Journal of Research and Health
Year:2014 | Volume:4 | Issue:4|Papers Count:14

Up to now, from fall 2011 to summer 2014, eighty seven articles have been published in nine issues of the Research & Health Journal. In reviewing these articles, it is clear that although 61 out of the 87 articles (70%) used inferential statistics, none of them reported or interpreted the effect sizes (ESs) along with P-values for statistically significant or non-significant results.

the one of most important source of health is Social Support and Networks, but often ignored. We therefore undertook at this study to investigate the relationship of supportive social networks and the health status of the elderly and their Use of health services. This correlation cross-sectional study was conducted on 356 elderlies selected using multistage cluster sampling method from among 4777 over-sixty people in Bijar city. The data were analyzed in SPSS by ndependent samples t-test and Pearson correlation test. The results showed the relationship between social support, network and using health services. A direct significant relationship was observed between social networks and social support, with a more significant relationship between strong ties and social support. furthermore, social support had a direct significant relationship with dimensions of general health in the elderly and emotional support had a stronger effect on the psychological dimension. Having several support resources was related with health, where marital relationship and spouse’s support had a stronger effect on health. Social support had an indirect significant relationship with using health services. Social networks entail social support, which in turn enhances health and reduces healthcare costs. Marriage, family’s and relatives’ support are the most important dimensions of establishing a strong tie and emotional social support for the elderly. Interventions can utilize these units to improve elderly’s health and reduce their dependence on official healthcare services. Therefore, it is recommended that natural social support networks be developed in these units.

Various methods for educational devices carrying, have different effects on student physical pain perception and muscles, skeletal, cardio vascular, respiratory and metabolism performances. So this research is conducted to review the school common bags carrying (hand bag, shoulder bag and backpack) on elementary school girl students body muscles electrical activity. This research subjects are selected (one school randomly) from hamedan city elementary grade girl students. Their body muscles electrical activities include: spine erectro muscle(ES), rectus abdominis (RA) bilateral, are recorded for each student by using EMG unit after carrying each one of these bags that weight about 10 percent of their body weight for 15 minutes on treed mile with a speed of 1.1 m/s and one minute standing. Finding showed that shoulder bag carrying result in dissimilar activities of left and right parts of two ES, RA muscles. Hand bag carrying results in increasing this dissimilarity in left and right parts of RA, ES muscles, so that EMG activity level in RA, ES muscles opposite direction increased sighificantly and it reduced significantly in the other direction. During backpack carrying EMG activity of RA muscle is reduced in a significant and dissimilar way and it reduces in a significant and similar way in ES muscle. As result backpack carrying in comparison to the hand bag and shoulder bag lead to similar more and activity less.

With the rising population of the elderly worldwide, especially in developing countries, old age and its accompanied conditions make mental and physical healthcare provision a critical issue of the 21st century. This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the epidemiological pattern of loneliness and its related factors in elderly women (age ³ 60 years) who were covered by the health centers of Gonabad, Iran. After estimating the sample size, 500 eligible subjects were selected through proportional stratified sampling. Data were collected by a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics and the University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square tests in SPSS 20.0. The prevalence of moderate and intense loneliness was 50.4% and 39.4%, respectively. There were significant relationships between the levels of loneliness and marital status, education, and family status. The results of this study highlight the necessity of attending to the feeling of loneliness experienced by the elderly people, identifying the situations and events that intensify this feeling, and establishing interventional programs to resolve the problem.

Considering the particular characteristics of adolescence and problematic behaviors associated with this period, a serious health-threatening issue is the prevalence of adolescents’ high risk behaviors which have been considered as one of the most important community problems. This study was conducted with the aim to determine frequency of high school adolescents’ high risk behaviors. This is a descriptive study conducted on 510 public high school students using multi-stage random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and a researcher-made questionnaire of “high school adolescents’ high risk behaviors”. Descriptive statistics were used to describe data, and t-test to analyze them. Study results showed that 19.4% of adolescents always drove dangerously, 18.8% always had aggressive behaviors, 19.4% often used drugs, 17.1% always drank alcohol, and 15.1% always had high-risk sexual behaviors, 12.5% always had suicidal ideations and 14.7% always had improper nutrition. In this study, significantly high-risk behaviors were observed among adolescents, especially: high-risk driving, aggressive behaviors, and alcohol use. Considering the importance of adolescents’ high risk behaviors in the community and their consequences, the results can provide guidelines for planning high-risk behavior prevention programs by community nurses, community health and education policy-makers, and schools’ health department, so they Secondary pay greater attention to the issue.

Consumption of food products of animal origin with residual antibiotic has become a major concern of public health and dairy industry. In the study, antibiotic residue in raw and pasteurized milk was investigated. Of the 9 semi-industrial farm units, random on 3 occasions sampling was carried out from 4 milk collection stations and 3 pasteurized milk producing companies, and antibiotic residue was analyzed using Copan Milk Test method. The results showed that of the 96 samples collected, 28 (29.16%) were positive in terms of presence of antibiotics residue. Analysis of milk samples taken in spring and in summer showed a significant difference in antibiotic residue content, such that samples taken in summer contained higher percentage of antibiotic residue (37.5%) compared to samples taken in spring (20.83%). Contamination of raw milk samples (30.76%) with antibiotic residue was significantly higher than that in pasteurized milk samples (22.2%). Given the adverse effects of consumption of contaminated milk with antibiotic residues and huge losses to dairy industry, it seems more comprehensive studies are needed to ascertain precise types of antibiotic residues in milk consumed in this field.

One of the main issues in hospitals is assessment of their efficiency. Evaluation and comparison of hospitals is made possible through assessment of performance indicators. This study aimed to compare performance of hospitals through performance indicators using Pabon Lasso graphic model. Performance of seven hospitals affiliated to Busheher University of Medical Sciences was evaluated from 2009 to 2011. Selected indicators of this comparison were analyzed using Pabon Lasso graphic model. According to study results, less than half of the hospitals were in zone 1 of the chart (the most inefficient zone), and only 20% were in zone 3 (the most efficient zone). Three hospitals: Zainabieh, Choromi, and Baqiyatallah were in zone 1 in every one of three years, and Imam Khomeini Hospital in zone 2 (low bed occupancy rate, high bed turnover ratio). Fatemeh-Zahra Hospital was in zones 3, 4 and on the border of 3 and 4, respectively. 17 Shahrivar Hospital was in zone 2 in the first year, and moved to zone 3 for the next two years. Amiralmomenin Hospital was also in zones 2 and 3, and returned to zone 2. Considering inefficiency of hospitals in zone 1, adopting appropriate strategies to reduce services can be beneficial. Hospitals in zone 3 are advised to maintain status quo, and finally, hospitals in zones 2 and 4 can near efficient zone by proper management and improvement of their performance indicators.

Because non-pharmacological methods of pain relief have no side effects on the mother and fetus and are easy to use, they are applicable in the labor process of labor. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of Quran sound on the intensity of pain and other parameters influencing the first stage of labor, as well as the nulliparous women, admitted to Ghamar-Bani Hashem Hospital in Khoi city, Iran. This was a quasi-experimental study conducted on 60 nulliparous women, selected and randomly divided into two groups. Immediately after entry to the delivery room, vital signs were recorded and the intensity of baseline pain was monitored and recorded using Visual Analog Scale. Then, only for the trial group, during the active phase of first stage of delivery, Quran sound (recited by Abdolbaset) was played alternately through headphones for half an hour; then, the intensity of pain and vital signs were measured and recorded. The statistical t-test was used for analysis of data, and the significance level was considered less than 0.05. The majority of subjects were 20-24 years old. The intensity of pain during the active phase of delivery showed a significant differences in the two control and trial groups. It is recommended that the Quran sound be used as a non-pharmacological method for pain relief, shortening the duration of the first stage delivery, improving the vital signs, and increasing the infant’s Apgar score.

Proper nutritional behavior plays an important role in promotion of physical, mental health of students. The present study aimed to investigate an intervention program based on the “theory of planned behavior” to enhance students’ nutritional behavior. This quasi-experimental controlled randomized study with before and after design was conducted on 67 elementary school students from two schools. Subjects were randomly divided into experimental (32 students) and control (35 students). The intervention program was performed for the trial group students over 4 weeks. Two weeks later, data were collected using a questionnaire based on the constructs of theory of planned behavior, and were analyzed using SPSS-13 software, independent and paired t-tests, and Chi-square at significant level of 95%. Before intervention, no significant differences were found in theory constructs between the two groups but, after intervention, significant differences were observed between the two groups for attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Given the results obtained, it can be concluded that health promotion programs based on the theory of planned behavior have an effective role in enhancing students’ nutritional behavior.

The purpose of the current study was to present a model for explaining mental health of university students based on the variables of goal orientation, hope, and spiritual well-being. The current study was a descriptive-correlation research. Research samples were 374 people (150 women and 224 men) with the age range of 18 to 50 years old (mean of 24.67 and standard deviation of 6.72). They were selected from among students of Islamic Azad University, Hamedan Branch, using multistage sampling method and filled out the questionnaires related to goal orientation, hope, spiritual well-being, and mental health. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16 and LISREL 8.5 software programs. The results showed a significant correlation between goal orientation and hope, goal orientation and spiritual well-being, hope and spiritual well-being, hope and mental health, and also spiritual well-being and mental health. Result of path analysis showed that the designed model for explaining mental health fitted the data (AGFI=0.98, RMSE=0.00, NFI=0.98). In the fitted model, goal orientation directly affected hope and well-being, hope directly affected spiritual well-being and indirectly influenced mental health, and finally well-being directly affected mental health. Purpose driven students have a higher level of hope and students with a higher level of hope enjoy a higher degree of spiritual well-being and consequently better mental health. According to the presented model, a learning package can be prepared for improving students’ mental health.

The aim of this study was to compare job stress, stressful life events, and coping styles among shift and non-shift Personnel. The study was a comparative study in which the study sample included Personnel of an industrial factory in Isfahan. Ninety people were selected with a simple random sampling method. Then, the job stress questionnaire with physical environment, role conflict and role ambiguity dimensions the social readjustment rating scale, and the coping style scale with efficient and inefficient coping style dimensions were filled out by the Personnel. The data were analyzed by SPSS-15.5. The results showed that there were significant differences between shift and non-shift Personnel in terms of job stress and its dimensions, stressful life events, and efficient and inefficient coping styles, such that the shift Personnel, compared to the non-shift Personnel, scored higher in terms of job stress and its dimensions, stressful life events, and coping styles, pointing to the importance of the relationship between shift-working and stress level.

Internet use and internet addiction is increasingly considerable among the students and university students. In recent years, a phenomenon known as "Internet addiction" has been proposed. The current study aimed to determine the factors of internet addiction based on the planned behavior theory among boy students of the dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2012. In the descriptive-analytical study that was carried out by cluster sampling on 150 boy students of the dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The data collection instrument were Manuscript questionnaire including background questions and the questions of planned behavior theory structures (intention, attitude, subjective norms and perceived control behavior) which its reliability and validity were obtained and Young’s internet addiction scale questionnaire. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 16) by Chi-square test, exact fisher test, ANONA and Correlation Coefficient test. The mean and standard deviation of internet addiction were 49.48 ± 14.56. 86.66% of the students had internet addiction behavior (mild, moderate and severe). There were significant relationships between attitudes and internet addiction scores and between perceived behavioral control and internet addiction scores. Finally most of the studied students have moderate and severe addiction to internet and appropriate interventions need to be done. These interventions should also be considered to improve the attitude and individual behavior control.

The psychological well-being refers to the experienced quality of life and reflects the favorable psychological performance and experience. People evaluate their life as good or bad; the evaluation provides people with a sense of achieving the full potential of personal psychology results in psychological well-being. This study was conducted to examine the psychological capital, psychological hardiness, and spiritual intelligence as predictors of students’ psychological well-being. The samples included 377 students. In this regard, three colleges were selected from each university as clusters, and then, a scale was given to 50 students of each college. The data were collected using Ryff’s psychological well-being scale, Lutanz’s psychological capital questionnaire, Kobassa’s personal views survey questionnaire, and King’s spiritual intelligence self-report inventory. The data were analyzed using simultaneous multivariable regression analysis. The results showed that the psychological capital, psychological hardiness, and spiritual intelligence predicted 58.8% of changes in students’ psychological well-being. The psychological capital, psychological hardiness, and spiritual intelligence predicted changes in students’ psychological well-being, and psychotherapists can improve students’ well-being through manipulating these three factors.

Adjustment to chronic disease can help the patients deal with profound changes resulting from illness. Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is challenging among chronic diseases and little know about the role of psychological adjustment of the patients to it. The aims of this study were to identify determinants of psychological adjustment in UC patients, to examine its mediational role and the role of other predictors in predicting quality of life (QOL). Participants were 58 female UC patients and 58 normal subjects. All participants completed a set of questionnaires including Hospital Depression and Anxiety scale, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, Perceived Stress Scale, WHO QOL questionnaire, NEO-Five Factor Inventory, Brief Illness Perception questionnaire and Lichtiger Colitis Activity Index. Psychological adjustment was measured as a composite of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, neuroticism, and emotion focused coping strategies. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS and Amos software conducting independent T-test and path analysis. The difference between psychological adjustment of UC patients and normal subjects was significant. In the final model, the mediating role of psychological adjustment was confirmed and among other variables, cognitive representation of illness was found to be the strongest predictor of QOL. The results accentuate on the importance of psychological adjustment in dealing with ulcerative colitis and on helping to better understanding of the illness perceptions and developing appropriate complementary interventions for these patients.