International Journal of Health Studies
Year:2017 | Volume:3 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background: Greenhouse workers are exposed to a variety of biomechanical risks, repetitive movements, and awkward posture. This study aimed to assess the risk of upper limb injuries in greenhouse workers and its relationship with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Methods: This descriptive, analytic, cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 greenhouse workers. The data related to MSDs were collected using a body map and interview. The OCRA and ACGIH-HAL methods were used to assess the risk factors of the upper limb disorders in six repetitive tasks. The data were analyzed by univariate logistic regression. Results: The results showed that 62% of the workers had MSDs in the upper limbs over the last year. Grafting task had the highest OCRA index and HAL-TLV (8. 3 and 0. 59). The highest percentage of pain was in the fingers (75%). Univariate regression test showed a significant relationship between the three parts of the upper limb (wrist, palm, and fingers) and the OCRA index (OR=0. 30, 95%CI=0. 15-0. 61; OR=0. 26, 95%CI=0. 11– 0. 59; OR=0. 21, 95%CI=0. 08– 0. 51; respectively). Conclusions: The prevalence of MSDs was one-third in the wrist. Grafting task was the most dangerous activity, and tasks such as pruning, weeding, and transplanting had a medium risk. Use of ergonomic tools in tasks such as grafting, pruning, and harvesting is recommended. In weeding task, in which repetitive work is done for a long time, management measures such as training, job rotation, and increasing rest time could reduce MSDs.

Background: Stress caused by the insertion of the needle into the arteriovenous fistula is one of the main concerns of hemodialysis patients. Reducing the stress of patients during venipuncture is one of the main goals of nursing care. This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of Xyla-P cream and cold compress on the severity of stress caused by venipuncture in hemodialysis patients. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted in 50 patients undergoing hemodialysis who were enrolled in the study using simple random sampling. The severity of stress was measured during two successivehemodialysis sessions in three stages including after the application of a placebo, Xyla-P cream, and cold compress. The visual analog scale was used to measure the severity of stress. The data collector and data analyzer were blinded. The collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures. Results: The stress scores were significantly different between the placebo group(6. 69± 1. 66)and Xyla-P cream group(5. 43± 1. 42)(P=0. 000)andcold compress group(5. 05± 1. 40)(P=0. 000), and between Xyla-P cream group and cold compress group(P=0. 026). Conclusions: Cold compress is more effective than Xyla-P cream in reducing the stress. Therefore, nurses are recommended to use this method, instead of medications, for reducing the stress.

Background: Chronic disorders are those that entangle the patient for a long time and affect the person's abilityfor normal operation. What is important in the treatment of a chronic disease such as diabetes, in addition to controllingthe disease, is improvingpatient's personal and psychic performances. The effect of diabetes and its complications on self-concept and anxiety of death are still unknown and studies in this field are insufficient. This study aimed to compare self-concept and death anxiety in type2diabetic and healthy women. Methods: The present study is a causal-comparative study. In this study from all diabetic women who were admitted to gynecology, dialysis and outpatientsof ShahidChamranHospital, Tehran, Iran, and healthy women 30 to 60 years. 200 cases were selected using non-random purposive sampling in 2016. From this sample, 100 women with type 2 diabetes and 100 healthy women were selected based on entering standards. The questionnaire used in this study included Rogers Self-concept Inventory (1975) and Templer Death Anxiety Inventory (1970). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics methods (independent t-test and Chi-square test) using SPSS version 18. Results: The results showed that Rogers self-concept (B form) among women with type 2 diabetes(113. 98± 16. 64)was significantly lower than among non-diabetic women (123. 65± 13. 07) (P=0. 003<0. 05), Rogers self-concept (A form) didnot have significant difference among diabetic (111. 59± 18. 40) and non-diabetic women (114. 24± 13. 17) (P=0. 776> 0. 05), and death anxiety among women with type 2 diabetes (44. 41± 8. 44) was significantly higher than among non-diabetic women (21. 05± 3. 22) (P=0. 005<0. 05). Conclusions: Self-concept and anxiety of death may be considered as causes or risk factors or resonators in type 2 diabetes.

Background: Women have different experiences after childbirth. Emotional and social changes may change their sexual and communicative needs. This study aimed to determine and discover women's sexual function experiences after childbirth. Methods: The present study was done in a mixed paradigm with a sequential explanatory approach. In the first phase, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the women’ s sexual function after childbirth. In the second phase, using the qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews, the sexual function after childbirth was explained. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive methods, and in the qualitative stage, the conventional content analysis method was used. Results: In the quantitative phase of the study, more than half of the women (56. 7%) reported some degree of sexual dysfunction at 3– 6 months after childbirth. The qualitative findings revealed that women's experiences were affected by individual, family, social, and cultural factors. Individual factors included physical and psychological domains; family factors included husband and interpersonal communication; social factors comprised of the socioeconomic situation and sexual management in the postpartum period; the cultural factorwas theadherence to the cultural norms. Conclusions: The present study showed that a mixed method explanatory sequential study could be used for better understanding of women's experience of sexual function after childbirth. The results of this study can be used in health research, education, policy-making, and planning related to women’ s sexual health.

Background: Acute appendicitis is a serious condition that is occasionally falsely diagnosed. The correct diagnosis of this condition helps reduce unnecessary surgeries or complications due to the lack of diagnosis. Laboratory tests are used to diagnose this condition. The present study was conducted to compare the diagnostic value of the ESR, the CRP level and leukocytosis with pathological findings in patients with acute appendicitis. Methods: This descriptive study examined 125 cases with a primary diagnosis of appendicitis from August 2015 to October 2016 at Imam Hossein Hospital in Shahroud, Iran. The patients’ blood samples were collected for ESR, CRP and leukocyte testing and were then sent to the laboratory. After the appendectomies, samples of their appendices were sent to the pathology laboratory for further examination. The blood test results were compared with the pathological findings and analyzed in terms of sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values. Results: In this study, 59. 2% of the cases were male and the rest were female. Acute appendicitis and other pathological appendices were confirmed in 91 patients (72. 8%) based on their pathological evaluation and 34 cases (27. 2%) were reported as normal. The sensitivity and specificity were obtained as 57. 1% and 79. 4% for ESR. These indices were 78. 0% and 83. 5% for CRP and 74. 4% and 50% for leukocytosis. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that, in addition to basic laboratory findings, ESR, CRP and leukocytosis testing can also be helpful in the correct diagnosis of acute appendicitis; however, the predictive value of CRP was the highest.

Background: Burnout describes negative changes in attitude, mood and behavior in people under work-related stress. This study determines the degree of job burnout inprimary health care providers in Sari, Mazandaran Province, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted on 208 primary health care providersworking in Sari in 2015 using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The self-administered questionnaire was completed by the participants anddata were analyzed usingthe Chi-square test. The mean scores of the four dimensions of burnout were calculated using the frequency and intensity scores. Results: A total of 62. 9% of the participants were female and a majority was married (91%). Approximately 21% of the participants were completely satisfied with their essential workplace facilities. The mean scores of the intensity and frequency of emotional exhaustion were 17. 19± 14. 65 and 15. 84± 12. 27. The mean scores of the intensity and frequency of the lack of personal accomplishment were 36. 8± 12. 17 and 30. 34± 9. 72. As for depersonalization, the mean scores of intensity and frequency were 4. 22± 5. 36 and 3. 95± 4. 53. The mean scores of the intensity and frequency of conflict were 6. 67± 5. 12 and 6. 18± 4. 26. The mean scores of the intensity and frequency of overall burnoutwere also 64. 89± 22. 95 and 56. 31± 19. 87. Therewere significant relationships between the intensity and frequency of overall burnout and dissatisfaction with work experience, income, interest in the job and workplace facilities (P<0. 05). Conclusions: Given the relationship between job burnout and variables including income and essential workplace facilities, it is imperative to improve health care providers’ payment and salary and provide them with any essential facilities at their workplace and enable career advancement so as to help reduce burnout in different dimensions.

Background: The present study was conducted to determine the quality of mineral ground waters and analyze their spatial distribution in Ardabil Province of Iran. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was carried out on natural mineral water wells in Ardabil Province over one year. Samples of water were taken from a total of 44 wells in this province every season, from April 2016 to February 2017. They were then transferred to Khak Azmay-e Moghan Laboratory and their Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), chloride, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, sodium and bicarbonate were measured based on the instructions presented in Standard Methods. The Ground Water Quality Index (GWQI) was then determined based on the measured parameters. The spatial distribution of the ground waters based on the GWQI was then also determined in a Geographic Information System (GIS). Results: The GWQI varied extensively in the natural mineral water wells of Ardabil Province, from 24. 88 to 312. 58. The best physicochemical quality based on the GWQI was observed in Hammam-e Sangi and the poorest quality in Saghezji-Mardaneh. According to the index, 2. 5% of the wells were of very good quality, 30% were of good quality, 32% of moderate quality, 13. 5% of poor quality and 22% were of inappropriate quality. Conclusions: According to the results, the most important quality problems included high levels of TDS, chlorine and sulfate and low pH values. Considering that these wells supply people’ s drinking water in this region, consumers should be warned of their water quality, and purification procedures should also be carried out to allow the hygienic use of these valuable resources.

Background: This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of children under two years old in two time periods in 1995 and 2016 in rural areas of Shahroud. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study enrolled 1443 participants selected by cluster sampling in 1995 and 2016. We calculated the mean standard deviation of weight for age, height for age, and weight for height and compared them with international reference values (WHO/NCHS). The obtained values which were two standard deviations below the mean reference values were defined as wasting, underweight, and stunting. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS software at a significance level of 0. 05 using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and regression analysis. Results: In this study, 1443 children under two years old were studied over two time periods in 1995 and 2016. The results showed 14. 9%, 29. 5%, and 7. 3%, in 1995 and 9. 2%, 10. 1%, and 4% in 2016 suffered from underweight, wasting, and stunting, respectively. Among the factors involved in malnutrition in 1995 were parents’ education, family size, child gender, birth order, type of the first complementary food, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection in the two weeks prior to the study, and exclusive breastfeeding. In 2016, we observed significant relationships between the body mass index (BMI), underweight, wasting, exclusive breastfeeding, and all three types of malnutrition. Conclusions: Despite a reduction in the prevalence of different types of malnutrition, it is still a common problem. When designing family physician program and children growth and development, special attention must be paid to promote breastfeeding.