Search

Background: Prosocial behavior has positive social, cognitive, and physical health effects on the individual exhibiting the behavior as well as on society as a whole, and is integral to overall mental and physical wellbeing. The development of prosocial behavior is rooted in early childhood and learned through observation. As such, those spending time with children, especially their caregiver, play a critical role in their prosocial development. The current study investigates the impact of caregiver mental health on the prosocial development of young children over time. Methods: This paper presents a secondary analysis of child prosocial development in the Asenze Study, a longitudinal, population-based cohort study based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Children were followed-up over time from an average age of five to seven years along with their caregivers. Linear GEE regression analysis was used to assess whether a change in presence of a mental health disorder in a caregiver during this 2-year interval (using the Client Diagnostic Questionnaire) impacted the development of their child's prosocial behavior (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Results: After adjusting for early child-care, child HIV status, SDQ child prosocial subscale, SDQ total difficulties score, and household order score (CHAOS), children whose caregivers acquired a mental health disorder had a significantly smaller increase in prosocial behavioral development compared to children whose caregivers never had a mental health disorder. Conclusions: Identifying contextually relevant modifiable factors such as this will help stimulate the development of interventions to promote prosocial development in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perinatal HIV infection is associated with delayed neurocognitive development, but less is known about children perinatally HIV‐exposed but uninfected (CHEU). We compared cognitive and language outcomes in 4–6‐year old CHEU versus children HIV‐unexposed and uninfected (CHUU) and children living with HIV (CLHIV). We enrolled 1,581 children (77% of the child population) in five communities in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. Children completed: Grover‐Counter Scale of cognitive development, sub‐scales of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Reynell Developmental Language Scales. HIV status of children and primary caregivers was determined by repeated rapid tests or report of prior testing. We conducted a cross‐sectional multivariable linear regression on 922 dyads with complete data (257 CHEU, 627 CHUU, 38 CLHIV). On all outcome measures, CHEU and CHUU groups had comparable scores; CLHIV scored significantly lower. Emerging global progress toward the elimination of vertical HIV transmission may not only reduce mortality, but also positively impact child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify environmental factors that could serve to predictAscaris lumbricoidesinfection patterns and thus guide control efforts in the absence of epidemiological information; to assess whetherA. lumbricoidesinfection is positively associated with the soil clay content.Information onA. lumbricoidesinfection and re-infection in a cohort of primary schoolchildren and interview data on their socioeconomic background and behaviour were combined with environmental data using a geographical information system (GIS). Multivariate models served to explore the covariation of environmental and infection patterns adjusted for possible confounders.Prevalence maps and spatial statistics revealed considerable spatial clustering of infection in the small study area. Logistic multivariate regression models showed strong positive associations of infection with vegetation density measured as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at baseline [odds ratio (OR) for a 10% increase: 1.82; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.24–2.68;P = 0.002] and after re-infection (OR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.71–2.87;P < 0.001). We also found a strong negative association of re-infection with the sun exposure of the soil surface as estimated from digital elevation models (OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.88;P < 0.001). The soil clay content was only moderately positively associated with infection and re-infection. Socioeconomic and behavioural variables, although correlated withA. lumbricoidesinfection, did not appear to confound the above associations in the demographically homogeneous study area. Spatial analysis of the model residuals suggested that as the models accounted for most of the spatial pattern, the model standard errors should not be affected by spatial clustering.NDVI seems to have a high potential for the prediction ofA. lumbricoidesinfection as it was strongly associated with infection patterns in the study area. Further advantages are that NDVI information is easy to use, affordable and available with global coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schistosomiasis is one of the major health problems in tropical and sub-tropical countries, with school age children usually being the most affected group. In 1998 the Department of Health of the province of KwaZulu-Natal established a pilot programme for helminth control that aimed at regularly treating primary school children for schistosome and intestinal helminth infections. This article describes the baseline situation and the impact of treatment on S. haematobium infection in a cohort of schoolchildren attending grade 3 in a rural part of the province. Methods: Primary schoolchildren from Maputaland in northern KwaZulu-Natal were examined for Schistosoma haematobium infection, treated with praziquantel and re-examined four times over one year after treatment in order to assess the impact of treatment and patterns of infection and re-infection. Results: Praziquantel treatment was highly efficacious at three weeks after treatment when judged by egg reduction rate (95.3%) and cure rate of heavy infections (94.1%). The apparent overall cure rate three weeks after treatment (57.9%) was much lower but improved to 80.7% at 41 weeks after treatment. Re-infection with S. haematobium was low and appeared to be limited to the hot and rainy summer. Analysis of only one urine specimen per child considerably underestimated prevalence when compared to the analysis of two specimens, but both approaches provided similar estimates of the proportion of heavy infections and of average infection intensity in the population. Conclusion: According to WHO guidelines the high prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium infection necessitate regular treatment of schoolchildren in the area. The seasonal transmission pattern together with the slow pace of re-infection suggest that one treatment per year, applied after the end of summer, is sufficient to keep S. haematobium infection in the area at low levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Geohelminth infection is a major health problem of children from rural areas of developing countries. In an attempt to reduce this burden, the Department of Health of the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) established in 1998 a programme for helminth control that aimed at regularly treating primary school children for schistosomiasis and intestinal helminths. This article describes the baseline situation and the effect of treatment on geohelminth infection in a rural part of the province. Methods: Grade 3 schoolchildren from Maputaland in northern KZN were examined for infections with hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Trichuris trichiura, treated twice with 400 mg albendazole and re-examined several times over one year after the first treatment in order to assess the impact of treatment and patterns of infection and re-infection. Results: The hookworm prevalence in the study population (83.2%) was considerably higher than in other parts of the province whereas T. trichiura and especially A. lumbricoides prevalences (57.2 and 19.4%, respectively) were much lower than elsewhere on the KZN coastal plain. Single dose treatment with albendazole was very effective against hookworm and A. lumbricoides with cure rates (CR) of 78.8 and 96.4% and egg reduction rates (ERR) of 93.2 and 97.7%, respectively. It was exceptionally ineffective against T. trichiura (CR = 12.7%, ERR = 24.8%). Re-infection with hookworm and A. lumbricoides over 29 weeks after treatment was considerable but still well below pre-treatment levels. Conclusion: High geohelminth prevalences and re-infection rates in the study population confirm the need for regular treatment of primary school children in the area. The low effectiveness of single course albendazole treatment against T. trichiura infection however demands consideration of alternative treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]