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Tribune News Network
Doha
Researchers from the Institute of Population Health (IPH) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have investigated the impact of COVID-19 school closures on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.
The researchers found that school closures and home quarantine were associated with increased stress, sadness, frustration, indiscipline, loneliness, disrupted sleep patterns, hyperactivity among the young and a breakdown of daily routines. Additionally, the researchers observed a significant decrease of 45 percent in hospital admissions and of 68 percent in paediatric emergency department visits for common ailments like gastroenteritis, respiratory infections and ear ailments (infections).
The study, titled ‘The Impact of COVID-19 School Closure on Child and Adolescent Health: A Rapid Systematic Review’, also noted a reduction in daily physical activity, increased risk of childhood obesity and higher body-mass index (BMI) scores. The study was a rapid systematic review that analysed data from ten studies on child and adolescent health conducted in the US, Japan, France, Italy, Thailand and Turkey. The study has been published in ‘Children’, a leading journal.
Another key study finding was the loss of access for students to the usual critical services provided by schools. These included school-based healthcare services, programmes for children with disabilities and school and childcare-based nutritional programmes aimed at underprivileged children.
The authors of the research are Dr Ravinder Mamtani, vice dean for Student Affairs-Admissions, Population Health and Lifestyle Medicine; Dr Sohaila Cheema, assistant dean for the IPH; Dr Sathya Doraiswamy, assistant director of the IPH; Dr Karima Chaabna, instructor in Population Health Sciences with the IPH, and Dr Sonia Chaabane.
The study concluded that further research is needed to assess the impact on health, social development and the ability of children and adolescents to learn during pandemic-related school closures.
The research can be read in full at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/5/415/htm
Doha
Researchers from the Institute of Population Health (IPH) at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have investigated the impact of COVID-19 school closures on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.
The researchers found that school closures and home quarantine were associated with increased stress, sadness, frustration, indiscipline, loneliness, disrupted sleep patterns, hyperactivity among the young and a breakdown of daily routines. Additionally, the researchers observed a significant decrease of 45 percent in hospital admissions and of 68 percent in paediatric emergency department visits for common ailments like gastroenteritis, respiratory infections and ear ailments (infections).
The study, titled ‘The Impact of COVID-19 School Closure on Child and Adolescent Health: A Rapid Systematic Review’, also noted a reduction in daily physical activity, increased risk of childhood obesity and higher body-mass index (BMI) scores. The study was a rapid systematic review that analysed data from ten studies on child and adolescent health conducted in the US, Japan, France, Italy, Thailand and Turkey. The study has been published in ‘Children’, a leading journal.
Another key study finding was the loss of access for students to the usual critical services provided by schools. These included school-based healthcare services, programmes for children with disabilities and school and childcare-based nutritional programmes aimed at underprivileged children.
The authors of the research are Dr Ravinder Mamtani, vice dean for Student Affairs-Admissions, Population Health and Lifestyle Medicine; Dr Sohaila Cheema, assistant dean for the IPH; Dr Sathya Doraiswamy, assistant director of the IPH; Dr Karima Chaabna, instructor in Population Health Sciences with the IPH, and Dr Sonia Chaabane.
The study concluded that further research is needed to assess the impact on health, social development and the ability of children and adolescents to learn during pandemic-related school closures.
The research can be read in full at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/5/415/htm
