Payesh
Year:2014 | Volume:13 | Issue:2|Papers Count:10

Objective (s): Obesity is one of the primary risk factors in cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The purpose of this study was to determine the anthropometric indices associated with CVD risk factors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 991 men and 1188 women aged 15 to 64 years. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and percentage of body fat were measured. CVD risk factors, including fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol (Tchol), low-density (LDL-C) and high density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were assessed.Results: Using multiple regression analysis, BMI, WHtR and WHR explained the highest percentage of variation of triglycerides, Tchol/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C in men, respectively, whereas WHR explained the highest percentage of variation of triglycerides and WC explained the highest percentage of variation of Tchol/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C in women.Conclusion: The findings indicated that WHR and WHtR best predicted CVD risk factors in men and WHR and WC in women. Indeed the determined anthropometrics might be considered for predicting cardiovascular risk factors among Iranian urban populations.

Objective (s): Present study was performed to study the epidemilogy of cancer in in Qom, Iran, 2008-2011.Methods: In this descriptive study, data for patients referred to chemotherapy centers and hospitals during 2008 to 2011 were assessed. Patient information included recoding of age, gender, tumor type, duration and stage of cancer.Results: The findings showed that the majority of patients (21.4%) were in 70-79 age group and 58% were male and living in deprived areas (33.2%). The most prevalent of tumor was stomach cancer.Conclusion: High incidence of cancer among individuals over 50 years old and living in low-income areas suggest that implementing cancer control among high risk group should be seen as a priority.

Objective (s): The last evaluation of addiction conditions in Iran in 2008 showed that 70% of the addicts in Iran are employed and about 10% of them have started drug taking in their workplaces. The addiction prevention program in workplaces were practically piloted in 5 provinces in 2003 and generalized to the whole country from 2004. This study was carried out to evaluate the program in order to improve its implementation.Methods: This analytical descriptive research has been implemented according to health program evaluation method. Data has been collected through reviewing documents of the program history and monitoring since it was established, intensive group discussion sessions with Welfare Organization local authorities, interviewing 10 well-informed individuals, and interviewing program intermediary experts in 58 workplaces. All data were classified in three general categories as achievements, challenges, and techniques to promote the program; and it was finalized in the project steering committeel, and future trends were proposed to develop and promote the program.Results: The most important achievement of the program from the viewpoint of individuals studied has been awareness and sensitivity increase in employers and employees on addiction. The secondary effect was decline in addiction in workplaces and increase in productivity, absenteeism and leave reduction. The most important challenges of the program have a nearly equal contribution in all three legal-political (macro), operational- structural (middle), and cultural- behavioral (micro) domains. The most important proposed techniques to promote the program were service pack revision, preparing simple and comprehensive style sheet with all stakeholders’ incorporation, signing an agreement with employers and employees representatives, and applying encouraging methods for employers at local levels.Conclusion: Although there was inadequate periodic data to compare indicators of addiction incidence and prevalence in workplaces, evaluation relied upon ideas of three stakeholders (authorities, intermediary experts, and local facilitators) who were satisfied with the program implementation and required it to be continued and amended. Long-term intervention are needed to include addiction prevention program into health promotion programs in work places and attempt to legalize them. However, in short term service pack revision of addiction prevention in workplaces with incorporation of employers’ representatives, employees, workplace intermediary experts, provincial authorities; environmental rehabilitation and justification at local level and workplaces, are recommended.

Objective (s): To assess safety belt use among derivers and front passengers in Tehran, Iran.Methods: This was a two-part cross -sectional study. First we conducted a direct observation on randomly selected sites in five geographic regions and one high way in Tehran from 8 to 9 AM for one week. Trained observers recorded use or non-use of seat belts, type of vehicle, gender and approximate age of drivers and front passengers. In the second part, 666 citizens in Tehran were interviewed about how often they fasten seat belt as well as reasons for using or not using it.Results: In all 7720 vehicles were observed, 77.9% of the drivers and 43.7% of the front passengers fastened seat belt. Women used safety belt more than men while driving but not as front seat passengers. Rate of seat belt use among both drivers and front passengers of van and pick-up was lower than other vehicles. In interview with citizens, 62.4% stated that “always” wear seat belt while driving. The most frequently reported reasons for using seat belts were: avoiding of fine, fearing of injuries and respecting the law. The common reasons for not using were: lack of awareness about law and not used to fasten seat belt.Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that there are areas for concerns in improving the use of seat belt. Most notably the law enforcement and public education might help to achieve this.

Objective (s): To compare injuries and deaths reported by different sources.Methods: We compared information on road traffic injuries and deaths reported by three source of information: police, emergency medical services (EMS), and hospital records. The data were collected from crashes in Tehran-Abali road (with a 45 Kilometer radius).Results: After pooling the data from all organizations, it was revealed that during one year, 245 road traffic accidents occurred Of these, 434 people were either injured or deceased. Police and EMS stated they were unaware of 67 and 51 cases, respectively. In other words, police, pre-hospital emergency services and hospitals have reported 56.2%, 82.9% and 76.4% of the entire number of injuries or deaths respectively. None of the information sources, including police and EMS alone had complete information.Conclusion: It seems to develop and implement a comprehensive data collection system on traffic accidents; a multidisciplinary cooperation among police, EMS, hospitals, legal medicine organization and Red Crescent is essential.

Objective (s): This paper presents the results of a study that examined the factor structure, divergent and convergent validity and reliability of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) amongst a sample of 195 Iranian patients with chronic persistent pain.Methods: All participants completed a group of self-report measures including the Persian versions of TSK, pain severity, physical disability, depression, and catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy beliefs. The factor structure of the TSK was examined, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.Results: The results indicated that TSK is conceptualized within a two-factor model, namely “believed injury” and “activity avoidance”. Results also indicated that the TSK and its two subscales have good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (with a 7-14 days interval). The results of correlation analysis between TSK and its 2 subscales with measures of pain, disability, depression, catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy beliefs supported both the convergent and the divergent validity for the TSK and the two subscales.Conclusion: The Persian version of TSK had satisfactory psychometric properties and can be administered amongst the Iranian population with chronic persistent pain.

Objective (s): The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the severity of symptoms of PTSD and quality of life in veterans.Methods: Using a correlational design, 120 patients with PTSD were selected through convenient sampling method from Sadr and Sasan Hospitals in Tehran, Iran. They were then administered a demographic questionnaire, the Watson PTSD Interview and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stepwise regression procedure.Results: The results showed significantly negative correlations between the severity of PTSD symptoms and the different components of quality of life, including role-physical, body pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, mental health, physical component scale and mental component scale. Moreover, the results of regression analysis revealed significant role of the severity of PTSD symptoms in reducing the quality of life, especially the social functioning, physical functioning, physical component scale and mental health.Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that veterans' quality of life is greatly affected by the severity of their PTSD symptoms.

Objective (s): Although the importance of breastfeeding is well known, the rate of breastfeeding is low. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-care program for increasing mothers’ breastfeeding confidence.Methods: A sample of 300 primiparous mothers were selected from two hospitals (A, B) through random selection and were assigned to one of the three study arms. The control group received standard education while one group of mothers received educational package with instruction and one group received the educational package only. Breastfeeding self-efficacy was measured before intervention, and three month later by using Persian version of Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale.Results: After intervention the mean score of breastfeeding self-efficacy increased significantly in experimental groups but not in control group.Conclusion: The results indicated that educational intervention was effective to increasing breastfeeding self-efficacy among primiparous mothers in post partum.

Objective (s): This study was designed to assess the impact of group prenatal care on pregnant women empowerment.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 70 pregnant women with 13 weeks of gestational age, whom referred to prenatal clinic of Akbarabadi hospital in Tehran, Iran. The pregnant women were randomly assigned to control (n=35) and experimental group (n=35). The intervention is designed for five, 120-minute sessions during gestation weeks 13 to 32. Each session was consisted of two parts: self-care (30 minutes) and group training (90 minutes). Data were collected on demographic and empowerment scale for pregnant women using a valid questionnaire.Results: The majority of samples in two groups were between age 20 to 29 years with secondary educational level or higher, housekeeper, intermediate economic status, first pregnancy, and without receiving prenatal education. There were no significant differences between control and experimental groups at baseline. However, after intervention significant difference between control and experimental groups was observed for empowerment score (P=0.013).Conclusion: The findings confirmed that group prenatal care was effective in improving empowerment in pregnant women.

Objective (s): It has been suggested that globalisation could affect public’s health in different ways. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between globalisation and mental health.Methods: A review was undertaken of all the full publications in the English language and Persian biomedical journals up to 2012. The search was limited to globalisation and included the combination of keywords ‘mental health’, ‘mental disorders’ ‘psychological health’, ‘psychological disorders’, ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ that appeared in the titles and abstracts of the publications. A manual search was also performed to include additional papers of potential interest. In all 244 citations were identified. After thorough examination and excluding duplicates, 22 citations on the relationship between globalisation and mental health were found to be relevant and were further examined.Results: The findings are summarized under different headings and presented in different tables. With few exceptions, the findings showed that mental health or some aspects of mental health were affected due to globalisation. Depression, anxiety, identity problems, and suicide, individually or in combination, were the most important negative consequences of globalisation.Conclusion: Overall this review provides evidence for a negative relationship between globalisation and mental health. Further studies in this emerging issue are recommended.