Hospital Safety Climate Assessment toward Attitude’s Nurses Based on Sammer’s Model Case study: An academic General and A specialized Hospital in Tehran (Iran)

Safety climate has become an important issue in organizational safety management of health systems. The aim of this applied study was assessment safety climate in general and specialized academic hospitals based on Sammer’s model, to introduce a model with the specific framework to assess climate safety in Iranian hospitals, moreover, to reduce medical errors and incidents, also to increase patient safety. This model consists of seven dimensions: leadership, teamwork, evidence-based practices, communication, learning, justice and patient-centeredness. So a descriptive –comparative study was undertaken through a methodology including 3 phases. Data were collected by a modified questionnaire based on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) from 217 nurses and an In-depth interview with 52 nurses in both hospitals. According to the results in the general hospital, leadership, patient-centeredness and learning was recognized as the most effective factors, however, in the specialized hospital, the most important factors were patient-centeredness and justice. Seven dimensions of Sammer’s model are effective in safety climate assessment, but they are not enough to assess safety climate Iranian hospitals. Adding other factors such as safety and standardized hospital building space, the safety of equipment, physical factors in the workplace, Social and culture factors and terms and conditions governing the hospital settings can help to complete the model and provide an integrated and more consistent one to take an effective step in assessing overall hospital safety climate

People’s perspectives and expectations on preparedness against earthquakes: Tehran case study

Background: Public education is one of the most important elements of earthquake preparedness. The present study identifies methods and appropriate strategies for public awareness and education on preparedness for earthquakes based on people’s opinions in the city of Tehran. Method: This was a cross-sectional study and a door-to-door survey of residents from 22 municipal districts in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. It involved a total of 1 211 individuals aged 15 and above. People were asked about different methods of public information and education, as well as the type of information needed for earthquake preparedness. Results: “Enforcing the building contractors’ compliance with the construction codes and regulations” was ranked as the first priority by 33.4% of the respondents. Over 70% of the participants (71.7%) regarded TV as the most appropriate means of media communication to prepare people for an earthquake. This was followed by “radio” which was selected by 51.6% of respondents. Slightly over 95% of the respondents believed that there would soon be an earthquake in the country, and 80% reported that they obtained this information from “the general public”. Seventy percent of the study population felt that news of an earthquake should be communicated through the media. However, over fifty (58%) of the participants believed that governmental officials and agencies are best qualified to disseminate information about the risk of an imminent earthquake. Just over half (50.8%) of the respondents argued that the authorities do not usually provide enough information to people about earthquakes and the probability of their occurrence. Besides seismologists, respondents thought astronauts (32%), fortunetellers (32.3%), religious figures (34%), meteorologists (23%), and paleontologists (2%) can correctly predict the occurrence of an earthquake. Furthermore, 88.6% listed aid centers, mosques, newspapers and TV as the most important sources of information during the aftermath of an earthquake, Discussion: A participatory approach to earthquake-preparedness planning is recommended. This would ensure that program planners use methods, tools, media, and educational materials that are compatible with the culture, needs, and skills of the local communities. Conclusion: The findings of this study also reveal methods and tools that the local community considers to be most effective for earthquake-preparedness planning and management. The development of an earthquake-resistance and a safe community requires a high level of collaboration between broadcasting organizations, seismologists, experts in the disaster-preparedness field, as well as the local community. This will allow for timely planning, development, and dissemination of essential information to all stakeholders including the local communities

Epidemiology of Vehicle Fire Fatalities of Road Traffic Injuries in Kerman Province, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Vehicle fires are one of the most important causes of fatalities in road traffic injuries (RTIs), but there are no accurate statistics about vehicle fire fatalities (VFFs) due to RTIs in Iran. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the Epidemiology of vehicle fire fatalities (VFFs) due to road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Iran.METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a researcher-made checklist was used to collect the required data from the files of RTI fatalities in the Kerman Legal Medicine Organization (KLMO), or coroner’s office. All reported victims of vehicle fires in the ten years from 2007 to 2017 were included in the study. The data were analysed using SPSS ver. 18, with p = 0.05 considered as the level of significance. RESULTS: The authors found 124 cases of vehicle fire fatalities in Kerman, with a mean age of 30.45 ± 12.41, of which 50% were in the 25-49 years age group. Most frequently, the victims were Iranian (91.9%), married (66.1%), self-employed (51.6%), and urban dwellers (79.8%), and had died because of burns (91.9%). In 46.8% of cases, the victims were the driver, and in the remaining 53.2%, they were the passenger of the crashed vehicle. Most frequently, vehicle fires occurred on extra-urban roads (90.3%), during spring (35.5 %) or summer (32.3%), due to a vehicle-to-vehicle collision (66.9%), between sedans (69.9%), and at night (63.7%). Most victims died at the scene of the incident (87.9%) and had been transferred to hospital by an ambulance (71%).CONCLUSION: This study indicated that car fires caused the death of young and middle-aged people. The authors suggest the implementation of preventative measures promoting car safety; establishing speed management; establishing laws governing driving, manufacturing and importation of vehicles; construction of safe roads; identifying accident-prone points; installing road warning signs; establishing more roadside stations; ensuring stricter police monitoring; and improving vehicle safety standards and public awareness about the risks of speeding

Bam, Iran, Earthquake Experiences, Life Suddenly Collapse in a Few Seconds: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Since Iran is accident-prone, paying attention to the issue of crisis, particularly earthquake, is very important. On Friday, December 26, 2003 at 5:26 a.m., a devastating earthquake converted Bam City, Iran, and its surrounding villages to the mound of soil. In this study, we surveyed the impact of the earthquake on the lives of people who experienced earthquake. Because the knowledge of prevention, preparedness, and appropriate response for earthquakes and other disasters can be achieved only through the experiences of people who had a perception of these disasters. Method: This article was part of a content analysis qualitative study conducted from December to March, 2015 in the Bam city. Purposeful sampling method used and continued until code completion and data saturation. To collect the data semi-structured interviews were used. Results: Of 10 participants in this study, 50% (5 participants) were women and 50% (5 participants) were men. Mean age of participants was 39.70 ± 13.07 years. The mean duration of the interviews was 51.30 ± 10.86 minutes. One of the main themes emerging from the interviews was “the sudden collapse of life in a few seconds”. Conclusion: Based on interviews, the essence of life suddenly collapse was achieved. It represents the value of qualitative studies on understanding problems of victims and survivors of natural disasters, especially earthquake. It is hoped that real aspects of the crisis on the lives of survivors be achieved and used in planning timely and accurate crisis management based on the real needs of injured people. Keywords: Qualitative research, Earthquake, Experience, Life change events, Ira

Reproductive health in the recent disasters of Iran: a management perspective

Abstract Background Natural disasters represent critical threats to the health, safety, and well-being of a community—including reproductive health, which has been neglected in disaster-stricken regions. The current study was undertaken to explore administrative issues related to post-disaster reproductive health systems in Iran. Methods A qualitative approach using in-depth unstructured interviews was applied to explore the administrative issues of reproductive health systems in the affected regions. A total of 22 participants were interviewed using the purposeful sampling method. Data were collected in three provinces: East Azerbaijan, Bushehr, and Mazandaran. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using the conventional content analysis. Results Six categories of management issues of reproductive health in disasters were extracted from data. These categories were: ignoring cultural factors, lack of planning, lack of training, insufficient data collection, ignoring male reproductive health, and lack of monitoring systems. Conclusion Different challenges to reproductive health management that emerged from the research should be considered and included in reproductive health plans and policies in disaster-affected regions in Iran. Involving community in all processes of providing reproductive health services, from planning to monitoring, is highly suggested

Comment on Choi, Y.-J.; Choi, H.-B.; O’Donnell, M. Disaster Reintegration Model: A Qualitative Analysis on Developing Korean Disaster Mental Health Support Model. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 362

Recently, Choi et al. published an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, indicating that mental health disorders were experienced by disaster survivors in Korea. [...

Effective factors on outbreaks of food and water borne diseases in Iran: a trend analysis

Waterborne and foodborne diseasesare a major global publichealth concern. This study wasconducted to identify affecting factors on waterborneand food borne outbreaks and analyzing its trend in Iran.A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out usingwaterborne and foodborne disease national surveillancesystem data from 2015-2016, which have been reportedby all provincial health centers to the Center for CommunicableDisease Control of the ministry of health. Collecteddata were analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Atotal of 5, 500 water and food borne outbreaks reportedin Iran. Analyzed data showed that the outbreak rate was4.14/100000 in 2015 to 2.7/100000 population in 2016in Iran. According to laboratory results, the most frequentmicrobial pathogens which were sources of outbreaks includedEscherichia Coli, Shigella, Entamoeba Histolytica,Salmonella, Hepatitis A virus and Vibrio NAG (Non AgglutinatingGroups). The highest frequency of outbreak occurredin rural areas (56.1%). The most commonly reportedsymptoms were abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.Qazvin, Zanjan and Kermanshah were three provincesthat reported more outbreaks than nationally outbreakincidence rate during 2015 -2016. Trend analysis of reportedWaterborne and foodborne diseases in Iran showeda seasonal pattern, particularly increased in autumn. Occurrenceof this outbreaks in many provinces with higherincidence need to root cause analysis and interventionssubsequently. These interventions should be carried outboth at the level of health policy-makers to set appropriate,evidence-based priorities in the area of water and foodsafety and at the community level. Using syndromic surveillancedata for outbreak detection, active case-finding,timely diagnosis, accurate treatment, patients monitoringalong with public health education are highly recommended.Rational use and prescription of drugs inhibits antibioticresistance and can reduce the cost of therapeutic ofthese diseases

Effective factors on outbreaks of food and water borne diseases in Iran: a trend analysis

Waterborne and foodborne diseasesare a major global publichealth concern. This study wasconducted to identify affecting factors on waterborneand food borne outbreaks and analyzing its trend in Iran.A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out usingwaterborne and foodborne disease national surveillancesystem data from 2015-2016, which have been reportedby all provincial health centers to the Center for CommunicableDisease Control of the ministry of health. Collecteddata were analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Atotal of 5, 500 water and food borne outbreaks reportedin Iran. Analyzed data showed that the outbreak rate was4.14/100000 in 2015 to 2.7/100000 population in 2016in Iran. According to laboratory results, the most frequentmicrobial pathogens which were sources of outbreaks includedEscherichia Coli, Shigella, Entamoeba Histolytica,Salmonella, Hepatitis A virus and Vibrio NAG (Non AgglutinatingGroups). The highest frequency of outbreak occurredin rural areas (56.1%). The most commonly reportedsymptoms were abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.Qazvin, Zanjan and Kermanshah were three provincesthat reported more outbreaks than nationally outbreakincidence rate during 2015 -2016. Trend analysis of reportedWaterborne and foodborne diseases in Iran showeda seasonal pattern, particularly increased in autumn. Occurrenceof this outbreaks in many provinces with higherincidence need to root cause analysis and interventionssubsequently. These interventions should be carried outboth at the level of health policy-makers to set appropriate,evidence-based priorities in the area of water and foodsafety and at the community level. Using syndromic surveillancedata for outbreak detection, active case-finding,timely diagnosis, accurate treatment, patients monitoringalong with public health education are highly recommended.Rational use and prescription of drugs inhibits antibioticresistance and can reduce the cost of therapeutic ofthese diseases

Pattern and nature of Neyshabur train explosion blast injuries

Abstract Background Explosions are classified as both man-made and complex accidents. Explosive events can cause serious damage to people, property, and the environment. This study aimed to investigate the pattern and nature of damage incurred to the victims of the Neyshabur Train Explosion. Methods The current study is a descriptive cross-sectional study that was retrospectively performed on 99 individuals using census method and documents victims hospitalized due to the Neyshabur train disaster (February 2004) in 2016. In this study, different variables such as age, sex, type of injury, treatment, etc. were examined using a questionnaire and were analyzed using SPSS16. Results The results showed that 50.5% of victims were males with mean age of 30.33 ± 4.27 years and most of them were in 20- to 40-year age group. A total of 98 victims were discharged after treatment, and 1 victim died due to the severity of injuries after 3 days of hospitalization. Second type of injuries caused by the explosion accounted for most of the injuries (55.6%), and most treatments (54.5%) were related to the specific field of orthopedics. Conclusion Handling and transportation of fuels and chemicals via rail transport system is one of the potential hazards that threatens human life. The results showed that the highest numbers of victims were in 20- to 40-year age group, which is the age of economic efficiency. The prevention and reduction of human and financial losses resulting from accidents require proper national planning

Challenges of pre-disaster management in Iran: Are organizations prepared to respond to freshwater oil spills?

Oil spill in freshwater is one of the major threats to human health and environmental stability; protection of water resources based on pre-determined plans could prevent the occurrence of such a disaster. The aim of this study was to determine the challenges of pre-disaster management of oil spill incidents. This was a qualitative case study conducted in 2015 in Isfahan, Iran, on an oil spill incident and its roots based on a disaster management approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Nineteen managers and staff members from among those responsible or involved in the management of the Isfahan oil spill incident were recruited to the study. Qualitative content analysis approach was employed for data analysis. Document analysis was used to collect additional information. “Weaknesses of risk reduction programs” and “weaknesses of preparedness plans” were identified as the roots of the disaster. Preparedness is a crucial aspect of timely and appropriate response to oil spill incidents