Association of fear of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors (PB) against COVID-19 in Iran

Introduction: The world is currently experiencing a pandemic of COVID-19. The pandemic may affect physicaland mental health. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the fear of COVID-19 and study the relationshipbetween fear of COVID-19 and preventive behaviors against COVID-19. Material and methods: We conducted a web-based cross-sectional study to evaluate the fear of COVID-19 andpreventive behaviors against COVID-19 among the volunteer population in Golestan Province, Iran in May 2020 andJune 2020. The online questionnaire included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and the prevention behaviorsagainst COVID-19, which are used to assess the fear and prevention behaviors of the population, respectively.The data were presented by mean and frequency. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identifyfactors associated with Fear of COVID-19 at a significant level of 0.05 in Stata 14. Results: A total of 734 of the 900 individuals contacted completed the survey, with a participation rate of 81.5%.The mean age of the participants was 33.97 ± 10.68 years and 375 (51.9%) were females. The mean Fear ofCOVID-19 score in the participants was 19.69 ± 5.96. There was a significant positive correlation between Fearof COVID-19 and preventive behaviors (r = 0.19, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed participantswith a higher perceived threat of COVID-19, women, married participants, health workers and peoplewith underlying diseases had higher levels of fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: The fear of COVID-19 in Iranian society is high, which indicates the need to pay attention tothe mental health in pandemic conditions. Appropriate intervention action can be designed and implementedaccording to the factors that affect fear. In addition, it should be noted that people with less fear are less likelyto observe the COVID-19’s preventative behaviors

National, sub-national, and risk-attributed burden of thyroid cancer in Iran from 1990 to 2019

An updated exploration of the burden of thyroid cancer across a country is always required for making correct decisions. The objective of this study is to present the thyroid cancer burden and attributed burden to the high Body Mass Index (BMI) in Iran at national and sub-national levels from 1990 to 2019. The data was obtained from the GBD 2019 study estimates. To explain the pattern of changes in incidence from 1990 to 2019, decomposition analysis was conducted. Besides, the attribution of high BMI in the thyroid cancer DALYs and deaths were obtained. The age-standardized incidence rate of thyroid cancer was 1.57 (95% UI: 1.33–1.86) in 1990 and increased 131% (53–191) until 2019. The age-standardized prevalence rate of thyroid cancer was 30.19 (18.75–34.55) in 2019 which increased 164% (77–246) from 11.44 (9.38–13.85) in 1990. In 2019, the death rate, and Disability-adjusted life years of thyroid cancer was 0.49 (0.36–0.53), and 13.16 (8.93–14.62), respectively. These numbers also increased since 1990. The DALYs and deaths attributable to high BMI was 1.91 (0.95–3.11) and 0.07 (0.04–0.11), respectively. The thyroid cancer burden and high BMI attributed burden has increased from 1990 to 2019 in Iran. This study and similar studies’ results can be used for accurate resource allocation for efficient management and all potential risks’ modification for thyroid cancer with a cost-conscious view

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyle among Iranian population: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Background: Quarantine, an unpleasant experience, was implemented in many countries to limit the spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which it could associated whit lifestyle changes. The present study aimed to determine the changes in Iranian's lifestyle during COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, 2710 Iranian people completed an online researcher-made questionnaire asking lifestyle regarding COVID-19, which includes five sections about physical activity, stress and anxiety, nutrition habit, sleep disorders, and interpersonal relationship in addition to demographic data from January to February 2021, using the multistage cluster sampling method. Results: The participants' mean age was 33.78 +/- 11.50 years and 68.3% of them were female. Traveling, sightseeing, and family visits have been eliminated from 91%, 83.5%, and 77.5% of participants' lives, respectively. There were increase in stress level (P < 0.001), weight of the participants (P < 0.001), sleep problems (P < 0.001), and healthier foods (P < 0.001) but decrease in interpersonal communication (P < 0.001) and the amount of physical activity (P < 0.001). Conclusion: In summary, this study indicates some changes in lifestyle of Iranian people, including changes in some eating practices, physical activity, social communication, and sleeping habits during the pandemic. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, a comprehensive understanding of these behaviors and habits can help develop interventions to mitigate the negative lifestyle behaviors during COVID-19 pandemic

National, sub-national, and risk-attributed burden of thyroid cancer in Iran from 1990 to 2019

An updated exploration of the burden of thyroid cancer across a country is always required for making correct decisions. The objective of this study is to present the thyroid cancer burden and attributed burden to the high Body Mass Index (BMI) in Iran at national and sub-national levels from 1990 to 2019. The data was obtained from the GBD 2019 study estimates. To explain the pattern of changes in incidence from 1990 to 2019, decomposition analysis was conducted. Besides, the attribution of high BMI in the thyroid cancer DALYs and deaths were obtained. The age-standardized incidence rate of thyroid cancer was 1.57 (95% UI: 1.33–1.86) in 1990 and increased 131% (53–191) until 2019. The age-standardized prevalence rate of thyroid cancer was 30.19 (18.75–34.55) in 2019 which increased 164% (77–246) from 11.44 (9.38–13.85) in 1990. In 2019, the death rate, and Disability-adjusted life years of thyroid cancer was 0.49 (0.36–0.53), and 13.16 (8.93–14.62), respectively. These numbers also increased since 1990. The DALYs and deaths attributable to high BMI was 1.91 (0.95–3.11) and 0.07 (0.04–0.11), respectively. The thyroid cancer burden and high BMI attributed burden has increased from 1990 to 2019 in Iran. This study and similar studies’ results can be used for accurate resource allocation for efficient management and all potential risks’ modification for thyroid cancer with a cost-conscious view

The burden of prostate cancer in North Africa and Middle East, 1990–2019: Findings from the global burden of disease study

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most prevalent cancer among men worldwide. This study presents estimates of PCa prevalence, incidence, death, years-of-life-lost (YLLs), years-lived-with-disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted-life-years (DALYs), and the burden attributable to smoking during 1990-2019 in North Africa and Middle East using data of Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Study 2019. Methods: This study is a part of GBD 2019. Using vital registration and cancer registry data, the estimates on PCa burden were modeled. Risk factor analysis was performed through the six-step conceptual framework of Comparative Risk Assessment. Results: The age-standardized rates (95 UI) of PCa incidence, prevalence, and death in 2019 were 23.7 (18.5-27.9), 161.1 (126.6-187.6), and 11.7 (9.4-13.9) per 100,000 population. While PCa incidence and prevalence increased by 77 and 144 during 1990-2019, respectively, the death rate stagnated. Of the 397 increase in PCa new cases, 234 was due to a rise in the age-specific incidence rate, 79 due to population growth, and 84 due to population aging. The YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs of PCa increased by 2 (-11.8-23.1), 108 (75.5-155.1), and 6 (-8.9-28.1). The death rate and DALYs rate attributable to smoking have decreased 12 and 10, respectively. The DALYs rate attributable to smoking was 37.4 (15.9-67.8) in Lebanon and 5.9 (2.5-10.6) in Saudi Arabia, which were the highest and lowest in the region, respectively. Conclusions: The PCa incidence and prevalence rates increased during 1990-2019; however, the death rate stagnated. The increase in the incidence was mostly due to the rise in the age-specific incidence rate, rather than population growth or aging. The burden of PCa attributable to smoking has decreased in the past 30 years. Copyright © 2022 Abbasi-Kangevari, Saeedi Moghaddam, Ghamari, Azangou-Khyavy, Malekpour, Rezaei, Rezaei, Kolahi, GBD 2019 NAME Prostate Cancer Collaborators, Amini, Mokdad, Jamshidi, Naghavi, Larijani and Farzadfar