Journal of Health Sciences and Technology
Volume:1 Issue: 2, Jul 2017

While maternity can stand as an enjoyable and evolutionary events in a woman’s life, this new period can be associated with worry and anxiety for some women. Anxiety in pregnancy can lead to various and irreversible complications. This study aimed to investigate pregnancy anxiety and related factors among pregnant women referred to Birjand-based healthcare centers.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 380 pregnant women referred to healthcare centers in Birjand in 2016. The participants were selected by multistage random sampling method. Data were collected by demographics and disease records forms, questionnaire of personal information and records of pregnancy, Pregnancy–Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ) and Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The collected data were analyzed in statistical software SPSS (version 15) using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey and Pearson correlation coefficient. P values lower than 0.05 were considered significant.
Pregnancy anxiety mean score was 3.77±1.13 (range: 1-7). Pregnancy anxiety total score and some of its subscales correlated significantly with age, maternal education, spouse's education, parity, income, and mother and spouse’s occupation (P0.05).
Considering the high prevalence of anxiety in pregnancy and the impact of various factors on it, it is necessary to highlight the importance and emphasis on psychiatric care during pregnancy and inclusion of training on mental health of pregnant women in routine care during pregnancy and, hence, a step towards increased health of the mother and babies, and ultimately, the health of families and communities. Therefore, vulnerable mothers should be identified and cared for both mentally and psychologically so that pregnancy anxiety can be prevented.

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality in most countries and the leading cause in Iran. There are two categories of risk-factors associated with this disease including modifiable risk factors such as smoking, dietary habits, alcohol consumption and physical activity and non-modifiable factors such as age, gender, genetics and family history. This study was performed to determine the preventive behaviors against cardiovascular disease based on the Health Belief Model among people at risk in Birjand City.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 112 individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease who were referred to health centers across Birjand city in the summer of 2016. To collect data, a demographics form and self-made questionnaires were used that covered items on knowledge, health belief model constructs, and preventive behaviors against cardiovascular disease. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and correlation coefficient Pearson, linear regression, T-test and ANOVA. The significant level was set at α=0.05.
Of the participants, 17% were male and 83% female with an overall mean age of 41.4±9.6 years. Also, 93.8% of the participants were married and most of them (67%) were housewives. Mean scores of knowledge was 24.05±7.83, perceived susceptibility 14.31±2.98, perceived severity 24.41±4.02, perceived benefits 30.32±3.45, perceived barrier 15.34±4.54, and perceived self-efficacy 13.50±2.93. Pearson correlation test showed a significant correlation between perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, knowledge and preventive behaviors. Linear regression test showed that self-efficacy had the greatest impact on preventive behaviors. The differences in knowledge, perceived sensitivity, and self-efficacy were significant across different educational levels (α=0.05).
With regards to the confirmed correlation between knowledge, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, perceived self-efficiency, and adoption of preventive behaviors, it seems that the mere understanding of risks and vulnerability does not suffice for adherence to health behaviors. Thus, consideration of barriers, benefits and self-efficacy in educational programs creates a higher level of adhesion to preventive behaviors against cardiovascular disease in people at risk.

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among dentists that caused due to physical conditions during dental procedures have become a serious health threat and impose many complications and heavy costs to the dentist and thus the community. In order to avoid these complications it is necessary the causative and predisposing factors to be known and be tackled.
This study deals with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and related factors among dentists
In this cross - sectional study, 116 dentists who were attended in a national continuing education program were participated. The data gathered trough a questionnaire and then were entered into SPSS 18 software and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests at 0.05 significant levels.
116 Dentist with an average working experiences of 11.7±7.2 years participated in the study. 50% were male and the others were female.87 dentists (75%) had MSDs. The highest affected body part were in order the neck (56.9%) shoulders (43.1%), back (43.1%)hand/wrist (28.4%) and hand/ fingers (26.7%). The average number of MSDs in each dentist was 2.71±2.1. 34.5% were currently under treatment. Data analysis revealed no significant differences in MSDs based on gender, work experience; work hours per day, using the dental assistant and the exercise.
Considering the high prevalence of MSDs among dental practitioners and lack of knowledge with ergonomic principles, it seems that more attention should be done in college educations and holding retraining courses for dentists to adopt with ergonomics and getting familiar with the new materials and modern equipment.

Students are highly tended to consume junk foods. This study aimed to predict the consumption of low-nutrient junk foods based on the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior among male students across Chenaran city in 2015.
This descriptive-analytic study incorporated 143 eighth-grade students who were selected via simple randomization method. They completed the relevant questionnaire. The data were analyzed in SPSS (version 18) using one-way analysis of variance, regression analysis, and Pearson correlation test. Significance level was 0.05.
The junk foods most frequently consumed comprised of chocolate, cake, and fizzy drinks. Results indicated that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control could predict 9 percent of changes in low-nutrient junk food consumption. From among the constructs of the theory of planned behavior, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are able to predict 16 percent of behavioral intention changes.
Given the tendency of students towards the consumption of low-nutrient junk foods, administration of theory-based educational interventions such as the theory of planned behavior seems necessary.

Health literacy is today viewed as a global issue. Health literacy is the capacity of each individual to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and health services required to make appropriate decisions. Regarding the importance of health literacy in the population covered by family physicians and the limited number of studies in this regard in Iran, this study aimed to determine the status of health literacy in the population covered by family physicians in Askarieh rural health center in 2016.
This cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in 2016 on 260 clients who were referred to Askarieh rural health centers. A valid and reliable, 49-item, researcher-made questionnaire on health literacy was completed via interview. Data was analyzed in SPSS16 software using t-test, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA and multivariate analysis of variance tests. The significance level was considered less than 0.05.
The mean age of participants was 31.78±10.66 years, 73.5% were female, and 86.9% married. From among them, 61.5% held secondary and high school diploma degrees and 59.6% had a moderate family income. The results showed that 26.9% had adequate health literacy. Also, women enjoyed a higher health literacy than men (P=0.03) and individuals with higher levels of education had higher health literacy (P=0.008).
A higher level of health literacy reduces the cost of treatment on the government and people. Given the importance of health literacy, it is recommended that healthcare authorities design educational interventions to improve health literacy, particularly among men and individuals with low literacy levels.

Reactive dyes are extensively used in the textile industry due to their superior performance. However, the effluence of the waste containing such dyes into water resources can pose hazardous effects on the environment because of their carcinogenic, mutagenic, allergenic and toxic nature. This study explored the efficiency of the ultrasonic process in removing Reactive Red 198 dye from aqueous solutions.
This research is a laboratory, experimental study carried out in the Environmental Health Engineering Research Center of Birjand University of Medical Sciences. Two ultrasonic devices with a constant frequency and adjustable temperature and time were applied. The effects of various operating parameters and optimal conditions for removal such as initial concentration of dye (20-200 mg/L), contact time (1-90 mines), temperature (20-50 oC), frequency (35,37 kHz) and pH (2-12) were investigated.
The mean efficiency rate of removing Reactive Red 198 dye in optimal conditions (with primary dye concentration of 20 mg/L, pH=3, retention time=50 min, temperature=50 oC) at a frequency of 37 kHz obtained 84.82%. This result at the frequency of 35 kHz was 82.6%. The minimum removal at a frequency of 35 kHz with a concentration of 200 mg per liter at a pH of 12 and a retention time of 1 minute was 29.35 and at the frequency of 37 kHz, it was 39.12.
The results showed that the ultrasonic process has a high capacity to remove Reactive Red 198 dye from aqueous solutions. Besides, this procedure can prove more efficient in case the effective operational factors are optimized.

Oral and dental diseases have detrimental effects in childhood and old age alike and account for 5 to 10 percent of all health costs. As Stages of Change Model shows the present state of an individual’s behavior and intention to change behavior, this study tried to determine Stages of Change of tooth decay preventive behaviors and its association with knowledge and attitudes of elementary school students in Nehbandan city.
This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 414 fifth and sixth grade students of Nehbandan city. From among 13 primary schools (8 girl schools and 5 boy schools), 32 students of the fifth and sixth grades were recruited using randomized cluster sampling method. The data were collected through a pre-made valid and reliable questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and Stages of Change of the behavior. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS-18 using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.
The mean age of participants was 11.48±0.79 years. The results of the study concerning the Stages of Change of tooth decay preventive showed that in terms of applying dental floss, the brushing teeth, using mouthwash , regular visit to the dentist, and reducing consumption of sugary foods, the most students were at the stages of readiness (34.1%), action (27.8%), pre-contemplation (30.4%), maintenance (26.9%), and contemplation (30.4%) respectively. The mean score of the students’ knowledge about preventive behaviors against tooth decay was 6.14±2.1 out of 11, and the mean score of the students’ attitude towards tooth decay preventive behaviors was 24.48±6.4 out of 60. Based on the Kruskal-Wallis test, there was a significant difference in the mean knowledge scores based on the stages of change of using dental floss (P The findings of the study showed that the majority of the students were in the non-active stage of behaviors and probably, in the future, they will be susceptible to more dental decay. Trans-theoretical model can be used to determine the strategies related to each of the stages of change of oral and dental self-care behaviors in order to improve and maintain the behavior in interventions and educational programs.