Journal of

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Background and Aim: Internal evaluation is one of the most effective educational assessment processes. Due to involvement of all educational department stake-holders, this evaluation has high efficacy and enforcement. Appropriate use of the findings of such evaluations improve educational quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate various aspects of education, research and facilities at the Department of Dermatology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, objectives, organizational status, management and authority, faculty members, students, teaching-learning strategies, educational equipments, theses and sabbaticals, and graduates of the Department of Dermatology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences were evaluated. Questionnaires were designed, and obtained data were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) version 22.

Results: Most of evaluated components were satisfying. Learning-teaching strategy was the most satisfying factor with an average satisfaction rate of 87.5%, and the graduates issues was the least satisfying factor with an average satisfaction rate of 66.7%.

Conclusion: Planning and proceedings at the  department and medical school levels according to feedbacks based on the results of this study not only could improve educational quality at the department, but also may help obtaining  approval for initiating a dermatology residency program.

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Background and Aim: Acne vulgaris is one of the most common skin disorders, affecting more than eighty percent of individuals around puberty. Because of the adverse effects on the patient’s appearance, the disease may have detrimental psychological impacts such as low self-esteem and social isolation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate factors affecting self-esteem in patients with acne vulgaris in Hamadan.

Methods: Patients with acne vulgaris referred to the  dermatology clinic of Hamadan’s Sina Hospital (as the case group), and their healthy accompanying persons (as the control group) were included in the study. After obtaining written informed consent, demographic dat

a were recorded and participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire. To assess the severity of acne, Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) was used. In addition, Coopersmith Inventory was applied to measure the self-esteem of the participants. In data were analyzed using STATA 14.0 software.

Results: Overall, 184 patients with acne and 177 controls were included in this study. The mean age of patients and controls was 17.89+3.13 and 17.72+2.94, respectively. Independent samples t-test showed that the mean Self-Esteem Index of patients was significantly lower than controls (32.04+8.29 vs. 34.85+7.73, P<0.001). The severity of acne was inversely correlated with self-esteem; one score increase in GAGS would result in 0.1 unit decrease in self-esteem index (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Acne vulgaris is associated with low self-esteem and the severity of acne is inversely correlated with self-esteem level.

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Background and Aim: Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers. Numerous studies have shown the positive effect of using sunscreen creams in preventing skin cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the inequality in the use of sunscreen cream.
 

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adults in Kermanshah city. Data was collected using questionnaire by interview. Concentration index and curve were used to quantify and analyze inequality in sunscreen use. The results of adjusted odds ratio and decomposition analysis for sunscreen use were also estimated.
 

Results: 14.39% used sunscreen. The ratio of use in men was 5.65% and in women was 21.72%. The concentration index for sunscreen use (P<0.001) was 0.344, which indicates the greater concentration of sunscreen use among the rich. The rich groups are 3.72 times more likely to use sunscreen than the poor, and people in the middle class are also 1.48 times more likely to use sunscreen. The highest share of participation in the creation of inequality in sunscreen consumption was achieved by the socio-economic status variable with 61.26%, education level with 13.23% and age with 13.02%.

Conclusion: The focus of health promotion interventions should target groups with low socio-economic status. Men and less educated people should be prioritized in the development and implementation of interventions.