Payesh
Year:2005 | Volume:4 | Issue:1|Papers Count:9

Objective(s): To examine the sanitary quality of drinking water in 17th municipality district in Tehran. Methods: 210 tap samples were collected over a period of 6 months (from summer to winter, 2002-2003) and analyzed for bacteriological parameters; 22 samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters. All laboratory analyses were conducted by the contract laboratory and followed the procedures outlined in the 19th Edition of Standard Methods.Parameters assessed were temperature, PH, turbidity, TDS, EC, hardness, alkalinity, anions, cations, total colifrom count, thermo-tolerant coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria and residual chlorine. Also, the associations between the parameters were analyzed using statistical tests.Results: The results show that water in this area of Tehran contains calcic bicarbonate and sodic bicarbonate, and its overall quality is good. Based on guidelines from the World Health Organization (2003) and the Institute for Standards and Industrial Research in Iran, the quality of drinking water in the 17th district is considered to be good.The results of statistical analysis indicated that there was a positive significant correlation between residual chlorine, total hardness, permanent hardness, Ca2+, Mg 2+, turbidity, No3- and seasons of sampling. Such positive association was also observed between residual chlorine and station of sampling.Results also showed that the sampling station had no significant impact on mean values for turbidity, EC, TDS, Hardness, Alkalinity, anions and cations.In addition, no significant correlation was detected between turbidity and total coliforms or between PH and total coliforms.Conclusion: There is a positive significant correlation between residual chlorine and total coliforms. Also there is a positive significant correlation between EC and TDS according to equation: TDS=(0.55-0.7) EC.

Objective(s): To assess the rate of using different contraceptions among women attending to Tehran south health centers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using data from 180 woman (90 women under 18 years old and 90 women over 35 years old). Data were collected via a questioner. Results: The results indicated that the most common method in the group under 18 was IUD (25.6%) and in the group over 35 years was OCP (30%). In group 1 there was no association between almost all demographic variables and the contraception methods used, while in group 2 association was found for occupational status (P=0.02) and educational level (P=0.01). Conclusion: The findings suggest that women need more counseling by midwifes to be able to use appropriate contraception methods.

Objective(s): To determine familial risk factors for obesity in primary school children in Ahwaz. Methods: 150 obese students aged 10-11y and 150 non-obese pupils of the same age and genders were selected. Parental BMI was calculated from self-reported weight and height. Results: Parental obesity; family history of obesity and family size was significantly different between obese and non-obese students. Parents' age, their occupation and education, maternal age at pregnancy and economic status did not differ significantly between obese and non-obese pupils. Conclusion: Parental obesity, family history of obesity and family size were associated with obesity in Ahwaz primary school children.

Objective(s): To investigate about women’s knowledge on cervical cancer and to examine the effect of educational materials on their knowledge. Methods: This was an interventional study conducted in Tehran. Sixty-six subjects were selected by non-random sampling (convenience) method from patients attending a gynecologic clinic. Data were collected by two questionnaires (before and after study). Data on knowledge were related to: prevalence, risk factors, symptoms and prevention of cervical cancer before the study commence. Then, the subjects received the educational materials and replied to another questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 38.8 years (SD=±10.7). Before the intervention 44% of women knew nothing about cervical cancer and the remaining (56%) had poor knowledge. 38% of women did not know Pap smear and 58.5% of women who knew Pap smear did not know the correct time for the test. After intervention; knowledge of women (70-77%) was increased about cervical cancer, risk factors, disease signs and Pap smear; and 97% recommended this educational materials to others. Conclusion: Study findings indicate that educational interventions for increasing knowledge of women is effective and might have an important role for decreasing incidence of the disease.

Objective(s): To study the contribution of quality of life in relation to survival in breast cancer patients. Methods: In all, 128 breast cancer patients were followed up for five years. At five years 79 patients were alive and 49 patients were dead, given an overall survival rate of 62%. Quality of life was measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and its breast cancer questionnaire (QLQ - BR23) after completion of the initial treatment. Results: Data for 116 patients were available for analysis. Forty four patients presented with metastatic disease and 95 cases underwent mastectomy. Using the Cox regression model and adjusting for age at diagnosis and disease stage, we found that receiving neo-adjuvant therapy as initial treatment and low global quality of life were independent predictors of poorer survival (Hazard ratio for neo – adjuvant therapy = 12.4, 95% CI= 4.9 to 31.0, P<0.0001; and Hazard ratio for global quality of life=0.98, 95% CI=0.97 to 0.99, P=0.007). Conclusion: These findings indicate that the initial treatment and overall quality of life are important predictors of survival in breast cancer patients. This suggests that using standard management guidelines and improving quality of life might improve survival in breast cancer patients.

Agency relationship, conflict of interests, and asymmetry of information have been examined and discussed in detail in more classic economic systems and corporate governance. In this paper we attempt to apply these concepts to healthcare delivery system to understand its nature and dynamics. Considering the vital role of health insurance, the nature of agency cost in various forms of insurance is examined. Finally, we suggest strategies for handling and containment of this phenomenon in health systems with any forms of insurance.

Objective(s): To study characteristics and opium use pattern in patients attended to Ardabil addiction treatment center.Methods: In this retrospective and descriptive analytic study the characteristics of the self-introduced addicts attended to Ardabil admission and treatment office of the welfare organization were studied using their records (n=384).Results: 97.8% of the clients were male with mean age of 38.4 years old and 86.9% were married with average of 4 children. 85.3% of the samples were smoker and 10.7% of the cases had the history of opium consumption in their first-degree family members. The mean age of starting drug abuse was 28.8 and the average time between addiction and attending for giving up was 8 years. 37.9% of the samples had 1-2 times history of abandonment of addiction; 3.6% of them had used syringe in common and 8% of them had committed other offences in addition to addiction. The consumed narcotics were opium (81.9%), heroin (9.9%), both opium and heroin (1.9%). The common ways of consumption were: fumigation (41.7%), eating (30.5%), injection (6.7%), and both eating and fumigation (21.1%). There was a significant relation between kind of consumed narcotics and age, consumption way and marital status (P<0.05).Conclusion: It is necessary to carry out similar epidemiological studies to understand precise status of addiction throughout the Ardabil province, its cities and townships.

Objective(s): To determine the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea and different treatment practices among college students in Sirjan. Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional. 390 students selected by multistage sampling completed anonymous questionnaires for this survey. Results: The reported prevalence of dysmenorrhea among students was 79.9%. There was a significant association between dysmenorrhea in students and experience of similar disorders in their mothers and sisters (P=0.02). 74.8% of those with dysmenorrhea reported that it limited their activities. The most common drugs used to treat dysmenorrheawere those of the NSAID family (42.6%). Conclusion: The results of this study confirm the previous epidemiologic findings. Prevalence of dysmenorrhea among students is high, and these people lack sufficient knowledge to confront the problem effectively. Raising students' awareness and effective treatment measures should be considered as a priority. A wide range of professionals including teachers, health educators, doctors and nurses can play a role in this process.