Shiraz E-Medical Journal
Year:2016 | Volume:17 | Issue:3|Papers Count:5

Background: Physical inactivity is amodifiable risk factor for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the patterns and demographic correlates with physical activity among an urban population in Shiraz, Iran.Materials and Methods: This study was a population-based cross-sectional study with a multiple-stage sampling method of 700 subjects, all over 18 years old. Physical activity was assessed through the long version of the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), using face-to-face interviews with last-week recall. Participants were categorized into inactive, moderate, and intense activity categories. For data analysis, SPSS version 19 was used. Student’s t-test and one-way ANOVA were also performed.Results: Based on the three activity categories established by the IPAQ, 14.3% of Shiraz adults were inactive, 44.5% were active, and 41.2% had a high level of activity, but>67.6% of the sample did not engage in any type of vigorous-intensity physical activity lasting for at least 10 minutes. Males and young people participated in more vigorous activity compared to females and older people.Married and highly educated people were more likely to demonstrate higher levels of physical activity during leisure time.Conclusions: According to the results of this study, there is a need to promote various forms of physical activity, with special attention to leisure-time activities and vigorous-intensity physical activity, across both genders and all age groups, especially in jobless and poorly educated individuals.

Background: Most women suffer pain following an episiotomy and oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used for pain relief. Due to the gastrointestinal side effects of oral drugs, it seems that women are more accepting of topical medications for pain relief.Objectives: Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of lidocaine and mefenamic acid on post-episiotomy pain.Patients and Methods: This clinical trial was carried out in 2011. It involved sixty women with singleton pregnancy who were given an episiotomy at 38 to 42 weeks of gestation. The participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group received 2% lidocaine cream (n=30), while the other group received 250mgof mefenamic acid (n=30). The data were collected via a questionnaire and a visual analog scale. Pain intensity was compared from the first complaint by the mother and at 6, 12, and 24 hours after the delivery in both groups. The data were analyzed using SPSS (version 16), the t-test, and the paired t-test, and a P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The mean intensity of pain at the first compliant was 4.921.9 in the lidocaine group and 4.901.5 in the mefenamic acid group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.20). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the mean intensity of post-episiotomy pain between the two groups at 6 (P=0.05), 12 (P=0.36), and 24 (P=0.98) hours after childbirth.Conclusions: The effects of the lidocaine cream and mefenamic acid were similar in terms of the relief of post-episiotomy pain.Lidocaine cream therefore represents a good alternative to mefenamic acid, which is commonly used to reduce pain following an episiotomy, especially in women who are breastfeeding and who wish to avoid oral analgesic drugs being secreted in their milk.

Background: Older pedestrians are at risk of higher rates of injuries and mortality. This could be due to increased physical and cognitive impairments in elderly people. Most available data on injuries in the elderly do not include their perceptions and concerns regarding accidents when they go out.Objectives: The aim of study was to identify elderly perceptions regarding road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Shiraz, a city in southern Iran.Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 165 participants over 60 years of age were conveniently sampled from 10 public parks and 3 mosques. Data was collected using questionnaires administered by a trained interviewer. The questions captured demographic characteristics and concerns about RTIs when going out. Data was entered into SPSS version 16, and the significance level was set at 0.05.Results: Of the participants, 55.4% (n=92) were men and 44.2% (n=73) were women. The mean age (SD) of participants was 70.1 (6.86). More than 60% of participants were concerned about RTIs when going out (more than 40% were concerned often or always), and only 33.5% of participants were never concerned about RTIs when going out. Sixty percent of participants reported that they never go out at night. Motorcycles were the vehicle that caused the most trouble for the elderly while walking outside of their homes and crossing the road or intersections.Conclusions: Attention to elderly concerns about RTI is important; from the perspective of elderly people, this would lead to the provision of a safer environment for elderly pedestrians. This age-compatible environment would cause fewer RTI concerns for elderly people when they are performing outdoor activities and would allow them to walk outside more often, even at night.

Background: Young people age 10 - 25 are an important population to evaluate the female youth educational program essential to the prevention of issues related to reproductive health.Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of the education program for improving university student’s reproductive health.Patients and Methods: This quantitative study was conducted in Iran from July 2014 to March 2015. The questionnaire addressed socio-demographic features, knowledge of reproductive problems, and attitudes. Program effectiveness was examined using a quasi-experimental research design with pre-intervention and post-intervention. Data from questionnaires was collected preintervention and post-intervention from 150 female students.Results: In this study, results showed that an intervention and education program had a significant effect on several issues related to reproductive health. Most participants stressed the need to provide reproductive health services for young girls.Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the reproductive health education program improved the students’ knowledge and attitudes about sexuality and decision-making after the program and that these educational programs are important for youths.

Background: The burnout phenomenon is a complex and multidimensional reality and also a common metaphor for a state of extreme psychophysical exhaustion that is usually related to work.Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate nursing burnout in 371 registered nurses at both governmental and private hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated nursing burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Independent sample T-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed to determine the association between demographic factors, the nurses’ working environment, and nurse burnout.Results: The results of this study showed that nurses in internal medicine wards, at staff positions, and on rotating shifts in governmental hospitals have a high rate of total burnout (P<0.05). In contrast, nurses with less than five years of work experience have a high rate of reduced personal accomplishment (P<0.05). Also, nurses with 6 - 15 years of work experience reported the highest incidence of emotional exhaustion (P<0.05).Conclusions: Burnout is associated with some specific demographic and environmental features. To reduce and prevent burnout, nursing leadership should focus on personal accomplishments in nurses with little work experience, especially for nurses in internal medicine wards, on rotating shifts, and on staff wards. In addition, policy makers at higher levels should also consider nursing burnout in governmental hospitals.