Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology
Volume:4 Issue: 2, Spring 2015

Taxi drivers have the most important role in the public transport services. They are exposed to various harmful agents and occupational hazards. Noise is a harmful occupational factors and hearing loss is its most important effect. Protection of drivers against hearing loss is essential. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of hearing loss among taxi and agency drivers.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 95 drivers (43 taxi drivers and 52 agency drivers) who were selected via simple random sampling. The threshold of driver's hearing was measured by an audiometer. After data extraction, data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis test to compare the average level of hearing between the left and right ears and drivers.
The average age of taxi drivers and agency drivers was 43.5 ± 10.8 and 40.7 ± 8.3 years, respectively. In addition, the average work experience of taxi drivers and agency drivers was 9.5 and 6.5 years, respectively. The average of hearing threshold level in right and left ears of agency drivers was 12.96 ± 4.2 and 12.74 ± 4.64 dB and of taxi drivers was 12.53 ± 5.16 and 15.61 ± 12.7 dB, respectively. A hearing threshold of less than 25 dB in each ear illustrates the lack of hearing loss; thus, the studied drivers did not have hearing loss.
The results showed that the drivers hearing status was satisfactory. Furthermore, the prevalence of hearing loss in taxi drivers was higher than agency drivers.

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection mostly transmitted by animals to humans; thus, consideration of sanitary instances is an important preventive method for this disease. Therefore, we designed a study in order to reduce the rate of brucellosis in Baneh County, Kurdistan Province, Iran.
The sources of data were the medical documents of patients diagnosed in health centers and private laboratories during 2011–2012. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and chi-square and t-test) P > 0.05). In addition, in the second section of the research, data on all brucellosis patients and experts were used to design an intersectional preventive interventions model for this county.
A total of 135 brucellosis patients were surveyed in this study during 2011-2012, and a total of 80 experts participated in this research. It was found that 43 patients (31.9%) lived in the city and 92 of them (68.1%) lived in a village; and 71 of them (52%) were men and 64 (48%) were women. The most common way of incurring the disease was drinking non-boiled milk [42 (31.11%)]. Moreover, 100% of the patients and 100% of the experts believed that intersectional intervention is the best prevention method for brucellosis.
Considering the results, it can be concluded that the intersectional intervention with unique management is the best way for reducing the incidence and prevalence rate of brucellosisin in Baneh County.

Studies show that most students do not have sufficient scientific spirit and motivation and usually do not have the right attitude toward their chosen field of study. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of students in occupational and environmental health at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Iran, toward their disciplines.
This cross-sectional study examined the attitudes of 150 students of environmental and occupational health in relation to their field of study. The participants consisted of students who were studying at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences between 2010 and 2013. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and P values of less than 0.05 were considered as significant.
The mean and standard deviation score of attitudes of occupational and environmental health students toward their field of study and their future career were 39.6 ± 8.7 and 44.5 ± 8.5 (Total: 42), respectively. The mean score of environmental health students was close to the acceptable limit; however, the mean score of occupational health students was less than the acceptable limit. Mean score of attitude among male students was 43.2 ± 9.9, while it was 41.3 ± 8.3 among female students, indicating that the mean score of female students was below the acceptable limit and was not significant (P = 0.213). Mean score of attitude among single students was 42.6 ± 8.7, while it was 39.9 ± 9.2 among married students. The mean for married students was below the acceptable limit and this relationship was not significant (P = 0.015).
Although the attitudes of environmental health students toward their major were positive, occupational health students’ attitudes were negative. Thus, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education can accommodate students’ admission to these majors considering the needs of the labor market. Moreover, these majors’ curricula should be based on the real needs of society and creating new job markets should be a high priority.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy is a common nutritional disorder with adverse effects for the baby, such as premature birth and low birth weight, and the mother, such as cardiovascular symptoms and reduced physical and mental strength. Therefore, identifying factors affective on IDA will assist the improvement of the health of the mother and fetus. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of IDA in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and some related factors in pregnant women referred to healthcare centers in Bandar Lengeh, Iran, in 2015.
In this cross-sectional study, 418 pregnant women, who were referred to health centers in the city and had completed their pregnancy, were assessed through systematic sampling. Data were collected using the researcher-made checklist and through a review of health records. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Fisher's exact, and McNemar's test.
The mean age of the participants was 27.17 ± 5.62 and most participants were in the age group of 18-35, had high school education, were homemakers, and experienced their first pregnancy. The findings of the study showed that the prevalence of IDA was 22.5% (confidence interval: 18.4%–26.5%) and 45.9% (Confidence interval: 41.1%–50.6%) in first and third trimester of pregnancy, respectively. IDA in first and third trimester of pregnancy had significant correlation with pregnancy interval (P According to the results, it seems that the prevalence of IDA was undesirable, especially in the third trimester. Since this eating disorder is a preventable complication and pregnant women are a group at risk of anemia, attention to the expansion of pre-pregnancy care, increased awareness of mothers regarding appropriate nutrition and maintenance of a diverse and balanced diet, regular consumption of supplements, contraception in older women, and maintenance of appropriate intervals between pregnancies seem essential.

Nosocomial infections are an important cause of hospital mortalities. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) carriers among medical staff are an important source of nosocomial infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the nasal carriers of S. aureus and antibiotic resistance in staff of Nikuee Hospital, Qom, Iran.
In this cross-sectional study, 152 health care workers (HCWs) were assessed to determine the frequency of nasal carriage of S. aureus, the rates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and their antibiotic resistance profiles in Nikuee Hospital in 2012. Clinical samples were cultured and S. aureus was detected using conventional bacteriologic methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns against penicillin, vancomycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, cefazolin, co-trimoxazole, and doxycycline were evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique. Methicillin resistance was confirmed by oxacillin disk diffusion test. Data were analyzed in SPSS software using chi-square test and independent two-sample t-test.
Among the processed samples, 34.2% illustrated nasal carriage of S. aureus, and among them, 23.5% were carriers of MRSA. None of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin. However, 96.1%, 33.3%, 27.5%, 19.6%, 9.8%, and 15.7% resistance to penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, cefazolin, co-trimoxazole, and doxycycline were observed. There was no significant relationship between sex, age, and number of years of healthcare service and positive nasal carriage.
Data obtained in this study revealed high prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus (34.2%) in HCWs at Nikuee Hospital. Therefore, it can be concluded that the role of the hospital staff in Nikuee Hospital as a source of staphylococcal infections is prominent. Thus, to prevent nosocomial infections, we recommend the identification and treatment of the carriers among the staff of other hospitals.

Marital commitment and marital burnout are general evaluations of the value system in spouses’ marital or romantic relationship, which relate to different factors. The present study was conducted with the aim to investigate the relationship between value system, and marital commitment and marital burnout.
This was a descriptive correlational study. The study population included all married nurses working in the hospitals of Tehran, Iran. The sample included 340 nurses selected using multistage cluster sampling method. In this study, marital commitment was evaluated using Adams and Jones Marital Commitment Survey, burnout and its dimensions using Pines Couple Burnout Measure, and value system using Schwartz Value System Questionnaire. For data analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression were used.
According to the results, the variables of value system had a significant relationship with marital commitment (r = 0.7, P It can be concluded that the value system can raise commitment and reduce marital burnout, and its components will eventually cause stability in the family.

Heat stress is one of the harmful factors present in many workplaces. It can lead to performance loss and low functionality of the labor force. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate exposure to heat stress and its consequent performance loss among workers functioning in indoor high-temperature workplaces.
This descriptive, analytical study was conducted on indoor high-temperature occupations in spring 2014. This study was conducted on 15 bakeries, 11 restaurants and kitchens, and 2 industries with heating processes in Gonabad city, Iran. In total, 1450 individuals worked on the investigated sites and were exposed to thermal stress. The inclusion criterion for this study was working in an environment that included a heating process and the exclusion criterion was unwillingness to participate in the study. Heat stress was measured based on wet-bulb globe temperature(WBGT) and the ISO 7243standard. The graph of performance loss versus thermal stress proposed by Kjellstrom et al. was used to determine the performance loss caused by thermal stress.All individuals and managers were informed of the aims of the project and were assured of the confidentiality of the data. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software.
The mean exposure to heat stress in Barbari, Sangak, and Lavash (three types of bread) bakeries were 29.73, 27.89, and 29.43 °C, with a mean performance loss of 65%, 23%, and 64%, respectively. In some cases, the performance loss in Lavash bakeries was as high as 98%. The mean exposure to heat stress in refractory brick and porcelain manufacturing industries were 32.04 ºC and 32.35 °C, leading to a concomitant performance loss of 89% and 92%, respectively. The mean WBGT in the kitchens was 31.88, which could lead to a performance loss of 80%.
In addition to a host of diseases and complications caused by heat stress, extreme heat in the workplace can significantly reduce the performance of the labor force, and consequently,their production. Through appropriate planning and control of heat stress in the workplace, not only are many diseases prevented, but also the performance and efficiency of workers are greatly improved.

Asthma is a chronic multifactorial disease with a high prevalence. Among asthma risk factors, the effect of baking in wood tenor ovens (traditional form of baking) on bronchial asthma is still debated. The aim of this study was to determine the association between baking in wood tenor ovens and incidence and control of bronchial asthma.
This descriptive study was conducted on 109 patients with asthma referring to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil, Iran, in 2013. Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) was used to evaluate asthma control. Patients'' asthma control was individually evaluated and compared with particular attention to history of baking in wood tenor ovens.Chi-square and Tau-Kendall tests were used to analyze the data in SPSS software.
Of the 109 patients, 45.9% had a history of baking in wood tenor ovens. Patients with uncontrolled asthma constituted the largest volume of the sample (60.6%). There was no significant correlation between baking in wood tenor ovens and asthma occurrence (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant correlation between baking in wood tenor ovens and asthma control (error coefficient According to the results, although the history of baking in wood tenor ovens has no effect on asthma occurrence, it has a correlation with asthma control status. Therefore, it is necessary to raise community awareness about the effect of baking on asthma control status.