The Views of Occupational Health Graduates Working in Kashan, Iran, on Compliance of Curriculum Content with Occupational Requirements

Background & Objective: Evaluation of curriculum content is one of the main responsibilities of universities. The graduates’ occupational competency to provide appropriate services to society depends on the achievement of education goals. This study was carried out to verifying the compliance of curriculum content of the B.Sc. course in occupational health with performance aspects expected of graduates working in Kashan, Iran, in 2013. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 56 occupational health course graduates working in Kashan. The subjects were selected randomly. An author-developed questionnaire was used to collect data on the performance aspect of the curriculum content of this course. Data were presented and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Results: The application of the content of specialized courses and foundation courses in the workplace were high and moderate, respectively. The content of 71.1% of foundation courses and 30.0% of specialized courses were scientific knowledge. Moreover, the content of 15.7% of foundation courses and 54.5% of specialized courses were practical skills. Ergonomics course had the highest application in practical skills and the management course had the lowest application in scientific knowledge. The graduates expressed partial satisfaction with the course curriculum. Conclusion: The curriculum content of the occupational health course is somewhat consistent with occupational requirements of its graduates. However, this does not seem sufficient. Regular revision and modification of the occupational health curriculum in accordance with occupational requirements of its graduates is necessary. Key Words: Occupational health, Curriculum, Undergraduates, Occupational requirement

Evaluation of an undergraduate occupational health program in Iran based on alumni perceptions: a structural equation model

Purpose Evaluating educational programs can improve the quality of education. The present study evaluated the undergraduate occupational health program at the Semnan University of Medical Sciences in Semnan, Iran, with a focus on the associations between alumni perceptions of the learning environment and the outcomes of the occupational health program. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among alumni of the undergraduate occupational health program. We asked alumni to rate their perceptions of the items using a 4-point Likert scale. The associations between alumni perceptions of the educational program and curriculum, faculty, institutional resources, and learning outcomes were modeled and described using structural equation modeling procedures. Results A descriptive analysis of alumni perceptions indicated low evaluations for the administrative system, practical and research-based courses, and the number of faculty members. We found that a structural model of the evaluation variables of curriculum, faculty qualifications, and institutional resources significantly predicted undergraduate educational outcomes. The curriculum had direct and indirect effects on learning outcomes, mediated by faculty. Conclusion The findings of our study highlight the usefulness of the structural equation modeling approach for examining links between variables related to the learning process and learning outcomes. Surveys of alumni can provide data for reassessing the learning environment in the light of the professional competencies needed for occupational health graduates

Evaluation of an undergraduate occupational health program in Iran based on alumni perceptions: a structural equation model

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among alumni of the undergraduate occupational health program. We asked alumni to rate their perceptions of the items using a 4-point Likert scale. The target subjects comprised alumni who graduated from a 4-year undergraduate occupational health degree program at the Medical Sciences University of Semnan between 1998 and 2014. Data from a total of 126 alumni who answered and completed the survey were included in the study, resulting in an approximate response rate of 37%

Evaluation of cell phone addiction in shahid beheshti hospital nurses in Kashan 2016

Background and Purpose: Excessive use of communication technologies such as mobile phones can lead to addiction; in this research, the prevalence of mental disorders among nursing staff dealt with the situation has been examined. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study has been implemented on 222 nurses Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Kashan in 2016. Data of mobile-phone addiction were assessed using a Persian questionnaire with standard reliability validity. The questionnaire included demographic information, including age, sex, marital status, education, and information about the possibilities of mobile features. The data analyzed by software SPSS and descriptive and analytical statistical methods were used. Results: Totally, 32 cases (14.4%) had scores higher than the overall mean score of the questionnaire, in addition to there was a significant difference regarding the sex, time, stress, difficulty in concentrating, error in clinical practice, and the mean score of mobile addiction (P = 0.001, 0.001, and 0.027). In addition, there was a significant relationship between the accident, job performance, speed, accuracy, and overall mean addiction to mobile-phone addiction. Conclusion: This study revealed that lots of people suffer from addiction to mobile phones, their work indexes are affected in some cases

Determination of Occupational Stress and Its Related Factors in Female Staff of Kashan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Aim: The phenomenon of stress is one of the fundamental problems in the last few decades following the changes and developments of societies and the advent of modern life that has put people at risk. The aim of this study was to determine the level of occupational stress and its related factors in female staff of Kashan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study and the sample size was all female employees (132 persons) working in faculties and departments of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in 2016. The UK HSE occupational stress questionnaire was used to measure occupational stress. Data were imported into SPSS16 software and analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher exact test.  Findings: Only two variables showed a significant statistical relationship with job stress; hours of work and the workplace (P-value <0.05), but there was no significant statistical relationship between job shift, education level and employment status (P-value> 0.05). Conclusion: The high level of occupational stress among employees of the deputies indicate the importance of reducing the working hours of the staff to the standard working hours of other countries, as well as the periodic shift of staff from the deputies to the faculties. &nbsp

Effect of Sound Conditioning on Click Auditory Brainstem Response Threshold Shifts in Guinea Pigs

Background and Aim: Sound conditioning is exposure to a non-traumatic, moderate level of sound which increases inner ear resistance against further severe noise. In this study, we aimed to survey the effect of sound conditioning on auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold shifts using click stimulus, and the effect of the frequency of conditioning on hearing protection.Methods: Fifteen guinea pigs were randomly divided into 3 groups. Two conditioned groups were exposed to 1 kHz, and 4 kHz octave band noise at 85 dB SPL, 6 hours per day for 5 days, respectively.On the sixth day, the animals were exposed to 4 kHz octave band noise at 105 dB SPL, for 4 hours.The control group was exposed to intense noise, 4 kHz at 105 Db SPL for 4 hours (withoutconditioning). After exposure, ABR thresholds using click were recorded an hour, and 7 days after noise exposure.Results: The results of the ABR with click stimulus showed less thresold shifts in conditioned groups than control (p≤0.001). Comparison of the results of conditioned groups, showed less threshold shift by 4 kHz conditioning, however, this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).Conclusion: Electrophysiological data of our study showed that sound conditioning has a protective effect against subsequent intensive noise exposure, and the frequency of conditioning does not havesignificant effect on ABR threshold shifts when using click stimulus

Protective Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on the Hearing of Rabbits Exposed to Noise and Carbon Monoxide

Background and Aim: One of the chemical pollutions which is frequently common in industry-other than noise is carbon monoxide. The present study aimed to assess the putative protective effect of N-acetylcysteine on the function of outer hair cells of rabbits exposed simultaneously to noise and carbon monoxide.Methods: 24 male rabbits are entered in this interventional study. After obtaining baseline distortion product otoacoustic emissions, rabits were randomely devided into four groups. The groups Included: exposed with noise and received saline, exposed with noise and carbon monoxide and received saline, exposed with noise and received N-acetylcysteine, and exposed with noise and carbon monoxide and received N-acetylcysteine. Subsequently, they were evaluated again with distortion product otoacoustic emissions in two stages (two hours and one week after the exposure). Data were recorded and analyzed using paired and independent sample t-tests.Results: Exposure to noise, and also simultaneous exposure to noise and carbon monoxide, and moreover using N-acetylcysteine in both groups, produced significant changes in distortion product otoacoustic emissions amplitudes (p<0.005).Conclusion: The findings of the present research reveal that simultaneous exposure to noise and carbon monoxide may potentiate noise induced hearing loss. In addition, utilizing N-acetylcysteine can be used as a preventive agent for noise induced hearing loss and to avoid its potentiation with carbon monoxide

Priorities of occupational health, safety, and environment issues based on national programs and regulations from the perspective of occupational health experts in Kashan city in 2017

Background: Safety, health, environment is one of the most important issues of human societies in the current and future. Prioritization is one of the important issues affecting the prevention of diseases and occupational accidents and environmental hazards; therefore, the aim of this study, prioritize current programs and regulations entrust to occupational health experts. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study of the descriptive type that was conducted on 151 occupational health experts of Kashan City in 2017. The data collection tool was a questionnaire that made by the researcher. Data analysis was conducted with (SPSS 16) and descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The results showed that there is a statistically significant difference between items in the executive and supervisory sectors and the highest priorities are based on the mean and standard deviation of the scores assigned by occupational health experts: controlling mechanical factors and ergonomics within the context of occupational health controls in the executive sector. Priorities are based on the average and standard deviation of total scores allocated by occupational health experts: the most important priorities are safety in the protection of machines shield and fire safety, chemical safety, and electrical safety. Conclusion: The most important priority for all those present in the research, safety in the protection machine gears shield (transmission parts for gear belt buckles, etc.) should be considered as an important priority for officials and observers of the executive and supervisory sectors, and to maintain and to enhance safety at the workplace machine safeguarding is very important

The correlation of character traits with job burnout among Beheshti Hospital nurses in Kashan during 2015

Introduction: Occupational burnout is one of the complications of work and a psychological syndrome including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feeling of inadequacy. Furthermore, personality traits such as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism can affect the degree of occupational burnout. This study is to investigate the relationship between these two factors. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 87 nurses from Kashan Beheshti Hospital. We used Neo and Maslach questionnaires to investigate the personality traits and occupational burnout. Sampling was performed by a simple random sampling method, and the data were collected by Neo and Maslach questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, Fisher exact test, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: In general, there is a significant relationship between different aspects of occupational burnout with personality traits. There was no significant relationship between occupational burnout and age (P < 0.262), while there was a relationship between occupational desirability and age. There was no significant relationship between the frequency and severity of occupational burnout in the various aspects of age, sex, and marital status of nurses. There is also no relationship between personality traits and these three factors. Conclusion: The study showed that the personality traits of nurses are effective in their occupational burnout. Furthermore, compare to depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and feeling of inadequacy in nurses is more related to personality traits and the modification of work environment and reduction of work stress are recommended for these employees