Sleep onset latency in students living in dormitories at Tehran University of medical sciences: A survival analysis

Difficulty Initiating Sleep is a prevalent disorder in university students. In this study, we aimed to estimate the time of going to bed to get sleep and to identify its determinants by survival analysis. This study is based on a cross-sectional study that was been performed on 277 students who lived in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We used Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI), General Health Questionnaire(GHQ) and a demographic questionnaire for data collection. Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA and survival analysis were used for analyzing the data. Mean ± SD of time of going to bed to get sleep was 23.61±16.31 minutes. Range of this time was between 0 to 90 minutes. This time was related to sleep quality, mental health and tea drinking in univariate analysis. Cox regression model showed sleep quality, working alongside academic affairs, financial source type for living expences and effect modification between two last variables were significant determinants of sleep latency. All determinants of sleep latency in our study are changeable factors. It means educationonal programs can play a very important role in controlling of these factors and improvement of sleep status of dormitory students

Relationship between Quality of Sleep and Mental Health among Students Living in Dormitories

Abstract: Introduction: This study was carried out to investigate the sleep quality and its relationship with mental health among students living in dormitories. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 277 students residing in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected through stratified random sampling procedure. A demographic questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used for data collection. Chi-square, Spearman and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 73.3% (68.1-78.5) in this sample and the prevalence of poor mental health was 34.4% (28.7-39. 9). The findings showed a significant relationship between quality of sleep and mental health (P<0.001). Conclusion: Our study displayed a significant relationship between quality of sleep and mental health. So interventionist programs are suggested to improve the sleep quality of students ant to prevent mental health disorders among students living in dormitories

The survey of sexual function relationship with sexual satisfaction in referred to Tehran South City health centers

Results: The majority of study subjects (58.2%) had moderate sexual satisfaction. Of sexual function in recent months, most units (76.3%) had an intercourse or more per week. 34.5% of people in their most sexual activities, had a sense of being wet. Within a month, 35.2% of the units had reached orgasm sometimes. 50.7% of women reported that have come to the orgasm after his wife. Conclusion: The result of this study showed that all variables related to sexual function of people were associated with their sexual satisfaction. Therefore ..

Sleep Quality of Students living in Dormitories in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in 2011

Background & Objectives: Sleep quality is an important factor in student life and affects in their learning process. Sleep problems are related to increased health concerns, irritability, depression, fatigue, attention and concentration difficulties, along with poor academic performance. The aim of this paper is to conduct a survey based on a questionnaire that would characterize the quality of sleep in students living in dormitories of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the ..

Correlates of sexual satisfaction among Iranians women attending South Tehran health centers: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction: Sexual activity not only is a crucial physiologic need, but also it has been associated with religious, mystical, and historical concepts. The aim of this study was to assess Iranian women’s sexual satisfaction and its correlating factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study at South Tehran health centers (STHCs), which were affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran). A convenience sample consist of 405 women who were married, had at least sixth-grade literacy level, were not addicted to opioids or alcohol, had no history of infertility, psychiatric, and physical disorders, and referred to STHCs to receive Primary Health Care services. Main outcome measures were women’s demographics, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction were assessed by a questionnaire. Results: Most women (58.2%) had moderate sexual satisfaction. A significant direct association was shown between sexual satisfaction and couple’s educational level (P < 0.001), partner’s higher income (P = 0.037), regular menstruation (P = 0.005), and degree of woman’s love toward her partner (P < 0.001). There was a significant indirect association between sexual satisfaction and gravidity number (P = 0.029), and number of offspring (P = 0.006). Having sexual intercourse at least once a week (P = 0.003), equal sex request (P = 0.028), accepting partner’s request pleasingly (P < 0.001), experiencing sexual arousal (P < 0.001), and lubrication (P < 0.001) was directly associated with sexual satisfaction. Dyspareunia (P < 0.001) and difficulty to reach orgasm (P < 0.001) showed significant indirect association. Conclusion: Women sexual satisfaction associates with interpersonal and sexual factors. Creating opportunity for midwives in health centers to consult with couples, assess their quality of sexual function, educate them, and refer them to specialists if needed, is strongly recommended for healthcare systems of Iran

A Study of Social Health Status in the Population of the Prospective Epidemiological Shahrekord Cohort Study in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in 2019

Background and aims: Social health refers to the quantity and quality of interaction of an individual with society to promote the well-being of individuals in the society. This interaction promotes social capital and social security, and reduces poverty and injustice. So far, no study has been ever done on the social health situation in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. This study aimed to investigate the social health status in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in 2019. Methods: In this cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study, the data from the prospective epidemiological study of Shahrekord cohort study in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in 2019 were used. In order for measuring social health, a valid Iranian social health questionnaire with a score range of 33-165 was used. ANOVA and t test in SPSS version 22 were employed for analyzing the data in order to compare the mean values.Results: By way of explanation, 597 individuals out of 600 samples completed the social health questionnaire (99.5 response rate). The mean ± standard deviation age of participants was 48.54±9.33 years and the mean ± standard deviation score of their social health was 115.71±22.7. This score was higher in men than in women (P = 0.038). Social health score was significantly higher in urban areas than in rural areas (P = 0.001). Social health was highest in civil servants, and lowest in unemployed participants (P = 0.001). Social health score was lower in obese and high body mass index (BMI) individuals than in normal BMI individuals (P = 0.047).Conclusion: Social health in the studied population was moderate and, therefore, deserves the attention of health policy makers and planners. Social health can be improved by holding training classes for villagers and teaching them how to interact with each other � especially with family members, furthering participation of women in social affairs and increasing their social relationships, giving advice on diets and social health to people with non-normal BMI, as well as by holding post-retirement training classes for retirees

Economic Inequality in Presenting Vision in Shahroud, Iran: Two Decomposition Methods

Abstract Background: Visual acuity, like many other health-related problems, does not have an equal distribution in terms of socio-economic factors. We conducted this study to estimate and decompose economic inequality in presenting visual acuity using two methods and to compare their results in a population aged 40-64 years in Shahroud, Iran. Methods: The data of 5188 participants in the first phase of the Shahroud Cohort Eye Study, performed in 2009, were used for this study. Our outcome variable was presenting vision acuity (PVA) that was measured using LogMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution). The living standard variable used for estimation of inequality was the economic status and was constructed by principal component analysis on home assets. Inequality indices were concentration index and the gap between low and high economic groups. We decomposed these indices by the concentration index and BlinderOaxaca decomposition approaches respectively and compared the results. Results: The concentration index of PVA was -0.245 (95% CI: -0.278, -0.212). The PVA gap between groups with a high and low economic status was 0.0705 and was in favor of the high economic group. Education, economic status, and age were the most important contributors of inequality in both concentration index and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition. Percent contribution of these three factors in the concentration index and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition was 41.1% vs. 43.4%, 25.4% vs. 19.1% and 15.2% vs. 16.2%, respectively. Other factors including gender, marital status, employment status and diabetes had minor contributions. Conclusion: This study showed that individuals with poorer visual acuity were more concentrated among people with a lower economic status. The main contributors of this inequality were similar in concentration index and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition. So, it can be concluded that setting appropriate interventions to promote the literacy and income level in people with low economic status, formulating policies to address economic problems in the elderly, and paying more attention to their vision problems can help to alleviate economic inequality in visual acuity

Prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and risk factors of hypertension among adults: a cross-sectional study in Iran

OBJECTIVES Hypertension (HTN) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Considering the importance of this disease for public health, this study was designed in order to determine the prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and risk factors of HTN in the Iranian adult population. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,107 residents of Isfahan, Iran. Samples were selected through multi-stage random cluster sampling in 2015-2016. The outcome variable was HTN, determined by measuring blood pressure in the right arm via a digital arm blood pressure monitor. Awareness, treatment, and control of HTN were assessed by a validated and reliable researcher-developed questionnaire. Other demographic and clinical variables were assessed via a demographic questionnaire. RESULTS The overall prevalence of HTN was 17.3% (18.9 and 15.5% in men and women, respectively). The prevalence of HTN increased in both genders with age. The prevalence of awareness of HTN among people with HTN was 69.2%, of whom 92.4 and 59.9% were taking medication for HTN and had controlled HTN, respectively. Logistic regression identified age, body mass index, having diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and a positive family history of HTN as determinants of awareness of HTN. CONCLUSIONS The results showed that HTN was highly prevalent in the community, especially in men and in middle-aged and older adults. Approximately 30.8% of patients were unaware of their disease, and there was less awareness among younger adults. Despite the high frequency of taking medication to treat HTN, it was uncontrolled in more than 40.1% of patients. Health policy-makers should therefore consider appropriate preventive and therapeutic strategies for these high-risk groups

Determination of the incidence of cardiovascular composite events in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A 3-year follow-up

Background: The occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and its health-related issues, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD), are increasing in developing countries. With a 3-year follow-up study, the present study aimed to determine the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with OSA in an Iranian population.Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 415 adults (300 patients with OSA and 115 patients without OSA) with a history of snoring and/or witnessed apneas or other suspected sleep breathing disorders were consecutively enrolled and followed up for three successive years to evaluate the development of cardiovascular events including acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular accidents (including ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes or transient ischemic attacks), death due to cardiac causes and all-cause mortality. Results: 415 patients were studied with a mean age of 56.2 ±15.7 years, 211 (50.8) of whom were male. Cardiovascular events developed in 15 participants (5%) of the OSA group, and 3 participants (2.6 %) of the OSA negative group. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the incidence of any of these events (P-value> 0.05). Using multiple logistic regression model (with P-value <0.2 as the significance level), age, OSA, and history of CVD remained as significant predictors for the development of cardiac composite events (incidence of CVD, CVA, death due to cardiac causes, and all-cause mortality) with the odds ratios of (95% confidence interval) 1.03 (1.01, 1.06), 2.41 (1.02, 5.76), and 7.40 (2.91, 18.67), respectively.Conclusions: The present study showed that OSA is associated with a more than twofold increased risk of cardiovascular events. Thus, obstructive sleep apnea should be considered an independent cardiovascular risk factor

Evaluating the effect of garlic extract on serum inflammatory markers of peritoneal dialysis patients: a randomized double-blind clinical trial study

Abstract Background Garlic can be considered as a useful natural herb in inhibition of inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of garlic extract in lowering inflammatory markers in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods In this parallel-designed double blind randomized clinical trial, 42 PD patients at the Shafa dialysis center, Tehran in 2017 were included. The primary outcome in this study was systemic inflammation which was evaluated by measuring the concentrations of IL-6 and CRP and ESR in serum. Results Baseline versus after-intervention median (IQR) of IL-6 (pg/ml), CRP (mg/L) and mean ± SD of ESR (mm) in garlic and placebo groups was 2.2 (0.8, 6.4) versus 0.7 (0.6, 1.2) (p <  0.001) and 2.0 (0.8, 2.1) versus 0.6 (0.6, 0.8) (p = 0.002), 13.0 (5.0, 14.0) versus 2.0 (1.0, 9.0) (p <  0.001) and 7.0 (2.0, 10.0) versus 6.0 (3.7, 7.5) (p = 0.547) and 35.4 ± 21.7 versus 50.7 ± 28.5 (p = 0.021) and 46.0 ± 26.0 versus 45.3 ± 22.3 (p = 0.797). Median (IQR) of Percentage Before-After change in CRP was − 71.4%(− 85.7, − 42.9%) and − 20.0%(− 30.0, 114.3%) in garlic and placebo group respectively. The Mann-Whitney U test indicated this difference is statistically significant (p <  0.001). Conclusion The results imply that administrating 400 mg of standardized garlic extract twice a day for 8 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in IL-6, CRP and ESR. Since inflammatory state can be a serious life threatening condition in PD patients, we suggest prescribing this safe and well-tolerated natural substance to attenuate the inflammatory state in these patients. However, assessment of these effects in a larger randomized trial is strongly recommended (IRCTID: IRCT2017072535305N1, 2017-10-16)