|
1
|
Tahan L, Habchy P, Moussi C, Khadra T, Jawich M, Njeim A, Kattan O, Abou Habib L, El Bitar W, El Asmar B, Chahine MN. A National School Health Campaign in Lebanon on Children Aged between 3 and 12 Years Old: Concordance Level between Parents' Reports and Medical Visit Findings about Physical and Mental Health. Children (Basel) 2024; 11:214. [PMID: 38397326 PMCID: PMC10887313 DOI: 10.3390/children11020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
A school's commitment to promoting health extends beyond students' efforts to encompass parental involvement and must recognize the critical role of parents in enhancing overall student well-being. This study, conducted in 27 schools across Lebanon, assessed parents' awareness of their children's physical and mental health. A school health campaign involved direct medical interventions on 7184 students, followed by phone interviews with 3880 parents to compare their responses with the medical findings. Discordances ranged from extreme mismatches (≥50%) to mild mismatches (<15%), with notable disparities in incomplete vaccination (67.8%), BMI (59%), and mental health indicators (expressions of sadness (69.1%), loneliness (61.0%), and anxiety (53.4%)). Factors such as school type, child's age, governorate, family income, parents' occupation, education level, and marital status significantly influenced discordance rates. Notably, mental health aspects exhibited higher disparities, emphasizing the need for improved communication between parents, physicians, and children. Bridging these gaps could empower parents with better knowledge, fostering environments conducive to lifelong healthy behaviors in children. The study underscores the urgency for enhanced communication strategies to bridge discrepancies and ensure a more comprehensive understanding of children's physical and mental well-being.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Léa Tahan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Peter Habchy
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Charbel Moussi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Tia Khadra
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Melissa Jawich
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Alain Njeim
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Ogarite Kattan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
| | - Leila Abou Habib
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
| | - Wassim El Bitar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Bellevue Medical Center University Hospital, Mansourieh P.O. Box 295, Lebanon
| | - Béchara El Asmar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
- Department of Cardiology, Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, Achrafieh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-5190, Lebanon
| | - Mirna N. Chahine
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (L.T.); (P.H.); (C.M.); (T.K.); (M.J.); (A.N.); (O.K.)
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI®), Achrafieh, Beirut P.O. Box 64, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI®), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Moussi C, Tahan L, Habchy P, Kattan O, Njeim A, Abou Habib L, El Bitar W, El Asmar B, Chahine MN. School-Based Pre- and Post-Intervention Tests Assessing Knowledge about Healthy Lifestyles: A National School Health Awareness Campaign on Children Aged between 3 and 12 Years Old. Children (Basel) 2024; 11:213. [PMID: 38397325 PMCID: PMC10887629 DOI: 10.3390/children11020213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In response to the diverse health challenges faced by today's youth and their extensive time spent in schools, we conducted a school health awareness campaign aimed at prioritizing well-being and academic performance. This analytical longitudinal study, spanning 27 schools in Lebanon, aimed to assess the impact of the awareness campaign on the health knowledge and practices of 5-, 8-, and 11-year-old students throughout pre- and post-intervention testing focused on general health and healthy habits, employing 11, 14, and 15 questions tailored to 5, 8, and 11 year olds, respectively. The questions covered various aspects, including sleep, personal and dental hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, addiction, security measures, and bullying. Out of the 7100 students who participated, 16.11% (1144 students) were evaluated before and after the campaign. The results indicated a significant increase in health awareness post-intervention across all age groups. For instance, in 5-year-olds, limited awareness decreased from 91.6% to 36.38%, while adequate awareness rose from 8.03% to 62.3%. Improvement varied across health knowledge topics, with security-related questions showing the highest enhancement. Factors such as governorate, normal-weight status, and close supervision influenced improvement. However, no significant correlations were found with school type, size, gender, age, nationality, parental factors, or comorbidities. The study concludes that the school health awareness campaign successfully heightened children's health awareness, advocating for the integration of regular health promotions into the standard educational curriculum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charbel Moussi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Léa Tahan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Peter Habchy
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Ogarite Kattan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Alain Njeim
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Leila Abou Habib
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
| | - Wassim El Bitar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Bellevue Medical Center University Hospital, Mansourieh P.O Box 295, Lebanon
| | - Béchara El Asmar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
- Department of Cardiology, Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, Achrafieh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-5190, Lebanon
| | - Mirna N. Chahine
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon; (C.M.); (L.T.); (P.H.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath P.O. Box 3, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI), Achrafieh, Beirut P.O. Box 64, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
|
3
|
Habchy P, Tahan L, Moussi C, Barakat MA, Ghanem L, Kattan O, Njeim A, Abou Habib L, El Bitar W, El Asmar B, Chahine MN. Referrals and Determinant Factors of a National School Health Campaign in Lebanon on Children Aged between 3 and 12 Years Old. Children (Basel) 2024; 11:175. [PMID: 38397287 PMCID: PMC10886849 DOI: 10.3390/children11020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In this extensive study examining the health of 7184 school children aged 3 to 12 in 27 Lebanese schools, screenings involved medical evaluation and interviews, complemented by phone interviews with 3880 parents. Notably, one in two students received a medical referral, revealing prevalent issues such as dental cavities (33%), under-vaccination (25%), undetected vision problems (13%), abnormal growth (6%), underweight (27%), and overweight (33%). Additional concerns encompassed abnormal vital signs (3%), abuse signs (0.6%), infectious skin lesions (1.6%), scoliosis (1.7%), abnormal auscultation (heart 1.1%, lungs 1.2%), ear problems (3.3%), precocious puberty (0.7%), and neurologic signs (0.6%). Mental health challenges affected 20-25% of students. Public schools and Beirut exhibited higher referral rates, with girls, older children, overweight students, those lacking regular pediatrician visits, and children of self-employed or less educated parents facing elevated referral rates. In contrast, children of healthcare workers experienced fewer referrals. Against this backdrop, the study emphasizes the imperative for targeted health initiatives, particularly in marginalized areas and for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Priority areas include dental care, weight issues, mental health, vaccination compliance, and addressing vision problems to enhance learning outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Habchy
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Léa Tahan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Charbel Moussi
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Muhammad A. Barakat
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Laura Ghanem
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Ogarite Kattan
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Alain Njeim
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
| | - Leila Abou Habib
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
| | - Wassim El Bitar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Bellevue Medical Center University Hospital, Mansourieh P.O. Box 295, Lebanon
| | - Béchara El Asmar
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon
- Department of Cardiology, Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, Achrafieh, Beirut 1100, Lebanon
| | - Mirna N. Chahine
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon; (P.H.); (L.T.); (C.M.); (M.A.B.); (L.G.); (O.K.); (A.N.)
- Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta (Order of Malta Lebanon), Vanlian Bldg, 6th Fl. City Rama Str. Dekwaneh, Beirut P.O. Box 11-4286, Lebanon; (L.A.H.); (W.E.B.); (B.E.A.)
- Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Hadath 1519, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI), Achrafieh, Beirut 1100, Lebanon
- Foundation-Medical Research Institutes (F-MRI), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|