Background. Prevalence of excess body weight and obesity among children and adolescents has been gradually and significantly increasing over the last decades. The obesity detection rate is markedly affected by both low awareness of primary care physicians and the attitude of parents who pay no attention to the child’s excess weight for a long time considering it the manifestation of excellent health and normal development.Objective. The study aimed at comparative evaluation of the prevalence of obesity among children in the Sverdlovsk region.Methods. A comparative analysis of the prevalence of obesity was carried out, based on official statistical information and results of prophylactic medical examinations over the 2005–2019 period. The gender- and age-related particulars of pathologic obesity among children have been analyzed across the following age groups: 0–4, 5–9, 10–14 and 15–17 years.Results. Based on the incidence of office visits, a two-fold increase of morbid obesity was found in children 0–14 years of age (from 8.3‰ in 2005 to 16.3‰ in 2019 ), and a three-fold increase in adolescents 15–17 years of age (from 11.8‰ to 35.5‰, respectively; р < 0.001). The obesity rate registered during prophylactic medical examinations is two-fold higher than that during the office visits. Over 50% of obesity cases fall on the 10–14 age group, whereas the maximum rates of increase were found in children 5–9 years of age. In the age group of 15–17 years obesity is registered more often in boys than in girls.Conclusion. Significant differences in obesity prevalence rates, according to the office visits and prophylactic medical examinations’ data, attest to delayed diagnosis of excess body weight and insufficient effectiveness of pediatricians dealing with obese children at the stage of pediatric primary care. Cons idering the age-related particulars of obesity prevalence, health professionals working in educational institutions should play a leading role in the diagnosis of excess body weight and provision the follow-up care for children who are at risk for obesity.
Introduction. Attention to socio-economic challenges is increasing at the national level. Strategic plans of innovative development of the country can be implemented only through active involvement of adolescents, the nearest labor and reproductive potential, whose health acquires special importance. The objective of our study was to develop organizational and methodological approaches to improving health care services rendered by medical workers to students of secondary vocational schools.
Materials and methods. We did a statistical analysis of health indices of adolescents in the Sverdlovsk Region for 2010–2019 and data of a sociological survey of medical workers in colleges. We also examined the system of providing medical care to students of vocational colleges and assessed its quality.
Results. The prevalence of chronic diseases in adolescents of the Sverdlovsk is growing. College students are exposed to additional learning and work-related risk factors. At the same time, the quality of health care and the level of knowledge of medical workers in colleges are poor. In order to change the situation, an Organizational Standard for Medical Care in Colleges was developed. It orders managers to organize proper medical care for students and contains standard operating procedures for healthcare workers. In addition to that, interactive learning techniques have been developed and implemented in order to improve disease prevention in adolescents.
Conclusion. The proposed set of measures aimed at regulating the work of medical personnel and increasing their level of knowledge will help improve the quality of medical care in colleges and raise awareness of health issues among students.
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