Examining the physical structure of hospitals of Kashan university of Medical Sciences based on elderly-friendly criteria and the elderly's satisfaction

Background: Older adults are one of the large groups that use hospitals and have a longer hospitalization period than other age groups. The study aimed to examining the physical structure of hospitals affiliated to Kashan university of Medical Sciences based on elderly-friendly hospitals and the elderly's satisfaction. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on hospitals affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences (Shaheed Beheshti, Matini, and Naqvi) and 700 older adults who were referred to these hospitals, 1401. Data were collected using a checklist and a researcher-made questionnaire in two stages. The census sampling was for hospitals and Sequential for older adults. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in statistical Software SPSS version16. Results: The mean score of the hospital structure was in a relatively good range (42.3±1.52) with a score range of 0 to 72 and the mean score satisfaction of the elderly was 24.6±3.8 with a range of 0 to 45. There was a statistically significant difference in the satisfaction of the elderly with the physical structure of hospitals based on the type of hospital and its services (P<0.001). Conclusion: The physical structure of hospitals affiliated to Kashan university of Medical Sciences was in a relatively good range, and the satisfaction of the elderly was average, also. Therefore, they should be modified based on the criteria of the elderly-friendly hospital to increase the satisfaction of older adults, especially the eldest, and to prevent their possible injuries

A cross-sectional study on the association between oral health and vitamin D levels in methadone maintenance treatment program of Iranian population

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral health and Vitamin D levels in patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment in addiction treatment centers in Kashan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 202 patients aged 18–60 years who were referred to methadone maintenance treatment clinics in Kashan. The measurement tool included a demographic information checklist and a modified oral health form of the World Health Organization. 2cc of blood was taken from patients to measure Vitamin D levels. Findings: Out of 181 patients in the study, 73.8% of patients had a methadone dose of <20 cc per day. One hundred twenty-six patients had a history of drug use. In 86.4% of patients, Vitamin D deficiencies were observed. In these patients, moderate gingival problems and moderate-to-severe dental plaque were 60.2% and 71.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the range of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index in these patients was 23.57 ± 7.90. No significant relationship was indicated between DMFT index and Vitamin D level. Conclusions: It is difficult to determine the main causes of oral problems among addicts. Apart from the direct effects of addiction, these patients exhibit a wide range of unhealthy behaviors such as poor oral hygiene, high sugar intake, and poor nutrition. On the other hand, most patients experience reduces in Vitamin D status