Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Inequality in the distribution of hospital recourses is a great obstacle in planning and provision of health care. This inequality in mainly observed in the government hospitals in a country. The objective of the present study was to determine the distribution of specialized physicians and active beds in the Iranian government hospitals between 2001 and 2006

Materials and Methods: The method used in the study was retrospective, descriptive- analytical. The data were analyzed (Lorenz Curve and Gini index estimation), using the Excel Software.

Results: Based on the Gini coefficient, the distribution of specialized physicians during the 5-year period (2001-2006) was 0.0876, 0.0874, 0.0909, 0.0329, 0.0951, and 0.0520, respectively. The corresponding figures for active beds were 0.024, 0.0171, 0.0208, 0.0251, 0.0212, and 0.084.

Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that, in spite of differences in the proportions of specialized physicians and active beds among the provinces with regard to their populations, the distributions in the government hospitals have been equitable. The results of this study can provide useful insights for the country's Health Ministry policy-makers.

  Background and Aim: The role of nutritional quality of the diet in the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) is not yet well understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between index of nutritional quality (INQ) and MS.

  Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 70 patients with a definitive diagnosis of MS in the preceding year and 140 frequency-matched hospital controls were selected from among 20-50 year-old patients referred to Sina and Lolagar hospitals in Tehran. The subjects’ dietary intakes were assessed using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. INQs for all the nutrients were then calculated for every participant, and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios for having MS in relation to every nutrient’s INQ.

  Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, it was seen that subjects who had higher INQs for alpha-linolenic acid, vitamins A, D, K, B₁, B₂, B₅, B₆, folate, B₁₂, and C, and minerals calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium were less likely (p<0.05) to have MS as compared to subjects with lower INQs for these nutrients.

  Conclusion: The findings of the present study show inverse associations between the INQ of many nutrients and risk of having MS. Therefore, it seems that overall improvement of the nutritional quality of the diet might be an appropriate approach for prevention of this disease.