مجله تحقیقات سلامت در جامعه
سال هفتم شماره 4 (زمستان 1400)

The importance of drinking water resources and their infrastructure for human health has made these resources one of the most vulnerable targets of terrorist attacks. The present study aimed to identify and assess the risks posed to drinking water facilities in Taleghan, Iran, using the failure modes and effects analysis(FMEA) method.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in all water facilities in Taleghan, Iran, in 2020. The types of potential hazards and threats of water facilities were identified by reviewing the necessary documents, field visits, observation, interviews, and opinion polls of water supply experts in Alborz province. Thereafter, risk assessment was performed, risks were prioritized, and necessary solutions to reduce the risks were presented using the FMEA technique.

The present study identified 40 potential risks. The majority of risks belonged to water wells (37.5%). The identified risks were 7.5%, 40%, and 52.5%, respectively, related to the quantity, quality, as well as exploitation and maintenance of water facilities. The highest risk priority number were 576, 392, and 343, respectively, related to the critical threats caused by point source pollution around water wells, poor protection and security of the pumping station,  as well as fluctuations in water flow in the distribution network and reservoirs. Furthermore, 42.5, 35, and 22.5% of the risks were at the critical, moderate, and non-critical levels.

Ad evidenced by the obtained results, water infrastructure in terms of exploitation and maintenance in the supply, treatment, and distribution sectors is vulnerable to various identified threats; therefore, it is necessary to make the needed adjustments based on the set priorities to prevent possible incidents.

Workers' exposure to manganese fumes emitted from the welding Process can lead to various ranges of diseases. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of manganese fume in the respiratory area of workers working at an industrial shed manufacturing factory in Amol, Iran.

This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted on the welders working at an industrial shed manufacturing factory in Amol, Iran (case group; n=35) and employees of administrative departments (control group; n=35). Inhalable Particles concentration and manganese concentration in welding fumes were measured using the NIOSH-0600 and NIOSH-7300 standard methods, respectively. Data analysis was Performed by SPSS software (version 25) using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and analytical statistical methods (chi-square test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and regression testing).

The mean exposures of welders to inhalable Particles and manganese in welding fume were 2.4±1.2 and 0.15±0.83 mg/m3, respectively. The maximum and minimum concentrations of inhalable Particles and manganese in welding fumes were 6 and 0.36 mg/m3, as well as 0.7 and 0.04 mg/m3, resPectively. There was a significant relationship between average Particle concentration and manganese concentration in welding fume among the two groups of maximum and minimum exposure limits. Moreover, a significant association was observed between the concentration of inhalable Particles and the concentration of manganese in welding fumes (P<0.001).

The exposure of all welders to manganese welding fume exceeded the allowable limit. Therefore, technical, engineering, and management control measures are recommended to reduce exposure to manganese.

Hand hygiene is an international priority for the elimination of nosocomial infections. This research aimed to investigate the effects of handwashing conditions on bacterial removal efficiency and its economic estimation in a military hospital in Tehran.

In total, 20 hospital staff were selected from volunteers. The water temperature (WTe) (20 ºC, 30 ºC, and 40 ºC), soap volume (SV) (0.5, 1.25, and 2 ml), and washing time (WTi) (10, 20, 35, and 50 sec,) were investigated. The standard strain of Escherichia coli with identified ATCC (25922) was prepared from a reference laboratory and fresh culture was prepared on nutrient broth medium. Primarily, the hands of participants were thoroughly washed with soap and water, then contaminated with 1 ml of bacterial suspension with 1.5×104 colony-forming unit/ml density. After 3 min of handwashing, sampling was performed based on research protocols. The samples were transferred on eosin methylene blue agar and incubated at 37 ºC for 48 h. After this time, the growth bacteria were considered the residual contamination on the hands.

Based on findings, various studied conditions had no effect on bacterial removal efficiency. Accordingly, WTi=20 sec, SV=0.5 ml, and ordinary WTe (20 ºC) can be used for handwashing with appropriate perfornance. For 500 people, annually 627 million Rials for water and water heating, 135 million Rials for soap, and 316 days a year on handwashing can be saved.

Optimization of the handwashing process while ensuring hand hygiene saves costs.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the Zoonotic parasitic diseases caused by protozoa of the genus leishmania. This disease is prevalent in many parts of the world, particularly in Iran. The present study aimed to assess the trend of CL in Gerash, Iran, during 2007-2020.

This study was conducted based on a secondary design. The following data were collected: patient’s age, gender, number and location of sores, disease type and reservoir, place of residence, and type of Construction. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 24).

Out of 562 patients, 276 cases were male, and 286 subjects were female. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis was diagnosed clinically and based on laboratory tests in 48.6% and 51.4% of the cases, respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence rates were detected in the age groups of below 10, and over 61 years, respectively. The highest frequency of lesions was in patients with urban leishmaniasis and the most affected areas were hand and face (30.56%).  Moreover, 66% and 34% of patients were infected with urban and rural types of disease, respectively. Furthermore, 61.21% of patients were living in newly-built houses, and the rest were residing in old buildings. In addition, 33% and 67% of them resided in rural and urban areas, respectively.

Due to the high prevalence of CL in Gerash and its increase in 2017, there is a need for coherent planning and effective health measures by the officials of different organizations and public participation to prevent the spread of this disease

Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Anxiety is one of the most common and important psychological reactions of this disease, which aggravates the course of the disease and overshadows the lives of patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety and different demographic groups three years after traumatic brain injury.

The statistical population of this cross-sectional study included 409 patients with traumatic brain injury referring to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Sari, Iran, within 2010-2014. Among this population, 97 patients were selected using the purposive sampling method. The required data were collected using the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory and a researcher-made demographic questionnaire (with a score range of 40-160).

The findings showed that anxiety after traumatic brain injury had a significant relationship with gender (P=0.010) and material status (P=0.044). However, it did not show a significant relationship with age (P=0.361), educational level (P= 0.666), and place of residence (P=0.876).

Due to the high prevalence of anxiety in patients with traumatic brain injury, it seems necessary to screen anxiety in such patients. Diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in the early stages play important roles in improving the quality of life of these patients.

Relationship incompatibility is one of the potential risk factors for marital problems. General studies have demonstrated a decrease in couples' marital adjustment regarding infertility. The present study aimed to assess the effect of life skills training on marital adjustment in infertile women referred to the infertility center of Kurdistan province.

In this interventional study, 90 infertile women who were referred to the infertility clinic located in the center of the province for follow-up, diagnosis and treatment were selected through continuous sampling. The data collection tool was the Spanier questionnaire. Data were entered into SPSS  software (version 20) and analyzed using statistical tests.

There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups before the intervention in the scores of marital satisfaction, solidarity, agreement, expression of love, and adjustment. After the educational intervention, the score of marital satisfaction, solidarity, expression of love, and total adjustment in infertile women in the intervention group was significantly higher than those in the control group (P>0.05). Nonetheless, there was no significant difference in mutual agreement between the two groups (P= 0.29).

As evidenced by the obtained results, the necessary training can be designed and implemented to increase the level of marital satisfaction in infertile couples.

Being in sensitive academic conditions often affects students' mental and physical health. This study aimed to model social adequacy using resilience medicated by academic adjustment among the students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.  

The statistical population of this descriptive-correlational study consisted of all students studying at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 2019-20. A total of 320 students were selected using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected using the Flanner Social Adequacy Questionnaire (1990), Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (2003), as well as Baker and Siryk Academic Adjustment Questionnaire (1989). The obtained data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis in SPSS (version 24) and Lisrel (version 8.80) software.

The results of path analysis showed that resilience had a direct effect on academic adjustment (ß=0.33, P<0.001) and social adequacy (ß=0.15, P<0.001); moreover, academic adjustment had a direct effect on social adequacy (ß=0.28, P<0.001). Furthermore, academic adjustment played a mediating role in the relationship between resilience and social adequacy.

It can be concluded that the social adequacy model using resilience mediated by the academic adjustment among the students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences fitted the data well. Considering the role of resilience in increasing academic adjustment and social adequacy, it is of importance to create positive beliefs in health and inform people about the impacts of resilience.

Infertile women often use a stressful process called laboratory fertilization to fulfill their desire for childbearing. The present study aimed to determine the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training on intolerance of uncertainty in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

This study was conducted using a semi-experimental approach based on a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all infertile women referred to an infertility treatment center in Mashhad, Iran. From this group, a total of 60 women with a history of infertility were selected using the available sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. For the experimental group, eight 2-h sessions of mindfulness training were held weekly; however, the control group did not receive any psychological services. The intolerance of uncertainty questionnaire was used to measure anxiety, and data analysis was performed by single-variable covariance using SPSS software (version 21).

The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control groups in terms of intolerance of uncertainty, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training effectively reduced the intolerance of uncertainty (P<0.001) in infertile women undergoing IVF treatment.

According to the findings, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy training can be applied to improve the problems of infertile women undergoing IVF treatment.