International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume:8 Issue: 4, Apr 2017

Various epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to environmental pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) might increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their risk factors. This study aims to systematically review the association of PAH exposure with metabolic impairment.
Data were collected by searching for relevant studies in international databases using the following keywords: “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon” “cardiovascular disease,” PAH CVD, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and “air pollutant” “CVD,” and the desired data were extracted and included in the study according to the systematic review process.
From the 14 articles included in the present systematic review, eight articles were conducted on the relationship between PAH and CVDs, four articles were conducted to examine the association of PAH exposure with blood pressure (BP), and two articles investigated the link between PAH and obesity.
Most studies included in this systematic review reported a significant positive association of PAH exposure with increased risk of CVDs and its major risk factors including elevated BP and obesity. These findings should be confirmed by longitudinal studies with long‑term follow‑up.

Providing a variety of foods has been emphasized as one of the most important features of optimal complementary feeding. This study investigated key beliefs that guide mothers’ intention to adherence to dietary diversity in their 1–2‑year‑old children’s complementary feeding.
This was a cross‑sectional study involving 290 mothers (mean age = 27, standard deviation = 5.32) with child 1–2‑year‑old attending maternal and child health section of health centers in Rasht, Iran. To represent the socioeconomic status of the participants, 6 centers out of 15 were selected from three different socioeconomic areas (low‑, middle‑, and high‑income areas). Mothers completed a questionnaire assessing intention and belief‑based items of theory of planned behavior. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were performed.
The mean age of mothers was 27 ± 5.33 (27–43 years). Regression analyses revealed that among behavioral beliefs, the perception that adherence to dietary diversity would lead to improve children’s growth was the significant predictor of intention (β = 0.13, P = 0.04). Regarding normative beliefs, perceived social pressure from health‑care professionals to adherence to dietary diversity significantly predicted intention (β = 0.15, P = 0.01). Among control beliefs, the perception that daily pressures made difficult adherence to dietary diversity was the key determinant (β = 0.19, P = 0.01).
Findings of this study represent the important beliefs that can be addressed in development planning aimed at modifying mothers’ child complementary feeding practices.

Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers call for updated valid evidence to monitor, prevent, and control of alarming trends of health problems. To respond to these needs, health researches provide the vast multidisciplinary scientific fields. We quantify the national trends of health research outputs and its contribution in total science products.
We systematically searched Scopus database with the most coverage in health and biomedicine discipline as the only sources for multidisciplinary citation reports, for all total and health‑related publications, from 2000 to 2014. These scientometrics analyses covered the trends of main index of scientific products, citations, and collaborative papers. We also provided information on top institutions, journals, and collaborative research centers in the fields of health researches.
In Iran, over a 15‑year period, 237,056 scientific papers have been published, of which 81,867 (34.53%) were assigned to health‑related fields. Pearson’s Chi‑square test showed significant time trends between published papers and their citations. Tehran University of Medical Sciences was responsible for 21.87% of knowledge productions share. The second and the third ranks with 11.15% and 7.28% belonged to Azad University and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, respectively. In total fields, Iran had the most collaborative papers with the USA (4.17%), the UK (2.41%), and Canada (0.02%). In health‑related papers, similar patterns of collaboration followed by 4.75%, 2.77%, and 1.93% of papers.
Despite the ascending trends in health research outputs, more efforts required for the promotion of collaborative outputs that cause synergy of resources and the use of practical results. These analyses also could be useful for better planning and management of planning and conducting studies in these fields.

Physical activity (PA) typically decreases with aging, especially of moderate to vigorous level, and this change affects health outcomes of older adults. Age‑related decline is not evenly distributed across elderly population and is attributed to psychosocial, physical, and environmental determinants.
We selected a sample of 1000 elderly people from urban parts of Shiraz in Southern Iran with a two‑stage random sampling procedure. Self‑reported PA data and correlates of moderate to vigorous activity were collected by interview with the respondents from selected households. Bivariate associations were examined using Chi‑square test. Log‑binomial regression was used to weigh variables associated with more than light PA.
Some demographic variables (older age, female sex, lower education level, retirement, and single or widowed status), health problems (lower extremity pain and hypertension), and psychosocial factors (lack of motivation, fear of injury, unsafe roads, and daily life problems) were potential correlates of inadequate PA with bivariate analysis. In log‑binomial regression model, lack of motivation (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25–3.56), daily life problems (APR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.26–2.62), lower educational level (APR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.08–2.49), unsafe roads (APR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.02–2.49), and knee pain (APR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09–2.58) were associated with lower engagement in moderate to vigorous PA among Iranian older adults.
Psychosocial attributes considerably influence PA behaviors in older adults. Lower extremity joint pain is a key medical concern. Interventions to promote PA among older adults should be multilevel and particularly targeting personal psychosocial factors.

Firefighters for difficult activities and rescue of damaged people must be in appropriate physical ability. Maximal oxygen capacity is an indicator for diagnosis of physical ability of workers. This study aimed to assess the cardiorespiratory system and its related factors in firefighters.
This study was conducted on 110 firefighters from various stations. An self-administered questionnaire (respiratory disorders questionnaire, Tuxworth‑Shahnavaz step test, and pulmonary function test) was used to collection of required data. Average of humidity and temperature was 52% and 17°C, respectively. Background average noise levels were between 55 and 65 dB. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 19).
The mean age of the study participants was 32 ± 6.2 years. The means of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC were 92% ±9.4%, 87% ±9.2%, and 80% ±6.1%, respectively. The participants’ mean VO2‑max was 2.79 ± 0.29 L/min or 37.34 ± 4.27 ml/kg body weight per minute. The results revealed that weight has a direct association with vital capacity (VC), FVC, and peak expiratory flow. In addition, height was directly associated with VC, FVC, and VO2‑max (P The findings of this study showed that the amount of maximum oxygen consumption is close with the proposed range of this parameter among firefighters in other studies. Furthermore, the results of the study revealed that individuals had normal amounts of lung volume index. This issue can be attributed to the appropriate usage of respiratory masks.

Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for health and also health problems, such as heart diseases, especially for young people. This study aimed to investigate the effect of factors related to smoking among the secondary high school students in the city of Marivan (Kurdistan‑Iran), in 2015, based on the constructs of health belief model (HBM).
This cross‑sectional study was conducted in 470 secondary high school students in Marivan in 2015. The samples were selected by random cluster sampling. A question with four sections was used to collect data (demographic questions, knowledge section, attitude section, and questions related to e constructs of HBM).
According to the results, the correlation of smoking was stronger with attitude (r = 0.269 and odds ratio = 0.89) but weaker with perceived barriers (r = 0.101). There was not a significant correlation between smoking behavior and knowledge of the harms of smoking (r = −0.005). Moreover, Cues to action was effective predictor of smoking behavior (r = 0.259).
The findings of this study show that the prevalence of smoking in the studied sample is somewhat lower than other regions of Iran, but it should be noted that if no interventions are done to prevent smoking in this age group. The findings of the study also showed that the structure of attitudes, self‑efficacy, and Cues to action are the strongest predictors of smoking among students. Albeit, attitude was strongest predictor of smoking that shows the prevalence of smoking can be reduced by focusing in this part. Considering the mean age of participants (16/2 ± 0.25 years), that shows the riskiest period for smoking is 16 years and authorities can make change in policies of cigarette selling only for over 18 years.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in worldwide. This nested case–control study investigated the predictors of death in long‑term follow‑up after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).
Cases were defined as CABG patients who died in the period of May 2006–March 2013. Controls were CABG patients who were alive in the same period. Cases and controls were derived from an existing cohort, Tehran Heart Center‑Coronary Outcome Measurement. One hundred and fifty‑nine patients in control group were randomly selected from 566 available patients in follow‑up database. A series of simple and multiple logistic regressions was performed in the context of univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively, for computing unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and their confidence intervals (CI). In the univariate analyses, demographic or cardiometabolic factors were entered separately, and for multivariate analysis, we got both significant risk factors from univariate analysis and the major risk factors.
The results of multivariate analyses showed that for age, the likelihood of mortality increases in CABG patients (95%CI: 1.1; 1.03–1.2; P The study results indicated that age, diabetes, cigarette smoking, PVD, long length of stay in hospital, elevated triglycerides, total cholesterol, CRP, and high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol were significant contributing to increased mortality after CABG. It seems that vulnerable older patients continue to be at high risk with poor outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical, psychosocial, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors with academic performance in female undergraduate students.
One hundred undergraduate female students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal participated in this study (mean age = 24.4 ± 4.6 years old). All participants provided their university transcript and had to complete at least 45 course credits from their bachelor degree. Body composition (DXA), handgrip strength, estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) (Bruce Protocol) and blood pressure were measured. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their psychosocial, academic motivation, lifestyle and sociodemographic profile.
Significant correlations were observed between GPA with estimated VO2 max (r = 0.32), intrinsic motivation toward knowledge (r = 0.23), intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment (r = 0.27) and external regulation (r = -0.30, P = 0.002). In addition, eating breakfast every morning and being an atheist was positively associated with academic performance (P Results of the present study indicate that motivational, physical and lifestyle factors appear to be predictors of academic performance in female undergraduate students.

Postpartum depression is considered as a major health complication of women afterdelivery. It is necessary to find an essential approach for the prevention of its serious consequenceson mothers’ and infants’ health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of home visitingon postpartum depression.
The first stage of study was the design of postpartum package.According to the package, a clinical trial was performed for 276 mothers who had delivered inaffiliated hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University in 2013 and were divided into two groups,i.e., control group and intervention group. Intervention group received health care by home visiting,and control group had no intervention. Mothers were supposed to fill up Edinburgh PostnatalDepression Scale before and 60 days after delivery, and the results were compared. The data wereanalyzed by SPSS version 18 software and t‑test, Chi‑square, and logistic regression test.
The mean ages of participants were 27.03 ± 5.2 standard deviation (SD) in intervention group and27.37 ± 5.4 SD in control group. Occurrence of depression was 7.6% in intervention group and19% in control group, and there was a significant difference between two groups (P Providingpostpartum home visiting can influence postpartum depression in a positive way and could improvemothers’ and infants’ health.

Not many studies have examined the risk of emergency medical attendance duringstressful life events or special days such as birthdays. This study looked at whether patients had ahigher than normal chance of attending the emergency departments around their birthdays compared tothe rest of the year.
Patient attendance data were collected from our accident and emergencydepartment from April 2013 to March 2014. The birthday of individual patients was matched withtheir date of attendance to find out the number of patients attending emergency department on andaround their birthdays. Chi‑square test and binominal distribution test were used to compare birthdayattendances with those occurring at other times of the year.
A total of 1028 patientsattended within the 7 days starting from their birthday (expected number 49, 211/52 = 946). Thiswas found to be statistically significant (P = 0.0071). Road traffic accidents were more frequent onboth the birthday week and the week after birthday. Medical emergencies, injury in a public place,19–35 years age group and male patients showed similarly significant association but for the weekafter birthday only.
People are more likely to present to emergency departments in the week starting from their birthday than any other week of the year. There is scope for publichealth initiatives such as sending health education information in the form of a birthday card to raiseawareness of this risk.