Health and Development Journal
Volume:13 Issue: 1, Winter 2023

Vancomycin (VCM) is a critical antibiotic due to its high consumption and side effects, including increased bacterialresistance affecting treatment processes. This research investigated the efficiency of VCM antibiotic removal from an aqueoussolution using a UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO integrated process.

Response surface methodology (RSM) and a Box-Behnken design were applied using Design-Expert software tooptimize the number of samples and simultaneously understand the interactive effects between variables. X-ray diffraction (XRD),a vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), field effect scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) analyses were used to check the structural characteristics. The effects of initial catalyst concentration (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5g/L), initial pollutant concentration (10, 30, and 50 mg/L), contact time (10, 30, and 50 minutes), and pH (3, 7, and 11) on VCMdecomposition rate were investigated. Spectrophotometry, total organic carbon (TOC), and GC-MS analyses were used to checkthe efficiency of the process.

In this study, VCM and TOC removal efficiency was 92.64% and 85.38%, respectively, under optimal conditions. Thereason for the reduction in the efficiency of the combined UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO process in real raw sewage, after activated sludge(13%) and after activated sludge and stabilization ponds (24%), is the high COD, which causes the active radicals produced tobe spent on other species instead of the VCM antibiotic.

The current study showed that the UV/Fe3O4@Alg-ZnO process performs well in removing VCM and TOC. In realwastewater, this efficiency was significantly reduced.

Considering the fundamental role of organizational citizenship behavior and environmental behavior of hospitalemployees in the quality of services provided and the general health of society, the current research was conducted aimingto determine the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and environmental behavior in the employees ofeducational hospitals of Yazd University of Medical Sciences.

The present analytic cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 on 181 employees of educational hospitals ofYazd University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data collection wasconducted using the two standard questionnaires, including the Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) Questionnaire andthe Environmental Behaviors Scale. The descriptive and analytical statistical method of Pearson’s correlation coefficient was usedin SPSS 22 software for data analysis.

The total mean score of organizational citizenship behavior was reported as 52.28 out of 75, and the consciencesubscale gained the highest score (12.79) and the politeness and consideration subscale gained the lowest score (5.96). Thetotal mean of environmental behavior was obtained at 106.26 out of 140, and the highest mean score was related to saving gasconsumption (20.75%) and the lowest was related to the use of products with environmental standards (15.6%). A significantpositive correlation was also observed between the total score of the use of products with environmental standards (r = 0.031;P = 0.160) and protection of natural resources (r = 0.011; P = 0.190).

Incorporating training into the curricula and in-service programs, encouraging a culture of appreciation, and alsoproviding rewards are the keys to strengthening the synergistic association between these two behaviors

Hospitals are the most important pillar of the country›s health system, especially when faced with a crisis. One ofthe most important indicators in evaluating hospitals is performance indicators. This research was done to investigate the effect ofthe COVID-19 pandemic on the performance indicators of academic and non-academic hospitals in West Azerbaijan provincein 2020. The present cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was done on all academic and non-academic hospitals of WestAzerbaijan province, which examined their performance indicators in 2019 and 2020. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16software by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated that the effect of time (coronavirus) on the index of bedoccupancy ratio was significant (η2 = 0.24, P = 0.006) so that it decreased this index in academic hospitals and had the oppositeresult in non-academic hospitals. The COVID-19 had a significant effect on the index of average patient stay (η2 = 0.47, P < 0.001)and this index in both types of hospitals increased. Also, the COVID-19 had a significant effect on bed turnover rate (η2 = 0.32,P = 0.001) and it decreased in both types of hospitals. Since academic hospitals are more responsible in dealing with epidemics, it is suggested to pay more attentionto their infrastructures. Considering the financial burden of some non-communicable diseases, academic hospitals should beprepared to accept and support them, especially in the early period of the epidemic.

Gerascophobia is one of the factors affecting people’s quality of life. The present study sought to examinegerascophobia and its related factors in medical students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The participants in this cross-sectional study were medical students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2023,who were selected using non-probability quota sampling. The data were collected using Lasher and Faulkender’s Anxiety aboutAging Scale (AAS) and analyzed with SPSS-26 software. The participants in this study were 230 medical students. The participants’ average age was 22.95 ± 2.38 years, and 61.3%of the students were female. The mean scores for gerascophobia and the subscales of fear of old people, psychological concerns,physical appearance, and fear of loss were 57.66, 14.15, 13.20, 14.61, and 16.51, respectively. The linear regression analysisshowed that the average fear of aging was higher in female students (P = 0.019) and the students who did not have job experienceand the experience of caring for older adults (P = 0.007). In line with findings from the present study, it can be argued that to reduce gerascophobia and create a more positiveattitude toward aging in medical students, suitable facilities should be provided to create more contact between medical students,especially female students, and older adults during their studies

Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) should not be prescribed to the elderly due to low effectiveness andadverse drug reactions. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of PIMs in the elderly admitted to educationalhospitals in Kerman, in 2023. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1500 elderly patients hospitalized in educational hospitals. The datacollection forms were completed according to the health information system (HIS) of the hospital, which includes the patient’sage and gender, drug information, and the name of the hospital and ward. PIMs prescriptions were assessed according to Zhan’scriteria. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0. The results were presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD)and frequencies (percents). Nearly 17.8% (n = 267) of patients were treated with at least one PIMs included in the Zhan criteria. Among 331 PIMs usedfor patients, 43.5% (n = 144), 23.3% (n = 77), and 33.2% (n = 110) of drugs were classified as always avoid, rarely appropriate, andsome indication, respectively. Sedative-hypnotics, opioids, and antihistamines were the most prevalent PIMs with 29.5% (n = 98),25.4% (n = 84), and 23.3% (n = 77) frequency. Approximately 71.4% (n = 10) of patients who were admitted to the Oncologyward, and 38.9% (n = 33) of patients who were admitted to the Critical Care Unit were treated with at least one PIMs. Today PIMs are a problem for elderly patients. Paying attention to PIMS in oncology, and critical care unit wards isimportant. More attention should be paid to sedative-hypnotics, opioids, and antihistamines as the most frequently prescribed PIMs

Adherence to treatment plans and prescribed drugs is considered an important challenge in chronic patients,and non-adherence to the treatment plan in these patients causes worsening of the condition of the disease and a decrease intheir quality of life. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of self-care program training ontreatment compliance in hemodialysis patients. The present study was a Quasi-experiment study in which all eligible patients of the hemodialysis department ofSanandaj were selected by census method in two intervention and control groups. In two groups, before and one month after theintervention, a demographic questionnaire and a questionnaire of adherence to the treatment of kidney patients were completed.The intervention included three training sessions as well as a training booklet for the ward. But in the control group, the patientsreceived the necessary care according to routine. Data were analyzed using spss-16 software and descriptive tests and Wilcoxonand Mann-Whitney non-parametric tests. The results of the study showed that the average age and standard deviation of the participants was 51.71 ± 15.85 yearsand the participants were homogenous in both groups. The average total score of treatment adherence in the intervention groupincreased from 93.03 ± 12.77 before the intervention to 105.23 ± 24.39 after the intervention (P < 0.05); However, in the controlgroup before and after the intervention, the results of the Wilcoxon test did not show a significant difference. The program training and training for patients has led to an increase in patients’ awareness, improved patient care,and comprehensively and accurately points out all the information related to the patient’s condition, and provides them with theopportunity to ask and answer questions with nurses.