Jundishapur Journal of Health Sciences
Year:2023 | Volume:15 | Issue:6|Papers Count:6

Background: With increasing specialization in various sectors of the market environment, it has become essential to identify customer satisfaction indicators and prioritize them to enhance the provision of supplementary health insurance services. Objectives: This study aimed to identify, prioritize, and assess satisfaction indicators among individuals covered by supplemental insurance. Methods: This exploratory mixed-method study involved 20 participants, including university faculty members, managers, and insurance experts in Khuzestan province. In the qualitative phase, a scoping review of relevant literature was initially conducted using electronic databases such as Scopus and Web of Science to extract key axes. Subsequently, in two stages of fuzzy Delphi, relevant indicators were extracted and then prioritized by a panel of experts using the fuzzy AHP method. Results: A total of 33 articles were retrieved through the database search. Following semi-structured interviews, 11 indicators were identified, including premium, insurance obligations limit, timely payment of expenses, provision of online services, respectful treatment, reasonableness of required documents, waiting period, complaint handling, franchising information, and discrimination in service provision. Among these factors, the premium had the highest priority, with a final weight of 0. 190. Conclusions: The results highlight the significance of premium as the most influential factor in the study. Therefore, insurance company managers should focus on increasing insured individuals' satisfaction and enhancing their companies' overall perception.

Introduction: Tinea favosa, a dermatophytic infection primarily caused by Trichophyton schoenleinii, remains a notable dermatological concern. It is characterized clinically by yellowish cup-shaped crusts on the scalp, and these lesions can result in scarring or non-scarring alopecia. Case Presentation: Three cases of severe tinea favosa transmitted by T. schoenleinii in Afghan immigrants residing in Iran are presented. The prevalence of tinea favosa has declined in Iran, although in some parts of Iran, mostly in the northern cities, the prevalence is still fairly high. Environmental and socioeconomic factors are the most common causes of these differences and elevated prevalence in specific northern cities. Conclusions: The increasing trend of isolation of T. schoenleinii in the immigrant population in Iran should be considered a serious health problem that requires special attention, as it could be a potential source for the re-emergence of this dermatophytic infection in the region. This emerging trend necessitates specialized medical attention and raises broader questions about regional dermatological patterns and their consequences for public health. Tinea favosa epidemiology is subject to change due to shifting migration patterns, evolving socioeconomic conditions, increased international travel, and drug overuse. In light of these findings, we propose the following recommendations: We recommend training and educational programs for healthcare professionals, especially in regions with high immigrant populations, to enhance their ability to accurately diagnose and manage tinea favosa. We also recommend raising awareness about tinea favosa, its symptoms, and the importance of seeking timely medical attention. Targeting both immigrant communities and healthcare providers is crucial.

Context: Climate change has a profound impact on food safety and poses a significant threat to public health. The effects of climate change are inevitable due to alterations in rainfall patterns, increasing weather events, and the average annual temperature. With the progress of climate change, extreme weather events and natural calamities will become more common. Evidence Acquisition: We searched electronic databases, including Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, for papers concerning climate change and food safety or hygiene. Results: Changes in weather patterns, along with an increase in the earth's temperature, can increase food infections, poisonings, antibiotic consumption, and microbial resistance. Lack of healthy agricultural water causes changes in pests, more use of agricultural pesticides, and chemical pollution. Conclusions: Floods and rainfall changes bring about fungal growth of agricultural products and bacterial growth and accumulation of toxins in seafood. This study reviewed climate changes in the past and present food safety and warned of emerging risks.

Background: Depression, a complex and often debilitating mood disorder, transcends its clinical definition to impact various aspects of an individual's life, including their professional pursuits. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment on anxiety sensitivity and prospective and retrospective memory of employees with depressive symptoms. Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study included a total of 36 participants who were employees experiencing depression in the sixth and eighth municipal districts of Tehran in 2021. These participants were selected using a random sampling approach and allocated randomly into 2 groups: The experimental group (n = 18) and the control group (n = 18). The data collection process involved the utilization of questionnaires designed to assess depression, anxiety sensitivity, and prospective and retrospective memory. In the experimental group, a series of ten 90-minute sessions of transdiagnostic treatment was administered, while the control group received no such intervention. The collected data was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) using SPSS version 24. Results: The results showed that transdiagnostic treatment significantly decreases physical (F = 66. 47, P < 0. 001, η2 = 0. 69), cognitive (F = 57. 29, P < 0. 001, η2 = 0. 66), social (F = 26. 05, P < 0. 001, η2 = 0. 47), prospective memory (F = 50. 18, P < 0. 001, η2 = 0. 63), and retrospective memory (F = 31. 39, P < 0. 001, η2 = 0. 52) in employees with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the significant and positive impact of transdiagnostic treatment on individuals experiencing depressive symptoms. The results demonstrate substantial reductions in various domains, including physical, cognitive, social, prospective memory, and retrospective memory domains. These outcomes, characterized by substantial effect sizes, highlight the effectiveness of transdiagnostic treatment in addressing the multifaceted challenges associated with depression in employees.

Background: Sleep disorders, as psychological manifestations of COVID-19, have been correlated with a decreased quality of all aspects of individuals' well-being, even after COVID-19 recovery. Objectives: Due to the persistence of sleep disorders even after the recovery from COVID-19, along with their significant consequences on the quality of life of individuals suffering from these disorders, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and predictive power of sleep disorders and their correlation with socio-demographic and health disparities among COVID-19 recovered individuals in Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical investigation, a total of 300 individuals participated from 3 hospitals in different regions of Tehran. Participants were selected based on inclusion criteria and simple random sampling. They were then evaluated using the "Questionnaire of Clinical and Demographic Information" and the "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). " Additionally, the "Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS21), " "The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), " and "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)" were used to assess other related disorders in the prevalence and predictive power of sleep disorders among the participants. Statistical tests, including the analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and Bayesian linear regression, were implemented using SPSS v. 26 to analyze the obtained data. Results: Among the total of 300 participants, 198 individuals (66%) demonstrated sleep disorders. The majority were female (54. 54%), married (88. 38%), employed (56. 56%), from Tehran (96. 96%), and covered by hospital C (36. 86%). Ultimately, depression (BF = 0. 01 and P-value = 0. 0001), anxiety (BF = 0. 02 and P-value = 0. 0001), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (BF = 0. 02 and P-value = 0. 001), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (BF = 0. 0001 and P-value = 0. 001) were the most powerful predictors of the presence of sleep disorders among individuals recovered from COVID-19. Conclusions: COVID-19-related sleep disorders were found in more than half of the COVID-19-recovered individuals, with mild severity. Furthermore, the reported prevalence, severity, and significance varied among the participants in accordance with sociodemographic and health disparities.

Background: Congestive heart failure is common in the world, and most patients with this disease have low quality of life. One of the factors affecting the quality of life is mental disorders. Therefore, teaching social problem-solving skills can play an effective role in improving the quality of life (QOL). Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of social problem-solving skills on QOL among congestive heart failure patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 20 patients randomly assigned to control (n = 10) and experimental groups (n = 10). The groups consisted of patients with congestive heart failure (left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45%). The experimental group received 10 one-hour sessions on social problem-solving skills. The QOL questionnaire (SF-36) was completed before, immediately, and 3 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 23) and independent and paired t-tests, as well as an analysis of covariance. Results: There was a significant difference between the QOL scores in the experimental group compared to the pre-test (P = 0. 006) and follow-up (P = 0. 035) (pre-test = 51. 4 ± 10. 5, post-test = 59. 8 ± 6. 6, follow-up = 55. 8 ± 7. 1). However, there was no significant change in the QOL scores through different stages in the control group (P > 0. 05) (pre-test = 51. 2 ± 10. 7, post-test = 52. 3 ± 10. 1, follow-up = 51. 3 ± 8. 9). Conclusions: Teaching social problem-solving can be effective in improving the QOL in patients with congestive heart failure.