Masumeh Daliri; Hesamuddin Taheri; Mohammad Fararouei
Abstract
Background: The incidence of traffic accidents in Iran is significantly higher than the global average (more than 17000 deaths a year, mostly young adults). The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of high-risk drivers based on their observable driving behaviors, police records, and car ...
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Background: The incidence of traffic accidents in Iran is significantly higher than the global average (more than 17000 deaths a year, mostly young adults). The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of high-risk drivers based on their observable driving behaviors, police records, and car condition in Fars province (Iran).Methods: In this case-control study, an interviewer interviewed a random sample (about 1 in 5 of the drivers) of all drivers who were referred to Shiraz traffic accident court from March 21, 2021, to June 21, 2021, due to being involved in a traffic accident. Based on the police report, we interviewed at-fault drivers who caused injurious or fatal traffic accidents as the case group (200 at-fault drivers) and those not-at-fault drivers as the control group (200 not-at-fault drivers). No matching was done. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire filled out through face-to-face interviews with the drivers. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, the statistical analyses were conducted in R 4.0.2 software.Results: In this study, a total of 400 drivers were interviewed, of whom 367 (91.8%) were male. The mean ages of the case and control groups were 32.35 years (SD=9.84) and 31.75 (SD=10.33) years, respectively (P>0.05). In addition, 102 (51.0%) and 95 (47.5%) drivers were married in the case and control groups, respectively. Based on the results of a multiple logistic regression model, statistically significant associations were observed between the risk of being the at-fault driver in an injurious or fatal traffic accident and receiving a traffic ticket due to speedingovertaking (ORspeeding overtaking/no ticket=3.38, 95%CI: 1.75, 6.49, P<0.001), self-reported high-speed driving (ORyes/no=2.41, 95%CI: 1.25, 4.63, P=0.008), and having a history of car accident within the recent two years (ORyes/no=1.87, 95%CI: 1.11, 3.14, P=0.017).Conclusion: Our study suggested that among several potential factors, recently receiving traffic tickets due to speeding or overtaking, self-reported speed driving, and recent car accidents may effectively be used to screen out high-risk drivers who will probably cause injurious or fatal car accidents in the future. Intervention measures for the defined high-risk drivers including closer supervision and training programs may reduce the risk of fatal accidents in Iran.
Zahra Sedaghat; Mohammad Fararouei; Seyed Saeed Hashemi Nazari
Abstract
Background: In 2020, shortly after recognizing the COVID-19 virus in China on March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic. It is estimated that COVID-19 is responsible for millions of morbidities and deaths globally, causing devastating health, social and economic ...
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Background: In 2020, shortly after recognizing the COVID-19 virus in China on March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic. It is estimated that COVID-19 is responsible for millions of morbidities and deaths globally, causing devastating health, social and economic crises. This ecologic study aimed to define the correlation between a few key elements of a national health system (i.e., quality of health care services, rate of provided COVID-19 diagnostic tests, and coverage of flu vaccine in the preceding years of the COVID-19 pandemic) and the fatality rate of COVID-19 in countries that were affected by the Covid-19 epidemic in the early phase of the pandemic.Methods: In this ecological study, data regarding the total population, number of active cases, total cases, mortality, and time to peak of the COVID-19 epidemic for the countries with defined criteria and the required data available were collected from the Worldmeter database. Thehealth system quality of the selected countries was obtained using a report by WHO (Measuring Overall Health System Performance for 191 Countries). The Flu vaccine coverage of the selected populations was ordered and ranked using graphs provided by a joint VENICE–ECDC–WHO survey. The analysis was done by fitting meta-regression using rates and confidence intervals. A forest graph was used to show the summary of the results. R version 6.3 (package meta) was used to do the analysis.Results: The average Case fatality rate (CFR) of the 26 selected countries was 115 per 1000 for COVID-19. Testing for heterogeneity suggested that CFR was highly heterogeneous among the countries. The regression analysis results suggested that CFR for COVID-19 was inversely related to the rate of COVID-19 diagnostic tests and was directly related to the rate of flu vaccine coverage).Conclusion: The direct correlation between flu vaccine coverage and CFR of COVID-19 may suggest a positive effect of the natural circulation of flu infection on the effectiveness of the individuals’ immune response. Also, the natural flu infection may protect those who could not tolerate the respiratory complications of COVID-19 infection. The results may help NHSs to cope better with future pandemics. In addition, to provide a faster and more effective response to any future infectious pandemic, better access to diagnosis tests seems to be an effective approach in reducing morbidity and mortality.
Masoumeh Sadat Mousavi; Seyedeh Leila Dehghani; Mohammad Fararouei; Parvin Afsar Kazerooni; Maryam Nasirian; Haleh Ghaem
Abstract
Background: Life satisfaction is a comprehensive concept reflecting the general feeling of people about the society in which they live. Previous research has found that health status is associated with life satisfaction. Sexual intercourse is of physiological and psychological needs, which is closely ...
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Background: Life satisfaction is a comprehensive concept reflecting the general feeling of people about the society in which they live. Previous research has found that health status is associated with life satisfaction. Sexual intercourse is of physiological and psychological needs, which is closely associated with the wellbeing of any individual. In this study, we examined life satisfaction in Marvdasht, Fars province.Methods: This population-based survey was conducted in 2016 among Marvdasht urban and rural population aged 18-50 years. The participants were selected via cluster random sampling. A telephone survey was conducted to complete an interviewadministered questionnaire. Significance level in this study was considered 0.05. All stages of data analysis was done in SPSS22 software.Results: A total of 3879 participants from urban and rural areas of Marvdasht were interviewed. There was a difference between urban and rural men in terms of sexual satisfaction (P=0.01) (7.90±2.01 vs. 8.15±1.89) and life satisfaction (P=0.011) (5.64±3.54 vs. 5.14±3.71). Satisfaction in both cases in men in urban areas was better than men in rural areas. Also, the average score of sexual satisfaction was higher in rural men compared with that in urban male residents (P=0.01). Regarding women, at error level of 0.05, there was a difference between urban and rural women in terms of sexual satisfaction (P<0.0001) (8.62±1.502 vs. 9.12±0.789) and life satisfaction (P<0.0001) (8.37±1.641vs. 9.13±0.669), so that satisfaction in both cases in women in rural areas was higher than men in urban areas.Conclusion: Life satisfaction had a close relationship to geographical areas of residence. However, this was for women living in rural areas than women living in urban areas in both cases.
Azizolah Poormahmoodi; zahra sedaghat; Roksana Estakhrian Haghighi; Mohammad Fararouei
Abstract
Background: Young children are in the fundamentally important physical and cognitive growth phases of their life. Undermining the health issues of this critical segment of the population may seriously affect communities’ health and development. Linear growth among children is a fundamental health ...
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Background: Young children are in the fundamentally important physical and cognitive growth phases of their life. Undermining the health issues of this critical segment of the population may seriously affect communities’ health and development. Linear growth among children is a fundamental health index, which is affected by so many different factors. This study was carried out to evaluate the growth status of school-age children to identify some demographic and clinical factors that can predict linear growth among schoolchildren in the fourth largest Iranian city. Methods: The present retrospective cohort study was carried out on a large sample (n=2488)of female and male schoolchildren from the first (7-year-old) to the last year (12-year-old) of primary school in Shiraz, the capital of Fars province. Results: Adjusted for the other study variables, negative and significant associations were found between children’s height Z-score and family size (P<0.001); and the number of decayed teeth (P=0.03). However, a direct and significant association was found between father’s education and children’s height Z-score (P=0.01). Concerning their weight, paternal literacy was inversely associated with the children’s weight Z-score (P=0.002). A positive and significant association was also found between the birth order and children’s weight (P=0.04). Conclusion: Oral health is an important parameter in children’s growth and possibly development. Oral health services should be provided to children before school age.
Farzaneh Mobasheri; Gholamhossein Shahraki; Roksana Estakhrian Haghighi; Mohammad Fararouei
Abstract
Background: The incidence of accidents, its types and leading causes are largely varied in different communities and within different ages. This survey investigated the incidence and types of injury after accidents in adolescent girls with regard to the parents' socio-economic status, schooling and health-related ...
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Background: The incidence of accidents, its types and leading causes are largely varied in different communities and within different ages. This survey investigated the incidence and types of injury after accidents in adolescent girls with regard to the parents' socio-economic status, schooling and health-related behaviors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 8159 high school girl aged 11-19 years, using a self-administered questionnaire. Demographic information, parents' socio-economic status, schooling and health-related behaviors, any accident causing the student to seek medical care during the year before the time of completing the questionnaire, the place, the cause and the body area injured in the accident were asked by single item scales. Results: The annual incidence of injury was about 4.4%. Of the total accidents, the most common type was car accident (45%). The most common affected body sites were legs (25.7%) and hands (%18.7); the most common place besides streets (31%) where the accidents happened was home (%19). Multivariate logistic regression revealed higher chances of injury among urban residences, those with lower school grades, those exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke, and those who spend more time with friends (P Conclusion: The findings suggested that accidents among adolescent girls are affected by different aspects of life, most of which being modifiable. Most accidents can be prevented if appropriate strategies and intervention programs are applied. For example, providing safer streets, homes and environment and public education are possibly the most effective measures.
Mehdi Nejat; Mohammad Fararouei; Hamid Reza Tabatabaie; Parvin Afsar Kazerooni; Mohsen Akbarpoor; Roksana Estakhrian Haghighi
Volume 4, Issue 2 , April 2016, , Pages 95-102
Abstract
Background: Complete and fast diagnosis, registry and treatment programs are the main effective strategies for controlling infectious diseases. In addition, an organized and extended infectious disease surveillance system is crucial in designing and monitoring communicable diseases control programs. ...
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Background: Complete and fast diagnosis, registry and treatment programs are the main effective strategies for controlling infectious diseases. In addition, an organized and extended infectious disease surveillance system is crucial in designing and monitoring communicable diseases control programs. The quality of the surveillance system can be evaluated by several indices such as timeliness, completeness and sensitivity. This is an evaluation study to measure the mentioned indices for 3 zoonotic diseases (leishmaniasis, brucellosis and rabies) surveillance system. Methods: The indexes such as completeness, timeliness and sensitivity of surveillance system were measured using the data obtained from population based (door to door) interviews and recorded data obtained at each level of health and medical sectors or administrative centers within the diseases reporting system. Interviews were conducted for 5969 participants and the required information was obtained. Results: The total completeness, timeliness and sensitivity of case reporting for leishmaniasis were 26.9%, 103.2 days and 11.1%, respectively. These indexes forbrucellosiswere14.3 %, 58 days, 12.1% and those for suspected rabieswere100%, 83.4 days and 48.2%, respectively. Conclusion: It seems that so called immediate communicable diseases reporting system is not providing reliable, complete and timely information to the health authorities. Program monitoring and personnel training, especially physicians, are recommended to improve the quality of the surveillance system and the related indexes.
Hosein Oriad; Zafar Parisai; Roksana Estakhrian Haghigh; Mehdi Akbartabar Toori; Mohammad Fararouei
Volume 3, Issue 4 , October 2015, , Pages 133-138
Abstract
Background: Cancer is the third cause of death in Iran and its incidence is rising alarmingly. However, a study reported that Kohgilooyeh and Boyerahmad (a small province in Iran) seems to have substantially lower incidence rate of cancer compared to the other parts of the country. This study is conducted ...
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Background: Cancer is the third cause of death in Iran and its incidence is rising alarmingly. However, a study reported that Kohgilooyeh and Boyerahmad (a small province in Iran) seems to have substantially lower incidence rate of cancer compared to the other parts of the country. This study is conducted to investigate the epidemiological features of cancer regarding three key factors (sex, age and sites of cancer). Methods: The data collection strategy for this study is similar to the Iranian National Cancer Registry programme. Results: For the study period (2007-2009), 660 eligible cases of cancer were reported to Kohgilooyeh and Boyerahmad’s National Cancer Registry provincial office with average annual age standardized rate (ASR)=64.58 per 100000 (74.95 per 100000 and 45.85 per 100000 for men and women, respectively). The five leading primary cancer sites for both genders in K and B are skin, stomach, blood, bladder and breast. Regarding the sex specific incidence rates of cancer, the skin, stomach, bladder, blood and prostate in men and the skin, breast, stomach, blood and ovary in women are suggested to be the five leading sites of cancer. The trends of age-site specific incidence rates of skin cancer obtained in the current study are essentially similar to what is expected. Conclusion: Compared to the national and international figures, significant differences were found in the age-site specific rates of cancer in the province.
Ali Kamkar; Mahmoud Golzary; Noor Ali Farrokhi; Shapur Aghaee; Mohammad Fararouei
Volume 3, Issue 2 , April 2015, , Pages 76-82
Abstract
Backgrounds: Anxiety and depression are found to be the major contributors to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The present study aimed to measure the effect of a specifically designed cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program on the severity of the symptoms and quality of life of patients with chronic ...
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Backgrounds: Anxiety and depression are found to be the major contributors to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The present study aimed to measure the effect of a specifically designed cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program on the severity of the symptoms and quality of life of patients with chronic IBS, and also define whether anxiety and depression in patients with IBS at baseline affect their response to CBT. Methods: The participants were randomly allocated to conventional treatment only (n=25, control) or CBT plus conventional treatment (n=25, intervention) group. The intervention group attended an eight session group stress management training course conducted by a psychologist in a meeting room at a gastrointestinal clinic at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences. Pre- and post-interventions and 3-month follow-up visits were scheduled and conducted by an experienced healthcare worker to measure the primary outcomes and levels of depression and anxiety in the patients. The study was conducted on 2011. Results: The Raw Group Difference (RGD) and Standardised Mean Differences (SMD) for the post-treatment scores of the intervention group, when compared with those of the control group, indicated a considerable improvement in the severity of IBS symptoms (RGD=−10.48, SMD=−1.23), anxiety (RGD=−9.90, SMD=−0.725), d epression ( RGD=−9.57, SMD=−0.785) a nd patient’s quality of life (MD=−16.81, SMD=−0.469). No association (and interaction with CBT) was found between anxiety/depression at baseline and post-treatment or follow-up scores of the outcomes. Conclusion: Although CBT improved anxiety, depression, severity of IBS and quality of life of patients with IBS, its effect was independent of the initial level of anxiety and depression of the patients. Trial registration number: IRCT201102195868N1
