JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND HYGIENE
Year:2016 | Volume:7 | Issue:4|Papers Count:10

Background & Objectives: Regarding to economic value of meat, use of unauthorized animal tissue is possible in meat products. Therefore, the present study was performed to determine the efficacy of histological examination in qualitative and quantitative detection of minced meat fraud by means of mixing avian skin and adipose tissues.Methods: In this experimental study, the avian skin and adipose tissue samples of 5, 10, 15, and 20% in minced meat were prepared individually. Then sampling and histological examinations were performed. The mean proportions of the surface areas of avian skin and adipose tissues were calculated at five different points of each section and statistical analysis was done by ANOVA.Results: The avian skin and adipose tissues were observed in all samples in different percentages. The quantitative results of histological examination of minced meat samples containing 5, 10, 15 and 20% of avian skin and adipose tissues revealed the respective efficacy of this technique to be 8.48±6.15, 11.91±7.32, 16.96±7.93, and 20.54±8.15% for avian skin tissue and 2.92±3.69, 4.24±5.18, 7.21±7.02, and 9.8±10.16 for adipose tissue (p<0.05).Conclusion: The present study showed that histological technique has ability to determine the quality and quantity of avian skin mixing values in minced meat products. Although this method showed an acceptable adequacy in qualitative determination of the adipose tissue, however, it has no sufficient adequacy in assessing the quantity of this tissue probably due to dissolution of fat in xylene during the staining process.

Background & objectives: The group A human Rotaviruses are the most important agents causing acute diarrhea in children worldwide. Rotaviruses are widely present in the environmental waters and are a serious risk for public health. This study was aimed to assess efficiency of group A human Rotaviruses removal from the concentrated sewage of Ghods and Mahallati wastewater treatment systems in Tehran using ELIZA method.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 92 sewages samples collected from both influent and effluent system of Ghods and Mahallati sewage disposal systems by using grab sampling method. All samples were concentrated by using three concentration methods: Pellet, Two-phase and Dex-PEG. Then Group A human Rotaviruses were identified with Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) method.Results: In total, rotaviruses were identified in 30 samples (32.61%). Rotaviruses were found in 35.48 and 26.67% of influent and effluent samples, respectively. The efficiencies of wastewater plants were 69.23 and 55.55% in Ghodas and Mahallati refining systems, respectively.Conclusion: This study showed that the evaluated sewage disposal systems don’t have necessary efficiency to completely elimination Group A human Rotaviruses. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor constantly the wastewater treatment plant to revise water pollution indicators and to seek new methods of wastewater treatment methods for complete removing of human viruses.

Background & objectives: Millions of liters colored effluent is daily discharged into the environment by textile industries. These effluents are usually non-biodegradable and pose a serious problem to human and aquatic life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the degradation of acid black 1 using ZnO nanoparticle doped with the CuO as a catalyst in presence of the sunlight.Methods: This study was an applied research in which ZnO: CuO nanoparticle was synthesized and its chemical properties was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). To evaluate the photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized nanoparticles, acid black 1 was prepared and the effects of parameters such as initial dye concentrations, photocatalyst dose, and pH on the photocatalytic process were studied. The results were analyzed using kenetic equations.Result: The results showed that the synthesized particles are heterogeneous and have nanoscale size with no agglomeration. Dye degradation decreased with increasing the dye concentration and nanoparticle dose. It is observed that photocatalysis degradation rate of dye to increase with decreasing solution pH, because hydroxyl radicals are the dominant reactive oxidant under acidic pH. It was also found that the photocatalysis degradation to follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic equation.Conclusion: It is concluded that the synthesized nanoparticles have a high potential for dye degradation comparing to pure ZnO and can be used as an effective photocatalyst for degradation of dyes form colored effluents.

Background & objectives: Diabetes is a multi-factorial metabolic disorder caused by defects in insulin secretion/function or both. Diabetes has become a global problem because of increasing trend of elderly, socio-economic transformation and demographic changes. This study tried to evaluate the effectiveness of integration of diabetes control program in health networks and utilization of family practice in caring diabetics.Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 462 type 2 diabetic patients with no complication detected in screening program in rural areas of Kordkoy district, Golestan province. The diabetic patients were divided into two groups using stratified random sampling. The incidence rates of eye and renal failure, diabetic foot ulcer, stroke and heart attack were compared between two groups.Results: In this study incidence rate of retinopathy, nephropathy, diabetic foot ulcer, stroke and heart attack in patients were 9.7, 5.9, 3.5, 3.3 and 6.1%, respectively. Diabetic foot ulcers and heart attacks significantly correlated with quality of the care received (p<0.05).Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that family practice plan was not successful enough to achieve its goals in preventing and reducing the short-term and long-term complications of diabetes in Kordkuy city.

Background & Objectives: Water pipe smoking was associated with diseases including non-communicable and chronic diseases in women. Since water pipe smoking is influenced by belief and personal factors, the present study aimed to determine constructs of the Health Belief model to predict nicotine dependence among women water pipe smokers.Methods: In this cross sectional study, 302 water pipe smoker women were studied using convenience sampling method. Data collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire with 3 sections including demographic questions, questions on Health Belief Model constructs and Questions related to nicotine dependency. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 20.Results: The mean age of participants was 43.6±12.26 years. The majority of participants was native (%80.1), married (%73.8), and education of under diploma (%44.22) with family history of water pipe smoking (%75.5). The results showed that perceived benefits (p=0.027, r=-0.146), perceived barriers (p=0.009, r=0.171) and self-efficacy (p=0.004, r=-0.186) significantly associated with nicotine dependence. Based on multiple linear regression model, perceived barriers (p=0.019, B=0.303), self- efficacy (p=0.013, B=-0.095) and education level (p=0.001) were predictors of nicotine dependency in women (R2=%14).Conclusion: The results suggested that perceived barriers and self-efficacy are predictors of nicotine dependence. Therefore, reducing barriers and strengthening self- efficacy with emphasis on "saying No" skill, reinforcing confidence and self-esteem are important in planning of educational content.

Background & Objectives: Regarding to importance of health information in recent years and necessity of access to the information on special and vulnerable groups like foreign immigrants, this research aimed to study health information needs of immigrants admitted to Health care Centers of the Medical Sciences Universities.Methods: This descriptive study was carried out among Iraqi and Afghans formal immigrants who live in Iran. Researcher made questionnaire was used to collect data and T-test and ANOVA were applied to analyze data using SPSS.Result: There was no significant difference between health information needs and demographic factors. “Information on infectious diseases” was recognized as an important needs about diseases with the highest average score (4.09). Schools and Universities were found as important sources for health information of immigrants. Lack of immigrants’ knowledge on traditional sources for hygiene and health with the mean score of 3.93 was detected as the most important challenge for immigrants to receive health information.Conclusion: According to research findings, we can conclude that immigrants’ health information needs are at the high level. The result of this study could help the authorities and health information policy makers in planning to select, collect and organize the health information and disseminate it to libraries and information centers to provide health information needs to improve their knowledge on health.

Backgrounds & objectives: Improper management of infectious waste cause environmental pollution and transmission of diseases through contact of susceptible groups with this type of waste. Due to mismanagement of infectious waste, development and improving the current management system are necessary. The aims of this study were to investigate the current status of infectious waste management in imam-khomeini hospital complex in Tehran and suggesting appropriate managerial solutions.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was implemented from March to June 2014 in imam-khomeini hospital complex, Tehran. Th required data were collected using a questionnaire approved by World Health Organization for hospital waste management through field survey. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS softwares.Results: The average infectious waste generated in imam-khomeini hospital complex was 1380 kilogram per day. The average of waste produced in summer was significantly higher than those in spring (p<0.01). Results showed that separation of infectious and non-infectious waste at the sources was not appropriatly performed in the hospital. Also the treatment of infectious waste was conducted by hydroclave technology.Conclusion: According to the results, the high percentage of infectious waste indicates many problems in segregation stage. In order to solve this problem, implementation of training programs is highly recommended for hospital personnel to promote personnel awareness on proper waste segregation.

Background & Objectives: Monitoring and evaluation of family physicians′ performance are applied to identify strengths, design and implement improving projects, and also to determine the performance indices. The present study aimed to assess the process, tool and results of seasonal monitoring of family physicians performance in northern provinces of Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the second half of 2012. Study population and samples were all the 47 district health networks in Golestan, Mazandaran and Gilan provinces. Data-collecting instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 3 parts and 32 questions and the data were collected through interviews and observation of documents. Data were analyzed by SPSS17.Results: From 47 cities studied, 36 cities (77%) underwent seasonal monitoring during four seasons of 2011 and the first and second seasons of 2012.43 cities (92%) underwent seasonal monitoring by a team from headquarter units.28 cities (60%) used Excel software for the calculation of seasonal results. Monitoring checklists for 32 cities (68%) were exactly the same as national guidelines while the other 15 cities used different checklists. None of the cities analyzed and interpreted the seasonal performance scores of family physicians in terms of their personal characteristics. Feed back of patient refer to second health service level, laboratory, radiology, average cost and drug list were not performed in all the cities.Conclusion: The monitoring process and instrument of family physicians′ performance were not complete in all the cities and need to be reviewed and improved.

Background & objectives: The aim of this study was to compare knowledge of mothers with school-age children on nutritional value and consumption of milk and dairy products in wealthy and poor urban areas of Rasht city.Methods: In this casul-comparision study 182 mothers with school-age children (86 from wealthy and 96 from poor urban areas) were asked to complete a questionnaire of knowledge on nutritional value of milk and dairy. Obtained data were analyzed by student t for independent samples, ANOVA, Pearson correlation and regression analysis using SPSS-16 software.Results: There is significant difference in knowledge about milk and dairy between mothers living in wealthy and poor regions (p<0.01). Knowlede of the women with different educational levels on milk and dairy products was significantly different (p<0.01). There are significant positive correlations between the three study variables (age, marriage, and number of children) and mothers' knowledge on nutritional value of milk and dairy products (p<0.01).The result of regression analysis showed that the age can predict variance of the mothers' knowledge on nutritional value of milk and dairy products.Conclusions: Since nutritional habits and patterns formed in childhood affect the nutritional behaviors in later years, and knowledge and attitude of mothers have important role in transfering of healthy/unhealthy nutritional habits especially on milk and dairy products consumtion; the necessity of training programs of mothers about proper eating habits, especially milk and dairy products is emphesized. This will help to build healthy nutritional habits from childhood and promote the wellbeing of future generations.

Background & objectives: Health literacy and lifestyle are social determinants of health.This study was conducted to investigate health literacy and determine lifestyle from the viewpoint of social determinants of health as well as to reveal relationships between Health literacy and lifestyle according to social determinants of health in married rural women in Izeh.Method: This cross sectional and descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 240 rural women of 18-45 years old from Izeh district in 2013using random cluster sampling method.Data were collected using questionnaires of "Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) ", “Development of Mother's Lifestyle Scale with an Approach to Social Determinants of Health” and "Demographic Characteristics Checklist". Chi square, Kendall' s tau-c, and V Cramer's tests were applied to analyze the data using SPSS 19.Results: The mean age (±sd) of the participants was 28.42 ±6.38 years and 50.5% were in elementary and middle school. Sixty two percent of the studied women had low level of the health literacy (borderline and inadequate), 98.3% appropriate occupation status, 77.9% inappropriate physical activity, 31.2% unfavorable nutrition, 4.6% poor stress control, 0.4% improper health behaviors, 2.9% inadequate self-care during pregnancy, and 50.8% had improper social relationships.Health literacy level was significantly correlated with nutrition (p=0.033, r=0.15) and stress (p=0.007, r=-0.073). However, health literacy had statistically no significant correlations with occupation, physical activity, improper health behaviors, self-care during pregnancy, and social relations.Conclusion: According to the findings increases in level of the health literacy improves nutritional status, increases stresses and also increases the received cares among studied population. Therefore, health education for this group is suggested to improve their health literacy.