Biomedical subjects

Anja Taanila

Publications and source records attributed to Anja Taanila.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Mental health, behaviour and intellectual abilities of people with Down syndrome.

The mental health, adaptive behaviour and intellectual abilities of people with Down syndrome (n=129) were evaluated in a population-based survey of social and health care records. Females had better cognitive abilities and speech production compared with males. Males had more behavioural problems than females. Behaviour suggestive of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was often seen in childhood. Depression was diagnosed mainly in adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability. Autistic behaviour was most common in individuals with profound intellectual disability. Elderly people often showed decline of adaptive behaviour associated with Alzheimer's disease. Case descriptions are presented to illustrate the multitude of mental health and behavioural issues seen from childhood to old age in this population.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Sensory impairments and health concerns related to the degree of intellectual disability in people with Down syndrome.

The relationship between poor health and cognitive impairment is not fully understood yet. People with Down syndrome are prone to a number of health problems, including congenital heart defect, visual impairment, hearing loss, autoimmune diseases, epilepsy, early-onset Alzheimer's disease and intellectual disability. Our aim was to assess the impact of impaired health on cognitive performance in people with Down syndrome. A series of people with Down syndrome (n=129) were studied for their intellectual disability, sensory impairments and health concerns. The medical and psychological records of all persons with Down syndrome in the Intellectual Disability Service Register of Kainuu from 1970 to 2004 were analysed. The detected health issues were related to the individuals' cognitive levels. Visual impairment, poor dental health and acute neurological disease were associated with the severity of intellectual disability and ageing.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Nurses learning family-oriented interprofessional collaboration.

OBJECTIVES: A two-year family-oriented interprofessional education programme for professionals working in the field of primary services (e.g. health care, social welfare, school, day care) was started in the Province of Oulu, Finland in 2000. The programme aimed to provide the participants (n = 76) with skills to work with families in interprofessional collaboration. The study investigated the views and working methods of all the 14 nurses who participated in the course. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative study employing the content analysis method. METHODS: The data were collected by using open-ended questions at the beginning and at the end of the education and analysed with the method of content analysis. RESULTS: Initially, the nurses were aware of the significance and the premises of family-oriented interprofessional collaboration, but seldom implemented them in practice. At the end of the programme, their working methods had changed from expert- to client- and family-oriented direction. They began to appreciate interprofessional collaboration and found that client- and family-oriented working methods supported families' own resources. CONCLUSIONS: In order to change the theoretical framework and practical working methods of the professionals a sufficiently long process of education is needed where the interprofessional collaboration is put into practice already during the education. Even though this education programme was developed and implemented for professionals working in the primary social and health care services in the Northern Finland, we believe that it is applicable to the teaching of interprofessional collaboration in different settings in different countries.

Education, Continuing↗

PubMed2005

Attention and behavioural problems of Finnish adolescents may be related to the family environment.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents' attention and behavioural problems in relation to the family environment were studied in the Northern Finland 1986 Birth Cohort. METHOD: Fifteen-year-old adolescents (N=6888) completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and their parents (N=6643) completed the Strengths and Weaknesses in ADHD and Normal Behaviours (SWAN) questionnaire. The ratings were compared in relation to gender and family characteristics. RESULTS: Girls scored higher than boys on the YSR attention problems subscale (means 4.61 vs. 3.41), the rule-breaking behaviour subscale (means 4.25 vs. 3.69) and the aggressive behaviour subscale (means 7.18 vs. 5.63). Parents reported more SWAN attention problems in their sons than in their daughters. Living in an other than intact family increased YSR and SWAN attention problems and YSR behavioural problems in both genders. Adolescents living in very large families (11-19 children) had least attention and behavioural problems. CONCLUSIONS: Attention and behavioural problems seem to be common among adolescents in Finland. For both genders, living in other than intact families increases especially behavioural problems. Additionally, a very large family seems to be a protective factor against those problems.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Etiological survey on intellectual disability in the northern Finland birth cohort 1986.

The etiology of intellectual disability was studied both in incident (n = 9,432) and prevalent (n = 9,351) populations in a one-year birth cohort born in Northern Finland in 1985-1986. Data from multiple sources were used to follow the children until the age of 11.5 years. Of the incident cases (n=119) with intellectual disabilities, 66.4% had etiologically biomedical associative factor. Paranatal factors were relatively fewer and prenatal more common compared with earlier studies. We found nearly double the prevalence of genetic factors leading to intellectual disabilities compared with a contemporary study from Norway. The differences between the populations, despite random variation, some dissimilarities between etiological categorization and diagnostic accuracy, are in most part due to true differences between the study populations and genetic pool.

Catchment Area, Health↗

PubMed2005

Infant developmental milestones: a 31-year follow-up.

This study examined the association between infant developmental milestones and educational level at 31 years of age in the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort (n = 12 058). Developmental data (age at standing, walking, speaking, and measures of bowel and bladder control) were gathered from children's welfare centres. Information on type of schooling at 14 years of age was reported by children and parents. School achievement at 16 years of age and educational level at 31 years were obtained from national registers. Those who reached infant developmental milestones sooner in their first year of life had significantly better (p < 0.05) mean scores in teacher ratings at 16 years, and at 31 years they were more likely to have achieved a better educational level than slower developers. The adjusted odds ratios for individuals who developed more slowly to remain at a basic educational level (7 to 16y) ranged significantly from 1.1 to 1.3. The possibility of advancing from secondary to tertiary level was 1.4 times greater in faster developers than in slow developers. In conclusion, those who develop faster during their first year of life tend to attain higher levels of education in adolescence and adulthood.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Towards interprofessional family-oriented teamwork in primary services: the evaluation of an education programme.

A 2-year interprofessional family-oriented training programme for professionals working in the field of primary services (e.g. health care, social welfare, schools, day care) started in Oulu Province, Finland, in 2000. It aimed to provide the trainees with skills to work with families in interprofessional teams, to support them to cope better and to encourage them to develop new models for helping clients. Seventy-six trainees from 13 professions participated. This paper describes the structure, methods and the content of the programme and evaluates its success. Material was content analysed from participants' evaluations at the end of the programme and discussion during a focus group in which three trainees and three trainers participated. During the programme trainees' working methods moved from being detached experts towards client and family-orientation. Job satisfaction also improved. They began to appreciate interprofessional teamwork and found that client and family-oriented working methods supported families in using their own resources in solving problems. The study indicated that the sufficiently long process of education where the interprofessional collaboration has been put in practice already during the education is needed to change the theoretical framework and practical working methods of the trainees.

Education, Professional↗

PubMed2003

Maternal smoking and hyperactivity in 8-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and hyperactivity in 8-year-old children. METHOD: The study population consisted of children from the Northern Finland 1985/86 Birth Cohort. At 8-year follow-up 9,357 children were alive. Mothers provided information both during pregnancy and at age 8. Teachers assessed children's behavior by the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (Rutter B2). Unadjusted analyses and stratification were used to study associations and confounding variables. A multivariate logistic regression model was fitted to assess the independent association between smoking and outcome. RESULTS: Maternal smoking was associated with hyperactivity even after adjustment for sex, family structure, socioeconomic status, maternal age, and maternal alcohol use (odds ratio 1.30; 1.08-1.58). The association was particularly notable among children of young mothers with low social standing. A positive dose-response relationship was seen between maternal smoking and hyperactivity. CONCLUSION: This study, the largest population-based prospective follow-up on fetal nicotine exposure and later behavioral disorders, confirms earlier descriptions of the link between maternal smoking during gestation and childhood hyperactivity. Discontinuation or decreased use of cigarettes during pregnancy might improve behavioral outcome of children.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Temporal changes in incidence and prevalence of intellectual disability between two birth cohorts in Northern Finland.

We followed two separate, genetically homogeneous cohorts of children born in 1966 (n = 11,965) and 1985-1986 (n = 9,432) in Northern Finland to determine temporal changes in the incidence and prevalence of subcategories of intellectual disability within the same geographic area. The children were followed up to the age of 11.5 years. Similar study design, data ascertainment methods, and definition of intellectual disability were used. There was no change in the total incidence (12.62/1,000 in each) or in total prevalence (11.03/1,000 vs. 11.23/1,000) of intellectual disability. However, in the subcategories of intellectual disability, there was a shift from severe and moderate towards mild; whereas profound intellectual disability remained at the same level. The temporal changes followed generally similar patterns by gender.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Special school teachers require more goal-oriented collaboration with psychiatric professionals in Northern Finland.

BACKGROUND: The problems of children and adolescents have increased in number and severity during the last years. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elicit the views of special school teachers in the Oulu Province in Finland concerning their pupils' problems and the need, use and adequacy of relevant psychiatric services. METHODS: The information was collected from the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District in 1998 in Finland and responses were obtained from the 37 (97.4%) special schools. The data were analysed using the content analysis method. RESULTS: Special-needs pupils had various behavioural and emotional problems that made it difficult for them to learn and for the teachers to teach. According to the teachers, the major obstacles in the process of helping special-needs pupils were the delayed admission for treatment and the lack of information necessary for the pupils' school work and goal-oriented aftercare, although there were also favourable experiences of functional co-operation and availability of useful information. Some schools lacked a reliable network for helping pupilsand supporting teachers. The Finnish legislation on basic education obliges the providers of education to provide rehabilitation in connection with special education and to arrange relevant development, counselling and support services. CONCLUSION: The rehabilitation of special-need pupils and the collaboration between school and mental health authorities is not optimally realised in spite of the legislation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Evaluation of a family-oriented continuing medical education course for general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the long-term effects of a 2-year Family Systems Medicine course. Fifteen experienced GPs participated in the training programme. SETTING: Continuing Education Centre, University of Tampere, Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Finland. METHODS: The participants assessed the development of their professional skills on the Doherty-Baird scale and filled in 2 questionnaires. The material obtained from the application form and 2 questionnaires was analysed using the grounded theory method. RESULTS: The reasons for taking part in the course seemed to be the constant increase in the workload, problems caused by the demands for change and adaptation, stress and exhaustion. Furthermore, 10 health centres out of 15 had adopted the population-based practice, which requires different working methods compared to the old routines. Some trainees reported that their family-centred working methods improved during the course. A year after the end of the training, all of the GPs who had participated were using such methods in their daily practice. Half of the participants felt that they had also improved the functioning of their working group by making it more family-oriented. The significance of multi-professional collaboration was one of the most important insights during the course. CONCLUSION: The 2-year family-oriented training programme provided GPs with systemic thinking and with new skills, including the ability to work with families. The programme raised awareness of the need for multi-professional collaboration in the primary care settings.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Effects of family interaction on the child's behavior in single-parent or reconstructed families.

The effects of the family interaction on children's behavior were studied in single-parent or reconstructed families (N = 63) in a white population in Finland. The focus was on the spousal and the parent-child interaction. Teachers assessed children's behavior and parents were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed qualitatively using the grounded-theory method. The boundary ambiguity theory developed by Pauline Boss was used to examine the interaction in the families. About two fifths of the parents reported that their spousal interaction was good, family boundaries were clear, and the children were taken care of together. Another two fifths interacted only because of the child and family boundaries were ambiguous. In 14 families the involvement of the noncustodial parent was both physically and psychologically low. The physically close but psychologically distant parent-child interaction seemed to affect the child's behavior detrimentally, whereas children with physically and psychologically close interaction with their parents showed less behavioral problems. The children with behavioral problems were more likely to have problems with both parents. They were also more likely to have a stepparent with whom they had conflicts. In conclusion, a good interaction between the parents and clarified family boundaries protect children's mental health after their parents' divorce or separation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2002

Psychiatric disorders of children and adolescents--a growing problem at school.

The purpose is to present the views of comprehensive school and senior secondary school teachers working in the Oulu province in Northern Finland concerning the behavioural and emotional disorders of their pupils, the actions taken by teachers to refer pupils for consultation, and the functionality of mental health services. The data were collected by questionnaires in 1998 and 2000. According to the teachers' estimates, the behavioural and emotional disorders of pupils have both increased in number and become more severe at all levels of primary and secondary education. The teachers of comprehensive schools and special schools mostly contacted the parents when a pupil was found to have psychiatric symptoms. At the early stages of referral the teachers often also consulted with the pupil welfare team for support. The teachers of senior secondary schools contacted primarily the school nurse and secondarily the parents. Teachers were content with the psychiatric health care services if their pupils benefited from them, but the availability of services and the flow of information were problems. It was also difficult to decide when to refer a pupil for consultation and treatment. The responsibilities and obligations for the availability and functionality of mental health services for children and adolescents were re-defined and specified in a statute enforced as of January 2001. The question is how can we convert responsibilities and obligations into practical action?

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Low educational performance is associated with drunk driving: a 31-year follow-up of the northern Finland 1966 birth cohort.

AIMS: We studied the relationship between drunk driving offences, school performance and adult educational achievements. METHODS: Data from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort were linked with official criminality files and National Education registers. The cohort members were studied prospectively covering the period from pregnancy to 31 years of age. Drunk driving (one to two arrests) and recidivist drunk driving (three or more arrests) were treated as outcome variables and their relation to school performance was studied by cross-tabulation and to adult educational achievements (two levels of education) by logistic regression analysis, adjusting for parental social class and psychiatric morbidity. RESULTS: Drunk drivers had a statistically significantly worse school performance compared with controls. Male cohort members who had remained at the basic educational level had an elevated risk for drunk driving [odds ratio (OR) 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3-3.8]. The corresponding adjusted ORs for recidivist drunk driving and female drunk driving were 8.6 (95% CI 5.1-14.4) and 7.0 (95% CI 3.3-14.8), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results are unlikely to be directly causal; however, educational failures seem to be part of the complex causal pathway to drunk driving and even to alcohol-related disorders.

Achievement↗