Internet and game behaviour at a secondary school and a newly developed health promotion programme: a prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study investigated the Internet and game use of secondary school children, the compulsiveness of their use and the relationship with other health behaviours. It also evaluated the preliminary results of a recently developed school health promotion programme, implemented at a secondary school in the Netherlands in January 2008. This programme is one of the first to combine seven health behaviours in one educational programme and is a pilot project for a case-control study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 475 secondary school children completed an extensive questionnaire before and a year after starting the programme. Of these children, 367 were in first, second and third grade; the grades in which the lessons about internet and game behaviour were implemented. Questionnaires contained questions about personal information, Internet and game use (Compulsive Internet Use Scale), and other health behaviours (alcohol use, physical activity, psychosocial wellbeing and body mass index).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Heavy Internet use was significantly associated with psychosocial problems, and heavy game use was significantly associated with psychosocial problems and less physical activity. No relationship was found with alcohol use or body mass index. The time spent on Internet (hours/day) and the number of pathological Internet users increased during the study. The number of game users decreased but heavy game use increased.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The association between heavy Internet use and psychosocial problems and between game use and psychosocial problems and less physical activity emphasizes the need to target different health behaviours in one health education programme. A case-control study is needed to further assess the programme-induced changes in Internet and game behaviour of school children.</p

Gender-specific factors in the utilization of medical services during adolescence

Settertobulte W, Kolip P. Gender-specific factors in the utilization of medical services during adolescence. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE. 1997;20(1):121-132.Although adolescents suffer from a variety of complaints, they do not often consult a doctor. Following a high rate of medical consultation during infancy and childhood, the rate dramatically decreases at the age of 10 and increases again around the age of 16. In this study we investigated factors that influence the use of medical services during adolescence. We focused our attention on gender-specific differences and examined the following hypotheses: (i) Girls and boys differ generally in their consultation behaviour; and (ii) the use of medical services depends on the kind of prevailing illness and is influenced by gender-specific factors. The investigation is based on a standardized questionnaire answered by 2300 schoolgirls and -boys, aged 12 to 16. The topics of the questionnaire were, apart from sociodemographic variables: subjective state of health; prevailing illnesses and complaints; health related cognitions; quality of the parental relationship; stress at school; and satisfaction with previous medical treatment. The results showed that girls reported suffering significantly more frequently from most illnesses than boys. However, there was no difference between girls and boys in the general consultation rate. In a regression analysis we found that subjective impairment, satisfaction with the previous medical consultation and the tendency to be concerned with one's health were the best statistical predictors of consultation behaviour. Age, social status, sex, stress at school and the quality of the relationship between adolescents and their parents were not significantly related to consultation rate. A discriminant analysis (consultation us. non-consultation) revealed that, depending on specific illnesses, different factors influenced the decision to consult a doctor. (C) 1997 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents

Gibt es einen Bedarf für eine betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung für Studierende?

Stock C, Allgöwer A, Prüfer-Krämer L, Krämer A. Gibt es einen Bedarf für eine betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung für Studierende? Zeitschrift für Gesundheitswissenschaften. 1997;5(3):239-256