Caregivers’ concerns about the sexual and reproductive health of women with intellectual disability in Iran: a qualitative study

Abstract Background Women with intellectual disability (ID) have many sexual and reproductive problems. This study was conducted to explain the sexual and reproductive health considerations of women with ID from the perspective of their caregivers in a qualitative approach. Methods This study was a qualitative research conducted with a content analysis approach in Iran. The sampling method used was targeted sampling with maximum possible variation, which was continued until data saturation. For data collection, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants, including 8 mothers, 6 caregivers, and 7 specialist caregivers who had experience working with women with intellectual disabilities. Data analysis was conducted using the conventional content analysis method proposed by Zhang and Wildemuth. Results Two main themes, four categories and 12 subcategories emerged from the data analysis. The themes include “Reproductive health concerns” and” "Sexual health concerns”. This means that this group of women has many problems with menstrual hygiene and vaginal infections. On the other hand, caregivers were concerned about the manifestations of unconventional sexual behaviors and difficulties in controlling sexual behaviors as well as the risk of sexual abuse. Conclusion The results of the present study show that it is not only necessary to provide women with ID with practical instructions on menstrual hygiene and sexual self-care, but also that regular examinations of the reproductive system by obstetricians or midwives, especially in care centers, seem essential

Retracted: Internet of things in the management of chronic diseases during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review

Abstract Introduction The use of new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) in the management of chronic diseases, especially in the COVID pandemics, could be a life‐saving appliance for public health practice. The purpose of the current study is to identify the applications and capability of IoT and digital health in the management of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods This systematic review was conducted by searching the online databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using selected keywords to retrieve the relevant literature published until December 25th, 2021. The most relevant original English studies were included after initial screening based on the inclusion criteria. Results Overall, 18 studies were included. Most of the studies reported benefits and positive responses in the form of patients' and healthcare providers' satisfaction and trust in the online systems. Many services were provided to the patients, including but not limited to training the patients on their conditions; monitoring vital signs and required actions when vital signs were altered; ensuring treatment adherence; monitoring and consulting the patients regarding diet, physical activity, and lifestyle. Conclusion IoT is a new technology, which can help us improve health care services during the COVID‐19 pandemic. It has a network of various sensors, obtaining data from patients. We have found several applications for this technology. Future studies can be conducted for the capability of other technologies in the management of chronic diseases

Retracted: Prenatal and neonatal complications of COVID‐19: A systematic review

Abstract Background and Aims The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) over the past year has affected public health worldwide. During pregnancy, the maternal immune system and inflammatory responses are widely suppressed. Pregnancy‐related immune system suppression could make the mother vulnerable to infectious diseases like SARS‐COV‐2. However, current data suggest little to no possibility of COVID‐19 transmission in pregnant women to the fetus during pregnancy or childbirth. This systematic review focused on the possible complications of COVID‐19 infection in the fetus and newborn babies including the possibility and evidence of vertical transmission by reviewing articles published during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods We conducted a systematic search using keywords on PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. The studies followed a title/abstract and a full‐text screening process, and the eligible articles were included in the study. Results In total, 238 published papers were identified using a systematic search strategy (44 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review). In all studies, a total of 2375 women with signs and symptoms of COVID‐19, who were in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, were assessed mild to moderate pneumonia was one of the most common symptoms. Seventy‐three percent of the women did not present any comorbidity, 19% had a fever, 17% had to cough as the most frequent clinical signs and symptoms, 7.5% had pulmonary changes with chest scans, 8% had increased C reactive protein, and 9.4% had decreased lymphocytes (lymphocytopenia). A total of 2716 newborns and fetal were assessed; the delivery method of 1725 of them was reported, 913 (53%) through C‐section delivery, and 812 through normal vaginal delivery (47%). Of total newborns, 13 died (five died along with the mother), and 1965 were tested for SARS‐CoV‐2:118 tested positive. In a study, vertical transmission in seven cases was reported in total of 145 cases assessed. Conclusion It appeared that most pregnant COVID patients were mildly ill, and there is currently no convincing evidence to support the vertical transmission of COVID‐19 disease. Therefore, neonates do not represent any additional risk for adverse outcomes neither during the prenatal period nor after birth

Predicting the Social-Emotional Competence Based on Childhood Trauma, Internalized Shame, Disability/Shame Scheme, Cognitive Flexibility, Distress Tolerance and Alexithymia in an Iranian Sample Using Bayesian Regression.

The purpose of this study was to predict Social Emotional Competence based on childhood trauma, internalized shame, disability/shame scheme, cognitive flexibility, distress tolerance, and alexithymia in an Iranian sample using Bayesian regression. The participants in this research were a sample of 326 (85.3% female and 14.7% male) people living in Tehran in 2021 who were selected by convenience sampling through online platforms. The survey assessments included demographic characteristics (age and gender), presence of childhood trauma, social-emotional competence, internalized shame, the Toronto Alexithymia scales, Young's measure of disability/shame together with measures of cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance. The results from Bayesian regression and Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) indicated that internalized shame, cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance can be predictive of Social Emotional Competence. These results suggested that Social Emotional Competence can be explained by some important personality factors

Public acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines and its predictors in Middle ‎Eastern/North African (MENA) countries: a systematic review‎

Introduction COVID-19 vaccines emerged as a worldwide hope to contain the pandemic. However, many people ‎are still hesitant to receive these vaccines. We aimed to systematically review the public knowledge, perception, and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries and the predictors of vaccine acceptability in this region. Methods We systematically searched databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane and retrieved ‎all relevant studies by 5 August 2021. Results There was a considerable variation in the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance ‎rates, from 12% in a study from Israel to 83.3% in Kuwait, although two other studies from Israel mentioned 75% ‎and 82.2% acceptability rates. Concerns about the side effects and safety of the vaccine were the main reasons for ‎the lack of acceptability of taking the vaccine, which was reported in 19 studies. ‎ Conclusion Several factors, such as age, gender, education level, and comorbidities, ‎are worthy of attention as they could expand vaccine coverage in the target population.

COVID-19 mortality and its predictors in the elderly: A systematic review

Background and Aims Older people have higher rates of comorbidities and may experience more severe inflammatory responses; therefore, are at higher risk of death. Herein, we aimed to systematically review the mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and its predictors in this age group. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct using relevant keywords. Retrieved records underwent a two-step screening process consisting of title/abstract and full-text screenings to identify the eligible studies. Results Summarizing findings of 35 studies demonstrated that older patients have higher mortality rates compared to the younger population. A review of articles revealed that increasing age, body mass index, a male gender, dementia, impairment or dependency in daily activities, presence of consolidations on chest X-ray, hypoxemic respiratory failure, and lower oxygen saturation at admission were risk factors for death. High d-dimer levels, 25-hydroxy vitamin D serum deficiencies, high C-reactive protein (≥5 mg/L) levels plus any other abnormalities of lymphocyte, higher blood urea nitrogen or lactate dehydrogenase, and higher platelet count were predictors of poor prognosis and mortality in the elderly. Studies have also shown that previous treatment with renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors, pharmacological treatments of respiratory disorders, antibiotics, corticosteroids, vitamin K antagonist, antihistamines, azithromycin, Itolizumab (an anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody) in combination with other antivirals reduces COVID-19 worsening and mortality. Vaccination against seasonal influenza might also reduce COVID-19 mortality. Conclusion Overall, a critical consideration is necessary for the care and management of COVID-19 in the aged population considering the drastic contrasts in manifestation and prognosis compared to other age groups. Mortality from COVID-19 is independently associated with the patient's age. Elderly patients with COVID-19 are more vulnerable to poor outcomes. Thus, strict preventive measures, timely diagnosis, and aggressive therapeutic/nontherapeutic care are of great importance to reduce acute respiratory distress syndrome and severe complications in older people.publishedVersio

Changes in sexual activities, function, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic era: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Little is known about the impact of the coronavirus on sexual behavior, function, and satisfaction. Aim: The aim of the present study was to systematically review people’s sexual function and behaviors and their changes in sexual activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Comprehensive searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were conducted with keywords in accordance with MeSH terms: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, sexual health, sexual function, sexual dysfunctions, sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual activities, and premarital sex. Two reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria: original design, English studies, and investigating either the general population or sexual minorities. Results: Risk of bias in the studies was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and data were pooled via random effects meta-analyses. We utilized the standardized mean difference to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual activity, functioning, and satisfaction. We included 19 studies in the analysis and 11 studies in the meta-analysis, with a sample size of 12 350. To investigate sexual activity changes, a sample size of 8838 was entered into the subgroup analysis, which showed a significant decrease in both genders (5821 women, P < .033; 3017 men, P < .008). A subgroup meta-analysis showed that the sexual function of men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly declined (3974 women, P < .001; 1427 men, P < .001). Sexual desire and arousal decreased in both genders, though mainly in women. In investigating sexual satisfaction changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, a meta-analysis with a sample size of 2711 showed a significant decrease (P < .001). The most indicative changes in sexual behaviors during the pandemic were the increase in masturbating and usage of sex toys. Greater COVID-19 knowledge was associated with lower masturbation, oral sex, and vaginal sex. The more protective behaviors were associated with less hugging, kissing, cuddling, genital touching, watching porn with a partner, and vaginal sex. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased challenges and changes for individuals’ sexual behaviors. Efforts for preventive strategies should therefore be concentrated between pandemics, while ensuring that there is information available to the population during a pandemic for help in times of psychological distress or crisis

The relationship between C‐reactive protein and levels of various cytokines in patients with COVID‐19: A systematic review and correlation analysis

Abstract Introduction C‐reactive protein (CRP) and cytokines levels could alter in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) due to the inflammatory response caused by the virus. This analysis aimed to assess the relationship between the CRP levels and the levels of various cytokines in COVID‐19 patients. Materials and Methods We searched the databases of PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science for relevant articles on May 29th, 2021. Applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, the retrieved records underwent two‐phase screenings; first, a title/abstract screening process, and then, a full‐text screening to find the eligible studies. Data for study variables were extracted, including the CRP levels and the levels of all reported cytokines. A strong and significant relationship between Interleukins and CRP was defined as: p ≤ 0.05, 0.7 ≤ r ≤ 1. Results In this study, 103 studies were included for systematic review and correlation analysis. The aggregate mean and SD of study variables were calculated and reported. The correlation between Interleukins and CRP was measured using correlation coefficient (r). It appeared that interleukin (IL)‐10 has a moderate and significant relationship with CRP (p ≤ 0.05, r = 0.472). IL‐10 predicted almost 10% of CRP changes. Conclusion This correlation analysis suggests IL‐10 is moderately correlated with CRP levels in patients with COVID‐19 infection. A better understanding of the pro‐inflammatory markers could contribute to the implementation of therapeutic and preventive approaches. More prospective studies are suggested to explore the relationship between CRP and cytokines as potential markers for the early identification of COVID‐19 progression and severity

A systematic review of sarcopenia prevalence and associated factors in people living with human immunodeficiency virus

Abstract People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) appear to be at an increased risk of sarcopenia, which can have a devastating effect on their life due to consequences such as physical disability, poor quality of life, and finally death. This systematic review examined sarcopenia prevalence and its associated factors in PLWH. A systematic search was conducted using the keywords in the online databases including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane databases from the dates of inception up to May 2022. The retrieved articles underwent a two‐step title/abstract and full‐text review process, and the eligible papers were selected and included in the qualitative synthesis. Data relating to the study population, purpose of study, gender, age, race, body mass index, medical history, paraclinical results and antiretroviral therapy as associated factors of sarcopenia were extracted. In addition, the prevalence of sarcopenia in PLWH and its promoting and reducing factors were also extracted. We reviewed the 14 related studies for identifying of sarcopenia prevalence and its associated factors in PLWH. The total number of PLWH in all the reviewed studies was 2592. There was no criterion for the minimum number of people with HIV and the lowest number of PLWH was 27, and the highest number was 860. Some studies reported a significantly higher prevalence of sarcopenia in HIV‐infected individuals compared with HIV‐negative controls as follows: 24.2–6.7%, 15–4% and 10–6%, respectively. We showed that, age (30–50 years), being female, >5 years post‐HIV diagnosis, multiple vertebral fractures, cocaine/heroin use and lower gamma‐glutamyl transferase level were the main promoting factors of sarcopenia. Higher educational level, employment, physical exercise, calf circumference >31 cm, and gait speed >0.8 m/s were also factors to reduce sarcopenia. Sarcopenia prevalence in PLWH is higher than HIV‐negative population. Given the importance and prevalence of sarcopenia among PLWH and its associated consequences (i.e., mortality and disability), determining its risk factors is of great importance

Supplemental material - Telemedicine technologies and applications in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

Supplemental material for Telemedicine technologies and applications in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review by Esmaeil Mehraeen, Seyed Ahmad Seyed Alinaghi, Mohammad Heydari, Amirali Karimi, Abdollah Mahdavi, Mehrnaz Mashoufi, Arezoo Sarmad, Peyman Mirghaderi, Ahmadreza Shamsabadi, Kowsar Qaderi, Pegah Mirzapour, Amirata Fakhfouri, Hadiseh Azadi Cheshmekabodi, Kimia Azad, Seyed Ali Bagheri Zargande, Shahram Oliaei, Parisa Yousefi Konjdar, Farzin Vahedi, Tayebeh Noori in Health Informatics Journal</p