Ševčíková Ľ.1; Macháčová, E.2; Štefániková, Z.1; Jurkovičová J.1; Ľ., Ružanská.S. 1;

Sabolová, M.1; Ághová Ľ.1

1Institute of Hygiene, 2Institute of Epidemiology,

Medical Faculty, Comenius University, Bratislava

The quality of living and working conditions of school children depends on physical, psychological and socio-economic factors.

The changes in daily regimen - the proportion of psycho-sensory and static load at school and outside school, physical activity, daily activities and rest - reflect in the health status of children.

The aim of research has been the analysis of the health status change and selected life-style factors in school children as well as evaluation of the level of prevention and intervention.

The daily activity data obtained on the basisof 7-day records in representative samples of 2339 school children in 1998 have been compared with the data of 2108 school children during the same week of the year 1982.

The questionnaire was used for evaluation of chronic diseases prevalence in school children with proportional representation of boys and girls of all age groups (6-14yrs) from all regions of Slovakia in 1986 (93 540 school children) and in 2000 (3437 children).

The programmes EPI Info 6 and Microsoft Excel were used for statistical analysis.

Changes in the prevalence of chronic diseases of school children in Slovakia

14.9

18.8

11.7

15,1

1.83.8

0

5

10

15

20

1986 2000

[%]

Psychological

disorders

Orthopaedic diseases

Impaired vision

**

** p < 0.001

7

51

31

73

28

49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Optional lessons Private lessons Organised interest activities

PC

The regimen activities representing psycho-sensory and static load in school children (%)

%

** p < 0,001

**

**

20 23 2226

2123

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 1982 1998

2730

2327

23

32

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

32

39

36

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

**

**

1-4th 5-9th Total 1-4th 5-9th Total 1-4th 5-9th Total 1-4th 5-9th Total

Grades

****

Grades

Sleep in school children (h)

Watching TV in school children (min)

r = - 0,154 p<0,001

min h

**

**

**

**

**

Regular sport activity in school children (%)

(%)

Grades

min

The average time of daily outdoor activity in school children (min)

** p < 0,001

**** 44

41

35

41

29

38

0

10

20

30

40

50

1-4th 5-9th Total

1982 1998

****

Health risks in daily regimen have increased in school children.

The age differentiation in load has not been respected. Psycho-sensory and static strain is excessive in many younger pupils, significantly higher in comparison with those in the year 1982.

Physical and sport activities, which have a favourable influence on somatic and psychological functions, was very low in the youngest school children regardless of the increase the number of children who participate in sport.

The significant shortening of sleep has been shown in relation with the significant increase of daily watching TV. TV influences life of school children in many aspects as is known from many studies.

The time of active and passive daily leisure is not adequate for compensation of static and psycho-sensory load during lessons and other daily activities in school children.

Described changes in the course of 16 years - i.e., increased psycho-sensory and static load, and low physical and sport activities - could contribute to significant increases in chronic diseases such as impaired vision, orthopaedic disorders with dominance of incorrect posture, and psychological disorders.

The changes in morbidity of school children could be also in relationship with changes of psychosocial climate at schools and families, what showed our another studies. High number of school children (31 %) were often stressed, particularly at school. Subjective feeling of load was high in 50 - 90 % of pupils in all grades.

Risk factors in regimen, behaviour and environment of

Slovak school children have increased.

Negative morbidity trend in Slovak school children could be the consequence of rising of psycho-sensory and static load and low physical and sport activities in daily regimen, but also of current non systematic preventive health care during school attendance.

The adherence of basic hygienic principles in educational process, psycho-hygienic principles and intensive public health observation as well as intervention oriented to children, parents and teachers are the way of positive influence in the situation of health´ status in school children.