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Child Welfare and Health Care
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Child Welfare and Health Care

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 20573

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marco Fabio Mastroeni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Post-Graduation Program in Health and Environment, University of Joinville Region, Joinville 89219-710, SC, Brazil
Interests: maternal and infant obesity; epidemiology; molecular biology; metabolism; anxiety and depressive disorders; cognitive development; sleep

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last 30 years, we have witnessed the emergence of important negative health outcomes in all age groups, especially children. Excess body weight, neurodevelopmental disorders, low school performance, and allergies, among other health-related problems, are commonly reported in several countries. The causes of these outcomes include nutritional transition, globalization, physical inactivity, inappropriate medication use, insufficient attention to the gestational transition, inadequate education, and socioeconomic factors, among other factors. Fortunately, science has contributed to a better understanding on how to prevent these negative outcomes. This Special Issue invites researchers to publish the results of studies that have investigated child welfare and health care, and thus contribute to a continuous improvement in the quality of life of the mother and her child. 

Prof. Dr. Marco Fabio Mastroeni
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 465 KiB  
Article
Sleep Parameters and Quality of Life in Children with Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis: Association, Prediction and Moderation Analysis
by Leticia Soster, Renatha Rafihi-Ferreira, Simone Fagundes, Adrienne Lebl, Vera Koch and Ila Linares
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(5), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050765 - 13 May 2025
Viewed by 324
Abstract
Although often considered benign, monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) can significantly affect various domains of children’s quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polysomnography-derived sleep parameters and quality of life in children with MNE. Forty-four participants aged 8–12 years, with [...] Read more.
Although often considered benign, monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) can significantly affect various domains of children’s quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polysomnography-derived sleep parameters and quality of life in children with MNE. Forty-four participants aged 8–12 years, with a diagnosis of MNE, underwent polysomnography and completed a quality of life questionnaire (PedsQL). Multiple linear regressions were used to assess the role of sleep variables in predicting four PedsQL domains. Moderation analysis was also performed to evaluate whether the N2 sleep percentage influenced the relationship between arousals and PedsQL. A higher frequency of microarousals predicted lower scores in the physical (B = −3.28, p = 0.01) and social (B = −3.50, p = 0.004) domains. A higher N2 sleep percentage was associated with better social (B = 0.69, p = 0.03) and school functioning (B = 0.88, p = 0.03). Moderation analysis revealed that N2 sleep amplified the negative impact of arousals on the social domain, particularly when the N2 sleep percentage was one standard deviation above the mean (B = −4.31, p < 0.001). The findings underscore the importance of sleep continuity and N2 stability for the quality of life of children with MNE. These results demonstrate the complex interaction between sleep and quality of life in pediatric enuresis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Welfare and Health Care)
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11 pages, 677 KiB  
Article
Docosahexaenoic Acid and Sleep Quality in Very and Extreme Preterm Infants
by Giovanna Rando Barion, Pietra Giovanna Marghetti, Patricia Zanotelli Cagliari and Marco Fabio Mastroeni
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10), 1362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101362 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1442
Abstract
The results regarding the association of plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels with sleep duration conflict. This study aimed to investigate the effect of oral administration of DHA on the sleep quality of Brazilian extreme preterm infants. This cohort study is part of the [...] Read more.
The results regarding the association of plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels with sleep duration conflict. This study aimed to investigate the effect of oral administration of DHA on the sleep quality of Brazilian extreme preterm infants. This cohort study is part of the Joinville Docosahexaenoic Acid Study (JoiDHA) conducted with 59 infants in Joinville, Brazil. Sleep quality was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire, which consists of 12 questions about the quality of sleep the week prior to its application and was answered by the parents/guardians. Of the 59 children who participated in the study, 37 (62.7%) were supplemented with DHA and 22 (37.3%) did not receive DHA. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was higher among children with the weight status at birth <50th percentile (68.2%; p = 0.045) when compared to children ≥50th percentile. However, Poisson regression analysis showed that neither weight status at birth nor DHA use was associated with sleep quality, even after adjusting for the same variables. In summary, sleep quality 12–24 months after birth was not associated with DHA supplementation in very and extreme preterm infants. Additional studies that address the increase in DHA intake would be important for the understanding of the effect of this fatty acid on sleep quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Welfare and Health Care)
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16 pages, 391 KiB  
Article
Association between Sleep Timing, Being Overweight and Meal and Snack Consumption in Children and Adolescents in Southern Brazil
by Denise Miguel Teixeira Roberto, Luciana Jeremias Pereira, Francilene Gracieli Kunradi Vieira, Patricia Faria Di Pietro, Maria Alice Altenburg de Assis and Patrícia de Fragas Hinnig
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6791; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186791 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2018
Abstract
Sleep timing is one of the dimensions of sleep that refers to the time of day when sleep occurs. It has been included in sleep-related research because of the potential associations between being overweight and the consumption of meals and snacks. This cross-sectional [...] Read more.
Sleep timing is one of the dimensions of sleep that refers to the time of day when sleep occurs. It has been included in sleep-related research because of the potential associations between being overweight and the consumption of meals and snacks. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate associations between sleep timing, meal and snack consumption and weight status in 1333 schoolchildren aged 7–14 years. The midpoint of sleep was used as a sleep timing measure obtained by the midpoint between bedtime and wake-up time, classified as Early, Intermediate, and Late. Schoolchildren in the Early group were less likely to be overweight (OR: 0.83, 95% CI 0.69; 0.99), and had higher odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.56; 2.44) and lower probability to consume an evening snack (OR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.59; 0.94) compared with the Intermediate group. The Late group had lower odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 0.67, 95% CI 0.55, 0.80) than the Intermediate group. The consumption of mid-morning and evening snacks was associated with the Early and Late midpoints of sleep. These results suggest that bedtime and wake-up time are relevant to consuming meals and snacks and may also be related to a greater probability of being overweight in children and adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Welfare and Health Care)

Review

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46 pages, 698 KiB  
Review
Social Eating Among Child and Adult Hospital Patients: A Scoping Review
by Emily Barnes, Rebecca O’Connell, Claire Thompson, Jessica Brock, Caroline Heyes and Nancy Bostock
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(5), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050796 - 18 May 2025
Viewed by 404
Abstract
Current policy attention to the ‘public plate’ includes a focus on food in hospitals. Recommendations for much-needed improvements include the provision of opportunities for patients to engage in ‘social dining’, which has been shown to have a range of benefits for health and [...] Read more.
Current policy attention to the ‘public plate’ includes a focus on food in hospitals. Recommendations for much-needed improvements include the provision of opportunities for patients to engage in ‘social dining’, which has been shown to have a range of benefits for health and well-being. However, there has been no synthesis of the literature on the topic to date. This scoping review sets out to identify and examine different types of evidence on social dining in the hospital context, factors shaping its implementation and impact, and knowledge gaps. Following comprehensive searches of two databases and a thorough screening process, 38 papers were included in the review. The outcomes and impacts of social dining were measured in a variety of ways across the studies. Social dining in hospitals can impact dietary intake and nutritional outcomes and have implications for patient well-being. These effects are moderated by a range of factors, including the age and needs of the patient group, eating environment, and presence of staff and visitors. Future research needs to focus on children and their families, an under-researched patient group that may be especially likely to benefit from the opportunity to eat with others in the hospital. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Welfare and Health Care)
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22 pages, 861 KiB  
Review
The Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Possible Origins in Pregnancy
by Rayane M. Botelho, Ana Lúcia M. Silva and Alexandre U. Borbely
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030244 - 20 Feb 2024
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 15445
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) belongs to the group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and has a high prevalence, affecting 1 in 100 children according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). To be diagnosed with ASD, the child must have persistent deficits in communication [...] Read more.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) belongs to the group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and has a high prevalence, affecting 1 in 100 children according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). To be diagnosed with ASD, the child must have persistent deficits in communication and social interactions, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Despite its prevalence, the etiology of ASD is still uncertain, with multifactorial characteristics, including those associated with the gestational period, where maternal exposure to biological, chemical, or physical hazards occurs, some of which have already been proposed as causes of ASD outcomes. Since pregnancy requires a balance between the maternal–fetal binomial, the breakdown of this balance caused by such environmental hazards can lead to altered fetal neurodevelopment, including ASD. With this firmly in mind, this review aims to compile the most recent data on the gestational causes that may be associated with the development of ASD to help health professionals identify risk factors and act for the prevention and management of ASD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child Welfare and Health Care)
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