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Y Mohammadi, M Javaheri, L Mounesan, Kh Rahmani, K Holakouie Naeini, A Madani, F Ghasemi,
Volume 8, Issue 1 (10 2010)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Community involvement is the most important strategy in development. In health program planning, community assessment is a process in which society members get a thorough understanding of all matters, problems, resources, weaknesses, strengths, needs, and surveillance related to health by collecting, analyzing, and publishing relevant data and information. This study was conducted to identify and prioritize problems of the Chahestani region, a poor region in Bandar-Abbas city, Iran, with active participation of the people.
Materials and Methods: The study was based on a model designed in North Carolina, US. In this model, the assessment process is performed in eight steps. In the first seven steps problems are identified and prioritized, and in step 8 a plan of action is developed to deal with the problem selected.
Results: A total of 60 problems were identified, of which the following were considered to be top priorities: lack of responsibility of the authorities, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, sewerage disposal, insufficient water, insufficient electricity, unpaved roads, lack of green space, and dirty streets and passages.
Conclusion: Most of the problems identified were non-health problems, including social, cultural, and economic issues.
Z Zarei Ghane, A Mirshafiey, A.r Razavi, A Sarafnejad, N Aalizadeh, M.r Khorramizadeh,
Volume 8, Issue 2 (21 2010)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered as a common inflammatory disease of the human central nervous system (CNS). 4 amino pyridine (4-AP), a potassium channel blocker, is used widely in MS treatment to reduce fatigue and cachexia often experienced by the patients. The objective of this study was to get a better understanding of the mechanism of action of this drug, using the cell culture model. More specifically, we attempted to determine the effects of the drug on 1. The profileration of, and its cytotoxicity on, the neurons, and 2. The activity of MMP-9 in the neurons.
Materials and Methods: Considering the available reports on the wide range of 4-AP effects, we designed this study to investigate its possible role in proliferation or cytotoxicity of the MS cellular model, i.e. astrocytoma U373-MG, using the MTT assay technique. We also analyzed the effect of 4-AP on cell functionality as assessed by matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) zymography.
Results: The results showed that while 4-AP at a concentration of 0.1 and 1 mM has no significant cytotoxic effects on the treated cells, it has remarkable MMP-9 inhibitory effects (p<0.01). The proliferation analyses confirmed the stability of 4-AP effects on cell functionality.
Conclusion: On the whole, the results of the present study show the desirable effect of 4-AP on MMP-9 activity at non-cytotoxic doses, promising its further therapeutic applications.
Sedigheh Sadat Tavaffian, Teymour Agha Molaei,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (1-2014)
Abstract
Background and Aim: In recent years great emphasis has been put on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This study aimed to assess the lifestyle of high school and pre-university students in Bandar-Abbas, Iran.
Materials and Methods: Using a multistage sampling method a total of 410 high school and pre-university students in Bandar-Abbas, Iran were selected. To assess the lifestyle of the students the Adolescent Health Promotion Scale was used. This 40-item scale assesses six health-promoting behaviors, including those related to nutrition, social support, personal responsibility, health valuation, physical activity, and stress management.
Results: The mean age of the students (49.8% males and 50.2% females) was
16.5 (SD=1.34) years. The data showed the mean score of the total scale to be 64.89 out of 100. The mean scores (out of 100) of the subscales of nutrition, social support, personal responsibility, health valuation, physical activity and stress management were 71.06, 63.00, 63.12, 82.11, 41.49, and 68.58, respectively.
Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that the health-promoting behaviors of high school students living in Bandar-Abbas are not, on the whole, desirable. The regular physical activity subscale had the least score, which shows that a sedentary lifestyle is a common, serious problem among thestudents.
Afsaneh Motevalli Haghi, Mohammad Delavari, Mehdi Nateghpour, Mohammad Shekari, Habiballah Turki, Ahmad Raeisi, Azam Roshan,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (9-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim : Asymptomatic malaria is a great challenge in the control, elimination and eradication programs of the disease in the endemic areas. The infected individuals with asymptomatic malaria are not cured and are, consequently, a potential source for contamination of the mosquito vectors and spread of the disease in the area. Therefore, detection of asymptomatic infected people is very important as regards combating the disease. This study was conducted to determine the presence and prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in Jask district, Hormozgan Province, Iran during 2012-13, in the hope that the results will help in designing strategies to eliminate the disease in the area.
Materials and Methods: A total of 200 persons under coverage of health centers in Jask district were selected randomly and enrolled in the study. From each subject a 5-ml blood sample was taken in 3 occasions (total number of samples = 600), slides p repared and examined using microscopic and molecular (PCR) methods, as well as rapid diagnostic (RDT) tests.
Results: None of the 600 slides prepared microscopically showed any positive malaria case. Neither did any of those prepared by RDTs or Nested-PCR.
Conclusion : The findings of this study indicate that implementation of the malaria control program has been successful in the area therefore the malaria elimination program should continue.
Marjan Hossein Pour, Shahrzad Nematollahi, Mohammad Shekari, Abdolhossein Madani, Ali Akbarisari, Ali Ardalan, Elham Torabi, Hossein Shabkhiz, Kourosh Holakoie Naieni,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (3-2016)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Nowadays, in health promotion and disease prevention great emphasis is put on participatory community-based approaches. These approaches are considered as the main strategy of health promotion by using multiple interventions. Community assessment is a participatory research approach in which problems prioritization and resource distribution are done using information collected in a region aiming at promoting health of the community.
Materials and Methods: In this applied research community assessment was made in the Chahestaniha region in the City of BandarAbbas with the objective of identifying and prioritizing the main problems. The assessment consisted of eight phases, namely, the formation of a community assessment team, Primary and secondary data collection, data analysis and interpretation, combining district-level health statistics with community assessment data, reporting to the community, prioritizing health problems, and prepared a community assessment document. In the eighth phase, after considering all risk factors that cause high prevalence of Children head lice, the action plan was designed and implemented to solve the problems.
Results: The Chahestaniha community assessment led to identifying 52 problems. The priority problems were classified. High prevalence of lice on children’s head was chosen as the top major problem to be solved, an action plan for solving it was developed and implemented.
Conclusion: The full cycle of community assessment methodology can be applied, with only some small changes, in most communities with different sizes, cultures, traditions and social habits. The method can obtain participation of the people in conducting the study and implementing interventions.
Ali Safari Morad Abadi, Teymour Agha Molaei, Ali Ramezankhani, Sakineh Dadipoor,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Health literacy implies the achievement, processing and perception of fundamental information and services required for making appropriate health-related decisions. Due to the high significance of health literacy during pregnancy and its direct effect on fetus, the present research was conducted to investigate the health literacy of pregnant women visiting medical centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran in 2015.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study conducted on 250 pregnant women visiting the healthcare centers in Bandar Abbas, Iran selected by mixed sampling (both clustering and simple random). The data were collected using an adult health literacy questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16, the statistical tests being independent-sample t-test, ANOVA, Tukey test and linear regression.
Results: The average age of the pregnant women was 31.61±7.45 years. The proportions of the women with an adequate, borderline and inadequate level of literacy were 52%, 20.8% and 27.2%, respectively. A statistically significant association was found between health literacy and education (p<0.001), age (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.001) and the quality of healthcare provision during pregnancy (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The results reveal that the mothers’ health literacy is inadequate or at borderline. Based on these results the following are recommended in an attempt to promote health literacy of pregnant women: 1. revising/simplifying teaching materials, including both oral and pictorial, in addition to written materials in the form of posters, pamphlets and brochures; 2. promoting communication skills of health workers/mothers.
Sahar Peikani, Naser Nasiri, Halimeh Yaghoobi, Dayoush Bastam, Fatemeh Doost Mohammadi, Mohammad Vahedian Shahroudi,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (3-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Congenital hypothyroidism is the most common metabolic disease and endocrine disorder in children and a major cause of mental retardation, which can be prevented only through early diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism in newborns referred to Shahid-Ghodsi Health Center in Mashhad, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study, including 4484 newborns referred to Shahid-Ghodsi Health Center for congenital hypothyroidism screening, was conducted during the first six months of 2015. Data were collected from the screening forms and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS 21, the tests being the two-sample T-test, analysis of variance, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests; in all the tests the significance level was 5%.
Results: Of the 4484 neonates screened, 51% and 48% were males and females, respectively. The recall rate was estimated to be 2.6% and prevalence of the disease 1 in 370 neonates. There were statistically significant associations between hypothyroidism on the one hand and birthweight, type of feeding (nutrition), primary and serum TSH levels of the neonate on the other.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism in Mashhad is significantly higher than that national and global averages. It is essential to conduct more comprehensive research to determine the associated factors and design suitable interventions in order to prevent the disease.
