Health and Development Journal
Year:2016 | Volume:5 | Issue:2 |Papers Count:8

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the relation between risk factors related to lifestyle and coronary artery disease (CAD) in residents of Yazd province.Methods: In this hospital-based case-control study performed in Yazd province, 250 patients with CAD were compared with 250 controls matched for age and sex. Data were collected by using a researcher- made questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Chi-square and Conditional Multiple Logistic Regression and through SPSS16.Results: History of Consumption of less than three servings of fruit in week, with an odds ratio of 8.4 (95%CI: 1.56-45.18) and more than three times egg in week with an odds ratio of 4.05 (95%CI: 1.13-14.5, P=0.03) increased the chance of getting CAD. However, no significant relationship was found for history of consumption of oil, dairy, red meat, fried foods and fast foods. The number of daily smoked cigarettes was the only non-nutritional factor that showed significant relationship with CAD (P=0.01).Conclusion: Overall, insufficient intake of fruits, high consumption of egg and the number of cigarettes smoked daily were identified as the most important life style-related risk factors for getting CAD. Therefore, measures for decreasing these risk factors in Yazd Province are necessary.

Background: Maintaining the employees' health in work environments is one of the managers’ responsibilities and paying attention to the related risk factors is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders and its relation to employees’ workload at 118 call center in Sanandaj, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted on all employees of the Sanandaj 118 call center. Nordic and NASA-TLX standard questionnaires were respectively used in order to collect the information related to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and employees’ workload. Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method was used for evaluating the ergonomic risk factors at work stations. Data analysis was performed through SPSS 16.Results: The results indicate a high mean of workload, and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders especially in the neck and lower back. Gender, body mass index, work shift, work experience, risk level of workload and ROSA final score were significantly related with most musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, a statistically significant relationship was observed between workload score and both body mass index and work experience.Conclusion: Due to unsuitable workstations and high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, improving workstations must be considered. Also, utilizing interventional strategies for reducing workload dimensions associated with musculoskeletal disorders is essential.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common problems in workplaces. The present study assessed the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and the level of risk for these disorders among workers of an aluminum industry in Tehran.Method: In this cross-sectional study, Nordic questionnaire was used in order to assess musculoskeletal disorders among all workers in production line of the mentioned industry (82 workers) and to determine musculoskeletal disorders risk levels, workers’ body posture was assessed by REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) and QEC (Quick Exposure Check) techniques. Statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square test and through SPSS16 software.Results: According to the results, 83.9 percent of the subjects have complained from pain in at least one of their body areas during the past year. The highest prevalence of disorders was respectively allocated to the low back (48.2%), knee (35.7%) and wrist/hand (33.9%). The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders showed significant correlation with age, job experience and BMI. But, REBA and QEC final scores had no significant correlations with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. According to REBA and QEC, respectively 43.6 and 67.2 percent of postures were categorized in high and very high risk levels.Conclusion: High prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and levels of risk, prioritize the necessity of corrective actions. Higher percent of high risk level in QEC than REBA can be attributed to the capability of this tool in combined investigation of work posture, work related risk factors and mental disorders affecting the incidence of these disorders.

Background: Due to the adverse effects of lead on human health, especially children, and high consumption of fruit juice in our population, this study was done to determine Lead concentration in the high-consumed commercial fruit juices marketed in Kerman (southeast of Iran).Methods: In a field study on fruit juices marketed in Kerman city, high-consumed fruit juices were determined. Three samples of each available brand for the selected high-consumed fruit juices were selected for analysis (a total of 123 samples). Wet acid digestion method with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide were used for digestion of the samples. Lead concentration in digested samples was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.Results: Minimum and maximum lead concentrations were respectively 0.01417 and 0.0834 in grape juice, 0.0125 and 0.0269 in apple juice, 0.0071 and 0.0382 in peach juice and 0.0345 and 0.124 mg/L in orange juice. The highest lead concentration was found in orange juice samples.Conclusions: Lead concentration in all samples of fruit juices marketed in Kerman was lower than the recommended standard by World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Background: Significant Caries Index (SiC) has been introduced by WHO for evaluation of caries status in different societies and assesses one third of individuals who have the highest score of DMFT/dmft. The aim of this study was to determine Significant Caries Index and dmft in 6-year-old children in Kerman.Methods: This cross- sectional study was carried out on 300 children aged 6 years old that had been selected by multistage sampling in Kerman, Iran. Data were collected through a questionnaire (parents’ educational level, parents’ occupation, birth rank, number of children in family, tooth brushing frequency, use of fluoride mouthwash and dental visits frequency).Teeth were examined by dental mirror and according to WHO criteria for determining dmft.Data were analyzed in SPSS19 by using t-test and X2 test.Results: Mean dmft index was 4.63±2.41 and mean SiC was 7.34±1.34. SiC was higher in boys, but without asignificant difference. dmft showed significant difference with fathers’educational level (P=0.028), frequency of tooth brushing (P=0.004) and using fluoride mouthwash (P=0.001). There was a significant relationship between SiC index and using fluoride mouthwash (P=0.014) and dental visits) P=0.041).Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, dmft and SiC indices of 6-year old children in Kerman are high.

Background: Extensive researches with different techniques are being carried out for removal of pharmaceuticals from aqueous media. The aim of this study was to use multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to remove naltrexone as a pollutant of the aquatic environment and to investigate the mechanism of absorption and factors affecting it.Methods: In this experimental study, different amounts of MWCNTs were added to different concentrations (200 to 400 mg/L) of naltrexone and adsorption at various conditions including temperature, pH, and time of adsorption was studied. Adsorption on multi-walled carbon nanotubes was adopted on isotherm model equations to estimate the adsorption mechanism.Results: Optimum conditions to remove 90% of naltrexone from 20 ml of its 400mg/ml solution were at adsorbent amount of 0.1g and time of 20 to 30 minutes. Temperature and pH had no effect on adsorption in the examined ranges. The drug can be absorbed as one layer and according to the Langmuir isotherm, on carbon nanotubes.Conclusion: Naltrexone removal by MWCNTs, due to higher surface area and therefore more efficient adsorption properties, is more efficient than by activated carbon and requires no specific conditions in regard to pH, temperature, and concentration. Substances with similar structures, like morphine, compete with naltrexone on adsorption.

Background: Workforce reaches the plateau in its career after which job promotion is less probable.The present study aimed to study the relationship between career plateau and job burnout among employees of teaching hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences.Methods: The present research was a cross-sectional study carried out in 2012. The statistical population was the financial and administrative workers of teaching hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was done through the stratified appraoch. Data collection was done through questionnaires on career plateau and job burnout that their validity and relieability had already been confirmed. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation, ANOVA, t-test) through SPSS19.Results: Career plateau rate was relatively high, while the rate of job burnout and its components were moderate. There was a significant correlation (r=0.408) between career plateau and job burnout (P<0.001). The results also show that career plateau and job burnout are significantly related with employees age group, their educational degree and work experience.Conclusions: Regarding the high rate of career plateau in this study, hospital administrators should recruit basic strategies such as education, structural flexibility, identification of competent staff, job enrichment and motivation to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their human resources.

Background: Cancellation of surgical procedures is one of the biggest challenges in hospitals throughout the world and it is important as it increases patients' stress, expenses and wastage of time, and prolongs the duration of hospitalization of patients. The aim of this study was to review literature related to reasons of surgery cancellation in Iran.Methods: This systematic review was conducted from March to Sep.2014. The keywords including cancellation, delay, postpone, cancelled surgery, surgery operation and Iran were searched in international search engines including Pubmed, Scopus, ProQust and Google scholar and Persian indexing websites of SID, Magiran and Iranmedex. All articles related to cancelled operations in Iran, written in English or Persian (from Jan 1, 2004 until Sep 31, 2014) were collected. Then, those articles which contained any of the selected keywords in their titles or abstracts were compiled, and others were excluded. At last, a check list including title of article, time and location of study, sample size and location and cancellation cause was designed for final assessment.Results: A total of 646 records were found in 7 selected databases of which 13 articles met the criteria for inclusion in this study. The main cases of surgery cancellation were related to operating room and hospital, anesthesia, patient's non-clinical problems, the surgeon and clinical problems.Conclusions: Adoption of strategies for on-time initiation of surgical procedures, identification of patients' underlying problems and the appropriate process of hospital admission can be effective in reducing the rate of cancelled operations.