Objective: The number of elderly persons in our country (more than 7.8% of Iran population) is increasing more and more. Tehran province has the most number of retired with male to female ratio: 2/1. So, in the field of "quality of life" (QoL) increasing needs for giving care (physical and socioeconomic) to these groups have been appeared. .In view of the aging process in our population there is a need to identify effective methods to prevent disadvantageous effects of this trend. The main purpose of this research was assessment and comparing of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between retired staffs and labors. Also the effect of postretirement employment on HRQoL was explored.Method: This study was carried out cross-sectionally and with the participation of 80 retired labor men and 80 retired staff men in Tehran University of medical science .The main purpose of this research was assessment and comparing of QoL items between retired staffs and labors. Also the effect of postretirement employment on QoL items was explored. Other variables such as; age, marriage status, education grade, house ownership were assessed too. In this research, we studied QoL variables in terms of quantitative and used t test.Findings: Finding showed that in retired staffs and labors, there was significant difference between quality of life variables. In other word, in staff group in comparison with labors group, there was better state from aspect of physical function, role- physical limitation, general health, social function, mental health, role-emotional limitation, total scores of physical health, mental health and quality of life. These differences were significant. There was a significant relationship between postretirement employment and quality of life (QoL) variables such as: physical function, role- physical limitation, role-emotional limitation, vitality, total scores of physical health, mental health and quality of life.Results: Quality of life in elderly and retirees has relationship with all aspect of health and been influenced by many factors such as economic, mental, physical and social factors. So, based to these conclusions and similar studies, we can go toward quality of life promotion and increasing of community participations. Doing educational, cultural planning and policy making base upon real needs of elderly and retired can be mentioned.The overall improvement of self-reported QoL among elderly people suggests that the onset of disabilities could be postponed, especially if health-related circumstances were more evenly distributed at the start of or even before retirement age. These results suggest we should design appropriate programs to increase elderly people's interaction with others and establish new social networks for them which may enhance a sense of positive self-concept.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate psychometric characteristics (diagnostic validity and reliability) of quality of life questionnaire in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-QoL) which is a popular inter-cultural measure.Materials and Methods: According to ROME II criteria 126 patients were included by the caring physician in Alzahra and Noor hospital clinics in Isfahan, Iran.Results: Eight scales of the questionnaire and total quality of life measure showed good internal reliability (Cronbach alpha=0.93 for the whole questionnaire,0.88 for dysphoria,0.67 for activities interference, 0.72 for body image ,0.57 for health worry, 0.57 for food abstinence, 0.71 for social reaction, 0.76 for sexual worry ,0.62 for interpersonal relations). The validity was measured against another quality of life questionnaire (IBS-QoL-36) and a significant correlation was found (r=0.61. p<0.01 to evaluate diagnostic accuracy 40 patients were compared with 40 healthy subjects. Except for body image scale other parts of questionnaire and the global quality of life were significantly different between these two groups (p<0.05).Conclusion: Generally, Farsi version of IBS-QoL questionnaire was found to be a valid and reliable mean to study patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder which results in severe impairments in job, education and family relationships. We compared different domains of Quality Of Life (QoL) in schizophrenic patients with those in healthy persons.Methods and Materials: In a descriptive analytic study, a total number of 160 participants, including 80 schizophrenic patients (case group) and 80 healthy persons (control group) were studied. They were 15 to 45 years old. In order to get them matched regarding the psycho-socio-cultural status, we selected the control group participants from the patients' family members. We also matched the two groups for age, marital status and educational level. Patients’ were in the remission phase and 2 years or more had passed from the onset of their psychiatric disorder. We applied Hawthorne & Richardson QoL questionnaire for assessing QoL. Data were analyzed using T student test by SPSS-software.Findings: Each group contained 48 men and 32 women. A number of 39 participants were married and the others were single, divorced or widowed. Mean age of the patient group (38.2±4.3 years) was not significantly different from the control one (40.5±3.1 years). Mean score of QoL was 33.9±4.75 in the case group and 54.6±1.12 in the control one, which indicates a significant difference. The case and the control groups’ scores for different domains of QoL were respectively as follows: (the domain of) disease (4.5±15 vs. 10.8±0.98), independent life (8.10±1.14 vs. 10.9±0.83), social relations (6.4±1.97 vs. 11±0.77), bodily sensations (8.7±1.49 vs. 10.90±0.70), and psychiatric rehabilitation (6.2±1.89 vs. 11±0.9). The mean score of each domain showed a significant difference between the two groups.Discussion: Schizophrenic patients were found to have a lower QoL than healthy individuals. This was true in all of the QoL domains. The patients’ lowest score was in the disease domain and their highest score was in the bodily sensation domain. This can be considered in determining priorities for pharmaceutical, psycho-logical and social interventions.

Uterine corpus cancer is a form of gynaecologic malignancy characterized by the excessive and disorganized proliferation of abnormal cells in the uterine lining. Several risk factors, including aging, nutritional imbalances leading to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and nulliparity, have been associated with endometrial cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness level among college-going female students and women residing in rural and urban areas regarding the quality of life experienced by endometrial cancer patients. The data analysis involved the use of a five-point Likert scale and the weighted mean method. The findings revealed that urban respondents exhibited a comparatively higher level of awareness compared to their rural counterparts. It was concluded that the quality of life outcomes, mental disorder, and spiritual influence play a significant role in determining the overall quality of life experienced by survivors of endometrial cancer.

Introduction: Patients with chronic renal disease are faced with numerous problems and complications. And it affects all aspects of patients life and eventually the quality of it.Objective: This comparative - descriptive study was conducted to compare dialysis patients Quality of Life from patients and nurses perception admitted to Razi Educational Dialysis Center in 2002. Materials and Methods: The sample chosen by survey, consisted of 18 nurses and 126 patients undergoing hemodialysis. The data collection instrument included demographic characteristics and three scales of QoL (Contrils Self - Anchoring Striving Scale, Index of well-being, and Time - T Trade - Off Health State Utility Score). Descriptive - analytical statistics (Independent T - test, Analysis variance and Pearson s correlation test) were used for data analysis. Results: The results from patient's perception showed a significant relationship between their QoL and level of education and income in all three scales. In addition a significant relationship b/w their QoL and place of living (P<0.03) and occupation (P<0.005) in index of well- being scale and between age (P<0.003) and place of living (P<0.001) in Cantrells Self- anchoring striving scale was shown and it indicated that the independent variable of QoL is positively correlated with dependent variables of occupation, number of children, predisposing diseases.The results from nurses perceptions of patients QoL indicated a significant relationship with sex (IWB) and with marital status and work experience in hemodialysis wards (SASS). Overall in all three scales, there was a significant correlation between patients and nurses perceptions of QoL. T- test analyses showed a significant difference between the scores in both groups; in IWB (p<0.01) in SASS (P<0.02) an in TTO (p<0.005). Patients' perception of their QoL is lower than nurses' perception of patients QoL.Conclusion: Identifying the difference between nurses and patients perception on QoL is important in care planning and intervention and it also helps nursing managers to assess the quality of nursing care provided to these patients.

Background & Aim: Urinary incontinence has a negative effect on physical, social, psychological and occupational aspects of health in women. The aim of current study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Persian version of urinary incontinence quality of life instrument (I-QoL) in order to determine quality of life in women with urinary incontinence and to promote the quality of medical care’s and services.Patients and Method: Through studying evaluative diagnostic procedures and in order to assess the validity and reliability, I-QoL, psychological general well-being (PGWB) and Persian version of SF-36 questionnaires were offered to 373 eligible women with stress, mixed and urge urinary incontinence who were referred to educational hospitals of medical universities of Iran,, Hamedan, and Lorestan during six months. In order to measure the reliability, translated I-QoL questionnaires were completed by the patients 3 weeks later in the same clinics. We used Pearson correlation analysis, Cronbach’s-alpha, confirmatory factor analysis, and intraclass correlation coefficient to assess the validity and reliability of I-QoL questionnaire.Results: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed structural validity of I-QoL. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s-alpha) was 0.96. The range of internal consistency was between 0.78 and 0.93 for domains of I-QoL questionnaire. Reproducibility by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.96. The correlation between total I-QoL and the subscales of PGWB and SF36 ranged from 0.53 to 0. 61 and 0.47 to 0.59 respectively. I-QoL scores were found to be more closely related to well-being of PGWB (r=0.6) and social function of SF36 (r= 0.55).Conclusion: The obtained results showed I-QoL questionnaire has good reliability, validity and internal consistency for Iranian patients.