This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the KiVa antibullying program using a large sample of 8,237 youth from Grades 4-6 (10-12 years). Altogether, 78 schools were randomly assigned to intervention (39 schools, 4,207 students) and control conditions (39 schools, 4,030 students). Multilevel regression analyses revealed that after 9 months of implementation, the intervention had consistent beneficial effects on 7 of the 11 dependent variables, including self- and peer-reported victimization and self-reported bullying. The results indicate that the KiVa program is effective in reducing school bullying and victimization in Grades 4-6. Despite some evidence against school-based interventions, the results suggest that well-conceived school-based programs can reduce victimization.

The emotional and behavioural problems of 7- to 15-year-old Finnish children and adolescents (n = 735) were assessed in a community population by a brief screening instrument, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The parent-, teacher- and self-reports of the SDQ were obtained. The results show that for the total scores, the inter-rater agreement between the pairs of reports was 0.38-0.44. The internal consistency in all three questionnaires was 0.71. Functioning above the 90th percentile of the SDQ total difficulties scores in parent-, teacher- and self-reports was strongly associated with help-seeking variables and problematic behaviour according to parents. The correlation of the parental SDQ total scores and the Child Behaviour Checklist total scores was 0.75 and the correlation of the self-report SDQ total scores with the Youth Self Report total scores was 0.71. The differences in sex, grade and informants of the SDQ total difficulties scores are reported. The study gives further evidence of the usefulness of the SDQ as a promising screening instrument for epidemiological research and clinical purposes.

The results highlighted the need for improved patient education. Surgical patients expect to receive more knowledge than they actually receive on all dimensions. The most problematic areas in the education of surgical patients are the experiential, ethical, social and financial dimensions of knowledge. In particular, younger patients, female patients and patients with a higher level of education require more attention.

Background Breastfeeding modulates infant growth and protects against the development of obesity. However, whether or not maternal variation in human milk components, such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), is associated with programming of child growth remains unknown. Objective Our objective was to determine the association between maternal HMO composition and child growth during the first 5 y of life. In addition, the association between maternal prepregnancy BMI and HMO composition was assessed. Methods Human milk samples from 802 mothers were obtained from a prospective population-based birth cohort study, Steps to healthy development of Children (STEPS), conducted in Turku, Finland. HMO composition in these milk samples was analyzed by HPLC. Child growth data from 3 mo to 5 y were collected from municipal well-baby clinics and linked to maternal HMO composition data to test for associations. Results Maternal HMO composition 3 mo after delivery was associated with height and weight during the first 5 y of life in children of secretor mothers. Specifically, HMO diversity and the concentration of lacto-N-neo-tetraose (LNnT) were inversely associated and that of 2′-fucosyllactose (2′FL) was directly associated with child height and weight z scores in a model adjusted for maternal prepregnancy BMI, mode of delivery, birthweight z score, sex, and time. Maternal prepregnancy BMI was associated with HMO composition. Conclusions The association between maternal HMO composition and childhood growth may imply a causal relation, which warrants additional testing in preclinical and clinical studies, especially since 2′FL and LNnT are among the HMOs now being added to infant formula. Furthermore, altered HMO composition may mediate the impact of maternal prepregnancy BMI on childhood obesity, which warrants further investigation to establish the cause-and-effect relation.

The STEPS Study aims to search for the precursors and causes of problems in child health and well-being by using a multidisciplinary approach. The cohort consists of all mothers (Finnish or Swedish speaking) who had live deliveries in the Hospital District of Southwest Finland from January 2008 to April 2010 and their children (n=9811 mothers, n=9936 children). Of these, 1797 mothers and their 1827 children were recruited to an intensive follow-up group during the first trimester of pregnancy or soon after delivery. Information about the whole study cohort is based on pregnancy follow-up data from maternity clinics, National Longitudinal Census Files and child welfare clinics. Data from multiple sources are used to obtain a picture of the overall well-being of the child and the family. After birth, study visits include several clinical examinations. Collaboration is encouraged, and access to the data will be available when the data set is complete.