Psychosocial problems among immigrant and non-immigrant children: Ethnicity plays a role in their occurrence and identification

Background This study aims to examine a) the prevalence of psychosocial problems and b) the association between parent-reported problems and the identification by doctors and nurses (child health professionals, CHP) working in preventive child health care, among immigrant and non-immigrant children. Methods CHPs examined 4,098 children aged 5...

Feasibility and reliability of a mailed questionnaire to obtain visual analogue scale valuations for health states defined by the health utilities index mark 3

To establish the generalizability (external validity) of the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) as a single-summary score generic outcome measure in numerous countries/subgroups (including children), repeated studies of community preferences should be performed in various settings. In performing multiple HUI3 studies, a mailed questionnaire...

Reliability of classification of cerebral palsy in low-birthweight children in four countries

The reliability of classification of cerebral palsy (CP) in low-birthweight children was assessed by using clinical and research study records sampled from population-based cohort studies in the USA, the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany. Records of neurological examination findings and functional motor assessments were submitted to up to five...

Detecting psychosocial problems among 5-6-year-old children in Preventive Child Health Care: The validity of a short questionnaire used in an assessment procedure for detecting psychosocial problems among children

Background: An extended re-assessment of the psychometric properties of the LSPPK, an instrument aimed at identifying children with emotional and behavioural problems. Methods: Data came from a national sample in the Netherlands of parents of 1248 children (aged 5-6 years) interviewed by child health professionals (CHP). Data were obtained...

Parental education on passive smoking in infancy does work

Background: Passive smoking is harmful to young children. A protocol has been developed to allow health care workers to communicate with parents about preventing passive smoking. The main message was to refrain from smoking in the presence of the child. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of this education programme. Method: The...

Congenital malformations in 4224 children conceived after IVF

Background: The percentage of children born after IVF will continue to increase due to demographic changes such as increasing maternal age and new developments in assisted reproduction techniques. IVF conceptions may carry an increased risk of congenital malformations. Methods: We compared overall and specific congenital malformation rates...

Measuring health status using the Health Utilities Index: Agreement between raters and between modalities of administration

The aim of this study was to evaluate interrater and intermodality agreement in assessing health status using the Health Utilities Index. A random sample from a Dutch cohort of 14-year-old Very Low Birth Weight children and their parents were invited to participate in a face-to-face (n = 150) or telephone (n = 150) interview. All 300...

Gebitstoestand en tandheelkundige zorg bij kinderen van asielzoekers [Oral health and dental care in refugee children]

An epidemiological study was performed on caries, fluorosis and plaque in children of refugees 8, 9 and 10 years of age. Tooth brushing habits and dental attendance were evaluated with a questionnaire. Of the 87 children participating (response rate 89%), 85% showed caries experience, 17% fluorosis and 46% clearly visible plaque. Only 14% of the...

Self-reported physical disabilities in children in the Netherlands

Purpose: To assess the prevalence of self-reported physical disabilities in school children, through the Child Health Monitoring System. Methods: In 1992/1993, data were obtained in mainstream education (n = 5484), and in 1994/1995 in special education (n = 2622). The data were weighted to calculate estimates representative of the Dutch...

Development and psychometric evaluation of the TAPQOL: A health-related quality of life instrument for 1-5-year-old children

The 43-item TNO-AZL Preschool Children Quality of Life (TAPQOL) questionnaire was developed to meet the need for a reliable and valid instrument for measuring parent's perceptions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in preschool children. HRQoL was defined as health status in 12 domains weighted by the impact of the health status problems...

Prevalence of self-reported food hypersensitivity among school children in The Netherlands

Objectives: To provide national figures on the prevalence of self-reported food hypersensitivity (S-FH), and the association with socio-demographic variables and some health indicators in schoolchildren in The Netherlands. Design: As part of the Child Health Monitoring System, data were collected from 4450 children, who were invited for a...

Food intolerance (food hypersensitivity) and chronic complaints in children: The parents' perception

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of food intolerance (FI) in Dutch 5- and 6-year-old children and its association with chronic ailments with a survey among parents by questionnaire. Based on parents' perception the prevalence of 'probable' FI was 3.8%. FI was associated with asthma, wheezing, eczema, hay fever, chronic rhinitis,...

Dental hygiene habits, consumption sweets and caries experience of primary school children