Modern Care Journal
Volume:12 Issue: 2, Apr 2015

Nesfatin-1 is a newly discovered anti-appetite protein which is expressed in adipose tissue and appears in plasma. It has a significant role in energy homeostasis and metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of an 8-week endurance and resistance training on the plasma level of nesfatin-1, cardiorespiratory endurance, and body composition of overweight and obese females. A sample of 34 overweight and obese females were recruited and randomly allocated to the control (10 students), endurance training (12 students), and resistance training (12 students) groups. Females in the experimental groups did either endurance or resistance training for 8 weeks—four sessions per week and 32 sessions in total—with a severity of 65%–80% of maximum heart rate (HRmax) and 65%–80% of one repetition maximum (1RM). A blood sample was obtained from each participant before and after the study intervention and after twelve hours of fasting. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was employed for measuring the plasma level of nesfatin-1. The normality of the study variables was assessed by conducting the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Moreover, within-group comparisons were performed via the paired-samples t test while between-group comparisons were made by conducting the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the least significant difference (LSD) post hoc test at a significance level of less than 0.05. The means of participants’ age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were respectively 22.29 ± 2.49 years, 77.23 ± 10.00 kg, and 30.19 ± 2.79 kg/m2. Compared with the control group, the plasma level of nesfatin-1 as well as cardiorespiratory endurance increased after the study intervention in both of the experimental groups. Besides, weight, body fat mass, BMI, and waist-to-hip ratio decreased significantly in the experimental groups (P < 0.05). As non-invasive non-pharmacological procedures, both endurance and resistance training can exert protective effects on overweight and obese females’ health through increasing the level of nesfatin-1 anti-inflammatory agent and improving obesity-related indices.

Hemophilia is among the most prevalent and the most serious coagulation disorders which causes different problems for both the afflicted children and their families. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and quality of life (QOL)among the principal caregivers of children with hemophilia. This correlational study was conducted in 2014. All 50 principal caregivers of the children who suffered from hemophilia were recruited through the census method from the Hemophilia Care Center of Valiasr (PBUH) hospital, Birjand, Iran. The data collection tools were a questionnaire for the demographic characteristics of the caregivers as well as the children’s age, the Anisi’s 12-item QOL questionnaire, and the Calsbeek 21-item Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). The SPSS software (v. 16.0) was employed for data analysis. The data were analyzed through conducting the Mann-Whitney U, the Kruskal-Wallis, and the Spearman correlation tests as well as the stepwise multiple regression analysis at a significance level of less than 0.05. The QOL total score was inversely correlated with emotion-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping strategies (P < 0.05). Moreover, the mean score of male caregivers’ QOL was significantly higher than female caregivers’. In addition, the mean score of problem-based coping strategies among the caregivers who aged 40 or younger was significantly higher than those caregivers older than 40 (P < 0.04). However, the relationship of coping strategies and QOL with the other demographic characteristics was not statistically significant. Individuals’ QOL can be improved by educational programs and workshops for revising and improving their coping strategies.

Oral disorders are among the commonest health problems which usually begin during adolescence. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of an educational program based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on oral health behaviors of elementary school female students. This was a quasi-experimental study in which 60 female fifth-year elementary school students participated. The participants were recruited from Mashhad، Iran، through multistage random sampling and were randomly allocated to the two groups of experimental and control. The study intervention was developed and implemented based on the components of the Health Belief Model. The data were collected via a researcher-made questionnaire whose content validity and reliability were assessed and confirmed. The Cronbach alpha values of different domains of the questionnaire ranged from 0. 7–0. 8. The collected data were entered into the SPSS (v. 16. 5) and were analyzed by conducting the paired- and the independent-samples t test، chi-square، and Fisher exact tests at a significance level of less than 0. 05. Moreover، the measures of descriptive statistics were used for describing and presenting the data. The means of the students’ age in the experimental and the control groups were 10 ± 0. 48 and 10 ± 0. 61 years، respectively. The paired-samples t test showed that in the experimental group، there were statistically significant differences between the pretest and posttest values of the constructs of the HBM (P < 0. 05); however، these differences were not significant in the control group (P > 0. 05). Moreover، after the study intervention، the oral health behaviors of the students in the experimental group were significantly better than before the intervention (P < 0. 001); however، the behaviors of the students in the control group did not change significantly (P = 0. 9). The study findings indicate that education based on the HBM is effective in promoting the behaviors that prevent oral disorders among students. Accordingly، the HBM seems to be an appropriate model for developing and implementing educational interventions for disease prevention and health promotion.

Nosocomial infections have been always among the major problems of healthcare delivery systems. The operating room is an appropriate place for causing severe nosocomial infections. Knowledge of infection control guidelines and standards is the key to infection prevention. This study was conducted to investigate nurses’ knowledge and self-efficacy regarding the principles of infection control in the operating room. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was conducted in 2013. The census method was employed to recruit 62 nurses from the operating rooms of Imam Reza (PBUH) and Valiasr (PBUH) teaching hospitals, Birjand, Iran. The study data were collected by using a 3-part questionnaire on nurses’ demographic characteristics, knowledge of infection control principles (25 questions), and self-efficacy (10 questions). The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through assessing its content validity. Moreover, the Cronbach alpha values for the knowledge and the self-efficacy parts of the questionnaire were 0.82 and 0.86, respectively. The data were analyzed by conducting the Pearson correlation test and the independent-samples t test by the SPSS software (v. 16.0). From 62 participating nurses, 44 nurses (71%) were female, 46 nurses (74.2%) were married, 27 nurses (43.5%) had a work experience of less than 10 years, and 40 nurses (65%) held bachelor’s degree. The participants’ mean age was 29 ± 7.0 years. Most of the participants (42 nurses; 67.7%) had previously received in-service educations about infection control from whom, 26 nurses (64%) were dissatisfied with the educations and 28 nurses (68%) reported that they needed to participate in continuing education programs on infection control. The infection control knowledge of 41 nurses (66.1%) and the self-efficacy of 49 nurses (79%) were at moderate level. There was a significant correlation between nurses’ knowledge and gender (P < 0.001) and between their knowledge and self-efficacy (R = 0.271 and P = 0.033). The findings of the present study indicated that nurses’ knowledge and self-efficacy regarding the principles of infection control in the operating room were moderate. Accordingly, strategies are needed for enhancing nurses’ knowledge and promoting their infection control practice.

Patients who receive hemodialysis need effective education in order to maintain their health. One of the effective methods for education is computer-assisted education. The aim of this study was to compare the impacts of computer-assisted multimedia education and traditional method on clinical parameters of patients receiving hemodialysis. In this interventional study, all patients referring to four hemodialysis centers located in Tabriz, Iran, were recruited and allocated to the experimental and the control groups. Patients’ clinical parameters were measured and documented in a checklist both before and three months after the study intervention. The inter-rate correlation coefficient of the checklist was 0.99. While receiving hemodialysis, patients in the experimental group used the ‘Hemodialysis Essential Care (HEC)’ multimedia application on a laptop. Patients in the control group were educated by using the traditional face-to-face lecture method. After entering the data into the SPSS software (v. 13.0), they were analyzed by conducting the independent- and the paired samples t test, chi-square, McNemar, and Fisher exact tests. After the study intervention, patients’ systolic and diastolic blood pressures, itching, and serum urea decreased significantly in both the experimental (32 patients) and the control (30 patients) groups (P < 0.05). However, interdialytic weight gain significantly decreased only in the experimental group (P < 0.05). The differences between the study groups regarding other parameters were statistically significant neither before nor after the study intervention (P > 0.05). Computer-assisted education by using the ‘HEC’ multimedia application was as effective as the traditional face-to-face lecture method in improving patients’ clinical parameters. Accordingly, this educational application can be used for facilitating patient education and improving care quality.

The most important component of each organization is its workforce. Improving employees’ mental health and commitment is the prerequisites to training a healthy workforce. This study was undertaken to examine the relationship of organizational commitment (OC) with mental health among employees of Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. In this correlational study, 211 employees of Birjand University of Medical Sciences were recruited by using the stratified random sampling method. The data collection tools were the Mayer and Allen’s Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire. The Cronbach alpha of these two questionnaires had been reported to be 0.89 and 0.90, respectively. The SPSS software (v. 18) was used for analyzing the data by conducting the Pearson correlation coefficient, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Tukey post hoc test, and the independent-samples t test at a significance level of less than 0.05. The means of participants’ mental health and OC scores were respectively 19.59 ± 10.03 and 57.05 ± 12.37. OC and its domains were significantly correlated with mental health (P < 0.05). However, it was not correlated with participants’ demographic characteristics. On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between mental health and gender (P = 0.001), educational status (P = 0.001), and employment status (P = 0.004). The correlation of different domains of OC with each other was also statistically significant (P < 0.05). Given the significant correlation of OC with mental health, managers can improve employees’ mental health and productivity through adopting strategies for enhancing their OC.

Adolescence is associated with physical and emotional changes and certain tensions which coping with them necessitates the use of cognitive and behavioral strategies called coping styles. Since adolescence, peer attachment is developed. Secure attachment produces positive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between adolescents’ peer attachment and their coping styles. This correlational study was conducted in Birjand, Iran, on 302 high school students who had been recruited through stratified random sampling. The 24-item Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) and the Lazarus Adolescents Coping Scale (ACS) were used for data gathering. The attachment inventory consists of 24 items in three domains of trust, quality of communication, and extent of anger and alienation. The ACS assesses 18 coping strategies in three coping styles. The items of this scale are scored on a 5-point scale. After entering into the SPSS software (v. 16.0), the data were analyzed by conducting the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the multiple regression analysis, and Tukey post hoc, Pearson correlation coefficient, the independent-samples t test, and the chi-square tests at a significance level of 0.05. In total, 199 male (65.9%) and 103 female (34.1%) students participated in this study whose mean age was 16.55 ± 1.04 years. Female students’ mean score of the emotion-focused and the avoidance coping styles were significantly higher than their male counterparts. Besides, the results of the Tukey post hoc test illustrated that the fourth-year students’ mean score of the anger domain of the attachment inventory was significantly higher than the second-year students (P = 0.01). However, the mean score of peer attachment was not significantly correlated with the educational and the employment status of the participating students’ parents. There was a significant difference between the male and the female students regarding the mean scores of the trust and the communication domains of attachment. Regression analysis also revealed that the domains of peer attachment were significant predictors of the adolescents’ coping styles. Peer attachment predicts coping styles. The mean score of the problem-focused coping style was significantly higher than the other styles. Female students’ mean score of the emotion-based and the avoidance coping styles was significantly higher than the male ones, denoting the great necessity for developing and implementing educational programs. Peers are important sources of emotional support for helping adolescents assess their social environments and establish new relationships. Therefore, parental supervision on adolescents’ peer relationships is essential.