Showing 18 results for Women
M Safavi, R Sheikholeslam, Z Abdollahi, M Naghavi, S Sadeghiansharif, E Sadeghzadeh, S Mohammadian,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (3-2006)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Iron is a major essential micronutrient during pregnancy and has an important role in intrauterine fetal growth and safe delivery. This survey was designed to study the status of anemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in pregnant Iranian women. The results can help health policy-makers with the design and implementation of targeted strategies to overcome these problems.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 4368 women at gestational ages ranging from 6 to 9 months. Subjects were drawn through cluster sampling from 11 different regions of the country. Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and serum ferritin levels were measured and the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was determined both nationwide and separately in each region.
Results: Overall, 21.5% of the women suffered from anemia 42.7% were iron deficient and the prevalence of IDA was found to be 10.4%. The prevalence of anemia s was significantly greater in rural areas than in urban settings (22.2- 27.8% compared to 17.1 -21.6%, 95%CI). The highest prevalence of anemia and low Hct was seen in the women of region 5 (including Sistan and Baluchistan, South Kerman and South Khorasan with rates of 44.2% and 40.5% respectively). Region 6 (covering Isfahan, Yazd, Kohkilooyeh-Boyerahmad and North Kerman) had the lowest prevalence of anemia and low Hct (9% and 10.8% respectively). Use of iron supplements (even irregular) had a positive effect in reducing anemia. It affected Hct levels only when taken regularly.
Conclusions: Anemia is still a major health issue for pregnant Iranian women. Although supplementation should be continued, there is a need for more comprehensive interventions addressing all target groups, especially women of child-bearing age.
S Kolahi, A Kolahi, S Tehrani Ghadim,
Volume 4, Issue 1 (4-2008)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Anemia is one of the most common disorders affecting all age groups. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of anemia and microcytic anemia in the population served by Asadabadi Health Center in Tabriz.
Methods: We used a systematic sampling method to select 1623 subjects out of a total of 233000 persons aged above 12 years. Measurements of hemoglobin, MCV (Mean Cell Volume) and in the case of anemia, serum iron, ferritin, TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity), together with hemoglobin electrophoresis and reticulocyte count were performed in reference laboratories. Data were analyzed using T tests and the Epi6 software package.
Results: The prevalence rate of anemia was 9.7% more than 75% of the cases were due to iron deficiency, while 11.4% were caused by minor thalassemia. Prevalence rates for iron deficiency anemia and minor thalassemia in studied population were 7.3% and 1.1% respectively.
Conclusion: Findings show that the degree of anemia- as defined in the WHO classification- is mild in this region. The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency.
S Dabiran, M Daneshvar Fard, Z Hatmi,
Volume 5, Issue 3 (12-2009)
Abstract
Background & Objective: A growing body of literature suggests that healthy and well-nourished women can safely participate in most forms of physical activity during pregnancy. The objective of this study was to determine the performance of pregnant women about exercise during pregnancy in Tehran.
Methods: we performed an analytical cross-sectional study on 400 pregnant women referred to prenatal care units in Imam Khomeini hospital. Information was obtained through a questionnaire designed to measure practice. Data analysis was performed by the Spss v 13.5 software package. We calculated means and standard deviation for practice in terms of independent variable and applied ANOVA test and regression model for detection of association between variables.
Results: The mean of practice scale was (14.23+/- 1.76). We observed significant association between performance of pregnant women regarding exercise and their occupation, education status and education status of their husbands (P<0.001).Education status of husbands had a significant predictive effect in regression model (p<0.001).
Conclusions: It seems that the majority of pregnant women, who exercise during pregnancy, do not follow the principles correctly therefore their performance is not adequate almost in all domains.
N Nikoubakht, U Karimi, H Bahrami,
Volume 7, Issue 1 (6-2011)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: The rate of burnout may be high in unfertilized women, since there is little known
about it, we designed a study to compare "couple burnout" between fertilized and unfertilized women in Tehran,
Iran.
Methods: All (60 women) referred unfertilized women to reproductive center of Imam Khomeini teaching hospital
were included in our study during 2009 year. By systematic random sampling we recruited 60 unfertilized women
as control group. Couple Burnout’s specific questionnaire was filled up by participants.
Results: Unfertilized women experienced higher levels of couple burnout compared to fertilized cases (P<0.001).
Furthermore unfertilized women with higher education showed an elevated rate of couple burnout than women
with lower educational status (P=0.002).
Conclusion: In management of unfertilized families, "couple burnout" is an important underlying factor that should
be considered in infertility treatment in primary health care system.
Z Hashemi , M Keikha, R Keikhaee, A Ansari Moghadam , M Salehi Marzijarani , A Nasiri,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (10-2013)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Relationship between jobs and different aspects of health, including quality of life has been considered by researchers however the employment aim has risen in Iranian women in Iran but there is little known about the quality of life in this group, therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between employment and quality of life of women in the city of Zabol.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out during 2009-2010 in Zabol, Iran. The sample consisted of 420 women selected randomly from health care centers. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 and classified using k-means clustering method. The relationship between the independent variables with the quality of life was assessed by multinomial logistic regression.
Results: The mean age of participants was 30.46 ± 8.75 years. Quality of life indicated as low (35.4%), medium (33.7%) and high classes (30.9%), respectively. The results indicated that employed women were more likely than housewives to hadhigher quality of life. An increase age, significantly reduced respectively five and four percent of chance to had moderate and high level of quality of life.
Conclusion: More than half of women had medium and low quality of life. Increasing age was associated with decreased quality of life, but employment was an independent predictor for higher quality of life.
T Amiri Parsa, M Khademosharie, Mr Hamedinia, Ms Azarnive,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (3-2014)
Abstract
Background & Objectives: Obesity is associated with increased resistance to insulin, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate some factors associated with overweight and obesity among normal, overweight, and obese women aged 30 to 50 years from Sabzevar.
Methods: A questionnaire with 56 questions was prepared. The Beck questionnaire was used to measure the physical activity level. Weight, height, and waist circumference of the participants were measured using standard methods. Overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m2), obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m) and abdominal obesity (WHR ≥0.85) were also evaluated. MANOVA, Tukey post-hoc test, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis of test variables. P ≤0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The results showed that 22.5% of women had normal weight, 42.4 percent were overweight, 31.6 percent were obese, and only 3.5 percent of women were underweight.
Conclusion: Our results showed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 74% in women living in Sabzevar, indicating the necessity of using educational methods to familiarize people, especially women, with weight control issues and prevention of obesity. The findings revealed that age, number of children, number of pregnancies, age at menarche, number of family members, working with the computer, and high-fat meals may increase the risk of obesity. Lifestyle modification and physical activity, as the most affordable and safest methods of preventing obesity, require more attention.
A Bagheri, Hb Razeghi Nasrabad , M Saadati,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Changes in ideals and aspirations of childbearing are important factors in fertility behavior. Nowadays, fertility rate reduction below the replacement level and decreased childbearing ideals are the most common fertility challenges in Iran. So, with the decrease in the fertility rate, it is necessary to be aware of the ideal number of children and its determinants in order to adopt suitable population policies contexts. The main objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the ideal number of children using Poisson regression model.
Methods: In 2012, 389 ever married women aged 15-49 in Semnan Province were selected using two-phase stratified random sampling method and studied through applying a structured questionnaire. To model the ideal number of children by Poisson regression model, marriage duration has taken as offset and the number of children, job status, education level, marriage type, and resident place were considered as predictors. The model was fitted with SPSS software version 22.
Results: All predictors in this study had significant effects on ideal number of children in Semnan (p-value <0.05). Women’s ideal number of children who had 2 or fewer children, were employed, and had university education with consanguineous and rural marriage was higher than those who had 3 and more children, were unemployed, and had elementary and secondary education with inter-family and urban marriage.
Conclusion: To model the ideal number of children, since it is discrete and count, a Poisson regression model is more efficient as compared to linear regression model.
L Fakharzadeh, N Tahery, M Heidari, N Hatefi Moadab , A Zahedi, S Elhami,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2018)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Domestic violence is the most common type of violence against women which leaves negative effects on the mental health of the mother, children, family, community, and the next generation directly and indirectly. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the arte of domestic violence and some related factors in married women.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive research was carried out with participation of 623 married women attending health care centers of Abadan, Iran who were selected through random cluster sampling from in 2015. The data were collected by a demographic questionnaire and a women abuse scale checklist. Moreover, descriptive and analytical statistics (including T-Student Test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, One-Way Variance Analysis, Chi-Square Test, and Fisher) were used for data analysis.
Results: The total prevalence of violence was 72.3%, and the porevalence of psychological, physical, life threatening, and sexual violence was 71.7%, 17.8%, 8.3%, and 7.1%, respectively. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between violence and age, marital satisfaction, family behavior, financial situation, cigarette, alcohol, disease, domicile, occupation, place of birth, and criminal records.
Conclusion: Violence in the city of Abadan, eespecially psychological violence, is highly prevalent. Therefore, it is suggested that domestic violence against women be prevented using approaches such as life skills training starting before marriage such as anger management, proper communication, and problem solving.
A Sadeghi Zerisfi , Z Zeinaddiny Maymand , Aa Haghdoost,
Volume 14, Issue 1 (6-2018)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: People living with HIV (PLHIV) experience severe psychological pressure in most communities; however, this pressure is more prominent in women. Therefore, it is very important to monitor different aspect of psychological pressure and psychosocial supports in this group of patients. Based on this need, in this study, we assessed the status of mental health, hope, and social support in female PLHIVs visiting health centers of Kerman, Iran.
Methods: In a triangulation study comprising a combination of qualitative and quantitative components, PLHIV women were recruited and their information were collected using Goldberg’s General Health Questionnaire, Sarason’s Social Support Questionnaire, and the Miller’s Hope Scale.
Results: Our findings showed that female patients’ status improved markedly after visiting the health centers (hope: 92%, general health: 80%, social support: 93%). In addition, the results showed a strong positive the correlation between general health and hope (r=0.61, P<0.0001).
Conclusion: Our results showed that such multi-disciplinary service providing centers may substantially improve the quality of life and general health of these women who rigorously need social support.
E Goodarzi, Gh Moradi, A Khosravi, N Esmailnasab, B Nouri, A Delpisheh, E Ghaderi, D Roshani,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (9-2018)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Life satisfaction is one of the important dimensions of health, which is influenced by health determinants. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of socioeconomic inequalities in satisfaction with life in women aged 15-54 in Iran.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, randomized multistage cluster sampling with equal clusters was done to select the participants. A total of 35,305 women aged 15-55 were enrolled in the study. Data analysis was done in two stages. In the first stage, social and economic inequalities were investigated using the concentration index and concentration curve method. In the second stage, a multilevel method was used to identify the determinants.
Results: The mean life satisfaction was 12.81±4.23. The concentration index for dissatisfaction with life was -0.06 [95% CI: -0.1, -0.02], indicating dissatisfaction with life in low socioeconomic groups. The results of multilevel analysis showed that age, marital status, occupation, place of living, education, and the economic class correlated with dissatisfaction with life in women (P<0.05).
Conclusion: There is inequality in dissatisfaction with life. Dissatisfaction is concentrated in the poorer groups of the society and varies in different provinces. Socioeconomic variables affect inequality in satisfaction with life in women, which need to be addressed to reduce inequalities.
F Ranjkesh, M Nasiri, Sh Sharif Nia , Ah Goudarzian, Sz Hosseinigolafshani ,
Volume 14, Issue 4 (3-2019)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the most common problems during pregnancy is sleep disorders, which is the result of physiological, hormonal and physical changes in pregnancy and can be the basis for many disorders before, during, and after delivery. The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the persion version of Sleep Condition Indicator in a sample of Iranian pregnant women.
Methods: In present study, 300 pregnant women reffered to health center of Kowsar (affiliated to Qazvin University of Medical Sciences) that were gathered via accesible sampling method, completed the Sleep Condition Indicator in 2017. Face, content, and construct validity (convergent and divergent validity) and reliability of selected questionnaire were calculated.
Results: The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed two sustained and distinct factors, including quantity in sleep quality and the consequences of low sleep quality. The two-factor fit of Sleep Condition Indicator was approved based on standard indicators. Convergent and divergent validity were acceptable for all factors. Moreover, the internal consistency and reliability of the construct were also acceptable.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Sleep Condition Indicator is valid and reliable among pregnant women, so it seems that this tool can be used to screen sleep disorders in women during pregnancy.
S Nazari, Z Keshavarz, M Afrakhte, H Riazi,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (5-2019)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Cervical cancer is one of the five most common cancers in Iranian women. Considering the impact of HIV on cervical cancer and the low rate of cervical cancer screening in HIV positive women, this study was conducted to review the barriers to cervical cancer screening in HIV positive women.
Methods: In this systematic review, data were retrieved from Magiran, SID, Irandoc, Prequest, OVID, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science and Scupos databases from January 2000 to January 2018. The following keywords and their combination were used: cervical cancer screening, Pap smear, HIV-positive women, and barriers. The NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the selected articles and the articles that scored more than six were included in the study.
Results: From 145 selected articles, 21 were included in the review based on the inclusion criteria. The most common reported screening barriers were the costs of test, lack of awareness, low education level, younger age, lack of information about screening centers, and fear of sampling.
Conclusion: Considering the barriers to cervical cancer screening, increasing the level of awareness of the HIV-positive women, preparing free Pap smear services, and providing easier access to health centers for this high risk group could lead to early detection of cervical cancer.
M Enayatrad, Hr Tabatabaee, S Mahdavi, T Valadbeig, K Etemad, Sh Rezaeian , H Yaghoobi , F Zolfizadeh, M Hajipour,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (9-2019)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: One of the causes of neonatal death and death in children under the age of five is premature birth of infants. The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with preterm infant birth in pregnant women.
Methods: This is a case-control study on mothers referring to comprehensive health centers in the provinces of the country. Descriptive analysis of variables was reported as percentage and frequency. In data analysis, logistic regression analysis was used at a significant level less than 0.05.
Results: In this study, 2463 pregnant women (668 cases as cases and 1795 as controls) were examined. There was a significant relationship between the place of residence (OR=0.702, P=0.002), level of maternal education (OR=1.920, P=0.027), degree of twin (OR=4.953, P=0.001), interval between pregnancies (OR=1.821, P=0.009), specific disease (OR=1.694, P=0.010), nutritional status of the mother (OR=1.420, P=0.024), physical activity (OR=1.591, P=0.001), Sleep patterns (OR=0.634, P=0.008) and history of stillbirth (OR=0.247, P=0.001) associated with the birth of premature infants.
Conclusion: Preterm infant birth is one of the main causes of neonatal death. Therefore, some of the birth defects of the premature baby can be prevented. It is possible to reduce the risk factors for the birth of a premature baby by improving the quality of pregnancy care and changing the lifestyle of the pregnant mother, and by raising awareness and creating a healthy and safe environment for the mother.
F Taghdiri, Aa Haghdoost, M Momeni, M Mirzaie,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (3-2021)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Today, happiness and life satisfaction play a crucial role in women’s health in every society. This study was conducted to compare the level of happiness and life satisfaction between employed women and housewives and to examine the factors affecting it.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 720 employed women and housewives in Kerman, Iran in 2017. The Oxford Happiness Inventory (OHI), Diener Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a demographic profile were used for data collection. Regression analysis was used to determine the correlation of different factors with happiness and life satisfaction.
Results: The mean ± standard deviation of the total happiness and life satisfaction score was 42/6 ± 13/2 out of 87 (43/3 ± 13/6 in employees and 42/7 ± 12/7 in housewives, P =0/21) and 23/5 ± 6/1 out of 35 (23/8 ± 6/3 in employees and 23/2 ± 5/8, in housewives, P = 0/24), respectively. Additionally, most of the subjects (55%) reported a moderate level of happiness. Regression analysis indicated that married women who had a university education and those who spent their free time on leisure and traveling had higher scores of happiness and life satisfaction. As for the employed women, those with limited work records and those who were officially employed had significantly higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.
Conclusion: This study showed a moderate level of happiness and life satisfaction in women. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the level of happiness and life satisfaction between employed women and housewives.
E Amiri, Aa Rafieirad, N Rafieisadr, H Sharifi,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Although everyone needs to adopt a healthy lifestyle, it is absolutely important for people living with chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS to lead a positive lifestyle because these people are more vulnerable than others. Considering this fact, the present study was conducted to investigates the lifestyle of women living with HIV/AIDS in Kerman.
Methods:The Health-promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) was used in this survey, which includes six aspects as follows: responsibility, moral development, workout, nutrition, individual relations and stress management. Statistical population included 35 women living with HIV/AIDS in Kerman in 2019.
Results: According to the findings of this study, 34.14% of people who participated in this study had a positive lifestyle and the remaining 62.86% had a negative lifestyle. Based on the findings related to the women’s lifestyle, there was a significant difference in family income and job status. No significant difference was found in other variables such as marital status, age group, education and years living with HIV.
Conclusion: As economic variables (family income and job status) play an important role in adopting a positive lifestyle for people living with HIV/AIDS, it is necessary to help them become self-employed or support them financially so that they can lead a healthy lifestyle.
Saeed Ghavi, Rafat Asarzadeh, Somayeh Derakhshan, Simin Poursaman, Fereshteh Sohrabivafa,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: In December 2019, a novel coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, China, leading to the global outbreak of COVID-19. The rapid transmission of the virus, the emergence of various strains, disparities in community vaccination, and the high mortality rate have presented significant health challenges to countries worldwide. Against this backdrop, this study aimed to assess the mental health status of women in the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The study employed a systematic review approach, conducting keyword searches on databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The search terms included "Covid-19 Virus Infection," "Covid-19 Pandemic," "Coronavirus," "Alphacoronavirus," "Bat Coronavirus," "Mental health," "Psychological," "Working women," "Working woman," and "Employee women." Articles published between 2019 and 2021 were collected and evaluated. A total of 11 articles met the inclusion criteria for data extraction and were analyzed.
Results: The reviewed studies identified several significant psychological consequences, with anxiety being reported in 82% of the articles, followed by stress (73%) and depression (64%). The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated negative psychological effects among working women, including those in hospital settings and those working remotely.
Conclusion: A multitude of factors contribute to the experience of COVID-19-related stress among women. These include health disparities, lower professional status, worries about personal health, family and community well-being, financial uncertainties, childcare responsibilities, and decreased social connections. As a result, stress-related disorders such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, insomnia, and burnout tend to manifest more severely in working women compared to men in comparable positions.
Fatemeh Papiri, Sareh Shakerian,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Evidence suggests that one of the behaviors impacted by the quarantine measures enforced due to the COVID-19 pandemic is sexual activity. This study aims to investigate this phenomenon.
Methods: A descriptive-analytical study with before-after measurement was conducted during both the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic periods in 2021-2022, utilizing the standard Sexual Performance Index questionnaire administered to 250 women in Ilam province. Inferential statistics including paired t tests, correlation and chi square analysis were performed by SPSS software.
Results: The findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on all six components of sexual function in women of reproductive age, including sexual desire, sexual stimulation, lubrication, pleasure, satisfaction and pain. The average overall sexual performance during the COVID-19 period (2.01±1.25) and in the post-COVID-19 period (2.94±1.2) was lower than the cutoff point (3.8), indicating poor performance across the entire scale of sexual function. The results showed that there is an inverse and significant (P<0.05) relationship between age, duration of marriage and number of pregnancies with sexual function index and its subscales.
Conclusion: The study findings suggest that research population experienced weaker sexual performance during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the post-pandemic period, highlighting the impact of the mental and physical burdens associated with the pandemic on sexual function.
Maryam Saeedi, Sahar Taleb,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a growing concern about domestic violence worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the general prevalence of all types of violence and the related effective factors during the COVID-19 outbreak among women living in Saveh, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2021 on 423 married women referred to health centers in Saveh who were selected using the cluster method. A demographic information questionnaire and a researcher-made domestic violence questionnaire were used to collect data. Descriptive statistical methods and statistical tests were used to analyze the data and examine the correlation between the intensity (score) of violence with the demographic variables of the samples and their spouses. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 22 statistical software. A significance level of less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Most of the participants (59.6%) were exposed to domestic violence. The mean±standard deviation of the overall domestic violence score was as much as 7.47±12.37. The most common type of domestic violence among the studied women was psychological violence. There was a direct and significant relationship between the overall score of domestic violence, the age of the samples and their spouses, and the duration of their marriage (P<0.01). The average overall score of domestic violence was significantly higher in samples who had children, were not pregnant, had drug and alcohol-addicted spouses, were renters, had a decrease in income during the COVID-19 outbreak, and had unemployed spouses (P <0.05).
Conclusion: Based on the results, the prevalence of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic was moderate, but its severity was low. Due to the psychological effects of the COVID-19 disease on society people, the increase in the incidence of violent behavior is especially evident in vulnerable families such as low-income families and tenants and women whose spouses are unemployed and abuse substances. Therefore, identifying and supporting vulnerable families for their education and empowerment can reduce the incidence of domestic violence.
