Iranian Journal of Public Health
Year:2007 | Volume:36 | Issue:3|Papers Count:6

Background: Quality assurance is implemented by the framework for the ISO 9001- 2000 " Quality Management System "and ISO 15189: 2003. QA system will be more efficient if every organization’s employees are commitment to QA implementation. This survey aimed to correlate between knowledge, attitude and performance of the employees with QA system implementation and its indicators observation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals' Clinical Laboratories in 2003-2005. Methods: A Cross- sectional, descriptive analytical survey was accomplished with two types of questionnaires to collect Employees' demographic information and determine knowledge, attitude and performance of the employees about QA system and its indicators observation in TUMS Hospitals Laboratories. Also, a checklist including 685 questions published by WHO and ISO 15189: 2003 requirement series was made to monitor preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical stage of fourteen TUMS Hospitals' Clinical Laboratories. The data was saved by spss software and analyzed by statistical method. Results: The results showed that knowledge, attitude and performance of the employees for implementation and observation of QA system and its indicators are more increased and positive with increased level of their academic degrees.Conclusion: QA programs and indicators would be programmed if all of the employees participated to implement QA programs in these laboratories

Background: Increased level of serum homocysteine is one of the risk factor of atherosclerosis. Its production related in some sulfur amino acids such as methionine. Some important cofactors that are involved in metabolic pathways of this amino acid are folate and vitamin B12. We have assessed the status of methionine, folic acid, and vitamin B12 in some coronary atherosclerotic male patients. Methods: In this case-control study, 46 cases of coronary atherosclerosis were selected from male patients aged 37 to 66 years undergoing coronary angiography. Of these, 21 had history of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in previous 3 to 36 months and 25 had angina pectoris. The controls were selected from male healthy volunteers. Inclusion criteria for all study participants required that they had no history of diabetes, hypertension, renal, hepatic, or gastrointestinal disease, endocrinal disorders, or psychiatric illness. Nutritional status was assessed using biochemistry methods and estimation of nutrient intake. Serum methionine was determined by HPLC methods. Results: Mean serum levels of vitamin B12, and folate, also erythrocyte folate concentration are significantly lower in these patients than in control subjects, but not for methionine. The ratios of serum methionine to vitamin B12 and folate were higher in patients than controls. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies, both, were higher in patients than controls.Conclusion: In summary, it is concluded that, despite normal level of serum methionine, coenzymes deficiencies may be one of the factors accounting for atherosclerosis.

Background: To monitor the current response of P. vivax to chloroquine in South and Southeast Iran. Methods: The study was undertaken from August 2004 until August 2005 at the Bandar- Abbas, Iranshahr, Nikshahr and Chabahar districts. A total of 195 patients out of 225 parasitologically positive P. vivax cases completed the study .The patients were given a standard 3- day regimen of chloroquine and followed–up clinically and parasitologically according to the world Health Organization guideline with some modifications. Results of study were addressed as mean of parasite clearance time (MPCT). Results: The patients responded to the regimen of chloroquine within 24-120 hours. The MPCTs of P. vivax for Bandar-Abbas, Iranshahr, Nikshahr and Chabahar districts were 63.05(±15.37), 56(± 21.7), 70.92 (±6.51) and 58(±14) hours, respectively and for the whole study area (South and South East of Iran) was 63.50(±15.84) hours. The results of the whole studied areas indicate that difference of MPCT between male and female patients is marginally significant (P=0.05). Conclusion: Although, parasite clearance time for a number of cases occurred within 96 and 120 hours, no P. vivax parasites had reappeared in considered patients after day five within 28 days follow- up, reflecting that chloroquine is still an efficacious drug for the treatment of vivax malaria in the studied districts. Higher MPCT in Nikshahr district than the other districts indicating this could be an early sign for reduced susceptibility of the parasite to the drug.

Background: Job satisfaction remains as an important concern for both employer and employee. The leaving of workplace and migration to city centers is one of the main results of Job dissatisfaction among the primary health care (PHC) providers in rural setting of Iran, Behvarzes. Determining the predictor's factors of the PHC providers' job dissatisfaction and providing appropriate strategies to address these factors can most likely improve their performance and diminish the problem. Methods: Data were collected from 290 of the PHC providers worked full-time in Kurdistan rural health-house by a survey for identifying the individual, environmental, and work factors that influence job satisfaction. Results: Only 17% of the participants' overall job satisfaction was high. Furthermore, the developed model presented statistically significant differences between job satisfaction and village population size, satellite villages covered, and distance between health-house and city center. Conclusion: It is expected that the finding of the study can help Iran health system policymakers and managers for planning and implementing effective policies in order to meet the PHC providers' needs and so improve quality of primary health care in the rural areas.

Background: To evaluate the prevalence of obesity and some related factors in the villages around Gorgan which is a multi-racial and capital city of Golestan Province, northern Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 2854 women participated. Interviewers recorded the data using the questionnaire. Subjects were weighed on scales and had their height, waist, and hip circumferences. Economic status was categorized based on 10 consumer items considered necessary for modern-day life (Low >=3, Moderate=4-6 and Good= 7-10). Three ethnic groups were compared in this study: Fars (native), Turkman and Sistani. This study carried out in rural area of Golestan Province in 2004. Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) in ranges of (25-29.9), (30-39.9) and (>=40) was observed in 28.3%, 15.9% and 0.5% of the subject, respectively. The frequency of BMI over 25 among Fars(native), Turkman and Sistani mothers was 64.3%, 43.4% and 32.9%, respectively and statistical differences was significant (P< 0.02). In 39.1% of these women, the Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) exceeded 0.8 and the index was higher in Turkman women compared with other groups. The frequency of economic status was 34.7%, 50.8% and 55.9%, respectively, without any significant difference. The prevalence of obesity in literate women was significantly higher than in illiterate women (P< 0.04).Conclusion: Obesity is a common health problem among women in the rural areas of Gorgan and this abnormality is varied among three different ethnic groups in this region.

Background: Bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients are prone to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Bacterial infection is considered as one of the common and serious complications in bone marrow transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of bacterial infections in bone marrow transplant recipients. Methods: Fifty-two blood and 25 catheter samples were obtained from 23 patients who were hospitalized in bone marrow transplantation unit in Shariati Hospital in Tehran. Bacterial strains were isolated and identified by the standard conventional bacteriological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed according to the guidelines from NCCLS using 18 different antibiotics. Results: The strains of Staphylococci, Streptococcus viridans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli were isolated from 8(66.7%), 1(8.3%), 2(16.7%) and the 1(8.3%) cases, respectively. Conclusion: Current study indicated that the bacterial infections particularly those caused by the Gram-positive cocci were still as important problem in bone marrow transplant.