Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam; Amir Mansouri; Mozhgan Jokar; Esmaeil Kavi; Omid Soufi
Abstract
Background: Since psychological well-being can predict the individuals’ suicidal ideation, therapeutic interventions such as reminiscence can be helpful for these persons. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of reminiscence intervention on psychological well-being among individuals with ...
Read More
Background: Since psychological well-being can predict the individuals’ suicidal ideation, therapeutic interventions such as reminiscence can be helpful for these persons. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of reminiscence intervention on psychological well-being among individuals with a history of suicide attempt.Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial. The population of this study consisted of individuals who had attempted suicide and referred to public hospitals in Shiraz. The sample size in each control and experimental group was estimated to be 20 people.Results: The comparison of the mean score of depression in the intervention and control groups showed that the two groups did not have a significant difference before the intervention (P=0.414), while immediately after the intervention (P<0.001) and one month after it (P=0.003) a significant difference was observed. Also, the mean score of anxiety immediately after the intervention and one month after the intervention was significantly different between the intervention and control groups (P<0.05). In the stage immediately after the intervention, the comparison of the mean scores of self-esteem in the intervention and control groups showed a significant relationship (P=0.019).Conclusion: It can be said that this intervention has been effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression and increasing the self-esteem of people who have a history of attempted suicide.
Hamed Delam; Fatemeh Zare
Abstract
Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first developed in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and spread rapidly around the world (1, 2). In late January 2020, the disease was recognized as the sixth international public health emergency (3). The infection is transmitted from person to person through respiratory secretions ...
Read More
Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first developed in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and spread rapidly around the world (1, 2). In late January 2020, the disease was recognized as the sixth international public health emergency (3). The infection is transmitted from person to person through respiratory secretions and contact with surfaces or people (4). In general, infectious diseases constantly threaten human health; especially if they are new, because they are always a potential challenge for the healthcare system around the world (5). Health personnel, like other infectious diseases, are at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus. A high percentage of these personnel work night shifts with high workload (6). Work-related stress, lack of sleep, and shift work in health care personnel cause sleep disorders and poor sleep quality (7). Sleep is a specific behavior and each person is aware of its importance and its appropriate duration, and is rotated by waking up. Also, one of the most important parameters in assessing the quality of life and health status of each person is the quality of sleep (8). Sleep is a key factor in a person's physical health and related disorders including poor sleep quality, difficulty sleeping at night, waking up early, circadian rhythm disorders, parasomnia, sleep-related movement disorders, and sleep-related respiratory disorders (9). Sleep disorders are physical and mental conditions that cause adverse effects due to poor sleep quality (10). Sleep disorders have many negative effects on people's lives and lead to physical complications such as increased risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, heart attack, and stroke (11). Therefore, during the COVID-19 epidemic and with the increase of work pressure in health care workers, there is a possibility of increasing sleep disorders and consequently increasing physical diseases. Healthcare personnel are the most important group in dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic; therefore, increasing the number of medical staff and reducing the number of work shifts can relieve fatigue and maintain energy levels in them and reduce physical complications in them.
Among the treatment methods for insomnia, we can mention medication; however, because sedatives have side effects such as drowsiness and decreased accuracy, they are not recommended for people such as nurses who always need full alertness during their shift; instead, non-pharmacological therapies such as relaxation techniques can be used. Because relaxation is a relative state of relief from the mental and physical effects of stress which can improve the sleep quality by regulating the hypothalamus and reducing sympathetic and parasympathetic functions (12). The progressive muscle relaxation technique introduced and used by Jacobsen is an easy, cost-effective method without the need for special equipment; it is one of the best complementary therapies to reduce the effects of mental illness such as anxiety because people in this method, by contracting and relaxing a specific muscle, cause relaxation in different target muscles and increase concentration and pleasant emotions (13). In order to improve working conditions, it is also suggested that the chronobiological characteristics of individuals should be considered when planning work shifts and classifying individuals accordingly. This type of chronotype classification is a simple method and takes into account issues such as individual circadian differences, sleep habits and performance on a particular day, and ultimately helps to plan work shifts based on these chronobiological characteristics (14). Another suggestion that can be made in this regard is physical activity because physical activity promotes physical and mental health with the biological and biochemical changes that follow. As a result, they improve the quality of sleep. In addition, physical activity, if repeated frequently, reduces the risk of physical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension by boosting the immune response in the body (15).
Hamed Delam; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory illness with an unknown cause that was diagnosed in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (1-3). Iran is one of the countries involved with this disease. The global outbreak of the disease raises concerns about increased anxiety due to the risk of contracting ...
Read More
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe respiratory illness with an unknown cause that was diagnosed in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (1-3). Iran is one of the countries involved with this disease. The global outbreak of the disease raises concerns about increased anxiety due to the risk of contracting the virus (4). Therefore, in addition to causing physical harm, COVID-19 also has a serious effect on people's mental health. To date, no exact information is available on the mental health problems and psychological effects of COVID-19 on people, nor is it clear how people react when faced with such a crisis; therefore, for health care providers how best to respond to challenges related to COVID-19 is confusing. However, observing the consequences of mental health and the measures taken during the outbreak of SARS in 2003 can help the health care systems to make mental health interventions for people that are involved with COVID-19 (5). However, many people may not be sure that their health care systems are ready to deal with coronavirus, and a lack of trust in the country's health care system is likely to raise concerns about the consequences of the disease. In such circumstances, people use different methods of obtaining information when faced with crisis situations; sometimes these methods are invalid. One of these methods is to obtain information from invalid social media such as Instagram, WhatsApp and so on. Nowadays, with the availability of smartphones, the expansion of activities in virtual networks has become more and more. Therefore, people in anxious situations are looking for information to relieve their anxiety and for this purpose, they search social networks and being exposed to incorrect information in social networks can aggravate their anxiety (6). Therefore, in this situation, several factors may lead to development of Chronophobia. One of these conditions is using unreliable social media. In this regard, a study conducted by the Indian people on awareness, attitude and anxiety about COVID-19 showed that people's anxiety about this disease was at a high level and distress-related social media was seen in 36.4% of the people, and the participants expressed that one of the most important resources of anxiety was the social media (7). At this time, the important question is whether the health care systems in the country are ready to deal with the growing concern of the people in such a situation that is the result of misinterpretation of the symptoms of COVID-19 and in cases where mild respiratory symptoms may develop Chronophobia. Meanwhile, the role of health care provider in reducing people's anxiety and preventing Chronophobia is vital (8, 9). Finally, it can be said that health care systems can prevent Chronophobia by increasing people's knowledge, thus improving their attitudes towards COVID-19.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Ahmadreza Eidi; Omid Soufi; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: In the last two decades, the number of people who have referred to mental health services due to concerns about gender identity has increased dramatically. The aim of this study was to present the most important and fundamental results of studies on transgender psychological and behavioral ...
Read More
Background: In the last two decades, the number of people who have referred to mental health services due to concerns about gender identity has increased dramatically. The aim of this study was to present the most important and fundamental results of studies on transgender psychological and behavioral disordersand compare these results.
Methods: This is a narrative review study. Search for articles related to common psychological and behavioral disorders in transgender people was done by two trained researchers between December 2019 and March 2020 in 5 Latin scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed / Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Embase).
Results: Psychological and behavioral disorders were much higher in transgender people than in the general population. The most common disorders included anxiety and depression, suicidal attempt, drug abuse, self-injury without suicidal tendency, and HIV.
Conclusion: Transgender people are constantly harassed and abused by friends, acquaintances, classmates and teachers, and even their families. Having multiple sexual partners increases the risk of HIV infection and other sexual misconduct. Therefore, governments need to implement their support programs through training centers and counseling for transgender individuals.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam; Maasumeh Elahi; Sahar Akbarpoor; Zohreh Faramarzian
Abstract
Background: The mental health of healthcare workers has been a concern during the outbreak of 2019 novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19). Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the anxiety of the healthcare workers during Covid-19 epidemic and to discover the factors affecting it.
Methods:The ...
Read More
Background: The mental health of healthcare workers has been a concern during the outbreak of 2019 novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19). Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the anxiety of the healthcare workers during Covid-19 epidemic and to discover the factors affecting it.
Methods:The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. In this study, the anxiety of 124 nurses, operating room staff, midwives and anesthetists working in different wards of Imam Reza Hospital in Lar in 2020 was assessed using the Corona Anxiety Scale Questionnaire.
Results: The results showed that most of the samples were female, married, with a bachelor's degree and an average age of 33 years. 53 (42.8%) participants had mild anxiety and 34 (27.4%) had severe anxiety. Comparison of anxiety levels based on demographic variables of participants in the study showed that there was no significant relationship between anxiety levels with gender, marital status, education level, and field of study (P> 0.05).
Conclusion:According to the results of the study and the worsening of the COVID-19 epidemic, there is a need to strengthen the awareness and address the issues related to mental health of healthcare workers.
Hamed Delam; Ahmadreza Eidi
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19), which originated in December 2019, on January 30, 2020 was declared by the World Health Organization as the sixth public health emergency from international concerns [1]. Since the onset of the disease in late 2019 to mid-June 2020, more than 8.5 million people ...
Read More
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19), which originated in December 2019, on January 30, 2020 was declared by the World Health Organization as the sixth public health emergency from international concerns [1]. Since the onset of the disease in late 2019 to mid-June 2020, more than 8.5 million people around the world have been infected with COVID 19. Of these, more than 450,000 have died [2]. So far, six species of human coronavirus have been identified, most of which , like SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, cause mild respiratory illness [3]. During the spread of COVID 19 worldwide, people use social media to receive and exchange information [4]. With the advent of smartphones, widespread access to the Internet, and the availability of instant messaging applications, it has become clear that these communications can have numerous benefits for healthcare providers as well. WhatsApp is one of the instant messaging applications that is widely used in healthcare and is, therefore, a popular app [5]; it has about 1.5 billion users worldwide [6]. WhatsApp is compatible with all smartphone operating systems such as iPhone, Android, Windows phone [7]. This messenger allows its users to easily share text and video messages as well as media files and content with other users. A,lso group chats and the participation of several users in calls for conversation are easily available in this messenger. WhatsApp communications can be done easily and internationally. WhatsApp is available for everyone for an annual subscription fee of $0.99 [6, 8]. In addition to major changes in people's daily lifestyles, social media has improved communication between patients and professionals by establishing fast multimedia communication, health education, social support, and better health decisions, so that WhatsApp has been used in cases such as drug therapy problems, drug and dietary supplements, emotional changes, lifestyle habits, social rights, physical symptoms, commitment to treatment, medical emergencies, oral health promotion and issues of dentistry [9]. According to a study by Kurubaran Ganasegeran et al., most health system employees understand the use of WhatsApp in health and clinical matters, and it has been observed that these messengers in clinical departments (approximately 61% of employees), clinics (about 60%), operating room (56%) and when calling the treatment staff (approximately 55%) have been used [8]. The World Health Organization also defines mobile (wireless) health as public health, supported by wireless devices such as mobile phones, monitoring devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other wireless devices [10]. Given the prevalence of COVID 19 worldwide and the risk to all individuals, the use of WhatsApp Messenger to inform the latest announcements of the World Health Organization, public and regional health centers, health professionals, and researchers can have a significant impact on public health. The messenger can also be used to effectively communicate with members of the medical staff to resolve the questions and rumors, and avoid frequent visits to health centers that are high-risk areas. WhatsApp can also be contacted by friends and acquaintances using voice and video calls, which can probably reduce the psychological pressure of the quarantine and isolation to some extent.
Hamed Delam; Safoura Izanloo
Abstract
In December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China led to its spread around the world and became one of the major international concerns (1). The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that COVID-19 has become a global health concern and causes severe respiratory infections ...
Read More
In December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China led to its spread around the world and became one of the major international concerns (1). The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that COVID-19 has become a global health concern and causes severe respiratory infections in humans (1, 2). Human-to-human transmission has been described through droplets, and contaminated hands and surfaces. Early diagnosis, quarantine, and supportive care are essential in treating the patients (1). With the spread of COVID 19 worldwide (3) and also because of the lack of specific antiviral treatment and clinical pressure of treatment, thousands of severe cases of the disease die every day in the world (4). COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of social life, including mental health and physical health(5), and the direct and indirect psychological and social effects of COVID-19 epidemic disease are now apparent. It can affect the mental health now and in future (5). Concerns such as fear of death are increasing among patients in epidemics(6). By forcing several directives, including house arrests and quarantine, to deal with the spread of the virus, patients, health professionals, and the general public are under unbearable psychological pressure. COVID-19 appears to be a serious mental health challenge(7, 8). Some groups, such as the elderly, may be more vulnerable than others(9). The world's growing elderly population highlights the need to pay more attention to the psychological problems of the elderly, such as death anxiety(10). One of the important issues of the elderly health is its psychological dimension, which requires special attention and prevention of disorders such as anxiety(10). Anxiety is one of the most common psychological problems in old age because people face all kinds of deficiencies and disabilities at this stage of life. Studies show that older people are more likely to be anxious because of low self-esteem, reduced activity and movement, loss of friends, reduced financial and physical independence, and chronic illness. Their most common anxiety is death anxiety(11). Death anxiety is a natural experience, and having a low degree of death anxiety throughout life is necessary to lead us to positive activities, but high abnormal death anxiety may lead to incompatibility. Such anxiety exacerbates the stressful situations and creates feelings of emptiness and frustration about life(12). The elderly people face various life challenges day by day that is inevitable. Approaching death and anxiety about death is one of the topics discussed in the elderly health. On the other hand, since home quarantine is known to be the best way to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that stress, including death anxiety, increases in people, especially the elderly.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a cluster of acute respiratory illnesses for unknown reasons that first occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (1). With continuation of the coronavirus transmission, various health ...
Read More
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a cluster of acute respiratory illnesses for unknown reasons that first occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (1). With continuation of the coronavirus transmission, various health authorities, including the World Health Organization, advise people stay at home for restricting people from exposure to the virus (2).Although staying at home can reduce the spread of the disease, the COVID-19 epidemic had a destructive global economic impact (3). In this regard, studies show that the number of suicides in people has increased during the economic crisis. For example, in the 2008 European and American economic crisis like other economic crises such as that in 1997 in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Asia, the number of suicides has risen and the economic crisis has been cited as one of the most important factors in increasing suicide rates. In this period of economic crisis, the number of unemployed individuals has increased and suicide rates have increased in countries with higher levels of job loss (4). However, the increase in the number of suicides shows a small part of the emotional distress of the economic crisis. In addition to successful suicides, there are many more thoughts about killing oneself without preparatory behavior, a self-destructive and non-lethal act and other suicidal behavior and preparatory acts, but a closer look reveals that although the results of studies show that the suicide rate has increased in many countries during the economic crisis, it has not been the same in all countries that have been affected by the crisis, and these results can be explained by the fact that in countries where there are social assistance networks, suicide prevention activities are being carried out, and national suicide prevention programs have been developed, the rate of suicide is more controlled at a time when economic insecurity is high. In other words, the lack of a clear correlation between suicide rates and the economic crisis shows that suicide rates are influenced by a number of national factors (5). Finally, it can be said that, in times of economic crisis, vulnerable people use suicide as the only way to escape the problems. Therefore, the existence of social support and also supporting the labor market in different countries can reduce the harmful psychological effects of economic recession.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Ahmadreza Eidi; Zahra Keshtkaran; Nasrin Shokrpour; Parisa Zand; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: In December 2019, a series of pneumonia cases of unknown cause appeared in Wuhan, China, which was very similar to viral pneumonia. In late January 2020, the World Health Organization named this disease the sixth public health emergency of international concern due to an increase in ...
Read More
Background: In December 2019, a series of pneumonia cases of unknown cause appeared in Wuhan, China, which was very similar to viral pneumonia. In late January 2020, the World Health Organization named this disease the sixth public health emergency of international concern due to an increase in the number of COVD-19 cases. This study was designed to determine different epidemiological and clinical aspects of COVID-19 worldwide. Methods: This is a review study. We searched for articles related to COVID-19 from December 20, 2019 to June 05, 2020. Two researchers performed the search separately, and finally articles containing information on coronavirus, its mortality and epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the patients were selected for review and extraction. Results: The results of various studies show that the most common symptoms of the disease include fever, cough and fatigue, and the most common respiratory symptom is Rhinorrhoea. Transmission occurs primarily when an infected person sneezes or coughs through respiratory droplets, such as the spread of influenza and other respiratory pathogens. Some studies have reported that the COVID-19 incubation period is an average of 4.6 days, ranging from 1.2 to 11.1 days and can potentially be asymptomatic. Conclusion: The significant increases in the morbidity and mortality necessitate prevention and control activities by educating people on important health issues such as staying at home, using clean masks and gloves, as well as performing proper and timely medical interventions.
Hamed Delam; Safoura Izanloo; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Ahmadreza Eidi
Abstract
Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most common female genital cancers. It accounts for about half of the one million new cases and one-quarter of all cancer deaths in women. The present study was designed to comprehensively identify the risk factors of cervical cancer using the results of similar ...
Read More
Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most common female genital cancers. It accounts for about half of the one million new cases and one-quarter of all cancer deaths in women. The present study was designed to comprehensively identify the risk factors of cervical cancer using the results of similar studies. Methods: The present study was an epidemiological review study. Searches related to the epidemiology and risk factors of cervical cancer between April 2020 and May 2020 were conducted by two researchers at four Latin scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed / Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science). The two researchers examined the extracted articles and included articles that referred to the epidemiology and risk factors of cervical cancer. Results: The most important risk factors for cervical cancer included human papillomavirus, viral, fungal and bacterial infections, sexual behavior, smoking, pregnancy and childbirth, and other factors (family history and menopause earlier than 45 years). Conclusion: It is recommended that health issues should be considered, especially during sexual intercourse, HPV screening in women, as well as periodic examinations for women.
Hamed Delam; Kosar Zarebi; Esmaeil Kavi; Nasrin Shokrpour; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Background: Suicide is a multi-factorial phenomenon whose patterns can vary even from one place to another in one country; the purpose of this study was to determine the causes of suicide attempt in a 6-year period in Larestan County in the period between 2012 and 2017. Methods: The present study was ...
Read More
Background: Suicide is a multi-factorial phenomenon whose patterns can vary even from one place to another in one country; the purpose of this study was to determine the causes of suicide attempt in a 6-year period in Larestan County in the period between 2012 and 2017. Methods: The present study was a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. In order to investigate the epidemiological condition of suicide attempters in Larestan, all files of suicide cases registered in the period between 2012 and 2017 in this city were investigated, and finally 723 cases were included in the study. For statistical analysis, independent t-test, chi-square and logistic regression models were used. A significance level of 5% was considered. Results: Of the total 723 suicide attempts recorded in the health network of Larestan, the mean age at suicide attempt was 26.08 ± 7.88 years and 3.73% of them had died as a result of suicide attempt. Drug abuse and poisoning were the most common methods of suicidal attempt. Based on the regression model, Increase in age, male sex, and physical problems were the most important factors in predicting suicide death (P<0.05). Conclusion: Various factors including age, male gender and physical problems contribute to suicide and deaths associated with it; therefore, the implementation of educational and counseling programs for these individuals, especially in adolescence and youth, and people with physical and psychological problems is essential.
Ahmadreza Eidi; Hamed Delam
Abstract
In December 2019, in Wuhan, China, a group of acute respiratory illnesses was diagnosed with unknown etiology, which today is known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) [1]. Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that affects both humans and animals. The disease spread rapidly throughout China ...
Read More
In December 2019, in Wuhan, China, a group of acute respiratory illnesses was diagnosed with unknown etiology, which today is known as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) [1]. Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that affects both humans and animals. The disease spread rapidly throughout China and other countries [2, 3]. In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the outbreak of the new coronavirus as the sixth public health emergency of international concern [4]. In general, the first step in preventing the spread of infectious diseases is quarantine and isolation; in public health, quarantine means separating and keeping people at risk of contracting an infectious disease, including travel bans, daily commutes, and public gatherings. Isolation also means isolating the infected people [5]. For the first time, China's National Health Commission has implemented quarantine and isolation of people at risk and patients with COVID 19, and other countries have taken action following the outbreak [6]. Usually, people who experience quarantine have unpleasant feeling about it. Cases such as separation from loved ones, loss of freedom, insecurity about illness, and boredom can have many negative psychological burdens, for example disorders such as anxiety, depression, dysfunction, or unwillingness to work [7]. In addition to the fear and anxiety caused by the virus, other factors can negatively affect a person's mental health. One of these factors is Internet addiction [8]. The Internet is an essential and integral part of the new lifestyle. The term Internet addiction refers to the psychological dependence on the use of the Internet, which is a problematic behavior in human interaction with technology that can have significant effects on increasing stress, depression and social communication disorders [9]. In general, it can be said that three personal, social and internet factors play a role in Internet addiction. Personal factors are related to individual characteristics such as introversion, inability to communicate sufficiently, and low self-efficacy. Internet factors also include more time to use the Internet, easier access to the Internet, and superior Internet skills. Social factors also include low family support and sociological problems of the individuals. The important point is that the combination of social and personal factors can have a significant impact on Internet addiction [10]. Due to the prevalence of COVID 19 and home quarantine and lifestyle changes, Internet addiction is one of the disorders that can increase dramatically. On the other hand, Internet addiction can increase the chances of developing other mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Internet addiction can also endanger a person's physical health and reduce social, occupational, and recreational activities. Applying educational and counseling programs (virtually via the Internet and the media) to help reduce the psychological problems of Internet addiction and provide solutions in this course can be helpful.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam; Esmaeil kavi
Abstract
Introduction: Drug abuse problem is one of the four global crises and the most important social crisis in Iran. This study was conducted to investigate the importance of life skills training in preventing the recurrence of addiction among young people. Methods: The present article is a narrative review ...
Read More
Introduction: Drug abuse problem is one of the four global crises and the most important social crisis in Iran. This study was conducted to investigate the importance of life skills training in preventing the recurrence of addiction among young people. Methods: The present article is a narrative review performed by two researchers between January and February 2020 by searching in scientific databases in articles published in Scopus, Pubmed, Google scholar and Google search engine including the terms “addiction”, “youth” , “Coping skills”, “adaptability skills”, “life skills training”, and “drug abuse”. Results: The results of various studiesindicate that the life skills training program increases the feeling of happiness, improves the quality of life of people, and increases the ability to control emotions. Conclusion: Due to the positive impact of life skills training and its applicability to all segments of society, planners and managers in the community's mental health sector can set up centers to continuously hold such classes and conduct life skills training even as in-service training program.
Hamed Delam; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Ahmadreza Eidi
Abstract
Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine glands at any age and sex. The present study was designed to comprehensively identify the epidemiological status of thyroid cancer using the results of similar studies. Methods: The present study was an epidemiological review study. ...
Read More
Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine glands at any age and sex. The present study was designed to comprehensively identify the epidemiological status of thyroid cancer using the results of similar studies. Methods: The present study was an epidemiological review study. Studies on the epidemiology of thyroid cancer between March 2020 and April 2020 were searched by two researchers at four Latin scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed / Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science). Persian and Latin articles about the epidemiology of thyroid cancer were included in the study. Results: The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing worldwide; however, this type of cancer has a good survival rate. The most important risk factors for thyroid cancer include Ionizing radiation, diet, female gender, age, genetic background and race and ethnicity. Conclusion: The incidence of thyroid cancer in the world is increasing. Therefore, preventive and protective measures to reduce the risk factors of this cancer are recommended to reduce the incidence of the disease.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Mona Bahmaninejad; Seyede Fatemeh Ahmadpoori; Amir Mansouri; Somayeh Azimi; Fatemeh Ghanbaripour; Mozhgan Jokar; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: Teachers' motivation towards their jobs is one of the major challenges in educational systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivation of teachers towards their job. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The participants consisted of all teachers of secondary school ...
Read More
Background: Teachers' motivation towards their jobs is one of the major challenges in educational systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivation of teachers towards their job. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The participants consisted of all teachers of secondary school of Bandar Lengeh city in 2016. The sample size of the study was 45 for teachers. The teachers were recruited through census sampling. Data were collected using the Hackman and Oldham's Job Motivation Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS 25 software. Results: Of the 45 teachers, 41 (92%) were married and 4 (8%) were single; also, 29 subjects (64%) were males. The majority of teachers were (no:19, 43%) between the ages of 31 and 40 years. 64% of the teachers had a bachelor's degree. 18% of them had low job motivation, 44% had moderate and 38% had high job motivation. The results of the T-test did not show a statistically significant difference between the teachers of public and gifted students schools (p value>0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study show that the teachers' job motivation is important in their productivity. It is suggested that targeted and effective programs should be implemented to promote the mental health of this important group of society.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Mohammad Reza Foroutani; Ahmadreza Eidi; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Abstract Background: Malaria has been considered by health systems as one of the most dangerous human infectious diseases. In Iran, the disease has caused great economic and social damage to the country. The present study was designed to identify the epidemiological situation of malaria during 2006 to ...
Read More
Abstract Background: Malaria has been considered by health systems as one of the most dangerous human infectious diseases. In Iran, the disease has caused great economic and social damage to the country. The present study was designed to identify the epidemiological situation of malaria during 2006 to 2018 in the southern region of Fars province, southern Iran. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of all people with malaria whose information was recorded at the Larestan Infectious Diseases Center from 2006 to 2018. To extract the data, a checklist was used that included information such as the total number of smears performed each year, the number of positive smears, age of the individual, sex, type of malaria species, and the month of the disease. Results: Out of a total of 85,201 smear tests performed to identify malaria in the region, 190 had positive smear tests. The majority of the positive cases were Afghan nationalities. Most cases of the disease were seen in 2017, 2008 and 2016, respectively. In all years, men were more likely than women to have malaria, and the highest prevalence was in the age group of 21-30 and 11-20 years, respectively. Conclusion: Despite the relative decrease in malaria cases in recent decades in Larestan city, in recent years, especially from 2014 to 2018, the increasing trend of the disease has been relatively shown again, so making active diagnosis, equipping health systems and doing more blood smears tests are necessary to reduce the prevalence of malaria in this region.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: Suicide and Suicidal attempt at the 1996 World Health Organization Summit was an important public health and anti-social behavioral issue. Suicide rates are one of the most important indicators of the community's mental health. The present study was designed to elucidate the factors affecting ...
Read More
Background: Suicide and Suicidal attempt at the 1996 World Health Organization Summit was an important public health and anti-social behavioral issue. Suicide rates are one of the most important indicators of the community's mental health. The present study was designed to elucidate the factors affecting suicidal attempts among adolescents.
Methods: This is a review study. Two researchers searched for suicide-related articles and related factors between October and November 2019 at five Latin scientific databases (Google Scholar, PubMed / Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Embase).
Results: The most important factors in suicidal attempts in adolescents included individual factors, family factors, and social factors. Hormonal changes in puberty in adolescents, especially in girls, can affect the adolescents’ behavior. The breakdown of the family structure can have negative consequences for children and cause them to commit suicidal attempts.
Conclusion: The available evidence indicates the influence of individual, family, and social factors at the beginning of the process of suicidal attempt among adolescents. Therefore, by focusing on preventing risk factors leading to suicidal behavior in adolescents, teaching how to deal with stress and increasing the adolescents' access to specialized counseling services and useful social networks, a suitable support system can be provided for these people.
Hamed Delam; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Background: Menopause is one of the female life stages affecting their mental health due to symptoms experienced by them during this period. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between severity of menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study ...
Read More
Background: Menopause is one of the female life stages affecting their mental health due to symptoms experienced by them during this period. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between severity of menopausal symptoms, depression and anxiety. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 120 females aged 45-65 years in the city of Larestan, Iran. Subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, Beck depression inventory, Spielberger anxiety scale, and the modified Kupperman menopausal complication index. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 25) at 95% confidence level. Results: Out of 120 menopausal females, who participated in this study, 89.2% were married, and their mean age was 53.30±4.24 years. The majority of them (92.5%) were in their diploma level and below. According to the results of the Spearman correlation test, there was a significant relationship between depression score and severity of menopausal symptoms (r = 0.775, P <0.01). There was also a significant difference between the total anxiety score and the severity of menopausal symptoms (r = .0.754, P <0.01). Conclusion: Considering the significant relationship between the severity of menopausal symptoms and the presence of anxiety and depression, the treatment of menopausal symptoms can prevent depression and anxiety in females during this sensitive period.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Khalil Safari; Nasrin Shokrpour; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Objective: Fars province in south Iran is an endemic focus of Leishmaniosis. This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiological status of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Fars province, South Iran, from 2007 to 2016.
Methods: This study was a retrospective-analytical cross-sectional study. The study ...
Read More
Objective: Fars province in south Iran is an endemic focus of Leishmaniosis. This study was designed to evaluate the epidemiological status of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Fars province, South Iran, from 2007 to 2016.
Methods: This study was a retrospective-analytical cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of all people with Leishmaniasis, who referred to the infectious disease center in four cities of Larestan, south Fars province, from 2007 to 2016. Chi-square test and ANOVA were used in data analysis. The significance level was considered as 5%.
Results: In the period 2007-2016, 4599 cases of cutaneous Leishmaniosis were registered. The highest number of cases occurred in 2008. The mean age in 2007 and 2016 was 17.7±17.1 and 12.9±16.5, respectively. Women were the majority of cases, from 2007 to 2012. Hand ulcers were the most prevalent part of the body in all these years, except 2016. In terms of seasonal distribution, most of the cases occurred in winter and the least in summer. Afghan and Pakistani immigrants produced the majority of cases.
Conclusion: The trend of cutaneous Leishmaniosis has declined in Larestan city from 2007 to 2016. However, Leishmaniosis is still a major public health problem. Since the majority of cases were related to Afghan and Pakistani immigrants, it is necessary to ward off these people
Hamed Delam; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Introduction: Elderly people face many challenges and these problems make them vulnerable to various types of mental disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of anxiety and depression in the elderly people who referred to the health center of Larestan city in 2019. Methods: ...
Read More
Introduction: Elderly people face many challenges and these problems make them vulnerable to various types of mental disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of anxiety and depression in the elderly people who referred to the health center of Larestan city in 2019. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 109 elderly people were selected by convenience sampling from health center of Larestan city. Demographic information, Beck Depression Inventory and Spielberger Anxiety Questionnaire were completed by the samples. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using Spearman, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. In this study, a p-value of 0.05 was considered as statistically significant . Results: Out of 109 elderly people who participated in this study, 47 (43.1%) were male and 62 (56.9%) were female. The mean age of the men and women was 65.30±5.013 and 69.34±5.675 years, respectively. Most of the samples were married (79.80%) and illiterate (43.10%). The mean of depression, state and trait anxiety in men was 11.79±5.91, 33.02±11.56 and 34.19±13.50 respectively; also, the mean of depression, state and trait anxiety in women was 15.31±6.65, 40.68±12.44 and 40.82±12.29, respectively. The results of Mann-Whitney U test showed a statistically significant relationship between gender and the level of depression, state and trait anxiety (P value<0.05). There was no significant relationship between depression, anxiety and other demographic variables (P value>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among the elderly under the study, especially among the elderly women; therefore, interventions are needed to reduce the stressors of the elderly people's lives.
Hamed Delam; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Background: Anxiety and low self-esteem can lead to feelings of vulnerability and being at risk, which can predict a suicide attempt. This study aimed to investigate stress and self-esteem of suicide attempters referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018.
Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Anxiety and low self-esteem can lead to feelings of vulnerability and being at risk, which can predict a suicide attempt. This study aimed to investigate stress and self-esteem of suicide attempters referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018.
Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical study. In this study, 74 patients were selected through convenience sampling from referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018. Data were collected through demographic questionnaires, Spielberger anxiety questionnaire, and Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire. After completing the surveys, the data were analyzed. Finally, by defining the scores of the questionnaires, statistical analysis was performed and the results obtained from the study.
Results: Out of 74 suicide attempters, 62.2% were women, and the majority of them were married (70.30%). The state anxiety score showed that 24.3% and 21.6% were in medium to high and severe anxiety, respectively, and the trait anxiety score indicated that the majority of individuals were in moderate to the critical range. Self-esteem scores showed that 54.1% were in low self-esteem range.
Conclusion: Anxiety and low self-esteem can be effective factors in a suicide attempt. Therefore, therapeutic interventions to reduce anxiety and improve self-esteem in such individuals can prevent a suicide attempt.
Alireza Mirahmadizadeh; Sadaf Sahraian; Hamed Delam; Mozhgan Seif
Abstract
Objective: Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent chronic disease in the world. Timely and appropriate control can significantly reduce the burdens and costs of this disease. Although insulin injection is the most efficient method to control type 2 diabetes, patients avoid this method for unknown reasons. ...
Read More
Objective: Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent chronic disease in the world. Timely and appropriate control can significantly reduce the burdens and costs of this disease. Although insulin injection is the most efficient method to control type 2 diabetes, patients avoid this method for unknown reasons. The main aim of the present study is to determine the factors influential in non-adherence to insulin using tools and models that have not been applied in this field so far.
Methods: The tendency to insulin injection in 457 patients with type 2 diabetes was investigated in this cross-sectional study using the classic logistic regression and new learning algorithms, including conditional tree, conditional forest, and random forest. Different fits were compared so that the best model can be determined to identify the factors in non-adherence to insulin.
Results: Although random forest had the highest accuracy among the fitted models, all the methods had a relative consensus that having life insurance, academic education, and insulin injection experience in immediate family members increase the tendency to accept insulin therapy. Our results also showed that younger patients and those who were committed to a specific diet better approved insulin therapy.
Conclusions: The reasons for non-adherence to insulin can be summarized in economic and psychological aspects. Therefore, the health system policies are recommended to address economic issues and also raise public awareness about this treatment method.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Background: Since suicide attempt and its association with mental disorders such as depression in individuals is a major challenge in societies, this study aimed to investigate depression in suicide attempters referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018.
Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Since suicide attempt and its association with mental disorders such as depression in individuals is a major challenge in societies, this study aimed to investigate depression in suicide attempters referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. The study population included all suicide attempters referring to hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2018. Some 74 patients were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected through demographic questionnaires and second version of Beck Depression Inventory. Finally, by defining the scores of the questionnaires, statistical analysis was performed and the results obtained from the study. Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation tests were used to analyze the relationship between the variables. The significance level was considered 5%.
Results: The mean age of the samples was 49.41±5 5.68 years. 28 (37.8%) of the samples were male, and the rest were female. The mean and standard deviation of depression were 30.38±11.52, which were in the category of severe depression. There was a meaningful relationship between marital status, education level, and depression (P-value <0.05).
Conclusion: Depression is one of the predictive variables of suicide attempts in individuals; therefore therapeutic and supportive interventions in such individuals can prevent a suicide attempt.
Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan; Esmaeil Kavi; Amir Mansouri; Hamed Delam
Abstract
Abstract Water pipe tobacco smoking with biological, psychological and social dimensions is one of the problems of the present age. The purpose of this article was to investigate the factors affecting the use of hookah among women. This article is a review study conducted by searching the scientific ...
Read More
Abstract Water pipe tobacco smoking with biological, psychological and social dimensions is one of the problems of the present age. The purpose of this article was to investigate the factors affecting the use of hookah among women. This article is a review study conducted by searching the scientific databases using search engines in the articles published in Scopus, Pubmed, Google scholar databases as well as the general Google search engine using the keywords hookah, Shisha, water pipe, tobacco, women. A rapid literature search strategy was conducted for all theEnglish language literature published before January 2020. The findings of this study indicate the effect of multiple personal, social and family factors on the initiation and continuation of water pipe tobacco smoking among women. Therefore, it seems that with regard to these risk factors, appropriate programs and interventions for prevention of water pipe tobacco smoking use among women can be considered.
Hamed Delam; Esmaeil Kavi; Mohammad-Rafi Bazrafshan
Abstract
Background: Since the elderly are more susceptible to cognitive impairment than other age groups, this study aimed to investigate the assessment of cognitive status of the elderly living in nursing homes in Larestan city and the relationship between cognitive status of the elderly people ...
Read More
Background: Since the elderly are more susceptible to cognitive impairment than other age groups, this study aimed to investigate the assessment of cognitive status of the elderly living in nursing homes in Larestan city and the relationship between cognitive status of the elderly people and some demographic variables. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional study conducted on all the elderly living in a nursing home in Larestan city. Sampling was done by census method and 54 elderly people were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Demographic characteristics questionnaire was used to assess general information of the elderly, and standard mini mental state examination questionnaire was used to assess the elderly people’s cognitive status. Results: The mean age of the males was 69.44± 5.83 years with a range of 60-78. Mean and standard deviation of cognitive status were 25.28 ± 2.15 for males and 24.82 ± 2.54 for females, respectively. Also, 5 (9.30%) had moderate cognitive impairment, 24 (44.40%) had moderate cognitive impairment and 25 (46.30%) had normal cognitive status. There was a significant relationship between marital status and cognitive status in the elderly (p value = 0.012). The mean cognitive status of the married and single elderly was 24.10 ± 2.51 and 25.54 ± 2.13, respectively. Conclusion: Cognitive disorders are more prevalent among the elderly married couples, which can improve the adverse effects of these cognitive disorders by strengthening family relationships and caring.