Marzieh Farnia, Mohammad Shahbazi, Ghobad Moradi, Sepideh Alizadeh, Bahman Ebrahi, Maryam Kandi Kalle,
Volume 11, Issue 1 (8-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: probably after pestilence, HIV/AIDS is most important and severe health threat for public health. Prisons could facilitate the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis and transmit it to societies. The main strategy to control HIV/AIDS and hepatitis among Injecting Drug Users is Harm Reduction Programs. These programs are conducted in Iran Prisons. The goal of this study is to evaluate Harm reduction Programs including Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) and Needle exchange from the viewpoint of prison staff in Iran including principals, managers, physicians and counselors.
Materials and Methods : It was a cross sectional study in which 370 prison staff working in prisons all around the country were evaluated to assess their viewpoint and insight about Harm reduction Programs including Methadone Maintenance therapy and Needle exchange.
Results: A percentage of 95.23 of prison managers and experts had a positive view toward Methadone Maintenance therapy. 70.25 percent had a positive insight toward needle exchange program. The employment type and work experience was significantly (p<0.05) related to the viewpoint of managers and experts towards Methadone Maintenance therapy program. Age was the only factor that had a significant relationship (p<0.05) with Needle exchange program.
Conclusion: MMT has lots of supporters in prisons. The positive insights of managers and experts towards methadone maintenance therapy program demonstrate the high level of staff’s approval for conducting this program it could be interpreted as a sign of success of program in the country. However there is not a comprehensive approval and collaboration with needle exchange program in prisons. Nevertheless, it is alarming that 42.5% of staff believe that conducting methadone maintenance therapy may increase and intensify addiction in prisons.
Sara Shahbazi, Maryam Tajvar, Zeinab Khaledian, Mir Saeed Yekaninejad, Hossein Dargahi,
Volume 18, Issue 4 (3-2021)
Abstract
Background and Aim: In 2020 the rank of Iran in happiness index and gender inequality were reported to be rather low, they being, among 153 countries, 118 and 113, respectively. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between gender inequality and happiness in Iran's provinces.
Materials and Methods: This ecological study was conducted based on secondary analysis of data on happiness index, as the dependent variable, and gender inequality, as the main independent variable, in 31 Iranian provinces, the statistical population being people over 10 years old. The sources of data on other background variables were previous national studies and the national statistical yearbook. Analysis of the data was done using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression.
Results: No significant relationship was found between gender inequality and happiness (p<0.05) in the provinces. Neither was found any relationship between the background variables and happiness. However, the mean age of the population and gender inequality were inversely associated (p<0.05), meaning that with an increase in the mean age gender inequality would decrease.
Conclusion: The fact that no statistically significant association was found between the various variables and happiness in Iran’s provinces could be due to the small sample size.
We would recommend to investigate further this topic at the individual level and with a larger sample size.
