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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

When flu should trigger a school shutdown

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Tuesday November 10, 2009

When flu should trigger a school shutdown
Clothing can determine physical activity
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When flu should trigger a school shutdown

BOSTON (UPI) -- Many education officials base decisions on when to close schools for flu on politics or fear rather than data, U.S. and Japanese researchers say.

Epidemiologists John Brownstein and Anne Gatewood Hoen of the Children's Hospital Boston Informatics Program in collaboration with Asami Sasaki of the University of Niigata Prefecture used a detailed set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies.

Sasaki, Hoen and Brownstein analyzed flu absenteeism data from a Japanese school district with 54 elementary schools. Tracking four consecutive flu seasons -- 2004-2008 -- they asked what pattern of flu absenteeism was best for detecting a true school outbreak, balanced against the practical need to keep schools open if possible.

A school outbreak was defined as a daily flu absentee rate of more than 10 percent of students. After comparing more than two dozen possible scenarios for closing a school, the analysis suggested three optimal scenarios:

-- (1) A single-day influenza-related absentee rate of 5 percent.

-- (2) Absenteeism of 4 percent or more on two consecutive days.

-- (3) Absenteeism of 3 percent or more on three consecutive days.

Scenarios 2 and 3 performed similarly, with the greatest sensitivity and specificity for predicting a flu outbreak. Both gave better results than the single-day scenario (1), the study says.

The findings are published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

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Clothing can determine physical activity

CINCINNATI (UPI) -- What parents choose to have their child wear to child care may hamper not only the child's physical activity but the whole class as well, U.S. researchers say.

The study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, suggests inadequate or inappropriate clothing can restrict children's outdoor play.

Dr. Kristen Copeland of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center says three-quarters of U.S. children ages 3-6 spend time in child care and many spend most of their waking hours in these settings.

Copeland and colleagues undertook a qualitative study of 53 child-care providers from 34 child-care centers in Cincinnati via a series of focus groups.

The researchers found inappropriate clothing included inadequate outdoor clothing, such as a lack of coats and gloves in the wintertime; unsuitable footwear, such as flip-flops; and "nice" or expensive outfits not to be ruined. The study also finds that a few children dressed improperly could prevent the entire class from going outside.

Those who worked at the child-care facilities suggested several reasons why parents may dress their child inappropriately, including forgetfulness, a rushed morning routine, limited income to buy clothes, a child's preference for a favorite item and parents not understanding the importance of outdoor play, the researchers say.

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