International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume:12 Issue: 11, Nov 2021

Over the last 20 years, internet‑delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been tested in a large number of randomized controlled trials, often with positive results. However, it is not widely known about the efficacy of ICBT as compared to face‑to‑face cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).

In the present systematic review and meta‑analysis, ICBT for treatment of anxiety disorders was directly compared to face‑ to‑face CBT within the same trial. This study aimed to reinvestigate the effect of ICBT compared to face‑to‑face CBT for anxiety disorders. A total of 8 studies out of the 236 articles screened met all the inclusion criteria. The included studies targeting five different anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorder, adolescent anxiety, panic disorder, spider phobia, and fear of public speaking, had been carried out in Australia, Spain, and Sweden. The total number of participants was 348 in ICBT and 316 in face‑to‑face conditions.

The results of our meta‑analysis are interesting both from theoretical and practical standpoints, which showed a pooled effect size posttreatment with Hedges’ g = 0.01 (95% CI: −0.16 to 0.18),

ICBT and face‑to‑face CBT created equivalent overall effects. in treatment of anxiety disorders. Since there have been similar systematic reviews about anxiety disorders so far, and in majority of them, ICBT has not been compared against face‑to‑face treatment. More research is needed to establish the general equivalence of the two treatment formats. Also, understanding what makes ICBT work is a challenge for future research.

Backgroud: Hearing loss is the most common congenital disorder that appears as a unilateral or bilateral deafness. Early detection by screening and appropriate intervention lead to better oral communication and language development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost per new case identification of neonate hearing screening.

The cost effectiveness of two stage hospital based newborn hearing loss screening was evaluated in this study. We gathered data for 11168 newborns born in 10 hospitals. We included a direct cost and new case identification as cost and outcome measures from health system prospective in our model.

We found 19 new cases with hearing loss from 11168 screened neonates (1.7 per 1000). The referral rates in the first and second stages were respectively 28% and 7%. The total cost of screening program was 132167 US$. The main cost item is screening test (OAE).

We concluded cost per new case detection is 6956 US$ in Iranian neonate hearing screening program. Almost, it is equal to GDP per capita and it may be cost effective. Since there are many strategies to screening of newborn, it is suggested that all alternative screening strategies be analyzed by a cost effectiveness method to find the best strategy for hearing loss screening.

Given the limitations of traditional citation indicators, more indicators are needed to examine the effectiveness and improvement of existing indicators. The present study aimed to investigate the association between Altmetrics activity and quality citation indicators in Iranian journals based on Clarivate Analytics, Scopus, and Medline.

The research was carried out using Altmetrics method through scientometric approach. The population of the present study was Iranian medical journals, which were available at three databases of Clarivate Analytics, Scopus, and Medline. In order to obtain quality information, we’ve used the indicators of CiteScore, SJR, and SNIP at Scopus database as well as the impact factor at JCR database; besides, to find Altmetrics indicators and Altmetrics scores of articles, the Altmetrics explorer database was used.

About 16% of the articles in the reviewed journals were cited at least once in the social media and had Altmetrics scores. Among the reviewed journals, the highest rate of social media coverage was related to the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, and the highest Altmetrics score obtained from the mean Altmetrics score of the papers was related to Cell Journal (Yakhteh). A review of quality indicators of journals with Altmetrics coverage and Altmetrics score of journals showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between the Altmetrics score and impact factor. However, any significant association was neither found between the journal’s coverage and SiteScore, SNIP, SJR, nor between the journal’s Altmetrics score and quality indicators.

According to the results of this study, policy makers of scientific journals should adopt strategies that bring about social media presence; thus, we will find further Iranian articles in the social media

Calorie restriction (CR) is known as a nutritional gold standard for life extension and different studies have shown that insulin‑like growth factor (IGF1) reduction through CR may be involved in CR’s anti‑aging effects. Besides, time‑restricted‑feeding (TRF) is also highlighted due to more feasibility and positive health effects. We designed this study to compare the effects of CR and TRF on IGF1 and other metabolic parameters.

Fifty‑two male Wistar rats (3 weeks old) were subjected to either a control (CON, n = 11) diet or high‑fat diet (HFD, n = 42) for 17 weeks. In the second phase of the study, the HFD group were divided into four groups ( n = 9) 1) 30% CR, 2) Night Intermittent Fasting (NIF, active phase), 3) day intermittent fasting (DIF, rest phase), and 4) Ad‑Libitum (AL) with a standard diet for 10 weeks. Blood samples were collected at the end of both phases.

HFD increased IGF1 and deteriorated lipid profiles, except for triglycerides (P: 0.018, 0.008.0.012, 0.032) but CR in these obese subjects could not lower the IGF1 level. HDL significantly decreased in DIF compared to CON and CR ( P; 0.001). Meanwhile, HOMA‑IR increased in DIF and was significant compared to CR ( P: 0.002). Serum glucose levels decreased in CR compared to all groups except for CON ( P: 0.001).

Data indicates the role of previous obesity on the effect of CR on the IGF1 level and highlights the effect of inappropriate time of food intake on HDL and APOA1.

Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases with prevalence of 33% in urban and 25% in rural population in India. Studies have suggested that hypertension significantly affects the sleep quality and quality of life of subjects. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a correlation between sleep quality, quality of life, and hypertension in Uttarakhand.

This observational cross‑sectional study was carried out on hypertensive subjects at a tertiary care hospital in Uttarakhand following ethics approval. After taking consent from participants, blood pressure and anthropometric measurements were recorded. Then, their sleep quality and quality of life was assessed using Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and WHO‑QOL BREF questionnaire respectively. Statistical analysis was then carried out to correlate these parameters.

168 participants were recruited for this study, with 43.5% males and 56.5% females. It was found that 77.4% of these subjects were having poor sleep quality with the mean global PSQI score as 7.90 ± 3.713. These subjects assessed their Quality of life to be worst in physical domain (12.68 ± 3.13), followed by psychological, social relationship domain and environment domain. A significant association was found between sleep quality and different stages of hypertension (P value = 0.039) but quality of life and stages of hypertension have no significant association (P value > 0.05).

Sleep quality, quality of life and blood pressure are correlated. So, clinicians should also focus on improving their patient’s sleep quality and quality of life besides pharmacological treatment.

Mortality rate in low‑birth‑weight infants is almost 30 times more than that in those with normal weight, so the birth of low‑birth‑weight infants is one of the most serious health problems in the world. Therefore, this nested case‑control study was conducted to investigate the risk factors associated with low birth weight among infants in the rural population of Kerman province.

This nested case‑control study was performed in rural areas of Kerman province, southeastern Iran. Case ( n = 155) and control (n = 310) groups were selected using risk set sampling. Data were analyzed through Point and distance estimation (OR, CI) using conditional logistic regression method by Stata‑12 software.

The results of multivariate analysis showed that maternal BMI [OR = 0.3, CI 95% (0.1, 0.9)], gestational age [OR = 3.8, CI 95% (0.9, 6.1)], history of stillbirth [OR = 4.8, CI 95% (1.3, 11)], history of pregnancy bleeding [OR = 3.7, CI 95% (0.7, 9)], pregnancy craving [OR = 3, CI 95% (1.1, 3.8)], and the level of health workers’ care [OR = 0.4, CI 95% (0.1, 0.9)] are the risk factors affecting LBW in infants (P < 0.05).

Low birth weight is a multifactorial phenomenon. Therefore, raising public awareness, providing nutritional counseling to pregnant mothers, regular referral to health homes to receive health care, and identifying risk factors and referral to higher level specialists and health centers can be effective in reducing the risk of birth of LBW infants.