Showing 712 results for Type of Study: Original Research
Erfan Amiri, Hossein Hooshyar, Hossein Nazemorraaya, Mohammadreza Shiee, Sima Rasti, Gholam Abbass Moosavi,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Toxoplasma gondii is one of the important food-borne parasitic pathogens that infect humans and a wide range of warm-blooded animals. Consumption of poultry meat, especially chicken, is a potential risk of transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in industrial broilers referred to the Kashan poultry abattoir, Iran, in 2023.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 114 brain and heart samples of industrial broilers were randomly collected from Kashan poultry abattoir. Two prepared direct smears from each sample were stained with Giemsa stain and examined microscopically for the presence of tissue cysts of T. gondii. The genomic DNA was extracted using a commercial kit. PCR method was used for detection of the B1 genome of T. gondii using specific primers. The PCR product was evaluated by electrophoresis on a 1.5% agarose gel. The results were analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS software.
Results: Of 114 chicken samples, 65 (57%) and 49 (43%), were male and female respectively. Totally, 12 samples (10.5%) were positive for T. gondii infection. T. gondii DNA fragments were detected in 8 (7.06%) of the samples. Microscopy examination revealed T.gondii in 6 (5.26%) samples. All infections were related to brain samples, and no infection was detected in heart muscle samples.
Conclusion: Infection with T. gondii is considerable in broilers in the Kashan region. Therefore, preventive measures such as training people to properly cook meat before consumption and avoiding eating raw or under‑cooked poultry meat products are recommended to prevent human infection to T. gondii. In order to stop life cycle of this parasite, avoiding using raw bird meat for feeding pets such as cats is recommended.
Mohammad Hossein Sadeghian, Parviz Jahan, Mohammad Aarefi,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Aluminum phosphide poisoning is one of the fatal poisonings in Asian countries, including Pakistan and India, which requires urgent treatment. Since one of the most important symptoms in patients poisoned with aluminum phosphide is cardiovascular manifestations; it seems that electrocardiogram and echocardiographic changes are one of the important things that need to be measured in patients poisoned with this substance. Therefore, the study was designed to investigate electrocardiogram and echocardiographic changes in patients poisoned with aluminum phosphide.
Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted cross-sectionally 2019-2021 on 107 patients poisoned with aluminum phosphide who referred to the poisoning emergency of Baharloo Hospital in Tehran. All patients were included in the study due to taking tablets, solution or inhalation of aluminum phosphide. Finally, the patients› information was collected based on the variables investigated in this study including age, gender, poisoning dose, time interval between taking pills and admission to the hospital, systolic blood pressure level, electrocardiogram and echocardiography changes.
Results: The mean systolic blood pressure was 107 mmHg at the beginning of the study that changed to 103 mmHg after 24 hours. In addition, the mean diastolic blood pressure was 71.19 mmHg at the beginning of the study that changed to 68.66 mmHg after 24 hours. The blood pH of the patients at the beginning of the study and after 24 hours, was 6.99 and 7.39, respectively (P-value= 0.081). The mean EF was 40.68at the beginning of the study which, on average, changed to 46.57 mmHg after 24 hours (%5.21 increase, P-value= 0.029).
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that extensive changes in the echocardiography of the heart, especially the left ventricular ejection fraction, as well as the patient›s ECG could indicate the severity of heart poisoning in patients poisoned with aluminum phosphide.
Saeed Barzegari, Marjan Ghazi Saeedi, Roghieh Nazari, Seif Ali Mahdavi, Seyed Alireza Hasani,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The use of Mobile-Health is helpful in facilitating therapeutic communication between students and healthcare providers. Considering the benefits of the Mobile-Health, it is very important to have a tool that can check the motivation to use Mobile-Health. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of Psychometric properties of mHealth Technology Engagement Index.
Materials and Methods: The present study is psychometric research that was conducted in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 1401. The participants of this study were 450 students of medical sciences in Tehran in undergraduate, master’s and doctorate levels who were included in the study through convenience sampling. The psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire were examined through face, content and construct validity respectively. Principal component analysis was performed using varimax rotation in order to check the factorial structure of the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was checked with the help of Cronbach’s alpha and intra- class correlation (ICC).
Results: The questionnaire’s content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were 0.91 and 0.86, respectively. In the formal validity check, minor changes were made in the words of most of the items. Based on the results of face validity, some minor changes were made to the vocabulary of most items. The ICC coefficient was more than 0.80 in all dimensions. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis extracted five factors, autonomy, competence, relatedness, goal setting and goal attainment, and their cumulative variance was %71.48. The fit of the five-factor model was optimal based on standard goodness of fit indices such as CFI=0.978, GFI=0.930, RMSEA=0.040, CMIN/DF=1.307. Convergent and divergent validity was accepted for all factors. The reliability of the questionnaire was obtained using Cronbach’s alpha test of 0.71.
Conclusion: The five factor structure of the questionnaire of interaction with mobile health technology has good validity and reliability. Therefore, this questionnaire can be used to check the level of interaction of users of medical science students with mobile health technology.
Mrs Fatemeh Rangraz Jeddi, Ehsan Nabovati, Shima Anvari Tafti, Parisa Yousefi Konjdar,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: A medication dashboard could provide executive directors and managers with the ability to manage medication resources in hospitals. This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a medication resources management dashboard for general hospitals.
Materials and Methods: This study was of the development-applied type conducted in an academic therapeutic community center. Based on scientific sources, the dashboard’s key performance indicators (KPIs) and functional requirements were identified. The data collection tool was a questionnaire comprising demographic information, KPIs, and functional requirements. The dashboard conceptual model was designed using Rational Rose software, and then POWER BI software was used to develop the system. The usability of the dashboard was evaluated using the standard questionnaire for End User Computing Satisfaction by 10 users. The data were analyzed in SPSS software using descriptive statistics.
Results: The most important KPIs determined for a medication resources management dashboard in general hospitals were “the ratio of antibiotic consumption to total number of drugs”, “the ratio of the antibiotic prescribed by general practitioners to total number of drugs”, “the ratio of patients for whom antibiotics were prescribed to all patients”, and “the ratio of the number of drug items prescribed by specialists to all physicians”. The most important functional requirements determined were “updating information at specific intervals “, “checking the dashboard at different time intervals”, “defining access levels to view the information”, and “choosing between graphical and tabular displays”. Usability evaluation showed that users’ satisfaction with the dashboard content variable was “very high” and for the other variables was at a “high” level.
Conclusion: The KPIs associated with antibiotics and drug costs within the medication dashboard of general hospitals are high priority. Future studies should evaluate the impact of using a medication dashboard on hospital executive directors’ and managers’ decision-making.
Reza Safdari, Sharare Rostam Niakan Kalhori, Afzal Shamsi, Homa Hajizadegan,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (12-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Atherosclerosis of coronary arteries is the most common heart disease and indication of coronary artery bypass graft(CABG). After CABG, patients need proper self-care and lifestyle changes to increase their quality of life. The present research aimed to the conceptual design of self-care Android software, focusing on the third phase of cardiac rehabilitation.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive research has been carried out in two main phases and a total of six steps in order to assess the informational and functional needs of self-care software and design its conceptual model. After searching in reliable scientific sources and guidelines and checking the available Persian software, through the content validity index questionnaire of Lavshe, Welts and Bassel, 23 people from the medical staff with a history of caring for heart patients participated in the step of determining the requirements and the results were analyzed using SPSS Software. Descriptive analysis was done. Finally, the software model was prepared using integrated modeling language and th mind map was drawn.
Results: Sixty two items were identified in 6 general categories (personal information, medical records, interventions, personal health record, essential information, emergency communication). In the phase of determining the requirements by the experts, 52 items were accepted and 10 items were included in the conceptual model of the application program with minor changes and revisions.
Conclusion: Using mobile health in self-care and cardiac rehabilitation will be a suitable solution in order to increase treatment, follow-up and optimal continuation of self-care in patients. By having different functions, this tool can facilitate lifestyle change and help patients in secondary prevention of cardiovascular events and improve their health.
Rasul Bidel Nikoo, Shila Hasanzadeh, Mohamad Jebraeily, Naser Masoudi, Bahlol Rahimi, Farshad Faghisolouk,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (2-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Traffic accidents in Iran are one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity, identifying the factors related to these accidents can be useful in the prevention and proper management of traffic accidents. The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology of trauma caused by traffic accidents in Imam Khomeini hospital in Urmia during 2017-2022.
Materials and Methods: The current research is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted on patients hospitalized due to traffic accidents in Imam Khomeini hospital in Urmia for five years. The required data included demographic characteristics and information of the injured (role of the injured, time of the accident, location of the accident, type of vehicle, damaged area, and condition of the injured during discharge), which was extracted from the trauma registration system of Urmia University of Medical Sciences. After collecting the data, it was entered into SPSS 16 software and described through frequency distribution table and central and dispersion indices
Results: In this study, out of 2086 injured cases, 74.40% (1552 people) were male. The average age of the injured was 34.49 ± 18.47 years. The type of accidental vehicle of most of the injured was motorcycle with 56.70% (998 cases). The most injured were drivers with 52.73% (1100 cases) and among them 57.45% (632 people) were motorcycle riders. 34.08% (711 cases) of injuries to body parts were in the head, neck and face.
Conclusion: The results of this research showed that most of the injured in traffic accidents are young motorcycle drivers and the most injuries were related to the head and neck area. Therefore, by knowing the risk factors and the impact of each of them on the outcome of traffic accidents, it is necessary to carry out appropriate interventions to prevent the risky behaviors of young drivers and create a culture of observing safety tips. Also, in the health system, the necessary preparations in terms of manpower and medical equipment should be made to manage the treatment of injuries caused by traffic accidents.
Azam Shahbodaghi, Maryam Shekofteh, ,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (2-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are the most reliable sources of evidence in evidence-based practice. Analyzing the scientometric and authorship features of these articles at the national level can provide useful information for various decision-makers. This study aimed to investigate the scientometric and authorship characteristics of Iran’s systematic review and meta-analysis articles indexed in Scopus.
Materials and Methods: The current research was conducted using a scientometric approach. The research population includes 9579 systematic review and meta-analysis articles published between 2011 and 2021, and Iran is the affiliated country of at least one of the authors. The quantitative and qualitative growth process of articles as well as the authorship characteristics are examined in this research, among other things.
Results: Review of 9579 articles indicate an increasing trend in the publication, with the highest number of articles (2565) being published in 2021. The thematic analysis shows that the majority of articles are related to the field of Medicine, with 7112 articles, followed by Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology with 1433 articles. The highest H-index, 68, refers to the year 2018 and the highest percentage of articles included in the Hirsch Index horizon refers to the year 2011. The highest average number of citations per article is 146.44, observed in 2012, while the lowest is 4.62, reported in 2021. The highest average number of citations in relation to the age of the articles was 9735/34 in 2020, whereas the minimum was 279 in 2011.Calculating the percentage of articles above the H-index horizontal line based on total articles of each year, along with the average citation per article, shows a decreasing trend with slight fluctuations. On the other hand, there is a growing trend when considering the number of citations in relation to the age of the articles. The lowest average author count (5.48) is linked to 2011, whereas the highest count (12) is related to 2012. The first and the corresponding author of more than 91% of the articles was from Iran. In conducting the examined articles, researchers from the United States collaborated the most (12.05%) with researchers from Iran. University of Tehran, as the authors' affiliated organization, has contributed the most to the examined articles (27.81%). The Iranian Journal of Public Health has published the most of the examined articles (36/1%).
Conclusion: The articles under investigation show an increasing trend of growth, yet further research is needed to assess their qualitative trend. Given the rising significance of evidence-based practice, the stakeholders need to ensure the maintenance of the quantitative growth trend and the enhancement of the qualitative growth of these articles.
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.
Mashallah Torabi, Sara Naeimi, Elnaz Vahedi, Hamideh Hamidi,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (2-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Educating the audience is one of the things that can affect their mental perception of the usefulness and ease of utilizing technology. Due to the lack of knowledge about the unique features and ease of use of Tehran University of Medical Sciences website, some audiences prefer to use the old website and do not accept the changes on the university website well. This research was conducted with the aim of comparing the two methods of face-to-face training and clip training in accepting information technology changes on the university website and evaluating the audience’s awareness of branding features on the web.
Materials and Methods: There were 90 people who participated in this study, 45 of whom received face-to-face training and 45 of them received training about site changes through video clips. Research data collection was done based on Davis questionnaire and data analysis was done using SPSS and Padprism graph software. To compare a quantitative variable in more than two groups, one-way analysis of variance test or Kruskal-Wallis test and also, and also, one-way ANCOVA test were used to check the difference between groups before and after training.
Results: In face-to-face training, variables such as awareness, usefulness and perceived ease of use, as well as attitude and performance regarding the use of information technology before and after face-to-face training or clip did not have significant differences.
Conclusion: Examining the effectiveness of the teaching methods in this project will help the public relations of the university to act quickly for the changes that will occur in the field of web branding in the future, in terms of preparing and accompanying the audience.
Maryam Andalib Kondori, Ahmadreza Varnaseri, Maryam Ghanbari Khoshnood, Seyed Abedin Hoseini Ahangari, Mohammad Karim Saberi, Hamid Bourghi,
Volume 17, Issue 6 (2-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: This research aimed to study the status of providing health information services in public libraries in Tehran, which was conducted based on the views of librarians working in these libraries.
Materials and Methods: The research method was applied in terms of its purpose and descriptive in terms of data collection, which was conducted as a survey. The statistical population was 150 librarians of public libraries in Tehran. The tool for collecting information was a researcher-made questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS statistical software..
Results: The status of health information resources available in public libraries of Tehran is low and very low in most sources. The level of familiarity of librarians with health and public health issues is %20. The level of familiarity of librarians with selective dissemination of health information services is low and very low with %77.4. The participation rate of librarians in medical information workshops is faced with the non-participation of %70 of librarians. The familiarity of librarians with the services of selective distribution of health information is low and very low. %60 of librarians are not familiar with medical information systems. The percentage of familiarity of librarians with internal medical websites is %60-78 weak. The percentage of familiarity of librarians with foreign international websites in the field of health is average. Librarians consider the main reason for providing selective health information services to improve the level of health literacy in the society. Also, the main obstacle to providing health information dissemination services is the librarian not having enough time to provide services.
Conclusion: The country’s public libraries should consider measures to familiarize librarians with the field of health information and implement policies in this field. Considering the appropriate technical facilities of public libraries in Tehran, it is possible to create and access internal and external health systems and websites. and expanded the sources and documents of librarians’ health information.
Parisa Moradimajd, Shahnam Sedighmaroufi, Shaqayeq Taghizadeh, Mr Jamileh Abolghasemi, Alireza Babajani,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: One of the basic principles in the safety of drug therapy for patients is the correct registration and labeling of anesthetic drugs, which can lead to the reduction of drug errors, the increase of drug and patient safety, the reduction of drug consumption and the environment, and the optimization of hospital costs.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional research was conducted in February 2022 in the operating rooms of Iran University of Medical Sciences hospitals. The participants included 177 Anesthesia experts working in the hospitals’ operating rooms, who were included in the study by census method. The data was collected using the checklist for evaluating anesthetic drug registration and labeling guidelines and analyzed using SPSS software and one-way ANOVA, Fisher, and Pearson correlation coefficient statistical tests. The significance level was considered P value < 0.05.
Results: The average compliance with the guidelines for registration and labeling of anesthetic drugs in all hospitals was 3.559 out of the total score of 16. The average adherence to guidelines in 8 hospitals was significantly different from each other (P < 0.001). Hazrat Ali Asghar Hospital had the highest compliance rate, averaging 10.333 out of 16. Firouzgar and Shahid Akbarabadi hospitals were in the next rank, averaging 10.11 and 6.65, respectively. There was a negative and significant correlation between the level of compliance with the guidelines and the average work experience and age of the experts (P=0/17); However, gender did not significantly correlate with the degree of adherence to the guidelines(P=0/596).
Conclusion: According to the obtained results, compliance with the guidelines for registration and labeling of anesthetic drugs in most hospitals was assessed as weak and at an unfavorable level. Considering the importance of this issue in reducing medication errors and increasing patient safety, it is necessary to use empowerment and retraining courses for Anesthesia experts according to the latest guidelines.
Hassan Zarghani, Masoud Jabbari, Sajjad Pandesh,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: X-ray radiation, besides its useful applications in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, also has harmful effects. With the increasing demand for various radiographs and X-ray imaging, radiation protection for radiographers is of particular importance. In this regard, a study was conducted to examine the level of awareness, attitude, and performance of radiographers in Iran with regards to the effects of ionizing radiation and protective methods against them.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, based on a census, the awareness, attitude, and performance of radiographers in 52 cities in Iran were examined by using a questionnaire. Data from 847 radiographers were collected. Finally, the data were analyzed using t-test and analysis of variance through SPSS statistical software.
Results: Out of the total distributed questionnaires (748 items), 531 questionnaires were completely filled by radiation workers. In the present study, 46% were male and 53% were female, with average scores related to the awareness, attitude, and performance of radiographers in the field of radiation protection being 59.9, 69.4, and 43.54, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the awareness levels of individuals who had undergone refresher training (24.3%) and those who had not. Radiographers’ knowledge of specialized information such as the principle of As Low as Reasonably Available (ALARA) (68.5%), Bucky factor (65.5%), and heel effect (61%), alongside the relationship between source-to-skin distance and radiation intensity (71%), was at a moderate level.
Conclusion: The poor performance of radiologists in this study is not solely attributed to functional deficiencies but sometimes also involves the institutionalization of incorrect principles. These weaknesses and shortcomings are undoubtedly the result of inadequate supervision and erroneous modeling over a long period. If not addressed, they will undoubtedly have irreparable destructive consequences in the future, especially with the increasing advancement of diagnostic radiology methods.
Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Dashti, Amid Khatibi Bardsiri, Mehdi Jafari Shahbazzadeh,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Medical reports and electronic health records are critically important for diagnosis, treatment, patient protection, and medical research. Correcting spelling errors in medical texts is essential to ensure accurate interpretation of information. This research was conducted to automatically correct spelling mistakes in Persian medical texts using neural networks.
Material and Methods: In this study, which was conducted in 2023, a computational model based on artificial intelligence neural networks and dual embedding techniques was developed using Python in a Windows environment. The dual embedding model was fine-tuned for correcting spelling errors in Persian sonography texts. The proposed model employs various techniques for automatic error detection, including dictionary lookup approach and contextual similarity coefficients. Furthermore, features specific to text processing, such as Edit-Distance, along with similarity coefficients, were utilized to automatically select the most appropriate substitute for a misspelled word. The training and testing data for the current model were sourced from a collection of sonography texts from the Imam Khomeini Hospital’s sonography clinic in Tehran.
Results: The proposed model which is based on artificial neural networks, leverages a novel dualembedding architecture to select the best candidate words for correcting both non-word and real-word errors. According to the evaluation results on Persian sonography text, the proposed model achieved an F-Measure accuracy of 90.5% in detecting real-word errors. Furthermore, it demonstrated an impressive 90% accuracy in automatically correcting these real-word errors. Additionally, the model exhibited a strong performance, achieving 90.8% accuracy in correcting non-word errors.
Conclusion: Based on the evaluation results, the proposed method is robust against various changes in word forms and can effectively manage a wide range of morphological and semantic errors, including replacements, transpositions, insertions, and deletions in medical texts. The integration of EditDistance with textual similarity coefficients extracted from the dual embedding model significantly enhanced the accuracy of spelling corrections in Persian sonography texts, ensuring greater validity of such documents. The authors believe that the proposed model represents a significant advancement in the detection and correction of spelling errors in Persian sonography texts.
Shahnaz Khademizadeh, Bahram Peymannia, Fatemeh Rafieinasab,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The term “information behavior,” with an emphasis on health and hygiene, refers to purposeful actions taken to satisfy informational needs related to health. The objective of the current research is to develop and validate a questionnaire on information behavior, with a focus on health and hygiene information.
Materials and Methods: This study was a quantitative research conducted with a tool design approach. Initially, a questionnaire for measuring this behavior was prepared using instrument design methods. The basis for extracting the factors of the present questionnaire has been argumentation and logical repetition. In other words, the researcher, in line with the background of these factors and their repetition in the sources, used them as influential factors in the questionnaire construction. After confirming the content and structural validity, the modified questionnaire was distributed among 238 patients with multiple sclerosis. The sample selection.
was done using the available sampling method. Then, the data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency of the data was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods with the help of SPSS and AMOS software.
Results: The content validity of the questionnaire was evaluated with the opinion of 20 experts in information behavior. The reliability of the health information behavior questionnaire was adequate and satisfactory with the overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.78 and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the components between 0.71 and 0.94. In order to factor analysis, the sampling adequacy index and the value of Bartlett’s Crowley test were calculated, and all 29 items were statistically significant; which confirms the factorization of the correlation matrix. In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors (avoidance of information), the second factor (need for information), the third factor (exposure to information), the fourth factor (seeking information), and the fifth factor (use of information) were obtained. The indicators of confirmatory factor analysis showed the validity of the proposed structure. The results of the structural equation model test showed that the fit indices were favorable and also indicated the fit of the presented model in the MS patient population.
Conclusion: The obtained results demonstrated that health information behavior in this questionnaire encompasses five factors: information needs, information-seeking behavior, information avoidance, information use, and information confrontation, which were confirmed. The designed scale for assessing health information behavior in the Iranian community has been evaluated and is recommended for use in measuring health information behavior effectively.
Mehdi Raadabadi, Zahra Tolideh, Zahra Shoara, Zahra Yeganeh, Jamil Sadeghifar, Khalil Momeni,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: There is limited evidence about the effect of the corona disease epidemic on the efficiency of hospitals in Iran. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of the Covid-19 epidemic on the productivity of public hospitals in Ilam province.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective descriptive research has investigated the performance of 9 hospitals in Ilam province during a four-year period(1397-1400) based on the Pabon Lasso graphic model. The desired data were extracted from the HIS system of the hospitals and the key performance indicators of BOR, BTR and ALOS were calculated. The Pabon Lasso diagram was drawn with Excel software.
Results: The results showed that the bed occupancy percentage in teaching hospitals is significantly higher than non-teaching hospitals (P<0.05). Based on the results, the percentage of bed occupancy and the rate of bed rotation after the covid 19 pandemic has decreased significantly (P<0.05). The average length of the stay of patients also increased after the pandemic (P<0.05). Overall evaluation of hospital efficiency based on the Pabén Lasso model shows that the frequency of hospitals located in Nakara district has decreased from 4 hospitals before the pandemic to 3 hospitals, although hospitals in Kara district have not changed during this period.
Conclusion: Most of the researched hospitals, especially non-teaching hospitals, have low bed occupancy. Weakness in the service delivery chain, especially diagnostic services and specialized and super-specialized services, is one of the main reasons for this situation. Moving towards a change in the way hospitals are managed and having more flexibility in the structure and implementation in the short term and prioritizing large hospitals with a complete chain of services can lead to a way out of the current inefficient situation.
Bizhan Hooshmand Moghadam, Shadi Moazami Goudarzi, Amir Rashid Lamir,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Adipokines imbalance causes pathological effects on this system. Exercise interventions can play an important role in regulating the secretion of adipokines. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of resistance training on the serum level of apelin, vaspin, and blood pressure in elderly men with hypertension.
Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 24 elderly men with high blood pressure were selected purposefully and based on the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to resistance training (N=12) and control (N=12) groups. The participants of the resistance training group performed resistance training for 12 weeks and three days a week. At the beginning and end of the study, blood samples were collected to measure the serum level of apelin and vaspin. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24 software with dependent and independent t-tests at a significant level of less than 0.05.
Results: After 12 weeks of resistance training, there was a significant decrease in the serum level of apelin (P=0.002), vaspin (P=0.01), systolic blood pressure (P<0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (P<0.001) as compared to the pre-test. In addition, a significant difference was observed between the two experimental and control groups in the serum level of apelin (p=0.001), vaspin (P=0.001), systolic blood pressure (P<0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (P<0.001).
Conclusion: It seems 12 weeks of resistance training can improve systolic and diastolic blood pressure and regulate the secretion of adipokines apelin and vaspin in elderly men with high blood pressure.
Majid Jangi, Azade Shayan Babokan, Nasim Ghalili Najafabadi, Sedigheh Torki Harchegani,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Considering the limitation of resourses, improvement of the hospital efficiency is an absolute necessity. The Covid19 pandemic had a considerable effect on performance indicators of hospitals. This study aimed to investigate changes of indicators of hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences before and after Covid19.
Materials and Methods: This study was descriptive-cross sectional. The statistical population included all hospitals under the coverage of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (38). The input data were related to the three years 2019 to 2021 (the year 2019 as the year before outbreak of Covid-19, the year 2020 as the first year of outbreak and the year 2021 as the second year of outbreak), which were collected using the researcher’s form based on reports extracted from the statistics and hospital information system available in the statistics and information technology management and finally the data analyzed through the PabonLasso model.
Results: Process of indicators during the years 2019-2021 shows that mean of indicators of bed occupancy rate and bed turnover rate as the first year of outbreak of Covid19 (2020) that was the peak of the disease has decreased as compared to the year 2019 and average length of stay has increased. In years 2019, 2020 and 2021, 24.32, 23.68 and 24.32 percent of hospitals were in the third area (efficient area). From 2019 to 2020, efficiency change was observed in 27 percent of the hospitals where 6 hospitals had positive trend and 4 hospitals had negative trend and from 2020 to 2021, efficiency change was observed in 16 percent of hospitals where 2 hospitals had positive and 4 had negative trend.
Conclusion: Considering the low efficiency of hospitals, it is suggested to carry out continuous and annual assessment of efficiency changes in hospitals in order to identify the causes of inefficiency early and preventing its drop and it is necessary for health managers and policy makers to take appropriate measures in the conditions of the outbreak of unexpected disease such as the outbreak of Covid-19 in order to use hospital resources more optimally.
Malihe Ghanaatjoo, Nader Jahanmehr, Dr. Hamed Dehnavi, Aida Samadi,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The increase in the amount of information and the need for their daily monitoring have led to the development of tools called management dashboards that have the ability to analyze graphical data. In addition to preparing quick reports in different time frames and user-specific format, the dashboard can be useful for providing dynamic updated information for accurate decision-making and quick response to changes.
Materials and Methods: The current research was carried out in the form of qualitative studies and participatory action research method in 9 steps. In this applied and developmental research that was conducted cross-sectionally using the data of the first half of 2022, 11 members of the leadership team of a super-specialized children’s hospital were selected as research participants. The data collection tool was an interview using a questionnaire to determine the importance of indicators and a usability questionnaire (usability) of the dashboard based on three independent variables (usefulness, ease of use and satisfaction). The Excel file of data needed for the dashboard was collected from the HIS system of the hospital, and the dashboard was designed with Power BI software, and the capabilities and access levels of users were determined based on their duties. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Excel software version 2016.
Results: In the stage of determining key performance indicators, out of 39 indicators selected by the research team, 22 indicators scored an average score of 4 or higher (from 5 points) and 21 indicators were able to be implemented. The data repository in Excel format was used as an intermediate environment. The dashboard was displayed on six pages (indicators related to the performance of inpatient beds, mortality, emergency and other indicators) and the capabilities of each page were determined. After implementing the dashboard and determining the access levels of users, obtaining a high score from the questions of the usability questionnaire (5 out of 7 points) and obtaining an average score of 71.8 out of 5 questions related to usefulness variables, 70.5 out of 8 questions related to ease of use. And 71 out of 3 questions related to the satisfaction variable showed that the dashboard designed for the hospital had high usability.
Conclusion: Hospital management dashboard information can be a basis for informed decision-making to achieve benefits such as identifying the best performance, improving performance quality, making faster decisions, reducing errors, improving capacity management and work flow, allocating resources and planning for growth and development.
Fatemeh Mirshekari, Elham Maserat,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Considering the growing trend of cancer in Iran, the development and implementation of digital health literacy systems accelerates the capabilities of digital health and the self-management process of patients. Digital health literacy means the ability to effectively and consciously use digital technologies to access health-related information and services. This skill plays an important role in accessing medical information, disease management, improving the quality of life of people, especially cancer patients. Digital health literacy is considered as one of the most key factors of equal access to digital health information. The purpose of the present study was to formulate the requirements of the digital health literacy system with a focus on cancer.
Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in two phases of literature review and validity and reliability of requirements in 2023. In the first stage, a literature review was conducted with the keywords of digital health literacy, cancer, requirements, system and application in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, academic Jihad scientific database and specialized websites. To check the content validity of the survey, 62 experts were surveyed and CVI and CVR were calculated.
Results: Hundered and twenty seven functional and non-functional components were approved. Requirements in the functional section was divided in six main dimensions information literacy module (8 functional components), information and communication technology literacy module (18 functional components), media literacy (5 functional components), public, specialized and population-oriented health literacy module (47 functional components) ), digital health literacy module (28 functional components), and digital health literacy module in cancer (6 functional components) were divided. In the section of digital health literacy in cancer, the main components of needs assessment, digital health literacy training, evaluation and monitoring of the effectiveness of digital interventions and information search skills were approved. Fifteen non-functional components were also approved. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient obtained (92%) indicated high reliability and reproducibility.
Conclusion: Digital health literacy systems can facilitate health care services. Considering the acceptable validity and reliability of the study, the defined requirements can be used to implement digital health literacy systems centered on cancer.
Mina Shirvani, Mostafa Roshanzadeh, Maryam Rabiey Faradonbeh, Razieh Mirzaeian,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (5-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Nursing students are exposed to various educational, family, and social stresses and various factors can affect their mental health. Therefore, in order to pay attention to different dimensions of health and investigate the effects of spirituality on health, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of fasting on the mental health of nursing students of Borujen Faculty of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: The present semi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design was conducted in 2022 at Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences. Ninety nursing students of Borujen Faculty of Medical Sciences were selected by available methods and assigned to two intervention and control groups by a simple random method. The intervention in this study included at least 23 days of fasting during Ramadan. The data before and after the intervention were collected by the demographic information questionnaire and the 21-question depression, anxiety, and stress standard tool (DASS). The validity and reliability of this questionnaire were conducted for the first time in Iran by Sahebi et al. in 2005. SPSS was used for analysis. Descriptive statistical tests including frequency percentage, mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistical tests including t-test, paired t-test, analysis of variance, and chi-square were used.
Results: There was no significant difference in the total mental health score between intervention (32.32±11.62) and control (29.87±14.09) groups before the intervention (P=0.08). There was a significant difference in this score between intervention (20.6±5.71) and control (29.49±8.9) groups after the intervention (P=0.04). The total mental health score in the control group before (29.87±14.09) and after (29.49±8.9) the intervention had no significant difference (P=0.15); while in the intervention group before (32.32±11.62) and after (20.6±5.71) the intervention had a significant difference (P=0.001). Mental health dimensions before and after intervention, indicated that anxiety (P=0.04) and stress (P=0.003) decreased significantly after the intervention in the intervention group. However, there was no significant difference in the depression dimension (P=0.06).
Conclusion: According to the results, it should be said that regular and periodic examination of the health level, and the promotion of educational and training programs on the subject of fasting to improve mental health, should be considered.