Iranian Journal of Health Sciences
Volume:3 Issue: 4, Autumn 2015

Background and The age of the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its manifestation is now identified at childhood. In the present study, we aimed to epidemiologically assess OCD and its main determinants in school-age children. This cross-sectional study was performed on 600 consecutive schoolage children (7-12 years old) in primary schools at Kermanshah, Iran in May 2012. OCD status was assessed using the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory. In this study, the prevalence of OCD in children were 12.2% (73 person). Among OCDs, 32.0% were male and 68.0% were female with a significant difference (P < 0.001). Among different subscales of OCD, checking was more prevalent in girls than in boys 74.0% vs. 65.0%, P < 0.001), whereas doubting was more revealed in boys than in girls 56.0% vs. 34.0%, P < 0.001). In this regard, no differences were found between boys and girls in the rate of washing subscale (43.0% vs. 40.0%, P = 0.456) and slowness domain (30.0% vs. 34.0%, P = 0.294). Totally, mean MOCI score was significantly a higher in girls than in boys in different grades of education. OCD was influenced by father’s occupation status, parents’ education level, order of birth, dependence to mothers and previous history of OCD in fathers. The prevalence of OCD was a higher than other areas in the country and other populations. Because of the existence of OCD potential determinants including socioeconomic level and familial tendency, the high prevalence of the disease must be considered in correlation with these factors.

Background and In the process of rapid urbanization and industrialization in developing countries, environmental pollution is a major concern. One of the fastest growing problems of environmental pollution is an excessive intake of lead in urban soils. Lead concentrations in urban soil may result from human activities such as vehicle emissions and industrial activities. This study aimed to determine of lead contents in roadside soil samples in Tehran city, Iran. One of Tehran municipality’s subsections was selected for the collection of 21 samples from seven stations along a main urban highway. In this study, samples were taken over a period of 3-month in the dry season. Sampling was performed in the order of 100 m long, perpendicular to the roadside at 0, 50, and 100 m from the road. Lab measurements were performed on the physical and chemical properties of samples. The extraction was performed using four kinds of acids (HCL, HNO3, HF, and HCLO4). Lead concentrations were measured by a spectrophotometer with an average concentration of lead in soil samples of roadsides standing at 112.21 part a million (PPM), and the average lead bio-accessibility at 14.19 PPM. Lead concentrations showed a linear decrement in proportion to the distance from center line of the road. Human cultural activities were sources of lead pollution by examine soil contamination indexes.

Background and Leukemia is the most prevalent type of cancer in children and its prognostic factors vary in different geographic locations. The aim of this study was to estimate the 5 years survival rate of children suffering from leukemia in Kerman, Iran and to investigate the factors which might influence it. This was a cohort study conducted on patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cases were all younger than 15 years old admitted to Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran between 1998 and 200, and included 219 patients. Survival rates were estimated by applying the Kaplan–Meier method. Log-rank test was used to estimate the statistical difference in survival probability and the effect of independent variables on survival was examined using Cox regression. All analyses were performed using STATA-12. The cumulative 5 years rate of survival in this study was 58% and 43% for ALL and AML, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0030). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that white blood cell (WBC) &ge 50,000 &mul (P = 0.0100) and relapse (P = 0.0060) of ALL patients has a significant effect on survival. In AML due to the small number of patients significant results were not achieved. The cumulative survival rate at the end of 1 year for low, medium and high-risk patients were estimated 97%, 94%, and 78%. Leukemia patients with and WBC &ge 50,000 &mul and a history of relapse had less survival.

Background and Providing health services in health centers is a challenging and risky job. So that, realization of quality, performance, efficiency, and fairness in the provision of such services needs a proper condition to ensure that the stress experienced by the personnel is minimized. The present study is a survey of the factors effective on job stress among the nurses working in the educational hospitals affiliated with Tehran Medical Science University, Iran. The study was conducted as a correlative work with a sample size of 180 nurses. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used as data gathering tool. The validity of which was confirmed by the experts and its reliability was ascertained using Cronbach’s alpha (&alpha = 0.92). The data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics such as central indices and inferential statistics including Pearson correlation coefficient. Mean score of the physical environment (1.96), occupational conflict (1.97), and ambiguity of role (2.20) were less than the average score. In addition, there was a statistically significant relationship between physical environment, occupational conflict, and ambiguity of roles on one hand and the stress experienced by the nurses on the other hand (P <0.05). Given the significant relationship between physical environment, occupational conflict, and ambiguity of roles on one hand and the nurse’s stress, on the other hand, improvement of the environmental problem and assigning tasks that are more specific can be greatly helpful in improvement of the work condition.

Background and High-risk pregnancy is referred to a situation in which mother, fetus or neonate are in higher risk of morbidity or mortality. Because of adverse outcomes of high-risk pregnancies, this study aims to determine these outcomes in the North of Iran. We recruited 803 urban and rural pregnant women in this crosssectional study via consensus method. Data were collected by a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics [mean, standard deviation (SD)], chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression model. All data analyses were performed using SPSS software and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Mean ± SD, minimum and maximum age of participants were 27.0 ± 6.2, 14 and44 years, respectively, 26.3% of which were urban residences. The frequency of adverse outcomes of pregnancy (stillbirth, abortion, and weight under 2500 g) was 10.8%. According to the multivariate logistic regression model, preeclampsia was significantly associated with adverse outcomes of high-risk pregnancy (Odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.03-7.10). Our study showed that preeclampsia during pregnancy is a predictive factor of adverse outcomes of pregnancy such as abortion, stillbirth, and low birth weight.

Background and Scorpion sting is one of the major health problems of undeveloped countries, which causes severe complications and sometimes death.This study aimed toassessment Knowledge of scorpion sting patients who admitted to Ahvaz Razi Hospital about pre-hospital care. This is a descriptive study, which its participants were sampled by a pilot method, and the sample size was estimated equal to 100 based on the formula. Forthis study, the tools for collecting the data were a questionnaire of demographic data, including nine questions and a researcher-made questionnaire related to the knowledge level of the patients about pre-hospital cares consisting of 12 questions. After collecting, the data were entered them into SPSS version 18. Then, the data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics includingfrequency and analytic statistic chi-square. The data of the present study showed that the highest rate of scorpion-sting had been in women. In addition, most stings occurred inside the home and in the city. The most cases (80%) did not have knowledge about first aids to the injured personalso about the use of tourniquet most cases(70%) have low knowledge.Considering the low knowledge of the injured people about the pre-hospital actions,it seems necessary for the society to be educated adequately about this issue to prevent the adverse outcomes such as amputation of an organ because the incorrect use of tourniquet, death of the injured person due to lack of knowledge about first aids.

Background and Surveillance is a system of continuing health checks, is considered as a critical part of public health practice for planning and implantation of effective prevention and control interventions for communicable diseases in the region. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an active method of data collection on the improvement of these diseases surveillance. This research was an interventional study that carried out from January 2011 to January 2013. We surveyed the number of reporting communicable diseases before and after this modification on collecting data in our region and compared them. We changed the method of data collection from passive to active by experts. The collected data analysis was performed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-test. A total of 763 physicians enrolled, of whom 327 were employed in the health centers non-affiliated to the university. In the centers non-affiliated to the university, the mean reporting from these centers were 12.0 ± 8.7 [95% confidence interval (CI): 11.1-13.0] after the intervention, compared with 2.8 ± 3.7 (95% CI: 2.4-3.2) before the intervention. The mean reporting from affiliated centers did not change considerably after the intervention (11.7 ± 16.1 vs. 12.1 ± 16.3). The mean reporting of both groups in 2012 was significantly different from that in 2011 (P < 0.001). But no difference was observed between mean reporting of two groups throughout 2012 (P = 0.998). We recommend the active method for collecting data of communicable disease, especially from the physicians in centers non-affiliated to the university.

Background and Fascioliasis is one of the zoonotic diseases in the world that has public health and economic perspectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Fascioliasis in slaughtered cattle in the industrial slaughterhouse of Arak, Iran (2007 2010). This study sample was consisted of 648994 head of cattle including 292797 sheep, 81012 cows, and 275185 goats that were studied using a macroscopic method. Data analysis was performed by chi-square test and SAS software. The prevalence frequency of Fascioliasis in all slaughtered cattle was 7657 head that the most infected of animals was belong to sheep by 3280 head infection, and afterward 3037 and 1340 head of goats and cows were infected, respectively. There is a significant difference between seasons in each year (P < 0.05). Although the prevalence of Fascioliasis infection is relatively low, but imposing economic losses due to the deleting of infested organs of animals and decrease in livestock products, indicates the existence of conditions for health risks for residents which requires more inclusive and comprehensive sanitary and control measures due to this parasite’s life cycle and transmission.