Iranian Journal of

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Background & Objectives: Sleep quality is an important factor in student life and affects in their learning process. Sleep problems are related to increased health concerns, irritability, depression, fatigue, attention and concentration difficulties, along with poor academic performance. The aim of this paper is to conduct a survey based on a questionnaire that would characterize the quality of sleep in students living in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the stratified random sampling approach on 277 students residing in dormitories in Tehran. A demographic questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used for data collection.
Results: Mean (CI) of PSQI in students was 8.57 (8.10- 9.04). Using the cut-off score of 6 for the PSQI global score, 73.3% (68.1%-78.5%) of students were described as poor sleeper. Female students had a worse quality of sleep compared to male. The mean duration of sleep in students was 5:15´± 105´ (hours). This was significantly higher in male students than female students. There were no significant relationships between demographic variables such as age, academic level, marital status and family income with and quality of sleep.
Conclusion: This study showed that poor sleep quality is prevalent among students living in dormitories of TUMS. Therefore it is necessary to provide effective educational interventions for this group in order to improve the quality of sleep.

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Background & Objectives: Measuring the impact of various diseases on Life Expectancy( LE) is an important step toward prioritization in health. The present study was conducted to measure the impact of heart diseases, neoplasm, and respiratory diseases on life expectancy (LE) in 2010.

Methods: Data on death and population for all 22 districts of Tehran were obtained from the main cemetery of Tehran and statistical center of Iran, respectively. Age-specific mortality rates and consequently LE were calculated for all 22 districts and both genders. Finally, the death probability assuming complete elimination of the diseases was calculated and the resulting life tables were obtained.

Results: The LE at birth was estimated 74.6 and 78.4 years for total males and females in Tehran, respectively. The maximum and minimum LE at birth was 80 years in females and 72.7 years in males, respectively. Assuming complete elimination of heart diseases, the LE increased to 82.39 and 85.51 years in males and females, respectively while complete elimination of neoplasm resulted in an increase in LE to 76.27 years in men and 80.49 years in women. Finally, elimination of respiratory diseases increased the LE of men to 75.98 years and the LE of women to 79.97 years.

Conclusion: The results indicated the high impact of the diseases on LE, especially the heart diseases. As a main result, LE will upgrade to more focus on this category. 

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Background and Objectives: Viral hepatitis is one of the most prevalent diseases and an important underlying cause of death and disability in the world. This case-control study was conducted to investigate the outbreak of hepatitis A in Boroujerd in 2019.
 
Methods: This case-control study was conducted to investigate the epidemic of hepatitis A in Boroujerd in 2019. Fifty hepatitis A patients were recruited. For each patient diagnosed, two controls with no history of the disease were selected from a neighboring village. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire as well as the results of experiments. To investigate the association between the disease and risk factors, odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were used. 
 
Results: In this study, the odds ratios were significant for a number of risk factors including washing fruits and vegetables with a source other than tap water [OR = 3.2], washing dishes with a source other than tap water [OR = 3.7], non-sanitary toilets [OR = 8.3], using sources other than tap water when there is no tap water [OR = 4.4], being unaware of the disease and its transmission methods [OR = 4.8] and water well dug less than 15 m from the sewage well (OR = 4.1).
 
Conclusion: Increased public awareness and improved health status of the environment and rural sewage can preclude similar epidemics in the study area and other regions.