Did you know more than 60 percent of children, ages 3 to 11-years-old are exposed to second-hand smoke? The affects of second-hand smoke may be damaging to their mental health as it has been linked to cause anxiety, ADHD, and depression.In a recent study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, researchers looked at nearly 3,000 children, ages 8 to 15. They examined the affects of second-hand smoke by measuring the amount of continie in the child's system. Cotinie is a chemical made from nicotine found in cigarette smoke that shows how much cigarette smoke enters the body. The children were also given a questionnaire from the National Institute of Mental Health's Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children to see what current mental disorders they possessed.
After the study was conducted, the researchers found that higher levels of continine were linked to symptoms of emotional/behavioral problems such as generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, conduct disorder, and major depressive disorder.
Los Angeles Times reports, "none of those symptoms added up to a single diagnosis of a mental health disorder that could be linked with exposure to second-hand smoke in the children and teens in the study." The authors of the study agreed that a child's psychiatric history is not controlled. Even still, this research increases evidence that second-hand smoke negatively affects a child's health. It has been shown that second-hand smoke increases the risk of stillbirth and congenital birth defects in nonsmoking pregnant women according to Time Magazine.
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This blog is the work of Loyola University Chicago's Advanced Reporting class for Spring 2011. We will be researching and writing about mental illnesses and brain diseases in an effort to educate the general public about the issues surrounding mental health. We hope to reduce the stigma of mental illness and present accurate and fair reporting on current mental health issues.
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Parenthood Poses Threat of Mental Illness in Addition to Abortion
A study performed by Danish scientists concludes that having a baby does leave a woman at risk for having mental-health problems in the future, in comparison with abortion.
The study used 365,550 Danish women who either had an abortion or the child for the first time between 1995 and 2007. Out of these, 84,620 had abortions. Within the year after these abortions were performed, about 1.5% sought phychiatric help. Of those who carried to full term, the risk was .39% before delivery and .67% after delivery.
Researchers answer the question that asks why do first-time mothers have a lower risk for becoming mentally ill than those who have abortions? The answer is that women who have this procedure done are more likely to have had emotional instability in the first place, as well as economic hardships and a higher rate of unexpected pregnancies.
However, women who had their child experience a doubled risk, 1.3%, in the year after giving birth. This jump is due to hormonal changes, sleep deprivation and parental stress - experiences the women who terminate their pregnancies do not have.
The study is drawing religious and philosophical responses.
Gianna Canevari
The study used 365,550 Danish women who either had an abortion or the child for the first time between 1995 and 2007. Out of these, 84,620 had abortions. Within the year after these abortions were performed, about 1.5% sought phychiatric help. Of those who carried to full term, the risk was .39% before delivery and .67% after delivery.
Researchers answer the question that asks why do first-time mothers have a lower risk for becoming mentally ill than those who have abortions? The answer is that women who have this procedure done are more likely to have had emotional instability in the first place, as well as economic hardships and a higher rate of unexpected pregnancies.
However, women who had their child experience a doubled risk, 1.3%, in the year after giving birth. This jump is due to hormonal changes, sleep deprivation and parental stress - experiences the women who terminate their pregnancies do not have.
The study is drawing religious and philosophical responses.
Gianna Canevari
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