Preterm postnatal complications and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Aim: To investigate the association between the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and preterm birth and determine how postnatal complications in children born preterm is associated with the risk of ADHD.

Method: This population-based cohort study used data from the Hong Kong electronic medical records. We followed 359 614 children (48% female; 6-17 years old, mean 11 years 7 months, SD 3 years 2 months) born in public hospitals in Hong Kong from 1st January 2004 to 31st December 2014 and collected medical records and demographic details for mothers and children until 11th November 2020.

Brain Microstructural Changes Associated With Neurocognitive Outcome in Intracranial Germ Cell Tumor Survivors.

Background: Childhood intracranial germ cell tumor (GCT) survivors are prone to radiotherapy-related neurotoxicity, which can lead to neurocognitive dysfunctions. Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) is a diffusion MRI technique that is sensitive to brain microstructural changes. This study aimed to investigate the association between DKI metrics versus cognitive and functional outcomes of childhood intracranial GCT survivors.

Does obesity persist from childhood to adolescence? A 4-year prospective cohort study of chinese students in Hong Kong.

Background: Little is known about the progression of obesity from childhood to adolescence. This study aimed to longitudinally examine the obesity status in a cohort of children across their childhood and adolescence, and to identify the factors associated with persistent obesity.

Methods: The study used data from School Physical Fitness Award Scheme (SPFAS), a population-based programme in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools.

Effect of Pokémon Go on Self-Harm Using Population-Based Interrupted Time-Series Analysis: Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Pokémon Go is a very popular location-based augmented reality game with widespread influences over the world. An emerging body of research demonstrates that playing Pokémon Go can lead to improvements in physical activity and psychosocial well-being; however, whether Pokémon Go reduces self-harm incidence at the population-level is still questionable.

Objective: This study aimed to quantify how the launch of Pokémon Go in Hong Kong affected the incidence of self-harm using a quasi-experimental design.

Health-related quality of life in Chinese boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and their families.

This study aims to assess the family functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Chinese boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and their parents using Pediatric Quality-of-Life Family Impact Module ( FIM) and Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0. Findings from 15 families with DMD were compared with 15 unaffected families.

Associations Between Child Maltreatment and Adolescents' Health-Related Quality of Life and Emotional and Social Problems in Low-Income Families, and the Moderating Role of Social Support.

This study aimed to examine the associations between different types of child maltreatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and emotional and social problems in adolescents, and to examine the moderating effect of social support on those associations. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and June 2016 in Hong Kong. The sample comprised 351 parent and adolescent dyads from low-income families.

Neurocognitive function, performance status, and quality of life in pediatric intracranial germ cell tumor survivors.

Background: Intracranial germ cell tumors (GCT) are more common in Asia than in the West, accounting for about 15% of brain tumors in Asian children. The survival rate for intracranial GCT is excellent, but there are concerns about the effects of radiotherapy on neuropsychological function and quality of life of patients.

Methods: Intracranial germ cell tumors (GCT) are more common in Asia than in the West, accounting for about 15% of brain tumors in Asian children.

Associations of paternal postpartum depressive symptoms and infant development in a Chinese longitudinal study.

Although fathers actively provide infant care and support to their partners in modern societies, data on fathers' difficulties and mental health problems is still limited. This study examined paternal postpartum depression and its adverse impact on infants, and the possible mediating role of father-infant attachment in the link between fathers' depressive symptoms and infants' outcomes. Pregnant women and their partners were recruited from the antenatal clinics of two public hospitals in Hong Kong.

Excessive Screen Time and Psychosocial Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Body Mass Index, Sleep Duration, and Parent-Child Interaction.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between excessive screen time and psychosocial well-being in preschool children, and the potential mediating role of body mass index, sleep duration, and parent-child interaction.

Study Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Shanghai, China using stratified random sampling design. A representative sample of 20 324 children aged 3-4 years old from 191 kindergartens participated in this study.

The Longer-Term Psychosocial Development of Adolescents: Child Development Accounts and the Role of Mentoring.

To examine the long-term development of adolescents who participated in the Child Development Fund (CDF), which was a community intervention that consisted of Child Development Accounts (CDAs) and mentorship components. This was an evaluative study of the CDF community intervention and was conducted between January and June 2016 in Hong Kong. A total of 902 adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds participated in this study (552 in the CDF and 350 in the comparison group).

Rasch validation of the Chinese parent-child interaction scale (CPCIS).

Background: Proper parent-child interaction is crucial for child development, but an assessment tool in Chinese is currently lacking. This study aimed to develop and validate a parent-reported parent-child interaction scale for Chinese preschool children.

Methods: The Chinese parent-child interaction scale (CPCIS) was designed by an expert panel based on the literature and clinical observations in the Chinese context.

Childhood Obesity and Physical Activity-Friendly School Environments.

Objective: Childhood obesity may be related to school environment, but previous studies often focused on food environment only. This study aimed to examine the relationship between school physical activity environment and childhood obesity.

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study with multilevel data collected on school physical activity environment using teacher questionnaires, students' growth, and obesity status from electronic health records, and neighborhood socioeconomic status from census data.

A Sports-Based Youth Development Program, Teen Mental Health, and Physical Fitness: An RCT.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of a positive youth development (PYD)-based sports mentorship program on the physical and mental well-being of adolescents recruited in a community setting.

Methods: This is a randomized controlled trial in which we recruited students from 12 secondary schools in Hong Kong, China. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention or a control arm after stratification for school from October 2013 to June 2014.

Impact of nutritional supplements on cognitive development of children in developing countries: A meta-analysis.

Nutritional supplements may be important on cognition but the evidence is heterogeneous. This meta-analysis aimed (1) to determine whether nutritional supplements provided to pregnant women or young children could improve cognitive development of children in developing countries, and (2) to explore how supplementation characteristics could improve children's cognitive outcomes. This meta-analysis examined nutritional supplementation studies in 9 electronic databases and 13 specialist websites.

Parental restriction reduces the harmful effects of in-bedroom electronic devices.

Objective: To investigate whether school readiness could be affected by placing electronic devices (EDs) in children's bedroom and whether the relationship was moderated by parental restriction and family socioeconomic status (SES).

Design: This is a cross-sectional study with bedroom ED placement and parental restriction reported by parents. Multiple linear regressions were used to test the relationship between school readiness and ED placement.

Stock Market Fluctuations and Self-Harm among Children and Adolescents in Hong Kong.

Although a few studies investigated the impact of stock market fluctuations on population health, the question of whether stock market fluctuations have an impact on self-harm in children and adolescents remain unanswered. This study therefore investigated the association between stock market fluctuations and self-harm among children and adolescents in Hong Kong. Daily self-harm attendance records were retrieved from all 18 local Accident and Emergency Departments (AED) from 2001 to 2012.

Fall-related attendance and associated hospitalisation of children and adolescents in Hong Kong: a 12-year retrospective study.

Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the trends and characteristics of fall-related attendance in accident and emergency department (AED) by injury type and the trend in associated average length of stay (LOS) among children and adolescents in Hong Kong.

Design: A retrospective approach was adopted.

Setting: AED, involving all local public emergency departments from 2001 to 2012.

Effectiveness of a Technology-Based Injury Prevention Program for Enhancing Mothers' Knowledge of Child Safety: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Provision of anticipatory guidance for parents is recommended as an effective strategy to prevent injuries among young children. Technology-based anticipatory guidance has been suggested to reinforce the effectiveness of injury prevention and improve parents' knowledge of child safety.

Objective: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a technology-based injury prevention program with parental anticipatory guidance for enhancing mothers' knowledge of child safety.

Effectiveness of a culturally attuned Internet-based depression prevention program for Chinese adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Depression prevention among adolescents is crucial for reducing the global disease burden. Internet-based depression prevention approaches are found to be effective but they were mostly evaluated in a Western context. Grasping the Opportunity is a Chinese Internet intervention, which was translated and modified from CATCH-IT developed in the West.

Child maltreatment hospitalisations in Hong Kong: incidence rate and seasonal pattern.

Objective: We investigated the incidence and seasonal patterns of child maltreatment hospitalisations in Hong Kong.

Design: A retrospective study of subjects aged under 19 years with a primary diagnosis of child maltreatment admitted to hospitals in Hong Kong from 2001 to 2010. Data were retrieved from the centralised database of all 42 public hospitals in the Hospital Authority.

Socioeconomic Gradient in Childhood Obesity and Hypertension: A Multilevel Population-Based Study in a Chinese Community.

Background: This study aims to assess evidence for any socioeconomic gradients in childhood obesity and hypertension in a population-representative sample in Hong Kong, China.

Methods: The data of a stratified random sampled growth survey collected in 2005-2006 was matched with a population by-census. Obesity was defined using the International Obesity Task Force standard and hypertension was defined using the Hong Kong norm table.

Prenatal Tobacco Exposure Shortens Telomere Length in Children.

Introduction: Preliminary evidence suggests a possible association between prenatal tobacco exposure and telomere length in children. This study was conducted to investigate whether maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with telomere shortening in their children and whether prenatal and childhood exposure to environmental tobacco had any impact on this association.

Methods: This is a population-representative study on the association between prenatal tobacco exposure and telomere length in children.

Physical activity improves mental health through resilience in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.

Background: Adolescent mental health problems are global public health concern. Primary prevention through physical activity (PA) has been suggested as a potential approach to tackling this problem. Studies in Western countries have provided some evidence of a relationship between PA and adolescent mental health, but the evidence in China is not sufficient.