Leila Ghahremani; Fatemeh Maghsoudi; Abdolrahim Asadollahi
Abstract
Background: Aging and retirement are a passage to a new course of life for veterans. The role of army grandparents in relation with their adult children is important; therefore, it is necessary to study grandparent-adult children interactions during retirement. Unfortunately, there was no Iranian ...
Read More
Background: Aging and retirement are a passage to a new course of life for veterans. The role of army grandparents in relation with their adult children is important; therefore, it is necessary to study grandparent-adult children interactions during retirement. Unfortunately, there was no Iranian version of an instrument to measure this interaction. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate the Persian version of the Perceived Parenting Roles Inventory (PPRI-2019). The translation process was conducted based on WHO’s guidance of instruments translation and adaptation.
Methods: The research method was descriptive and had a psychometric type. A total of 251 grandparents were randomly selected from the Iranian Veterans Association. The PPRI and demographic questionnaire were used to gather data at the end of 2019. The scale structure was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach’s alpha assessed internal consistency and the optimal cut-off points were obtained by calculating the area under the curve (ROC). Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 26 and AMOS version 24. Results: The construct validity of PPRI based on CFA showed that the two subscales explained a total of 73.017 % of the variance. The PPRI scale demonstrated excellent reliability, and Cronbach’s alpha obtained 0.792 for the entire scale (p< 0.000). The optimal cut-off point of PPRI was 19.50, with a sensitivity of 100%, a 1-specificity of 0.127.
Conclusions: Based on the results, the Persian version of PPRI is a valid and reliable tool that other researchers can use to measure perceived parenting roles among other retirees. But further investigations are suggested.
Serajeddin Mahmoudiani
Abstract
Background: Dramatic changes in the demographic behaviors of Iranian women have led to declining fertility after the mid-1980s. Childlessness is an important and growing issue and has increasingly become the focus of the problem by Iranian population policymakers.
Methods: The present study was conducted ...
Read More
Background: Dramatic changes in the demographic behaviors of Iranian women have led to declining fertility after the mid-1980s. Childlessness is an important and growing issue and has increasingly become the focus of the problem by Iranian population policymakers.
Methods: The present study was conducted using the quantitative secondary data analysis method. Using the census microdata of population and housing in 2016, the researchers attempted to investigate the level and predictors of childlessness among married women aged 40–49. The data of 85799 married women aged 40–49 was analyzed.
Results: About 4% of the sample were childless. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the probability of childlessness for married women with university degrees, immigrant women, and employed women is higher than their counterparts. Furthermore, the findings suggested that women who live in apartments and those who live in private houses are less likely childless than their counterparts. Bigger houses lower the probability of being childless.
Conclusion: Government planning and policymaking to reducethe proportion of childlessness should improve household circumstances, especially their housing.
Zeinolabedin Mohammadi; Alijan Tabarraei; Fatemeh Ghorbani; Asghar Khajeh; Haji Gholi Kami; Saeed Shahabi; Urban Olsson
Abstract
Background: Bats are potential reservoir hosts for vector-bornediseases that can transmit many bacterial and viral agents tohumans. Fruit bats are considered reservoirs of many virusesand they are of major importance in the medical sciences forcontrolling and preventing vector-borne diseases. This studyaimed ...
Read More
Background: Bats are potential reservoir hosts for vector-bornediseases that can transmit many bacterial and viral agents tohumans. Fruit bats are considered reservoirs of many virusesand they are of major importance in the medical sciences forcontrolling and preventing vector-borne diseases. This studyaimed to compare the morphological and genetic differences oftwo fruit bat species, Rousettus aegyptiacus and R. leschenaultiiin Iran, implying anessential need for taxonomic expertise inapplied medical sciences.Methods: In this experimental study, we collected and identified26 specimens of bats belonging to two fruit bat species from thesoutheast of Iran. The morphological and genetic differenceswere characterized between recently recorded migratory fruitbat R. leschenaultii and the morphologically similar and residentR. aegyptiacus. The haplotype network was generated usingthe program POPART. The nucleotide variation and populationdifferentiation were calculated in DNAsp. Furthermore, weconsidered additional records of 15 specimens from threewidespread bat species in the north of Iran.Results: Morphological characterization of two fruit batspecies showed R. aegyptiacus is larger than R. leschenaultiiin morphometric variables except tail length (TL) for bothsexes. The demographic analyses revealed that all haplotypesof R. leschenaulti formed a single haplogroup in the species’distributional range. In contrast, haplotypes of R. aegyptiacuswere divided into five haplogroups respecting taxa/localities. Theresults represent a strong signature of population expansion forthese two species of bats.Conclusion: Population of the fruit bats throughout their rangesin the Middle East may indicate an increased risk of the spread ofviral agents over time. Therefore, precise identification of hostsand vectors in applied medical sciences is essential to conductstandard procedures
Romina Faridizad; Ali Alavi; Parastoo Golshiri; Sayed Mohammad Hasan Alavi Shoushtari; Michelle D Lall; Sina Neshat
Abstract
Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are one the most common infections in the world. Among them, anogenital warts and gonorrhea infections are a significant group of STIs. We conducted this research to evaluate the prevalence of anogenital warts and gonorrhea infection and their related ...
Read More
Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are one the most common infections in the world. Among them, anogenital warts and gonorrhea infections are a significant group of STIs. We conducted this research to evaluate the prevalence of anogenital warts and gonorrhea infection and their related aspects in Iran. Still, it has a lot to know about its prevalence, trends, and risk factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1064 patients voluntarily referred from a marriage counseling center to the physicians in our center to evaluate STIs were enrolled in this study. All participants completed a data collection form about their sex, age, lifetime number of sexual partners, high-risk behaviors, and history of prior gonorrhea infection. They were also evaluated for anogenital warts by physical examination. The data were analyzed by SPSS 24 with Chi-square test, independent t-test, and logistic regression analysis. P-value Results: The number of participants with current anogenital warts was 9.2% (11.9% in men and 3.5% in women). 1.1% of the participants had a documented prior gonorrhea infection, and all of these cases were men. After logistic regression analysis, there was a significant relationship between anogenital warts and gonorrhea infection and male gender (P=0.03). Also, there was a meaningful relationship between these diseases and the higher number of lifetime sexual partners (P=0.001). Conclusions: Male sex and having more lifetime sexual partners are the risk factors for getting anogenital warts and gonorrhea infection.
Aboozar Soltani; Fatemeh Borouji; Sanam Abdollahi; Arefe-sadat Pourtabatabaei
Abstract
Background: Rickettsialinfections occur worldwide. Rickettsia spp. are mandatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can cause mild to severe disease. Objectives:Recently, with increasing international travel to high-risk areas, the risk of rickettsia transmission has increased. These infections ...
Read More
Background: Rickettsialinfections occur worldwide. Rickettsia spp. are mandatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that can cause mild to severe disease. Objectives:Recently, with increasing international travel to high-risk areas, the risk of rickettsia transmission has increased. These infections are also important because of their possible use as bioterrorism agents. In this study, we investigated arthropod-borne rickettsial diseases. Methods: This systematic review study was performed based on PRISMA guidelines. All Persian and English language articles published until the end of 2019 were extracted during the search in the scientific databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Medlib, Irandoc, Magiran, and SID. Results: A total of 62 studies related to the field of arthropod-borne rickettsial diseases between 1940 and 2020 were included in the systematic review. Rickettsiae are related to arthropods which will act as vectors and reservoirs within the bacteria life cycle. To date, ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), lice (Phtiraptera), and fleas (Siphonaptera) have been identified as the main suitable vectors of rickettsiae. Recently, mosquitoes have been suggested as potential vectors for R. felis. Conclusion: One of the most important rickettsial diseases in Iran has been typhus. Historically, typhus has been one of the main health problems with a financial effect in Iran; be that as it may, there are constrained data on the prevalence of typhus within the past centuries. In Iran, there were both epidemic and endemic typhus. Health care officials and physicians should always consider the potential risk of typhus outbreaks under certain conditions. Natural disasters, famines, and overcrowded camps increase the risk of transmission of these infectious diseases
Mousa Khosravani; Shokat Ali Amiri; Azam Rafatpanah; Cobra Bandak; Roya Latifi; Mohammad Moradi; Nashmin Mohemmi; Fariba Abdollahi Harat; Seyed Mohsen Mohebbi Nodez; Zohreh Hatami
Abstract
Background: Lice are obligate parasites that bring about some mild infestation or severe diseases on different parts of the human body. Head lice can easily spread in an overcrowded community with inadequate hygienic conditions. Also, it affects children’s well-being and education programs. Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Lice are obligate parasites that bring about some mild infestation or severe diseases on different parts of the human body. Head lice can easily spread in an overcrowded community with inadequate hygienic conditions. Also, it affects children’s well-being and education programs. Methods: This study is a narrative review. To carry out this comprehensive research about pediculosis in Iran, all published data on scientific research resources were included i.e. Google scholar, Springer, ProQuest, JSTOR, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, Bioline, BioOne, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, PubMed, Sage, Wiley Online Library, World Scientific, and SID. Results: Overall, 52,342 students (from primary and secondary schools) and around 20,000 adult persons were infested with P. capitis in Iran during 3 decades (1990-2020) as reported by published documents but the actual number may statistically be higher. The variation of results implies that risk factors are linked with numerous cultural, geographical, economic, and personal habits. In general, the infestation rate of Pediculosis capitis in the south and southeast was higher than in other parts of Iran. Conclusion: Family members shouldavoid sharing hair tools particularly hairbrushes. Authors believe that not only economic situations but also some behaviors originating from personality traits influenced children's health. In this regard, children in higher grades might tend to conceal
Saeedeh Ebrahimi; Marzieh Shahriari-Namadi; Saeed Shahabi; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard; Hamzeh Alipour
Abstract
Background:Human head lice is one of the most invincible neglected skin diseases. The use of pyrethroid insecticides is a standard method of treating the disease, which leads to lice population resistance in the long run. The main aim of the current survey was to screen the biomarkers of permethrin-associated ...
Read More
Background:Human head lice is one of the most invincible neglected skin diseases. The use of pyrethroid insecticides is a standard method of treating the disease, which leads to lice population resistance in the long run. The main aim of the current survey was to screen the biomarkers of permethrin-associated kdr (knockdown resistance) point mutations through molecular analysis of the human head lice populations in primary school children in the south of Iran. Methods: In an experimental study, Field-collected head lice from infested students were fixed in ethanol, identified using valid taxonomic keys, and processed by PCR for kdr mutant studies. Sequencing partial voltage-sensitive sodium channel gene in different head lice populations was subsequently implemented and compared with the permethrin-resistant diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) as the gold standard. Results:Human head lice appeared to reflect kdr point mutations in specimens from the city of Shiraz. At least three amino acid mutations at designated sites of D820E, L840F, and N874G, corresponding to replacements of aspartic acid to glutamic acid, leucine to phenylalanine, and asparagine to glycine, are clear in this representative population, respectively. At the same time, only L840F is reported as a new mutant in this survey. Conclusion: The ongoing treatment of head lice infested in school children harboring kdr-mutated or permethrin-resistant mutants in Shiraz is risky, illogical, and contrary to the One Health initiative of the World Health Organization. Health executives should thus immediately take the indispensable steps to prohibit further procurement of permethrin.
Mahsa Yarelahi; Masoud Karimi; Ebrahim Nazarifar; Elham Rezaian; Maryam Ghaedi; Abdolrahim Asadollahi
Abstract
Background: The lack of knowledge about menopausal care in couples and inappropriate coping with menopause symptoms can reduce the couples' quality of the marital relationship. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the knowledge and ability of men to prevent menopause destructive effects on marital ...
Read More
Background: The lack of knowledge about menopausal care in couples and inappropriate coping with menopause symptoms can reduce the couples' quality of the marital relationship. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the knowledge and ability of men to prevent menopause destructive effects on marital relations and the well-being of the couples. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of men's menopausal care education on their marital satisfaction. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2019 among 80 men in Shiraz, Iran. The samples were randomly selected using cluster random sampling method; they were equally divided into control and intervention groups. Four training sessions were held for the intervention group. The data were collected using a questionnaire on the menopausal knowledge and the ENRICH-10 questionnaire at the beginning and two months after the intervention and analyzed using SPSS v. 25 and Amos v. 21. Results: Based on the results, at the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference in the mean score of the menopausal knowledge and marital satisfaction between the intervention and control groups (p <0.0001). However, men's menopausal knowledge and their marital satisfaction in the intervention group significantly increased. No significant increase was found in men's menopausal knowledge or their marital satisfaction in the control group. Conclusion: Education can increase the men's ability to cope with menopausal symptoms. Therefore, providing family health counseling services in health centers and family counseling is recommended.
Habibollah Azarbakhsh; Marziye Tolide; Ali Jalilian; Kumars Eisapareh
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiological indicators of brucellosis in Ilam province, west of Iran, during the years 2011 to 2018. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 1,002 patients with brucellosis in Ilam province, west of Iran. ...
Read More
Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiological indicators of brucellosis in Ilam province, west of Iran, during the years 2011 to 2018. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional analytical study was performed on 1,002 patients with brucellosis in Ilam province, west of Iran. People with a Wright test greater than 1.80 or a positive 2ME test who were diagnosed with brucellosis were followed up and treated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and Excel 2007. Results: 1002 patients with brucellosis were diagnosed, 566 of whom were male (56.5%) and 436 were female (43.5%). The mean age at the onset of the disease was 38.11 ± 19.61 in men, 41.73 ± 15.67 in women, and39.94 ±17.81 in both sexes. The incidence of brucellosis in 2011 was 20.44 per 100,000 (22.30 per 100,000 in men and 18.53 per 100,000 in women), which dropped to 15.94 per 100,000 in 2018. Regarding the season, most cases of the disease were observed in summer (31%), spring (24.7%), winter (23.6%), and autumn (20.7%), respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the age of the onset of the disease was middle age, when individuals are active labor and human capital working in a community. Therefore, improving cross-sectoral and intra-sectoral cooperation and promoting effective education for prevention seem necessary.
Mohammad Khammarnia; Mehdi Zanganeh Baygi; Morteza Mooziri; Mohammad Okati; Mostafa Boolaghi; Mehdi Okati; Fatemeh Setoodehzadeh
Abstract
Background: In 2014, Health Transformation Plan (HTP) started in Iranian health system to improve productivity of health organizations. The aim of the present study was to assess the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. Methods: This cross-sectional study with analytical approach ...
Read More
Background: In 2014, Health Transformation Plan (HTP) started in Iranian health system to improve productivity of health organizations. The aim of the present study was to assess the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. Methods: This cross-sectional study with analytical approach was carried out in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2018. 150 health workers were selected using census method. Data were collected by Hersey & Goldsmith Workforce Productivity Questionnaire. For the data analysis, descriptive and statistical methods such as Pearson correlation 2-tailed, one-way ANOVA, T-tests and regression model were used. Results: Our findings showed that 96% of health workers were female. Mean score of productivity was 63.8±12.7, which is in the moderate level. Besides, we found a significant negative relationship between productivity and job experience of the employees (P = 0.021, F = 2.975). Conclusion: In this study, productivity was at a moderate level. It seems with better motivation of the staff, there might be an improvement in productivity. Introduction Human resources are considered as fundamental resources and the most important factor for developing any organization. Today, due to the effect of the employees’ efficiency on overall function, many organizations preliminarily focus on increasing the employees’ productivity. European Productivity Agency defines productivity as “the level of using each producing factor properly, which first seems an overview that constantly tries to improve the existing condition” (1-3). Today, the most important factor in community development is increased attention to human productivity, and organizations can only reach their achievement via using human resources because human being defines waste or productivity of physical resources or materials (4). To motivate the employees, who provide high quality cares and help the development of a society, we need to invest on human resources management. Despite this global importance, today, health systems ignore the mentioned fact; as a result, decreased human productivity has become a challenge (5). According to the existing reports, health centers and organizations in Iran, in contrast to industry and business ones, have rarely investigated effective ways of improving the employees’ productivity; also, Iranian human productivity index is weaker than the mean East Asian countries (4). Studies have shown that without long-term, thorough, and evidence-based plan, this goal seems unachievable (6). We should also consider that decreased productivity in health area can lead to decreased quality of life and social security in communities (3). According to a study, the costs that are the result of decreased productivity in health care organizations can be many times more than direct costs of medical conditions (7). This is also important that the human resources productivity in health organizations is more significant than other organizations because these organizations, besides doing their routines, have the ability to face the crisis, too. This area of health is considered as one of the most basic parts of economic development in different countries. In health care organizations, in order to get productivity, we need to take a systemic, local, and practical overview. That is, organizational factors like employees’ motivation, working culture, mental health, right choice of workers, effective leadership, occupational function, and other factors cannot improve productivity individually and they must work as a system. We should also pay attention to reciprocal relationship between these factors. Sufficient organizational structure, effective function, proper work equipment, balanced area, and most importantly professional and effective human resource are necessary to reach adequate productivity (3, 6, 8). On May 5, 2014, a series of reforms has been done in Iranian health system under the title of Health Transformation Plan (HTP), with three main approaches of financial protection of patients, fairness in access to health services, and improvement of the quality of services (9). Because there is a special look at health area in this plan, and absence of proper research on this topic, this study seemed necessary to be conducted. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the employees’ productivity in health centers after HTP. The results of this study can provide required information for health policymakers and managers to improve the human resources productivity and in turn can result in increased quality of service delivery.
Mohammad Hoseini; Solmaz Aslan Pour; Gholam Hossein Safari
Abstract
Background: Health care waste (HCW) management is highly important and has received special attention from the authorities and people. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the management of HCW in general and specialized hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional ...
Read More
Background: Health care waste (HCW) management is highly important and has received special attention from the authorities and people. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the management of HCW in general and specialized hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, field investigations were conducted on gathering data on HCW management activities using the WHO questionnaire including 100 questions through observation. Results: This study indicated that the total in-use beds in the studied hospitals were 3953 beds. The total amount of generating wastes in the hospitals was 13349.5 kg day-1, of which 10059 kg day-1 (75.4%) was general waste and the remaining 24.6% (3290.5 kg day-1) was categorized as medical waste. The medical waste was categorized further into infectious (3002.50 kg day-1), sharp (171.80 kg day-1), chemical (63.15 kg day-1), and pathological (52.55 kg day-1) wastes. In general and specialized hospitals, 56% and 31% of the waste separation was at a good level, respectively. The results showed that the chemical process (37.5%) was the mostly used method for the treatment of medical waste in the studied hospitals. Conclusions: Generally, the rate of waste generation in general hospitals was more than that in specialized hospitals. Higher waste generation in general hospitals can be due to the fact that in these hospitals the amount and diversity of the health services provided were more than specialized hospitals. Good separation of general wastes from medical ones, proper health waste management, and training of staff for correct segregation of wastes can lead to a reduction of treatment charges.
Masoumeh Bagheri; Hamzeh Alipour; Ali Keshawarz
Abstract
Background: Scorpion sting is one of the serious and major medical problems in the world. Shiraz is a tourist city and one of the high-risk areas where a number of scorpion sting occurs annually.
Objectives: The present research aimed to conduct an epidemiological study of scorpion sting in Shiraz County.
Methods: ...
Read More
Background: Scorpion sting is one of the serious and major medical problems in the world. Shiraz is a tourist city and one of the high-risk areas where a number of scorpion sting occurs annually.
Objectives: The present research aimed to conduct an epidemiological study of scorpion sting in Shiraz County.
Methods: The is a cross-sectional study performed using a checklists to collect data about scorpionism in Shiraz health center during 2014-2018.
Results: The results of the study showed that the total number of scorpion stings was 844 cases. generally, 336 cases (39.8%) were female and 508 s (59.3%) male. The results from the residential area revealed that 817 cases (96.8%) were urban and 27 (3.1%) were rural. The highest frequency of scorpionism happened in the 25-34 years old group (286,33.8%) and after that 15-24 year old (165,19.4%), 35-44 year old (157, 18.6%), 45-54 year old (108, 12.7%) groups, and the least frequency awas seen in the 0-4 year old group. The time periods between the sting and injection of anti-venom were less than 6 hours for 822, (85.5%) of cases, 6–12 hours for 101, (11.9%) of cases and, more than 12 hours for 21 (2.4%) cases. A total of 844 cases were recovered; 690 (81.7%) of them recovered with anti-venom and 154 (18.2%) injured individuals recovered without any anti-venom, the sting site was 27.6% in the foot, 57% in the hand, and 20% in the head and trunk.
Conclusion: Shiraz is a major tourist city, and most cases of scorpion-sting occur in summer and spring, when the tourist population is high, so health care providers must carry out an integrated program in those months.
Farideh Golbabaei; Hamidreza Heidari; Aliakbar Shamsipour
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to illustrate the applicability of the Humidex index for assessment of outdoor thermal environments in a wide range of weather conditions in different climates in Iran.
Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study.
Methods: Both field measurements (1452 measurements) ...
Read More
Background: This study aimed to illustrate the applicability of the Humidex index for assessment of outdoor thermal environments in a wide range of weather conditions in different climates in Iran.
Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study.
Methods: Both field measurements (1452 measurements) and the long-term meterological data (between 1965 and 2009) were used in this research. After determining the appropriateness of correlation coefficients between these two types of data, only meteorological stations data were used to generalize the results to climatic regions. For this purpose, Arc/GIS 10.2 software was used.
Results: The results showed three levels of comfort including safe, caution and stress regions by graphical maps. The results showed that the center and south of the country, especially at the middle and the end of the shift hours, experienced more thermal stress in summer months (ranging from 39.60±1.07 to 49.29±2.13ºC for central areas and ranging from 47.76±2.59to 57.71±1.65ºC for southern areas. In the northern regions, most of the measurements in different stations and time periods at spring were in caution condition and less than 1% of them experienced stress conditions.
Conclusion:
The dependence of this index on the minimum metrological parameters (temperature and humidity), which are easily measured and reported daily in meteorological stations, and its non-dependence on the globe temperature, which is an unusual parameter in the measured metrological parameters, can be used as advantages of the humidex for assessment of the heat stress conditions in outdoor environments in different climates.
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.
Serajeddin Mahmoudiani
Abstract
Background: Identifying the effect of the social environment in which couples live and the demographic decisions are made, along with individual characteristics, are important in explaining human fertility. In the present study, an attempt was made to explain women’s fertility in the six provinces ...
Read More
Background: Identifying the effect of the social environment in which couples live and the demographic decisions are made, along with individual characteristics, are important in explaining human fertility. In the present study, an attempt was made to explain women’s fertility in the six provinces using the multi-level analysis. Methods: The present study is a quantitative research with emphasis on the secondary analysis of the existing data.The statistical population consists of married women aged 15-49 living in the selected provinces. The sample included 95421 individuals. The selected provinces were Gilan, Mazandaran, Tehran, Sistan & Baluchistan, South Khorasan and Hormozgan. The census micro-data of population and housing in 2016 as well as some socio-economic indexes of selected provinces were analyzed using HLM software. Place of residence, educational level and employment status were individual variables, while income per capita as well as unemployment and literacy rates were the contextual variables. Also, the number of children ever born was considered as the fertility index or dependent variable. Results: The impact of individual variables on women’s fertility is stronger than community effects. There were statistically significant inter-provincial differences in women’s fertility. All the women’s individual characteristics had a statistically significant impact on their fertility. Unemployment and literacy rates, as contextual effects, had a statistically significant impact on inter-provincial fertility. Conclusion: The inter-provincial differences in the fertility originate from their socio-economic circumstances. If the provinces’ socio-economic circumstances become similar, the convergence in fertility behavior across provinces may increase.
Mohammad Ebrahimi; Marziyeh Hamyali Ainvan,; Mohsen Kalantari; Kourosh Azizi
Abstract
Background: Scorpions are a group of poisonous invertebrates that are widely distributed in the Middle East countries including Iran. They cause serious injuries and death to humans and domestic animals in Fars province. These arthropods are settled in subtropical regions of the province. Methods: In ...
Read More
Background: Scorpions are a group of poisonous invertebrates that are widely distributed in the Middle East countries including Iran. They cause serious injuries and death to humans and domestic animals in Fars province. These arthropods are settled in subtropical regions of the province. Methods: In this study, a total of 35 out of 430 Mesobuthus eupeus, including 15 males and 20 females, were selected, and then their major morphometric characteristics including the whole body length, pedipalp length, length and width of carapace, leg segments, abdomen, and tail segments, as well as the size of the poison gland, pectinal organ length, and pectinal tooth count were measured using a Collis-Vernier caliper scale. Results: The measurements of different body parts were bigger in females than in males, except that pectinal tooth count in males (26.93mm±.88) was greater than that in females (22.20±1.00). The number of simple eyes on each side did not differ between males and females. Other features showed to be higher for females than males. Conclusion: The results of the main morphometric features showed that the mean scores of the characters, except for the pectinal tooth count, in female M. eupeus species were bigger than those in male ones. The findings of this study are suggested to be used to provide a valid identification key for scorpions in Iran.
Mohsen Kalantari; Qasem Asgari; Khadijeh Rostami; Shahrbano Naderi; Iraj Mohammadpour; Masoud Yousefi; Mohammad Hassan Davami; Kourosh Azizi
Abstract
Background: Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were identified in female university students referred to Valie-Asr hospital of Mamasani from Azad and Payame-Noor Universities, using serological and molecular methods. Methods: Based on the prevalence and characteristics method, 504 serum samples were collected ...
Read More
Background: Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were identified in female university students referred to Valie-Asr hospital of Mamasani from Azad and Payame-Noor Universities, using serological and molecular methods. Methods: Based on the prevalence and characteristics method, 504 serum samples were collected from female university students, during 2015, and evaluated by Enzyme-Linked Immun-Sorbent Assay (ELISA), Modified Agglutination Test (MAT), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based on B1 gene for detection of Toxoplasma gondii. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19 software. Results: Out of 504 studied female students, 27 (5.36%) and 36 (7.14%) cases were found to be positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies by MAT and ELISA, respectively. Moreover, 5 (0.99%) cases were found to be positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgM. PCR detected the Toxoplasma DNA in 58 out of 504 (11.51%) samples. Conclusions: Findings of the current study revealed that Toxoplasma was a common infection among female university students in Mamasani district in Fars province. Seronegative individuals are at risk for the disease, as well as congenital toxoplasmosis in later stages of their life. Preventive measures should be taken to reduce the rate of infection.
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
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.
Masume Bazrafshan; Hamidreza Vakilifard; Bizhan Abedini; Davood Khodadadi
Abstract
Background: Corporate goals are to maximize efficiency and profit, but in the age of information and competition to succeed, they must respond to societal expectations. Corporate disregard for social responsibility can create problems for the company and cast doubt on the company's actions and mission ...
Read More
Background: Corporate goals are to maximize efficiency and profit, but in the age of information and competition to succeed, they must respond to societal expectations. Corporate disregard for social responsibility can create problems for the company and cast doubt on the company's actions and mission and, consequently, its success. The purpose of this study was to investigate the social responsibility status of pharmaceutical companies in Iran in 2019. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was done in the year 2019. The study population consisted of all staff working in pharmaceutical companies. In this study, 354 individuals were selected through the available sampling method. The data gathering tool was demographic information questionnaire and social responsibility scale. The dimensions of the social responsibility scale included political, cultural, economic, moral, social, legal, and environmental factors. Results: Some 62.4% of the samples were male, and 53.10% had a bachelor's degree. Nearly 56% of the samples were occupationally in the middle management category, and 49.20% had human qualifications. Most of the samples (46.6%) were under 30 years old and 34.5% had 5-10 years old. The social responsibility components in all seven dimensions were higher than the median number three. They were political (3.91 ± 0.69), cultural (3.69 ± 0.80), social (3.65 ± 0.90), ethical (3.45 ± 0.85), legal (3.37 ± 0.83), economic (3.23 ± 0.78), and environmental factors (3.18 ± 0.86). Conclusion: From the point of view of pharmaceutical companies, all social responsibility indices, including political, cultural, economic, ethical, social, environmental and legal factors are important.
Saeed Shahabi; Ali Pouryousef; Kourosh Azizi; Bahador Sarkari
Abstract
Background: Rodents have a significant role as a reservoir in zoonotic diseases. Rodents which live close to human habitats such as muroid species play an important role in public health and economy. The current study aimed to evaluate the intestinal helminths infections of the Zagros Mountain rodent, ...
Read More
Background: Rodents have a significant role as a reservoir in zoonotic diseases. Rodents which live close to human habitats such as muroid species play an important role in public health and economy. The current study aimed to evaluate the intestinal helminths infections of the Zagros Mountain rodent, Calomyscus (Calomyscus cf. bailwardi), in Shiraz, capital of Fars province, southern Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from April to October 2019, and a total of 10 Calomyscus were trapped. The animals were transferred to the animal laboratory for euthanization and dissection. Each of the digestive organs was separately cut and examined to identify their intestinal helminths. Parasites were removed by a special needle, and then transferred to 5% glycerin alcohol for the identification of the isolated helminths, using carmine staining. Results: Among the 10 total numbers of specimens, 60% (6 out of 10) were infected. All of the intestinal helminths obtained from the rodents were identified as Syphacia obvelata. Conclusion: Given the fact that the infected rodents which live in close contact with human society may cause rodent-borne infections among the residents, this parasitological study can be important in identifying the epidemiologic pattern related to zoonotic diseases, especially in rarely studied host species like Calomyscus cf. bailwardi.
Zahra Hosseini; Mostafa Salehi Vaziri; Sara Ahmadnia; Mohammad Reza Fakoorziba; Tahmineh Jalali; Zakkyeh Telmadarraiy; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard
Abstract
Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a neglected tick-borne viral zoonotic disease. The aim was to detect CCHF virus (CCHFV) among wild ticks from Artiodactyla, Bos taurus, Ovis aries, and Capra hircus, in a previously declared CCHFV-free province of Kohgiluyeh Boyer-Ahmad, southwest ...
Read More
Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a neglected tick-borne viral zoonotic disease. The aim was to detect CCHF virus (CCHFV) among wild ticks from Artiodactyla, Bos taurus, Ovis aries, and Capra hircus, in a previously declared CCHFV-free province of Kohgiluyeh Boyer-Ahmad, southwest Iran. Methods: From April to November 2015, hard ticks were collected in a cross-sectional study and checked by microscope for species identity from ungulates in 51 study villages. About 55% of the ticks were then subjected to reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect CCHFV genome. Results: Overall, 859 hard ticks were captured, from which 8 different species in two genera were identified. The genus Rhipicephalus was distributed in half (#26) of the study villages. It was the most frequent (≈60%) tick genus. Hyalomma anatolicum, H. asiaticum, H. excavatum, H. marginatum, H. scupense, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. turanicus, and R. bursa were identified on the ruminants. From 469 adult ticks subjected to RT-PCR, one (0.2%) tick, R. bursa, was positive with CCHFV genome. It was from a cold hardy highland village in Dena County. It had CCHFV RNA for the first time from this region. Conclusion: The detection of CCHF viral RNA in one hard tick species, R. bursa, was confirmed in the southwest of Iran, thus partially indicating CCHFV presence of ticks in this region.
Mohammad Saleh Bahreini; Mohammad Hossein Motazedian; Shahram Bamdad; Mohammad Javad Abbaszadeh afshar; Qasem Asgari
Abstract
Background:Free Living Amoebas, as opportunistic protozoa, can cause more problems such as meningoencephalitis, encephalitis and keratitis in human being. These protozoa have been isolated from many sources in Iran. This study was undertaken to determine the diseases due to these parasites in the south ...
Read More
Background:Free Living Amoebas, as opportunistic protozoa, can cause more problems such as meningoencephalitis, encephalitis and keratitis in human being. These protozoa have been isolated from many sources in Iran. This study was undertaken to determine the diseases due to these parasites in the south of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 200 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and 15 corneal scrapings were collected from patients admitted in clinics of Shiraz city. The samples were examined by light microscopy, cultivation and molecular methods. Phylogenetic relationship was also conducted among the sequences and various Acanthamoeba spp. based on nucleotide sequences in NCBI GenBank. Results: No infection in CSF samples was seen, while one patient suspected with keratitis was positive to Acanthamoeba sp. infection only by PCR. Using Sequencing technique and Phylogenetic tree, the genotype of the parasite was demonstrated T4. This sample belonged to a 26 year old woman who used a contact lens. Conclusion: Our results indicate that it is necessary to pay attention to the complexity of the free living amoeba infections, especially in soft contact lens wearers. Also, PCR as an appropriate method in diagnosis is recommended for the detection of free living amoebae. However, it is unavoidable to suspect these protozoa as an infectious agent in patients with central nervous system infection due to increased immunodeficiency disorders.
Jalal Mohammadi; Hossein Faramarzi; Aboozar Soltani
Abstract
The class Diplopoda (the millipedes) is the most abundant and diverse group within the Myriapoda, comprising 15 orders and numerous families. They range in length from very tiny (∼5 mm in Polyxenida) to the longest terrestrial invertebrates (some Spirostreptida being up to 35 cm long) in tropical ...
Read More
The class Diplopoda (the millipedes) is the most abundant and diverse group within the Myriapoda, comprising 15 orders and numerous families. They range in length from very tiny (∼5 mm in Polyxenida) to the longest terrestrial invertebrates (some Spirostreptida being up to 35 cm long) in tropical and subtropical regions. On the 29th September 2018, the residents of Dare Mal (a village of Marvdasht city) were faced with a massive infestation of an unknown larva. Arthropods were transferred to the Entomology Laboratory of Shiraz Health School. The unknown arthropods were identified as millipede larvae belonging to the Polyxenidae family (Polyxenus spp.) Millipede larvae are not of medical importance, but they cause panic among the residents and make them evacuate their homes. The source of their infestation was a leftover farmyard watering near the village. The number of larvae declined sharply and their activity decreased after conducting the control program. This program included physical control as well as spraying of the infested areas with permethrin and diazinon. Activity of larvae abruptly decreased and eventually they were removed from all infested homes.
Seyed Aghil Jaberhashemi; Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard; Mousa Khosravani; Mojtaba Norouzi; Hadi Kalari
Abstract
Objective: The main aim of this research is to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on malaria control with respect to indoor residual spraying (IRS) in a community of Southern Iran. Introduction: Human malaria is an important vector-borne infectious disease in Iran. It remains endemic ...
Read More
Objective: The main aim of this research is to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on malaria control with respect to indoor residual spraying (IRS) in a community of Southern Iran. Introduction: Human malaria is an important vector-borne infectious disease in Iran. It remains endemic over most parts of the oriental region of Iran that is still in the pre-elimination phase without considerable drop in the proportion of malaria cases. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional household survey conducted in Kazerun, Fars province, Iran, to examine he malaria status and identify the parameters that obstruct the progress of the elimination phase. A standard questionnaire with 20 questions was provided to households including knowledge, attitude and practice categories. Sampling was then stratified to choose the samples in three rural foci of Kazerun. Results: The sex ratio of participants included 192 females (92.3%) and 16 males (7.7%), respectively. This community benefited mostly from acceptable literacy level. A strong association prevailed between the majority of respondents’ (88.5%) knowledge of fever and chills as the main symptoms of malaria and their literacy level. The majority (198, 95.2%) of volunteers declared that malaria disease was transmitted through the mosquito bites. In line with this study, literate persons have raised motivation and attitude to use bednets and keep themselves away from mosquitoes. These individuals cooperate perfectly with healthcare workers in malaria control program strategies (especially IRS). Conclusion: Comprehensive and synergistic measures are needed to be taken to manage malaria elimination strategy in Iran.
