Telomeres are the protective DNA-protein sequences appearing at the ends of chromosomes; they shorten with each cell division and are considered a biomarker of aging. Shorter telomere length and greater erosion have been associated with compromised physical and mental health and are hypothesized to be affected by early life stress. In the latter…

Frequent somatic complaints are not only a problem in themselves but also related to other difficulties. So far, no conclusive findings have been reported about the prevalence of and factors underlying these complaints in children and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Such information would be valuable for prevention and…

Part 1 of the Report Card presents a league table of child well-being in 29 of the world's advanced economies. Part 2 looks at what children say about their own well-being (including a league table of children's life satisfaction). Part 3 examines changes in child well-being in advanced economies over the first decade of the 2000s, looking at each…

Playing an important role in developing new social policies and introducing new methods, the Netherlands Institute of Care and Welfare (NIZW) is an independent foundation funded by a combination of private and public monies to conduct research and to develop and implement programs in five areas: (1) care and nursing; (2) organization of care; (3)…

This book presents information on the current health status of children and adolescents in the Netherlands. Chapter 1 discusses demographic factors, including population trends and life expectancy. Chapter 2 focuses on children's health status, reporting on child mortality rates, abortion, birth rate, family planning, perinatal health problems,…