Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
Year:2023 | Volume:22 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background and Objectives: Hypochondriasis (Hypochondria) is one of the most important phenomena that has disrupted the lives of people, especially nurses and medical staff, during the outbreak of corona. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the mediating role of death anxiety and corona anxiety in the relationship between resilience and hypochondriasis. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the statistical population included nurses from hospitals in districts 10, 14, 15, and 20 of Tehran in the first four months of 2022. Two-hundred and fifty participants were selected by convenience sampling. They responded to Evans’ Hypochondria Questionnaire, Connor and Davidson's Resilience Scale, Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, and Alipour et al. ’s Corona-related Anxiety Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The findings of this research showed that there is a significant negative relationship between resilience and death anxiety, corona anxiety, and hypochondriasis (p<0. 05). According to the research results, resilience, death anxiety, and corona anxiety explain a total of 52% of the variance of hypochondriasis. The results of the path analysis showed that resilience through corona anxiety (t=2. 481, β=-0. 541) and death anxiety (t=2. 252, β=-0. 482) had a significant indirect effect (mediating) on hypochondriasis (p<0. 05). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed the role of death anxiety and corona anxiety on resilience and hypochondriasis. It is recommended to provide mental health services in the form of resilience training sessions in order to reduce and prevent disease anxiety, focusing on reducing death anxiety and corona anxiety.

Background and Objectives: Existential therapy is one of the treatments that can be effective in improving mental health and enriching students' lives. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of existential therapy on emotional capital, cognitive regulation of emotion, and mental well-being of undergraduate female students with social anxiety. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group was performed on 30 undergraduate female students suffering from social anxiety in the Faculty of Humanities of Khomeinishahr University in 2022, who were selected by purposive sampling and randomly divided into two experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The research tools included Connor et al. ’s Social Anxiety Questionnaire, Gratz's Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Ryff's Psychological Well-being Questionnaire, and Golparvar's Emotional Capital Questionnaire. Nazari and Zarghami’s Existential Therapy Approach was implemented in eight 2-hour sessions on the experimental group, and the control group did not receive any treatment. Data was analyzed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The results showed that existential therapy significantly improved emotional capital, cognitive regulation of emotions, and mental well-being in undergraduate female students with social anxiety and this effectiveness was sustained over time (p<0. 001). Conclusion: The results of the study indicated the effect of existential therapy on the improvement of psychological characteristics in the experimental group,therefore, it is recommended that therapists use existential therapy along with other treatment methods to improve students' psychological health.

Background and Objectives: One of the main causes of tooth decay and periodontal diseases in the oral cavity is bacteria. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of several plant extracts on some of bacteria in the oral cavity. Materials and Methods: This laboratory study was conducted in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in 2021. Alcoholic extracts of Eugenia caryophyllata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Mentha pulegium, and Camellia sinensis plants were prepared by a maceration method. Then the antibacterial properties of the extracts were determined on 5 strains of oral cavity bacteria by agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The mean diameter of the growth inhibition zone was measured and the data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s post hoc test. Results: The results showed that the most antibacterial effect was related to Eugenia caryophyllata extract and on Streptococcus mutans and Salivarus with mean and standard deviation of 20. 03±0. 45 and 19. 06±0. 20 mm, respectively. Based on the comparison of the means, the effect of extracts and gentamicin on diameter of the zone of inhibition was significantly different (p<0. 05), but this difference was not observed for Eugenia caryophyllata extract on Streptococcus mutans (p>0. 05). The minimum inhibitory concentration of Eugenia caryophyllata and rosemarinus extracts against Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus was 6. 25 mg/ml. Conclusion: The results of this research showed that the plant extracts, especially Eugenia caryophyllata, can be effective as antibacterial substances in treating bacterial infections of the oral cavity.

Background and Objectives: Since finding new drugs with fewer side effects to reduce blood sugar in diabetics seems necessary, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the different doses of Capparis spinosa fruit extract on key enzymes of glucose metabolism pathways in the liver cells of diabetic male rats. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 60 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups. Groups 1-3 were normal (nondiabetic) rats that received distilled water, and 200 and 800 mg/kg extract, respectively, and groups 4-6 were diabetic rats that received distilled water, and 200 and 800 mg/kg extract, respectively. Diabetes induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin. Serum levels of insulin and glucose were measured by special kits, the activity of glucokinase and hexokinase was measured manually, and gene expression of phosphofructokinase-1 and glucose-6-phosphatase was determined by Real Time-PCR. Data was analyzed using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test and post hoc Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Administration of Capparis spinosa fruit extract decreased the serum level of glucose but increased the serum level of insulin and glucokinase and the level of expression of phosphofructokinase-1 genes in all groups receiving the extract compared to the control groups, and the average activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and hexokinase in different groups was significantly different (p<0. 001). Conclusion: The treatment of diabetic animals with Capparis spinosa fruit extract caused a significant decrease in blood sugar and an increase in serum insulin levels, and also led to an improvement in the activity of enzymes involved in glycolysis. Therefore, it seems that the consumption of this fruit has beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin secretion as well as sugar metabolism

Background and Objectives: Suicide is one of the most important public health problems. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the epidemiology of suicide and some related demographic factors in Asadabad City during 2017-2021. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all cases of suicide leading to death and attempted suicide in Asadabad City, referred to health care units (hospital emergency and forensic medicine) from the beginning of 2017 to March 2021. The monthly report checklist of the suicide prevention program was used to collect data. The data was reported as numbers (percentages) in the form of graphs and statistical tables. Results: According to the results of this study, during the years 2017 to 2021, 840 people committed suicide, out of which 73 cases (8. 69%) resulted in death. The trend of the rate of suicide attempts in Asadabad City from 2017 to 2021 was increasing according to gender in both city and rural areas, and in all the years of 2017-2021 (except 2018) the rate of suicide attempts was higher in women than men. The highest suicide rate was among those aged 15-24 and the lowest among those aged 64 and older. Conclusion: Due to the rising trend of suicide attempts in Asadabad City, it is essential serious plans be developed by health and medical centers, including educational interventions, establishment of family counseling centers, training for families, students, and vulnerable groups to reduce this problem.

Background and Objectives: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disease that requires lifelong treatment and management. PKU disease affects the quality of life of patients and their caregivers and also challenges the adaptation and psychological well-being of parents. Therefore, the current review study was conducted with the aim of identifying the factors related to the psychological well-being of these parents. Materials and Methods: This study is a systematic review. Searching for related articles was done in the period from 2001 to 2022 in foreign electronic databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SID and Magiran internal databases using the Persian keywords “phenylketonuria, parents, psychological well-being, and Quality of life”, and their English equivalents. The search criteria included studies with more than one sample, studies that used the official measure of psychological functioning related to the well-being of these parents, and full articles published in Persian and English. Results: In the initial search, 334 articles were found, after removing duplicates and including inclusion criteria, finally 24 articles were examined in line with the objectives of the present study. The findings showed that the demographic variables such as parent's gender and education level, child's age, and family income were the most extensive factors related to the well-being of these parents. Social support and variables of quality of life, stress, and psychological distress were the next repeatable factors related to parents’ well-being. Conclusion: These results show the importance of social networks in supporting families, especially mothers with PKU children. Future research should focus on using more diverse study designs and larger samples. Interventional studies may help improve parental well-being.

Background and Objectives: In food stores, some unsanitary behaviors can be a factor in the transmission of coronavirus. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the status of compliance with health protocols in preventing the transmission of the coronavirus in food stores in Babol. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted among 214 customers of food stores in Babol. Information was collected through interviews using a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using chi-square test. Results: Two people (0. 9 percent), 44 people (20. 6 percent), and 168 people (78. 5 percent) of customers said that compliance with health protocols in food stores was poor, average, and good, respectively. 40. 7% of the customers (87 subjects) were completely satisfied with the hygiene measures in the store, and 31. 8% (68 subjects) reported that they pay attention to the brand of the grocery store for shopping. Conclusion: The results showed that the health condition of the investigated food stores was favorable. Health recommendations can be helpful.