Low back pain (LBP) in children was considered for many years to be a rare condition revealing a serious disease, but in the last two decades, epidemiological studies have shown that the prevalence of nonspecific LBP in children is high. This study was aimed at analyzing the prevalence, severity, consequences and associated factors of LBP in children. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in two preparatory schools in the city of Monastir, Tunisia, in April 2002. This study included a total of 622 children and adolescents--326 females and 296 males--with a mean age of 14 years (range: 11-19 years). They completed the questionnaire in the presence of the physician. For the first 201 questionnaires collected, the corresponding children and adolescents underwent a spine medical examination, with evaluation of pain by visual analog scale if LBP was present. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the risk factors associated with LBP and chronic LBP. The cumulative lifetime prevalence of LBP was 28.4%. Eight percent of the subjects suffered from chronic LBP. LBP was responsible for 23% of school absenteeism and 29% for sports absenteeism. Medical care requirement was observed in 32.2% and psychological symptoms in 75%. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that three factors were associated with LBP: school failure (held back 1 year), odds ratio (OR) =2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96-3.44), family history of LBP (parental or sibling LBP), OR=3.80 (95% CI, 2.94-5.92), dissatisfaction with school chair (in height and comfort), OR=3.40 (95% CI, 2.24-5.29). Two factors were associated with chronic LBP: dissatisfaction with school chair, OR=1.62 (95% CI, 1.46-3.32) and football playing, OR=3.07 (95% CI, 2.15-5.10). The prevalence of LBP among Tunisian schoolchildren and adolescents is high. This requires preventive measures and longitudinal studies, which are very important from the standpoint of public health.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of a 28-item survey questionnaire for back problems in Tunisian adolescents. A test-retest design was used to investigate the reproducibility of the results obtained using the said 28-item survey questionnaire. Participants were recruited from two schools in Monastir. Seventy-two adolescents from the seventh, eighth, and the ninth grade participated in the inquiry. They have a mean age of 14.01 years (SD 1.67, range 11-19). High levels of reproducibility were found for items that evaluated perceived characteristics of back problems and functional limitation (kappa coefficient=0.71-1.00). The results suggest that the questionnaire used in the present study provided reproducible information and can be used as a survey tool for the investigation of low back problems in adolescents.
Today, an experimental research on wireless communication protocols is a progressively emerging field of study. Actually, users require in the existing technology a data flow that is at a time high rate and low-cost, as well as high efficiency and flexibility in order to fit the necessarily upgradeable system requirements. Software-defined Radio is a more important modern technology in the communication system. SDR is a radio that allows the software control of different modulation and demodulation schemes. It ensures as well the tuning of any frequency band whether large or narrow, a security function in communications and the wave form required by the new norms evolving over a large range of frequencies. In this article, we are presenting the conception of a wireless communication system using a software radio (SDR). SDR, as associated to real-time signal treatment structures, this signal processing protocol uses USRP as hardware and GNU Radio as software. The system was designed for an FM transmitter adjustable from 88 MHz to 108 MHz, with maximum efficiency and high quality audio signal. The audio file is transmitted to the USRP card using wide band frequency modulation (WBFM).
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