JOURNAL OF MILITARY MEDICINE
Year:2010 | Volume:12 | Issue:1 (43)|Papers Count:12

Aims: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease, which is defined as a decrease in bone mass. This disease is known with the change and destruction or reduction of skeletal structure and increased risk of fracture. This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors in decreasing bone density in premenopausal women. Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 644 premenopausal women who were referred to bone densitometry center of a hospital in Tehran participated in the research. Then, based on bone densitometry results the participants were divided into two groups: bone density loss 9 case groups) and normal bone density (control group). The information associated with risk factors of bone density loss were collected by osteoporosis Canadian standard questionnaire and was analyzed with chi square test and T-test. Results: Amount of spinal osteoporosis was 8.9% and the rate of osteopenia in these areas was 53.4%. There was significant difference between the case and control groups among the risk factors in calcium deficiency, lactose intolerance, history of corticosteroid drugs, methotrexate, anticonvulsants, disease of rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism, thalassemia minor and lower than 58kg weight.Conclusion: The factors such as diet and the lack of consumption of dairy products, pharmaceutical parameters including corticosteroids and Methotrexate and glandular or rheumatologic diseases are among the important and effective factors in reduction of bone density in postmenopausal women.

Aims: The delayed complications of mustard gas poisoning begin after several months even to several years after exposure. One of the highly principal concepts in the chronic diseases is the quality of life of the patients. The aim of this study was to clarify the concept and construct elements of quality of life in the chemical patients with mustard gas.Methods: In this descriptive study with qualitative approach, 20 injured male and female (military and nonmilitary) which were in the chronic disease phase were selected based on purposive sampling. The study was conducted with semi structured individual interview and focused group discussion. The data were analyzed using content analysis method and key concepts were extracted.Results: A group of participants considered health as physical, intellectual and ability of perform duties and common expectations from every person and the other group considered it as having welfare and general comfort. Chronicity of disease in the chemical patients and delayed effects of the disease had led to changes in all aspects of their health so that they had been affected with serious physical troubles especially in the respiratory organs, skin, eyes, etc.Conclusion: The quality of life is a relative concept influenced by the disease nature (physical, psychological, emotional and social health), health concept (wellness, Personal efficacy and Welfare) and adaptation factors.

Aims: Evaluating the impairment and permanent disability aiming at determining the ability of employment or repayment is one concern of all industrial and the developing societies. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of permanent impairment in a military supreme medical commission.Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, all 619 referred applicants of compensation or repayment claims and disability percentage which had records during 2006 were included. After data collection, permanent impairment percentage calculated according to AMA (American Medical Association) Guide, then, the obtained results were compared with the allocated values in the patient’s record. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis methods, Spearman correlation coefficient and Chi-square. Results: Allocated mean percentage in the individuals referred to the commission had no statistically significant difference in terms of different age groups, various groups of working experience, gender, different employment status and various services forces. The mean of allocated impairment percentage in a military supreme medical commission was significantly higher than the calculated impairment percentage mean with AMA Guide rating (p<0.05).Conclusion: Calculation of impairment rating corresponds with criteria and directions and to some extent different from AMA. The necessity of more collaboration of counselor and colleague physicians and developing a single recipe or instruction and the lack of consideration of the severity of occurrence are among the issues which need revision.

Aims: Always in the different parts of the world including Iran, unexpected events happen and there is the possibility of their occurrence in different societies with the different violence and intensity. This study was conducted to investigate the level of preparedness of border hospitals in confrontation with crisis in Iran.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in three selected border hospitals in 2009. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by Alpha Cronbach's alpha test (a=90.6). Finally data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution tables, means and etc).Results: From among the total 11 dimensions studied in the selected hospitals, hospital A with the mean score of 87/1 percent, hospital B with mean score of 77.59 percent and Finally hospital C by mean score of 70/01 percent had the preparedness of confrontation with crisis. In general, the average of preparedness scores in confrontation with crisis in three studied hospitals was 78.23 percent.Conclusion: Preparedness of hospitals were in good status in more dimensions (7 of 11 dimensions), and only in dimensions of responding to injuries’ need, maneuvers, admission and transfer and release were in medium status.

Aims: Organizational commitment and job satisfaction are two important factors in predicting and understanding organizational behavior that their analysis can help supervisors to identify the potential problems. Organization’s staffs are the index of that organization’s superiority. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between job satisfaction and organizational commitment in Iranian hospital nurses.Methods: In a descriptive-correlation study, 132 nurses with the certificate higher than Associate Degree (AD), with formal membership and at least 3 years of experience in the company were participated. Data were collected by job satisfaction Luthanz and organizational commitment of Allen & Meyer questionnaire. Data were analyzed using chi square test and SPSS 11 software.Results: 43.17% of nurses were satisfied with their job and 40.17% of nurses had organizational commitment. There was a significant correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment (p<0.001), also there was a significant correlation between organizational commitment and housing and marriage status, but it was not correlated with sex, education and organizational post. Likewise, job satisfaction had significant correlation with education, marriage status and sex, but hadn’t significant correlation with other demographic variables.Conclusion: The presence of some factors which cause staff motivation and encouraging behavior of manager and the leadership style can be effective for organizational commitment and job satisfaction.

Aims: Inhalation of sulfur mustard (HD) gas causes inflammation of airways and bronchioles. Macrophages are phagocytic cells which spread out all over the body tissues. Hexamethylenetetramine [HMT] has been shown to protect human lung cells against HD and phosgene. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of HMT on macrophages of the lung tissue in the rats infected by two different doses of HD. Methods: 42 male rats with weighs of 200±20g were randomly divided into 8 groups of NS, HMT, HD1, HD2, Pre1, Pre2, Post1 and post 2. HD1, Pre1 and Post1 groups received 0.5 %; HD, HD2, Pre2 and Post2 groups received 0.25%; HD and NS groups received Normal Saline (as endotracheal) and HMT group received 7.5mg/kg of this medicine (as intra-peritoneal). 5 groups of HMT, Pre1, Pre2, Post1 and post 2 received the medicine for 14 days.Results: Results of the counting of macrophages revealed significant increase in the number of macrophages in HD groups comparing with NS group. In addition, macrophages significantly increased in the HD1 comparing with HD2. Macrophages significantly increased in HD1&Pre1 comparing with HMT group. Macrophages significantly decreased in Pre and Post groups comparing with HD groups.Conclusion: HMT have therapeutic and protective effects on the lung tissue against HD.

Aims: Due to the presence of individuals at high risk situations, military environment can dispose many behavioral diseases. Educational period is a valuable opportunity for instructing and enhancing the soldiers’ awareness. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of educational programs of preventing from substance abuse on the soldiers’ awareness and attitude.Methods: This educational program was conducted in 14 military and police force centers in Fars province at two stages. At the first stage, introduced representatives from each camp or garrison were trained as the peer group and at the second stage they trained conscripts of relevant garrisons. Educational materials included a series of pamphlet, slides and booklets. Also, a written questionnaire was used to investigate the effect of training. Paired t-test was used for comparing the pre-training and post-training; and logistic regression was used to assess the effect of variables on the amount of awareness and attitude.Results: The mean participants’ education was 11.22±3.5 years. The prevention program of addiction significantly increased the knowledge and improved the attitude of conscripts (p<0.001). Among three variables including age, sex and marital status, only age variable had significant correlation with pre-training knowledge.Conclusion: Addiction prevention programs in military environments not only promote the levels of awareness and knowledge, and improve the attitude, but also enhance individual’ performance.

Aims: The increasing fashion of development and the use of modern and sophisticated technology, despite several benefits, causes numerous problems in the field of health and safety; from which, the most important one is the increase in the rate of accidents and occupational diseases. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the unsafe behaviors among a defense industry staffs in Iran and assess the role of warning signs in reduction of mentioned behaviors.Methods: This intervention study was carried out in one of the defense industries in Iran. At the first stage, using safety behavior sampling technique, behavior of 623 staffs working at studied unit was evaluated. At the second stage, after analysis of collected data, the frequency of each unsafe behavior and their proportion in the whole unsafe behaviors was obtained and then their probable relationships with some demographic features were investigated. Safety behaviors were calculated before and after (2 & 4 months) installation of standard safety signs (ANSI).Results: Before intervention, 52.1% of behaviors were unsafe. The most frequent ones were the abuse or lack of the use of personal protective equipments, inappropriate postures and incorrect use of manual tools. However, after 2 and 4 months from intervention, unsafe behaviors rate reduced to 33.2 and 38.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The use of safety signs has significant impact on reducing unsafe behaviors in staffs; however, its effectiveness is reduced over the time.

Aims: Job satisfaction is one of the most challenging organizational concepts and the basis of many policies and guidelines of management for promoting the efficiency and productivity of organization. This research was conducted to determine the personal factors that affect soldiers’ job satisfaction.Methods: This research was a descriptive- analytical study and its participants were 165 soldiers that were selected according to stratified proportional sampling design from a military unit of province defiance and its subsidiary regions. In order to assess job satisfaction, Visoky & Crom job satisfaction questionnaire was used after some revisions and modifications in its items. The obtained data were analyzed at descriptive and inferential levels.Results: In the domain of personality characteristics positive, decisive and active individuals had higher job satisfaction in contrast with the other two groups (i.e. Inactive, negative and aggressive). The education level, months being in service as a soldier, the kind of membership in Basij, and the class of job had a significant relationship with job satisfaction.Conclusion: job satisfaction is a variable which is affected by personality characteristics and factors such as the education level, months being as soldier, the kind of membership, and the class of job and these factors are effective in increase of soldiers’ satisfaction and thereby their increased performance.

Aims: The Botulinum toxin is known as the most potent toxin. In addition to the therapeutic applications in medicine (Botox), this toxin is also a threat in biological warfare and bioterrorism. Preparing the antibody against the Clostridium botulinum toxin type A and G, despite the application in identifying strains of Clostridium botulinum toxigenic plays an important role in the treatment of poisoning caused by this toxin. The purpose of this study was to produce Clostridium botulinum type E antitoxin.Methods: For immunization of lab animals (chicken, mouse and rabbit),at first, the toxoid was injected with Freund's complete adjuvant either subcutaneously or intramuscularly and in the first to third booster injection ,it was injected with Freund's incomplete adjuvant. At the end or intervals of injections, blood sampling was done and the produced antibody’s titer was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA method.Results: After each booster injection, a considerable increase in serum antibody titer of lab animals was seen. The titer of Clostridium botulinum type E toxin antibodies in the serum of chicken, rabbit and mouse increased to more than 1:3200. After purification of antibody, less than 0.156 microgram of the purified mouse antibody and less than 0.312 microgram of rabbit purified antibody were able to detect the toxin. Conclusion: After the injection of toxoid, antibody increase in the body of lab animal. Production of specific antitoxin for detection or diagnosis of botulism, based on reaction between antigen and antibody and also for treatment of poisoning is necessary.