Journal of Health Sciences and Technology
Volume:1 Issue: 3, Oct 2017

Transtheoretical Model (TTM) is a new approach to the treatment of addiction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of TTM in reducing depression by a pornography mediator variable.
In this quasi-experimental study with pretest and posttest, 72 homosexual males with methamphetamine dependents in Tehran from were recruited from 15 December 2014 to 20 November 2015 during a seasonal meeting. They were selected by snowball method from among those who obtained the highest scores in the index of pornography (response rate=94%). They were subsequently assigned into experimental (3 levels) and control (3 levels) groups based on the three levels of pornography, i.e., low, moderate and high. The TTM-based intervention was presented to the experimental groups for 12 weeks, and the control groups were placed on the waiting list. The data were collected via a researcher-made demographics form, Beck’s Depression Inventory, and the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale. The data were analyzed using Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe's post-hoc test in the IBM SPSS Software Version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
The TTM-based intervention had a significant impact on the two depressive groups who had moderate (p0.05). Also, Chi-square test showed that only groups with lower pornography indices had a significant difference in the stages of change.
While having applicability in this area, the findings of this study can be helpful in planning supplementary remedial procedures and can help practitioners for better interventions in order to fulfill the needs of individuals with depression.

Pay attention to phenol is important because of its sustainability in the environment and creating health problems. Due to the high solubility of phenol in water, it must be removed in order to prevent contamination of water resources and the environment. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of M. azedarach seed ash for removal of phenol from aqueous solutions.
In this experimental study, M. azedarach seed ash was used for removal of phenol from aqueous solutions. In this study, the effect of the factors affecting adsorption was studied, including adsorbent dosage, initial phenol concentration, contact time, pH and temperature. Data obtained from the tests were analyzed using Excel software. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were employed to verify compliance of absorption process from the isotherm models.
Experimental results indicated that the efficacy of M. azedarach seed ash for removal of phenol had a direct relationship with increasing adsorbent dosage, temperature and contact time, as well as an inverse relationship with increasing pH and initial phenol concentration. According to the correlation coefficient of adsorption isotherm models, adsorption of phenol followed the Freundlich model.
The results of the present study showed that M. azedarach seed ash is effective for removal of phenol from aqueous solution. Given the ability to grow of M. azedarach tree in hot and dry climates, it can be used as an inexpensive and accessible adsorbent.

Healthy nutrition is part of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet can lead to physical and mental health in people. In recent years, a great deal of attention has been paid to good nutrition as a development index and to women as breeders of the next generation. Most organizations, including the World Health Organization and UNICEF, have highlighted health as one of their priorities with an emphasis on nutritional needs. The present study aimed to evaluate the predicting power of Bandura's social cognitive theory for the nutritional behavior of housewives in Sarayan, Southern Khorasan Province, Iran.
This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in Sarayan in 2016 on 400 housewives who were married and aged from 30 to 50 years. Random stratified cluster sampling method was utilized, and a researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect data. The face and content validity of the questionnaire was approved by experts, and reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data was then analyzed by SPSS-18 software, using both descriptive and inferential statistical tests at the significance level of p The mean age of the participants was 38.7±5.9 years. A total of 286 (70.8%) persons had poor nutritional behavior, 102 (25.2%) persons had moderate nutritional behavior, and 16 (4%) persons had good nutritional behavior. From among the social cognitive theory constructs, self-efficacy (p The results of this study showed that self-efficacy is the most important predictor of the nutritional behavior of housewives. Therefore, designing educational interventions to promote self-efficiency in housewives is recommended.

Lifestyle modification plays the most important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to assess the lifestyle of patients admitted to the cardiology department of Vali-e-Asr Hospital in Birjand from August 2014 to April 2015 and determine its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors.
In this cross-sectional study, 400 patients hospitalized in the heart department were incorporated by census. The data were gathered using Breslow’s Lifestyle Index and a researcher-made questionnaire that included demographic characteristics of patients, history of heart disease, smoking, type of oil daily consumed, the frequency of different foods taken per week, and the results of tests taken on patients. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 22) using t-test and ANOVA.
The mean age of the patients was 60.7±13.4 years. The majority 203 (50.8%) were male; 190 (47.5%) had diabetes; 181 (45.2%) suffered from obesity and overweight, 25% had high systolic blood pressure; and 10.5% had high diastolic blood pressure. Also, 14.2% were smokers. The mean score of participants on Breslow’s Lifestyle Index was 5.61±1.11, which was significantly higher in overweight and obese subjects than subjects with normal weight (P=0.001).
Some lifestyle indices in patients hospitalized in the heart department of Vali-e-Asr Hospital in Birjand are undesirable, and their lifestyles need to be modified.

School health involves all activities aimed at providing, maintaining and promoting students’ health. The health educator is responsible for providing of health services in schools. The aim of this study was to compare health behavior and its effective factors among the students of primary schools with and without health educators in Zirkouh County, South Khorasan Province, Iran in 2015.
This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study where in a total of 250 primary school students in Zirkouh County (125 with health educator and 125 without health educator) were randomly selected. They were subsequently examined through a researcher-made questionnaire holding 59 items based on a three-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed in SPSS-18 using statistical tests including t-test and univariate and multivariate ANOVA. The significance level was considered at P The results showed that the sleep health score was significantly higher in the group with health educator, although the two groups did not differ in terms of health behavior and its other sub-scales (p The results of this study showed that the presence of a health educator in schools had an impact on the students’ health behavior, sleep health and personal health; however, it did not affect their nutritional behavior and physical activity. Hence, a great emphasis should be placed on the role and position of health educators, their regular presence in schools, and their interaction with parents.

Disturbing noise in a workplace is one of the main harmful occupational factors which has irreparable consequences for the health of workers. Technical evaluation of this problem opens the way to take precautionary measures in order to protect the health of workers, who constitute the main capital of each country. This study was conducted to evaluate noise pollution and the efficiency of personal protective equipment in the workers of a plastic manufacturing factory in Birjand city.
In this descriptive cross-sectional study, noise measurements were performed through stationing method using the sound-sensor analyzer, TES 1358A model, in 27 stations, and indicators of exposure level for workers and interference level in conversation were calculated using relevant relations. Also, the efficiency of workers’ protective earmuffs was investigated by octave-band method. Finally, the data were analyzed in SPSS software using t-test. The significant level was set at P ≤ 0.05.
In the production hall, the mean and the standard deviation of the noise intensity level was 83.9±3.03 dB and it was 88±3.06 dB in the mill, showing that 47.6% of the stations in the production hall and 83.3% of the stations in the mill had a noise intensity level higher than the limit. The mean and the standard deviation of the worker's exposure level was 85.7±2.8 dB, which in 71.43% of cases, it was more than the limit. The efficiency of the workers’ protective earmuffs was acceptable at frequencies of 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz with a significant decrease in the noise intensity level at these frequencies (P=0.001). However, their efficiency was not acceptable at 250 and 500 Hz. The interference level in conversation was 61.3 dB in the production line and 85.5 dB in the mill.
In some sections of the production hall and the milling hall of the studied factory, the noise intensity level and the 8-hour exposure level of the workers are higher than occupational limits, which indicates that noise pollution is one of the problems of the factory that needs to be addressed via controlling methods. Also, the examination of the efficiency of the workers’ protective earmuffs indicates that these earmuffs are not efficient at frequencies of 250 and 500 Hz, and based on the results of the factory’s noise measurement, the workers should be provided with appropriate protective earmuffs.

The safety culture in an organization reflects the overall attitude of the organization towards safety. Positive safety culture is a factor that commits all workers to play a part in their own safety and that of other coworkers. This study explores the safety culture among the workers of a stonecutting industry and its relation with workers’ demographic characteristics.
This study is a cross-sectional research carried out on 111 workers of the stonecutting industry of Gonabad city in 2014. Sampling was through census, and the data were collected using the safety culture standard questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 18 using the statistical test of Chi-square.
The mean and the standard deviation of the workers’ safety culture score were 241.79 ± 11.35. Overall, 30% of the workers had a positive safety culture and 70% of them had a negative safety culture. Positive and negative safety cultures had a statistically significant relationship with work experience (P 0.05).
Although the stonecutting industry has a positive safety culture, it seems necessary to continuously hold the training and monitoring programs related to safety precautions, especially in workers with higher work experience.

A healthy nutritional diet is part of a healthy lifestyle. According to the US Department of Agriculture, proper nutrition can reduce mortality from heart disease by 25 percent, death from cancer, respiratory and infectious diseases by 20 percent, and from diabetes by 50 percent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of nutrition education on knowledge and attitude of women health volunteers in Southern Khorasan Province.
This quasi-experimental study was performed on 101 women health volunteers in Southern Khorasan Province. Knowledge and attitudes of the women health volunteers were assessed before and 2 months after the intervention by a standard questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. The intervention consisted of a 2-day workshop held in the health center of Birjand. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 16) using paired t test. The significance level was set at p The mean score of knowledge was 17.47±2.67 before the intervention, which increased to 18.47±2.04 after intervention with the difference being statistically significant (p=0.02). Attitude scores were 40.39±2.62 and 40.41±3.18 before and after intervention respectively, where the increase was not statistically significant (p> 0.05).
This study shows that nutrition education, even in the form of a short-term training workshop, can enhance the knowledge of women health volunteers. Recommendation is to perform the education by nutrition experts periodically and through continued education programs.