Showing 30 results for Basi
Solmaz Basiri , Roshanak Daie Ghazvini , Seyed Jamal Hashemi, Seyed Hossein Mirhendi , Mohsen Geramishoar, Zabihollah Zareie,
Volume 9, Issue 3 (9-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Identification of possible animal sources of infection is
applied for preventing the outbreak and progressive epidemics of infection. The
aim of present study is isolation of pathogenic and opportunistic fungi from the
skin of ownership dogs with emphasize on transmission risk of fungal zoonoses in
rural areas of Meshkin Shahr, Ardebil province of Iran.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was
performed in laboratory of Medical Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran
University of Medical Sciences from April 2011 to November 2012. Hundred and
thirty dogs were studied. Collected scales and hair samples were examined by
direct smear and SC, SCC and DTM culture with the aim of full coverage of whole
fungal growth such as saprophytic and pathogenic fungi for 1-3 weeks.
Results: From 130 examined samples, Alternaria 41 (31.5%) as the most
frequent, Chaetomium 1 (0.9%) and Nattrassia 1 (0.9%) as the least frequent
saprophytic agents, were isolated from the samples.
Conclusion: The dogs in these areas are not the source of infection for
dermatophytosis and had no role in the epidemiology of the disease
Samaneh Heidarpourian, Minoo Shahidi, Ahmad Kazemi, Mohsen Razavi, Ali Basi, Parisa Hayat,
Volume 9, Issue 5 (2-2016)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a lymphoprolifrative disorder, which is very heterogeneous in prognosis. Therefore, the analysis of the prognostic factors should be very helpful in diagnosing patients with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between circulating Endothelial cells number with VWF levels along with the other hematological findings in CLL.
Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 30 CLL patients admitted to the hematology department of Firozgar hospital and 30 healthy subjects. The levels of CEC were measured by the presence of CD34 and VWF markers, and absence of CD45 marker, using flow cytometry. VWF levels was evaluated by ELISA.
Results: The CEC levels were significantly higher in blood of the CLL patients (0.64%), when compared to the controls (0.12%, P=0.002). The levels of plasma VWF were higher among high grade patients, when compared to controls and patients in lower grades. There was a negative correlation between CEC levels, and Hb concentration in the patients group (r=-0.47, P=0.01).
Conclusion: Although the levels of both CEC count and plasma VWF in patient with high grade CLL were increased when compared to patients with low grade, there was no significant correlation between these two parameters.
Delaram Dargahi, Mitra Zare Bavani, Nahid Einollahi, Nasrin Dashti, Mostafa Rezaeian, Sakineh Abbasi,
Volume 10, Issue 5 (1-2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Giardiasis is the most common pathogenic gastrointestinal parasite worldwide and transmitted by ingesting parasite cyst, through water and food and person-to-person contact. Therefore in food handlers and child care workers it is of high importance. In this study we surveyed the job of individuals with giardiasis.
Materials and Methods: This study was a pilot descriptive-analytic study. Hundred and nine stool samples were collected from individuals referred to medical centers affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences for health certificate.
Samples were examined with wet mount smear and formol-ether concentration methods. Also a questionnaire was given to each individual.
Results: Sixty nine samples were infected with Giardia lamblia. among positive samples for Giardia lamblia 25 (36.23%) were related to food handlers and occupations which are most frequently associated with food, one (1.44%) nurse, one (1.44%) managing director of the nursery, two (2.89%) housekeepers and one servant (1.44%).
Conclusion: Person-to-person Giardia lamblia transmission is often associated with poor hygiene and sanitation, most commonly by food handlers.
Also, day- care workers have a higher risk of infecting children attending day-care centers. Therefore particular attention should be paid to health of this workers as well as three times stool examination.
Ahmad Fayazbakhsh, Mohammad Reza Tavakoli, Soheila Hosseinzadeh , Mohammad Ali Abbasi Moghadam,
Volume 10, Issue 6 (3-2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Job Burnout syndrome consists of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The health system personnel to deal with stress because of physical, mental, and emotional intensity are at risk of burnout.
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between burnout and general health of the financial staff hospitals of Tehran.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the sample size consisted of 150 financial administrative personnel employed by university hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences which were selected by random sampling.
The instrument was included demographic information, general health questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout questionnaire, which was already confirmed for its validity and reliability.
Results: The results showed a significant correlation (p<0.001) between burnout and general health therefore public health was reduced with increased burnout.
There was also a significant relationship (p<0.05) between burnout and satisfaction with work and partners. But there was no significant relationship between age, gender, work experience, marital status and income.
Conclusion: Regarding the significant relationship between burnout and public health in this study, the use of improved working conditions and the promotion of mental health personnel is recommended.
Hamed Basir Ghafouri, Mohammad Hosseini Kasnavieh, Marziye Alsadate Sharifi, Milad Amini, Amirreza Darzi Ramandi ,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (Supplement 1 2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hospitals should be able to satisfy their clients’ needs in less time and with best quality possible. Length of Stay (LOS) in hospitals is considered as a key performance indicator, especially in emergency departments. In this study, the analysis of LOS in emergency departments was performed so that some of the factors affecting patients’ length of stay could be found.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was performed in the emergency departments of two teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Seventy-two patient samples were included. The patients’ length of stay in emergency ward was measured from the entrance time until the time they left the emergency department. Data on both descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and analytical statistics (one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test and linear regression) were analyzed with SPSS software.
Results: Patients’ average LOS in emergency departments was estimated at around 3 hours and 13 minutes (SD=1.52). Such variables as patients’ marital status, days of the week (holidays or regular days) and admission time (day or night) were determined as the factors affecting LOS.
Conclusion: The time spent to give services in hospital emergency rooms is at an appropriate level and items such as marital status, holidays of a week, and time of the day can be referred to as factors affecting patients’ length of stay. With regard to these findings, health managers can rely on the results for the effective planning and management of hospital emergency departments.
Mohammad Erfan Zare, Reza Meshkani, Mojtaba Abbasi, Farhad Shaveisi Zadeh, Atefeh Nasir Kansestani ,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (Supplement 1 2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: There has been a long-lasting debate among medical laboratory-associated specialists about required competencies and educational background to qualify for directing medical laboratories in Iran. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive review regarding required training and competencies for becoming a medical laboratory director in Iran and all around the world.
Materials and Methods: A thorough search of the literature was carried out in scientific databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer Link, Wiley Online, PubMed, Scopus, SID and web-based search engines such as Google and Google Scholar.
Results: The results revealed detailed required competencies for directing medical laboratories in the United States of America, Canada, European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) and its many affiliated European countries.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that in all assessed countries, specialists of basic medical sciences and also physicians, after passing certifying examinations, are equally qualified to direct medical laboratories. Indeed, Iran is the only country within the evaluated ones, in which basic medical sciences specialists (which have their own specific curriculum and are educated as clinical majors) have been eliminated from directing medical laboratory and the position has almost exclusively been available for graduates of pathology and it is important to revise this approach.
Najmeh Abbasi , Minoo Najafi, Nazila Zarghi , Maryam Karbasi Motlagh, Fourouzan Khatami Doost , Mandana Shirazi ,
Volume 11, Issue 6 (3-2018)
Abstract
Background and Aim: World Health Organization (WHO) has prioritized cultural competence to provide high-quality healthcare and patient-centered services. Therefore, it is necessary to develop them for all organizational levels. The present study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of OHCC (Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition) organizational cultural competence (2005) instrument in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).
Material and Methods: In order to confirm reliability, 143 staff members (nurses and physicians) in different administrative positions working in Imam Khomeini educational Hospital, completed the questionnaire. Modified HSR toolkit for translating and adapting instrument, was used for contextualizing the questionnaire: first, two medical education experts who were proficient in English translated it. Then, the content validity of Persian version was confirmed using Lawshe method (CVR and CVI = 0.79); its internal consistency was calculated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.91). It was backward translated to compare with the original copy and was sent to experts for their approval. Construct validity was calculated by LISREL software and the result showed that the questions were fit to the domains. The KMO, calculated for this instrument, was 0.75 and α was less than 0.05.
Results: Content validity was confirmed by deleting two items from the original 22-item questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was calculated as 0.95 following the removal of two items.
Conclusion: The organizational cultural competence instrument was confirmed to be valid and reliable with 20 items in Iranian context.
Mohamad Reza Shahraki, Nastaran Abbasi Hasanabadi,
Volume 12, Issue 6 (Feb & Mar 2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: One of the important dimensions of access to health services is uniform distribution. A survey on the distribution of health and treatment indices in different regions reveals inequalities in order to reduce inequalities. The study aims to rank the cities of Sistan and Baluchestan province from the perspective of access to healthcare services.
Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive-applied and cross-sectional study. The data were collected from the database of Statistical Center of Iran. The studied indices were weighted by Shannon entropy method, and the ranking of cities was done by TOPSIS method. The distribution of health services among the cities was shown by Spearman and Kendall correlation coefficient. Also, with the coefficient of variation, the important indices for creating imbalances were determined.
Results: The results of TOPSIS method showed a significant difference between the levels of access to health services indices. Zabol and Zahedan cities ranked first and second, and the cities of Ghasreghand, Sibsuran and Fanuj were in the last rank, respectively. Among the factors that led to a level difference, the number of PhDs, laboratory sciences doctors and rehabilitation centers caused the greatest difference between the cities. The findings show that there is little correlation between demographic rank and access to healthcare services, and health services are not distributed equitably according to the population.
Conclusion: More attention to cities that are ranked below the level of access to healthcare resources is needed. More healthcare resources should be given to this province because there are few healthcare indices relative to its population.
Reza Abbasi, Leila Ahmadian, Seyedeh Razieh Farrahi,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (Oct & Nov 2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The online social networks as new and widespread sources of information have been able to facilitate the accessibility of people to health information. The aim of this study was to determine the use of online social networks and their role in sharing health information among pregnant women.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Kerman in the winter of 2017. The study participants were the pregnant women referring to 21 gynecologists’ private offices in Kerman city. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of this questionnaire was confirmed by 4 medical informatics and health information management specialists, and its reliability (71%) was estimated with Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed by SPSS using descriptive statistics and analytical tests.
Results: In general, 89% of pregnant women used online social networks and more than 80% of them used it daily. Moreover, more than 57% used these networks for the related information about health and pregnancy period care, and almost 68% of pregnant women considered these networks useful.
Conclusion: This study showed the widespread use of online social networks among pregnant women in Kerman city. If accurate and trustworthy information bits were shared in such networks, they could provide an appropriate platform to improve the awareness, knowledge and health literacy of pregnant woman, and facilitate the exchange of information and experience among them.
Nastaran Abbasi Hasanabadi, Farzad Firouzi Jahantigh, Payam Tabarsi,
Volume 13, Issue 6 (Feb & Mar 2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Despite the implementation of effective preventive and therapeutic programs, no significant success has been achieved in the reduction of tuberculosis. One of the reasons is the delay in diagnosis. Therefore, the creation of a diagnostic aid system can help to diagnose early Tuberculosis. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the role of the Naive Bayes algorithm as a tool for the diagnosis of pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Materials and Methods: In this practical study, the study population included Patients with TB symptoms, the study sample is recorded data of 582 individuals with primary Tuberculosis symptoms in Tehran's Masih Daneshvari Hospital. The data of samples were investigated in two classes of pulmonary Tuberculosis and non-Tuberculosis. A Naive Bayes algorithm for screening pulmonary Tuberculosis using primary symptoms of patients has been used in Python software version 3.7.
Results: Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity after the implementation of the Naive Bayes algorithm for diagnosis of pulmonary Tuberculosis were %95.89, %93.59 and %98.53, respectively, and the Area under curve was calculated %98.91.
Conclusion: The performance of a Naive Bayes model for diagnosis of pulmonary Tuberculosis is accurate. This system can be used to help the patient and manage illness in remote areas with limited access to laboratory resources and healthcare professional and cause to diagnose early Tuberculosis. It can also lead to timely and appropriate proceedings to control the transmission of TB to other people and to accelerate the recovery of the disease.
Sakineh Abbasi, Shahrzad Sharifpour Vajari,
Volume 15, Issue 5 (Dec 2021 & Jan 2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Cervical cancer is the fourth main cause of mortality among women, and annually about half a million new cases are detected in developed countries. Based on oncological studies, human papillomavirus (HPV) is classified into two categories: high-risk type and low-risk type, and most cases are related to the high-risk type of human papillomavirus. HPV 16 and 18 are among the more dangerous ones in this type of cancer. Human papillomavirus is a small group of uncoated viruses with double-stranded DNA that belong to the papillomaviridae family.
Materials and Methods: In this review study, more than 200 articles related to human papillomavirus and immune system function against this virus were reviewed from 2015 to 2020 and among them, 34 articles related to markers and cytokines in cervical cancer were chosen from Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed.
Results: One of In-vitro methods in markers detection , is using vectors to infect dendritic cells to present antigen, increase the expression of markers and mature T cell, which leads to the identification of a variety of markers and cytoklines such as PD, PDL, CD, MHC, FASL, IFN, IL, TLR associated with cervical cancer.
Conclusion: Cervical cancer prevention can reduce the economic as well as the social burden of having the disease in the community. Important cytokines expressed when exposed to HPV include IL-6 and IL-8. Several agonist epitopes with enhanced binding power to the human leukocyte antigen (HLA-A2) A2 class I antigen have been described to enhance cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and to be used in the development of effective HPV vaccines; this is because it has already been shown that different epitopes of 16 HPVs, such as E6 and E7, are able to elicit human cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses by binding to HLA-A2.
Reza Abbasi, Fatemeh Rangraz Jeddi, Shima Anvari, Reza Khajouei,
Volume 16, Issue 3 (Aug 2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hospital managers are one of the key decision-makers in the implementation of health information systems. This study aimed to determine the implementation challenges of health information systems based on the hospital managers’ perspective.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2019 on the hospital managers of three provinces (Kerman, Yazd, Sistan and Baluchestan). Data were collected using a self-administrated questionnaire. The face validity of this questionnaire was approved by experts in health informatics and health information management and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (α=96.7%). Data were analyzed using SPSS. To investigate the relationship between the mean of each challenge with demographic variables, Pearson, Independent T-test, and ANOVA tests were used.
Results: In this study, the factors related to ignoring the hospital manager’s needs in system selection (1.333 out of 2 points), hardware purchase cost, insufficient user training to using the system (1.238), inadequate manpower and health informatics specialists (1.19), software purchase cost, insufficient financial resources (1.142), high cost of system launching, the lack of integration and interoperability among information systems, lack of support from health care professionals (1.047), and lack of management experience in choosing the best system (one out of 2) had the highest scores (out of 2 points). Also, personnel training costs to work with the system (-0.092) and Lack of improvement in work processes (-0.047) obtained the lowest scores. Data analysis showed that managers with clinical backgrounds considered financial and human challenges more important than non-clinical managers (P<0.031).
Conclusion: The hospital managers believed that financial, human, technical, managerial, and organizational factors are the most important challenges in implementing health information systems in Iran’s hospitals respectively. The health policy-makers and planners at large and small levels can address many of the challenges before implementing systems by focusing on identified priorities.
Marjan Ghazi Saeedi, Mohammad Amin Abbasi Eslamloo, Kobra Darabiyan, Elham Ataei,
Volume 17, Issue 3 (8-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Despite the continuous progress in medicine, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is still a progressive, incurable and chronic respiratory condition that limits the patients’ functions in various dimensions, and significantly reduce their quality of life. In this way, self-care of patients and the use of related tools have a significant effect in disease control and treatment. The purpose of this research was design and development of an android-based application for COPD.
Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive developmental type with a practical approach. Initially, based on the study of library resources, guidelines, and the examination of the medical records of COPD inpatients in Firouzabadi Hospital, a questionnaire was designed to identify the information requirements, data items and features of the application. Then it was reviewed and finalized by a sample of 10 (randomized and convenience sampling) internal and lung specialist doctors in Firouzabadi and Hazrat Rasool hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and then scenario tables and UML diagrams were illustrated to show the overall flow of the application. The application was designed and developed using the Java programming language in the Android Studio 2021 platform. After installing the application on the mobile phones of ten COPD patients of the internal and pulmonary clinic of Firouzabadi Shahre Rey Hospital, and using it for a week, the opinions of the patients about the usability of the application were collected through the QUIS questionnaire, and analyzed.
Results: Application sections were determined following experts’ survey, personal information items, clinical information, disease management, reporting, and training points, which were provided to patients after design for use and evaluation. At the end of the research, the results of the evaluation of the usability and satisfaction level of the application showed that from the patients’ point of view, the application is at a good level with an average score of 1.8 (out of 10 points).
Conclusion: The developed self-care application can be used to increase awareness, help to manage the disease, increase the level of quality of life, and reduce the complications and disease burden for patients with COPD.
Reza Dehkhodaei, Mazyar Karamali, Mohammad Mohammadian, Mohammadkarim Bahadori, Mohsen Abbasifarajzadeh,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (2-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Considering the importance of knowledge management in the current era and the emphasis on the implementation of knowledge management in the health system in the knowledge management system of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, and since it is one of the first steps in the implementation of knowledge management, Drawing the knowledge tree of the organization, the purpose of the current research is to review the process of publishing the knowledge tree and examine it in the field of health.
Materials and Methods: The current research is a type of applied and descriptive review study that was carried out with the method of scientometrics and co-occurrence analysis of keywords. For this purpose, the term “Knowledge tree” OR “knowledge trees” was searched in Scopus reference database. For data analysis, the analyzes provided by the database itself were used, and VOSviewer software was used to visualize the data.
Results: The growth of scientific productions related to the field of the tree of knowledge in general in the mentioned base has started since 1979 and has had a growing trend until 2023. In the field of knowledge tree, among the authors Yang, Y, among the organizations, machine intelligence institute, iona college, and among the countries, China, America, and England have been at the top of the most productive in this field. Among the subjects, the most related articles are primarily related to the field of computer science (32.2 percent) and then to the field of engineering (22.1 percent) and mathematics (10.1 percent), which is significant. that medicine is in the sixth place and this is a sign of the weakness of producing resources in this field and the clustering resulting from the co-occurrence of keywords led to the identification of five clusters respectively with the titles of data mining and information processing, artificial intelligence and expert systems. , knowledge structure and decision support systems, semantics and knowledge representation, and finally learning and teaching systems.
Conclusion: The study of the thematic structure of scientific productions in the field of Knowledge Tree showed that the field of health has a weakness in the production of resources in this field. Therefore, it is necessary for future researches to pay special attention to the development and explanation of this concept and modeling its drawing, especially in the health system, in order to identify and prevent diseases.
Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad, Mahdiyeh Heydari, Mahya Abbasi, Mahdi Abbasi,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Health insurance organizations play an important role in increasing people’s access to health services and protecting them financially against catastrophic health costs. Iran Health Insurance Organization (IHIO) is one of the largest public health insurance organizations in Iran, which faces many challenges. The purpose of this research is the strategic analysis of health financing performance of IHIO.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative research was conducted using interpretive phenomenology method through using semi-structured interviews with 25 managers and employees of IHIO. In addition, relevant documents and archival data of IHIO were collected and analyzed. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data.
Results: Overall, 19 strengths, 24 weaknesses, 14 opportunities, 37 threats and 43 solutions were identified for the health financing system of IHIO. Increasing the coverage of health services, correcting the information databases of the insured and electronic prescribing were the most important strengths, and inappropriate pooling of financial resources, incomplete risk pooling, high administrative costs, and inefficient control were the most important weaknesses of IHIO. The most important opportunities for IHIO include the government’s support for universal health coverage and emphasis on primary health care, legal support for consolidating health insurance funds and improving the health technology assessment system in the country. The main threats to IHIO include political and economic unstability, low health insurance premiums, decisions without scientific support and insufficient enforcement of laws. Finally, solutions such as modernizing the tax system, increasing the health literacy of the community, reducing bureaucracy, increasing transparency and accountability, and reforming the monitoring and evaluation system were identified to strengthen the performance of the financing system of IHIO.
Conclusion: Iran’s health insurance organization is facing numerous structural, contexual and process challenges that have reduced its productivity. Decrease in revenues, increase in costs and decrease in efficiency have caused problems in the financing performance of this organization. Recognizing the weaknesses and challenges of financing performance and applying corrective interventions is the first step in strengthening the sustainability of health financing of IHIO.
Kourosh Abbasiyan, Mohammad Alimoradnori, Mohammad Bagher Karami,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Managers, as the main decision-makers in facing various internal and external organizational problems, play a significant and determining role in the success or even failure of an organization. If competent and experienced managers are positioned at the top of organizations, the success of these organizations in achieving their goals will be guaranteed and an organization can achieve maximum efficiency with minimal resources. The aim of this study was to design a model of managerial competencies for hospital managers.
Materials and Methods: This qualitative research was conducted from year 2020 to 2022. After reviewing studies related to the topic, the extracted competencies were given to 19 experts consisted of relevant academic faculty members and managers with experience in the healthcare system and hospitals. Eventually, a managerial competency model was formulated through the use of the Delphi method and expert panel discussions. Collected data were analyzed in Excel software.
Results: The developed model in this research for the concept of hospital managers’ competencies includes 33 managerial competencies of hospital managers in four main management functions (planning, organizing, leadership and control) and managerial roles, which starts from literature review and performing two Delphi steps and implementing two expert panel plans. In the competency of hospital managers model, the planning dimension consists 4 components, organizing consists 4 components, leadership consists 12 components, control consists 4 components, and managerial roles consists 9 components. Strategic thinking, which is a subset of planning, has the highest weight (0.495) and highest rank among other components, and continuous improvement, which is a subset of managerial roles, has the lowest weight (0.033) and lowest rank among other components.
Conclusion: This study proposes an exclusive and comprehensive model, utilizing practical techniques as a suitable solution for evaluating the managerial competencies of hospital managers. The proposed framework in this study can serve as a standard performance assessment tool for evaluating managers.
Zahra Karbasi, Michaeel Motaghi Niko, Maryam Zahmatkeshan,
Volume 18, Issue 3 (7-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Cataracts are recognized as the cause of 51% of blindness worldwide. Following the promising initial results of artificial intelligence systems in eye diseases, AI algorithms have been applied in the diagnosis of cataracts, grading the severity of cataracts, intraocular lens calculations, and even as an assistive tool in cataract surgery. This study presents a systematic review of AI techniques in the management of cataract disease.
Materials and Methods: This systematic review study was conducted to investigate artificial intelligence techniques to manage cataract disease until November 11, 2023, and based on PRISMA guidelines. We retrieved all relevant articles published in English through a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science online databases.
Results: In our initial search, 192 records were identified in the databases, and eventually, 23 articles were selected for review. The results indicated that convolutional neural network algorithms (6 articles), recurrent neural networks (1 article), deep convolutional networks (1 article), support vector machines (2 articles), transfer learning (1 article), decision trees (4 articles), random forests (4 articles), logistic regression (3 articles), Bayesian algorithms (3 articles), XGBoost (3 articles), and K-nearest neighbors clustering algorithms (2 articles) were the artificial neural network and machine learning techniques and algorithms utilized. These techniques were employed in the studies for the diagnosis (70%), management (17%), and prediction (13%) of cataract disease.
Conclusion: Various artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques and algorithms can be effective and efficient in diagnosing, grading, managing, and predicting cataracts with high accuracy. In this study, deep learning techniques and convolutional neural networks have made the greatest contribution to cataract diagnosis. Deep learning techniques, decision trees, and Bayesian algorithms were involved in cataract management. Machine learning algorithms such as logistic regression, random forest, artificial neural network, decision tree, K1-nearest neighbor, XGBoost, and adaptive boosting also played a role in cataract prediction. Just as early prediction, diagnosis, and timely referral can reduce future complications of the disease, the use of systems based on artificial intelligence models that have acceptable accuracy can be effective in supporting the decision-making process of physicians and managing this disease.
Fatemeh Abbasi Ghaletaki, Maryam Kazerani, Azam Shahbodaghi,
Volume 19, Issue 1 (4-2025)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hospital library services are among the basic infrastructures for promoting e-health readiness. This study evaluated the components of e-health readiness in hospital libraries in Isfahan.
Materials and Methods: This is an applied-descriptive survey. The statistical population is 10 government hospital libraries in Isfahan city. The questionnaire completers are the managers of the aforementioned libraries. The research tool is a researcher-made questionnaire that was prepared by a deep and comprehensive review of related literature. The 61-question questionnaire is based on the Likert scale and has four sections: learning readiness (R1), core readiness (R2), social readiness (R3), and technology readiness (R4). To determine the content validity of the questionnaire, the opinions of professors, specialists, and experts were used and its validity was confirmed. Its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha of 0.83. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the data.
Results: Isfahan government hospital libraries are in a good state in terms of learning readiness with a score of 3.77. They were in a moderate state in terms of core readiness with a score of 3.49. Social readiness with a score of 2.47 and technology readiness with a score of 2.48 were reported as poor state. “Literacy level of technology and services related to health care” component with a score of 2.9 from the core readiness, “reimbursement policies” component with a score of 1 from the social readiness, “resources training” component with a score of 1.8 from the learning readiness, and “organization access to ICT education” component with a score of 1.35 from the technology readiness were identified as weak components. In general, all government hospital libraries in Isfahan are in a moderate state in terms of e-health readiness.
Conclusion: Hospital libraries face various challenges in joining the e-health category, including a lack of readiness in the technology sector. The lack of appropriate policies for implementing e-health in libraries, lack of users’ skills in using information and communication technology, users’ ignorance of the e-health services needed in the library, lack of professional human resources, and lack of e-health-related training for users are some of the weaknesses of hospital libraries in the e-health readiness sector.
Atefeh Abbasi, Somayeh Nasiri, Sayyed Mostafa Mostafavi, Abbas Habibolahi,
Volume 19, Issue 4 (11-2025)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a clinical syndrome characterized by impaired brain function resulting from oxygen deprivation and reduced cerebral blood flow. Developing predictive models can serve as valuable tools for physicians in forecasting disease outcomes and facilitating early interventions. The present study was conducted with the aim of constructing a predictive model for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy using data mining algorithms.
Materials and Methods: This applied study was conducted using a descriptive approach. In the first stage, the factors influencing the prediction of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy were identified through expert surveys. In the second stage, data pertaining to 4,000 neonates were collected from the Iman system, available in the database of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, during the years 2020–2021. Following preprocessing, a dataset comprising 3,962 records with 13 features was extracted. Subsequently, predictive models were developed using algorithms including artificial neural networks, decision tree variants, random forest, support vector machines, logistic regression, and Bayesian networks. Model construction was performed using the Python programming language within the Anaconda environment. Finally, performance evaluation and comparison were carried out using metrics such as accuracy, precision, specificity, F1-score, and the Area Under the Curve (AUC).
Results: The findings of the study revealed that the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) for models developed using logistic regression, artificial neural networks, random forest, Bayesian networks, support vector machines, and decision trees were 86%, 86%, 84%, 82%, 76%, and 74%, respectively. The highest performance was achieved by the logistic regression algorithm, with an accuracy of 81%, sensitivity of 85%, and specificity of 96%. The greatest sensitivity was observed in logistic regression, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines, whereas the naïve Bayesian algorithm demonstrated the lowest performance metrics. In the predictive model for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, the most influential feature was the first-minute Apgar score, while the least influential factor was delivery outside the hospital.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that the predictive model for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy based on the logistic regression algorithm demonstrated superior performance. It is anticipated that the application of practical data-driven algorithms for neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy will play a crucial role in the rapid identification of the condition and the provision of appropriate treatment. Such approaches can enable healthcare professionals to act within the critical window of opportunity, thereby improving the quality of care, preventing disease progression, and reducing the severity of adverse outcomes.
Shohreh Seyyed-Hosseini, Marzieh Shahbazi, Alireza Davarpanah, Fatemeh Kalteh, Reza Basirian-Jahromi,
Volume 19, Issue 5 (12-2025)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The monitoring of users’ real-time and continuous web searches, in conjunction with the identification of research conducted by experts in a specific field, constitutes the domain of infodemiology. The present study sought to examine the correlation between the demand for health information among users and the scientific output of researchers in elderly health from 2015 to 2024.
Materials and Methods: The present data mining research is of a descriptive-analytical nature, conducted using web mining and scientometrics approaches, employing infodemiology indicators. The web mining section of the study population comprised global user search keywords in the field of elderly health, as examined using Google Trends. In the scientometrics section, the research conducted by researchers in the field of elderly health was analyzed. This research was indexed in the PubMed database from 2015 to 2024. To examine the alignment between users’ information-seeking behavior and researchers’ scientific output, correlation tests were performed using SPSS software.
Results: A rise was observed in the volume of scientific output from researchers and the user search volume index in the field of elderly health on the Google search engine from 2015 to 2024. The monthly mean growth of scientific output from researchers over the ten years was 1439.70. In the user behavior of health information seeking (health information demand), the highest relative search volume index belonged to Ireland, Jamaica, and the United States of America, respectively. The highest number of scientific articles by researchers in the field of elderly health, with 20,480 articles, was related to the year 2021. Also, the average monthly growth of scientific output by researchers in the field of elderly health in this ten-year period (from January 2015 to December 2024) was 1439.70. The investigation revealed a direct and significant relationship (P-value<0.005) between users’ information-seeking behavior and researchers’ scientific output in this field, as determined by applying the Google search engine.
Conclusion: A multitude of factors have the capacity to influence the level of scientific output from researchers in the field of elderly health. In view of the positive relationship that has been observed and the reciprocal relation between the variables of users’ information-seeking behavior and researchers’ scientific output, it can be concluded that the factor of information demand, or users’ internet information-seeking behavior in the web environment, in this area, can be one of the most significant factors. This factor must be given due consideration through rigorous research.