Journal of Research and Health
Volume:12 Issue: 6, Nov-Dec 2022

Limited understanding exists about the development of online one-stop shops for evidence in a limited-resource setting, such as Uganda. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive account of the development process of the online resource for local policy and systems-relevant information in this setting.

We utilized a case study design to address our objective where the case (i.e., unit of analysis) was defined as “the Uganda clearinghouse for health policy and system (UCHPS) the development process”. We collected data from multiple sources, including key informant interviews, participant observations, and archival records to develop a comprehensive account of the case under investigation.

We found out that the development of Uganda clearinghouse for health policy and system (UCHPS) followed a seven-step process, characterized by iterations that occurred within and between the steps. The essential components of the process included concept development, prototyping the key structure, engaging with policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders, mobilizing and indexing the content, disseminating the resource, user-testing, and updating the system. 

Our study provides key steps for developing a one-stop shop for local evidence to inform health policy and system decisions. Researchers and institutions, especially those in low and middle income countries (LMICs) may apply this step-by-step inventory to develop similar resources. The inventory is based on knowledge translation (KT) evidence and product design principles along with insights drawn from the practical experience of developing an online KT platform in a limited-resource setting.

The present study was conducted to develop a game-based cognitive-behavioral educational package and determine its effectiveness in improving the receptive language disorders and social adjustment of bilingual children. 

The current study was applied objectively and in terms of the nature of the data, it was quasi-experimental with a pretest post-test design and follow-up with experimental, control, and pseudo-control groups. The statistical population of the research includes all bilingual children of Bojnord City, Iran who were studying in preschool centers in the academic year 2018-2019. A sample consisting of 60 male and female students was selected using convenience sampling and according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and they were randomly assigned to three experimental, control, and pseudo-control groups (each group with 20 people). In the pretest stages, the participants completed the Nikamer and Hamill language development test and the Dokhanchi social adjustment scale, and then during the intervention process of the experimental group, they received a game-based cognitive-behavioral training program for 12 sessions. The pseudo-control group received a program except for play therapy, and the control group received no intervention. After the end of the intervention, all three groups responded to both scales again in the post-test stages and were re-evaluated after two months. The data were analyzed using the analysis of variance test with repeated measurements and using SPSS software, versian 24.

The results showed that the game-based cognitive-behavioral intervention is significantly effective in improving the receptive language disorders and social adjustment of bilingual children compared to the control and quasi-control groups.

It seems that game-based cognitive-behavioral interventions can play a significant role in improving the language skills and social adaptation of bilingual children.

With the invention of the Internet and its widespread popularity, in addition to the many benefits, it was accompanied by many damages and problems. The biggest damage tousing this technology is addiction. Internet addiction can be a chronic, pervasive, recurring, and very damaging disorder. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of internet addiction and its relation with demographic factors among the students of Gonabad Universities in the academic year 2015-2016.

The study design was cross-sectional. The sample of the study was all students of Azad and Payam Noor University of Gonabad. A total of 1182 students of Azad and Payam Noor University of Gonabad participated in the research process by simple random sampling. To collect data, the demographic questionnaire and Young’s Internet addiction scale was used. Data was analyzed using SPSS descriptive statistics software version 19, and the chi-squared test.

The prevalence rate of Internet addiction was 14.3%. The prevalence rate in male and female samples was 14.1% and 14.5%, respectively. A total of 33.9% of students in the sample were at risk of Internet addiction disorder. The results of chi-square test results showed no significant relationship between gender, marital status, the field of study, and Internet addiction (P>0.05). However, the results of the analysis indicated a significant relationship between age, place of residence, level of education, and type of university with the prevalence of Internet addiction (P<0.05).

According to the high prevalence of Internet addiction among students, appropriate treatment interventions are required for Internet addiction students.

This study aimed to determine pregnant women’s knowledge about COVID-19 and their anxiety and fear of the unknown.

This online cross-sectional study was conducted in March and April 2020 on Iranian pregnant women visiting comprehensive healthcare centers affiliated with the Gonabad University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling strategy among pregnant women who agreed to participate, had a Telegram or WhatsApp account or phone number, and had no history of pregnancy complications. A demographic questionnaire, Spielberger’s state-trait anxiety inventory, fearing the unknown questionnaire, and an uncertainty scale was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression models using SPSS software, version 16.

A total of 190 pregnant women were included in the analysis. The Mean±SD for knowledge of COVID-19 was 8.82±1.72. The knowledge of 71.1% of participants was moderate. The Mean±SD for fearing the unknown was 36.2±9.1. The Mean±SD for the state anxiety about COVID-19 incidence in pregnant women was 47.6±10.2. The results showed that 65.3% of the participants had a moderate level of anxiety. Multiple regression analysis showed an increase of 0.16 (P=0.029) in the fearing the unknown score for each week of increase in the gestational age. Similarly, the anxiety increased by 0.56 (P<0.001) for each unit of increase in fearing the unknown. Moreover, the results showed that the anxiety of people using Telegram or WhatsApp was 3.44 units more than others (P<0.018)

The findings showed that the pregnant women’s knowledge was moderate at the time of research. However, with increasing gestational age, fear of the unknown, and sources of knowledge were associated with anxiety. This points to the essentiality of increasing supportive programs and it is required to screen pregnant women to prevent the adverse effects of anxiety.

The medium and long-term problems of COVID-19 survivors after hospital discharge are currently unknown, but new evidence is emerging. This study was conducted with the aim of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on resilience and psychological distress of recovered patients from COVID-19 in Tehran City, Iran, in 2021.

The study was a quasi-experimental type of pre-test-post-test design with a control group with a 2-month follow-up. The statistical population included all patients 25-55 years in Tehran City in 2021 with 4 to 8 weeks of discharge. The sample included 30 people who recovered from COVID-19 who had symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (based on [depression, anxiety and stress scale] DASS-21 scores) and was selected by purposive sampling and based on the inclusion criteria, and then matching assigned to an experimental (MBCT) and a control group (n=15each). The experimental group received 8 sessions of 60 minutes of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (individual and online) but the control group received no intervention. The research tools were the DASS-21 and Connor-Davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC). Data were analyzed using a mixed analysis test and Ben Foroni post hoc test using SPSS version 23 software.

The results showed that MBCT in the post-test positively affected the resilience (F=30.31, P=0.001) and negatively affected the psychological distress (F=120.70, P=0.001) of those who Recovered from COVID-19. This therapeutic effect continued until the follow-up phase. According to the results, MBCT is effective in increasing resilience and reducing psychological distress and a significant difference is observed between the experimental and control groups (P=0.01).

Based on the findings, MBCT is effective in increasing resilience and reducing psychological distress after illness and the use of this model can be useful in the psychological rehabilitation of those who have recovered from COVID-19.

Developing and promoting empathy between couples can help them deal with destructive communication patterns, increase their satisfaction through effective dialogue and conversation, and, as a result, create a safe place to meet emotional needs. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Olson’s enrichment training program and Johnson’s relationship enrichment on emotion regulation and empathy in maladjusted couples in Ahvaz City, Iran.

This study was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group. The research population included all maladjusted couples who were referred to Ahvaz’s counseling centers in 2021. Among them, 45 couples meeting the inclusion criteria were selected via the convenience sampling method. The participants were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group (n=15). The first experimental group participated in eight 90-minute sessions of Olson’s enrichment training program, the second experimental group attended eight 90-minute sessions of Johnson’s relationship enrichment, and the control group received no intervention during this time. The participants responded to the difficulties in the emotion regulation scale (DERS) and basic empathy scale (BES-A). The data were analyzed using multivariable analysis of variance (MANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS software, version 26.

The results suggested that Olson’s couple enrichment training and Johnson’s training model improved emotion regulation and marital empathy in the couples. The results demonstrated that Johnson’s approach was more effective than Olson’s approach in improving couples’ empathy (P<0.001).

Olson’s enrichment training program and Johnson’s relationship enrichment were effective in improving emotion regulation and marital empathy among maladjusted couples. Therefore, Olson’s enrichment training program and Johnson’s relationship enrichment workshops can effectively help maladjusted couples mitigate emotional problems.

Subjective well-being and life satisfaction can help individuals achieve more success in their lives and enjoy better supportive social relationships and higher levels of physical and mental health. The present study aimed to determine the relationship of social maturity with sexual satisfaction, subjective well-being, and controlling behaviors through the mediating role of marital commitment in couples.

The statistical population in this correlational cross-sectional study included all couples in Tehran City, Iran, in 2019, of which 370 people were selected as the sample using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research tools included Rao’s social maturity scale (RSMS), the Golombok-Rust inventory of sexual satisfaction (GRISS), the subjective well-being scale (SWS), the controlling behaviors scale (CBS), and the dimensions of commitment inventory (DCI). The obtained data were statistically analyzed by employing structural equation modeling (SEM) in SPSS software, version 23 and LISREL version 8.8. 

The results showed a positive relationship between sexual satisfaction and social maturity as well as between subjective well-being and social maturity, both mediated by marital commitment (P<0.001). However, a negative relationship was observed between controlling behaviors and social maturity, mediated by marital commitment (P<0.001).

Based on the results of the present study, the proposed model had a good fit. Therefore, considering the findings of this study helps researchers and therapists design more appropriate therapies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease with various complications. About 10% of the world’s population suffers from this disease. For smart control of the blood glucose in DM patients, an artificial pancreas was designed and simulated by a predictive sliding mode controller considering the time delay of insulin effect.

In this method, one of the time-delay glucose-insulin models was first selected. Then, using the predictive sliding mode control model, the stability of the blood glucose and insulin concentration was considered as the target. The performance and efficiency of the design were then verified by simulating the parameters of the proposed model in MATLAB software.

Using the proposed method, despite considering a 25-minute delay from insulin injection to its effect, the glucose and insulin concentrations reached stability in 60 and 50 minutes, respectively.

The results of this study indicate that the combined controller of the predictive sliding mode model control can control blood glucose more effectively than previous controllers and therefore can help reduce disease complications, improve patients’ quality of life, and reduce costs and individual and health systems.