Ali Ahmad Rafiei-Rad, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Hamid Sharifi,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (3-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Condom use in extramarital sexual relations is a major tool, protecting the two partners against venereal diseases. Therefore, it is essential to investigate this matter. This study aimed to determine the reasons for using and not using the condom by the Iranian youth
in their extramarital sexual relations and the related cultural issues.
Materials and Methods: This was a national cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling in 13 provinces in Iran, including 3246 participants 19-29 years old, conducted in 2014, using a questionnaire to collect data.
Results: The proportion of males in the sample was 51% and that of females 49%. On the whole, 19.5% of the participants (31.7% of the males and 6.9% of the females) had had extramarital sex relations. The proportions of the participants with a history of extramarital sex using the condom at every intercourse, almost at every intercourse, sometimes and never were 21.7%, 15.4%, 35.3% and 27.6%, respectively. The reasons for not using the condom regularly were unavailability of the condom, not liking it, its high price, it not being necessary and using other tools.
Conclusion: The major reasons for not using the condom had cultural roots or were related to personal and cultural preferences. Encouraging condom use widely would require appropriate cultural policy-making
Mohammad Javad Kabir, Alireza Haydari, Mohammad Reza Honarvar, Zahra Khatirnameni, Abbas Badakhshan, Narges Rafiei, Sakine Beygom Kazemi, Seyed Mehdi Sedaghat, Mehrdad Kamangari, Masoumeh Gholami, Maryam Eri, Mansoureh Lotfi,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2021)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The World Health Organization considers the implementation of the referral system to be a key step in improving the quality of services in health care systems. The purpose of this study was to explain the executive challenges of the electronic referral system in Golestan Province, Iran.
Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Golestan Province, Iran in 2019 with a content analysis approach. The participants were family physicians, specialists, university staff managers, responsible health officers in the Offices of Deputy Ministers of Health, the General Directorate of Health Insurance, Department of Information Technology, Rural Health Network managers, health network managers and patients selected purposefully. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the content analysis method.
Results: The main challenges of giving appointments to patients included the lack of time of family physicians, the irregular presence of specialists, difficulty in getting an appointment, and reverse referrals. As regards referrals and waiting times, the main challenges were found to be the lack of sufficient admissions following cancellation of the health insurance contract with the private sector, the delay of physicians in attending the health centers, long waiting times to be visited, and writing the feedback by the physicians. In addition, the main challenges of the visits and diagnosis included the short visiting times, the higher quality of the specialists' visits in the private sector, and the lack of clear guidelines. Finally, the main challenges as regards giving feedback were the reluctance and noncommitment of some specialists to provide feedback, as well as the low quality and lack of usability of the feedbacks given.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, the following actions and measures may help improve the current situation as regards the current referral systems: allocating sustainable resources; allocating financial credits; designing and implementing a reward and punishment system; reforming the queuing system; empowering medical students; and equipping specialists with electronic pens for giving written feedback.
