Showing 7 results for Bam
A Ardalan, K Holakouie Naieni, Mr Aflatounian, M Nekouie, Re Laporte, Ek Noji,
Volume 1, Issue 1 (12-2005)
Abstract
Background and Objective: On 26 December 2003, an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale struck the city of Bam and the surrounding villages. This study was conducted to determine the needs of the affected population on the 19th and 20th days after the quake to help with the prioritization of relief activities and efficient resource allocation.
Materials and Methods: Following a feasibility study on 10 Jan 2004, a team consisting of volunteer students of School of Public Health at KUMS was assembled and trained. Each of the 8 groups consisted of 3-4 students with at least 1 man responsible for security on the field. On the 13th and 14th of January, using a cross-sectional design, 60 clusters including 420 households, 7 households in each cluster, were studied based on a Cluster Geographic-Based Sampling (GBS) Plan.
Results: Fifty-five households (13.1%) had children < 2 years, 81 (19.3 %) had children aged 2-5 years and 68 (16.2 %) contained people more than 65 years old. Thirty-seven households (8.9%, CI 95%: 6.4-11.7%) had changed their residence in Bam from one zone to another the main reason for this was poor environmental health conditions (85%). The main source of health and social messages for families was word of mouth 284 (67.6%). The most commonly needed items were bathrooms (73.8 %, CI 95%: 68.9-78.7%), food (68.8 %, CI 95%: 62.6-75.0%) and warm clothes (67.4 %, CI 95%: 60.9-73.8%). The most frequent illness was acute respiratory infection (59.8 %, CI 95%: 54.3-65.2%). Two hundred households (47.6%, CI 95%: 42.6-52.6%) complained of difficulties in obtaining health and medical services. The main barrier to access was transportation problems due to long distance (38.1%, CI 95%: 35.6-40.6%).
Conclusion: We conclude that relief operations should be continued to provide basic public health facilities. Active delivery of health and medical services should be strengthened, and problems related to reproductive health should not be ignored. The GBS plan is a useful tool in the post-disaster surveys. Using volunteer university students was a rewarding experience and teaching and application of "Disaster Epidemiology" should be improved in this country.
A Ardalan, K Holakouie Naieni, Ek Noji, Re Laporte, Mr Aflatounian, M Nekouie Moghadam,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (3-2006)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: The widely differing casualty rates in earthquakes of similar magnitude indicate a need for assessing the factors that determine the extent of damage to life and property. The present study looks at the structural factors and individual characteristics that had an effect on the risk of death and injury directly caused by the December 2003 earthquake in Bam.
Methods: The study population consisted of the residents of Bam on the 19th and 20th days after the earthquake of December 25, 2003. Using a cluster sampling method based on geographic location, we selected 420 households for study and asked them for information on the family members who were inside their houses at the time of the quake. The information covered the following range of items: occurrence of death or injury leading to ambulatory treatment or hospitalization, and characteristics of the building. We used logistic regression and the software package Stata 8.0 for data analysis.
Results: A total of 2089 individuals, including 1089 men (52.1%) and 1000 women (47.9%) took part in this study. There were 369 cases of death (17.7%, 95%CI=12.6-17.8%), 122 injuries needing hospitalization (5.8%, 95%CI=4.5-7.1%), and 319 cases of injury treated on an ambulatory basis (15.3%, 95%CI=12.6-17.8%), all as a direct result of the earthquake. Factors associated with increased risk of death were building destruction (OR=6.34, 95%CI=3.56-11.29), living in adobe structures (OR=1.87, 95%CI =1.03-3.4), age under 6 years (OR=3.93, 95%CI=2.17-7.11) and age 56-65 years (OR=2.52, 95%CI=1.23-5.15). Risk factors for injuries were the same as for death, with the notable exception of the building material.
Conclusions: This was the first analytic study of the risk factors for earthquake-related deaths in Iran. It revealed that total building destruction, residing in houses built with non-resistant materials, and extremes of age are significant risk factors for death in an earthquake. As for injuries, the risk factors were total building destruction and extremes of age.
I Najafi , M Hosseini , S Safari , A Shojaee, A Sharifi, M Mehrani , R Babaee ,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (3-2010)
Abstract
Background & objectives: In the management of crush syndrome, the way of treating compartment syndrome is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of compartment syndrome treatment after Bam earthquake.
Methods: Clinical and laboratory findings of all fasciotomized patients in Bam earthquake were analyzed. Then nonfasciotomized patients with same characteristics were selected and the outcomes of two groups were compared.
Results: Fasciotomy for 107 injured out of 2962 hospitalized patients, was performed (46% female). Mean age of fasciotomized patients was 27.4±9.7 years (min=10, max=65 year). There were not significant differences in the final outcome of two groups with the same clinical, biochemical and demographic characteristics.
Conclusions: Fasciotomy for 107 injured out of 2962 hospitalized patients, was performed (46% female). Mean age of fasciotomized patients was 27.4±9.7 years (min=10, max=65 year). There were not significant differences in the final outcome of two groups with the same clinical, biochemical and demographic characteristics.
Mr Aflatoonian, I Sharifi, L Ranjbar,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (9-2010)
Abstract
Background & objectives: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an endemic disease in district of Bam. It has created considerable concerns by people and health authorities. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the earthquake and costs of prevention on CL prevalence after earthquake
Methods: This research is based on a natural intervention, in which the information related to the costs and prevalence of CL were collected and analyzed three years after the earthquake (2006-2008) and then compared with similar data three years before the earthquake (2000-2002) as control group.
Results: the earthquake increased the CL prevalence approximately 5.2 fold, although the cost of prevention had no significant effect on control of disease. The average cost of prevention was determined to be two US dollars per capita during the years after the earthquake. It figures up an overall estimation of 600000 US dollars for the three years after the earthquake. Meanwhile the cost of prevention before the earthquake was determined less than 5% comparing to after earthquake.
Conclusions: The findings of this cost-analysis showed that the current and conventional methods of CL prevention seem not useful. It could be concluded that current preventive measures such as spraying and impregnated bed nets particularly in natural disasters would have no effect on control of disease. Further researches are needed to find out the best method of prevention of CL disease. At present, it seems that early case-finding and prompt treatment of cases would be a proper method to control anthropometric CL .
Mr Aflatoonian, I Sharifi,
Volume 7, Issue 3 (12-2011)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one the major health problem in tropical and sub– tropical countries. Bam district in Iran is an old focus of anthroponotic CL (ACL). The aim of this survey was to assess the prevalence rate of CL by case– finding, treatment of cases and training of primary school children in the city and suburb of Bam in 2010.
Methods: All school children in three levels (18501 children) were included. Children were physically examined for presence of sores or scars. Suspected cases were referred to the center for cutaneous leishmaniasis control (CCLC) for diagnosis and the CL positive children were treated, accordingly. School children were trained and also educational and informative pamphlets were given to their parents.
Results: After initial physical examination ,117 suspected school children (6.9%) were referred to the CCLC and 48 children (28 per 10000) diagnosed as CL patients, comprising of 19 females (39.5%) and 29 males (60.5%). Fifteen (31.2%) school children were identified as lupoid leishmaniasis, failure to treatment or non – healing cases.
Conclusion: The prevalence rate was decreased about 18– fold as compared to the previous investigation in 2005. Establishment of the CCLC, active case– finding and subsequent treatment, seem to be a successful model for controlling CL in the endemic countries.
Mr Aflatoonian, I Sharifi, A Nadim, B Aflatoonian,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (3-2014)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Bam is one of the old CL centers and this study aimed to determine and compare the period prevalence among its population and housing units in two periods of 1990-92 and 2010-2012.
Methods: In this descriptive–analytical study, data were collected in the questionnaires through door-to-door visits environmental hygiene, and inquiring the history of the CL disease. A questionnaire was completed for each household, the data were analyzed using SPSS software and t- and X2 tests. P<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The prevalence rates in the periods 1998-1999 and 2010-2012 were 10.3% and 2.1%, in the study population and 33.6% and 5.5% in the residential units in the period of the last 3 years, respectively with a very significant difference (P<0.0001). The environmental hygiene of the houses in terms of vector breeding was significantly lower in the period 1990-1992 than 2010-2012 (P<0.0001). The mean score of environmental hygiene was 11.5 and 16.6 out of 20 during the two periods, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, urban CL is extremely reflective of the environmental changes and probably the best preventive measure is to improve the environmental hygienic conditions in and around the households. Public participation and commitment of the health authorities in this regard could be an important measure for planning preventive programs.
Ali Hasanabadi, Shirin Nasri, Elaheh Salarpour, Naser Nasiri, Hamid Sharifi,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (12-2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Screening for home contact with TB patients is essential to identify new infections. This study aimed to evaluate the tuberculosis status in family members of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Bam.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted as a census of patients' family members whose records are registered during 2013-2019 in Bam Health Center. Patients' information was collected based on a checklist, and then sputum smear-positive patients were identified using tuberculin and sputum smear tests.
Results: Ninety-seven of the patients had a positive sputum smear test result. Based on the records of these patients, 237 members of their families were examined as contact persons. Most of the patients were female and in the age group of 40-50 years; 76.8% of them had unprotected close contact, and 78.9% had a history of permanent contact with patients. Five (2.1%; 95% confidence intervals: 0.7-4.9) sputum-positive smear pulmonary tuberculosis cases were found in contacts of patients, most of them were over 50 years old and primarily women. 40% of these people had unprotected close contact, and 80% had a house with less than 70 square meters.
Conclusion: in this study, 2.0% of the family members of patients were sputum smear-positive. Identifying patients and following them up is essential to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in those people around them. Therefore, screening the patient's family members can significantly help ease the disease burden in Iran.
