نشریه طلوع بهداشت
سال هجدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 73، فروردین و اردیبهشت 1398)

Students' health of is of great importance because they account for a large part of community. Schools play an important role in the transfer of health information to students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a health-based intervention on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of high school students in Mehriz city.  In this semi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design, 260 first-grade high school students were studied in Mehriz city in 2016-2017. The data collection tool was five sections of the Global school-based student health survey (GHSH). The questionnaires were completed by students before and three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 using z test, t-test, ANOVA, McNemar's test, and chi-squared test. After the intervention, a significant difference was observed between the students' scores in the pre- and post- intervention steps with regard to taking milk and dairy at least twice per day, consuming vegetables, washing hands before eating in school, brushing twice or more daily, exercising for at least 60 minutes per day, and having insufficient sleep at night due to being worried about various issues (P<0.05). The intervention was also effective on the mean (±standard deviation) scores of knowledge about mental health, nutrition, and oral health, as well as mean(±standard deviation) scores of attitudes toward physical activity, oral health, and nutrition (P<0.05). Health interventions can increase health promoting behaviors and enhance knowledge and attitudes in students. Therefore, it is recommended to use interventional programs using available facilities in schools.

Noise is considered as a physical hazard that seriously threatens human health in industrial environments. It is also the most important and influential harmful physical factor in workplace that can affect the individuals’ lifestyle and job. The present study aimed to determine the effects of chronic noise on the hearing ability as well as psychological and mental attitudes of workers in the workplace. This descriptive-analytical study was carried out to measure the sound intensity received by the individuals' ears at an 8-hour equivalent level based on ISO 9612: 2009 standard, using the Testo device (model CEL-815). Annoyance (negative mental attitude to work environment) was also measured using a questionnaire containing 11 questions.  Furthermore, the Stroop and Tower of London (TOL) tests were applied to investigate the cognitive performance.  A total of 300 people with the mean age of 36.03 ± 3.79 were included in this study. The results clearly showed a significant relationship between cognitive indicators and hearing loss (P < 0/05 ). A significant relationship was also observed between annoyance and hearing level at different sound frequencies (P < 0/05). Besides, the results of the Stroop, Tower of London, and cognitive performance tests had a significant relationship with the annoyance caused by chronic exposure to noise (P < 0/05). The results of this study clearly showed the positive effect of hearing loss on annoyance and cognitive performance indicators among the workers exposed to chronic noise.

Economic growth is one of the most important goals of a country and has a close relationship with health expenditures and emissions of environmental pollutants. Health expenditures and environmental quality are also among the other important issues. On the one hand, environmental problems have become a serious threat to humankind in recent years. On the other hand, meaningful health expenditures can improve the health indicators, environmental quality, and economic growth. The objective of this study was to examine the causal relationship between economic growth, health expenditures, and CO2 emissions, using simultaneous-equations models and 3SLS for a panel of MENA countries in 1995-2014. Findings showed that economic growth had a positive causality relationship with health expenditures and CO2 emissions. In addition, health expenditures had a negative effect on CO2 emissions. According to the positive effect of health expenditures on economic growth, healthcare sector credits should be increased. In fact, policy makers should invest on public health and welfare programs with regard to the future economic growth.
In addition, since economic growth increases CO2 emissions, it is important for the investigated countries to examine the requirements to promote environmental protection and increase the technological transfer to reduce the environmental damage.

The purpose of this study was to compare general health, coping styles, religious orientations, and personality dimensions of mothers with intellectually disable (ID) and normal children. A total of 258 mothers were randomly selected. The data were collected using questionnaires of General Health, NEO Five Factors, Islamic Religiosity, and Ways of Coping. Then, the independent-sample T test was run to analyze the results.  Comparison of the participants' mean scores showed that the general health of mothers with ID children was lower than mothers with normal children. Compared to mothers with normal children, mothers with ID children used emotional focus coping styles more frequently. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to application of problem focus coping style. Mothers of ID children were more disorganized than mothers with normal children. Comparison of the mean scores of personality dimensions between the two groups revealed that mothers of ID children had higher scores in neuroticism and lower scores in extraversion, openness, agreeable, and consciousness. With respect to the numerous problems that mothers of children with ID experience, it seems necessary to take actions to solve their problems and to improve their health status.

Genetically modified plants species of plants are produced by the genetic engineering of agricultural science and the addition of specific genes in their genetic sequences with the aim of optimizing the product and creating desirable traits. This study examined the remains of Cry1A(b) and P35 genes in blood of rats fed with genetically modified rice. This study was experimental and interventional and the study population included male and female rats Sprague Dawley (SD), which were divided into two treatment and control groups according to the type of food received. The first group consisted of 50% of the genetically modified rice and second group consisted of 50% of non- genetically modified rice. sampling and DNA extraction from the blood was done after 90 days of feeding the rats with the nutritional pattern using a kit. Quantitative and qualitative study of extracted DNA was performed using agarose gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometry, respectively. Amplification product with targets P35, Cry1A(b) and T35 was studied using agarose gel electrophoresis 1.5%, which showed that blood samples were negative for the presence of transgenic genes. The results showed no significant difference in the presence of transgenic genes of p35 and Cry1A(b) in the blood tissue of the treatment and control groups of rats. Therefore, the results of this study reject the possibility of gene transfer to the existing organs of the consumers. Results of this study showed that there is no difference between safety of genetically and non-genetically modified rice from viewpoint of gen transferring.

Osteoporosis is a metabolic and preventable disease. Prevention of this disease should begin during adolescence. Life style behaviors have an important role in this regard. This study was conducted to determine the lifestyle of female teenagers in relation to the prevention of osteoporosis in Yazd in 2014. A descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 500 female teenagers selected by cluster sampling method in Yazd. Data were collected by questionnaire, which validity and reliability were confirmed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-16. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, T-test, and ANOVA. In the field of bone disease, 3.3percent of participants stated that they suffered from bone disease, 0.9 of the student had a history of fracture of spine, and 0.4 had a history of fracture in their ribs. In addition, 79.2 percent stated that they received direct sunlight for a long period daily. In the field of receiving food, results showed that 6.8 percent of students used milk and cheese every day. Furthermore, 82.3 percent of participants indicated consumption of  milk and cheese 4-6 times per week and 9.1 percent reported 0-3 times per week. In the field of physical activity, 70.1 percent of adolescents exercised during the last week and the frequent physical activity was walking in most of them (75.3%). Considering the effect of lifestyle such as diet, exercise, and exposure to sunlight on osteoporosis, educational programs should be conducted over proper nutrition, public sports, and lifestyle changes to prevent this complication

The main propose of this study was to determine the effect of parathion on activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) as a key enzyme in second phase secretion of insulin and to determine serum glucose levels in rats. To conduct the study, 35 rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=7). The serum glucose level of each group was measured and the total average was calculated with a glucometer. The experimental groups (groups 1,2,3,4) received 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mg/kg of parathion pesticide via IP injection; whereas, the control group received no treatment. All rats were kept in similar condition. Serum glucose levels of rats were measured 24h after the final injection. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity in rat’s pancreas was measured by GDH activity assay kit and using a spectrophotometer at 570nm. The levels of glucose in treatment groups significantly increased compared with the control group (P<0.01). The levels of GDH activity in rats increased after receiving  1.5 and 2 mg/kg of parathion pesticides compared with the control group (P<0.01, p<0.05). Regarding the results, parathion affects the GDH enzyme in the pancreatic islets and leads to insufficient secretion of insulin. Although insulin was increased and increased the intermediates of Krebs cycle, the rate of insulin secretion was not so high  to overcome the increase of glucose caused by parathion organophosphate

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease which has many disabling complications, including ocular complications. Many diabetic patients don’t have regular fallow up due to the lack of awareness about the necessity of periodic ophthalmic examinations. As a result, detection is delayed and diabetic ophthalmic complications especially diabetic retinopathy increase. this study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of diabetic patients in Yazd province regarding ocular complications of diabetes. This cross-sectional study was carried out on the 20-83 year-old population of Yazd. A randomized sampling was conducted on type 2 diabetic patients who referred to Yazd diabetes research
center. Data were collected using the questionnaire completed by interviewing and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Chi square and Mann-Whitney tests were used for data analysis and the significance level was set at P< 0.05. A total number of 732 eligible patients were enrolled in the study; 47 percent of participants were male and 53 percent were female. Knowledge and practice of patients with diabetes with regard to diabetic retinopathy had a significant relationship with gender (P = 0.001) and age group (P = 0.01, P = 0.05). The participants' practice was also significantly associated with the education level (P =0.01). The knowledge and practice of the patients also showed a significant relationship with the duration of diabetes (P = 0.01) and their income (p <0.05). Furthermore, concomitant diseases of hypertension, heart disease, and high fat in diabetic patients showed a significant relationship with patients' practice (P = 0.01). Since diabetic retinopathy may occur in the first five years of the disease, patients' knowledge and attitudes should be improved in the early stages by health care system. Therefore, strengthening this system will amplify the relationship between health system and patients, as well as increase the knowledge, attitude, and practice of diabetic patients.