppföljning samt en illustrativ beräkning av interventionens implementeringskostnader. I studien deltog 62 elever i årskurs 8, samt 7 Disa-ledare.

Resultat: En majoritet av eleverna och samtliga ledare var nöjda med interventionen. Eleverna, både flickorna och pojkarna, skattade sina depressiva symtom signifikant lägre efter kursen, och för flickorna bestod denna effekt vid ett-års-uppföljningen. Implementeringskostnaderna för de första två åren var cirka 2000 kr per elev.

Slutsats: Positiva resultat av det skolbaserade programmet Disa påvisades, särskilt för flickor. Flera elever tyckte att de fått ett nytt sätt att tänka, och att stämningen förbättrades i klassen.  

Svar på frågan “Vad tyckte du om Disa-kursen?”

”Mycket bra! Bättre stämning i klassen efter det! Mysigt!” – Flicka

”Helt okej, märkte ingen skillnad efter. Mådde i och för sig inte dåligt innan heller.” – Flicka

”Den har varit bra, man har fått ett nytt sätt att tänka på.” – Flicka

”Intressant och gav perspektiv” – Pojke

”Tråkigt” - Pojke

”Bra att få tips hur man kan undvika negativa tankar snabbt!” – Pojke

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the implementation of a universal school-based cognitive behavioral program whose target is to prevent depressive symptoms in adolescents. The study had a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a 1-year follow-up and provides an illustrative calculation for the implementation costs of the intervention. Sixty-two students (aged 14) and seven tutors participated. A majority of the students and all of the tutors were satisfied with the intervention. The students, both females and males, rated their depressed symptoms as significantly lower after the course; and for the females, this was maintained 1-year postintervention. The implementation costs for the initial 2 years were about US$300 per student. Positive effects of a universal school-based cognitive behavioral intervention aiming at preventing depressive symptoms in adolescents were found, especially among females.

The aim of this study was to investigate sleep, television and computer habits and enjoyment and feelings of tiredness in school of school-age children and adolescents in Sweden. An instrument found to be valid and reliable here was distributed to 3,011 children aged 6, 7, 10, 14, and 16 years. Those sleeping less than the median length of time reported a significantly lower degree of enjoyment of school. Short sleep was found to be associated with having a bedroom TV, spending more than 2 hr a day at the TV or the computer, being tired in school, and having difficulties both in waking up and in sleeping. Discussing sleep and media habits with schoolchildren and their parents regarding matters of optimal sleep and of how media habits affect sleep and learning is seen to be an important task of the school health service.

The academic career path is seldom straightforward. Many health professionals and researchers face stress and uncertain employment opportunities. Joining a collegial support group, a so-called “mastermind” group, is one way to help navigate these challenges. We investigated postdoctoral researchers’ (N=16) experiences with participating in a mastermind group using an online survey. Four themes emerged from their responses: (I) A place that offers conversation in confidence; (II) An opportunity for personal and professional development; (III) A quality break and time for reflection, and (IV) Challenges experienced by mastermind group participants. This study establishes that taking part in a mastermind group can effectively help shift focus from the negative aspects of a challenge faced by its group members to the positive aspects of a potential solution.

To improve the well-being of adolescents with epilepsy, research is needed on how adolescents cope. In this study, Lazarus' model of stress and coping and Antonovsky's Theory of Sense of Coherence were used as the theoretical framework. The aim was to describe the lived experience of adolescents with epilepsy and their coping skills. The participants were 13-19 years old with an epilepsy diagnosis but without mental retardation or cerebral palsy. The study was performed in southern Sweden at the pediatric department of a university hospital. Semistructured and open-ended interviews were conducted with 13 adolescents. The transcripts were analyzed with manifest and latent content analysis. All the adolescents had developed strategies to cope with the emotional strains caused by epilepsy. They experienced strains from the seizures, limitation of leisure activities, side effects of medication, and feelings of being different. The coping strategies described were finding support, being in control, and experimenting.

Overweight in childhood and adolescence is a major public health problem due to its medical and psychosocial consequences. The aim of this study was to investigate overweight and life style factors in children aged 10. The sample consisted of 138 children 10 years of age from three public primary schools in southern Sweden from whom data on height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and life style were obtained during 2003–2004. Differences in life style factors between the overweight and the non-overweight children were investigated using the chi-square test and Fisher exact test. The association between life style factors and overweight was studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Omitting lunch at school and feeling tired at school were found to be associated with overweight. Headache and the experience of being bullied were significantly more common among the overweight children. Overweight was found in 24% of the children, a fourth of whom (6%) were obese. This is important problems that school nurses need to confront. A new and interesting finding obtained was that omitting lunch at school was associated with overweight. Additional longitudinal studies of the impact of life style factors on paediatric overweight are needed to assess school-based preventive programmes.

PURPOSE: We describe the frequency and variations in bullying among a representative national sample of school-age children and examine whether sociodemographic characteristics are associated with bullying.

DESIGN AND METHODS: This study is based on a cross-sectional school-based survey-the Icelandic contribution to the international research network Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC). The study population included all students in Iceland in grades 6, 8 and 10 (mean ages: 11, 13 and 15years, respectively) (participation rate: 84%; n=11,018). The students completed an anonymous standardized questionnaire administered in the classroom.

RESULTS: The self-reported frequency of being victimized by bullying at least 2-3 times every month was 5.5%. A younger age, speaking a foreign language at home, not living with one's parents, and living in a rural area, were all associated with higher frequencies of being bullied.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite efforts to reduce bullying in school, experiences of being victimized through bullying are still too common among Icelandic school-age children. Stakeholders and school health administrators should consider sociodemographic antecedents when planning interventions to reduce bullying at school.

The aim of this study was to examine sleep habits (i.e., bedtimes and rising times) and their association with nighttime text messaging in 15- to 17-year-old adolescents. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from a web-based survey of adolescent students attending secondary schools in southern Sweden ( N = 278, 50% female). Less than 8 hr of time in bed during school nights was significantly associated with more sleep difficulties, wake time variability on school days and weekends, daytime tiredness, and less enjoyment at school (all ps < .05). Sending and/or receiving text messages (Short Message Service [SMS]) at night was significantly associated with later bedtimes, shorter time in bed, daytime tiredness during school, and irregular sleep habits ( p < .05). These findings highlight the importance of regular, consistent sleep habits and the problems associated with sleeping with a cell phone in the bedroom.

Resultatet från denna studie pekar på betydelsen av regelbundna sömnvanor, och de problem som är associerade med att sova med en mobiltelefon i sovrummet.

Urinary tract infections, which are often recurrent, can be painful and cause much suffering. The low-dose antibiotics used today to prevent themcontribute, however to the development of resistance to the antibiotics, to the need of more extended care and to an increase in health care costs.The present paper is a review of literature on the effects of cranberry in preventing urinary tract infections. The literature reviewed provides supportfor cranberry’s preventive effects, also in the case of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The effects were found to be dose-dependent and to bestrongest four to six hours after consumption. The physiological effects can be explained on the basis of efficacy mechanisms which have an inhibitoryeffect on the ability of uropathogenic bacteria to attach to the uroepithelial cells, preventing infection from occurring. Cranberry use canbe recommended primarily for women with recurrent urinary tract infections. Research on effects of cranberry use in other subpopulations appearscalled for.

Introduktion

Ungdomars hälsobesvär betraktas i dag som ett globalt folkhälsoproblem. Hälsobesvär kan vara både kroppsliga och psykiska, och kan komma till uttryck genom exempelvis ledsenhet, sömnsvårigheter och smärta. Eftersom hälsobesvär uttrycks på olika sätt kan de vara svåra att förstå och därigenom bemöta. Ledsenhet är en känsla som människor återkommande erfar under livet, men ledsenhet är också ett av symtomen vid depression. Forskning har hittills fokuserat på depression hos ungdomar, men ledsenhet är däremot inte lika utforskad, och inte heller relationen mellan ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär.

Syfte

Syftet var att utforska ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär hos ungdomar.

Metod

En kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie baserad på enkätdata insamlade på gymnasieskolor i södra Sverige (n = 1489; 15–17 år) (svarsfrekvens 71,3 %).

Resultat

Ledsenhet var vanligt hos ungdomar. 21,8 % av ungdomarna uppgav att de upplevde ledsenhet ofta eller alltid (flickor: 17,9 %, pojkar: 26,7 %, annat kön: 28,0 %). Ledsenhet var relaterat till sömnsvårigheter, huvudvärk, koncentrationssvårigheter, spänningar och nedsatt aptit.

Diskussion

Ett sätt att tolka relationen mellan ledsenhet och andra hälsobesvär är att förstå ledsenhet som en förkroppsligad känsla. Med förkroppsligande menas att känslor tar sig kroppsliga uttryck, och ledsenhet kan på så vis manifesteras genom exempelvis huvudvärk och sömnsvårigheter. Olika sätt att förstå hur känslor uppkommer och yttrar sig leder till olika behandling och stöd. Det finns en risk att vardagliga känslouttryck betraktas som sjukliga och därför medicineras. Tidigare forskning har visat att flickors och pojkars känslouttryck tolkas och bemöts på olika sätt, och att grunden till deras besvär inte alltid kommer upp till ytan.

Slutsats

Som hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal är det viktigt att försöka förstå vad hälsobesvär är ett uttryck för, för att kunna erbjuda personcentrerat stöd som har positiv effekt på den ungas välbefinnande.

Artikeln i sin helhet

Garnow, T.; Einberg, E.-L.; Edberg, A.-K.; Garmy, P. Sadness and Other Health Complaints among Swedish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3999. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083999

Introduction

There is growing concern that adolescents’ mental health is deteriorating. Additionally, concepts of embodiment have gained increasing importance in research in recent decades. Since emotions are expressed in the body, it can be challenging to understand what adolescents’ health complaints stand for and how they can be responded to.Sadness is a common emotion that repeatedly occurs during life, but sadness is also one of the main symptoms of depression. A large body of previous research has examined depression among adolescents, but little is known about nonpathological sadness and the relationship between sadness and other health complaints.

Aim

The study aimed to investigate sadness and other health complaints among adolescents.

Methods

Swedish adolescents completed a survey with a cross-sectional design (n = 1489, 15–17 years old), and a logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between sadness and other health complaints.

Results

Sadness was related to health complaints[headache (OR: 1.58), sleeping difficulties (OR: 2.00), reduced appetite (OR: 1.43), tension (OR: 2.44), and concentration difficulties (OR: 2.75)].

Conclusion

A possible interpretation of the relationship between sadness and other health complaints may be an embodiment of emotions. Different understandings of how emotions arise and are expressed lead to different treatments and care. By not considering embodied emotions, there is a risk of medicating a normal emotional state. Therefore, it is important to reflect on what adolescents’ health complaints are an expression of and take into account the body as physical and psychological intertwined. This might entail person-centered support that hopefully leads to an improvement in adolescents’ well-being.

Reference

Garnow, T.; Einberg, E.-L.; Edberg, A.-K.; Garmy, P. Sadness and Other Health Complaints among Swedish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3999. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1808999