Latest news with #AvonLongitudinalStudy
Medscape
5 days ago
- General
- Medscape
Childhood AD Not Linked to Executive Function Deficits
A cohort study of children in the United Kingdom found that early childhood atopic dermatitis (AD), especially when mild, is not associated with executive function (EF) deficits in middle childhood. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed 11,373 children (51.5% boys; > 95% White individuals) from the UK-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, with parental reports of AD activity and severity in their children between ages 6 and 81 months. AD activity and severity of children were assessed using maternal questionnaires at two or more of seven timepoints between 6 months and 7 years of age, focusing on itchy, dry skin rash in joints and creases, such as behind the knees. At 81 months, data was available for 8208 children, 81% had no AD and 19% had varying degrees of AD activity and severity. Using latent class mixed modeling, researchers classified children into five distinct early childhood AD trajectories: Unaffected/rare (62.90%), early onset resolving (1.09%), persistent mild (31.35%), persistent moderate to severe (0.93%), and worsening (3.74%). EF, specifically attention regulation, inhibition, and working memory, was measured at ages 8, 10, and 11 years, adjusted for covariates. TAKEAWAY: No statistically significant differences were detected across AD trajectories in selective attention, divided attention, and attentional control at ages 8 and 11 years, inhibition at age 10 years, and working memory at ages 8 and 10 years. Similarly, no statistically significant associations were observed between AD severity status at 81 months and EF outcomes in middle-childhood. IN PRACTICE: 'The role of EF in the relationship between childhood AD and neuropsychological outcomes is an understudied area,' the authors wrote, 'but together with prior research, the current study supports the conclusion that EF impairment is not a major mechanism driving this relationship, at least in a sample of nonadolescent children with largely mild AD.' SOURCE: The study was led by Elle Kim, Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and was published online on May 2025 in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology . LIMITATIONS: Only a small portion of the study population experienced moderate or severe disease, which limited the statistical power to detect effects in more severe cases. Other limitations included potential selection bias, lack of information about treatments for AD, and limitation of generalizability to non-UK populations. DISCLOSURES: The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Some authors reported receiving research and fellowship funding from and having other ties with various sources, including Pfizer, Sun Pharmaceuticals, La Roche Posay. One author also declared holding patents, being a deputy editor, and being a member of the Board of Directors for the International Psoriasis Council and the Medical Dermatology Society.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Heavy periods harm exam results and school attendance, study finds
Heavy periods have been linked with lower attendance and poorer GCSE results in girls, according to a new study. More than a third of school girls (36 per cent) who experienced heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding also missed 1.7 additional days of school every year. Symptoms, such as heavy bleeding and severe cramps, were experienced by more than half of participants and associated with achieving lower grades. Researchers from the University of Bristol found these symptoms were linked to 27 per cent lower odds of achieving five passes at GCSE – which is often needed to help students enter the next stage of education. The findings are based on analysis of data from almost 2,700 girls aged 13 to 16 who were taking their GCSEs between 2006 and 2009. The data drawn from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children revealed 36 per cent of the girls experienced prolonged or heavy bleeding and 56 per cent reported menstrual pain. Participants were interviewed four times over three years about their periods and educational attainment data was also collected. The study is out as a preprint but has not yet been published, and is under review at npj Science of Learning. Its findings suggested concerns about leaking, shame, bullying, managing period symptoms while in school and difficulty accessing toilets during lessons, as well as debilitating symptoms, could all be harming girls' attendance and exam results. 'It's an issue that is largely not discussed or is totally ignored,' Gemma Sharp, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Exeter, who supervised the research said. She told the Independent: 'Ensuring period products are easily available would help, as well as allowing pupils to use the toilet during lesson time and exams.' It comes after another study led by the phs hygiene services group alongside the global menstrual justice charity Irise, that found more than two in three students (65 per cent) are unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time. Dr Sharp believes there needs to be a 'serious culture shift' and menstruation shouldn't be 'stigmatised or treated as taboo'. She added: 'I think this starts with education - normalising menstruation and including boys in the conversation too so that it's clear from the off that it's not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. 'For girls who are experiencing problematic symptoms, like heavy bleeding or severe pain, we need them to feel comfortable in disclosing that to adults, and we need the adults to listen and make sure they're getting appropriate health care and support in schools and at home.' Tina Leslie MBE and founder of Freedom4Girls said the 'study shines a spotlight on a hugely overlooked issue'. She added: 'No student should be penalised for a medical issue they can't control. We urgently need schools to provide a full range of free, high-quality menstrual products, including those suitable for heavier flows. But products alone aren't enough. 'We must create environments where menstruation isn't stigmatised—where students feel safe speaking up, accessing bathrooms, and managing their health without shame. We have had many students and adults telling us of missing school days as toilets are locked at lesson times as they are not allowed to go to the toilet which adds to the stress missed education, truancy issues and lowering of attainment levels.'
