مجله تحقیقات سلامت در جامعه
سال نهم شماره 2 (تابستان 1402)

Today, with the developments of technology, the use of mobile phones has become an inevitable principle in human life, and in this field, mobile base transceiver stations (BTS) have been developed as one of the necessary infrastructures. The assessment of electromagnetic waves produced by these stations assumes critical importance in management planning for deploying these systems and maintaining environmental standards. The present study aimed to measure the ambient waves emitted by BTS towers of Irancell and Hamrah-e-Aval operators in Boroujerd in Lorestan province and compare it with available standards.

This is a descriptive-analytical study. In this research, the measurements were performed using an electromagnetic field meter (Spectran HF-4060) at the distances of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 meters from each antenna at the same weather and time conditions. The obtained data (magnetic fields and power density) were analyzed with Mann-Whitney statistical test and compared with available standards.

This research found that in both Irancell and Hamrah-e-Aval operators, the power densities calculated at specified distances were much lower than the standard limits. The comparison of disease complications based on the GHQ questionnaire in the residents around Irancell antennas and the first satellite demonstrated that in both antennas, the highest percentage of disease complications were mild or least, moderate and none, respectively, and there were no severe disease complications.

As evidenced by the results of this study, the level of electromagnetic waves in the studied areas in both Irancell and Hamrah Aval antennas was lower compared to the existing standards.

The members of the Islamic Council contribute greatly to the enactment of elder laws. Therefore, the view of these people toward the elderly can play a decisive role in this matter. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the attitude of the representatives of the Islamic Council towards the elderly.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical research was conducted on 274 representatives of the Islamic Council who were selected by the whole number method in 2018. The needed data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The research tools in this study included demographic information questionnaires and Kogan's attitude questionnaire on aging. The data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using correlation tests (Pearson, Spermman), independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA.

The mean age of the participants was 53.49±8.02 years. The majority of MPs (93.8%) were male. The mean score of the attitude towards the elderly was 145.20±15.05, and the mean score of the negative attitude towards the elderly among parliamentarians was higher (62.28±12.36). Attitude towards aging showed a significant relationship with age (P<0.05) and gender (P=0.002).

Considering that the mean negative attitude towards aging was higher among parliamentarians, it is recommended to hold educational programs and workshops to familiarize representatives with the topic and issues of aging so that better policies can be developed.

Cancer is one of the main health challenges in numerous countries. It is the second leading cause of death globally and the third in Iran. In 2020, 19 million new cases and 10 million deaths from cancer were reported worldwide. This study aimed to investigate cancer mortality and morbidity rates in Behbahan City, southeast Khuzestan.

The required data for this descriptive study were collected from pathology, hospital, and death registry centers in Behbahan between 2014 and 2019. Necessary variables were gathered according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer standards, and tumor characteristics were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, Third Edition. The data were analyzed in SPSS26 software using descriptive statistics, negative binomial regression, and rank-order clustering analysis.

A total of 1,676 patients were identified, 52.5% of whom were male. The most common cancers in men were skin, prostate, and lung, while they were breast, skin, and blood in women. The annual incidence rate was 130.0 per 100,000 people (134.2 in men and 126.2 in women). The mean incidence and mortality rates increased with age (P<0.001) and did not differ significantly between men and women (P>0.05). Moreover, 606 deaths due to cancer were reported, of which 60.7% were men, and 29.7% were under 60 years old.

Considering the upward trend of the elderly population and an increase in cancer incidence at older ages, cancer prevention interventions are necessary.

Despite the availability of vaccines, the use of face masks remains a recognized and effective measure in preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, it is crucial to comprehend the underlying factors influencing people's adherence to preventive behaviors, particularly mask usage within communities, as negligence and disregard for this matter persist. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the reasons for not using masks by people during the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of health experts.

This research employed a qualitative approach and content analysis in 2019. A targeted sampling method was employed, and 15 healthcare experts from Kashan and Aran and Bidgol, Iran, participated in this study. Participants were selected to represent maximum diversity in terms of age, gender, and education level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted as the primary method of data collection. The duration of the interviews varied between 20-30 min. The interview transcripts were carefully documented, extracted, and segmented into meaningful units. To enhance the research's reliability and confirm the accuracy of the findings, credibility criteria were employed to validate the collected data.

Out of the interview participants, 66.6% held a bachelor's degree, 13.4% possessed a master's degree, and 20% had a doctorate degree. Around 80% of the participants were male, with 53.5% falling within the 40-50 age range, and all were married. During the data analysis process, 40 core concepts sharing common characteristics were categorized into six subclasses, which were further condensed into three main classes based on abstract commonalities. The research findings were classified into three main categories: individual factors, interpersonal factors, and environmental factors. The subcategories included lack of awareness, behavioral and belief patterns, physical barriers, subjective norms, economic barriers, environmental barriers, inappropriate mask structure, and health policies and guidelines.

Based on the findings of this research, in addition to individual factors (e.g., awareness and beliefs regarding preventive behaviors), interpersonal factors, abstract norms, and economic and environmental factors can significantly influence mask usage within a society. This finding highlights the necessity of government organizations' support to address these challenges effectively.

The caesarean method is used in Iran more than the standard rate recommended by the World Health Organization. Reducing the number of caesarean births and promoting natural births at all levels of the country's health system is a concern of the country's health policymakers. Therefore, the present research aimed to identify the effective factors in selecting the type of delivery based on the Health Belief Model.

This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 144 pregnant mothers in the comprehensive health centers of Saveh, Iran. A designed questionnaire based on the constructs of the Health Belief Model (Perceived susceptibility, Perceived severity, Perceived benefits, Perceived barriers, and Self-efficacy) and knowledge was used to determine the beliefs related to the type of the selected delivery. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS software (version 16).

Out of 144 individuals, who participated in the study, 52.08% of mothers selected the natural method, and 47.91% chose cesarean as the preferred method of delivery. The structure of perceived barriers, with a mean of 56.50 had the highest mean in the cesarean delivery group. Based on the logistic regression, all six constructs of the Health Belief Model had an impact on predicting the type of delivery, and overall, the model, by 71%, could predict the pregnant mothers’ preferred delivery type.

Health professionals can reduce the number of unnecessary cesarean births by designing and implementing educational interventions aimed at raising the level of awareness of pregnant mothers and focusing on psychological structures that are effective in behavior, including strengthening self-efficacy in women and removing obstacles regarding natural childbirth.

Evidence shows that a high level of emotional intelligence in health care workers leads to better communication with patients and, ultimately, the pateints’ satisfaction. Considering the undeniable and complex relationship between emotional intelligence and communication skills, the present research was designed and implemented.

The current research is a descriptive-analytical study. The participants included 121 community health workers from Kurdistan Province, Iran. The required data was collected through a communication skills checklist by observation, Queen Dam's communication skills questionnaire, and Shering's Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression were performed using SPSS (version 21) software.

The results of self-declaration of emotional intelligence and communication skills showed that only 28% of the participants had high emotional intelligence, and 32.2% had high communication skills. The evaluation of communication skills through the observation method showed that the staff obtained a low score with respect to introducing themselves to patients, explaining the treatment process, and keeping the patients calm. Moreover, 40.7% of participants had active listening skills. The r-squared (the coefficient of determination) showed that 86% of the variance of emotional intelligence is related to the variable of communication skills.

Overall, the findings of the present study revealed an average level of emotional intelligence and communication skills among health care workers. Concerning the communication weaknesses observed in the emotional dimensions, it is recommended to intervene appropriately.

The coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) caused severe stress and decreased communication skills among various groups, including medical students. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of communication skills training on the components of corona stress in students of medical sciences.

This study was applied in terms of purpose and followed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest and a control group. The research population included students of the Islamic Azad University of Tehran, Medical Sciences Branch, in the 2021-2022 academic years. A total of 170 students were selected as the sample by simple random sampling and were randomly divided into two equal groups through a draw. The experimental group received four 120-min sessions of communication skills training for one month, and the control group did not receive any training during this period and remained on the waiting list for training. The research tools included a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the “Corona Stress Scale”. The content validity was confirmed by experts’ opinions, and the reliability was calculated by internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed using tests of chi-squared, independent sample t-test, and multivariate analysis of covariance in the SPSS software (version 26).

The results showed that the experimental and control groups did not significantly differ in any variables of gender (χ2=0.46, P=0.496) and mean age (t=-1.49, P=0.135). In addition, it was found that communication skills training reduced corona stress psychological states (F=1518.06, P=0.001), corona stress physical states (F=2197.35, P=0.001), and corona stress-related behaviors (F=1220.10, P=0.001) in medical students.

Communication skills training was effective in reducing the components of corona stress in medical students. Therefore, to reduce corona stress, communication skills training can be used, along with other effective training methods.

One of the water resource management strategies is to accurately determine the per capita water consumption in various sectors, especially the drinking and sanitary sector. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the per capita water consumption by field calculation and data collection from District 4 of Tehran subscribers who supply their water from the distribution network covered by the water and sewage company. In addition, the per capita wastewater production and the amount of biodegradable organic matter were estimated.

In this study, the statistical population was the subscribers of Water and Wastewater Company, District 4 of Tehran, with 108603 subscribers from 2018-2020. Residential per capita water use is calculated by dividing the total volume of water sold to residential accounts by the number of people being served. The cost per water was calculated using the water tariff and the price per cubic meter of water.

Per capita water consumption for 2018, 2019, and 2020 were 172.33, 131, and 117.33 L/pd, respectively. The maximum and minimum per capita water consumption were obtained in May and April 2019, respectively (2576218 m3/month.S VS 677246 m3/month.S). In addition, the cost per water (in Rial/m3.month) for 2018, 2019, and 2020 were calculated as 145675, 164520 and 223944 respectively.

The results demonstrated that the highest rate of water consumption and wastewater production pertained to April and May. As the cost of water consumption showed, it can be concluded that water prices are not an effective tool to reduce water consumption.

The increase of unsafe events in healthcare environments can cause injuries to healthcare personnel and patients. Understanding the patient safety climate in an organization using a valid and reliable tool can reduce these risks and injuries to the patient. The present study aims to investigate the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Patient Safety Climate Questionnaire in Health Care Organizations (PSCHO).

The study was started by obtaining permission from the original author of the instrument. This questionnaire was first translated into Farsi by a group of experts using the forward-backward translation method; then, it was translated into English. After the English version was approved by the original author, the final Persian version was formed. The final questionnaire was completed by 221 healthcare workers from three public hospitals in Sari, Iran. The statistical indicators used include Cronbach's alpha coefficient, content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR), and Pearson correlation.

This study was conducted in the second half of 2022. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole questionnaire is 0.883. The average CVR and CVI were calculated as 0.59 and 0.81 according to the opinions of 30 occupational health, ergonomics, and nursing experts.

This study has shown that the PSCHO has high reliability and validity and can be used to evaluate and identify the level of patient safety in healthcare centers.

In order to have more effective programs and social interventions controlling the burden of diseases, it is necessary for policy makers to have valid evidence about the role of socioeconomic determinants. The present study aimed to provide empirical evidence about the relationship of socioeconomic inequalities and the availability of resources with the burden of diseases among the provinces of the country in 2019.

This descriptive and analytical research was carried out using the provincial data of 2019. The required provincial data were extracted from the Statistical Yearbook Report and the Household Income Expenditure Report of the Statistics Center and the data related to adjusted years with disability and early death (DALI) from the 2019 disease burden estimates. DALY's inequality was investigated by estimating the concentration index and extracting the concentration curve at a 95% confidence interval. The analyses were carried out in the Stata software (version 15).

In 2019, the average per capita DALY was 18.33±3.98. The average socio-economic index and resource availability index for 31 provinces were obtained at 0.37±0.21 and 0.64±0.20, respectively. Considering the difference in the available resources (covariate), there was a statistically significant difference between the socio-economic quartiles in terms of the distribution of per capita DALY (P<0.01). Therefore, the effect size of belonging to the socio-economic quartile was 0.758 (P<0.01). Nonetheless, the effect size of the difference in resource availability was not statistically significant.

Health policymakers at national and provincial levels should try to reduce inequality by promoting programs to encourage healthy lifestyles, developing universal access to early screening services, and preventing the causes of death.