Showing 7 results for Saki
A Saki Malehi, E Hajizadeh, R Fatemi,
Volume 8, Issue 2 (20 2012)
Abstract
Background
& Objectives: Identifying
the important influential factors is a great challenge in oncology studies.
Decision tree is one of methods that could be used to evaluate the prognostic
factors and classifying the patients' homogeneously. This method identifies the
main prognostic factors and then determines the subgroups of patients based on
those prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic
factors and homogeneous subgroups of colorectal patient through survival tree.
Methods: Data collected from an observational
of 739 colorectal patients registered in the cancer registry affiliated to the
center of Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease (RCGLD), Shahid
Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran. Death was the interested event and
the survival time was calculated from date of diagnosis until occurrence of
event (or censoring) in months. Finally we used decision tree based method for
classifying and analyzing the data.
Results: Based on our result, decision tree
identified four covariates as important prognostic factors in 0.05 significant
levels: general stage of cancer, age of diagnosis, histology of tumor and
morphology type of tumor. Also patients based on these prognostic factors
divided into five homogeneous subgroups. The greater values of measure of
separation (SEP) criterion support the appropriateness of this model for such
the data.
Conclusion:
Decision tree is powerful and intuitive method. It has a key feature that is in
addition to evaluate the prognostic factors, provides the homogeneous subgroups
for future analysis.
J Yazdani Cherati , E Ahmadi Baseri , M Saki, S Etemadinejad,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (3-2014)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major infectious diseases in Iran and has pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. Considering the differences in the distribution of the cases across different regions, we decided to study the geographical distribution, epidemiologic characteristics, and disease pattern in Lorestan.
Methods: This ecologic (descriptive analytical) survey was done in Lorestan between 2002 and 2008. The data was collected from the Health Department of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences and included the history of 1481 patients suffering from TB. The study variables were sex, disease type, residential location, age, and year. The data were analyzed using statistical package SAS 9.2 and descriptive and inferential statistics were applied.
Results: From 1481 registered patients 58.4% were male and 41.6% were female among which 68.74% and 29.98% lived in urban and rural areas and 1.28% were nomads. The mean age of the patients was 41.87. The highest and lowest incidence rates were observed in Khoram Abad (19.38 per 100000) and Azna (7.04 per 100000), respectively. Using Poisson regression, it was observed that the effects of age structure and residency on the incidence rate were significant.
Conclusion: The percentage of nomads was identified as the most important demographic factor in the incidence rate of TB in Lorestan. Allocation of better resources and appropriate training can be effective in controlling and preventing the disease.
A Saki Malehi , E Hajizadeh, K Ahmadi, P Mansouri,
Volume 10, Issue 1 (Vol 10, No 1 2014)
Abstract
Background and Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess the disease trajectory and recurrence rate of pemphigus based on the analysis of the gap time between successive recurrent events. In this regard, the most important associated factors with the risk of recurrence could be explained.
Methods: This longitudinal study was performed on 112 pemphigus patients who attended the dermatology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from March 2006 to January 2013. The study duration was considered from the diagnosis of the disease to December 2013. Recurrent events were analyzed based on the gap time between successive events using the multivariate time dependent frailty model. The time between two recurrent gap times was determined monthly between two successive events.
Results : Decreasing the gap times between two successive events indicates that the subsequent event after the first recurrence occurs with shorter time intervals. So, the disease trajectory represents an increase in the recurrence rate over time. Based on the results of multivariate frailty model, IgG antibody's level was the only effective factor on the recurrence hazard rate of the patients. Also, this model proved that the frailty effects were time dependent frailties.
Conclusion: Assessing the disease trajectory and recurrence hazard rate can be achieved through analyzing the gap time between successive recurrent events. This analysis also identifies the factors that influence the risk of subsequent recurrent events.
M Raesizadeh, M Seghatoleslami, M Hoseinzade, A Saki Malehi ,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (VOl 13, No.4, Winter 2018)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer among women. In developing countries, the patients’ survival is less than developed countries. Metastasis, as an intermediate event, affects the survival of breast cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the survival of patients after surgery considering metastasis, as the intermediate event, using the illness-death model.
Methods: In this study, 165 cases of Iranian breast cancer patients who underwent surgery during 2006-2014 were investigated. The patients’ characteristics and their intermediate and final status were collected from their medical records. The illness-death model was used to assess prognostic factors in all stages of disease.
Results: The risk of metastasis in patients with tumor size between 2-5 cm was 3.8 times higher than patients whose tumors were below 2 cm (P=0.009). Patients who had 3 to 6 lymph nodes involved were 3.1 times more likely to have metastases that those with less than 2 lymph nodes (P=0.003). Also, the grade of tumor and HER-2 had a significant role in metastasis (P=0.04).
Conclusion: Using the illness-death model that is suitable for the analysis of such data, it was found that lymph node involved and tumor size had a significant role in metastasis. So, early detection of cancer is required to prevent metastasis and death.
A Hadianfar, S Rastaghi, A Saki,
Volume 16, Issue 5 (Vol 16, Special Issue 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The Covid-19 epidemic began in Wuhan, China in the late 2019 and became a global epidemic in March 2020. In this regard, one of the most important indicators of the healthcare systems is the in-hospital mortality rate, which occurs with a time lag of one to two weeks after hospitalization. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative risk of Covid-19 mortality considering this time lag according to the number of daily hospitalizations.
Methods: The data included the number of daily hospitalizations and deaths from Covid-19 from 15 May 2020 to 10 February 2021 in Iran, which was obtained from the Github database. A log-linear distributed lag model was used to evaluate the relationship and lag effect between daily hospitalization and relative risk of death.
Results: The mean number of daily hospitalizations and deaths were 1342.2 ± 7 731.5 and 190.6 11±118.6 in the study period, respectively. It was found that an increase in the number of daily hospitalizations had a significant relationship with an increase in the relative risk of death on the same day and in the following days. As the number of hospitalizations exceeded 2000 patients per day, the cumulative relative risk of death increased to more than one.
Conclusion: The results showed that the number of hospitalizations exceeding 2000 people per day was an alert for the country's healthcare system. Overall, prevention and observance of health protocols in the first level followed by early diagnosis of the disease, improving the hospitals facilities and preparedness of healthcare staff can reduce the relative risk of death in the possible future peaks.
Shoboo Rahmati, Reza Goujani, Zahra Abdolahinia, Naser Nasiri, Sakineh Narouee, Amir Hossein Nekouei, Hamid Sharifi, Ali Akbar Haghdoost,
Volume 19, Issue 3 (Vol.19, No.3, Autumn 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The influential role of epidemiologists in improving health outcomes and conducting pertinent research becomes apparent when they are strategically positioned and available in sufficient numbers within a nation. This study aims to identify potential job positions in epidemiology within both governmental and non-governmental sectors while estimating the necessary workforce of epidemiologists in the country until 2027.
Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted as a combination in two quantitative and qualitative parts. In the qualitative part, interviews were conducted with experts, policy makers, graduates and students of this field in the field of job opportunities. In the quantitative part, the number of epidemiologists needed was estimated using modeling and parameters obtained from the review of the literature and the opinions of experts in this field. In this study, the current and near future needs up to 1406 have been considered.
Results: Based on the interviewes, job opportunities for epidemiologists in the country encompass diverse domains, including problem management and analysis, conducting applied research, data analysis, dashboard development, teaching, training, and future-oriented work (forecasting). Acounting for lost job opportunities, the estimated number of epidemiologists required in the country until 2027 is 1122 individuals, that most of them contribute to the country's health system if job opportunities are created. The highest demand for epidemiologists was identidied in units of the Ministry of Health, medical universities, research centers, and hospitals.
Conclusion: Estimating the number of epidemiologists needed using modeling in the country and paying attention to the current number of graduates, reveals that the growth of this field and the increase in graduates can only occur if job opportunities are clearly defined, created, and implemented across proposed job levels.
Shoboo Rahmati, Zahra Abdolahinia, Sakineh Narouee, Naser Nasiri, Reza Goujani, Ali Akbar Haghdoost,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (Vol.19, No.4, Winter 2024)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Given the significant migration of educated individuals, particularly epidemiologists, throughout the country, it is crucial to investigate the underlying causes. This article presents the findings of an extensive study that sought to explore this issue by gathering insights from experts in the field.
Methods: The study was conducted using qualitative methods, employing content analysis. Data were collected between summer and autumn 2023 through semi-structured interviews with 32 epidemiologists in the country. Analysis followed the steps outlined by Lundman and Graneheim, with coding facilitated by MAXQDA software.
Results: The main challenges of epidemiology in Iran were divided into six main categories. In the field of graduate students, problems in recruitment and employment due to the lack of suitable careers, infrastructure and structural problems of the system, research problems and insufficient knowledge about the performance of this field are the most important challenges, and in the field of students, education problems, structural and infrastructure problems were reported. Also, the main reasons for the migration of epidemiologists were the lack of meritocracy and specialization, inappropriate privileges (including the application of unconventional recruitment quotas), lack of a job market and opportunities for graduates, and inadequate compensation and benefits.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it seems that the migration of epidemiologists as a valuable human resource abroad is a serious concern and problem. The lack of a suitable job position and ambiguity in the path to career advancement due to non-adherence to the meritocracy and skill-building system have increased the motivation to migrate in this group.
