Showing 110 results for SS
H Choobineh, Gh Danesh, N Mansouri, M Najafi Majareh , F Shahbazi, Ss Hashemi Nazari ,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (Vol 16, No.2 2020)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of HSE indices in a number of organizations affiliated with Tehran Municipality.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the study population included all organizations affiliated with Tehran Municipality HSE performance was assessed through an 18-item checklist. The content validity of this checklist was examined by obtaining the opinions of experts in the field. The data of this study were analyzed using the SPSS software version 22.
Results: The results of this study showed that three organizations, namely Suburbs Bus Company, Urban Planning Organization, and Terminals and Parks Organization had the best HSE performance with indexes of 63.6%, 57.485 and 52.59%, respectively. Among the 18 items of HSE performance, the HSE policy had the highest score (68.6%).
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the value of the HSE index was not complete in any of the fields. The results of this study showed that although the foundation of the HSE system was implemented in many units of Tehran Municipality, it is still a long way before the desired point is reached. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate and implement appropriate action plans and to evaluate the effectiveness of control measures to improve the HSE indicators.
Z Shateri Amiri , Ss Hoseini, L Jarahi,
Volume 16, Issue 2 (Vol 16, No.2 2020)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Clinical trials are used extensively in the compilation of systematic review studies and clinical guidelines. Critical appraisal of articles is a part of systematic review writing and also effective in citation. This study aimed to evaluate quality of randomized clinical trial articles of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences with consideration report of randomized, blindness, and allocation concealment methods in them.
Methods: In this study, all randomized clinical trials with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences affiliation indexed in PubMed by 2018 were evaluated.
Results: Of 257 eligible articles, dentistry (n=44 , 17.1%) , obstetrics and gynecology (n=28 , 10.9%) and internal medicine (n=23 , 8.9%) had the highest relative frequency of published randomized clinical trial articles. Eithy-three articles (32.3%) reported the randomization method and most of them (86.9%) used simple randomization. Blinding was done in 138 papers (53.7%) with double blinding being the most common (70.2%). Only three articles (1.2%) reported allocation concealment.
Conclusion: The report of "random allocation and randomization" in articles was far less than acceptable. It may seem that there may be different biases in the methodology. Upholding the principles of scientific writing and avoiding errors and biases increase the validity of the scientific articles and citation, which is one of the criteria of the scientific ranking of top universities.
E Ghaderi, J Hassanzadeh, A Rezaianzadeh, M Nasehi, H Barati, Mr Bazrafshan , F Mazooji, M Ghorbanian, N Ghavidel, S Razi,
Volume 16, Issue 3 (Vol.16, No.3 2020)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: A great number of tuberculosis (TB) patients present to the private sector to receive care; therefore, integrating TB control programs into private sector activities can enhance the control of TB. The Public-Private Mix (PPM) program is suggested by the World Health Organization to engage the private sector in TB control programs. In this study, a plan designed for PPM was piloted Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran.
Methods: In this community trial, pre-intervention assessment covered 18 months prior to the study. The intervention was a PPM package that was integrated into the health system by Karaj County Health Center. Then, three-month post-intervention data were collected. Analysis was performed with the SPSS 16 software using chi-square test.
Results: After the intervention, there was an increase of 40.7% in suspected cases of TB per month and an increase of 101.7% in smear positive TB cases diagnosed by Karaj laboratories. The ratio of smear positive cases to all suspected TB patients was 4.57% before and 6.56% after the intervention. The percentage of three sputum sample positive patients was 75.5% and 89.9% before and after the intervention, respectively.
Conclusion: The developed PPM program markedly improved the case detection; therefore, it is suggested to fix the potential defects of the program and implement it in all parts of the country.
P Khashayar, A Keshtkar, A Ostovar, B Larijani, H Johansson, N Harvey, M Lorentzon, U Mc Closkey , J A Kanis,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (Vol.16, No.4 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to adopt and calibrate the fracture risk assessment algorithm FRAX® for the Iranian population and to provide the required guidance on how to apply it in clinical practice.
Methods: The age-specific ten-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures was calculated in women with an average BMI to determine the fracture probability at two potential intervention thresholds. The first threshold was the age-specific fracture probability associated with a femoral neck T-score of -2.5 SD and the other was age-specific fracture probability in women with a history of fracture without BMD. Current Iranian guidelines were used to define these thresholds. The effect of adding BMD values to the assessment of these thresholds was also evaluated separately.
Results: Similar to women with a previous fracture, the 10-year probability of a major osteoporotic fracture increased from 4.9% at the age of 50 years to 17% at the age of 80 years. When using a BMD T-score of ≤−2.5 SD as the intervention threshold, the FRAX probability was twice as high in women aged 50 years as in women of the same age with an average BMD and no risk factor. The FRAX probability increased with age but a T-score of -2.5 SD was actually protective after 80 years or age.
Conclusion: Intervention thresholds based on BMD alone cannot effectively identify high-risk women for fracture, particularly in advanced ages. Using fracture probability based on ‘fracture threshold’ can help to improve the identification of these women.
ُsm Hosseini Shokouh, M Arab, S Emamgholipour, M Meskarpour Amiri ,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (Vol.16, No.4 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Understanding and analyzing the socio-economic factors affecting mental health is important for mental health policy-making in metropolitan areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between socio-economic factors and mental health of households living in Tehran.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 650 households from 22 districts of Tehran using mixed sampling method. Mental health measures were collected using the standard SF-36 questionnaire and socioeconomic measures of the household were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The face validity of the questionnaire was measured by qualitative method and its content validity was confirmed by quantitative method. The test-retest method was used to test the questionnaire reliability. Regression models were estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS) and weighted least squares (WLS) methods. The Stata software was used for data analysis.
Results: Among the socioeconomic variables, four variables including years of education, health behaviors (regular physical activity, healthy eating habits), not-smoking, and social capital had a positive and significant relationship with all mental health measures (social role, emotional role, mental health and vitality ). The relationship between not-smoking and all mental health measures was more than other socioeconomic variables (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Mental health policymakers should place extra emphasis on the development of social capital in metropolitan cities, promotion of the citizens' health behaviors, and particularly on tobacco use and the related behavioral disorders.
A Darvishi, S Emamgholipour Sefiddashti , M Rajabi, Mh Mehrolhassani, V Yazdi Feyzabadi,
Volume 17, Issue 1 (Vol 17,No.1, Spring 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Fair financial protection against health expenditures is one of the most critical goals of health systems. This study was conducted to investigate the most appropriate threshold for measuring the exposure to catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in Iran.
Methods: The present study was conducted using 2018 national household income and expenditure data of the Iran statistics center. The occurrence and intensity of the households' exposure to CHE at different thresholds and for economic quintiles was measured using two World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank (WB) methodologies. The most appropriate threshold for each methodology was also determined using the Kappa statistics adaptation estimation.
Results: The occurrence of households’ exposure to CHE was 3.02% and 8.51% in urban households and 4.66% and 9.22% in rural households, respectively. According to asset quintiles, the highest occurrence was in the first quintile and the lowest in the fifth quintile. In addition, the results of adaptation estimation based on Kappa statistics showed that a threshold of 40% in the WHO methodology and 25% in the WB methodology were the most appropriate thresholds.
Conclusion: The results showed a relatively high rate of exposure to CHE. CHE occurrence was also more in poorer households, and common thresholds were the most appropriate thresholds for estimating CHE.
Zahra Hosseinkhani, Mozhgan Abbasi, Amaneh Khaleghi, Elham Kakavand, Nahid Yazdi, Hassan Reza Mohammadi Moein,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Vol 17,No.2, Summer 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The spread of COVID-19 in the world has had adverse effects on all aspects of people´ life and social and economic development of the communities. The current study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 in the general population of Qazvin province.
Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on 1223 people above 15 years in Qazvin province between December and January 2020. We used multistage stratified random sampling to select the participants from urban and rural health centers. The questionnaires were completed by the patients as well as through phone interviews. The questions included demographic information and knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19.
Results: In total, 1223 subjects with a mean (standard deviation) age of 35.6 ± 12.2 years participated in this study. The scores of knowledge, attitudes, and practice were 68%, 72% and 91%, respectively. The lowest score of knowledge was related to awareness of common symptoms of the disease (6%). Forty-two subjects believed they observed the principles of disease prevention. A distance of 2 meters was observed by 50.3%. The scores of knowledge (P=0.007) and practice (P=0.028) increased with age, and the scores of knowledge (P<0.001) and attitude (P=0.001) increased and decreased with an increase in the education level, respectively. Males had significantly lower knowledge (P=0.002) and practice (P<0.001) scores. Moreover, rural residents had higher attitude scores compared to urban residents (P=0.002).
Conclusion: The results suggest that the general population of Qazvin province had desirable knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 at the time of the epidemic.
Mohsen Mahdinia, Seyyed Hassan Adeli, Hamidreza Heidari, Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi, Mohammadreza Khaksar, Ahmad Soltanzadeh,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (Vol 17,No.2, Summer 2021 2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Pulmonary consequences of exposure to low concentrations of ammonia have been less studied. The purpose of this study was to model the pulmonary consequences of exposure to low concentrations of ammonia.
Methods: This historical cohort study was conducted in the fertilizer industries in 2019. The participants were divided into two groups of exposed (n=98) and non-exposed (n=105). The exposure level, pulmonary symptoms, and pulmonary function parameters were assessed using the NMAM 6016 and American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory society (ATS&ERS) protocols. Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS v. 22.0, and multivariate linear and logistic regression models.
Results: The ammonia exposure level was 4.80±1.54 ppm in the exposed group. There was no significant difference in most of the individual variables between the two groups (P>0.05). The frequency of all pulmonary symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed group compared to the non-exposed group (P<0.05). The highest prevalence of pulmonary symptoms in the exposed group was for cough (25.51%), wheezing (19.39%) and shortness of breath (18.37%). All lung function parameters were significantly lower in the exposed group versus the non-exposed group (P<0.05). The values of lung function parameters in the exposed group including FVC, FEV1 and FEV1 / FVC were 86.0%, 82.47% and 81.97%, respectively. Regression modeling results showed that ammonia exposure had a significant relationship with all pulmonary symptoms and lung function parameters (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings indicated that exposure to low concentrations of ammonia should be considered as a major risk factor in the prevalence of pulmonary symptoms and reduced lung function parameters.
A Hosseinzadeh, Mr Baneshi, B Sedighi, J Kermanchi, Aa Haghdoost,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (Vol.18, No.1, Spring 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Dementia is a chronic disease that imposes a huge financial and social burden on the health system. Knowledge of the prevalence of dementia is essential for healthcare planning and ensuring that there is an adequate service for people with the condition. Considering that the prevalence and geographical variation of dementia are not well known in Iran, the present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of dementia and its geographic variations in Iran.
Methods: In this study, the prevalence of dementia was estimated indirectly using the frequency of prescribed specialized medicines in one year by generic and brand names in each province. Choropleth maps were used to visually assess the geographical variation of dementia prevalence at the provincial level. Moran I and Getis-Ord Gi (Gi) geographical tests were used to investigate the spatial autocorrelation and geographical variability of dementia prevalence at a significant level of 0.05, respectively.
Results: In this study, the prevalence of dementia was 49.6 and 508.9 in 100000 in the general and over 60-year population, respectively. In the general population, the lowest prevalence was in Hormozgan Province (9.4/100000) and the highest prevalence was in East Azarbayjan Province (96.4/100000). In the over 60-year population, the lowest prevalence was in Hormozgan Province (141.5/100000) and the highest in Isfahan Province (862.5/1000000). According to Moran I and Getis-Ord Gi (Gi) tests, spatial autocorrelation and geographical variability of dementia prevalence were not significant.
Conclusion: The prevalence of dementia in the Iranian over 60-year population is lower compared to western countries; however, it is comparable with the reported dementia prevalence from developing countries. It should be noted that the dementia prevalence is high, similar to developed countries, in some developed provinces of Iran.
Z Alinesaei, Z Hosseinkhani,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (Vol.18, No.1, Spring 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Children, especially adolescents, are one of the main victims of domestic violence, who have received less attention despite their vulnerability to this social problem. This study was conducted to determine the adolescents' perspectives and experiences of domestic violence and parental disputes in order to improve our understanding of the various aspects of this social problem for planning the necessary measures to reduce it.
Methods: The present qualitative study was performed with a content analysis approach. The data were collected using semi-Structural interviews. The participants were students aged 12 to 16 years. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation in terms of socioeconomic status, age and gender was performed. In total, 33 interviews were conducted by two interviewers.
Results: A total of 4 categories, 11 subcategories and 120 themes were extracted as the adolescents' experiences. By summarizing and combining similar themes, the main categories included adolescents' psychological reactions and activities at home and in the school, domestic violence outcomes and cause of violence. The most important cause of violence was socio-economic status of the family, especially father's unemployment. Adolescents who had experienced domestic violence had higher tendencies toward high-risk behavior and academic failure.
Conclusion: According to adolescents' views, socio-economic factors play an important role in the occurrence of domestic violence and can lead to unpleasant social experiences and social harms in their future lives. Therefore, it is necessary for parents, teachers, and policy makers to adopt effective measured to reduce this social problem.
Aliakbar Haghdoost, Alireza Alikhani, Mostafa Hosseini Golkar, Reza Dehnavieh, Samira Seifi,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (Vol.18, No.2, Summer 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 epidemic and its subsequent effects have become a significant global challenge. In addition to being affected by this crisis, Iran is also facing many other problems, including sanctions and economic problems. So, there is a concern that it will suffer more severe consequences.
Methods: Scenario planning is one of the ways to recognize future changes and environmental uncertainties. This study used the so-called global business network (GBN) method, also known as the scenario matrix method. This method is based on two key uncertainties and six steps have been taken to examine variables related to health and socio-economic factors and use the opinions of relevant experts.
Results: To be expected, Iran's health system will be able to manage the epidemic in the face of various conditions with severity and weakness, and only in the pessimistic scenario or in Worst-case scenario with the default assumption of the continuation of sanctions and the spread of the epidemic. It leads to global restrictions, loss of foreign exchange reserves, loss of performance or collapse of the health system, increasing the number of deaths and diminishing the quality of life.
Conclusion: Regarding the COVID-19 epidemic and the existing background factors, scenarios of Iran’s health and economic conditions were narrated. Given the ability of the scenarios to understand the complexity and help in decision-making, it is considered a useful tool for policy makers to have a broader, comprehensive and reasonable look to achieve a correct consensus. This situation leads to the preservation and continuation of society health and conventional economic decisions.
Zahra Jafarabadi, Farid Abolhasani, Mohammad Hassan Lotfi, Hossein Fallahzadeh,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (Vol.18, No.2, Summer 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Colorectal cancer is the second and fourth most common cancer in Iranian women and men, respectively. This cancer ranks fourth and fifth in men and women, respectively, among Yazd population. This study aimed to estimate the burden of colorectal cancer in Yazd province in 2016.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on the population of Yazd province in 2016. CanMod software was used to calculate the burden of colorectal cancer. The required information included the population of Yazd province, the incidence of colorectal cancer, the death rate due to colorectal cancer, the death rate due to all causes and the survival rate of patients; The Cancer Registration System, the Provincial Death Registration System and the opinions of provincial experts were collected and included, respectively.
Results: The total burden of colorectal cancer in Yazd province was 632 years (382 years in men and 250 years in women); The YLL and YLD of colorectal cancer in both genders were 478 years and 154 years, respectively. The burden of colorectal cancer in men was 65 years and in women 45 years (per 100,000 population). The peak age of disease burden was estimated in the age group over 60.
Conclusion: Due to the high incidence and treatment in the early stages of the disease, screening and diagnosis in the early stages can be one of the health priorities of the province. However, the final judgment is made when the burden of other diseases and injuries is calculated in the province.
Vajihe Armanmehr, Hossein Mirzaei, Abdoljavad Khajavi, Toktam Paykani, Reza Esmaili,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (Vol.18, No.2, Summer 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Faster than expected, the COVID-19 disease changed people's lives on an unprecedented scale. The present research aimed to shed light on the economic challenges of the pandemic and the efforts made concerning economic resilience. Thus, this study delved into the experience of families residing in a suburban town.
Methods: The present study was qualitative in type. It used a qualitative content analysis with a guided approach conducted through 17 in-depth semi-structured individual interviews with subjects over 15 years of age living in Tawheed Gonabad town. These subjects had lived in the area for at least three years. The interviews were held and audio-recorded in a purposive sampling method after gaining informed consent from the participants in the spring of 2021. In order to estimate the validity of the data, Lincoln and Goba's criteria were used.
Results: The economic resilience of families during the pandemic was marked by three main categories and nine sub-categories. The categories were:
1) changes to the economic dimension of the family (the sub-categories: employment, income, consumption and socioeconomic status),
2) solutions to the economic changes of the family (sub-categories: reliance on internal resources, family and receiving support from outside of the family), and
3) the effectiveness of economic resilience of families at higher levels (sub-categories: macroeconomics, family social capital and regional resilience).
As more detailed results showed, the pandemic has caused a decrease in the income and consumption of essential items in quantity and quality and imposed excessive costs on the target community. The dominant solution to economic problems has been changing consumer’s behavior and income diversification. The lack of supportive plans, poor social networks and the identity of the neighborhood are the significant barriers to the increase of economic resilience.
Conclusion: The families investigated in the present study were vulnerable in many ways and had low economic resilience. In order to improve the families' level of economic resilience, it is necessary to know the context and carry out interventions and support plans based on the families' internal and external capacities, including the neighborhood's empowering conditions.
Mohammad Meskarpour-Amiri, Sayyed-Morteza Hosseini-Shokouh,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (Vol.18, No.2, Summer 2022 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The socioeconomic factors affecting health include various variables that are not clearly and consistently classified in the studies. This study aimed to identify and classify the main socioeconomic variables affecting household health.
Methods: This applied study was conducted with a quantitative approach and a systematic review method in 2019. A systematic review of the studies with PRISMA protocol was used to search and identify the main socioeconomic variables affecting household health in international and national scientific databases. The inclusion criteria included focusing on socioeconomic variables affecting health at the household level, providing a specific model for influencing socioeconomic variables on health, publishing in English or Persian, and accessing the full text of the study. The qualitative evaluation of the studies as well as their conformity with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were performed by peer review. All socioeconomic variables were extracted in researcher-made form, classified using MAXQDA 2018 software and finally synthesized narratively.
Results: Twenty-one conceptual models were identified to influence socioeconomic factors on household health. Researchers and international organizations provided all models, and no native models were found in Persian regarding socioeconomic factors affecting household health. Content analysis of the studies showed that the three main variables of education, income and employment in all models (100%) were used as socioeconomic factors affecting health. After that, household health behaviors (81%), age (71%), family support (71%), housing area per capita (67%), place of residence (67%), social capital (62%) and gender (57%) were the most commonly used socioeconomic variables affecting household health respectively.
Conclusion: In addition to vital socioeconomic variables (education, income, and employment), other contextual variables such as household health behaviors, family support, per capita housing area, and social capital need to be considered for policy interventions. In addition, it is suggested that a native model of socioeconomic factors affecting health be designed for Iranian households' socioeconomic conditions.
Kiumarss Nasseri,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (Vol.18, No.2, Summer 2022 2022)
Abstract
Epidemiology is generally defined as the basic science and art of disease prevention and health promotion. Historically, it began with the accounting of death in major epidemics in the Middle Ages. Over the years, it has evolved into the basic science and art of dealing with mass phenomena of disease occurrence and public health. It is now gaining eminence in dealing with all kinds of mass phenomena beyond disease and public health.
Prior to the 1970s when teaching of epidemiology became a distinct training in academia, most epidemiologists were highly experienced practitioners of infectious and parasitic diseases and drew from their vast experiences in suggesting interventions for infectious disease control. With the prominence of non-infectious and chronic diseases, the need for special training with particular emphasis on biostatistics became apparent and has extensively developed to the present state. In Iran, epidemiological practice and training began with the national efforts in combating the main scourges of Malaria, Trachoma, Schistosoma infestation, cholera, and other diseases that impacted the country with high endemicity and regular epidemic outbreaks. This brief paper describes the development of epidemiology training in Iran in more detail.
Farnoosh Zarabadi Poor, Fatemeh Mohammai, Zahra Hosseinkhani, Seyedeh Ameneh Motalebi,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (Vol.18, No.3, Autumn 2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Fear of COVID-19 is common among older adults and negatively impacts on their physical and mental health. Self-regulation is an essential factor for controlling or managing excitement and anxiety. So, this study aimed to determine the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety with the moderator role of self-regulation among the elderly residing in Qazvin.
Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed on 430 elderly aged 60 and over living in Qazvin in 2021. Samples were selected by cluster sampling method. The demographic checklist, Templer death anxiety scale, fear of COVID-19 questionnaire, and Self-Regulation Inventory were used for collecting the data. The data were analyzed using the Path Analyze test.
Results: The mean age of the elder participants in the study was 66.88 ± 6.40 years old. The results showed a significant and positive relationship between fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety (β=0.60, P<0.001) and an inverse association between fear of COVID-19 (β=-0.24, P=0.021) and death anxiety (β=-0.10, P=0.021) with self-regulation. Furthermore, the results of the Path analysis confirmed the moderator role of self-regulation in the association between fear of Covid-19 and death anxiety among the elderly residing in Qazvin, Iran.
Conclusion: Given the mediator role of self-regulation in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety, it is suggested to use teaching strategies to the older adults to improve self-regulation to control and mitigate the negative impacts of the fear of COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.
Batoul Rabbani, Ardeshir Khosravi, Mahinsadat Azimi, Jafar Sadegh Tabrizi, Azizallh Atefi, Amin Ataey, Hossien Kazemeini, Elham Rashidin,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (Vol.18, No.4, Winter 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Overall, the four categories of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (Cardiovascular disease (CVD), Cancer, Diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) contribute to over 80% of annual premature deaths, with more than 85% of these occurrences transpiring in low- and middle-income countries. This study seeks to assess the likelihood of premature mortality attributable to these diseases across the provinces of Iran.
Methods: Data on causes of death from 2016 to 2019 was extracted from the death registration system of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. To assess the completeness of the death registration system on a provincial level, we employed a novel method introduced by Adair and Lopez.
Results: From 2016 to 2019, non-communicable diseases, specifically the four primary diseases, constituted 68.98%, 69.44%, 69.17%, and 67.94% of all causes of death in Iran, respectively. During the same period, the probabilities of premature mortality attributed to major non-communicable diseases were 14.95%, 15.15%, 15.25%, and 16.63%, respectively. Notably, Golestan province exhibited the highest probability of premature death.
Conclusion: The percentage of probability of death resulting from non-communicable diseases is a crucial indicator for the prevention and control of NCDs at both the international and national levels. This indicator requires ongoing monitoring to effectively address the issue. Given the diverse socioeconomic and epidemiological circumstances across the provinces of Iran, acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the current situation regarding these diseases becomes imperative. Such knowledge facilitates the development of well-informed planning and policy-making strategies aimed at managing the increasing burden of NCDs and ensuring equitable healthcare provision.
Yaser Mesri, Mina Pakkhesal, Aliakbar Naghavialhosseini, Fatemeh Mirzaei, Abdolhalim Rajabi,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (Vol.18, No.4, Winter 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and the significance of oral health, this study aims to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental care utilization among children.
Methods: This retrospective study utilized available data from the archives of the dental clinic at Gorgan Pediatric Hospital in 2022. Information regarding demographic characteristics and the types of received services were collected and entered to SPSS version 26 statistical analysis software. The chi-square test was used to compare the annual differences in the frequency of different service types, and the Cochrane-Armitage test was employed to examine the linear trend of changes in each service.
Results: A total of 24,185 different dental services were received by children aged between 2 and 14 years old referred to dental clinic of Taleghani Children Hospital from March 2020 to February 2022. Comparing the frequency of dental services in 2021 to that of 2020 revealed a 31% decrease in the total number of services. The types of services utilized during the first year of the pandemic exhibited significant changes compared to the pre-pandemic year. This included an increase in tooth extraction (P = 0.001) and a reduction in restorations (P = 0.000). Additionally, a noticeable increase in pulp treatment (P = 0.003) was observed, particularly in the second year of the pandemic.
Conclusion: The frequency of dental care utilization, types of services received, and insurance utilization underwent significant changes during the pandemic. It is crucial to plan for future required treatments and establish infrastructures to address similar pandemics.
Nafiseh Salehnia, Abbas Assari Arani, Hossein Sadeghi Saghdel, Alireza Olyaeemanesh,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (Vol.18, No.4, Winter 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Health promotion is a crucial task for policymakers. Therefore, this study aims to identify the key factors that determine population health in Iran and illustrate the causal relationships between these factors.
Methods: The research was conducted using a mixed-method approach in three stages. First, macro social determinants of health were identified by analyzing available resources from 2000 to 2019. Screening of factors was carried out through the fuzzy Delphi method and a survey involving 15 experts. Finally, the causal relationships between the social determinants of health were depicted using a fuzzy cognitive map.
Results: Initially, 96 health determinants were identified at the national and global levels. After the screening, 8 factors that had less significance in population health were excluded. In terms of causal relationships, the economic system emerged as the most important and influential factor, with a centrality degree of 21.06 and an out-degree of 10.91. Following that, governance and policy-making, as well as national policies, were ranked with centrality degrees of 20.25 and 20.19, respectively.
Conclusion: Irrespective of the causal relationships, the health system holds the utmost importance in population health. However, when considering the causal relationships, the economic system takes precedence as the most critical factor, while the health system does not rank among the top three factors. Therefore, the analysis of fuzzy cognitive maps assists policymakers in understanding priorities and the interconnectedness between sectors in developing and implementing health-oriented policies across all sectors, enabling the adoption of the most effective policies.
Elham Rahimi, Ebrahim Ghaderi, Ehsan Mostafavi, Mohammad Hossein Panahi, Manoochehr Karami,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (Vol.19, No.1, Spring 2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The publication of outbreak investigation reports is critical for disseminating lessons learned from outbreaks. While there are existing reporting guidelines for outbreak investigations, there is a gap in specific guidelines for reporting food-borne and water-borne outbreaks. This study aims to introduce a specific framework and reporting guideline for food and waterborne outbreak investigations in Iran.
Methods: The initial draft of the framework for reporting food and waterborne outbreaks was derived from existing general reporting guidelines for outbreak investigations. Additionally, a systematic review of studies reporting outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne diseases from 2010 to 2022 was conducted without language restrictions to extract relevant information. Expert opinions were then sought to finalize and adapt the reporting guideline.
Results: The reporting guideline framework for outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne diseases consists of eight parts: title, abstract (background, methods, results, conclusion), introduction, methods (study characteristics, study type, variables under investigation), results (participant information, statistical results, laboratory results, environmental investigation results), discussion, conclusion, and conflict of interest.
Conclusion: This specific reporting guideline for food and waterborne outbreak investigations can be utilized by outbreak investigation teams, rapid response teams, and researchers to effectively report the results of outbreak investigations in this domain.
