Chronic Diseases Journal
Volume:9 Issue: 4, Autumn 2021

Lung is the primary organ affected by the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) virus, which causes pneumonia, an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Lung computed tomography (CT) is a very useful and practical modality in diagnosing COVID-19 due to its speed and high sensitivity in determining the severity. When visiting patients with suspected COVID-19 in hospitals, general practitioners are usually the first medical staff to visit these patients. Therefore, sufficient knowledge in the interpretation of the patients' lung CT scan is essential for general practitioners.

A 28-year-old male patient referred to a physician at the hospital. He had only the symptoms of shortness of breath and mild chest pain during deep breathing. The general practitioner requested a CT scan of the patient; in addition, the physician diagnosed that the lungs were healthy and prescribed azithromycin and diphenhydramine syrup. Since the patient was a medical staff and was fully acquainted with CT scans, he became suspicious of the stereotype of his lung image and referred to an infectious disease specialist. Upon seeing the CT, the specialist immediately became suspicious of COVID-19 and referred the CT to a radiologist.

In order to prevent misdiagnosis and spread of COVID-19 in the examinations, it is necessary to enhance the general practitioners' knowledge of the CT scan of lungs of suspected patients and patients with low lung infection, which can be difficult for general practitioners, by infectious disease specialists and radiologists.

This study was performed aiming to determine the effectiveness of life skills training on marital intimacy and family functioning among married women with major depression in Tehran, Iran.

This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design accompanied by control and experimental groups. The statistical population included all married women with major depression referring to community centers of district 14 of Tehran. Among the desired centers, the Sarasiab center was selected using a simple random sampling method and a list of married women with major depression was provided. Finally, 30 subjects were randomly selected using the purposive sampling method and divided into the two groups of control and experimental. Initially, the pre-test stage was implemented. The experimental group received 10 90-minute training sessions of life skills, while the controls received no intervention. The instruments used included McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and Walker and Thompson’s Intimacy Scale which were employed by the participants of both groups. Data was analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

The results indicated that implementation of the independent variable at the significance level of 0.01 has affected the participants’ marital intimacy (P < 0.01, F(1,27) = 13.00). In addition, implementation of the independent variable at the significance level of 0.05 influenced the participants’ family functioning (P < 0.05, F = 4.70).

The results showed that implementation of life skills training significantly increases marital intimacy among married women with major depression in Tehran. It also significantly increases the quality of family functioning among married women with major depression in Tehran.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a very debilitating disorder that requires lifelong treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of strategies of coping with stress in the relationship between psychological capital and rumination in people with OCD.

This was a descriptive-correlational study in which the statistical population included all people with OCD in Kashan, Iran, in 2019. 86 individuals were selected by the convenience sampling method. For data collection, the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ), Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), and Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis.

There was a significant relationship between the strategies of coping with stress and psychological capital with rumination in people with OCD. In addition, coping strategies play a mediating role in the relationship between psychological capital and rumination in individuals with OCD.

Therefore, psychologists and counselors working in the field of OCD are advised to pay attention to the role of psychological capital and their coping strategies in providing counseling and psychotherapy interventions for people with this disorder

Passive defense is one of the most effective and sustainable methods of defense against threats, especially in hospitals. In hospitals, worthy managers are nessesary to continue growth and sustainable success. Aim of this research is presenting a competency model of treatment managers using a qualitative method in field of passive defense.

The statistical population in the qualitative field included 26 experts from the scientific community and academic specialists. Comprehensive library reviews and evaluation of past studies were done and then, using the Delphi method, the dimensions and competency components of managers were identified with a passive defense approach. Kendall test and "Kendall’s coordination coefficient" were used to evaluate the degree of consensus and coordination of panel members. Data were analyzed by SPSS software and by executing the analyze command, nonparametric tests, and K related samples (P = 0.05).

The value of Kendall coefficient was 0.766 for the level of agreement and consensus of experts in the second round for the competency dimension of managers and 0.746 for the competency components of managers, which showed that there was coordination between views. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of panel members' responses in the first round and in the second round showed the importance of competency factors.

The competence of senior managers can change their performance in this position in the organization and generally help in identifying potential and profound characteristics. Therefore, managers should increase the general knowledge by participating in training courses and psychology topics.

Marital relationship is described as the most important and fundamental human relationship. This study was conducted aiming to predict marital satisfaction based on the emotion regulation in married women, considering the mediating role of happiness.

This was a correlational study conducted based on a communicational design using the drawing conceptual model and path analysis method. The data of the present study were collected during February to May 2017. For this purpose, among married women with chronic diseases who referred to the subspecialty Naft Hospital of Tehran, Iran for annual check-ups, 350 women were selected based on the average of the three recent related studies and using the respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method. Data were collected using a demographic checklist, the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ). For data analysis, regression analysis, drawing conceptual model, and path analysis method were used in LISREL software and SPSS software.

The data analysis showed that the emotion regulation variable with the coefficient of  = -0.258 and happiness variable with the coefficient of  = 0.475 correlated with the marital satisfaction variable. Additionally, the emotion regulation variable predicted the happiness with the coefficient of β = -0.436 (P < 0.0001 for all variables).

The results of this study, in line with research background, indicate a significant role of emotion regulation in explaining the marital satisfaction index with mediating role of happiness. The results of this study can be associated with clinical applications in the field of family interventions, couples therapy, and sex therapy.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a hereditary metabolic disorder and is inherited as autosomal recessive, so it is more likely to occur in consanguineous marriages. Early diagnosis is made by screening and timely treatment can prevent brain damage.

This was a descriptive study including all children identified with PKU in Qazvin Province, Iran, up to march 2017. The required information was obtained through interviews with parents and reviewing of cases. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Of the 63 infected patients, 55.5% were residents of Qazvin City and the rest were residents of other cities in the province. Parents of 54.0% of the patients were related. 20.6% of patients had at least one patient with PKU in their family. The mean age that patients were diagnosed before screening was 34 months, and the statistical difference between the two groups was significant (P < 0.001). 52.4% of the patients were girls. The most common reason of referring of the patients before screening was a developmental delay. The prevalence of hyperactivity, seizures, and delay in walking and language were significantly different between the two groups (P <0.001).

Early diagnosis and treatment of children with inherited metabolic diseases can prevent brain damage and retardation in them and reduce the financial and psychological burden of treating these children by maintaining their intelligence quotient (IQ).

Personality types and religious orientation are important in the self-management of patients with cancer. The present study was performed with the aim to investigate the predictive role of personality types and religious orientation in the self-management of patients with cancer.

The statistical population of the study included all patients with cancer in Tehran, Iran. Aria and Toos hospitals, as well as two private offices were selected as the places willing to cooperate in the implementation of the questionnaires. From among the patients referred to these centers, 200 people were selected by the convenience sampling method. The questionnaires used in this study included three questionnaires of religious orientation, personality questionnaire, and the self-management scale introduced in the following. In this study, the data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

The relationship between the predictor variables and self-management was significant (P < 0.050). Neuroticism, extraversion, agreeability, conscientiousness, internal religious orientation, and external religious orientation were significantly correlated (P < 0.050). Internal religious orientation and external religious orientation can change self-management (P < 0.050).

Accordingly, it can be concluded that there was a relationship between the personality types and religious orientation with the self-management of people with cancer.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) can affect many aspects of life. Numerous psychological interventions have been applied to control this disease. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness and homeopathy on sleep and chronic pain in patients with DM in Tehran, Iran.

The method of study was quasi-experimental with a control group with pretest and posttest stages. The statistical population of the study consisted of all patients with DM referred to the Iranian Diabetes Society (IDS) in Tehran in 2016. Patients with DM with sleep and chronic pain disorders were selected for this study. Among the individuals, 45 people were randomly selected and placed in 3 groups (homeopathy n = 15), mindfulness (n = 15), and control group (n = 15). The two experimental groups (homeopathy and mindfulness) underwent the interventions of homeopathy and mindfulness, respectively, while the control group was in the wait list. All three groups filled out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) at the baseline and follow-up steps. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software (version 22, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA).

The results showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBRS) and homeopathy could improve chronic pain and sleep disorders in the experimental groups (P < 0.05), however the mindfulnessbased treatment was better than homeopathy for reduction of chronic pain and improvement of sleep disorders (P < 0.05).

Mindfulness and homeopathy are effective in the reduction of chronic pain and sleep disorders in patients with DM, with mindfulness being more effective than homeopathy. This alternative medicine could improve pain and sleep effectively in patients with DM.