International Journal of Health Studies
Year:2016 | Volume:2 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background: Deficiency of sleep among nurses working in shifts, results in sleepiness, fatigue, health, and safety problem, and it also can deteriorate the quality of care provision. The present study aimed to compare sleepiness and fatigue between night-shift nurses who have a 3-h nap and day-shift nurses. Methods: A prospective cohort study was done on 23 night-shift nurses with a 3-h nap and 24 day-shift nurses in Sina Hospital in Tehran (Iran) during 2015– 2016. Subjective sleepiness and fatigue before and after their shifts were measured by Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI-20), respectively. Statistical analysis including independent t-test, Mann– Whitney test, multivariate analysis of variance, and discriminant analysis were performed to compare the two groups. Results: The difference in means of subjective sleepiness before and after the shifts was significantly greater among night-shift nurses having a 3-h nap (1. 43± 1. 50) than the day-shift nurses (0. 37± 0. 92) (P=0. 007). Although after their working shifts, the night-shift nurses (1. 40± 2. 30) were more fatigued than the day-shift ones (0. 96± 1. 46), this was not statistically significant (P=0. 81). Moreover, day or night shift working with a 3-h nap was an effective factor (P=0. 015) while considering the interrelationship between sleepiness and fatigue in multivariate analysis. Discriminant analysis revealed the dominant role of subjective sleepiness in differentiating the two groups. Conclusions: Despite the 3-h nap, subjective sleepiness was seen more among the night-shift nurses than the day-shift ones; however, the mean difference scores of fatigue did not differ between the two groups. Presumably, getting a 3-h nap during night shift and a heavy work load for day-shift nurses might result in insignificant fatigue between the groups. Furthermore, studies with new strategies for napping among nurses are recommended.

Background: Providing and sustaining the mental health of mothers who have experienced a traumatic childbirth have significant impact on the health of the mother, family and society. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of early skin-to-skin contact in the first hour of birth on the mental health of mothers with traumatic childbirth. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2015 on 82 mothers who, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V-TR) criteria, had experienced a traumatic childbirth. After randomly assigning mothers into groups, the intervention group received early skin-to-skin contact in the first hour after birth, and the control group received the routine procedures. The mental health as an outcome of this study was evaluated using the Persian version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Results: The results showed that the mean score of mental health of mothers in the intervention and control groups was significantly different (P < 0. 001) and with the passage of time, the mental health status in the intervention group appeared better than that of the control group (P < 0. 001). Conclusions: Early skin contact in the first hour of birth not only in normal deliveries but also in traumatic births can have an important and effective role in improving the mental health of the mother.

Background: Sexual dysfunction in women is very common and it affects physical and mental health. Several studies have been conducted in Iran in order to investigate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction. However, there is a remarkable diversity among the results. This meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall prevalence of female sexual dysfunction in Iran. Methods: International and national electronic databases were searched up to June 2016, which included MEDLINE, Science Citation Index Expanded, Scopus, ISI, Google Scholar, IranDoc, SID, MagIran, and IranMedex, as well as conference databases. Furthermore, reference lists of articles were screened and the studies’ authors were contacted for additional references. Cross-sectional studies addressing the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction were included in this meta-analysis. Results: We assessed eight separate studies involving 5, 778 participants overall, of which 2, 335 had sexual dysfunction. Overall prevalence rate of female sexual dysfunction was 0. 48 (0. 38, 0. 59). Conclusions: Various prevalences of sexual dysfunction have been reported in different studies. Furthermore, despite many studies conducted addressing the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction, there is however a remarkable diversity between the results. Thus one can hardly give a precise estimation of the prevalence rate of female sexual dysfunction in Iran at the moment.

Background: The present study examines the effects of Iranian traditional music and Western classical music during 20 min of pedaling on an ergometer, along with the normal factors of profile of mood states and rate of perceived exertion. Methods: Seventeen non-athlete participants (11 men and six women) with a mean age of 26± 1. 5 cycled in three conditions: exposure to Iranian traditional music; exposure to classical music; and control conditions (silence). Participant’ s normal mood states before and after each test, rate of perceived exertion and cycling speed during the test and distance traveled at the end of each test were recorded. Results: The results showed that participants in exposure to classical music, and also in the face of Iranian traditional music, pedal a greater distance than the control condition (silence). Also, conditions of exposure to classical music and exposure to Iranian traditional music reduced rate of perceived exertion of participants compared to control conditions (silence). There was no significant difference in the speed of participant’ s cycling during exposure to music and in the control condition (silence). Conclusions: Individual’ s mood during the physical test under the musical conditions was better than control condition, and classical music had a more prominent role in participant’ s mood.

Background: Nowadays, healthcare systems are considered as important service sectors, and they are social development and welfare standards; hence the performance of this sector is highly important. Evaluating performance is the first step of various departments to determine the efficiency of the healthcare system. In the meantime, diagnostic laboratories of hospitals play important roles as specialized and technical units with a cost nature. So, far, the effectiveness of diagnostic laboratories has not been assessed in Iran, therefore, in this study, for the first time in Iran, the technical efficiency of laboratories covered by the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) was assessed in 2015. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess 10 selected laboratories from diagnostic laboratories in hospitals affiliated with SUMS. In this paper, data envelopment analysis (DEA), one of the most widely utilized methods, was used in determining performance. Results: Among the 10 examined laboratories affiliated by SUMS, 4 (40%) laboratories had increasing yield to the scale, and 6 (60%) laboratories had technical, managerial, and scale efficiency equal to one. Mean± SD of technical efficiency, managerial efficiency, and scale efficiency of examined laboratories were 92. 4± 16, 95. 9± 9, and 95. 5± 10, respectively. Conclusions: Studying the efficiency of the diagnostic laboratories affiliated with SUMS using DEA showed that most laboratories had a high level efficiency.

Background: The market of medical tourism is considered as a revenue and competitive industry throughout the world, it is also regarded as a novel field of the advanced tourism. Therefore, most of the developing countries have focused on the medical tourism industry and they are planning for implementing it. In 2016, the present research was conducted with the main objective of designing a model for medical tourism development in West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. The statistical population consisted of 40 interviewees who were selected via targeted sampling. The scholar-made questionnaire and studies of the Ricafort and Kazemi were employed as the tools of collecting data. The PLS software was utilized for analyzing data. Results: The results showed that two main factors, including hospital selection with an impact factor of 0. 143 and West Azerbaijan province selection with impact factor of 0. 466 had both direct and significant impact on development of medical tourism. The impact factor of all approaches on development of medical tourism was obtained positive and significant (P≤ 0. 001). Conclusions: For development of medical tourism industry in West Azerbaijan province, attention to elements such as the appropriate conditions to attract medical tourism, according to political, legal, and regional economic development is effective.

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Changes in the survival rate could be due to changes in mortality rates and changes in the levels of risk factors. This study aimed to determine the most important risk factors affecting the survival of patients with stroke in Shahroud. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 380 patients with ischemic stroke were followed-up for one year after the stroke. Information on patients was collected through hospital records, interviews, and in the case of death, through interviewing the family of the deceased. Then, the data were analyzed using the Kaplan– Meier method and Cox semi-parametric model at the significance level of 0. 05 with SPSS 21 and Stata 12. Results: The mean age of patients was 63± 6. 03. Among the patients, 237 (62. 4%) were men. Using the Kaplan– Meier method, survival rates of one month, six months, and one year were, respectively, 98. 7, 80. 3, and 78. 4. Age, number of hospitalizations, (GCS) level of consciousness, hypertension, diabetes, HLP, IHD, HDL, FBS, and smoking show significant correlations with survival (p<0. 001). Based on the Cox regression model with an age above 70 years, hypertension, diabetes, and an under 13 level of consciousness, the increase in the risk of death, respectively, was 2. 85, 2. 86, 6. 93, and 2. 11 times higher in patients with ischemic stroke. Conclusions: Since the risk increases during the months following the stroke, it is necessary to follow up with patients so that they visit their doctors based on appointments.

Background: Improvement and enhancement level of psychological aspects of patients is important in the control of chronic diseases, especially in diabetes. This study aimed to determine the influence of empowerment model on self-efficacy and self-esteem in patients with diabetes. Methods: This study was a clinical trial comprising 103 patients with diabetes, which were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Empowerment model was considered for the experimental group and routine education was considered for the control group. Applied research tools consisted of demographic data, standardized questionnaire of self-efficacy, and Coppersmith’ s self-esteem questionnaire. Results: Before intervention, the two groups were not significantly different in the demographic variables, self-efficacy, and self-esteem scores. There was a significant difference between self-efficacy and self-esteem mean scores of patients, after intervention of the experimental group. Moreover, by using the paired t-test, before and after the intervention, the difference in mean scores of the experimental group was significant. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, empowerment model has been effective on self-efficacy and self-esteem of diabetes patients. Therefore, empowerment based education planning for diabetic patients is recommended.