Chronic Diseases Journal
Volume:8 Issue: 3, Summer 2020

The objective of this investigation was to assess the effects of health promotion behaviors on general health, which is one of the main determinants of health, preventing many diseases.

This cross-sectional descriptive analytic study was performed in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. A total of 175 employees working in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were enrolled into the study via random sampling. In this study, Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and a demographic questionnaire were used. The collected data were entered into SPSS software and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression tests.

Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, at a significance level of 5%, health promotion behaviors had a significant effect on mental health (P = 0.003). Considering the calculated coefficient (0.283), every one unit of increase in health promotion score increased the mean mental health score by 0.24 units.

Protecting the psychic health of the staff is one of the critical issues which plays a role in increasing the efficiency of the organization. Thus, it is of great importance to take steps to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors among employees and implement various interventions in this field.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease with widespread musculoskeletal pain. In this study, we used neurofeedback to reduce pain and enhance the quality of life (QOL).

We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 40 patients referred to Tuba Specialized Clinic and Clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari, Iran, between December 2013 and July 2015. Group 1 underwent sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback training and group 2 underwent neurofeedback training for alpha-theta training. The primary outcomes were pain reduction and increasing QOL, which were measured using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Numeric Pain Distress Scale, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Sleep Scale, respectively, within the first day, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks post-randomization.

A total of 46 patients were screened for eligibility and 40 patients completed the trial. In both groups, the differences between FIQ scores before and after the study were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Neurofeedback training could be applied to reduce pain and improve the QOL of patients with FM.

Self-confidence is one of the main aspects of mental health during adolescence, which is essential for achieving goals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of training information processing approach on self-confidence in female students of vocational schools in Isfahan, Iran.

This randomized control trial study was conducted on 50 adolescent female students in Isfahan in academic year 2016-2017. The Eysenck self-esteem scale (ESES) was used to assess self-esteem among the students. Training the information processing approach was performed on the experimental group. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using paired sample t-test, independent t- test, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test.

The scores of the students’ self-confidence in the experimental group increased compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.050).

According to the results of this study, training information processing approach is effective on self-confidence in female students of vocational schools in Isfahan. It is suggested to consider the training information processing approach along with other approaches.

Pain is the main symptom of the disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This disease is the most common arthritis identified in women. Many studies have stated that there is a relationship between chronic pain and depression. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on reducing pain and depression in women with RA.

Four patients with RA were included in a single-subject study with multiple baseline design conducted in Tabriz, Iran, in 2017. Scores were measured with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) before and during treatment periods.

The effect sizes according to the results of the BDI for the first, second, third, and fourth subject were 5.00, 0.66, 5.00, and 6.00, respectively. The effect sizes of the MPQ for the first, second, third, and fourth subject were 2.24, 3.44, 5.74, and 2.79, respectively.

The symptoms of depression are high among patients with RA due to chronic pain. CBT significantly reduced pain and depression in patients with RA. CBT is a great help in reducing the physical and mental problems of patients with RA.

Brucellosis is a common widespread zoonotic disease between humans and livestock with significant economic and health problems caused by various species of Brucella. The disease is a significant public health issue throughout the world and one of the most socioeconomic problems in many developing countries. This study aimed to report the information available at the Provincial Health Center about the frequency and characteristics of patients with Brucellosis in Golestan Province, Iran.

This study was analytic-descriptive cross-sectional. The study population included all patients with Brucellosis diagnosed from 2011 to 2015 in the health center of Golestan Province, based on the serological method. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire that included demographic information, clinical presentation and examinations, history of exposure, laboratory findings, and treatment protocols. Descriptive statistics were reported as frequency and mean ± standard deviation (SD) and analyzed by SPSS software.

In this study, a total of 1788 cases of Brucellosis were reported. The number of male cases was 1163 (65.04%) and female cases were 625 (34.95%). People who had a history of contact with infected animals were younger than the others. Musculoskeletal pain (79.69%) and fever (76.45%) were the most commonly reported clinical symptoms.

Overall, the results indicate that Brucellosis is still a health problem in the province. The high incidence of Brucellosis in villages, the lack of full coverage of animal vaccination, and the link between the disease and livestock businesses are significant.

Medication non-adherence is associated with poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Although the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment is satisfactory in clinical results, it is subject to non-adherence. In this study, we intend to verify if there are psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression, and coping style that can influence medication adherence.

The study was conducted on 120 patients with CML receiving long-term TKI therapy. The sample was collected in the years 2016-2017 at Department of Oncology-Hematology in Pescara, Italy. Adherence behaviour was measured with the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and psychological factors investigated included: anxiety and depression symptoms [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)] and coping strategies [abbreviated version of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief-COPE)]. T-test and logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate factors associated with medication adherence.

The participants, 74 men and 46 women, reported a mean age of 56.65 ± 15.80 years. The results showed that 71.67% of the patients were adherent while 28.33% were non-adherent. Furthermore, adherence was positively associated with active coping (P < 0.050) and instrumental support (P < 0.001). Also, depression symptoms were risk factor for non-adherence (P < 0.050).

This study suggests that active coping strategies with a good level of instrumental support are factors associated with greater adherence to long-term therapy. The results of this study support paying attention to factors identified as being helpful in monitoring patients with a risk of non-adherence. There is a need to provide increased psychosocial support for patients with chronic disease by planning effective client‐focused interventions.

Previous studies have shown that childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) plays a role in development of disordered eating behaviors (DEBs). Difficulty in emotion regulation is another factor influencing disordered eating. This study was directed to examine the association between CEM and DEB among students, by considering the emotion dysregulation as a mediator.

This correlational study was conducted in form of a cross-sectional design, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the data collected from 401 non-native undergraduate students through convenience sampling method. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to assess childhood emotional abuse and neglect. Emotion dysregulation and DEB were respectively measured using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Eating Attitude Test (EAT).

The partial mediation model of difficulties in emotion regulation in the association between CEM and DEB among male and female students had a good fit to the data. The outcomes of the gender specificity of structural relations in the model confirmed gender invariance of the structural model. All regression weights in the model were statistically significant and the CEM and emotion dysregulation variables accounted for 22%, 17%, and 35% of the variance of DEB among the entire sample, female students, and male students, respectively.

The outcomes are in line with research findings suggesting a relationship between CEM and DEB and confirm the role of emotion dysregulation as a mediator. The results highlight the importance of assessment of childhood experiences in treatment of eating disorders and introduce emotion regulation as a significant target for intervention.

Improving interpersonal interactions between parents and the child can indirectly reduce the extrapolation behavioral problems, including aggression in children.

Among parents who used high-potency cannabis (marijuana or ‘gol’ as it is called in Iran) and lived in Tehran, Iran, sixty four caregivers and an Iranian child were selected through respondent-driven sampling and studied in the form of a double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) (TCTR20180804001) with repeated measurements method and a 6-month follow-up. The changes in the aggression and cortisol levels were repeatedly evaluated during 12 weeks of interactive treatment and analyzed by Monte Carlo test, repeated measures correlation (rmcorr), and generalized estimating equation (GEE) via SPSS software. Statistical significance was accepted on the level of P < 0.010.

12 weeks of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) had a significant effect on the reduction of aggression and the salivary cortisol level in children (P < 0.010). However, the results did not remain stable till the 6-month follow-up stage (P = 0.067). Also, results revealed a significant relationship between aggression index and the level of cortisol (P < 0.010).

Since the core of the damage resulted from illicit drug abuse is reflected in interactive activities, improving social interactions can be considered as the key to the treatment of addiction.