International Journal of School Health
Volume:11 Issue: 1, Winter 2024

Food insecurity is increasing due to economic recession, resulting in childhood malnutrition, a risk factor for adult morbidities. Strategies to prevent and combat it are being implemented. This study aimed to evaluate the menus used in school feeding programs and their impact on the health and well-being of children in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey of nine primary schools in four South African provinces—Gauteng, Western Cape, North- West, and KwaZulu-Natal—was conducted between April 2022 and May 2022. Three schools were randomly selected per province, totaling 36 respondents—comprising a principal/NSNP coordinator, a teacher, and a food handler per school. An observational checklist was also employed. Weekly menus at each school were obtained, and dietary intake data were evaluated using the NutriSurvey application and the South African Food Composition table. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed using an inductive approach in Atlas. Ti software, while Microsoft Excel was utilized for the checklist. The surveys indicated that in-school nutrition programs have positively impacted schoolchildren’s well-being and academic performance. Menu evaluation revealed that most National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) lunch meals did not provide up to 25-30% of the children’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA), but the Tiger Brands Foundation (TBF) breakfast augmented this by providing an additional 10-20% of the RDAs. Regarding breakfast meals, the highest mean RDA met per week was for calcium (21%), while Gauteng lunch had the highest mean RDA met values for most nutrients, including protein (15%), vitamin A (78%), vitamin B9 (37%), vitamin B12 (140%), vitamin C (33%), and iron (29%). The health checklist showed that all respondents affirmed that the children were generally healthy. The school feeding menus contribute to the percentage of RDAs met for essential nutrients and the well-being of children, although the contribution is not significant, as not all RDAs meet the 25-30% requirement. However, incorporating foods like meat (despite being expensive), eggs and fruits into the menus could enhance protein supply and increase the percentage of RDAs met.

Victimization in schools has become one of the most prevalent problems in the worldwide education system. This study explored the dimensions of victimization in sixth-grade male students in Kermanshah City, Iran and its association with subjective well-being in school and school bonding. The current study was conducted using a descriptive correlational design. The statistical population included all male students in the sixth grade in Kermanshah City, Iran in the academic year 2022-2023. A sample of 374 individuals was selected using the multi-stage cluster random sampling method. To collect information, the Multidimensional Victimization Scale (MPVS), School Bonding Questionnaire (SBQ), and Elementary School Students’ Subjective Well-Being (ESSSWBSS) were administered. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression were performed using SPSS version 27 to analyze the data. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant inverse association between victimization at school and its dimensions with subjective well-being in school (r=-0.37) and school bonding (r=-0.010). Furthermore, the results of multiple regression showed that school bonding (β=-0.15, P=0.009) and subjective well-being in school (β=-0.33, P=0.031) were significant negative explanatory variables of victimization at school. Risky behaviors such as feeling victimized can hinder students’ educational achievements. Therefore, it is recommended that school counselors identify students who feel victimized by their peers and provide them with appropriate educational interventions and workshops to enhance their subjective well-being in school and school bonding.

Various factors, including family associations, school culture, personality traits, and lifestyle play a fundamental role in the development of drug addiction. This study aimed to investigate how the association of family communication patterns and school culture affect addiction tendencies among high school students in Yazd, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2021. A total number of 420 people were selected using the random multi-stage sampling method. To collect data, addiction tendency scale, family communication pattern and school culture questionnaires were used. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 24, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, descriptive statistics, T-Tests and ANOVA.

The mean±SD for addiction tendency, family communication patterns and school culture was 40.24±7.65, 65.84±5.34, and 45.69±9.24, respectively. This study showed a statistically significant association between the mean score for addiction tendency and gender (P=0.01) and economic status (P=0.02). Among the two components of communication patterns, alignment orientation (R=-0.31, P<0.001) showed a negative association and conformity orientation (R=0.25, P=0.01) showed a significant positive association with addiction tendency. Additionally, all of the three components of school culture, namely, student relations (R=-0.23, P=0.02), student and teacher associations (R=-0.29, P<0.001), and training opportunities (R=-0.20, P=0.03) revealed a significant negative association with addiction tendencies.

According to the results of the study, it is recommended to implement family education programs in counseling centers, health centers and schools. These programs should emphasize the importance of creating a healthy communication pattern based on dialogue and active listening in the family. By promoting positive personality traits, young people can effectively combat their inclination towards drug use and decrease the chances of developing addiction.

Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) encounter diverse challenges in school settings that impact their well-being and academic performance. This study sought to delve into the viewpoints of teachers and administrators regarding the care and support accessible to ALHIV in schools. In 2021, a qualitative study was conducted employing focused group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs). The study was conducted in the Njombe and Songwe regions, encompassing four districts and eight schools. FGDs were held with schoolteachers and matrons/patrons, while KIIs were conducted with coordinators at the regional and district levels. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. Various forms of support for ALHIV in schools were identified. Schools had designated health teachers/matrons/ patrons responsible for addressing health-related issues, including those affecting ALHIV. Assistance for clinic visits and medication adherence was readily available. Peer clubs were established to combat stigma and discrimination while providing additional support. Nevertheless, challenges such as staff members’ limited knowledge and skills, reluctance to disclose, inadequate nutritional support, and insufficient backing from regional and district administrators persist. The study underscored the existence of care and support mechanisms for ALHIV in school settings while pinpointing areas for enhancement. Recommendations encompass capacity building for teachers and staff, bolstering support for disclosure, offering nutritious dietary options, reinforcing peer clubs, and fostering collaboration between the education and health sectors. These findings can inform the development of comprehensive interventions to support ALHIV in school settings better, ultimately advancing their well-being and academic achievements.

Students with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) face a variety of problems such as early dropout, academic failure, and avoidance of social situations. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on cognitive avoidance and emotion regulation strategies in female students with SAD through an emotional schema therapy (EST) approach. In this semi-experimental study, a Pretest-Posttest Control Group design was used. The study population included female high school students with SAD in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2023. Out of 120 students with SAD who met the inclusion criteria, 75 were randomly selected as the study participants and were then assigned to three groups of 25 (two experimental groups and one control group). Training sessions for mindfulness-based stress management and EST were conducted in eight 90-minute sessions twice a week. For data collection, the Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire were used. Data analysis was done using the ANCOVA test and SPSS version 23. P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. In the posttest, mean±SD for cognitive avoidance, reappraisal, and suppression in the mindfulness-based stress reduction training group was 50.71±6.78, 32.87±2.65, and 14.08±5.68, respectively; suggesting a significant difference as compared with the control group (82.91±2.18, 12.53±6.75, and 20.81±2.74) (P<0.001). In addition, mean±SD for cognitive avoidance, reappraisal, and suppression in the EST group and the post-test phase was 61.52±5.71, 38.91±1.15, and 10.36±7.32, respectively; suggesting a significant difference as compared with the control group. The mindfulness-based stress management training was more effective than EST in reducing cognitive avoidance (P<0.001). By contrast, EST was more effective than mindfulness-based training in improving emotion regulation strategies (P<0.001). The study results suggested that mindfulness-based stress management training and EST can effectively reduce cognitive avoidance and improve emotion regulation strategies in students with SAD.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the world; its most important achievement for education was changing the approach from traditional to virtual education. The present study aimed to investigate the role of virtual education networks on mental health of students including personality, beliefs, scientific, and cultural dimensions, in selected countries.

This was an exploratory and applied study. According to the phenomenology strategy, theoretical saturation occurred after 24 semi-structured and targeted qualitative interviews with teachers from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, in 2023. Quantitative data was collected through a researcher-made online questionnaire with 423 participants. Teachers with at least a Bachelor’s degree and five years of teaching experience were selected as the study participants. PLS software version 3 was used to analyze the quantitative data.

After analyzing the qualitative interviews, 131 open codes were extracted, and grouped into 22 components and 4 concepts. The results of the quantitative data analysis (factor load) showed the effect of virtual education networks on personality (0.590), beliefs (0.819), scientific (0.564), and cultural (0.815) dimensions which indicate a statistically significant effect. Accordingly, students’ belief is mostly affected by virtual education networks. The subcomponents of duality and moral-social confusion in the belief dimension, changing life and nutrition patterns in the cultural dimension, increasing communication and interpersonal problems in the personality dimension, and boredom and frustration in the scientific dimension were highly effective.

The study results showed that virtual education acts like a double-edged sword, with both negative and positive effects on the body and mind of students, which necessitates more careful monitoring.

Several factors may influence oral hygiene behavior, which is essential for oral health and well-being in children. This study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to the oral hygiene behaviors in children, especially mothers’ oral hygiene behaviors. In this cross-sectional study, data from the fifth phase of Fars Birth Cohort Study were used. Our focus was on a group of 1143 children aged 9-12 years old in the year 2021. The demographic, socio-economic variables as well as oral hygiene behaviors of children and their mothers were assessed. The score for oral hygiene behavior was determined based on self-reported practices of brushing, flossing, and mouthwash, ranged between 0 and 3. The factors related to children’s oral hygiene behavior were examined by logistic regression analysis. In this study, 345 (30.2%) of the children (50.3% females, average age 10.33±0.48 years) did not brush their teeth, 1042 (91.2%) did not use dental floss, and 1083 (94.8%) did not use mouthwash. The mean score for oral hygiene behavior in children was 0.83±0.67. Mothers had a higher mean score of 1.42±0.74 (P<0.001). Several factors were found to be significantly associated with oral hygiene behavior in children, including higher scores for mothers’ oral hygiene behavior (OR=2.18, P<0.001), living in the center of the province (OR=0.73, P=0.04), having insurance (OR=1.47, P=0.03), and having a government-employed mother (OR=0.52, P=0.025). Children with regular six-monthly or yearly visits had higher odds compared with those who visited the dentist only when a problem arose (OR=7.27, P=0.009, and OR=2.33, P=0.01, respectively). The study revealed unacceptable oral hygiene behaviors in 9-12-year-old children, and showed the gap between oral hygiene behavior in mothers and children. The mother’s role in promoting oral health and hygiene is crucial. Future research should consider mediating and confounding impacts of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to oral hygiene.

Existence of social anxiety in adolescents have been examined in various cognitive behavioral models such as Clark and Wells Cognitive Model that has been tried to justify the maintenance of this anxiety in them. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the variables of Clark and Wells (1995) Cognitive Model and Social Anxiety in Iranian Adolescent students. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study; a student sample (N=220) was selected from Parsian and Asaluyeh schools in 2021-2022. An online form was used to collect data on Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A), Social Phobia Weekly Summary Scale (SPWSS), Focus of Attention Questionnaire – Self-focus subscale (FAQ-S), Report of Youth Social Cognitions (RYSC), Subtle Avoidance Frequency Examination (SAFE), Post-event Processing Questionnaire-5 item version (PEPQ-5), and Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS). Pearson correlation and regression analysis were used for data analysis. A positive correlation was found between social anxiety and anticipatory processing (P<0.001, r=0.33), maladaptive social-evaluative beliefs (P<0.001, r=0.58), safety behaviors (P<0.001, r=0.63), and post-event processing (P<0.001, r=0.28). The high socially anxious group had significantly greater scores on the social anxiety measure and all the maintaining factors (P<0.001) except the self-focus measure (P=0.235). The study results suggested that there is a positive correlation between the variables of Clark and Wells (1995) Cognitive Model and Social Anxiety in Iranian adolescent students.