Latest news with #NationalSurvey
Washington Post
a day ago
- Health
- Washington Post
Mothers report worse mental health in new report
More American mothers reported worse mental health in 2023 than in 2016 in a national survey, though many said they were in good health, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. Using data from the National Survey of Children's Health, researchers analyzed self-reported mental health ratings from some 198,000 mothers with children age 17 and younger. In 2023, 26 percent of the mothers who responded said their mental health was 'excellent,' compared with 38 percent of mothers in 2016. While 19 percent of mothers reported good mental health in 2016, some 26 percent said the same in 2023.
Medscape
a day ago
- Health
- Medscape
Why Children With Disabilities Are Skipping Medical Visits
Children with disabilities who face disability-based discrimination at doctors' appointments are more than twice as likely to forego care later on, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. 'This is one of the first studies we've published that shows that discrimination is associated with worse health outcomes through decreased healthcare utilization. Foregone healthcare is something we want to prevent,' said Stefanie Ames, MD, lead author and board-certified pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Disability-based discrimination is not always obvious to the doctors treating patients, and these experiences are much less studied in pediatrics than in adult care. 'Families can recognize it because they feel that mistrust, but it can be hard for providers to recognize,' Ames said. Ames and her colleagues looked at data from the National Survey of Children's Health collected between 2021 and 2022 that included surveys from the parents of more than 24,000 children living with a disability. More than 63% of the kids had a disability that affected their daily life, and 11% of parents included in the survey said they had been treated or judged unfairly in healthcare system because of their child's health condition or disability. This type of discrimination takes many forms, Ames said. The Civil Rights Division in the US Department of Justice provides guidance to health providers on providing accessible medical equipment in care settings, including wheelchair scales. 'If you don't have the equipment needed to care for children with a disability, they already don't receive the same care, especially because pediatric care is so weight-based,' she said. Another common occurrence is a clinician only addressing the caregiver of a pediatric patient who has a disability, or making assumptions about that patient's quality of life. Clinicians may also not provide preventive care services 'or not offer expected management because their life expectancy is shorter than other children,' Ames said. Half of those who experienced discrimination were teenagers aged 13-17 years and 7% were children aged 5 years or younger. Meanwhile, children who were discriminated against were more likely to have been hospitalized in the past year (10.6% vs 6.3%) than those who had not. More than twice as many families who experienced discrimination had decided to not seek out care in the past year compared with those who did not (aOR, 2.13). Those that said disabilities had affected their daily lives were three times as likely to have skipped appointments (aOR, 2.94). Clinicians need to understand the barriers families may be facing on top of having a child with a disability, said Veronica Pollack, MSN, MSW, former clinical nurse specialist and former care coordinator at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, who co-wrote a commentary about the research. 'One of the things I've seen happen is people getting kicked out of clinics or fired by providers because of no-shows,' Pollack said. Clinic staff 'might not understand why the no-shows are happening. There may be limitations on transportation, getting time off work, or getting childcare for other children and sometimes other family members.' Clinicians and their staff should ask families about barriers that could prevent them from coming to appointments and try to address them. Not doing so 'could be seen as being done purposefully instead of just out of ignorance,' Pollack said. Once children do come back for an appointment, clinicians need to treat families like new patients to rebuild trust. 'Once the trust is eroded, it's really hard to rebuild,' Ames said. Pollack said clinicians should involve families and children in shared decision-making, asking what their biggest needs are, rather than making assumptions. 'Maybe the thing that is absolutely killing them is that they can't feed the kid,' because the child is having issues with swallowing, Pollack said. The clinician might teach a few exercises and make a referral to a speech language pathologist. 'That may relieve their anxiety and open up more space to seek other care.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist
7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist originally appeared on Parade. Think back to when you were in elementary school. Between the fun stuff, like recess, field trips and sleepovers, you likely worried about things from time to time, right? Back then, just like today, there were also bullies and friendship dynamics to navigate. Because kids interact with each other daily, often dealing with certain issues for the first time, any child can get stressed out. But what do elementary-age kids the most today?As it turns out, younger generations are more worried and anxious than previous ones, with research pointing to this fact, as reported by a 2011 American Journal of Orthopsychiatry study. Data from the National Survey of Children's Health also found that the prevalence of children diagnosed with anxiety rose from 9.5% in 2020 to over 11% in 2022 among children aged 6 to 11. With the rise of social media, reality TV and the pressure to achieve so much, it makes sense that kids are more anxious than are those the only things elementary-age kids worry about these days? How can parents support them? And when does worry become indicative of something larger, like an anxiety disorder? Parade reached out to a child psychologist to get some of these answers to help out kids and parents Like adults, children naturally worry. Child psychologist Jacque Cutillo, Ph.D., LLP, LPC, LMHC, Director of Specialized Operations at Youth Villages, says that at the elementary school stage, kids are figuring out their place in the world, testing their beliefs and managing increased responsibilities at home and at school. Additionally, they're navigating peer relationships, gaining independence and exploring interests. 'They develop flexible thinking, considering more 'gray' options instead of just black and white,' Cutillo remarks. 'And navigating the gray can bring new challenges in determining right and wrong.' Related: Have a Nervous Child in the Doctor's Office? Here's How to Ease Shot Anxiety in Your Kids As is the case with adults, yes, some kids are just predisposed to worry more. 'Some children do worry more than others, but there are both biological and environmental components to consider,' Cutillo says. For instance, some children have a lower tolerance when managing stressful events, or they might have higher standards they hold themselves to, which can result in increased worry. Also, as Cutillo points out, children's worries can fluctuate from day to day depending on the stressors they are facing. Finally, children are often mirroring how their parents navigate worries. As Cutillo says, if adults can navigate through stressful situations or tolerate levels of unknowns in their daily interactions, children will observe that modeled behavior and develop their own strategies for similar situations. Related: At times, kids can worry about adult concerns like housing, finances and adult relationships. 'Adults are sharing more about things that impact their family with their children. Children are more frequently privy to family concerns at an earlier stage of navigating the concern before adults have a plan to solve the issue,' Cutillo says. Calling them 'macro-level concerns,' Cutillo says that modern-day issues such as politics and immigration can be top of mind for children. 'Children are far more observant now about local, national and international issues because of increased exposure,' she explains. Peer concerns, such as feeling included, fitting in and navigating relationships can be a big source of worry. Cutillo says that kids compare themselves to their peers, from what snacks they bring to lunch to how they perform on a test. 'Competition and performance have become hallmarks in conversations, and needing to keep up continues to increase stressors to maintain relevancy and remain involved in peer groups,' she observes. Labeling it as social media 'infatuation,' Cutillo says that this state has become more common among children, even from a young age. 'Part of this is modeled behavior from caregivers who use their phone or other device to engage in social media usage or technology devices to distract and decompress,' she explains. 'Additionally, technology is everywhere, and a lot of social interaction happens over technology.' Related: Children may worry when trying to meet their own expectations, the expectations of the adults in their lives or simply by media that can influence them. 'Our children want to be good at things and want to have the skills to succeed," Cutillo says. "Children are doing the best they can with the skills they have, and some have developed the need to be perfect at everything they try.' Transitional experiences in life—both small and substantial—can create a lot of worry for a child. As Cutillo notes, it can be something as simple as a change in routine or a new activity, or it can be something larger, such as moving or experiencing loss. 'Changes in daily living result in worry for most people—it is not surprising that children experience the same feelings,' she says. Just like work worries for adults, kids get anxious about school as well. 'Many children experience worries about school performance,' Cutillo says. 'This may be regarding classroom activities, maintaining behavioral norms, standardized tests or public speaking.' Related: If Your Parents or Grandparents Did These 7 Things When You Were a Kid, You're Probably an Anxious Adult Cutillo says that parents can support their children by discussing their feelings openly, addressing daily worries and noticing changes in mood and behavior. 'Even small worries should be taken seriously, as they may be significant to the child,' she cautions. 'Engaging in problem-solving and discussing physiological symptoms helps model good skills and supports emotional development.' She also advises using age-appropriate language and monitoring the information your children are consuming (i.e. through social media). Limiting screen time and trying to avoid sensitive news topics can be beneficial when it comes to their a parent, you'll also want to be aware of how you're modeling healthy habits to your children. Cutillo also recommends answering children's questions honestly and appropriately, seeking answers together if needed. This can be addressed through kid-friendly resources like books, shows or podcasts. Lastly, you can work together to create a 'worry box,' something that can help kids manage their worries, and they can make it unique to them. She suggests using a shoebox or another small box with a lid, decorating it and having your kids place their worries inside for safekeeping, perhaps written on slips of Child Psychologists Are Begging Parents and Grandparents To Stop Asking These 10 Questions 'When worries grow large and seem to be impacting daily activities or relationships, that is a time to seek further support to help your child navigate their worries,' says Cutillo. 'When worries become a problem, caregivers may notice a change in their child's mood or behavior. A typically energetic and outgoing child may withdraw or appear more subdued.'You might notice a change in tone or attitude if your child is experiencing stressors, as well. You should also watch for changes in physiological presentation as well, including difficulty falling or staying asleep, changes in appetite and reports of head or stomachaches, as she explains. Related: There's a chance that these everyday worries may indicate a clinical anxiety disorder. Cutillo says that these characteristics can include excessive worry about a variety of topics over a significant amount of time or a fixation around a specific phobia, social event or even being separated from a primary should you do if these are things you're noticing? 'Caregivers should reach out to their child's pediatrician or school support for further assessment and intervention,' Cutillo says. 'If you notice unsafe behaviors, such as self-harm or suicidal comments or behaviors, seek immediate support from a professional.' Up Next:Jacque Cutillo, Ph.D., LLP, LPC, LMHC, child psychologist and Director of Specialized Operations at Youth Villages 7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist first appeared on Parade on Jun 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Libya Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- Libya Herald
Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister Aldabaiba launches Three-Track Political Initiative
Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, announced his intention to launch a new political initiative in the coming days that includes three tracks to get Libya out of its current political impasse. Aldabaiba launched the initiative at yesterday's 2nd Ordinary Cabinet meeting of 2025 held at Tripoli's Al-Nasser Woods Complex (formerly Rixos complex). Aldabaiba only initially announced the headings of these Three Tracks, leaving much to interpretation. The First track The First Track involved restructuring the government based on efficiency/meritocracy, and away from regional/tribal ministerial/appointment quotas or the effects of the eastern based parallel government. This implies and confirms the general public consensus that several current ministers are incompetent and are in post based only on tribal/regional pressures. It implies a desire to appoint ministers loyal to a national idea vision rather than their tribe or region – at the expense of the advancement of the Libyan state. The Second Track The Second Track involves the launch of the 'National Survey' project as an inclusive tool and an expression of the popular will. This is an idea previously launched by the Presidency Council. Aldabaiba and the Presidency Council seek to appeal to the general public through surveys which confirm the public's desire and mandate to create a strong state of institutions. Primarily, they seek to use the responses to these surveys to empower them to move forward against the status quo and the current political quagmire and impasse. This would presumably include using this political mandate to confront and demobilize the powerful militias that act as hurdles to the sovereign state and the government in achieving development and progress. The Third Track The Third Track involves establishing a realistic mechanism to secure the elections and end to the pretext of a parallel government. A translation of this could mean that Aldabaiba and the recently politically proactive Presidency Council seek to somehow bypass the blocking effect of the House of Representatives, led by Ageela Salah and supported by the Hafter family, in decreeing ''fair'' elections laws. These new fair election laws would to enable the holding of elections resulting in one unified Libyan government and extracting Libya out of its current moribund transition state.
Ya Biladi
28-05-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Moroccan women at the margins of the informal sector
In Morocco, the proportion of households owning an informal production unit (IPU) remains notably significant. Over nearly a decade, from 2014 to 2023, this figure has only slightly decreased—from 15.5% to 14.3%—both in urban areas (from 17.2% to 15.6%) and rural areas (from 12.8% to 11%). In its National Survey on the sector published this Wednesday, the High Commission for Planning (HCP) highlights that economic necessity remains the primary reason for engaging in this activity in 68.3% of cases, especially among women. Meanwhile, 31.7% of IPU owners cite preference or family tradition as their motivation. Before creating their IPU, 78.8% of heads were already economically active, primarily in construction (81.4%). However, there are significant gender gaps: 82.3% of men were employed compared to just 36.1% of women, the report notes. Nearly 60% of IPU heads are former employees. Additionally, 38.3% of women had previously owned another IPU as independents, compared to 27.6% of men. The HCP further observes that women enter the informal sector out of necessity more often than men—71.9% versus 65.1%. Notably, 44% of women were inactive before starting their IPU, compared to only 7.1% of men. Thus, the informal sector often serves as a first entry point into the labor market for many women, although it does not always lead to formal employment. According to the report, the share of women coming from unemployment (19.8%) is nearly double that of men (10.6%), «reflecting a more frequent recourse by women to informal self-employment as an alternative to professional exclusion». This gendered analysis also reveals that women rely less on self-financing and more on alternative funding sources such as inheritance, aid, or donations, reflecting lower financial autonomy when establishing their unit. In the sector, 30% of women struggle more than men to balance their professional and personal lives—compared to only 8.1% of men. The report calls this «a major challenge for women's autonomy and professional fulfillment», with these constraints compounded by limited access to bank credit. Within this ecosystem, only 2.1% of IPU heads have a dedicated bank account for their activity. A precarious alternative to total inactivity The report underscores persistent gender disparities in decision-making autonomy and work-family balance within IPUs. It highlights differences in income management autonomy, where men (96.4%) slightly outperform women (94.7%). Decision-making patterns reveal further disparities: nearly half of women (43.4%) share decisions with their spouse, compared to 31.3% of men. Conversely, 19% of men report making decisions with a partner, against only 10.2% of women. Regarding professional status before creating an IPU, the survey notes that most heads were employees (59.5%), followed by independents (28%). Yet, more women had previously worked as independents (38.3% vs. 27.6%), while men were more often employees (59.8% vs. 51.4%). At the national level, the HCP notes that households led by men have a higher IPU ownership rate (16.1%) than those led by women (5.4%). In urban areas, 18% of male-led households own an IPU, compared to 6.1% of female-led ones. This gap widens in rural areas—12% versus 2.7%. Moreover, heads aged 35 to 59 are more likely to own an IPU (17.1%), with men constituting the vast majority (92.4%) of IPU leaders. Women are nearly absent in the construction sector, managing only 5.2% of IPUs in commerce and 8.2% in services. They are most represented in industry, with 20.9%, according to the HCP. These figures are revealing in a context where female employment loss remains high. In rural areas, this loss is estimated to reduce GDP by nearly 2.2%. While over 80% of women nationally are economically inactive and only 19% hold a job, the HCP has recommended targeted empowerment measures to recognize the «essential but often invisible» contributions of female workers, especially in rural zones. In 2023, informal sector employment accounted for 33.1% of non-agricultural jobs. The downward trend is seen in industry (from 37.2% to 29.3%) and services (21.5% to 20.6%), alongside increases in trade (68.5% to 69.8%) and construction (21.4% to 25.3%). In absolute numbers, informal employment grew from 2.37 million to 2.53 million over this period, adding 157,000 jobs.
