Archives of Hygiene Sciences
Volume:8 Issue: 4, Autumn 2019

Background & Aims:

 of the Study: Solid waste management is one of the most daunting environmental challenges. The present study aimed to investigate the awareness and practice of people about household waste management in Kermanshah, Iran.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 150 Kermanshah citizens in 2017. Cluster sampling was performed and the data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire, including awareness, practice, and resources of education for waste management. Finally, the data were analyzed in SPSS software (version18) using ANOVA and t-test at α = 0.05.      

Citizens' awareness of waste-related diseases and the impact of waste on the environment, the benefits of recycling and reduction in origin were assessed as moderate up to favorable. Nonetheless, the public's performance in relation to the Recycling Agency and the municipality was not favorable. Citizens demonstrated poor practice in terms of household waste management.

From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that conducting training courses, increasing the level of general knowledge and culture in the field of household waste management can improve public awareness and practice.

Aim of the Study: 

The study was aimed to assess the antioxidant properties of four plants native EO in comparison with synthetic antioxidants during storage of ghee as a food model.

The essential oils (EOs) were prepared and analyzed to total phenol content, DPPH, reducing power assay and also their effect on the oxidative stability of ghee during the accelerated storage at 65 °C.

The results showed, SO (70.06 ± 0.72 mg GAE⁄ g of EO) had the most phenolic compounds in comparison to other EOs, and also had more antioxidant activity but not as much as BHT (P<0.05). Sensory properties and overall acceptance of ghee containing 20 ppm of SO were more acceptable compared to other treatments. The oxidation stability of ghee was kept by all the EOs compared to the control during accelerated storage (P<0.05).

The data suggest the EOs as a suitable herbal source of anti-oxidants that can be used in ghee shelf life.

Background & Aims:

 of the Study: Pediculosis is a parasitic disease and one of the main factors affecting the health level of the society. The present study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with the prevalence of pediculosis in elementary school females in Mashhad, Iran, from 2017 to 2018.

This descriptive and analytical study included 3062 elementary school female students who were selected by a multistage systematic random sampling in Mashhad, Iran. Experienced health experts examined the students for the presence of nits or live lice. Demographic information form was employed to collect data on gender, place of residence, and others. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 18.0) through a Chi-square analysis. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Out of 3062 elementary school females, 417 cases were infected with pediculosis and the average infection rate of 13.6%. The results showed that head lice infestation was significantly correlated with factors, such as age, school grade, sleeping in a common room, using shared personal instruments, personal health care, parents' educational level, and hair shape (P<0.05). On the other hand, head lice infestation was not significantly correlated with health expert presence at schools, family size, and fathers' occupational status
(P>0.05).

The enhancement of standards for personal health and raising the awareness of teachers and parents about the prevention methods and risk factors associated with pediculosis can significantly reduce the prevalence of this infection among female school children in the regions under study.

Background & Aims:

 of the Study: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is the common cause of nosocomial infections, especially among patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of aminoglycoside resistance and prevalence of the resistance-modifying enzyme genes aac(6')-II and ant(2")-I  in P. aeruginosa isolates from the clinical samples of hospitalized patients in Yazd, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was carried out on P. aeruginosa isolates during March 2016 to March 2017. All clinical samples were initially identified by the standard biochemical method, and their aminoglycoside resistance was studied using the disc diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations. Polymerase chain reaction was conducted for the detection of aminoglycoside resistance using the specific primers of aac(6')-II and ant(2")-I genes.

A total of 144 isolates were evaluated for antibiotic susceptibility testing. The resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates to the tested antibiotics was reported as 118 (81.9%) isolates to kanamycin, 91 (63.2%) isolates to gentamicin, 80 (55.6%) isolates to tobramycin, and 84 (58.3%) isolates to amikacin. The aac(6')-II and ant(2")-I genes were detected in 93 (64.6%) and 114 (79.2%) P. aeruginosa isolates, respectively.

Aminoglycoside resistance in P. aeruginosa remains a significant problem. Therefore, there will be considerable local surveillance of aminoglycoside resistance profile.

Background & Aims:

 of the Study: Sleep disorders and poor sleep quality can lead to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and depression as well as physical diseases. Such disorders are prevalent among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients; therefore, the present study aimed to determine the quality of sleep in MS patients in Qom, Iran, in 2018.

The present descriptive-analytical study was performed on 272 MS patients who were members of the MS Society of Qom, Iran. The samples were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria using simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using a demographic form and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Finally, the collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 21) using descriptive statistics and analytical statistical tests. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Based on the findings, the mean score of sleep quality was 11.11±4.35. A total of 12.86% and 48.2% of the subjects had severe had moderate sleep disorders, respectively. However, 5.14% of them were not conflicted with any type of sleep disorder. Moreover, the sleep quality score had a significant relationship with age, occupation, marital status, and disease duration (P<0.05). However, the results of independent t-test showed no significant relationship between the mean sleep quality score and gender (P=0.578)

A significant percentage of patients suffered from some kind of sleep disorder. Therefore, it is recommended to include regular sleep hygiene and sleep quality improvement training in the routine care of such patients.

Background & Aims of the Study:

 Many people use natural springs for many years to provide therapeutic, recreational, and in some cases, drinking water. The investigation of physicochemical properties and promotion of its indices in hot springs are very important for maintaining the health and well-being of individuals. The present study aimed to investigate some physicochemical properties of hot springs in South Khorasan, Iran, and compare them with the standards in 2018.

In order to assess the physicochemical quality of hot springs in South Khorasan, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, and total hardness parameters were measured and analyzed using standard methods. Data analysis was performed using Excel software (version 2010).

Based on the obtained results, the highest temperature and EC were observed in Dig-e Rostam hot spring with 54.3°C and Ferdowshotspringwith10.43 μs/cm, respectively. Furthermore, the highest pH, alkalinity, and total hardness were obtained in Qaen hot spring with 7.87, Sarbisheh hot spring with 2018 mg/L CaCo3, and Ferdows hot spring with 1204 mg/L CaCo3, respectively.

Based on the results obtained from the review of the physicochemical quality of the hot springs in the southern Khorasan, most of the measured parameters of the springs were not within the standard range.

Background & Aims :

of the Study: Heavy metal pollution enters the food chain through industrial, urban, and agricultural sources and due to their capability to be accumulated in food put living beings’ health in danger. Although the use of ornamental plants, especially trees and shrubs can be an effective approach in the absorption and uptake of metal contaminants from the soil, it should be noted that the cultivation of edible crops poses a serious threat to the health of people living in industrial and metropolitan cities. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the extent of heavy metal contamination in the fruits and leaves of white mulberry and weeping mulberry in different areas of Arak, Iran.

A total of 13 elements, namely aluminum, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, vanadium, manganese, and molybdenum, were analyzed in the fruits and leaves of the Morus alba var. pendula and Morus alba in 13 landscapes of Arak by induced coupled plasma emission spectrometry.    

The comparison of average studied accumulated metal concentration with the international standard limit showed that the fruit of mulberry trees in Arak was contaminated with aluminum, nickel, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. The concentrations of aluminum and cadmium 3-6 times and lead 4 times were greater than the permissible limits. The obtained results were compared with their permissible levels set by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization. According to results, the concentrations of these metals were much greater in cultivated mulberries in Arak than permissible limits; therefore, they are not safe to consume.

Due to the contamination of mulberries with heavy metals, such as nickel, arsenic, aluminum, and lead, there is a serious warning about their consumption. These heavy metals were accumulated in the leaves of mulberry trees in addition to their fruits.

The system of safety management, health, and the environment is one of the most effective management systems that can be emphasized to create an environment that identifies, evaluates, eliminates or controls all the factors of injury so as to ensure the health, safety, and environment of the sports facilities. Therefore, the present study aimed to present an integrated model of HSE management in sports facilities in Iran.

The research method was mixed and based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study consisted of all professors, coaches, supervisors, managers, and experts of sports facilities in 2019. Due to the large statistical population, after designing a researcher-made questionnaire, a total of 561 questionnaires were distributed electronically and in-person among the statistical population. According to the number of completed questionnaires, the number of statistical population in the present study reached 400 subjects. Data analysis was performed using SmartPLS (version 3) and SPSS software (version 20).

As evidenced by the obtained results, the impact of the three main dimensions, namely deployment of related technologies (modern antecedents), deployment of management system (core components), and improvement of management culture (HSE) and its sub-dimensions on the health, safety, and environmental management system of sports facilities were confirmed.

As illustrated by the obtained results, it can be concluded that the use of integrated model (HSE) in sport facilities can have a suitable and practical position among sport managers in three dimensions (deployment of related technologies, deployment of management system, and improvement of HSE management culture). Therefore, proper scientific planning and strategy for the development of integrated model (HSE), especially in sports facilities, can be identified as the highest strength of managers in this field.