Personal Growth Interpretation of Goal Attainment as a New Construct Relevant to Well-being

AbstractPersonal growth interpretation (PGI) of attained goals is one kind of positive cognition that contributes to well-being. We identify five facets of PGI: Concordance Competence, Specific Competence, Efficacy Competence, Cumulative Competence, and Facilitated Competence. We report on the development of a tool, the Personal Growth Interpretation Scale (PGI Scale), which measures these five facets. Analyses provided initial descriptive statistics and indicated adequate construct validity. It is recommended that the PGI Scale is utilized in future research investigating the relationship between PGI, need satisfaction and well-being

WordCommentsAnalyzer: A windows software tool for qualitative research [version 2; referees: 2 approved]

There is a lack of free software that provides a professional and smooth experience in text editing and markup for qualitative data analysis. Word processing software like Microsoft Word provides a good editing experience, allowing the researcher to effortlessly add comments to text portions. However, organizing the keywords and categories in the comments can become a more difficult task when the amount of data increases. We present WordCommentsAnalyzer, a software tool that is written in C# using .NET Framework and OpenXml, which helps a qualitative researcher to organize codes when using Microsoft Word as the primary text markup software. WordCommentsAnalyzer provides an effective user interface to count codes, to organize codes in a code hierarchy, and to see various data extracts belonging to each code. It also offers basic visualization tools. We illustrate how to use this software by conducting a preliminary content analysis on Tweets with the #successfulaging hashtag. We also demonstrate that the software has satisfactory performance on a large dataset of Iranian journals abstracts. We hope this open-source software will facilitate qualitative data analysis by researchers who are interested in using Word for this purpose

The Efficacy of Chronic Disease Self Management Programs and Tele-Health on Psychosocial Adjustment by Increasing Self-efficacy in Patients with CABG

AbstractAim: Coronary Artery Disease is a chronic and debilitating condition that seriously affects the lives of patients and their families. Despite advances in medical treatment, CAD is still associated with high morbidity and mortality, high hospitalization rates. It is well known that rehabilitation is an integral component of the care of people with chronic disease. Despite the expense associated with rehabilitation following chronic disease, dissatisfaction with psychosocial outcomes is common. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of The Chronic ِ Disease Self Management Rehabilitation Program and Telehealth in cardiac patients undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABGS), in order to improve, enhance and maintain their psychosocial adjustment to illness through increasing self efficacy.Method: A total of 300 patients, were recruited through Tehran Heart Center's cardiac rehabilitation clinic. They were randomly assigned to intervention group which received 6 sessions (each session 150minutes in a week) of psycho-educational intervention (N=150), or to a control group which received no intervention (N=150). The patients in both groups completed pretest measures consisting of Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) and Cardiac Self Efficacy Questionnaire (CSEQ). Participants were reassessed 2-months and 3- months later.Results: Multiple regression analysis of the collected data, revealed that both after 2 and 3 months, by enrolling the CDSMRP and Tele-health in the intervention group, enhanced significantly Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness through enhanced self efficacy.Conclusion: The Chronic Disease Self management Rehabilitation Program and Tele-health improved the self efficacy of cardiac patients which then enhanced and maintained their Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness

The Efficacy of Chronic Disease Self Management Program and Tele- Health on Adherence by Increasing Self Efficacy in Patients with CABG

AbstractAimCoronary Artery disease as a chronic disease is the single largest killer of people in the worldwide. Despite advances in medical treatment, CAD is still associated with high morbidity, mortality, high hospitalization rates. Patients with CAD require comprehensive rehabilitation to control symptoms, slow the progressive nature of condition, decrease re hospitalization, and improve survival. To achieve these outcomes, patient adherence to prescribed medications is vital whereas Poor adherence to the long-term treatment of chronic diseases has been a growing problem and a major challenge for health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of The Chronic ِ Disease Self Management Rehabilitation Programs and Tele- health in cardiac patients undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABGS), in order to improve, enhance and maintain their adherence by increasing the efficacy during intervention sessions.MethodA total of 300 patients, were recruited through Tehran Heart Center's cardiac rehabilitation clinic. They were randomly assigned to intervention group which received 6 sessions (each session 150 minutes in a week) of psycho-educational intervention (N=150), or to a control group which received no intervention (N=150). The patients in both groups completed pretest measures consisting of General Adherence Scale (GAS), Specific Adherence Scale (SAS) and Cardiac Self Efficacy Questionnaire (CSEQ). Participants were reassessed 2-months and 3- months later.ResultMultiple regression analysis of the collected data, revealed that both after 2 and 3 months, by enrolling the CDSMRP and Tele-health in the intervention group, enhanced significantly adherence through enhanced self efficacy.ConclusionThe CDSMRP and Tele-health, improved the self efficacy of cardiac patients which then enhanced and maintained their adherence

Bezpieczeństwo i skuteczność dwufazowej insuliny aspart 30 (BIAsp30) u Irańczyków chorych na cukrzycę typu 2: otwarte, nierandomizowane, wieloośrodkowe badanie - irańska podgrupa badania IMPROVE™

Introduction: To evaluate the clinical profile of BIAsp 30 (30% soluble insulin aspart, 70% protamine-crystallized insulin aspart) (NovoMix®30) in type 2 diabetes patients in routine clinical practice in Iran. Material and methods: IMPROVE&#8482; was a 26-week, multinational, open-label, non-randomized study in patients with type 2 diabetes. The safety and efficacy of BIAsp 30 were assessed at baseline and at 13 and 26 weeks. The titration of BIAsp30 was at the physician&#8217;s discretion. Results: In Iran, 478 patients (47% male) previously treated with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) (N = 159, 33.3%) and/or insulin other than BIAsp30 (N = 317, 66.3%) or a few who were treatment-na&#239;ve (N = 2, 0.4%) participated in the study. After 26 weeks of treatment with BIAsp 30, the rate of reported major hypoglycaemic episodes was reduced by 88.1% from baseline (baseline v. Week 26: 0.303 v. 0.037 episodes/pt-year; p < 0.001). No significant differences in minor hypoglycaemic episodes between baseline and Week 26 were found. Glycaemic control was significantly improved from baseline to Week 26 with a mean HbA1c reduction of 1.2 &#177; 1.9%. Patients&#8217; quality of life as measured by the DiabMedSat questionnaire significantly improved from baseline (58.1) to the end of the study (75.4, p < 0.001). Conclusions: BIAsp 30 therapy appeared safe and effective and improved quality of life in Iranian patients with type 2 diabetes after 26 weeks of treatment. (Pol J Endocrinol 2010; 61 (4): 364-370)Wstęp: Celem badania była ocena profilu działania insuliny BIAsp 30 (30% rozpuszczalnej insuliny aspart, 70% insuliny krystalizowanej z protaminą) (NovoMix®30) u chorych na cukrzycę typu 2 w warunkach standardowej opieki zdrowotnej w Iranie. Materiał i metody: IMPROVE&#8482; było 26-tygodniowym, wieloośrodkowym, międzynarodowym, otwartym i nierandomizowanym badaniem z udziałem chorych na cukrzycę typu 2. Bezpieczeństwo i skuteczność insulin BIAsp 30 oceniano na początku badania oraz po 13 i 26 tygodniach. Dawkowanie insuliny BIAsp30 było zależne od zaleceń lekarskich. Wyniki: W irańskiej części badania uczestniczyło 478 chorych (47% stanowili mężczyźni) leczonych dotychczas doustnymi lekami hipoglikemizującymi (N = 159, 33,3%) i/lub insuliną inną niż BIAsp30 (N = 317, 66,3%) oraz nieliczna grupa pacjentów niestosujących wcześniej farmakoterapii (N = 2, 0,4%). Po 26 tygodniach leczenia insuliną BIAsp 30, częstość epizodów ciężkiej hipoglikemii zmniejszyła się o 88,1% (wartości wyjściowe v. tydzień 26: 0,303 v. 0,037 epizodów/pacjenta-rok; p < 0,001). Dane dotyczące częstości epizodów lekkiej hipoglikemii na początku badania i po 26 tygodniach leczenia nie różniły się istotnie. Odnotowano natomiast poprawę kontroli glikemii; po 26 tygodniach odsetek HbA1c obniżył się średnio o 1,2 &#177; 1,9% w stosunku do wartości wyjściowej. W okresie od rozpoczęcia do zakończenia badania nastąpiła istotna poprawa jakości życia chorych, oceniana przy użyciu kwestionariusza DiabMedSat; punktacja wynosiła odpowiednio 58,1 i 75,4 (p < 0,001). Wnioski: Terapia insuliną BIAsp 30 stosowana przez 26 tygodni u Irańczyków chorych na cukrzycę typu 2 okazała się bezpieczna i skuteczna, a ponadto spowodowała poprawę jakości życia pacjentów. (Endokrynol Pol 2010; 61 (4): 364-370

Testing a modified cognitive interview with category clustering recall in Iran

The cognitive interview (CI) has been an effective method for interviewing eyewitnesses often leading to changes in legislation and practice in many countries. This study was the first to employ the CI in Iran and test whether category clustering recall (CCR) was superior to a free recall when incorporated within an investigative interview. A between‐subjects design assigned 66 participants to one of three interview conditions after they watched a mock robbery. The participants were interviewed 48 hr later using either a structured interview (SI), the CI, or a modified cognitive interview (MCI) that replaced free recall with CCR at the first retrieval attempt. Analysis of variance suggests CCR was more effective than free recall and the CI group recalled more information than the SI group, replicating the CI superiority effect. This has implications for law enforcement in Iran and worldwide by suggesting these techniques can be used to enhance recall

A case-control study of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets, colorectal cancer and adenomas among Iranian population

Abstract Background and aims Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer, worldwide. Recently, much attention has been given to the association between Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and CRC, however, data on colorectal adenomas (CRAs) as its precursor are scarce. Thus, the purpose of this case-control study was to investigate the association of DASH score with the risk of CRC and CRA in Iranian adults. Method A total of 499 participants, including 129 CRC and 130 CRA cases, along with 240 controls, were asked about their dietary intake via a validated questionnaire. The DASH score was then calculated based on a priori methods and categorized in quartiles. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the association of DASH score and the risk of CRC and CRA. Results After adjusting for confounding variables, adherence to the DASH diet was associated with a reduction in the risk of CRC and CRA, respectively (OR of 4th versus 1st quartile = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.01–0.11, OR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.04–0.22). Also, subgroup analysis based on gender showed that women and men with a higher DASH score had a significantly lower risk of CRC and CRAs. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that adherence to a DASH dietary pattern could reduce the risk of CRC and CRA in men and women. Promoting a DASH eating plan can be helpful in reducing the risk of CRC