'My teacher saved my life' versus 'Teachers don't have a clue': an online survey of pupils' experiences of eating disorders

BACKGROUND

Eating disorders (ED) have a peak rate of onset in school-aged children. Little is known about pupils' experiences of ED within a school setting.

METHOD

Five hundred and eleven 11- to 19-year-old school pupils completed an online questionnaire exploring their experiences of ED (72% female, 28% male). Responses were analysed using content analysis principles.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 38% had a current or past ED, 49% of these had never received a formal diagnosis. Of the respondents, 59% saw a need to raise ED awareness. Only 7% would confide in a teacher about an ED.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts are needed to break down barriers to disclosure and support teachers to play an effective role in the detection and early intervention for ED.

Investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella oranienburg infections in Norway, caused by contaminated black pepper

From November 1981 to August 31, 1982, 126 bacteriologically confirmed cases of Salmonella oranienburg infections were reported in Norway. This paper summarizes the development of the outbreak and describes the epidemiologic and microbiologic investigations leading to the discovery of contaminated black pepper as the source of the outbreak. In an investigation limited to 26 patients in the Trøndelag region, the Trondheim Public Food Control Laboratory isolated S. oranienburg from six samples of black, ground pepper from the patients' households and from 15 samples of black, ground pepper from unopened, original packings having the trademark of the Norwegian Cooperative Association (Co-op).