[Implementation and evaluation of a telephone hotline for professional mental health first aid during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany].

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a significant psychological burden for many people; however, especially during the first wave of the pandemic in Germany, little acute professional help was available for people in need.

Objective: In southern Germany, a telephone hotline for psychological first aid for COVID-19-related burdens was set up under the lead of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration, opened to the entire population and evaluated in April 2020.

Material And Methods: In the period from 22 April to 24 July 2020, 753 volunteer psychotherapeutically trained counselors from different professional groups answered a total of 8096 calls.

Determinants of blood pressure in preschool children: the role of parental smoking.

Background: Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although accumulating evidence suggests tracking of blood pressure from childhood into adult life, there is little information regarding the relative contributions of genetic, prenatal, biological, behavioral, environmental, and social determinants to childhood blood pressure.

Methods And Results: Blood pressure and an array of potential anthropometric, prenatal, environmental, and familial risk factors for high blood pressure, including parental smoking habits, were determined as part of a screening project in 4236 preschool children (age 5.

Prevalence and psychological correlates of occasional and repetitive deliberate self-harm in adolescents.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and the associated psychological and social factors of occasional and repetitive deliberate self-harming behavior in adolescents.

Design: Cross-sectional self-report survey.

Setting: One hundred twenty-one schools in Germany.

Neuropsychological effects of chronic low-dose exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): a cross-sectional study.

Background: Exposure to indoor air of private or public buildings contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has raised health concerns in long-term users. This exploratory neuropsychological group study investigated the potential adverse effects of chronic low-dose exposure to specific air-borne low chlorinated PCBs on well-being and behavioral measures in adult humans.

Methods: Thirty employees exposed to indoor air contaminated with PCBs from elastic sealants in a school building were compared to 30 non-exposed controls matched for education and age, controlling for gender (age range 37-61 years).

[Parent- and teacher-reported behavior problems of first graders].

Parents information about behavior, problems and life situation of children before and after first year of school were analysed and compared with data from teacher reports. At the end of first grade 131 parents were asked about behavior problems of their children using the child behavior checklist (CBCL) and additional items about living condition of the familiy and child. Findings were compared with those of a large epidemiological study conducted one year before in the same area using the same instruments.

[Behavioral symptoms in preschool children at the time of school entrance from the perspective of parents--data regarding prevalence and risk factors in an epidemiological study].

Behavioral and emotional problems based on parents information from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were investigated in a large epidemiological sample of 4363 six year old pre-school children from the area of Heidelberg and Rhein-Neckar county. An overview about symptom frequencies of boys and girls is given, taking age specific evaluations into account. Considering symptoms and syndromes, externalizing and attention problems show high prevalence, especially for boys.

Quantification of iodine supply: representative data on intake and urinary excretion of iodine from the German population in 1996.

Background/methods: In Germany, iodine deficiency is common. In a representative group of 2,500 Germans (age >13 years), using a specially designed food questionnaire, the iodine intake was calculated. In addition, iodine and creatinine concentrations in spot urine samples were determined in three groups with a possibly increased risk of iodine deficiency (769 conscripts, 886 pairs of mothers and newborns) or future hyperthyroidism (574 adults, age range 50-70 years) from 26 representative regions.