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Daryoush Yarahmadi, Mansour Halimi, Zahra Zarei Chaghabalki, Hasan Jems,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (6-2017)
Abstract
Background and Aims: Cutaneous leishmaniosis (CL) is a neglected tropical vector-borne disease. As other vector-transmitted diseases, its transmission is sensitive to the physical environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and annual incidence of CL in Iran.
Materials and Methods: The data of ENSO were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center for the period 1977-2011(34 years), and the annual data on CL incidence in Iran from WHO. To determine the association between the ENSO annual fluctuations and annual CL incidence we used crosstab analysis and tow-tailed independent t-test to find any possible differences among the annual CL incidence according to different phases of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI: El Niño, warming phase; La Niña, cooling phase; neutral phase).
Results: Analysis of the data showed that, as compared with the years when El Niño and La Niña were dominant, the annual incidence of CL in Iran was lower in the years when neutral phases of SOI were dominant. The highest incidence was found to have occurred during the years with an intermediate La Niña dominance. During the years when La Nina was dominant the incidence of CL was, on the average, 15-20% higher than that in the years with a neutral phase, while the difference between the annual CL incidence in neutral years and El Niño years was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The findings reveal that in general the mean incidence of cutaneous leishmaniosis during the years with a neutral ENSO index is lower than that during the years with dominant El Nino or La Nina, although there is no difference between incidence in the neutral years and the El Nino-dominant years.
Masoud Sadeghi, Zahra Moradi,
Volume 18, Issue 2 (9-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common and most important type of arthritis caused by interaction of genetic, immunologic, psychological and social factors and is accompanied by chronic pains. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of treatment based on acceptance and commitment to the perception of pain and functional disability of women with rheumatoid arthritis in Khorramabad, Iran.
Materials and Method: This was a semi-experimental study with a pre- and post-test design with experimental and control groups, the statistical population being all the women with rheumatoid arthritis in Khorramabad, Iran. A sample of 40 women were selected using the available sampling method and randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 20) or a control (n= 20) group. Under similar circumstances a pre-test was conducted using the pain perception and functional disability questionnaires in both groups. Admission- and commitment-based treatment interventions were then performed in the experimental group in eight 90-minute sessions, but the control group did not receive any intervention. At the end, post-tests were done in both groups.
Results: The multivariate and univariate analysis of covariance showed that the intervention based on acceptance and commitment had a significant effect on reducing the patients' perception of pain and functional disability (P <0.001).
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be said that treatment based on acceptance and commitment can reduce the perception of pain and functional disability in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, along with medical treatment, this type of treatment can be used to reduce the perception of pain and functional disability of such patients.
Safoora Mavaeeyan, Fazlolah Mirderikvand, Masoud Sadeghi,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (9-2021)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in Iran. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of existential-humanistic therapy in self-acceptance and marital satisfaction in women with breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population was the women with breast cancer referring to Shahid-Rahimi Hospital in Khorramabad, Iran in 2020, from among whom two groups (experimental and control) of 15 women each were randomly selected and asked to complete the self-acceptance (USAQ) and marital satisfaction (ENRICH) questionnaires. Then the experimental group attended eight 90-minute intervention sessions. After the intervention, both groups took a post-test and followed up further after two more months. The data were analyzed using
the repeated measures ANOVA test.
Results: The repeated measures ANOVA test showed that the interaction between group and time was statistically significant. Therefore, the self-acceptance and marital satisfaction variables increased significantly (F=5/77, P<0/01 and F=13/97, P<0/01, respectively).
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, existential-humanistic therapy has a significant effect on self-acceptance and marital satisfaction in breast cancer patients. It is, therefore, recommended to pay attention, in addition to the physical problems of such patients, also to their psychological problems and, along with pharmacotherapy consider psychotherapy, including existential-humanistic therapy as well.
Elham Fatholahi, Mohammad Jafari,
Volume 21, Issue 1 (10-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Products such as tobacco are considered harmful to human life due to the fact that they contribute greatly to mortality around the world. Tobacco use kills more than eight million people worldwide annually. This has necessitated the imposition of taxes on such harmful products with the aim of reducing their demand and, thus, guaranteeing the increase in the health of the population in Iran.
Materials and Methods: Using the tobacco tax as a proxy for the tax on harmful products and the death rate as an indicator of the general health of the population, this study investigated the effect of the tax on harmful products on the health of the population in 30 provinces of Iran between 2007 and 2018. For this purpose, the dynamic panel generalized moment method (GMM) using Eviews 10 and stata17 software was used as an experimental estimation technique.
Results: Analysis of the data collected revealed that the tax on harmful products can help promote the health of the population, since the government can use the additional income thus generated to improve the health of the population. These findings support the World Health Organization's justification that taxes on harmful products, especially on tobacco, not only can reduce their consumption, but also can help to promote health outcomes. In addition, increasing the tax on cigarettes, which is considered the most important and key strategy by the World Health Organization, will lead to spending the resulting income on improving health and educational infrastructure, health centers, emergency services, etc.
Conclusion: In general, the more a government spends on health care, the more the health of the population and, consequently, the higher the life expectancy of the population. Regarding the effects of prices/and taxes on smoking or tobacco consumption on the mortality reduction in Iran, if the taxes imposed on harmful products are increased and the resulting additional funds are used and effectively administered to meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization, better desirable outcomes will result in the health of the population as compared to those observed in this study. In addition, the policymakers should start actions that will help promote economic growth, because this will increase the health of the population. Moreover, actions and efforts aiming to increase the population growth rate should be accompanied by significant investments in the health sector.
Elham Fatholahi, Mohammad Jafari,
Volume 22, Issue 1 (10-2024)
Abstract
Background and Aim: In recent years the interrelationships among environment, energy and health have attracted increasing attention due to their significant impact on human health. This study aimed to investigate the complex interactions among environment, economy, development, energy and the health outcomes in Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this research the annual national data in Iran between 1981 and 2021 were used, using the fully modified least squares cointegration. The following variables affecting life expectancy at birth were included in the analysis: renewable energy consumption, health costs, air pollution, female literacy rate, inflation rate, Gini coefficient, GDP per capita, financial development and fossil fuel consumption.
Results: Data analysis showed the following: 1. financial development positively affects life expectancy with a coefficient of 0.037 ; 2. CO2 emissions and fossil fuel consumption decrease life expectancy by 0.015 and 1.02, respectively; 3. Renewable energy consumption and health expenses have improved life expectancy in Iran with positive coefficients of 0.025 and 0.035, respectively.
Conclusion: To improve health care outcomes action should be taken in the following areas: increasing health expenditures, increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing the use of fossil fuels, strengthening long-term financial development for easier access to medical treatments, decreasing disease risk, healthier lifestyles, and environmental quality improvement. In addition, as regards policy-making, planning to improve economic indicators can provide the basis for demand for healthy and educational goods and improve the health status of the society.
