Radojka Kocijancic

Left handedness and spine deformities in early adolescence

The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between laterality and spine deformities in early adolescence, with special reference to sex differences. Interviews, anthropometric measurements and clinical examinations of body posture were carried out on a sample of 2546 schoolchildren, aged from 11 to 14 years, in seven elementary schools in the centre of Belgrade. Possible confounding factors (age, sex, body weight and body height) were controlled for. The overall prevalence of spine deformities (scoliosis and/or thoracic hyperkyphosis) in the investigated population was 11.8%, out of which there were 7.8% adolescents with scoliosis, 4.0% with thoracic hyperkyphosis, and 0.3% with both spine deformities. The prevalence of scoliosis was 2.7 times higher in girls compared to boys (11.7% vs. 4.3%) while the prevalence of thoracic hyperkyphosis was 1,6 higher among boys (5.0% vs. 3.2%). We found 7.6% of the schoolchildren examined to be left-handed. Left handedness was significantly related to scoliosis in girls (crude OR=1.60 and 95% confidence interval=1.01–2.54). Multivariate analysis showed that significant independent factors for scoliosis were female sex (p < 0.001), age (p=0.01) and left handedness (p=0.02). We did not find any appreciable relation between left handedness and thoracic hyperkyphosis in both sexes.

Health status of adolescents deprived of parental care

INTRODUCTION Children deprived of parental care are a vulnerahle population with complex needs and health problems. The aim of our study was to assess health status of this population and compare it with children living in their biological families. MATERIAL AND METHODS Our study included 41 adolescents living in foster families (22 boys and 19 girls, mean age 14.66 + 1.39 and 43 adolescents living in child foster homes (16 boys and 27 girls, mean age 14.99 +/- 1.3). The control group consisted of their classmates living with their biological families (45 adolescents, 20 boys and 25 girls, mean age 14.69 +/- 1.43). Health status was assessed by analyzing their medical records. Results There were no differences in regard to anthropometric characteristics (body weight, body height, body mass index) and prevalence of body deformities in studied groups. Acute bronchitis was significantly more fequent in children living in foster families (41.5%) than in other two groups (16.3%--foster homes: 17.8%--biological families). Headaches were significantly more common in groups living in foster families (31.70%) and foster homes (25.6%) than in children living with their biological families. The same was established for myopia (46.3% foster families: 32.6%--foster homes; 1 7.8%--biological families). CONCLUSION Even though there were no differences in regard to characteristics which are indicators of general health, it is apparent that children deprived of parental care present with particularities of health status. Additional researches are necessary in order to get insight into the causality of these phenomena.