Journal of Health Reports and Technology
Year:2023 | Volume:9 | Issue:3|Papers Count:8

Background: Many substance abusers suffer uncontrollable symptoms of extreme stress and cannot regulate their emotions after a traumatic experience. Objectives: This study hence investigated the effects of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) therapy on drug craving and emotion regulation of therapeutic community (TC) center clients. Methods: This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population included all stimulant-related (methamphetamine) visitors to treatment centers (TCs) of Khuzestan Province (Iran) in 2022. The convenience sampling method was employed to select 40 participants, who were assigned to an experimental group and a control group (20 members per group). The experimental group received MBRP therapy (eight 90-minute sessions), whereas the control group received no interventions and remained on the waiting list. The data were collected by using the Desires for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The ANCOVA was used for data analysis in SPSS-26. Results: The mean and standard deviation (± SD) of the drug cravings and emotion regulation for the MBRP group in the posttest were 46. 85 ± 4. 47 and 27. 50 ± 2. 72, respectively,while in the control group, the means were 69. 30 ± 7. 25 and 29. 60 ± 2. 16, respectively. MBRP had a significant effect on drug cravings and emotion regulation in clients of TC centers (P < 0. 001). According to the results, MBRP effectively reduced drug cravings and improved the emotion regulation of participants in the experimental group. Conclusions: According to the findings, MBRP improved drug cravings and emotion regulation. Hence, MBRP can be adopted to help mitigate drug cravings and enhance the emotion regulation of patients in rehabilitation.

Background: Children with asthma have a low quality of life because they cannot adequately be physically active. Asthmatic children can benefit from home-based pulmonary rehabilitation because it is available, inexpensive, and easy to use. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation on the quality of life of children with asthma. Methods: This experimental study was conducted in 2022 on 60 asthmatic children in Gorgan, Iran, with two intervention and control groups by convenient method. Children in the intervention group received eight pulmonary rehabilitation sessions at home after randomly assigning the participants to two intervention (30-person) and control (30-person) groups. The data collection tools included a demographic characteristic form and a pediatric quality of life questionnaire (PedsQl). Results: The mean quality of life before the intervention was 54. 6 ± 7. 13 in the intervention and 53. 76 ± 7. 12 in the control group, and the independent t-test did not show a significant difference between the two groups. The mean quality of life after the intervention increased to 59. 9 ± 7. 69 in the intervention and 55. 3 ± 7. 36 in the control group, and the independent t-test showed a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0. 01). Conclusions: Based on the results, home-based pulmonary rehabilitation effectively improved the asthmatic pediatric quality of life. Therefore, the healthcare system should consider home-based pulmonary rehabilitation as part of the treatment protocol.

Background: Cosmetic surgery is one of the most common phenomena in recent decades. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among cosmetic surgery applicants are high, so exploring the procedures and variables affecting their psychological damage is essential. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the mediated role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between attachment styles and psychopathology in females applying for cosmetic surgery. Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on the 300 females applying for cosmetic surgery in Kermanshah who were selected via simple random sampling. The collected data were analyzed using the Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) (Collins and Read), early maladaptive schemas (Young), and the Scale of psychological disorders symptoms (SCL-90-R) (Derogatis et al. ) via SPSS software version 22 and LISREL 8/8. Results: The study’s hypothetical model fitted the experimental data. The relationship between attachment styles and psychopathology, directly and indirectly, was significant (P < 0. 05). The analysis results indicated a mediated role of early maladaptive schemas in the relationship between attachment styles and psychopathology (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: Attachment styles and early maladaptive schemas can effectively prevent, diagnose, and treat psychological damage and improve the psychological level of females applying for cosmetic surgery.

Background: Cardiopulmonary arrest is one of the most critical medical emergencies in the emergency department. Nurses’ knowledge and skills play an essential role in successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Therefore, holding in-service training courses is considered vital. Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of an in-service training course (ISTC) on adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) based on the Kirkpatrick model. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 50 emergency department nurses of 5-Azar Hospital in Gorgan, Iran. Training effectiveness was implemented on the four levels of Kirkpatrick's model (including reaction, learning, performance, and findings). The raw data were analyzed by the SPSS version 21 software with descriptive statistics (frequency, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (including Paired t-test and Independent Samples t-test) in a significant level of α = 0. 05. Results: The overall effectiveness of ISTC for adult CPR was reported as 83. 23%. The chance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation success increased from 25% in the first six months to 53% in the second six months. In addition, the effectiveness of ISTC was observed in the four levels of the Kirkpatrick model. Conclusions: Based on the findings, in-service CPR training had a favorable effect on all four levels of the Kirkpatrick model for nurses. The findings of this study significantly increased the efficiency of personnel because evaluating the quality of training courses made them more effective.

Background: Mobile technologies and devices effectively maintain health and well-being is a promising opportunity for health policymakers and relevant stakeholders. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate a mhealth program to promote smoking prevention behaviors among university students in northern Iraq. The integrative model of factors influencing smoking behavior (IMFISB) was used as a theoretical framework. Methods: This quasi-experimental research study was conducted on 150 Kurdish students of Raparin University in northern Iraq. University students were randomly divided into intervention (n = 75) or control (n = 75) groups. The mhealth theory-based intervention program was evaluated using the mobile application (Avoid Smoking) in eight sessions. The data was collected using a questionnaire before and two months after the program’s implementation and analyzed in SPSS software version 16. Results: The effect size was estimated as "small" for belief, value, and family pressure. The effect size was estimated as “medium" for knowledge, attitude, peer pressure, self-image, and intention. The average response for smoking prevention behaviors was 15. 17, which significantly increased to 16. 88 after program implementation among the intervention group (P < 0. 001), and the effect size was estimated to be "medium" for smoking prevention behaviors. Conclusions: Based on the results, smoking prevention interventions can be effective among students using mobile health evidence-based interventions.

Background: Currently, the prevalence of breast cancer and its debilitating consequences are increasing, causing adverse personal, family, and social effects in patients. Therefore, patients with breast cancer should try to reduce the injuries described above through various treatment methods. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on disease perception, body image, and fear of cancer recurrence in women with breast cancer. Methods: This applied study was designed based on a pre-test and post-test. The study included 30 participants, 15 test groups (15 people), and 15 control groups (15 people). A test group was used for MBCT, while the other was not exposed to the intervention. Eight 90-minute sessions were held weekly for the test group for two months. The research tools included the Broadbent Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ), and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory Questionnaire (FCRIQ). Finally, the resulting data were analyzed by SPSS software Version 25. Results: The statistical test of covariance analysis showed that the MBCT method significantly affects disease perception, body image, and fear of disease recurrence in women with breast cancer (P < 0. 05). Conclusions: Based on the results, the MBCT method can help manage breast cancer in women. Therefore, breast cancer patients can improve their quality of life and life expectancy by learning this treatment method.

Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a public health problem in many countries in Asia. Fars province in the south of Iran is an area with endemic CL. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate CL’s lifetime and point prevalence in the Fars province’s general population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 11779 participants living in Marvdasht, the second largest county of Fars province, Iran, in 2019 to estimate CL’s lifetime and point prevalence. In total, 59 urban and 55 rural clusters (with 30 households per cluster) were randomly selected. Door-to-door interviews were conducted by trained nurses to collect the required data. Results: The point prevalence was estimated at 3. 56 (95% confidence interval: 2. 6-4. 8) per 1000 population. The lifetime prevalence of CL was 8. 48 (95% confidence interval: 7. 99-9. 00) per 100 population. There was no difference between urban and rural areas and gender regarding fresh or old scars, and CL scares (P ≤ 0. 05 for all). Conclusions: Based on the results, Marvdasht in Fars province was the hyperendemic area for CL. Since the lifetime prevalence of CL in Marvdasht is almost 8%, 89% of the people of this city are at risk of contracting Leishmania. As a result, more public health interventions are needed to control the CL epidemic in Marvdasht.

Emergencies are a significant menace to health services. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one such emergency that took the world unaware and demanded more concentration from health-care providers, including pharmacists. To keep the pandemic at bay, pharmacists had to work on the frontline and to large extent, they still work alongside other healthcare professionals leveraging on the lessons learnt from the pandemic. The intent of this study was to present a general survey of pharmacists’ role in responding to public health emergencies, some challenges faced and some strategies that have been formulated by which they can perform these roles correctly. The study was carried out by searching databases such as the World Health Organization, Yale Medicine, NCBI, CDC, Google Scholar, Research gate, WebMD, and PubMed. It was discovered that pharmacists are now greatly involved in COVID-19 vaccine administration, COVID-19 testing, and sensitization.