Journal of School of Public Health and

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The aim of this study was to detect the level of the workers’ knowledge and their function regarding the care of lumbar spine. Some researchers have reported that increased knowledge of the workers, even when they have received specific training, does not cause any major changes in their back’s health and function. However, some research has shown a significant relationship between increased knowledge and improved worker function. Other research has shown that Back School instruction is effective in raising the level of knowledge in workers. This research was carried out using two questionnaires that assessed the level of knowledge and function of workers in a car company. The questions were designed in four groups relating to: (1) goods and load properties and methods of carrying and handling, (2) worker’s posture at work, (3) physical exertion, (4) tools and conditions of the workplace. Measures of outcome included the workers&apos function and the knowledge. We found that the workers&apos knowledge fell into one of 3 categories: low (%11), moderate (57%), and high (%32). We also found that %52 of workers had weak function, while %18 had moderate, and %2 had high function levels. Twenty-eight percent of workers showed function levels below that of the “low” category. In brief , our research showed that the level of the workers’ knowledge of the appropriate methods of work in relation to their back was in an acceptable range. However, this function level was associated with low knowledge levels. No significant relationship was found between the workers’ knowledge levels and their functional improvement.

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Background and Aim: Food and nutrition is one of the most essential needs of human societies and gaining sufficient and suitable food for all people is based on food security. Children are one of the most volnurable groups, so researchers and nutritionest emphasize on studying and analyzing of different aspects, effects and associated facters on prevalence of food insecurity and obesity among children. This study aimed to determine the association between obesity and food security and some related family factors inYazd primery school children.

Materials and Methods: Using two stage cluster sampling from 35 Yazd primary schools, a total of 3245 students aged 9-11y (1587 boys & 1658 girls) were randomly selected. Then 187 students 9-11y who had a BMI 95th percentile of Hosseini et al. (1999) reference, were identified as obese and 187 same age and gender pupils (having 15th<85th percentile) were studied as controls. Data were collected by demographic and USDA questionnaires.

Results: We found that the prevalence of obesity among student aged 9-11 years was 13.3% and the prevalence of food insecurity was 30.5%. Data analysing indicated that with adjusting variables such as "paternal education and occupation, economic status" there was a significant association between obesity and food insecurity in these levels: father's educated by secondary school, self-employment and low and moderate level of economic status. However, no significant association was observed between obesity and food insecurity when family size and maternal education were adjusted.

Conclusion: Paternal education and occupation, and family economic status were recognised as associated factors with food insecurity but other factors didn,t show significant relationship. There is lack of published information regarding some factors affecting food security therefore, it is necessary to performe such studies in other regions too.

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Background and Aim: Arthropod-borne diseases are one of the major causes of human mortality. Since launch of the first meteorological satellites in 1960s, remote sensing has been increasingly implicated in the field of human health research and the data from satellites and their sensors with different spatial and temporal resolutions opened a new field of research in human health for scientists.

Material and Methods: Search engines and national/international scientific databanks were used to search keywords of remote sensing, satellite, tick, mosquito and sand fly and obtained articles were analyzed.  

Results: Some ecological indices were used more in remote sensing of arthropod-borne diseases, including NDVI, SST, LST and CCD.

Conclusion: Data of environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, land use/ land cover help us to detect the habitats of vectors of diseases regard to their ecology. However, the scope of applications, beyond theoretical large potentialities, appears limited both by their technical nature and the related models developed. The main problem for application of remote sensing in health science and epidemiology of diseases, is the costs of satellite images as well as the availability in the studied times to monitor a specific subject like vector or agent of the disease. Although the majority of health studies and diseases monitoring need to application of high spatial resolution images.

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Background and Aim: Sustainable development to address the global economic, environmental and social issues has been introducedby prominent scientists and is widely used by governments, international organizationsand NGOs. This study aimed to assess the current sustainable development situation influencing health and the future of health in Iran.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study. The sample size was determined using the targeted intentional method and data were collected through targeted search, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions.

Results: Sustainable development situation in the country has improved in terms of quantitative indicators of child and maternal mortality and Human Development Index.Have However, badair quality, unemployment, inflation and other social harms have had undesirable trends.The most important  causes of slow sustainable development have been reliance on oil revenues, unemployment, increased inflation, inequity in incomes,  poverty, and insufficient intersectoral coordination due to lack of a multi-ministerial secretariat. The health sector should have a comprehensive approach to promoting health of the population.

Conclusion: Based on the findings, it is recommended to include training courses for managers based on sustainable development principles, as well as management techniques in academic training and in-service training of managers. It is essential to create a multi-ministerial infrastructure and, even, a infrastructural power, for cohesion and coordination in order to ensure sustainable development.